Chapter 126
Outside the BattleNet Testing Arena.
“Ah, that kid isn’t coming. He must be scared.”
One of the national representative warriors who was smoking spat on the ground.
“Ah, I wanted to teach him a lesson. Such a pity.”
“Jaeho, just moments ago you were saying, ‘What if I lose?’ right?”
“Ah, brother! That was just a comment. How can I lose to someone too scared to show up?”
“Ugh… But that guy is also something. What does he think he’s doing by calling everyone and then bailing on the day?”
Although there were still about ten minutes before the start of the test, the players already believed that Seong Jihan wouldn’t show up.
“Ah… Thank God.”
The player who had spat moments ago, Gu Jaeho, sighed with relief internally.
Being the lowest level among the national representative warriors, he had been rumored to be Seong Jihan’s first opponent.
Until moments ago, after watching Seong Jihan’s highlights, Jaeho was half-convinced he’d lose.
‘It was a good idea by Dongwoo to broadcast this, but the level of interest was so high I thought we were doomed…’
A Gold-ranked challenging the Diamond-ranked national team?
This was an unprecedented event worldwide.
Several international media teams were already waiting inside the testing arena, and online, hundreds of millions were eagerly awaiting the live broadcast.
Not just Koreans, but a number driven by significant foreign viewership.
Jaeho was nervous at the thought of becoming the first sacrificial lamb to lose to a Gold-ranked in front of the entire world.
But the absence of Seong Jihan brought a barely concealed smile to his face.
“Ha! If Seong Jihan had shown up, I would’ve taken him down in one hit!”
Jaeho looked genuinely happy as he said this.
Just then.
“Hey, what’s that?”
“What’s flying over there?”
Players standing opposite Jaeho pointed at the sky.
“Huh?”
Jaeho turned and blankly stared up.
Far away, something was approaching at incredible speed, leaving a white trail.
At this velocity, a direct hit could be catastrophic for anyone nearby.
“Damn, what is that?”
“Hey! Dodge it!”
But no one thought to move.
Would you, with a speeding truck coming right at you?
The players stood still, transfixed by the approaching object.
Then, the ‘thing’ stopped abruptly in mid-air.
Realizing its identity, the players dropped their cigarettes in shock.
“Uh… Seong Jihan?”
The figure that had rocketed from the sky was none other than Seong Jihan.
Witnessing this, the minds of the players went blank for a different reason.
‘Did he fly from Sword Palace?’
‘Wasn’t he a Warrior? Can a Gold-ranker even fly like that?’
‘Am I supposed to fight someone like that?’
While the national representative Warriors stood frozen,
“Hello.”
Having landed smoothly, he greeted with a light bow.
“I don’t seem to be late. Let’s begin.”
With that, he beckoned his first opponent, Jaeho, and headed into the Management building.
Chills ran down Jaeho’s spine.
“What… Is he even human?”
Suddenly, Jaeho wasn’t keen on entering the testing arena.
The outcome seemed all too clear.
“Jaeho, what are you doing? Aren’t you going?”
But as Seong Jihan’s first opponent, Jaeho couldn’t back out.
“I’m going, brother.”
With a heavy heart, he entered the testing arena as if being led to slaughter.
And then.
Bang!
– Oh no…
– Player Jaeho is down in just one move!
His ominous feeling had quickly become reality.
* * * * *
The global spotlight was on the national representative test.
Many experts predicted that Seong Jihan would not lose easily.
– Considering the amazing performance he has shown so far, he could probably beat a few of the current Korean national team warriors.
– But probably not against players above level 225.
– Of course. Players at level 225 are on a different level. Unless Seong Jihan has improved even more.
– I agree. Honestly, I think if he reaches the Platinum Rank, he might be able to beat one or two players at level 225. But he’s only Gold now, right?
– Let’s be clear. There’s a definite limit for a Gold.
No matter how skilled one is, there’s a limit in the ‘fundamental’ level.
He will eventually lose to those above level 225.
This was the consensus among experts, and most people agreed.
Then the test match began.
– Alright, the game is starting!
– This map is a survival map called “Colosseum”, modified by the management bureau.
– Seong Jihan isn’t using a connector, so the game will proceed through an invite from the management bureau.
– Such a unique player. He doesn’t even use the BattleNet connector.
– Yes. Some fans say it doesn’t matter since he won’t get hit anyway…
– Haha! How can a player never get hit, especially a front-line warrior! Isn’t that mindset rather irresponsible?
– We’ll find out soon enough! The game starts now!
Ding!
Seong Jihan’s first opponent was Gu Jaeho, who had vowed to teach him a lesson.
“Please take care of me.”
“Oh, yes. Me too…”
They both bowed their heads to each other in greeting.
After the greeting, Seong Jihan rushed towards Gu Jaeho.
And threw a punch.
Boom!
Gu Jaeho, who hadn’t fully prepared his defenses, had many vulnerabilities, but Seong Jihan deliberately aimed for the shield.
“Kuhack!”
Gu Jaeho, holding an SS-grade shield, couldn’t withstand the blow and was sent flying, shield and all.
With just one blow, the match was over.
– What…?
– It’s, it’s an instant knockout. The game is over…!
– It’s already over?
While the commentators were confused, chats filled with excitement from viewers poured in.
– Gu Jaeho lolololol, was that a one-hit knockout for real?
– I knew he’d lose, but didn’t expect him to be blown away like that lololol
– Why is he on the national team? He’s not even level 225.
– That’s because there are no warriors above that level.
– Where did all the national team warriors go? -_-
– Seong Jihan is here lol.
The dominant reaction was that this outcome was somewhat expected.
It was just surprising that it ended with a single blow.
The lower-tier national team Warriors had skills that were embarrassing for their title since they hadn’t reached level 225.
However.
Bang!
Bang!
The one-hit knockouts mercilessly continued.
– Gasp…!
– Warrior Lim Jaejin also got knocked out in one hit!
– He’s not even using a weapon… Is this even possible?
– He sends opponents flying out of the Colosseum map with their shields! The verdict… One-hit Instant knockout!
Lim Jaejin, a tank-type warrior close to level 225, was also sent flying with a single punch.
– Uh… Seong Jihan’s next opponent is Lee Yoongi, and he still isn’t using a weapon!
– Lee Yoongi’s level is over 225, you know? He’s a genuine front-line warrior for the national team… Seong Jihan! You should be careful from now on!
Against Lee Yoon-Gi, who had surpassed the level 225 barrier and was part of the national team’s ace line, Seong Jihan still did not use a weapon.
“Not even using a weapon…”
Lee Yoongi seemed hurt in his pride and gritted his teeth.
“Make me use one.”
Seong Jihan shrugged.
Before the unification of the Three Dantians, he would have had to use a weapon against an opponent like Lee Yoongi.
And even with a weapon, he wouldn’t have achieved a one-hit knockout like now.
However.
‘Martial Soul. As expected, it’s in a league of its own.’
Martial Soul, when he truly exerted its power, it was indeed on a different level.
The power, which had been divided between Martial Power and Force, was now unified, allowing him to use it freely.
‘The Martial Soul Domain is incomparable to the old Absolute Domain.’
Although the Martial Soul Domain only extended for 20cm, its efficacy was incomparable to the Absolute Domain of the Force.
“And if I expand this, I can use it like the old Absolute Domain up to 40m.”
Indeed, there was only one being that could obtain the Star’s Ability.
It was an ability completely different from the unique stats.
“To maintain this ability, I’ll eventually have to fight against the Martial God… but that’s for later.”
He had decided not to confront him until he was fully matured, so that would be a long time from now.
Right now, he just had to focus on what was in front of him.
‘As befits the owner of the Martial Soul, it’s overwhelming.’
Seong Jihan slowly extended his fist, glaring at Lee Yoongi, who seemed to want to kill him.
It was a slow movement.
It wasn’t really an attack, but more like a provocative gesture.
“You brat… Are you not taking this seriously?”
Seeing that, Lee Yoongi tried to rush at Seong Jihan.
But even before his foot could take off the ground.
Boom!
“Ugh…”
Lee Yoongi’s body was sent flying backward, his internal organs completely crushed.
Even with a high-grade shield.
Even with a powerful passive skill like a Protective Barrier, it was of no use.
He was deemed an instant kill and disappeared.
Over level 225, truly representing the national ace line.
Was killed instantly by a punch that didn’t even touch him.
– Wh… What…
– Huh…
In this unbelievable situation, even the commentators were at a loss for words.
“Wow…”
“Oh. Sh*t… What was that?”
The mood of the national representative warriors, waiting for their turn, also chilled like an ice field.
* * * * *
– Lee Yoongi is a powerful warrior ranking within the top 7 of the national team just by level! He’s undoubtedly an ace… and yet he was defeated in one hit…!
– No. Is this… even possible?! The punch didn’t even touch him?
– Did he shoot some kind of wind? But the relay camera didn’t catch anything! The in-game camera is the same as the BattleNet game’s camera, so it should capture almost everything!
– This is unbelievable. I can’t understand… How could Lee Yoongi…
As the caster energetically described the instant defeat of Lee Yoongi,
The analyst seemed to be in denial.
– Why is the commentator so biased?
– Really, if Seong Jihan does well, isn’t it good for our country in the end?
– Exactly, why is he so upset?
– If we have such a player, they should be grateful and appreciate him, right? LOL. Is it a personal grudge or something?
– NBC commentary, right? Should we go to the NBC board?
Viewers, listening to the seemingly biased commentary, expressed their frustrations in real-time.
“Um…”
The caster nudged the analyst, signaling him to look at the monitor.
Seeing the chat room filled with 50% of the comments berating the analyst, he kept his mouth shut.
‘This… I can’t favor Dongwoo anymore.’
Even if he had a close relationship with Kim Dongwoo, going against the tide would cause trouble.
He just decided to stay silent.
And the match continued to be one-sided.
Bang!
Seong Jihan’s one-punch dominance continued.
– Wow, LOL, he keeps ending it with one punch!
– He’s too lazy to even punch now, LOL.
– Seong Jihan! Seong Jihan! Seong Jihan! Seong Jihan! Seong Jihan! Seong Jihan! Seong Jihan! Seong Jihan!
– I told you, right? I said Jihan would finish in 3 seconds, LOL.
– But… seems like he’s even stronger than before?
– Getting even stronger, have you no conscience?
– The less conscience, the better for us, LOL.
– For real, please blow away the Sword King like that too, please ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
“Ah. Sh*t. This damn game!”
Bang!
After being ejected from the BattleNet connector, the second-ranked player from the warrior team couldn’t hold back his anger and kicked the connector.
“Why is this damn… how can a Gold Rank do that?! Does that make any sense? Ah, seriously. This is unbearable.”
The player’s face turned red with rage, and tears even welled up in his eyes.
“Seriously, the Management Department didn’t tamper with the system or something? Editing data to favor that bastard…”
“You know… that’s impossible.”
“Aaargh! Seriously!”
The national team players felt the same way looking at him.
Hadn’t they all been humiliated by a single punch?
Except for one.
“Um… Player Kim Dongwoo, will you proceed?”
An official from the management bureau cautiously asked.
“Whew…”
Kim Dongwoo took a deep sigh.
He didn’t want to do it!
The second-ranked player who just exited had a level not too different from his. And seeing how he was defeated with a single hit, Kim Dongwoo presumed his fate would be the same.
But still…
“…I have to.”
Being the team leader, he couldn’t be the only one to back out.
With a heavy heart, Kim Dongwoo sat down in the connector.
And when Seong Jihan faced him in-game, he thought,
‘He’s the national team’s warrior leader, I should show some manners.’
Although he could have finished it in one hit, he decided to give one more blow.
Bang! Bang!
After taking two hits, Kim Dong-woo was sent flying.
“Ah! But Kim Dongwoo! He withstood one hit!”
“…It seems like he just decided to hit him twice.”
With the commentator’s gloomy voice as the last thing heard, that test day became legendary.
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