Chapter 154

When JiHan reached level 100, he received the same message as when he was in Bronze and Silver.

[You finished 1st in the Bronze League.]

[You've earned the title of 'Ruler of Gold'.]

[You are eligible to participate in the 'Top 100' promotion match.]

Compared to the five-point bonus from 'Ruler of Silver', 'Ruler of Gold' provided seven points to each stat.

'Hmm… It still doesn't increase Martial Soul, though.'

It looked like Martial Soul could only be increased through martial arts training.

'I'm still stuck at 115. If things continue like this, then I might have to go get myself trapped in the 108th Form again.'

He thought back to when his stats miraculously increased after he performed the Heavenly Lightning Phoenix Flames within the 108th Form. Despite all of his practice since then, Martial Soul hadn't developed any further.

'Well, I knew that modifying the Heavenly Lightning Technique would be a difficult task. That doesn't mean I don't feel anxious, though. Are they not going to ask me if I want to skip ranks?' He was confused by the lack of additional messages. When he'd been in Silver, the system had asked if he wanted to skip ranks.

Even though he had Martial Soul and had defeated Diamond players in an international game, the system didn't offer him the chance to participate in the promotion match for Diamond.

'I wouldn't accept it anyway… but this is still strange.'

As if to ease his worries, another system message appeared after the delay.

[You participated in international matches as a Gold Leaguer and were awarded MVP more than three times.]

[You have the abilities of a star.]

[You qualify for participation in the Space League promotion match.]

[Will you participate in the Space League's 'Top 25' Gold promotion match?]

"The Space League...?!" JiHan's eyes widened in surprise. He'd never even seen that option in his previous life and had no clue such a thing existed. Now he was being given a chance to participate!

As if reflecting his thoughts, an additional message appeared.

[*Warning* This promotion match includes players from worlds where the Tutorial Season has ended. Please make your decision carefully!]

"Of course I'll participate."

[You will be participating in the Space League's 'Top 25' Gold promotion match.]

[The match will be on October 27th.]

[You've cleared the achievement 'Space League's Rising Star - Gold'.]

[You've earned 500,000 achievement points.]

[You've cleared the achievement 'Be Chosen as the Space League's Rising Star During the Tutorial Season'.]

[You've earned 1,000,000 achievement points.]

"A million and a half?!"

He received a ridiculous amount of achievement points as soon as he decided to participate.

'I should use everything I've earned so far to upgrade everything in the Achievement Shop to level three.'

The shop already had all sorts of things for sale, but there were things such as the extra constellation and Gift slots that he didn't need. Since he needed to buy them at some point anyway if he wanted to upgrade the shop, he decided to use his points.

'I still have some points to spare after upgrading everything to level three.'

Unfortunately, he still hadn't met the condition of donating five times, so he used his remaining points to upgrade 'Master of One'. As a result, 'Master of One' reached level five, and its efficiency increased from a multiplier of four to a multiplier of six.

'Since it's even better now, it'd be great if I received martial arts inspiration.' He'd picked Fourth-rate Warrior in the first place due to just how much he valued the bonus, but it hadn't shown any effects so far.

'Maybe it'll be different now that I upgraded the effects.' With that hope in his heart, he threw himself into his training until the match, and as a result…

[Martial Soul has increased by 5.]

Fourth-rate Warrior showed its benefits as his martial arts developed and his Martial Soul rose to 120.

The promotion match arrived soon after.

October 25th…

= Sae-ah... She vanished again and dodged all of the attacks!

= What kind of technique is that? She's able to make herself and her arrows vanish!

= It doesn't seem to be a simple invisibility effect! There was a wall of fire above, but she was still unharmed when she reappeared!

= Ah... Only two are left! Oh, the invisibility arrow activated again...!

After Sae-ah pierced her final opponent on the stream, she soon reappeared in the living room and jumped with joy.

"Uncle! Uncle! I won!!"

"I saw. Congratulations!"

"Hehe. Uncle, you doubted me when I first told you to bet on me, right? I've proven myself with these results! I finished 1st in Silver!"

Her Void Archer class had perfect synergy with the Curtain of Void JiHan had given her. Whenever there was a dangerous attack, she'd dodge it with the cloak and overpower her opponents with the defense-ignoring Void Arrow.

- ?? What did Sae-ah do?

- What's up with that family? JiHan, the Sword King, Ji-ah, Sae-ah… They're all monsters!

- Sae-ah's opponents must have been frustrated, hahaha. She can suddenly vanish, and nobody can detect her attacks.

- Seriously. I was just watching it, but it was enough to also make me feel annoyed.

- Since I'm one of her fans, I bet a thousand dollars and received a hundred thousand in return…! Sae-ah's an invincible goddess!

- Woah, a hundredfold on the return? Crazy, hahaha.

"Wow, there was a 1:100 return on me?" Sae-ah asked. "Ah, what a shame..."

"It doesn't matter if it was 100 or 1,000," JiHan said. "Don't even dream of betting."

"Okay, okay. I won't do it!" Sae-ah waved her hands in dismissal and continued to read the comments until one caught her eye.

- Why isn't JiHan on the betting site? I was about to bet all my wealth on him.

- He isn't participating in this promotion match. It seems like he still isn't level 100.

Conversation on Sae-ah inevitably led to some conversation on JiHan. Most people had expected to see him on the 'Top 100' promotion match's roster since it was one of the most watched events in the world, but his name was mysteriously absent from that month's participants.

"Uncle, it doesn't seem like anyone knows of your participation in the Space League yet."

"What's the point of announcing it? They'll find out tomorrow, anyway."

"You're as relaxed as ever...!"

"Should we go celebrate your victory? Let's rent out a restaurant."

Sae-ah scratched her cheek at his suggestion. "Uncle... Isn't that too relaxed? Let's eat together after your match ends! You have to prepare today~ It's the Space League, after all!"

"Okay, okay. Understood."

Then, on October 26th…

After news of JiHan's participation in the Space League was announced by Battle Net, the world went into a frenzy.

[Sung JiHan! The First Human To Participate In A Space League Promotion Match!]

[The Space League Has Never Appeared Before. Will Its Veil Be Lifted?]

[Sung JiHan Tops The Front Pages Of News Outlets Worldwide!]

- The Space League?? Woah, that's insane.

- I've always wondered what it is. So JiHan is going to be the first to debut in it?

- Woah~ Are we going to see aliens?

- He's on the front pages around the world! As a fellow Korean, I'm proud of him!

Though Earth would be placed in the Space League's Bronze Division the next year, everyone was curious about what it would entail, and JiHan's participation attracted worldwide attention.

Many people stayed up all night, unable to sleep, as they eagerly waited for the Space League promotion match.

The next day…

"I'll be back." JiHan waved to his niece and logged into the game.

* * *

[The 'Top 25' Gold promotion match is starting.]

[The mission is 'survival'.]

[You've been summoned to the 'Divine Throne'.]

Flash—

'The Divine Throne? I've never seen this map before.'

JiHan checked the message and looked around as soon as he was summoned into the game. He was in an open area with thick, dark clouds covering the sky, but 25 beams of light pierced through the clouds and illuminated the players on the ground.

Of course, as one of the players, JiHan also stood within a beam of light.

He looked at the other participants in the distance

'Giants and dragons... It's full of huge monsters.'

The most eye-catching beings were the giants. There was a steel giant that seemed ten times bigger than him, dragons that looked like small mountains, and an amalgamation of lifeforms fused into a massive monster.

They all looked more like boss monsters, not other 'Top 25' players.

'About 15 of them are giant creatures.'

[Grr...]

[So it's you again.]

[How sickening, you lizard!]

The giant creatures seemed to know each other from previous 'Top 25' matches and even pressured each other with intense energy.

'Hmm... They really are like boss monsters.'

They were all displaying their immense strength. JiHan might as well have been an insect compared to how big they were, so they largely ignored him.

'Well, it's good if they fight each other.'

He was strong enough to overpower everyone on Earth, but that wasn't the case anymore. He was more than happy for any advantage he could use.

'As for the others… They might not be giants, but they're still quite large. The only other humanoid is an elf.'

As he was looking over the other competitors, a human-sized man in a black robe appeared in front of him. "Oh, my…! Who is this?!" the man asked. His face was shrouded in darkness, but his frivolous tone seemed familiar.

"You…" JiHan said. "Are you the Dead Star?"

"That's right!! My name is... Ah, oh yeah. It was Kallein, right? I made that name just for you!" Kallein recalled the name he'd introduced himself with and made a fuss. "I can't believe I'm seeing you here! I was so frustrated that I couldn't approach Earth anymore! We're truly a match made in heaven! Hehehe!"

"Aren't you a constellation?" JiHan asked. "Why are you here?"

"Ah. This is just a secondary character."

"A secondary character...?"

Kallein looked around. "Most who participate in the 'Top 25' are constellations' secondary characters. Hmm... That dragon over there is being controlled by the 'Dragon God', the 'Essence of the Void' is inside of that big creature, and I also made a new character from royal ghosts I pieced together~!"

Since they were strong enough to participate in the 'Top 25' promotion match, it made sense that most were directly related to constellations.

"Why would you create a secondary character to participate in this?"

"That's because of the fantastic reward~ But I've already fulfilled my wish by meeting you!"

"What are the rewards?"

"If you become my head, you'll naturally know."

'This damn head talk again.'

"Enough. Go away." JiHan dismissed him.

"Head…! I… I…! I've prepared a line for you! Listen to me!"

"What kind of nonsense are you going to spout now…?"

"Dear head~ Dear head~ Will you be my head? I'll be your heart!"

JiHan frowned. How could such a being be a constellation?

"I can kill you now, right?" JiHan asked.

"No! If you do that before a game starts, you'll get a penalty!" Kallein pointed at the sky. "Look at the color of those clouds! It seems like it could be the Cloud or Thunder God... If we get the Thunder God, we'll be too occupied with trying to survive to fight! There's no need to waste strength!"

"Is the Thunder God that strong?"

"Of course. He's the worst god to get on the 'Divine Throne'! Look at the others. That's why they're just growling at each other and not fighting, see?" When Kallein pointed at the dragon and the giant, they stopped glaring at each other and looked over at him.

[The 'Dead Star'...?]

[Why's that guy so excited?]

They were puzzled by Kallein's energy and shifted their gazes to JiHan

[That weak insect... He isn't from a constellation!]

[Oh. He got here despite not being part of a constellation?...]

Just as they were discussing him…

[The god of the Divine Throne will now be assigned...]

[The Thunder God has taken the Throne.]

WHOOM...!

The clouds split apart, and lightning poured down like torrential rain. The dragon and giant looked at the intense yellow lightning and made a few regretful remarks.

[Ah, damn it.]

[I can't believe it's the Thunder God...]

'What's so bad about the Thunder God that it could even frighten a constellation?' JiHan wondered.

More system messages popped up as if to answer him.

[The Thunder God's penalty has been applied.]

[You will be unable to resurrect if you die.]

[Due to the no-resurrection penalty, you are allowed to forfeit the game.]

[Will you forfeit?]

'No resurrection, huh...' JiHan's eyes widened at the unexpected penalty.

[Lizard, I'm out.]

[I give up too. If this dies, growing another will take a long time.]

Flash! Flash—!

The dragon and giant, who had the most intense presence among the 25 players, instantly gave up.

"Head, should we give up as well? I can raise a new character, but you don't have that option."

"What's the reward for this game?" JiHan asked.

"The reward? Ah~ That's..." Unlike earlier, Kallein readily told him what the reward was.

When JiHan heard what was on offer… "In that case, I'll take the risk and participate."