Chapter 262

In the space league match against the dragons:

Looking at the game trend from the first match, humanity seemed to be losing momentum with a score of 3:0, but the result ended up being a 3:1 victory for humanity.

=Dragon Race representative. You must regret giving Seong Jihan two wins now!

=Indeed! They couldn't have expected to be pushed back so one-sidedly in the fourth game!

=Humanity surges forward with a pleasant three-match winning streak!

Humanity, which had been in 5th place, pulled the 2nd ranked Dragon Race down.

-It feels great to win three in a row~

-Why is Seong Jihan so ridiculously strong himself? The level difference is insane;

-It feels like he's getting stronger and stronger, LOL

-I was annoyed when I saw him as an opponent, but now that he's on my side, it's such a joy…

People enjoyed feeling the overwhelming power Seong Jihan displayed in the fourth game.

-But is Seong Jihan's good time over now…? He's going to be the focused target of ban cards for ranking 1st from the next game, LOL

-Staying in 2nd place continuously would be difficult, wouldn't it?

-That's impossible. Seong Jihan would have to stop playing altogether for that to happen, right?

-We'll have to settle for displacing the enemy's ban cards.

-But since we're facing new teams, they won't hit Seong Jihan with the 1st place ban right away. So we'll secure at least one win in the series, right?

-Doesn't that mean we'll keep ending up with 1 win and 3 losses? -_-

Viewers, concerned that Seong Jihan might face concentrated targeting after becoming ranked first, still celebrated today's victory.

Meanwhile,

after the BattleNet game had ended, the Red Dragon Altarkaizen, who had been recalled to the coaching room, repeated in disbelief,

[…I can't believe it. To lose like this… How could such a mutant come from such an insignificant species? I shouldn't have given away those two wins…]

The once-confident dragon was repeating his disbelief, his head now sunk to the floor.

[You will log out from the coach's room shortly.]

Seong Jihan glanced at the system message appearing before him, then addressed Altarkaizen with a question.

"Hey, do you know anything about the Dragon Lord?"

[…Why bring up the Dragon Lord all of a sudden?]

"He might become my sponsor."

[What, what?!]

The mention jolted Altarkaizen to raise his head.

[Impossible…How could the Lord be your sponsor… to such a lowly creature as you…!]

"Who was it that got beaten by the lowly one?"

[Grrr…!]

"Anyway, do you know anything?"

[…Even if I did, do you think I would tell you?]

"You seem ignorant then. You really are a distant branch."

Seong Jihan, who had asked out of time to spare before logging out, didn't expect much from Altarkaizen's side.

He was about to logout when,

[You have an urgent message from the 'Constellation of the Dead Star'.]

[This Constellation has been blocked. Would you like to unblock?]

Just as the World Tree Yggdrasil had once suggested when proposing to Seong Jihan,

The 'Constellation of the Dead Star' sent an urgent message.

'I should unblock it then.'

Despite repeatedly urging Seong Jihan to take the lead, this Constellation might be useful for gathering information.

Upon unblocking, the Constellation promptly sent a message.

[The 'Constellation of the Dead Star' recommends accepting the Dragon Lord's sponsorship.]

[However, he emphasizes not to give in too easily to whatever he wants.]

'He recommends accepting sponsorship?' How unexpected.

Seong Jihan's eyes widened.

While he was adamantly opposed during the time with the cosmic tree Yggdrasil, he was surprisingly positive about the Dragon Lord.

'I'd like to ask other Constellations too, but Brahma was already finished off by the Martial God.'

The entity 'Thunder God' had vanished from the list of sponsoring Constellation.

Instead, Seong Jihan reached out to Ariel, who had been silent the whole time since the battle with the Dragons.

He even speculated that she herself might be the Shadow Queen Constellation.

There might be some information she knew.

"Ariel, do you shadow elves know anything about the Dragon Lord?"

[…I know something, but we cannot speak of it. However…]

"However?"

[Since you've already been marked as an enemy of the World Tree Elves, it might be worth hearing out.]

Seong Jihan tilted his head.

It didn't really matter since they weren't exactly amicable with the World Tree Elves anyway.

"Is the Dragon Lord an enemy of the elves? That doesn't quite make sense considering how subservient dragons are to the elves."

[What do you mean subservient…!]

"Isn't it true? You always get flustered and never disagree."

[You…]

On the other side of the coaching room, Altarkaizen angrily responded, but Seong Jihan coolly replied.

Having fought directly, the Dragon didn't seem the kind to be dominated by elves.

But recalling the last relegation, the Dragon Race's planet always fell behind the elves.

The reaction from Altarkaizen always bristling at the mention of elves but never denying it combined to suggest the relationship indeed favored elves.

'Might as well hear out the story.'

Seong Jihan accepted the sponsorship proposal sent by the Dragon Lord.

That's when,

[Player Seong Jihan has accepted the 'Dragon Lord' from the Great Constellation's sponsorship proposal.]

[The 'Dragon Lord' intends to formally sponsor the player by summoning them to his lair.]

[Player Seong Jihan does not qualify to respond to a 'Constellation's' summoning due to lacking 'Constellation' status.]

System messages streamed across, stating the summoning was impossible due to the lack of a Constellation status.

'The requirements sure are stringent.'

To be summoned to the Dragon Lord's lair, one needed the status of a Constellation.

Would the sponsorship procedures properly take place?

As Seong Jihan pondered this while staring at the message,

Krak…!

The body of Altarkaizen, at the far end of the room, suddenly began to twist.

[Ahh… Ah…!]

The Red Dragon, whose head was twisted beyond recognition and could hardly scream, soon burst into flames from within its head.

And from inside those flames, a voice different from Altarkaizen's spoke.

[Hmm… So this is the Bronze League. Of course, I assumed naturally you were a Constellation…]

"The Dragon Lord?"

[Yes.]

Flames…

Beginning from Altarkaizen's head, the fire blazed on and completely swallowed his body.

Initially, the fire took on the form of a dragon, but then it compacted into a giant orb.

[That's rather good. To show such talent even though you are not a Constellation.]

"Why did you offer me sponsorship?"

[I will tell you if you come to my lair.]

The Dragon Lord was reluctant to discuss things outside, suggesting a more covert conversation.

So is this the end?

Swoosh!

Seong Jihan extended his palm toward the large orb.

"So until I become a Constellation, there's no sponsorship from you, Great Constellation?"

[You are bold. That's good. One must demand what they are due.]

Swoosh…

The ball of giant flames extinguished in an instant at Seong Jihan's gesture.

Out of the extinguished flames, a fist-sized red gem appeared.

[Be satisfied with this, for now.]

"What's this?"

[The Dragon Heart.]

"The one from the Red Dragon earlier?"

[Indeed.]

"So, is he dead?"

[No. He is not dead yet. Encased within the Dragon Heart, sealed away.]

The Dragon Lord's words had scarcely finished when flames erupted from the gem once again.

[My descendants will keep the flames alive for their survival.]

"Hmm…"

[You should trample such rebellion and dominate the Dragon Heart. Extinguish its fire completely and absorb it, or make it yours including the flames. Whatever you do, making the Dragon Heart yours will result in a greater gift from me later on.]

A forebear, the Dragon Lord, tasked Seong Jihan to firmly control and command his offspring.

Seong Jihan didn't grasp why he was given the Dragon Heart, but it was compelling.

'Let's take the offer.'

The display of fiery might from the Dragon Heart was overwhelming; he decided to keep it for now.

[Be quick to become a Constellation then.]

"Got it. But can I ask you something?"

[What is it?]

"What is the Great Constellation?"

[A being above the Constellations, who rules over them. It's a necessary qualification to become an administrator of BattleNet.]

"A rank below the administrator."

[Correct.]

Seong Jihan nodded, recalling when he received the Seed of Life from the green administrator.

'The green administrator… such a remarkable entity.'

When he received that suspicious seed under the guise of an apology, it was disconcerting.

Yet, it turns out to be a high-ranking existence.

Compared to the Dragon Lord, who is under the administrator, the World Tree Elves already command an administrator.

This hierarchy might relate to the elves' superiority over the dragons.

'Hmm… Still, it might be tactless to ask the Dragon Lord about the elves.'

It was okay to directly ask Altarkaizen, seeming less consequential,

but with the Dragon Lord potentially offering sponsorship, there was no need for sensitive questions.

"Alright. I'll do my best."

[I look forward to it.]

Flash!

With the Dragon Lord's departure,

[Logging out.]

BattleNet seemed to be waiting impatiently to discharge Seong Jihan from the coaching room.

And then,

"Ah. Player Seong Jihan! You've finally back!"

"Was there any trouble inside?"

Reporters who were waiting to conduct a winner's interview with Seong Jihan started barraging him with questions.

"Am I late?"

"Yes. Davis logged out immediately after the game ended last time but It's already been an hour now…"

"People were getting worried."

"An hour has passed?"

The conversation with the Dragon Lord hadn't seemed that lengthy.

'How strange.'

Was this also the power of the Great Constellation?

Seong Jihan shared the thought with the reporters.

"Player Seong Jihan! Would you be willing to do a winner's interview?"

"But first… What is that giant ruby you're holding in your hand?"

"Oh, this. It's a gift from a dragon."

"That's… a gift from the dragon?"

"Yes. They gave it generously."

Fwosh…

The Dragon Heart in Seong Jihan's hand erupted in flames in protest to his words.

"It… it's on fire!"

"Ah, it's fine."

Swoosh…

Seong Jihan nonchalantly absorbed the fiery energy into his body, his eyes shimmering.

'This could be quite useful.'

The fiery mana from the Dragon Heart had a purity far exceeding expectations.

"Let's do the interview then."

"Yes. Understood!"

With an unexpected item gained, Seong Jihan smiled and proceeded with the winner's interview.

* * *

Humanity, having achieved a three-match win streak in the Space League and rising to 5th place, was facing fewer threats from dungeon portals than before the game, cruising along smoothly in the league.

-GP prices are down, and life has definitely gotten better.

-I went bankrupt betting on GP… -_ – if I had known, I would have trusted Seong Jihan…

-Seriously, who bets against humanity? LOL

While there were a few victims, the vast majority savored the newly stabilized world with a sense of relief.

At that time, everyone, regardless of nationality and race, was united in celebrating the victory.

However, this calm was short-lived.

[The first three matches of the Space League have concluded.]

[From now on, a bonus will be provided to ensure smooth progress in the league for all species.]

[Please choose a bonus item.]

A seed of discord dropped onto the harmonious humanity from BattleNet.