Chapter 291

[Connecting to the BattleNet Community.]

[The UI is automatically customized for the user.]

[Note: UI:- User Interface]

Ding!

As the message disappeared, a screen popped up in front of Seong Jihan.

'It looks similar to internet forums.'

Saying it was customized for the user, the forum took on a form familiar to Seong Jihan.

[Currently accessible forum is the General Member Forum.]

Seong Jihan entered.

-NO.339 Reasons to recommend betting on the Crimson Wing Dragon Race (1)

-BattleNet should reduce fees for betting sites!

-Don't bet on these bastards. TOP 5 species that took my GP

-Best reverse betting this week?

'It's all about betting.'

He entered hoping to find some helpful information but the new member forum was filled with nothing but betting-related posts.

Clicking on posts, it was all about which race to bet on.

Seong Jihan was about to close the useless forum that was no different from a gambling site.

But he spotted a post title that seemed to share his thoughts.

-New to the community. Why is it all about betting here? I was excited to unlock the community feature after reaching Silver League, but it's a letdown. Scrolling through pages, it's all betting posts; and it costs 100 million GP just to post once?

└ General forum's always like this

└ Without the 100M GP limit, it'd be flooded with ads

└ Have to go to the official member forum only accessible to Constellation Candidates and above for decent content

└ Even that's useless. Over half the info there is fake…

└ Still better than here. They're all somewhat verified players there.

Clicking the post, the replies unanimously criticized the general forum.

Seong Jihan scrolled through more pages of the forum.

As the previous post said, it was filled with nothing but betting-related content.

'Nothing useful here. I'll have to become a Constellation Candidate and access the official forum.'

Seong Jihan was about to close the community feature, but spotted a magnifying glass button at the top of the forum.

Before closing, let's try a search.

[Use search function?]

[100,000 GP will be consumed.]

'They charge for searching too.'

Charging GP just to use the forums.

Thinking BattleNet was vicious, Seong Jihan still activated the search function.

'My identity is hidden due to membership rights, so my name won't appear.'

Seong Jihan pondered what to search for, then searched for NO.4212 Humanity.

Unlike other posts, only one result came up.

-Most notable Bronze League candidate this year.

=New leagues are always filled with variables causing unexpected outcomes, and this is where big hits often emerge. Especially the Bronze League with only newbies has wildly fluctuating odds. Among the newly opened Bronze Leagues this time, there's one with 5 World Tree Elf teams. Many players thought this wasn't even worth analyzing… Surprisingly, the lowest tier race NO.4212 Humanity is making strides and attracting expert attention. Once betting on newbie leagues opens, this league and Humanity are worth watching. Personally, I think NO.4212 will cause an upset. I'm going to bet big on them.

└ Lots of big hits come from newbie leagues

└ But isn't that only when World Tree Elves aren't there? There's 5 teams there… In the end, won't elves take 1st-5th?

└ But those World Tree Elf bastards are still like that in Bronze?

└ Still? Seems they'll be like that forever.

└ Why doesn't BattleNet penalize them? We suffered a lot losing to World Tree Elves too.

└ Our Constellation-nim reported them every time but BattleNet only says they received the report.

└ The admin is in cahoots with World Tree Union. BattleNet and those bastards are all in it together

Player reactions starting with Humanity and ending with denouncing World Tree Elves.

They were lucky to get promoted since their leagues only had 1 or 2 World Tree Elf teams.

In the Bronze League Humanity belonged to, many evaluated that promotion would be impossible due to the World Tree Elves.

└ Should I still bet on the safe asset, World Tree Alliance?

└ World Tree Alliance themselves bet big, so the odds are almost nothing.

└ Even 1-2% is important to take.

Still, even the players denouncing World Tree Elves, when asked where they'll bet, most raised their hands for World Tree Elves.

No matter how much of a variable the Humanity species became, in the end they believed the vicious World Tree Elves would win.

'When race betting opens, I should consider betting on Humanity.'

Seong Jihan thought the opposite of player sentiment and was about to close the forum.

As he pressed the X button,

[For GP loans, go to World Tree Alliance! Entrust an SSS-grade Gift Player and the interest rate will be greatly reduced!]

Before the forum closed, an ad popped up.

'These bastards… They even give loans?'

Even loan sharking, World Tree Alliance really did it all.

And why entrust an SSS-grade Gift Player?

Seong Jihan tried to close the disgusting ad with a repulsed expression.

[Would you like to receive just one consultation?]

[Worried because of our reputation? Don't worry! Only avatars will be summoned!]

Pressing X didn't make the message go away.

"Ah, are they crazy."

"…Uncle? What are you looking at?"

"Ah sorry. I'm trying to close the community but ads keep popping up."

"Yeah? BattleNet isn't much different from us."

"No, it's more vicious than human sites."

The loan ad that wouldn't close even after pressing "No" 9 times, Seong Jihan frowned and habitually moved his finger to No again.

[Thank you for agreeing to the consultation!]

"…What?"

A message suddenly appeared saying he agreed to the consultation.

Looking at what happened, the Yes and No buttons of the summoning message were swapped.

'What the hell…'

As Seong Jihan was dumbfounded,

[You have agreed to summoning.]

[Avatar is being summoned to 'Loan Counter'.]

Flash!

Light burst out and the world turned inside out.

* * *

World Tree Alliance's Loan Counter.

Outwardly, it was a peaceful forest space with lush greenery.

However,

Flash!

Those summoned inside were all beings too powerful to match the forest.

"Ah, these crazy bastards!!"

The giant crocodile-headed monster spat out curses and kicked a tree.

Crash!

Part of the forest shattered in one blow.

"Hey, what's wrong? Calm down."

"Calm down? These crazy bastards, how many times did they send that message?"

"You must be new. You don't know the 9 right 1 left rule."

"…What's that?"

"If you found and pressed the 10th No that was swapped to the left, you wouldn't have been summoned."

"Ha, so you're saying, these damn bastards tricked me?!"

Thump! Thump!

The crocodile-head's anger seemed to rise hearing the other players' words, causing another rampage.

'That croc must be someone summoned like me.'

Seong Jihan was also furious when first summoned to the Loan Counter but seeing the crocodile-head vent anger on his behalf with a rampage, he felt a bit relieved.

No need to join and draw attention here.

Then,

A giant lying on the grass casually advised the crocodile-head.

"You better stop, If you break the wrong tree, World Tree Alliance will demand compensation."

"Compensation? They forcefully summoned me here and have the guts to demand compensation?"

"The world's like that, what can people like us do? You'll be dying to come here later, so no need to make a bad impression."

"…Why would anyone want to come here?"

"The fruits are delicious."

The crocodile monster looked at the giant with dumbfounded eyes.

Come to this damn place because the fruits are delicious?

"Are you, a dog of World Tree Alliance? Spouting nonsense."

"I wish I was their dog then I could keep eating the fruits."

"Ha."

As the crocodile-head turned to the giant and tried to break another tree,

Tap! Tap!

"Welcome, Dear customer."

Behind the crocodile monster, an elf wearing a half-mask appeared without a sound.

'That looks like the mask of the ancient elf from before…'

The man was wearing a mask similar to the ancient elf that mutually perished with Brahma.

But besides the mask, his appearance was very different.

Compared to the stiff impression of the previous ancient elf, this male elf continuously smiled.

"You bastard…! Are you in charge? Summoning me here with that ad… Send me back right now!"

As the crocodile-head shouted angrily, the elf deeply bowed his head.

"I apologize. I also agree that such an ad method is too malicious. But as a low-level employee, I must follow the decisions from above… Please understand just this once."

"Understand? Forget it, send me back to the original world now!"

"Are you sure you don't want a consultation? Just receiving a consultation will grant you many free gifts."

"Free gifts my ass. You scammers. Why are you sending me back right now?"

The crocodile-head didn't fall for the free gifts.

The half-masked elf smiled at those words and snapped his fingers.

"I understand. Then please leave."

Snap!

The crocodile-head's body instantly disappeared.

'For summoning with that ad method, they let him go without hesitation.'

Seong Jihan saw that and considered leaving too.

"Tsk tsk. Poor guy."

"Coming all the way here, should've at least gotten the free gifts once."

"Guess the general member forum doesn't have much mention about the gifts?"

"That place only talks about betting."

Hearing the other players chatting with each other, he became curious about what these 'free gifts' were.

Each one of them seemed highly skilled at a glance.

It was peculiar that they, who could reign supreme in their own worlds, were hung up on free gifts.

'Let's see what the free gifts are.'

Seong Jihan fully suppressed his initial anger from being summoned.

With calm eyes, he observed the situation unfold.

"Now then, since many have come, let's proceed with the loan consultation. But first, let's have an appetizer."

Clap! Clap!

As the male elf clapped, elves that looked exactly the same gradually appeared from the forest.

Holding giant glowing green grapes on large trays.

"Oh. It's here!"

"Grapes today!"

"Will the stats increase this time?"

"How many times have you eaten them?"

"This will be the 7th."

The giant got up at the sight of the fruits.

A huge bird descended from the sky.

A three-headed snake wriggled out from the ground.

All top-tier players were drooling at the sight of grapes, eager to eat them.

'Eating that raises stats…'

As Seong Jihan heard that and quietly waited,

"Dear customer."

An elf approached Seong Jihan with a smile and presented a tray holding giant grapes.

"Please eat first, then proceed with the loan consultation with us."

"Is this a free gift?"

"No. The free gifts are separate."

"Hmm."

For the annoying ad, this isn't bad.

Seong Jihan plucked a grape the size of his head.

Then, the grape shrank to a size that fit him.

'Doesn't seem poisoned.'

Seong Jihan popped the grape into his mouth.

Then, as the giant said, no, an even more heavenly taste spread as the grape melted in his mouth.

'Delicious. There was a reason to wait for the fruits.'

It tasted good, but there were no signs of stats increasing.

Seong Jihan, without lowering his guard, kept putting grapes in his mouth.

After finishing all the grapes on the tray he was given,

'Hoo…'

The life force stored in his body slightly increased.

Although the amount was minuscule, it rose just from eating fruits like this.

'If there are no issues, I should come often.'

Feeling positively about the Loan Counter for the first time,

"You finished eating. Shall we start the consultation now?"

The elf holding the tray next to him asked with a smile.

'Yeah. Since I'm here, let's get the free gifts too.'

As Seong Jihan was about to nod,

"Ah. Wait a moment."

The masked elf approached him with a smile.

"I will handle this customer."