Chapter 109
The initial reward given was the basic promotion match result.
[You have won in the Top 100 Promotion Match.]
[You receive 5 million GP as a reward.]
[Your level increases by 5.]
[You have acquired the title ‘King of Kings – Silver’.]
Just as when he had previously won first place in Bronze, Seong Jihan checked out the title ‘King of Kings’ he had obtained.
[‘King of Kings – Silver’]
[A title given to the winner of the Top 100 Promotion Battle.
In the Gold League, all stats increase by +5, and an experience boost of 50% is applied.]
“The increase in stats is the same as Bronze.”
Bronze had a +5, and so did Silver.
It seemed to hold no more value than just changing the title from Bronze to Silver.
Seong Jihan immediately switched the title and continued to examine the system messages.
[You have cleared the special achievement ‘Face a Constellation.]
[You receive 100,000 achievement points as a reward.]
[You have cleared the special achievement ‘Inflicting Damage to a Constellation’.]
[You receive 200,000 achievement points as a reward.]
While he did not see the achievement for winning the Top 100, as he had already cleared it during the Bronze, the points given by the Constellation related achievements were substantial.
A title, 300,000 achievement points, and even the Phoenix Flag.
The rewards pouring in from just one match were incredible.
“So, what’s the special reward?”
Seong Jihan was more interested in the special reward promised by BattleNet.
[Notice from BattleNet.]
[Today’s incident occurred due to our failure to detect the intrusion of an external force, Constellation of the ‘Dead Star’, during the map change to a special map.]
[We apologize once again for the inconvenience caused to player Seong Jihan and have prepared a special reward.]
Finally, it’s being given.
Seong Jihan crossed his arms and waited a moment for the additional message.
[All stats increase by 5.]
[Your level additionally rises by 10.]
[You have acquired the special stat, ‘Seal of Thunder’.]
[‘Seal of Thunder’ enhances the power of thunder and offers strong resistance against mental corruption. For every 20 points in the stat, you can grant one player the Seal of Thunder.]
[Players granted the Seal of Thunder gain strong resistance against mental corruption and can harness the power of Thunder.]
Seong Jihan opened his status window.
Just like the ‘Shadow Sword’, the ‘Seal of Thunder’ occupied two lines of the status window. Given its size, it was presumed to be a rare stat.
“But, just like the Shadow Sword, it’s complicated.”
Out of the three advanced techniques of the Nameless Divine Arts, he had obtained stats that reinforced two of them, Dark Shadow Technique and Divine Thunder Decree, by going through the Top 100 promotion battles twice.
Moreover,
“The Dark Shadow Technique is related to the World Tree Alliance, and Divine Thunder Decree seems related to Kill the King…”
The two great powers responsible for the near-destruction of Earth, the World Tree Alliance and Kill the King. The World Tree Alliance completely neutralized the Earth in the Space League, while Kill the King, emerging from a dungeon, wielded a massive army of ghosts, leading to global devastation.
“In my past life, I thought the two martial arts were just opposites in terms of their attributes.”
He had always thought of Dark Shadow Technique as darkness-based and Divine Thunder Decree as lightning martial arts. He never imagined their connection to either the World Tree Alliance or Kill the King.
“I’ll have to gather more power and find out more.”
Still, the most immediate concern was Martial Power.
Once he reached level 100 and achieved the unification of the three dantians, he might be able to use the final advanced martial art technique.
So, Seong Jihan decided to focus on increasing his power as much as possible, without allocating stat points to the two rare stats, Shadow Sword and Seal of Thunder.
“But giving +5 to all stats on a rare stat? Judging by these rewards, if I had been captured by the Black Hand, I would have been in real trouble.”
If he had died at the hands of Black Hand and ended the game, there would be no reason to give such extravagant rewards.
Seong Jihan realized that this was the most dangerous moment since he had regressed.
“I’m still not ready.”
With his robe torn revealing his true form, the Constellation of the Dead Star, Karlein, had demonstrated overwhelming power.
And that wasn’t even his full strength.
As long as such an individual targeted him, calling him “head”, he needed to be prepared to counter it.
Although the BattleNet system denied access to this world for the Constellation of the Dead Star,
“If it’s breached this time, wouldn’t it be the same next time?”
Rather than having high hopes, Seong Jihan resolved to become stronger as soon as possible.
Suddenly!
“Uncle! How’s your arm? Is it okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
“Whew, I was startled! Why does your arm always get hurt every time you compete in the Top 100?”
Looking at Seong Jihan’s unharmed right arm, Yoon Seah breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, glancing at the back of his hand, her eyes widened in surprise.
“What’s this?”
On the back of Seong Jihan’s right hand was a pure white crown drawn.
The mark resembled the crown that was pierced on the Kill the King’s flag.
The line drawing the crown seemed to flow like electricity.
He immediately realized it was related to his Seal of Thunder.
‘In Bronze, it was the left hand, and in Silver, something appears on the right.’
Now that he thought about it, wasn’t there something about being able to bestow the mark of lightning when the Seal of Thunder stat reached 20?
Seong Jihan checked his Seal of Thunder stat in his status window.
’25, huh?’
Initially, unlike other stats that started with 5, did this start with 10?
With the recent reward of +5 to all stats and two title effects, his Seal of Thunder stat was now 25.
“That’s great. I’ll give you a seal too.”
“Huh? A seal?”
“Yeah. I’ve never done it before, but it shouldn’t hurt.”
“…Really?”
“Maybe? But how do I do it?”
As Seong Jihan pondered looking at the mark, Yoon Seah stared at him anxiously.
‘It won’t hurt, right?’
[Touch the back of the target’s hand with your mark to grant the ‘Seal of Thunder’.]
Upon seeing the system message, Seong Jihan grabbed Yoon Seah’s hand and immediately placed it on the mark.
Zap!
“Ouch… it hurts!”
Yoon Seah shuddered from the sudden electric shock.
Didn’t he say it wouldn’t hurt? Was that a lie?
“Sorry.”
On the back of Yoon Seah’s hand, a crown appeared, identical to Seong Jihan’s but slightly smaller.
“So… what’s this?”
“It’s called the Seal of Thunder. Anyway, it’s a good thing.”
When Seong Jihan explained as per the system message,
Yoon Seah’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“I can wield the power of electricity with this?”
“Yeah, I’m not entirely sure about the details though.”
“I figured, especially after you said it wouldn’t hurt.”
With that, Yoon Seah waved at Seong Jihan.
“Uncle~ Then, I’ll practice using this. I have to use it in tomorrow’s promotion match!”
She then left the room.
Seong Jihan, looking at his niece who came and went like the wind, chuckled.
Finally, he decided to check the Phoenix Flag that the spirit of the conqueror gave him.
“Inventory.”
Seong Jihan opened his inventory and checked the item’s description.
[Phoenix Flag (Grade: SSS)]
[The flag used by the first Khan of the Wind Empire, a descendant of the Phoenix.
Holds the flames of the Phoenix when thrown.]
[Special Effect: When the flag is planted on the battlefield, it boosts the stats of all nearby party members and allies by 25%.]
[Additional Effect: If the user is a guild owner or guild master, it increases all the guild option levels by +4.]
“SSS?”
Seong Jihan doubted his eyes.
He hadn’t expected much from this item, but what’s with this insane grade?
‘Having the flames of the Phoenix when thrown means that when used as a weapon, it’s probably of SS-grade quality.’
An SS-grade weapon.
While it wasn’t shockingly valuable, it was indeed rare.
Still, among the current Diamond players, many possessed weapons of SS grade.
But what was genuinely astonishing were the special and additional effects the Phoenix Flag held.
‘Just planting the flag gives a 25% buff…’
When the flag was planted on the battlefield, although it couldn’t be used as a weapon, the 25% buff it granted to all team members was incredibly effective.
If a better weapon than the Phoenix Flag was ever obtained, it would be best to plant the flag first during battle. Plus…
‘Guild Option Level +4?’
Guild options.
The current guild options were: Guild Member Expansion, Stat Increase, and Growth Rate Increase – three in total.
They had invested everything into the growth rate increase.
So, does it mean the guild member expansion and stat increase were both boosted by +4?
Seong Jihan quickly checked the guild options.
[Guild Member Expansion (5/10) – LV.5]
[Stat Increase (All stats +5) – LV.5]
[Growth Rate Increase (+150%) – LV.15]
These buffs were applied just by possessing the Phoenix Flag.
In particular, the stat increase, which was previously applied at only +50% in Silver, effectively didn’t raise any stats.
However, for the current Gold-ranked Seong Jihan, it was providing an additional +5 to his stats.
‘So that’s why the Seal of Thunder stat was 25.’
He had assumed that the starting Seal of Thunder stat was 10, but it seemed to have started at 5, just like the other stats.
The guild’s stat increase had covered that.
‘With this level of efficiency, it feels a waste to call it SSS tier. It should perhaps be a tier higher.’
Seong Jihan looked at the Phoenix Flag, displaying its insane efficiency, with a deep smile on his lips.
The rewards he gained from the recent Top 100 match, due to BattleNet’s mistake, were immense.
‘I’m looking forward to the next Top 100.’
They had been so generous with the rewards in bronze and silver, what would it be like in gold?
With excitement, Seong Jihan went to the penthouse training grounds where Yoon Seah was practicing.
The promotion match was tomorrow, and he wanted to help her with the Seal of Thunder. But…
“Huh? Uncle, you came to help? But it’s pretty easy.”
Zzzz!
Electricity sparked from the arrow Yoon Seah held.
“Wait, you already mastered it?”
“Yeah. I just followed the feeling from the seal, and it was done quickly. It hurt, but it was worth it.”
Yoon Seah cheerfully shot the arrow, and the target was immediately disfigured by the lightning.
“Oh. But I can’t control its power yet… I need more practice.”
She only released that much electricity and couldn’t control its power? How quickly did she master the lightning seal?
Seong Jihan was astonished.
“Seah, are you… a genius?”
“I don’t want to hear that from you.”
“I’m off the charts. You can’t categorize me as a genius.”
“Wow. You’re saying that about yourself.”
Yoon Seah jokingly cringed.
“Uncle, I’m okay. Rest. You overdid it today.”
“Overdid it? I just lost an arm.”
“That’s why I told you to rest! Just sleep!”
Coming to help Yoon Seah awaken her Seal of Thunder, Seong Jihan was instead kicked out by his niece.
‘…Seah seems more talented than I thought.’
Seong Jihan smiled warmly. In his previous life, he wished he had recognized her potential earlier.
It felt regretful that such talent was wasted.
‘But what should I do now?’
Once he was told to rest, he had nothing to do. Seong Jihan, without realizing, went to the second training room.
* * * * *
The next day.
“Uncle! I won! Hehe.”
Yoon Seah, having competed in the promotion match in Gangnam Area 3, was all smiles as she reported her victory to Seong Jihan.
Seeing her genuinely happy face, Seong Jihan also smiled in response.
It felt gratifying to see his niece succeed, unlike in his previous life.
“Oh, by the way, my Gift has changed a bit.”
“Really?”
“Yes, look at this…”
But,
When Yoon Seah showed off her upgraded Gift,
The delighted Seong Jihan’s eyes narrowed.
‘…Hold on.’
The F-grade Late Bloomer, which had turned into E-grade after 50 games, had a condition that muddled Seong Jihan’s thoughts.
