Inside the Void Training Room,
'Time's almost up already.'
Seong Jihan was cognizant of the passing time and, with a hint of regret, set down his sword.
'In such a short span, I've gained much.'
Facing Dongbang Sak in two matches during the Taiwan series, Seong Jihan acquired an immeasurable wealth of experience.
Dongbang Sak had dominated Seong Jihan with certainty.
The martial arts displayed by him had provided a foundation for Seong Jihan's growth.
'I may not yet grasp the Taiji Sword technique used by Dongbang Sak…'
The white sword, the Taiji Sword, summoned by Dongbang Sak—Seong Jihan had yet to understand the principle from which its overwhelming darkness emerged, martial soul notwithstanding.
Even without comprehending this, experiencing Dongbang Sak's martial arts had led to significant advancements for Seong Jihan.
His proficiency in martial arts increased dramatically through the martial soul, partly incorporating elements of the Heavenly Demon's martial arts into his own repertoire.
'The martial soul's stat itself has increased too.'
After reaching 200, the martial soul had been creeping up bit by bit.
Even when Seong Jihan managed to acquire the Fourth annihilating technique, the Ice Heaven Sword Rain, martial soul lingered in the 230s.
But since the matches against Dongbang Sak, his martial soul has touched 250.
Moreover, as he reiterated that battle in the training hall, his martial soul rose incrementally, now reaching 255.
'Not to mention, I've started to unravel the Fifth Annihilation Technique, Heavenly Tree Descending Spirit.'
The wood-affiliated martial arts of Heavenly Tree Descending Spirit, deduced to be related to the elves' regenerative abilities. For Seong Jihan, the fight with Dongbang Sak wasn't just about level gains—it came with considerable wisdom.
Only a minor regret persisted.
'I didn't get to fully witness Nine Halls Eight Trigrams.'
The formation Nine Halls Eight Trigrams, which Dongbang Sak followed after the second annihilating technique, Myriad Ghost Sealing Gods, was cut short.
Just as Nine Halls and Eight Trigrams transcended towards Seong Jihan, the Wandering Martial God hastily intervened and whisked him away.
What effect would have manifested had the Seal Code come into full effect?
'It's suspicious that the Martial God would intervene right when Dongbang Sak's formation was about to manifest.'
Did the Martial God not want those special characters to appear again?
During the incident with Longinus's Spear of Judgment, some Destruction Code showed up but the Martial God never intervened.
Seong Jihan pondered in the Void Training Room, analyzing the Nine Halls Eight Trigrams Formation, but with too little information at hand.
The abrupt end before Dongbang Sak could properly demonstrate it offered no further clues.
He decided to put aside his concerns about the Nine Halls Eight Trigrams Formation for now, shifting focus to other annihilating techniques.
'I'm still unsure of the third's operating principle… Could the fourth be some sort of detection code?'
Detection, sealing, destruction.
Seong Jihan sorted through keywords he could speculate so far, furrowing his brows.
Annihilating Techniques.
They were peculiar if referred to as martial arts.
Seong Jihan recalled Dongbang Sak's words.
-In an era where humans and demons coexisted, a man was granted the mission to seal demons and gods, ushering in the age of man…
Dongbang Sak's duty was to seal demons and gods.
The Annihilating Techniques seemed less like a unified body of martial arts and more a compilation of these duties and abilities.
-For Longinus, it was the killer of gods. For Pythia, it was a searcher of immortals…
Based on the three revealed, the pattern looked clear.
Finding 'immortals' that would register as bugs in the BattleNet, to seal and destroy them.
Were Annihilating Techniques inherent powers to locate and eliminate immortality, as their name implied?
Yet,
'The last Annihilating Technique. Heavenly Tree Descending Spirit deviates from this pattern. Infinite regenerative ability exhibited by this power could be a potential target of the Annihilating Techniques themselves….'
Instinctively, Seong Jihan felt it.
Heavenly Tree Descending Spirit,
This ability wasn't just about regenerative power akin to that of elves.
The enlightenment gained through being cleaved by Dongbang Sak was just a fraction of Heavenly Tree Descending Spirit's power.
Its true nature remained cloaked in mystery.
'If only I knew what Gilgamesh's power was…'
Gilgamesh, suspected by Pythia of being the wandering Martial God.
There was not even a small hint regarding his power.
'…Dwelling on this unsolvable issue serves no purpose now. Let's depart.'
Seong Jihan concluded his thoughts and stepped out of the Void Training Room.
Ahead lay a two-week series of matches, notoriously dubbed by the Korean team as a 'race through hell.'
The next day was slated for the second match, against China.
* * *
The match between Korea and Taiwan.
A game predicted to end one-sidedly, still created ripples among global BattleNet fans.
Especially,
The overwhelming martial prowess shown by Hu Wootaek had the blood of the Chinese boiling.
-Did everyone see that? This is the dignity of the people of the Central Plains.
-The Heavenly Demon himself descended upon Hu Wootaek… and summarily subdued the arrogant Seong Jihan.
-Combining the Taiji and Heavenly Demon's martial arts. The constellation that descended upon Hu Wootaek is the true God of War.
With the People's Association extending cooperative gestures towards Seong Jihan's guild, Daegi Guild, recently,
The Chinese fans' national pride was bruised.
And now, with the ominous surge of the Korean National Team threatening China's regional league standings since 2021,
Watching Seong Jihan, the protagonist behind the scenes, getting blatantly overpowered by Dongbang Sak in the second and third games brought them catharsis.
And the constellation who had pressed Dongbang Sak employed the Taiji and Heavenly Demon's martial arts.
For the Chinese, venerating that constellation as a God of war seemed anything but excessive.
-Why are they boasting about the constellation being powerful? LOL
-Seriously, it's not their descendant, so why are they creating such a big deal?
-Ah… But it's not going to be another constellation's descent like the last time, right?
-You see the pattern? When Seong Jihan isn't banned, you have to start wondering, 'Oh, is another constellation descending today or what?' 😂
While Korean fans joked about the fuss when the descended constellation was on the Taiwan side, they were also worried.
What if a constellation descended again during the match with China?
Following bouts with Russia, Japan, and now Taiwan,
It's been strange; in games where Seong Jihan wasn't banned, irregular players seemed to shine.
-But we've won most of the matches, haven't we?
-Yes, and that's why we're joint first place.
-But China is strong, so…
-If they add a constellation to their roster, it could be tough…
Due to recent matches, Seong Jihan's ban status became a litmus test for whether a constellar irregular would join the match with China.
And then,
=Ah… the Chinese coach bans Seong Jihan!
=There's no constellation on their side this time!
=It's peculiar. You'd think losing Seong Jihan to a ban would be disappointing, but strangely, I feel relieved.
=No doubt about it. The last match with Taiwan was quite shocking!
Upon revealing Seong Jihan's name alone on the ban, the commentators sighed in relief.
"Jihan, it seems there won't be a constellation on the other side this time."
"Seems so. That's unlucky."
As Yoon Sejin casually remarked, patting him on the shoulder,
Seong Jihan sighed earnestly as if truly disappointed.
Witnessing this, Yoon Seah was incredulous.
"Wait, you went through all that hardship last time and now you're disappointed? I counted, you know? Your body vanished like well over a hundred times."
"I did learn a lot from the constellation, though."
After the Martial God's intervention in the match,
There had been no more communication from Pythia.
Was this the end of the special tutoring from the Martial God's disciples?
"Uncle, I'll be going to the first match~"
"Rest up, Jihan."
"Yes. Have a good game."
The banned Seong Jihan waved to the father-daughter duo and then watched the first match from the player's lounge.
=The Chinese team doesn't use the select card.
=Are they hoarding all three for the guaranteed Golem Duel map in the fourth game?
Accumulating three cards can guarantee map selection in game four, a functionality made known through the elves during the Space League; in fact, no one had used it since.
Each match in a series is too valuable to hold the cards for the fourth game; it was considered inefficient.
However, the Chinese coaching staff appeared keen on employing this long-dormant option.
"This is the strategy we simulated before."
"That's right. By continuously banning Seong Jihan, they plan to secure victory in the fourth game with the Golem Duel."
"Even if continuously banning Seong Jihan reduces the ban probability starting from game three…"
"One way or another, the bans were certain in games one and two. They're aiming for victories there and plan to take the final win in the Golem Duel in game four."
Seong Jihan as the outlier.
Up to now, bans had been lifted oddly a few times only because of constellations appearing.
For any country contending with Korea, banning him was the obvious strategy.
'It's a strategy tough to utilize unless you're a super-team like China or the U.S.'
Korea's team strength, even without Seong Jihan, had ascended to the ranks of the powerful, reinforced by father-daughter duo Yoon Sejin and Yoon Seah.
The strategy to secure a definite victory in the fourth game with Golem Duel banked on ensuring two victories in the first three matches.
But for teams like Russia or Japan that had faced Korea before,
Even without Seong Jihan, the likelihood of defeating a Korean team featuring Yoon Sejin and Yoon Seah was slim.
So, Japan had resorted to a strategy of relying on luck each game, picking the Golem Duel map as a possible equalizer.
'But China must be confident they can win without me.'
Unlike Russia or Japan, China, boasting several SSS-tier players, felt confident they could defeat Korea even with the presence of Yoon Sejin and Yoon Seah, providing Seong Jihan was absent.
"How are we planning to handle this situation?"
When Seong Jihan asked the coaching staff, they confidently replied,
"If the opposing team isn't using select cards, the likelihood of our chosen map coming up is higher…"
"The coach decided to focus on picking a warrior-centric map with the select cards."
"That's a good approach."
Without Seong Jihan, the national team still housed the world's second-ranked warrior—in their arsenal.
While China was hoarding select cards, Korea aimed to snatch victories by focusing on warrior maps.
=The Korean national team bans Je Galheon, choosing the Valhalla map.
=Je Galheon and Joo Ryung-Ryung—key players for China! Director Noh Youngjun seems to judge magicians as more threatening than supporters.
=Recently, Wang Lin has also been called up to the Chinese national team and has been performing well. Shouldn't they have banned him on the Valhalla map?
=We selected the map ourselves, but there's a 70% chance. We banned Je Galheon, the most threatening opponent, in preparation for other random maps!
=So, which map is up for the first game?
=Oh! It's Valhalla!
Swoooosh!
The Valhalla map was selected, and the BattleNet connectors housing the team's players, except for the warriors, opened.
"Ah, it's Valhalla. That's disappointing."
Emerging from the connector, Yoon Seah returned to Seong Jihan's side, watching the game screen.
"But since it's Valhalla, we'll win, won't we?"
"We should. Brother-in-law is participating, after all."
With both China and Korea throwing their cards to secure a confirmed victory in the fourth game and choosing the Valhalla map to thwart the opponent's intentions, it seemed that Coach Noh Youngjun's intentions were realized when they saw the map selected for the first game.
Even with Wang Lin's SSS-tier gift, the Heavenly Demon Body, he was still underdeveloped compared to the Sword King.
'The first game's a win.'
It was only natural for Seong Jihan to think so.
But then,
=Both countries' warriors are entering the field.
=With Yoon Sejin on the South Korean national team, we feel more secure!
=Uh, but the Chinese national team…
=There's something strange about the players' appearance.
=T-Their hairs, their hairs are missing! No. Until yesterday, they definitely had hair…!
=Could it be that those were wigs…?
The Chinese national team had also prepared for such a situation.
"No… not the buzz cuts again. Can it really be the 108 Arhat Formation?"
Yoon Seah looked at the game screen, her face a mix of astonishment and dread.
Before Wang Lin had emerged in China as the top warrior, the notorious Shinsong Il-ryong had reigned using the 108 Arhat Formation.
That very same formation that once gave Seong Jihan a hard time and was ultimately deciphered and defused by him, now looked to be making a comeback.
"Dad's going to smash through it, right?"
"Hard to say. I would have been sure had Wang Lin not been involved…"
Although Wang Lin, known by his title 'Heavenly Demon,' seemed an unlikely fit for Shaolin's 108 Arhat Formation, it appeared that in-game buffs applied all the same, regardless of whether the user was a 'Heavenly Demon' or 'Heavenly God'.
'The first game might prove to be difficult.'
Now overshadowed by the real Heavenly Demon Dongbang Sak, Wang Lin's once shining moniker had dimmed.
However his SSS-class gift, the 'Heavenly Demon Body' remained a talent not outclassed even by the Sword King's 'Twin Sword Mastery.'
For now, Wang Lin was weaker due to being a lower level, but with further growth, he held the potential to fiercely battle the Sword King.
And the 108 Arhat Formation could be the equalizer he needed to bridge their current gap.
=The first game is about to begin.
=Ah… Il-ryong has immediately activated the 108 Arhat Formation!
=Different from the last match, this time Wang Lin has joined the formation.
[108 Arhat Formation shall test Yoon Sejin.]
As Il-ryong chanted from the front of the Chinese ranks, a flash of light!
18 Chinese warriors, together with the Sword King, vanished from the battlefield.
"Not 9, but 18 players used the formation this time."
"Then the warrior count left on the field… isn't it pretty close now?"
"Very close."
True to Yoon Seah's words,
now only 49 Korean and 32 Chinese warriors remained in Valhalla.
=Korean warriors… must capitalize on their numerical advantage, with Sword King gone!
=But the remaining Chinese players are high-end too. Their average levels are 10-20 higher.
=Still, we have 1.5 times their number! The level gap is manageable!
As the commentators noted, Korea did have the 1.5 times numerical advantage, but Korean commentators weren't sounding hopeful.
The Korean warrior force was deemed the world's strongest precisely because of Seong Jihan and Yoon Sejin.
Remove those two, and it became painfully clear that Korea's warriors were the weakest in the Northeast Asia League.
-Oh, this is annoying…
-Our national warriors, are they earning their keep?
-Remember last year? Even Taiwan trashed us, didn't they?
-That unpleasant memory… not again.
And that uneasy premonition quickly became reality.
=The Korean warriors charged valiantly but…
=The Chinese defense is impenetrable! They can't break through!
=Ah! We can see Korean casualties…
=The Chinese warriors are now turning to offense!
Starting off with a 1.5 times numerical advantage, the Korean warriors attempted to hammer the Chinese defenses.
But the difference in level and skills of the two countries' warriors was stark.
-Feels like last year's PTSD is coming back.
-How are things in the 108 Arhat Formation?
-Sword King is going strong… but no easy suppression.
-It's true, with Wang Lin's intervention, the formation is holding firm…
Despite the pressure from the 108 Arhat Formation, the Sword King fought back indomitably.
But the fortified Chinese formation, bolstered by Wang Lin, held fast.
'Had he been at his past life's level, he would have been suppressed already.'
Whether it was the advice to focus on the Limited swords from White Sword that made a difference,
Yoon Sejin, firmly stronger than when he was in Japan, was weaving masterfully through the Shaolin monks, facing them head-on in battle.
Neither side in the Arhat Formation gained the upper hand,
suggesting the battle would continue till the end this way.
Then, the outcome of the match hinged not on the Arhat Formation but on the situation outside it…
=Ah…! Numbers are reversed! Now there are more Chinese warriors alive!
=We started with a 1.5 times advantage, how could this happen!
=With how fiercely Yoon Sejin is fighting…! This can't be happening. Korean warriors, snap out of it!
Against the shoutcasters' outcry,
One by one, Korean warriors started to fall.
"No, this isn't right…"
Yoon Seah couldn't finish her sentence in frustration,
Her face was painted with disbelief as she watched the Korean warriors perish.
"Why are we falling behind? Uncle, does a 10-20 level difference make that much impact?"
"It's more than levels; there's a significant gap in equipment."
"Equipment gap…"
"Yeah. The Chinese warriors' gear looks state-sponsored."
Unlike the Korean national team, where players have to procure their own gear,
The Chinese national team was equipped by the People's Association with SS-grade equipment for national matches.
Such a feat was possible because capital was monopolized by the country's top guild, the People's Association.
The inability to capitalize on the numerical advantage was clearly affected by the disparity in gear.
"Now that you mention it, their armor does shine. That's…"
"Still, the lack of skill is the biggest issue."
Thump!
As the fierce battle of Valhalla concluded, Korea's last warrior fell.
12 Chinese warriors survived.
Looking at the Korean team overwhelmed despite their numerical advantage, the viewers were filled with regret.
-Wow, losing on this map…
-Thanks for the vivid memory, Chinese Warriors 😃
-What are the odds Sword King obliterates the 108 Arhat Formation…
-It looks like they will just drag this on forever
Korea's sole survivor, Yoon Sejin, persisted in the fight within the Arhat Formation but,
[The first game concludes as it goes beyond the allotted time.]
The battle of Valhalla map went over time, and the first game ended in China's victory.
* * *
"Ha. We lost."
"You did what you could, brother-in-law."
"It's my lack of ability. Had Jihan been there, he would have crushed them…"
Exiting game one, Yoon Sejin sighed deeply.
With the game on a warrior map, the victory should have been guaranteed.
But the 108 Arhat Formation, now featuring Wang Lin, proved far too formidable.
"Coach, I think we need to ban Il-ryong next match."
"Yes. It's my fault. The game fell apart without Sejin…"
Coach Noh Youngjun also blamed himself after witnessing the first game's outcome.
'It's only thanks to those three that we've been considered championship contenders. Korea's national team isn't strong on its own.
Seong Jihan, Yoon Sejin, and recently added Yoon Seah.
Their powers balanced or even overwhelmed other world teams, but excluding these key players, the rest were still lacking.
Apart from the archers, the Korean team was lacking in nearly all areas.
The first game was a harsh reflection of that bitter reality.
'If we lose either match two or three… it's definitely over.'
China was sure to pick Golem Duel for game four.
Should they lose either of the next two games, it's over for Korea.
'We should have banned Il-ryong in the first game…'
Regretting his past selections, Coach Noh Youngjun re-entered the ban and select phase, rethinking his strategy.
=Ah! Coach Noh Youngjun bans Il-ryong!
=Il-ryong, with the Monk Leader gift. Without him, the 108 Arhat Formation won't activate!
=That'll free up Yoon Sejin to move around as he pleases!
=And for the select card… it's Valhalla again, just like the first game!
=I wonder if that map will come up again?
Compared to the first game, the only change was Korea's ban card.
But that single change could be significant this time around.
=Oh…
=The Valhalla map is chosen again!
=That 70 percent probability hits twice in a row!
"Good… Time for revenge for the first game."
Yoon Sejin, having stared intently at which map would be picked, smiled as he entered the BattleNet connector.
"Uncle, I might not even get to play a single game today."
"That goes for me too."
Yoon Seah, carrying a drink, finished her game-watching prep as the second game started.
The flow of the match was completely different from game one.
=Yoon Sejin charges alone swiftly!
=Wang Lin tries to block him, but without the 108 Arhat Formation, he's hopelessly overpowered!
=No one can stand before the twin swords! The Sword King! He's motivated from the first game's defeat!
=And swiftly, the game comes to an end!
Without the 108 Arhat Formation to constrain Yoon Sejin, the Chinese team quickly crumbles.
'Wang Lin is still lacking in growth, and couldn't dodge the swords.'
Schwing!
Watching Wang Lin beheaded by the twin swords, Seong Jihan affirmed his previous thought.
-Phew, LOL that's more like it. This is how you win!
-Banning the Monk Leader was the right move. That brat called 'Heavenly Demon' is not ready yet. LOL
-Heavenly Demon? More like an underling in the Evil Sect, LOL.
-Seeing this makes the first game even more regrettable…
-Right. We must win the third to push for a fifth game.
Relieved by the smooth completion of the second game, the Korean fans relaxed a little.
But considering the expected definite loss in the fourth game, the significance of the third game grew even more critical.
=Now, from the third game onwards… Seong Jihan can also participate!
=That's right, although only a 50 percent chance!
Starting from the third game, a player banned could be released with a 50 percent chance.
The commentators, as well as,
"Seong Jihan, please come with us. You have to prepare since you won't be banned!"
Ha Yeonjoo and the team players all hoped that Seong Jihan's ban would be lifted.
With him, the third game was as good as won.
But then,
=Ah… Seong Jihan is banned again…
=He got caught in the 50 percent probability.
=If only Seong Jihan had been picked, a sure victory would have been confirmed, but it's a shame.
The third game did not start on a good note.
'At this rate, I won't even get to play before the game ends.'
Banned again, Seong Jihan stepped out of the BattleNet connector, frowning deeply as he looked at the screen.
Being too strong does have its issues.
I want to compete in the national match, but I can't even get the chance.
=Coach Noh Youngjun sticks to the same strategy as in the second game. He bans Il-ryong, and the map is Valhalla.
=If Valhalla is chosen, we'll have the same result as the second game. Then we can take it to a fifth game!
=The select card has become crucial now!
Despite Seong Jihan being banned, If it's a warrior map, Korea can easily claim victory in the third game, much like the second.
Korean fans hoped again for Valhalla to be selected, but,
=Ah…
=This time, the map isn't Valhalla!
=Yeah, it's the Train map!
=Hmm… With Je Galheon still around, that's quite annoying…
Three consecutive 70 percent probabilities didn't happen.
-Oh no, we seem to be out of luck today.
-When did BattleNet turn into a game of luck?
-Of all the maps that could've been picked, it had to be the Train map, with Je Galheon and Joo Ryung-Ryung unscathed…
-But isn't it still okay if the Sword King flies across the map with his sword?
While people held onto hope for Yoon Sejin's sword flight technique,
=Joo Ryung-Ryung's summon, the Yellow Dragon, stubbornly blocks Yoon Sejin's path…!
=Meanwhile, our train is getting decimated by Je Galheon's magic!
=Yoon Seah tries to take aim at Je Galheon, but the distance is too far and not feasible!
Je Galheon utilized his grand sorcery, proving why he was banned in game one,
=The train is derailing…
=In the third game, Korea suffers a defeat…
The third game ended in defeat for Korea.
* * *
Swoosh!
"Ah… lost again…"
Exiting the BattleNet connector, Yoon Seah sighed deeply.
China, competing alongside the US for world supremacy, demonstrated their strength in the third game.
"The Yellow Dragon has become more troublesome."
Yoon Sejin, blocked in his sword flight by the summon, shook his head as he stepped out from the connector.
All three games he played with all his might, but the unsatisfactory 1-2 outcome left his expression dark.
"That means game four is automatically the Golem Duel… Even if we ban Joo Ryung-Ryung, we'll still be outmatched, right?"
"…Looks like it."
With only supporters allowed in Golem Duel,
Korea's supporter strength was clearly inferior to China's.
The outcome of this match was predictable by everyone.
=China pulls out their reserve select card for the Golem Duel map.
=And they use their ban card on supporter Lee Jinwook!
=Coach Noh Youngjun too bans China's supporter Joo Ryung-Ryung, but…
=Without Joo Ryung-Ryung, China's support lineup is still top-notch…
The commentators predicted defeat, their voices sapped of hope.
Similarly, Yoon Seah drooped her shoulders, watching when suddenly,
She rose abruptly, watching Seong Jihan walk off somewhere with curious eyes.
"Un…uncle, where are you going?"
"To participate in game four."
"But… It's a supporters' game. Only buffs apply."
"We're set to lose with the current lineup, right?"
"That's true…"
"If we're destined to lose, it's worth a shot to try something. I've already discussed it with the coach."
Without elaborating, Seong Jihan entered the BattleNet connector,
Leaving Yoon Seah blinking at his retreating figure
"…What kind of experiment?"
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