Chapter 358

=What exactly is going on here…

=Player Yoon Seah is still unleashing powerful attacks!

=Not quite as much as during the 4th game, but still considerably threatening!

=The national team, pull yourselves together! At this rate, even with Seong Jihan being banned, we might lose…!

The 5th match was believed to tip in America's favor with Seong Jihan being banned.

However, the course of the game moved in an unexpected direction.

"Wow, it's an explosive Void Arrow!"

Boom!

As Yoon Seah released her bowstring, a massive explosion erupted within the American camp.

Originally, the Void Arrow was difficult to block even with a barrier due to its ability to transcend space.

With the addition of massive explosions, American players were thrown into total disarray.

"How do we block this…."

"Wait, wasn't Yoon Seah not like this before?"

"Damn. This should have been used from the Space League! Why unleash it all in the World Champions League!"

As evident from the Korean national team's victory in the first game, the power gap between the Korean and American teams, without Seong Jihan, had significantly closed compared to before.

In fact, in terms of core players, Korea had even surpassed in some areas.

And here, as Korea's key player Yoon Seah caused a void explosion,

"Alright…it's my turn now!"

Yoon Sejin decimated the disrupted American players.

The scales of victory began to slowly tilt towards Korea.

-?? What's going on? Why are we winning?

-Went to bed thinking we'd lost after seeing the ban picks, then woke up to cheers from the apartment… What's happening?

-Yoon Seah is showing the same power as in the 4th game lol

-The Undead status wore off but the power boost remains? Wow, that's insane! lol lol lol

-But aside from Yoon Seah, the other warriors who became Undead seem just the same.

Seong Jihan, with his arms crossed, closely observed the players' movements.

Indeed, other warriors who had become Undead had their status completely reset for the 5th game,

but only Yoon Seah retained her amplified void.

However,

'The void is gradually diminishing.'

No one had noticed due to the impactful nature of the void explosion, but Seong Jihan, who manipulates the void, could tell that Yoon Seah's power was slowly weakening.

'She absorbed more than 90% of my void during the Undead state, which seems to have lingered into the next game.'

The supply of void from Seong Jihan stopped in the 4th game, and the Undead state was also lifted, but unlike other warriors who could not contain the void, Yoon Seah, who could manipulate the void, managed to retain some of its power.

'Is this phenomenon possible because it's void….'

Looking at Yoon Seah demolishing the American camp, Seong Jihan's eyes gleamed.

The Worlds Champions League game, in truth, wasn't critically vital for the survival of humanity as a whole.

However, Yoon Seah retaining the void presents potential utility in the Space League later.

'Considering humanity's win rate dropped significantly when I was banned… This could be a significant variable.'

Thus, the game progressed in a direction entirely opposite to the original expectations.

=Ah… The American team… is crumbling…!

=Completely unprepared for that purple explosion. What are the warriors doing?!

=Seong Jihan got banned for the last game… And we're losing the World Champions League too?

The voices of the American commentators, who were yelling intermittently, gradually filled with gloom.

They might as well have preferred if Seong Jihan hadn't been banned.

Expecting victory only to be defeated by an unexpected blow, their disappointment doubled.

And then,

=Ah, Player Barren tries to hold on but ultimately falls… The World Champions League, in the end, goes to Korea!

Ultimately, it was the Korean national team that clinched victory in the 5th game.

* * *

=The Korean national team is terrifying…! Even without Player Seong Jihan, they show their strength!

=At this rate, are we going to see Channel 0's language change to Korean?

=Indeed. Even our positions might be at risk!

Whilst the game results went contrary to everyone's expectations, the American commentators joked, half-seriously, about losing the number 1 national ranking to Korea.

-As usual, the Yankee commentators are overdoing it huh. Sigh. How could Korea take the number 1 rank by winning the World Champions League?

-Lol. The national ranking isn't decided by a few Champs victories; the points earned regularly are what matter.

Initially dismissing the American commentators' remarks about switching to Korean,

-But we're already hot on the heels of India in 3rd place. They earn a lot of points thanks to their population, how did we catch up?

-It's because Seong Jihan earns a lot of points for us. Lol If we keep winning the Champs a few more times, we might really see Korean broadcasts on Channel 0…?

-Wow, it would be amazing to see Korean being spoken on Channel 0 🙂

-Wasn't Seong Jihan already at a lethal dosage of national pride?

-Seong Jihan's on another level now lol lol lol

viewers began to entertain the possibility of threatening the 3rd place ranking.

Meanwhile,

'Having won the Champs, it seems a bit too much for me to continue participating in the national team matches.'

Seong Jihan pondered as he watched the ongoing game.

The Space League's ranking impacted humanity's fate, but did he still need to intervene in these inter-country matches?

'Feels like I'm intruding on kids' squabbles….'

Seong Jihan, humanity's sole Grand Master Leaguer.

Whether he participated or not almost pre-decided the game's outcome.

If humanity was once at the bottom of the Space League, the national ranking mattered.

But now, with humanity ranked high in the Space League and fewer dungeon portals opening, national rankings didn't seem as critical.

'Our national team lineup has improved significantly too.'

The Korean national team was no longer the low-ranking team it once was without Seong Jihan.

Having plenty on his plate already, he contemplated retiring from the national team.

Then,

Yoon Seah, who just emerged from the BattleNet connector, joyfully ran up to Seong Jihan.

"Uncle! I'm the MVP of the Worlds Champions League!! And the series MVP too!!"

"Nice. Congratulations."

"Hehe… it was all thanks to the Undead buff in the 4th game! But, why did the power from the Undead state remain? Using my void arrows was so thrilling! I got to feel the rush of sweeping enemies away like Uncle always does."

"You could manipulate the void, hence some of it remained."

"Ah… But Uncle, you don't seem too happy about our victory?"

"Ah. Was thinking of retiring from the national team."

"Retire?!"

This conversation caught the attention of Coach Noh Youngjun who approached in shock.

"Ji, Jihan. What are you saying!?"

"Ah… Just thinking. Now that the team is stronger, and I feel too guilty to compete against other countries. Having won both the Champs and the Worlds Champions League, isn't it the perfect time to retire?"

"That, that's…!"

"Besides, I need to continue training for the Space League. It's tough to juggle that with the national team's schedule."

"No… that doesn't matter at all! Just come out whenever you happen to have time! When you're training, don't mind our schedule at all!"

"Ah. But how can I do that? I've always had the schedule in mind."

"When has that ever been the case…"

Although Seong Jihan hadn't paid much attention to the national team's schedule, he pretended as if he did.

Yoon Seah rolled her eyes at her uncle's claim.

"No… Okay. You don't have to play! Just having your name on the team is enough! Even just using up a ban card is a big deal!"

"Um…"

"Of course, if you really can't, then there's nothing I can do… But don't you want to achieve being number 1 in Korea? When will we stop watching Korean subtitles on Channel 0? Let's show the world our proud Korean language!"

"I'm already broadcasting a lot in Korean, though."

"That, that's true…"

Seong Jihan's channel, watched worldwide.

Though translated automatically, the initial voice was in Korean after all.

"…Alright. If you're absolutely certain."

Coach Noh Youngjun sighed softly, giving up on further persuasion.

The coach and player.

Typically, the coach held more authority, but when the player was a key force, the power dynamics often reversed.

Even more so when dealing with Seong Jihan.

Even the coach of humanity's representative team was cowed, let alone a national team coach.

"Then let's organize a retirement press conference…."

Just as Seong Jihan was about to finalize his retirement and even consider holding a press conference today,

[You've acquired the World Champions League.]

[You've achieved the special achievement, 'Consecutive Victories'.]

[Constellation Fame increases by 2000.]

A message appeared before his eyes.

'Winning increases Constellation Fame? This must be in lieu of achievements.'

Winning the Worlds Champions League counts towards victory.

Seeing his Constellation Fame increase by 2000, Seong Jihan paused his speech.

'If there's an achievement for consecutive victories, might there also be one for Korea achieving 1st rank?'

Honestly, the 2000 points from consecutive victories weren't much.

But if Korea could actually reach 1st rank, perhaps the reward would be more?

'Given the current trend, reaching 1st place isn't impossible.'

Korea and the USA.

Excluding Seong Jihan, top-tier players had proved to be equal in this match.

However, the player base below was overwhelmingly superior on the USA's side, which should have given American players a much higher daily score in BattleNet points.

Yet, Seong Jihan alone offset that gap, making the daily point difference between the two countries almost negligible.

'Maybe I'll stay in the national team until we reach 1st rank.'

If consecutive victories gave 2000 points, perhaps achieving 1st rank, if there's such an achievement, would give more?

"…Hmm. Seems I should retire after achieving 1st place."

Seong Jihan reversed his decision to retire upon seeing the message.

"That's… really?"

"Yes. But I'll participate in the national team games at my discretion."

Not that it was ever different before…

Coach Noh Youngjun almost blurted out but what actually came out was far from his true feelings.

"My goodness. Of course, of course! Even if it's the Champs final, you don't have to show up! Just lend us your name!"

* * *

[Korean National Team Brings Home the Worlds Champions League!]

[Worlds Champions League Series MVP, Awarded to Yoon Seah]

[Korea Defeats the USA Without Seong Jihan! Showcasing the Champion's Essence.]

[Korea Surpasses India! Rising to 3rd Place in World Rankings!]

[Seong Jihan to Retire from the National Team? Coach Noh Youngjun Dismisses as Baseless Rumors]

The Korean team, confirmed as this year's strongest.

Yet, the joy of victory was ephemeral.

-Did Seong Jihan really contemplate retirement?

-The coach said it was baseless rumors lolol. Where did you even hear that gossip?

– ㄴㄴㄴ It's true, the players heard Seong Jihan was about to hold a retirement press conference

-Yes, yes, Ha Yeonjoo mentioned it during her BattleTube celebration drinking session lolol

Ha Yeonjoo's slip of the tongue during her BattleTube broadcast, while intoxicated, spread worldwide, igniting the retirement debate.

-Foreigners are making a fuss, begging him to retire and remain humanity's hero ㅡㅡ

-Isn't he already humanity's hero??

-Let's share him with everyone lolol

-Ugh no, want to monopolize him a bit longer keke Until we reach 1st place

"This unnie, I knew she'd be trouble when she started drinking… and there she goes, causing trouble."

Yoon Seah shook her head as she saw more discussions about Seong Jihan's potential retirement than the Worlds Champions League victory.

Having finally won the series MVP in the Worlds Champions League, her achievement was totally overshadowed by her uncle's near-retirement incident.

'Well, I'd also focus on the retirement announcement, to be honest.'

Yoon Seah watched as Ha Yeonjoo's BattleTube comments piled up with real-time responses when,

[Seah.]

"Mom? It's been a while."

She received a message from the Constellation, the Witch of the Void.

[The void you acquired last time… Do you still have it? Did you feel any signs of being consumed by it?]

"It's fine? The void Uncle gave me has already vanished."

[That's good…]

"Using the Void Arrows made me want to increase my void even more. Is that possible?"

[Not yet.]

"Not yet?"

Yoon Seah's eyes widened upon reading her mother's message.

Initially, she was told it was absolutely not possible. But something in the tone seemed subtly different now.

Then,

[Alright… Can you pass this on to Jihan for me?]

The Witch of the Void sent over an item.

"Mom, what about me? Uncle's already strong… Inventory!"

Grumbling at her mother, Yoon Seah opened her inventory and took out the book that had just appeared at the end.

"…Taiji Swordsmanship?"