Chapter 392

As October arrived,

The Northeast Asia Regional League divided distinctly into two powerhouses.

Korea and China.

Undefeated Korea and China, victorious in all but one match against Korea,

stood on the brink of deciding the league champion.

=Good day, viewers.

=Today, we finally have the match that will determine the top spot against China.

=Korea, riding a winning streak, faces China, which has only lost once to Korea. If China wins here, we might have to face them again for the league's top spot.

=Exactly! Neither team has lost to any other countries!

Commentators, who hyped the upcoming match with fervor, drew viewers' attention,

who watched with nervous anticipation.

-Today's game is so crucial.

-Despite not having Seong Jihan, we held the top spot well haha

-The Sword King duo and Sophia really played key roles.

-Key roles? Those players carried the team, lol

-True, the other players still lag far behind China.

-Honestly, I still don't know how we won without Seong Jihan last time.

-Yeah, we got lucky with the map lol

-Je Galheon has gotten super strong this time; it won't be easy…

While Korea had beaten China without Seong Jihan,

even Korean viewers acknowledged luck played a huge role in that victory.

Hoping for another stroke of luck this time seemed too much.

Naturally, people started thinking about who was missing from the national team lineup,

Seong Jihan.

-Can't Seong Jihan just step in once…?

-Asking an adult to handle kids' fights, huh?

-Come on, just this once, what's the point of having strong connections?

-Don't drag Seong into trivial matches while he's handling cosmic tasks for humanity.

-Right, do you really want him to come down for a mere national match?

-Look at how the Chinese are wary of Seong Jihan coming ㅡㅡ;

-That's a valid point haha

Koreans hoped for Seong Jihan to just step in once to secure the top spot, but didn't hold high expectations.

Since he was responsible for humanity's victory in the Space League and walked a path no one had dared before as a constellation candidate,

it seemed unlikely he would come out for the national team he had already led to victory.

=Focus is on whether China will ban Seong Jihan again today.

=Last match, China didn't ban him even from the first match, unlike other countries who banned him in the first and second matches.

=Exactly. It raised questions about BattleNet Center's security.

=Do you think Seong Jihan will compete today?

=It would be great, but given the major event he recently participated in, it's unclear if he'll cover this match…

Even the commentators were skeptical of Seong Jihan's participation.

However, at the BattleNet Center,

"Se…Seong Jihan!"

Seong Jihan unexpectedly visited, overturning all predictions.

"Ah, Coach, I just dropped by for a visit."

Seong Jihan greeted Coach Noh Youngjun,

"If they don't ban me in the first match, I'll secure one easy win before leaving."

"Re…really? That would be fantastic!"

Seong Jihan declared his intention to participate in the first match.

Coach Noh's face lit up instantly.

'We were worried about Je Galheon's increased strength, but if Jihan joins, we'll win easily…!'

Despite the racial bonuses Seong Jihan earned benefiting the Chinese team,

Korea, originally weak in the mage class, faced significant power differences.

But Seong Jihan's participation would change everything.

"Jihan, since you're here… Could you stay in the coaching room until just before the first match?"

"Stay in the coaching room?"

"Yes. Last match against China, they seemed to have a lot of our strategies figured out. It's almost as if they knew in real-time you weren't playing."

"Is there someone leaking information to China?"

"…Possibly. Some are suspected, but nothing concrete."

Coach Noh spoke, furrowing his brows.

"For now, catching the spy isn't the priority. Winning this match is. Please come to the players' waiting room when I contact you."

"Alright, I'll look around the coaching room."

"Yes, relax here. The match will start soon."

Wooosh…

Coach Noh exited,

while Seong Jihan casually looked around the coaching room before sitting on a sofa, taking out his smartphone.

'Seems no one expects my participation.'

Seeing real-time viewer responses, Seong Jihan chuckled.

Knock, knock.

"…Is anyone here?"

Hearing a staff member's voice outside, Seong Jihan didn't respond.

He could pretend he wasn't there if the person came in.

After all, concealing his presence from ordinary people was too easy for someone like Seong Jihan.

However.

Knock, knock, knock.

"…Seong Jihan, are you in?"

The staff specifically mentioning his name changed things.

'How did they know I was here? Did the coach inform them?'

It wasn't yet time for the match.

Seong Jihan tilted his head in curiosity but responded,

"Yes, I'm here. Come in."

Click.

A seemingly ordinary, exhausted staff member entered and approached Seong Jihan.

"Did the coach call you out?"

"No, I have a message from him."

"From who?"

"The person is…"

The staff checked around, then approached Seong Jihan,

lowering his voice,

"Gilgamesh has a message."

* * *

'Gilgamesh… that guy's quite active, huh.'

Hearing the staff mention Gilgamesh, Seong Jihan frowned.

Despite repeatedly warning the public about Gilgamesh's dangers,

he seemed to be growing his influence from behind the scenes.

For a Korean staff member to carry his message implied strong inroads.

"So… what does he say?"

Seong Jihan decided to hear him out.

Then.

"He says he will reveal Tuseong's secret…"

"Tuseong's secret?"

"Yes. He asks you to participate in this match against China."

"I was planning to, anyway."

But why specifically the China match?

'Has he already started supporting the Chinese players?'

Seong Jihan had previously supported the Diamond TOP 100 during racial evolution.

Many of China's national players were among them.

Perhaps Gilgamesh had approached those not backed by Seong Jihan.

What a persistent guy.

"Now, I'll take my leave. I'll resign as well."

The staff, caught as Gilgamesh's lackey, announced his resignation.

Seong Jihan nodded,

"…Alright. How did you get his support? You don't seem to be a player."

"Support? I wouldn't dare. I merely conveyed the king's message."

"Where did you hear it?"

"…A family member grew ears after racial evolution."

Ears grew?

"A family member joined the Half-Elf Community?"

"Yes, there… they heard the king's message."

The same Half-Elf Community Yoon Seah had joined.

Gilgamesh, under the name 'Owner of Tuseong,' had been infiltrating this community, growing his power by fully supporting those with Half-Elf traits.

'I requested BattleNet Association to handle this community, but it seems they've grown stronger.'

As expected, BattleNet Association proves inefficient.

'Can't focus on this myself.'

With so much to handle, he couldn't shut down the foreign-established Half-Elf Community.

He had warned them sufficiently; if they couldn't act, it wasn't his job to handle it.

Shortly after the staff left,

Brrrr…

Seong Jihan's phone vibrated.

[Jihan, it's starting now.]

A message from Coach Noh Youngjun.

* * *

In the BattleNet Center's waiting room,

"Se…Seong Jihan!"

"Are you playing today?"

"There was no word from the coach…!"

Players, preparing for the game, were startled by Seong Jihan's arrival.

And.

"Wow… seeing Seong Jihan in person…"

"Wait, you haven't seen him before?"

"No! I joined after the World's Champions League!"

New team members idolized Seong Jihan.

Among national players, he had become a symbol of admiration and reverence.

Many new members had dreamt of joining the national team just to meet him.

'Hmm…'

Scanning the room, Seong Jihan approached Coach Noh.

"Shall I prepare?"

"Yes, it's time to draw the ban and select cards."

"Got it."

As Seong Jihan prepared,

"Wow… are we really playing with Seong Jihan?"

"I was worried about China, but this makes it an easy win."

"True. Confirming top spot."

Players' nervous chatter eased quickly.

However.

=Now, finally.

=Ban, select for the first match begins!

=Oh… The Chinese coach bans the representative's first pick…

=That means banning Seong Jihan. Unlike last time, their judgment is completely different!

=Given the importance, they might think Seong Jihan will play?

China's sudden decision to ban Seong Jihan surprised the team.

"What… how did they know to ban Seong Jihan…"

"Maybe anticipating Je Galheon's increased strength, blocking any odds?"

"Still odd…"

Debating China's different judgment, Seong Jihan narrowed his eyes.

Gilgamesh specifically mentioned this match.

How did China's coach know and just ban him?

'The staff who delivered Gilgamesh's message isn't a spy…'

No encounters until the coaching room.

That leaves someone within this waiting room.

'Regardless of their surprise…'

Sinking into concentration,

amplifying his senses with Martial Soul,

he found one person with an excessively rapid heartbeat.

'Let's see…'

Swoosh.

Seong Jihan stood beside a man clutching his phone.

"What… what is it?"

The man seemed overly startled, trying to touch his phone more.

"Excuse me a moment."

Whoosh…

The phone slipped right out of his hand, floating before Seong Jihan.

[Urgent. Seong Jihan playing.]

Reading the short text, Seong Jihan smiled.

"I didn't expect a national player to sell information to a competitor."

"This, this is…"

"Jinsoo! You…"

"Did you send info before too?"

Revealing the text to all, reactions of shock fixed on the man.

Even suspecting staff, why would a national player sell information?

"Expel this person."

"Wait, that's…"

"Staff can't handle him alone. Let me deal with it."

Tap, tap.

Seong Jihan applied the Heaven's Chaotic Flow on the man,

"Ugh…"

He froze, collapsing.

Unlike Seong Jihan who could still move under such a seal, it had an overwhelming effect on him.

'…Still breathing.'

Confirming his breath, Seong Jihan gestured to staff to remove him.

The traitor was carried out on a stretcher.

"Wow… China went far preparing. Didn't expect a national player sellout."

Yoon Seah, watching, approached and shook her head.

"But uncle… how did you know it was him?"

"His heartbeat was fast, so I checked him out."

"You can sense that?"

"If you try, you can tell."

"Of course, constellation candidate…"

Yoon Seah clicked her tongue,

"Thought with uncle we'd win easy, but they banned you."

"Why can't you benefit from me?"

"What? You're banned."

"Different approach. Wanna become undead again?"

"Ah…!"

Though they tried to block Seong Jihan's play,

he had other cards to use.

"Cheat code?"

"Yes, they'll pay for planting a spy."

"People were hyped for this match… but it'll be anti-climactic."

"So, do you dislike it?"

"Nope. Winning easily in games is best."

She smiled broadly,

"I'll smash them all for you, uncle."

In the ensuing game,

=Oh…!

=Yoon Seah charges!

=Is she undead? Such power!

=China's defense crumbles…!

She did as she promised.