Chapter 431

-Suddenly… sponsorship?

-The constellation candidate is trying to rip off a Great Constellation;

-He has no fear, acting like that to the Sun King.

-Isn't he doing that because he doesn't know his notoriety?

At Seong Jihan's sudden sponsorship request, the viewers were all dumbfounded.

He had been fiercely opposing the Sun King, burning his slaves and such.

What sponsorship all of a sudden?

[The Sun King has sponsored 1 billion GP.]

[Are you crazy?]

And the Sun King's reaction immediately popped up.

Seong Jihan smiled seeing this message.

"I can hand over the hand to the Dragon Lord as a 'special tribute', but I can't do that to you, right? If the Dragon Lord invades this side, I'll have to hand over the hand to you, but I have no way to do that."

From Seong Jihan's perspective, the Dragon Lord was a somewhat more friendly Great Constellation compared to the Sun King.

But it was still an unchanging fact that both of them were monsters desiring the red hand.

Rather than believing the Dragon Lord's outwardly friendlier attitude and getting backstabbed,

it was better to prepare a means for them to keep each other in check.

'The method of sending the hand to a Great Constellation as a special tribute should also be applicable to the Sun King.'

As Seong Jihan revealed his intention like this, the viewers finally understood his proposal.

-Oh… he's telling them to play the role of restraining each other.

-This means the Dragon Lord can't be fully trusted either.

-Right, the Dragon Lord was also famous for being sinister, not someone to trust and go with.

-He's just telling both of them to not make reckless moves and enter the tournament.

And from the Sun King's side who understood the true meaning of this proposal, a message arrived immediately.

[The Great Constellation 'Sun King' is showing interest in you.]

[He wants to sponsor you. Will you accept?]

He showed his pride, but he didn't abandon practical benefits.

Seong Jihan stared blankly at this for a moment, then pressed yes.

Then,

[Player Seong Jihan has accepted the sponsorship proposal of the Great Constellation 'Sun King'.]

[Received sponsorship from two Great Constellations.]

[The player's attention has exceeded the threshold, raising the New Star level to 2.]

'…Why is this rising?'

The New Star level effect that was within the scope of the star buff rose, saying he received a Great Constellation's sponsorship.

This was a completely unexpected effect.

'If I hadn't gotten involved with these guys, I would have never known this level up condition.'

Thinking that, Seong Jihan observed the effect of New Star level 2.

[All stats are amplified by 130%.]

[The amplification efficiency of one designated stat can be increased by an additional 40 percent.]

Compared to New Star level 1, all stats rose by an additional 10 percent, and the designated stat also rose by an additional 10 percent.

This was pretty good for an unintended reward.

Seong Jihan raised the corners of his mouth.

"Then, the Sun King has also become a sponsoring constellation… Let's end today's game here."

As Seong Jihan raised his arm above his head, the Phoenix Spear that he had thrown into the sky a while ago entered his hand on its own.

Since he had swept away even allies with Dragon Thunder, he would have to make up for that now.

As Seong Jihan was about to step forward,

[The Great Constellation 'Sun King' says he will specially bestow a gift to commemorate becoming a sponsoring constellation.]

Flicker…!

The dying embers of the Sun King's slave fire intensified.

"What gift all of a sudden?"

He didn't even ask for it, but he's going out of his way to make a sponsorship item.

Suspicious.

[The Great Constellation 'Sun King' says opportunities don't come often and tells the player to take out the solar core fragment he possesses.]

"Solar core fragment?"

[The Great Constellation 'Sun King' interrogates the player, saying didn't he obtain something from the Mecan planet.]

"Ah."

At those words, Seong Jihan recalled the solar core fragment.

-That's the solar core that was at the center of the Mecan planet. There were 3, but I'm using 2 to track the Sun King.

When Seong Jihan revealed the relationship between the Mecan planet and the Sun King during the Space League match with them,

the Dead Star Constellation had personally swept the Mecan planet and collected the solar core fragments.

He said he would take two to pursue the Sun King and give one as a memento.

Seong Jihan took out the solar core fragment that had been stuffed in the corner of his inventory.

[Used Solar Core Fragment]

-Grade: SS

-A solar core fragment imbued with the Great Constellation Sun King's authority.

-Needs to be charged.

The solar core fragment that had lost its light but still had an item grade of SS.

"Are you talking about this?"

[The Great Constellation 'Sun King' tells you to bring the solar core to the fire.]

For the Sun King to go this far to give a gift,

'He must have played a trick with it for sure.'

While convinced of that, Seong Jihan tried putting the solar core into the fire for now.

Then,

Shuu…

The embers were instantly absorbed into the solar core, and a yellow light flickered in the solar core fragment.

[Activated Solar Core Fragment]

-Grade: SS+

-A solar core fragment imbued with the Great Constellation Sun King's authority.

-Has begun charging light.

-If continuously exposed to sunlight, it will upgrade to a more advanced solar core.

[The Great Constellation 'Sun King' informs you that if you leave the solar core under the light, it will develop on its own.]

At that message, Seong Jihan slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

Since when did he become so kind?

But for now, he had to pretend to go along with it.

"Alright. I'll gladly accept it."

After storing the activated solar core back in his inventory, Seong Jihan took a step forward.

In the direction he stepped towards,

"Ugh, ugh…!"

The one-eyed giant who had asked Seong Jihan to participate earlier was collapsing.

"Oh, you were still alive?"

"Y-you are…"

"I'll end the game now. If you want the victory reward, don't die."

Hearing those words, the one-eyed giant gritted his teeth and covered his wounds with his hand.

Considering the martial art Seong Jihan had shown earlier, this was a sufficiently feasible statement.

However,

"Ha. What's the point of living like that…"

"Ending the game? A race so small that they can't even be seen properly is just full of bluffs."

"That guy is smaller than my hand."

"Let's end it quickly. We need to go to Challenger 7."

The group of opposing races on the other side of Seong Jihan unfortunately didn't recognize him and were approaching on their own.

-They don't know Seong Jihan?

-Not every player in the world knows Seong Jihan lol I also recently joined because of Total Annihilation.

-But they're in the same Challenger league.

-Do you think they know all the opposing players just because they're in Challenger…

-Seems like they don't think at all that the player who used the sky's flames earlier is this person.

Amidst the coexistence of reactions asking how they still don't know Seong Jihan and reactions asking why players should know him when he became famous not long ago,

"Thanks for coming on your own, kids."

Swish.

The Phoenix Spear gripped by Seong Jihan moved lightly.

Fundamental Divine Art,

Triad of Martial Mastery

Total Annihilation Horizontal Sweep

Chiiiik!

A trajectory drawn in a straight line.

"Uh…"

"Wha-what is this?"

"I can't regenerate…"

The opposing players who had tried to trample Seong Jihan with their size were all split in half and instantly engulfed in flames.

Swish…

The enemies who didn't burn for long and turned to ashes in an instant.

-Well, they'll know now… Seong Jihan.

-They won't be able to forget for life lol. Because they gave up a won game.

As such messages were posted in the chat window,

"Wha-what the…!?"

"Why is my body suddenly…!"

The power of Total Annihilation Horizontal Sweep spread endlessly, cutting all the surviving players on the battlefield in half.

Roll. Roll.

The one-eyed giant only moved his pupils aimlessly while lying down.

'It's a good thing I was behind that person, if I was in front…'

He would have also been split in half like that and burned.

And before long,

[The game is ending.]

The game end message popped up in front of the one-eyed giant's eyes.

This Great Battlefield was clearly a huge battlefield where 100 vs 100 clashed.

But that tiny player threw and swung his spear alone, and it exploded.

The giant thought,

'…Let's not match for a while. Until that monster goes up to a higher league.'

Although he got a free win this time, next time he might face that guy as an enemy.

If he became an enemy and got swept away at once like this, it seemed he would feel a sense of futility no matter how much he tried in the BattleNet.

'…Alright. Let's go on a vacation.'

The one-eyed giant decided to take a week off while looking at Seong Jihan like that.

* * *

After the game ended,

'I need to examine this first.'

Seong Jihan immediately entered the void training room and took out the solar core the Sun King had charged.

Zing…

Perhaps because there was no sunlight inside the training room, there was no sight of it absorbing light, only faintly emitting a yellow glow.

"Let's see. If I change the map setting…"

Seong Jihan tried changing the map inside the training room to the Great Battlefield map from earlier, where there was a sun.

Then,

Flash!

The solar core that seemed to momentarily absorb the sunlight of the Great Battlefield map while emitting light

'It has changed back to its original mode again.'

It no longer devoured the light and had changed to the same state as before.

Does this mean it doesn't absorb artificial sunlight?

'Hmm… That Sun King bastard wouldn't have given it for no reason. There must be something.'

While Seong Jihan was examining the solar core with such conviction,

[Main Body… What's that?]

The sealed red hand slightly opened its eyes, perhaps stimulated by the solar core.

"It's something the Sun King gave me. A solar core fragment."

[Solar core… I think if I eat that, the probability of undoing the seal will increase by 1 percent. Give it to me as food.]

This hand is asking for it as if it's natural.

Seong Jihan frowned.

"Hey, this won't do."

[Why not?]

"That Sun King bastard isn't someone who would meekly give such a thing. He must have played a trick with it."

[I think I know what he did with it.]

"Oh. Really? What is it?"

As expected of the Administrator's hand.

It's quick to figure it out.

To Seong Jihan's question, the red hand replied,

[If you gather sunlight in reality, not this artificial sunlight, the Sun Incarnation function will activate.]

"Sun Incarnation?"

[If that activates, the Sun King will break that core and pop out. Look closely under the core. There are letters.]

At those words, Seong Jihan held up the solar core.

On the bottom part of the solar core, so finely that it was completely invisible without paying close attention, very minute letters were engraved.

The letters read as 'Sun Incarnation'.

"You know quite a lot about the Sun King. What was your relationship with him?"

[The Sun King was a disciple of the Red Administrator. A disciple whose talent was far inferior to his master's, only suitable to be used as a worker.]

"He was a disciple? Still better than the Dragon Lord."

He heard the Dragon Lord was the Administrator's mount.

At Seong Jihan's words, the hand rolled its eyeballs.

[What are you saying? The mount was treated better than the disciple.]

"…Is that so?"

[Isn't it obvious? A pet is cuter than a servant, no, a disciple.]

"Is the Dragon Lord cute?"

[You'll know if you become the Red Administrator. Quite cute.]

If he has to become the Red Administrator to know the cuteness, he'll never know in his life.

Seong Jihan smiled wryly and looked at the solar core.

If it receives sunlight, the Sun King will be summoned…

[Then since your curiosity is satisfied, give me that as food.]

"Hey. I'll give you something better later. I think this can be used separately."

[No. You have to eat that…! Only then can the seal be undone!]

"Wait a bit."

[Ugh. Strength, my strength… Damn seal…!]

Seong Jihan watched the hand get sealed at a good timing, then turned his gaze back to the solar core.

'Solar core. If used well, this could have tremendous destructive power.'

It's too wasteful to give a rock that can call the Sun King as food to the hand.

Seong Jihan's eyes flashed intensely.