Chapter 288: Chapter 288
[Epic Quest]
-Defeat the hidden existences and meet the owner of 'Space Arena'.
-Reward: Selected as the 'Rookie of Space Arena' for the next season.
-Shortening of the Constellation Candidate period.
'Rookie… It's a bit ambiguous.'
Seong Jihan slightly frowned while looking at the reward details of the epic quest.
It doesn't give any actual ability values, so what's good about becoming the rookie of the arena?
'Still, the shortening of the Constellation Candidate period is useful.'
With the characteristic of Chasing the Stars, one can become a Constellation Candidate by maintaining 1st place for 300 days.
Because of this condition, he thought he would become a Constellation Candidate next year at the earliest, but if he clears this epic quest, it seems he could become a Constellation Candidate this year.
'Anyway, the conditions aren't difficult, so I should progress the quest while fighting the hidden existences.'
So when will the hidden existences appear?
Seong Jihan looked around with his arms crossed.
The stadium that was cleanly cleared by the intense flames that made the opposing players mistake it for a Dragon Breath.
The floor was charred black, but…
Beyond the stadium, the spectator seats stretching to the end of the sky were the same.
'The spectators of this arena only show light.'
There were no figures of lifeforms in the huge spectator seats, only circular halos of light floating and keeping their respective positions.
The halos of light that initially shone in various colors as if gathering all the colors of the world.
Flash…!
They emitted a strong light once, and all began to change to red.
And
[Matching a suitable opponent for the player among the hidden existences…]
['Remnant of the Incarnation' is summoned.]
As a system message appeared in front of Seong Jihan's eyes.
Whoosh!
A huge flame soared in front of Seong Jihan.
[#[protected]$… @$!… ]
Flames centered in the arena.
Within them, an unidentifiable sound echoed.
Although I couldn't understand what was being said, it was undoubtedly a language.
'It's not translated by BattleNet either.'
Despite the BattleNet usually translating alien languages, this time it simply sounded like gibberish.
Seong Jihan decided not to care about what the fire was saying and grasped the flames spreading to his side.
'Is it because it's the Remnant of the Incarnation? The firepower is quite formidable.'
This level is probably equivalent to the first Breath he was hit by when absorbing the power of the Dragon Heart.
The flames were so intense that if it were another player, their body would burn up in an instant without being able to endure for long, but…
'It seems it's not working on the Red.'
Seong Jihan, who had obtained the gradeless stat Red, easily controlled the fire.
The flames of the Incarnation were instantly absorbed into the Red pattern hidden on his chest.
[…[protected]$!]
Whoosh!
As Seong Jihan absorbed the fire, the flames soaring from the center turned bright yellow and the flames that were spreading in all directions gathered towards him, but…
'It's good that it comes on its own.'
Swish!
Seong Jihan slightly moved his hand and continued to absorb the fire.
-It's sudden for Seong Jihan to manipulate fire. Did he awaken his fire abilities during this training?
-But didn't he use some Red lightning in the past?
-Back then, lightning abilities were his main focus.
Meanwhile, viewers watched Seong Jihan's appearance through BattleTube and discussed whether he had obtained a new power.
Swoosh!
As the discussion among viewers continued, flames rapidly approached Seong Jihan, seemingly about to engulf him entirely. However, people watching felt at ease.
-Watching Seong Jihan's match after seeing mediocre players fight each other until two days ago is refreshing lol
-But honestly, the match two days ago had some thrill in terms of viewing pleasure…
-We don't need that kind of thrill. Winning is the best.
-For real, this is how the game should be.
Swoosh…
On the other hand, the Remnant of the Incarnation, swiftly drawn in by Seong Jihan's flames, seemed to threaten him initially. However, the fiery threat that could have engulfed the entire arena now seemed to be subdued, emitting flames only in the center.
It was pitifully shooting out flames towards Seong Jihan, who was slowly walking.
However,
"You're enduring for a long time."
Whoosh!
As flames flew towards him, Seong Jihan effortlessly caught them. As he grasped the flames, they were instantly absorbed into his body.
The power of Incarnation kept accumulating bit by bit in the Red pattern like that.
'This… is quite a lot.'
At first, Seong Jihan was absorbing the power of Incarnation just to try handling the Red stat, but when the flames emitted by the Remnant of the Incarnation were unexpectedly plentiful, his eyes shone.
'This might…'
Thump! Thump!
Seong Jihan quickly walked towards the Remnant of the Incarnation.
The closer he got, the more fiercely the flames rose and tried to block his path, however,
Swoosh!
Seong Jihan sucked in the fire with his palm and approached near the center.
And standing tall in front of the yellow flames,
"Hey. Try more."
Click! Click!
He provoked the Remnant of the Incarnation by moving his fingers.
Whoosh!
Then, as if enraged, a pillar of fire soaring up to the sky.
The Remnant of the Incarnation exerted its power to the fullest and resisted Seong Jihan, but…
'Nice.'
Seong Jihan was rather pleased and sucked in all the fire.
Then, the power of Incarnation rapidly kept accumulating in the Red pattern.
He just stood there and continued to absorb the fire.
-It's like replaying the same scene over and over lol
-Why is he just standing still? Finish it.
-Isn't he absorbing the fire?
-Definitely seems like his training is paying off, especially with fire abilities.
While viewers were evaluating like that, watching Seong Jihan stretch out his palm and collect the flames for dozens of minutes.
[The power of the Incarnation has been absorbed.]
[Stat 'Red' increases by 1.]
'Oho… Finally.'
Seong Jihan's eyes sparkled at the message that appeared.
Just in case, he waited even though he could subdue the Remnant of the Incarnation at once, but…
He was able to raise the stat for free from an unexpected place.
'It's not being absorbed into the pattern anymore.'
After the stat increased by 1, the power of Incarnation that was sucked in was no longer accumulating in the pattern.
He had already devoured it all.
Seong Jihan regretted not being able to raise the stat anymore, and…
'Shall I finish it now?'
He was about to end the game.
And then,
[You… are the successor of the administrator?]
The words of the Remnant of the Incarnation that couldn't be heard until now were translated.
* * *
Swish!
Seong Jihan, who was about to stretch out his hand and end the Remnant of the Incarnation, stopped moving for a moment at those words.
The words that couldn't be heard were now being heard.
Is it because he absorbed the fire to the extent that his stats increased?
[Can you hear me…!?]
As Seong Jihan stopped his hand for a moment, the flames flickered and hurriedly spoke.
"Yeah."
[Are you really the successor of the administrator! Pl…please annihilate me here…!]
As soon as he understood the words, the Remnant of the Incarnation asked him to kill it.
"I was going to get rid of you anyway."
[No, even if you get rid of this fire… I won't die. You have to draw out the main body.]
"How do I draw out the main body?"
[Like when you summoned me earlier. Ignite intense flames. Then my remnants will continue to be summoned. As you suppress them, in the end, the main body will be summoned in the arena to suppress you with fire.]
"Hmm."
As soon as he was summoned to the Space Arena, Seong Jihan swept away all the opponents with the ability of Red.
The power that worked at that time was purely the power of fire.
Was that the condition to summon the hidden existence, the Remnant of the Incarnation?
"What happens if I use something other than fire?"
[Then, the remnants of other gods will be summoned…The fragments of dead gods bound to the arena, like me.]
"So that was the summoning condition."
[That's right. So, please draw out the power of Incarnation and annihilate me…!]
Seong Jihan blankly stared at the Remnant of the Incarnation who was desperate to die.
"Why do you want to die?"
[…I am in a state of being eternally bound to the Space Arena. The only way to escape from this damn place is through death.]
"Hmm."
To be liberated from the Space Arena, he's saying he'll die?
Even though he heard those words, Seong Jihan didn't fully believe them at face value.
The alien beings he met in the Space League, Whether they were gods or not, were all untrustworthy.
Didn't Brahma also try to backstab him but ended up being suppressed instead?
'But if I can raise stats by absorbing other Remnants of Incarnation, It seems worth it.'
The Red stat that had now become 6, Each single value of this stat held important value.
This time, he absorbed the Remnant of the Incarnation to the point where the stat wouldn't increase anymore, but…
If a new Remnant of Incarnation is summoned, he might be able to raise the stat by one more for free.
While Seong Jihan decided to summon one more for now.
"What will you do for me?"
[What…]
"You're not thinking of requesting a job for free, are you?"
He demanded compensation from the Remnant of the Incarnation.
[Didn't you absorb my power, Successor of the administrator.]
"That's my ability. You have to give me something separately."
[Something to give… I am the remnant of a god bound to the arena. All I have to give is this fire.]
"No GP or items either?"
[How would I have such things…! Even if I obtain them by chance, the owner of the arena takes them all back!]
Seong Jihan clicked his tongue.
He had a hunch since it said it was bound to the Space Arena, but It really seems to be penniless.
However,
'It's not like there's nothing to gain at all.'
Even from the Remnant of the Incarnation in such a slave state, Seong Jihan found something to be compensated with.
"Okay. Then give me information about the 'owner of the arena'. And about this Space Arena. I'll grant your wish with that."
[Information… D…Did you come here without knowing?]
"Yeah. I came to take the promotion match."
[Promotion match… You're not a constellation?]
Whoosh!
Flames soared from the Remnant of the Incarnation.
His voice became more urgent than before.
[Even though you're not a constellation, you're at this level… G-Good. I'll tell you. I'll definitely tell you. So summon me.]
"You'll give the information in advance?"
[…If I mention the owner of the arena, I'll draw his attention. I'll tell you when you summon the main body.]
"Hmm."
Seong Jihan's eyes sank coldly.
The Remnant of the Incarnation, revealing an excited look as soon as it learned he wasn't a constellation.
This guy seems to have ulterior motives like the Thunder God.
However,
'I can't miss the chance to raise the stat value.'
Regardless of the Remnant of the Incarnation's scheme, Seong Jihan was confident he could suppress it.
"Got it. I'll go ahead using only the power of Incarnation."
[Great…! Then, for now, kill this remnant.]
"Yeah."
Swoosh…
As Seong Jihan reached out his hand, the Remnant of the Incarnation that had been enduring for a long time disappeared at once.
[The hidden existence 'Remnant of the Incarnation' has been suppressed.]
[Your level has increased by 3 upon promotion.]
[The Constellation Candidate period is shortened by 3 days.]
'3 days is too little.'
The reward given just for suppressing a hidden existence, The level 3 increase was good, but the latter reward was not very satisfactory.
'But if I keep suppressing hidden existences, I can significantly shorten the period.'
[Advancing to the next round.]
And so, the second round began.
[Wow, that guy made it to the second round?]
[He must have had good luck. To think such an insignificant guy made it to the second round…]
[He's my prey. Don't touch him.]
Seong Jihan, newly summoned to the stadium, felt huge beings looking down on him.
Maybe because they all survived and rose from the previous match, Players boasting a much stronger presence than in the 1st round.
-How many dragon-level monster races are there…
-How are human races supposed to compete in BattleNet when matched with such guys?
-It's really becoming a monster battle as it goes on…
The viewers were momentarily discouraged upon seeing such giant monsters, but…
"I'm running out of time."
Flames ignited at Seong Jihan's fingertips.
Whoosh!
As the conflagration instantly covered the stadium.
-Easy win.
-He's swept them all at once, lol
-Why is Seong Jihan matched with them?
Feeling momentarily threatened by their size,'
They once again felt the comfort of Seong Jihan's channel.
And then,
['Remnant of the Incarnation' is summoned.]
The Remnant of the Incarnation being summoned like before.
He repeated the process of being absorbed by Seong Jihan like earlier.
Like that, several matches proceeded similarly.
[Advancing to the 5th round.]
[This is the final round.]
As they entered the final round.
Finally, a change occurred.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone