Chapter 163

= The second half of the 2020 Battle Net season is almost over, which includes the East Asian League. South Korea might not make it to the Champions League this time, but I still hope they do well until the end!

= They've had a tough time this year after the slump they experienced when the Sword King left for Japan. In fact, there seemed to be no hope for them at all until JiHan appeared like a comet.

= That's right. The country managed to secure a victory thanks to him, but…

= Then there were still the matches against China and Japan. Both are strong countries, especially Japan… They have the Sword King, after all.

The situation wasn't as bleak as it was on August 15th, but the general expectation was leaning toward defeat.

= JiHan and the Sword King… Which side would have the advantage if the two both died in their clash?

= Well… The Japanese team is well-balanced. Instead of having a particularly strong area of expertise, everyone's A-rank or higher, but their long-range strength is weaker than Korea's, so it seems like the outcome would depend on the map.

The Korean team was rated S for long-range, C for Warriors, and A ~ B for Support, while the Japanese side consistently ranked A ~ A+ in every category.

Japan would have the advantage on a normal map, but Korea would have better chances on maps that focused on long-range combat like the train map. Of course, that was only if JiHan or the Sword King weren't the pivotal factors.

= If the victory's decided based on JiHan or the Sword King…

= Then whoever survives their battle will take the game!

= Unfortunately for JiHan… the opponent is the world's strongest Warrior. I hope he can approach the fight with a relaxed mind!

= Right! JiHan is still Platinum. He'll be the world's strongest after he grows a bit and reaches Diamond, so, dear viewers, please support him regardless of the result!

- Why are the commentators already talking as if Korea lost? Hahaha.

- Did they bet on the Sword King?

- What are you talking about? They said that because the objective data is lacking ㅡㅡ

- Ah, I've never seen JiHan lose yet… ㅠㅠ

- Not even China could defeat JiHan. Please, just hold on! ㅠㅠ

The viewers were also skeptical about JiHan's chances of winning.

"JiHan, don't feel too pressured. I'll support you as much as I can," YeonJu said.

Coach YeongJun nodded. "Yes. Take it easy. Winning or losing isn't what's important." They were both well aware of the atmosphere and were trying to console him.

"Relax. I have a plan."

"R-really?"

While everyone else was already sure he would lose, he was thinking of how to defeat the Sword King.

[Master, are you really going to do *that*…?]

'Yes. The rejection has mostly disappeared.'

JiHan recalled the previous five days. He'd been debating over trying to recreate the World Tree's sword or developing the Red Lightning Technique until he made up his mind.

'Let's recreate the sword.'

Even if he tried to advance the Red Lightning Technique, it would be hard to subdue the Sword King and force-feed him a leaf at his current level. Instead, he decided to recreate the wooden sword and use it to land a hit on and stun the Sword King.

There wouldn't be another game until the next year after the Korea-Japan match, so the wooden sword was a safer bet. That being the case, he'd recklessly tried to fuse his shadow power with his Life Energy.

[Ugh… Master, please. Stop.]

Unfortunately, his attempts failed, and Ariel suggested he try it on a sword other than Eclipse.

[This… doesn't feel right. It feels like the foundation of the shadows is shaking. Why don't you try using only Life Energy? Right. How about experimenting with a wooden sword?]

JiHan followed her advice and tried infusing a wooden sword with the World Tree's Life Energy.

'Hmm, it doesn't feel like a World Tree's branch. The wooden sword is out.'

[Th-then… you said seeds emerged when you released the Life Energy before, right? Let's try growing those!] Ariel came up with all sorts of ideas because she didn't want to try fusing with the Life Energy as Eclipse.

"That won't work inside a game."

No matter what Ariel suggested, nothing was enough to satisfy JiHan.

"This won't do. Ariel, hang in there a little longer." He tried to fuse shadows and life again, and he somewhat succeeded after five attempts.

[Ugh…]

'It still isn't quite like that wooden sword, but… let's fight with this for now.'

[Didn't you say that the Sword King's the world's greatest Warrior? Eclipse weakens with Life Energy, and it's not properly completed yet, so couldn't we use it next time?]

'It's okay. I'm only going to use it when it's crucial.' No matter what she said, JiHan had already made up his mind.

= The first map is South Gate.

= The viewers must be quite familiar with this by now. All of the games in the second half of the season have gotten it for the first two matches, after all. It looks like Japan is on defense to start with.

= Yes. The Japanese team's Warriors are blocking the gate without a proper formation.

= Ah… but the Warriors in the front row, instead of weapons, are holding nails…

Swoosh—

In front of the gate, 10 Japanese Warriors pulled out the Nails of Sacrifice they'd received from Shizuru.

"Don't do that." The Sword King gave them a disdainful look and stopped them.

"Ah, Sword King…!"

"But…"

"Leave this to me. Isn't it enough if I crush him without any buffs?" Although he'd agreed to follow Shizuru's words before, he still had his pride as the world's top Warrior.

'I can beat that guy without buffs.'

Having to use the nails against a Platinum would be pathetic. What would happen to his dignity? It was true that he had the abnormal 'Obsession' status, but he wasn't so far gone as to have 'Obedience', which was why he sometimes acted impulsively.

"I… I understand." The Warriors put their nails away.

"Then, I'll be going."

Swoosh…

The Sword King's red and blue swords, Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, rose behind him.

"Split."

As the Sword King reached out his hand, the swords vanished, and a red and a blue sphere floated in their place.

Flash—!

"Hundred Swords."

He grabbed the spheres of light, and…

BOOM…!

The lights exploded in all directions, and a hundred swords shimmering with red or blue energy appeared around him.

= That's the 'Hundred Swords'…! I remember the Sword King's MVP interview when he was still in Korea!

= Yes, I remember as well. He said he would dominate the battlefield alone by turning his swords, Gan Jiang, and Mo Ye, into a hundred. That was back when he was still with Korea…

= Haha… He never used it in the October game… I can't believe our first look at the ability is when he's using it against Korea!

Whoosh!

The hundred swords flew all at once toward the Korean team, followed by the Sword King.

"Absolute Barrier!" The Korean Supports had already set up a protective magic barrier, but…

Crack—!

Despite its name, the barrier was torn apart like paper in the face of each sword's overwhelming power.

'Everyone will be murdered if I stay here,' JiHan thought before stepping forward to greet the Sword King.

Nameless Divine Arts Heavenly Lightning Phoenix Flames Technique: Red Lightning Cannon.

A red lightning bolt shot toward the Sword King, and the hundred swords quickly converged to block it.

BZZT—!

Half of the swords were disintegrated by the lightning.

"It's somewhat strong." The Sword King's eyebrows twitched, and he raised his hand.

Swoosh—!

The light from the destroyed swords swirled around, and the swords reappeared again a few moments later.

"Now, it's my turn." The sword king rode one of the swords toward JiHan with the other 99 swords following close behind him. As if they were parts of his body, each sword moved freely under his control.

JiHan fired several more Red Lightning Cannons with his Phoenix Flag, but the Sword King blocked or dodged all of them and closed the distance.

'His 'Hundred Swords' technique makes him even stronger than before,' JiHan thought. Of course, there's no way the Sword King would've stood still while he was training.

JiHan threw his Phoenix Flag into the air.

Nameless Divine Arts Heavenly Lightning Technique: Heavenly God's Judgment.

BZZT—!

A giant spear of light fell from the sky toward the Sword King.

"Such petty tricks won't work," The Sword King said as he lifted his finger and sent most of the hundred swords toward the spear of light.

Swoosh—

= The Sword King's Hundred Swords… Their transition from attack to defense is perfect.

= JiHan's sky-piercing spear technique is impressive as well. The Sword King's technique is being torn apart!

= Ah… JiHan's sky spear is slowing…!

Though the Sword King was unable to completely stop the attack, he was able to slow it enough so that it harmlessly pierced the ground after the Sword King passed.

Thud—

"I'll give you your first taste of defeat," the Sword King said as he closed the distance

Swoosh—

He reformed the swords again and aimed them at JiHan.

JiHan raised his middle finger in response.

The Sword King's eyebrows twitched. "How dare you…?! You couldn't even look me in the eyes before…"

"You sure talk a lot for someone who abandoned his daughter due to his obsession with another woman."

"I have no daughter."

JiHan seriously pondered whether or not the Sword King could be redeemed for a few moments. Would using the leaf on him even be worth it?

"If you want to be acknowledged as a father later, you must bring Shizuru's head to us." JiHan thought that was the least he could do if he wanted to reconcile.

"You bastard…!" The Sword King had looked unfazed after JiHan commented on his abandoned daughter, but bringing up Shizuru proved to be extremely effective. "I'll have to go to Korea myself to kill you."

"Talk is cheap. Try it if you dare," JiHan taunted.

A murderous killing intent appeared in the Sword King's eyes, and all 100 of his swords shot straight at JiHan.

Woosh—!

"Sword Sea." The power from the hundred swords overwhelmed the world like a tidal wave.

JiHan had already thrown the Phoenix Flag, and Eclipse was the only weapon he had left. Anyone watching would have thought him to be at a disadvantage, but…

'It seems that he hasn't completed the technique,' JiHan thought as his eyes found gaps in the powerful technique. 'Ariel, get ready.'

[Right now? Mixing the powers will weaken Eclipse. If that happens, that sea of swords will bury us.] Not even she could see the gaps that JiHan's Martial Soul enabled him to spot.

'There's a way. Let's teach the Sword King a lesson.'

[Okay… A sword must follow its master, after all,] Ariel said in defeat.

JiHan smiled and infused Life Energy into Eclipse.

Nameless Divine Arts Footwork Technique: Lightning Thunder Step.

"…!"

JiHan entered the sea of swords.