Chapter 350

"Brain preservation technology…"

[We Mecans also started at a similar point as humanity.]

Zziiing…

A new hologram displayed a scene, revealing a race that resembled humanity but looked a bit more apelike.

[Ranked lowest in BattleNet evaluations. Our starting point was being at the bottom ranks, eventually disappearing… We possessed abilities similar to those of current humanity.]

"Similar to us?"

[Yes. A race insufficient to overcome BattleNet. To transcend the limits of our species, we chose a special method. Instead of frail flesh, we replaced our bodies with steel.]

The screen rapidly showed how the apelike race transformed into robots.

Brains were extracted and placed inside special solutions.

Bipedal robots were then shown connected to each brain with yellow lines.

As scenes of transcending science and super-science appeared on the screen,

-Is that ape race Australopithecus or what?

-They do seem to have specs similar to humans, huh.

-So, you gotta extract your brain to become a robot, huh?

-A race that actually realizes brains in jars…

[PR/N: Australopithecus is a species that lived in Africa between 4.18 and 2 million years ago. The name "Australopithecus" means "southern ape" and was originally used for a species found in South Africa.]

Viewers expressed disgust upon seeing brains floating out of heads.

However,

[The brains can be maintained for at least a thousand years. If humanity were to receive this technology, you could easily surpass your species' lifespan.]

"Even if you surpass the lifespan, if it's just the brain remaining…"

The Mecan coach conveyed that humanity could transcend their lifespan,

[You have the blood and flesh of your number one, don't you?]

"…Why bring him into this?"

[He has already far surpassed the limits. By cloning his body and transplanting brains into it, all of humanity could live for a thousand years. We will also specially transmit that technology to you.]

The Mecans revealed why they were so persistent in requesting Seong Jihan's blood and flesh.

-Wow, they were really thinking of cloning him, huh _ _;

-Thought they were planning tributes for the World Tree Elves…

-But just saying it like that, who knows what they'd actually use it for, honestly.

-Seong Jihan's body will live for a thousand years?

-So, everyone swapping into Seong Jihan's bodies… might not be too bad?

-With Seong Jihan, we're in the upper ranks, why clone him? Just get lost lol

The viewers did not take Mecan's proposal to share Seong Jihan's body seriously.

And Coach Davis immediately rejected the offer.

"That's why you've been asking for his flesh up to now? Insane…"

[An instant way to advance your race by several stages. We will await your wise decision.]

"Enough. But… Mecan, wasn't this your first time in BattleNet?"

[It is not our first time.]

Flick!

The hologram turned off.

Seemingly uninterested in discussing the topic further, the Mecan coach halted the conversation.

-Wasn't it supposed to be a league for newcomers? Why so many experienced players _ _;

-Then don't call it the Bronze League, seriously lol

-Why is humanity even in this place?

-What if we've already participated once before? lolol

-Did ancient civilizations participate or what, damn.

The viewers became agitated upon learning that Mecan, like the World Tree Elves, was also experienced in BattleNet.

Yet,

['Mecan' decides to ban humanity's number 2.]

[Player 'Oliver' has been banned. He cannot participate in the next game.]

-Oh, lolol

-Guaranteed win for game 4, let's go

-The coach kept his word, at least!

-Trust in robots, they have integrity unlike humans, haha

With the Mecan's ban targeting Oliver instead of Seong Jihan, the viewers quickly embraced it.

"It's game over now that Uncle's taking part. But why did they unban him?"

"Maybe they thought we'd accept their proposal? Quite naive for all that data analysis they did."

"They probably saw it as a good offer from their perspective."

As Seong Jihan quietly watched Oliver getting banned, he pondered Mecan's intentions of swapping out their mechanical bodies for his.

They presented the proposal as if it truly were an attractive deal for humanity.

'Well, some people in humanity might actually like it.'

After all, Seong Jihan's body, as Mecan claimed, could live for a thousand years.

There wouldn't be a lack of those coveting it.

If he wasn't the unparalleled existence on Earth that he is now,

People might discreetly agree to Mecan's proposal out of the public eye.

"Clones of Jihan… Mecan's intentions are too transparent. Did they think we'd agree just because they talked about it like that?"

"Well, they just threw it out there to see. But it's good they lifted the ban for the 4th game."

"Ah, if I'm to live with Jihan, I should probably start taking care of my health too. Living a thousand years…"

"I wonder if I'd want to live that long."

Seong Jihan smiled wryly at Sophia, who looked up at him.

The Wandering Martial God, and even the Taiji's Lost Soul, the Abyss owner.

With major obstacles both outside in space and on Earth, living another five years, let alone a thousand, was uncertain.

"But if brother-in-law becomes the MVP in the 4th game, then he's the series MVP, right?"

"It should be, since he won the MVP in game 2."

"Then, I'll give him a push this time."

"Me? Nah, Jihan should take it."

Yoon Sejin waved it off as if it was absurd,

"No, it's also advantageous for me. I'll stick to support."

Seong Jihan, recalling the Constellation Fame rewards, decided to take a step back in game 4.

* * *

=This map is 'Wrecked Spaceship.'

=The game type is Survival, with only 20 members from each team participating on this relatively small map.

=Given the map's size, it's advantageous for us, having Seong Jihan on our team.

=Indeed. The map was selected by the Mecan race, making one wonder why they'd choose such a map.

=Releasing Seong Jihan and choosing a survival map… Maybe they gave up on the game?

From the moment Seong Jihan survived the ban, the commentators' voices lacked tension.

Leading the series 2-1, humanity had the advantage.

If Seong Jihan could put a period on the series, victory in this Space League was assured.

=Game 4 begins!

And the game started.

Within a space on the wrecked spaceship,

Yoon Sejin, who drew his twin swords, looked at Seong Jihan, who had his arms crossed behind his back.

"Really… I'm going for the MVP?"

"Yes, go ahead. I'll support you from behind."

"…Alright then."

Taking the lead as per Seong Jihan's instructions, Yoon Sejin approached the door inside the spaceship.

Creeeak.

The door automatically opened.

"After you."

Whoosh!

Yoon Sejin took the lead, followed by the rest of humanity's players.

Despite the small map of the Space League game,

Creeeak. Creeeak.

the automatic doors opened endlessly, and humanity's players had already passed the tenth space.

"When are these guys coming out?"

"Right. The map isn't that big, is it?"

Just as humanity's players were getting nervous over the absent enemy,

Whirr. Whirr!

Suddenly, the room they entered sounded an alarm.

"…What, what's that?"

Before the players could even react,

Boom! Boom! Boom! Bang!

The walls of the entered space exploded and giant rocks burst through.

Along with that, flashes of electric current from all sides.

"Arghhh…!"

A few players were electrocuted, tremors running through their bodies but,

"That's enough."

Swoosh.

Seong Jihan extended his hand, and the flashing currents from all sides gathered into his palm.

The giant rock that seemed to be tearing open the spaceship also stopped moving.

"Phew… We're safe."

"Thank you, Mr. Seong Jihan."

Seong Jihan nodded at the players' gratitude but wrinkled his brow slightly.

'I shouldn't be standing out.'

Game 4 was supposed to highlight Yoon Sejin so he could nab the MVP.

If situations requiring his intervention kept arising, then the MVP would naturally drift away from Yoon Sejin.

"Be more cautious going forward."

Seong Jihan reminded the players to be more careful so he wouldn't need to intervene, but

Boom!

The game did not flow as he intended.

=Ah, the spaceship explodes again!

=What is with this spaceship! Every time we move to a new room, it collapses!

=Seong Jihan player has dominated the space again, stopping the meteor!

=He also stopped the flames spreading from the previous room, right?

=Taking the rearmost place to protect all team members!

'Ah, seriously.'

Enemies were nowhere to be seen and the spaceship continually collapsed whenever a door was opened.

If not for Seong Jihan, half of the 20 could've been gone due to the intense pressure of the space.

This might just end up with Seong Jihan being the MVP again.

'Why won't Mecan show up?'

Having saved too many, Seong Jihan now hoped for the enemy to appear quickly.

After moving forward a few more times,

"…I wonder what will come out this time."

"This spaceship is the strangest thing. Every space we've been through has collapsed, but as soon as we cross the door, it's fine."

"Now it'll collapse again."

"And then Player Seong will save us again."

The players, now used to the explosion pattern of rooms,

Creeeak.

Entered the opened automatic door with weary expressions.

And while the man who had saved most, Seong Jihan, was about to step forward with crossed arms behind his back,

Clank! Clank!

Suddenly, the automatic door folded instantly under immense pressure, and even the space beyond began collapsing.

'What's this.'

At this rate, those in the room would be crushed to death.

Seong Jihan quickly tried to open that space using the spatial domination of Martial Soul, but

Flash!

A flash of light, and the space beyond disappeared.

The passageway of the spaceship was cut off midway.

Hweeiiii…

Where the space had been, there was only swirling sand from the planet where the spaceship had landed.

"…No."

He planned to stay back and only support in this game, but in an instant, 19 members of his team disappeared.

[Player 'Yoon Sejin' has died.]

[Player 'Barren' has died.]

…

Despite him making way for them to aim for the MVP, was the outcome going to be a total team wipe?

Staring blankly at the death messages rolling in, Seong Jihan saw,

Clang. Clang.

Beyond the disappeared space, the wreckage of the colossal spaceship landed on the sandy planet.

Slowly started merging and moving.

=Wow, the spaceship is disassembling and assembling together…!

=We've seen this scene before…

=Ah, the spaceship. It's transforming into a giant robot!

=Could this possibly be Mecan…?

In games 1-3, Mecan appeared as manageable bipedal robots for humanity.

But in this game, they transformed into a gigantic robot through some means.

-Are you kidding me, an entire spaceship and map background merge to form that? lolol

-Doesn't humanity have something like that to utilize in a map? Ridiculously unfair _ _;

-If we had that, we wouldn't be the lowest-ranked race…

-At least, how come only Seong Jihan survived being at the back

Viewers were bewildered by the sight of a giant robot formed by the merging of the wrecked spaceship with Mecans, their only consolation being Seong Jihan's survival.

Meanwhile,

Zziiing.

The bipedal robot's eyes glowed red, and a voice emanated from it.

[Rank 1 player. Why did you not advance?]

"Why, were you trying to get my blood and flesh data in that previous space?"

[Yes. We prepared a lot for it, but caught only the useless ones.]

Fluurr…

And with that, flames burst forth from the giant robot's chest.

The power of the flames surged intensely.

Seong Jihan, upon seeing it, twitched his eyebrows.

'…Is that the power of the sun?'

Having absorbed the Little Sun's power, Seong Jihan could better discern the nature of flame energy.

And Mecan, which had shown no association with fire until now,

In this 4th game, they revealed their true strength by strongly absorbing solar energy.

[We will move to the next phase to overpower you with strength.]

"With the power of the sun?"

[...]

Upon mentioning the sun, Mecan didn't reply but only continued to burn intensely.

Seeing this, Seong Jihan was reminded of the Little Sun's power he had faced before.

'Could it be that Mecan has ties with the Sun King…?'

While Dragon Thunder would be fine since its power resembled that of dragons, using the Destruction Code would be a mistake.

Keeping that in mind, Seong Jihan took out the half-mask from his inventory.

There was no need to activate the Constellation traits, but amplification of the Void was necessary against this level of enemy.

'Since Constellation Fame is out of the window, might as well make 'em cough up items.'

Soooosh…

A strong Void aura emanated from Seong Jihan's body.