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Entering the Space League, the Diamond Promotion Match turned into a League Competition. The winner of this competition, divided into five groups, was none other than humanity. The groups comprised humans, elves, mechan, and orcs.
Before the Giant Graveyard map changed, they successfully concluded the game.
=Since the game was cleared before the map change, humanity’s 1st place is confirmed!
=The 1st place reward has already been revealed… Oh, this is!
=The number of TOs that can be earned in the promotion match has increased by 10%!
=And that’s across all leagues’ promotion matches! It’s for a limited one-year only, but it’s a huge number…!
Humanity’s victory in the league competition yielded better rewards than expected.
The chance to promote in all leagues’ promotion matches increased by 10%.
-TO (Total Outcomes) increased? Wow, awesome.
-Isn’t it 50% now? So doesn’t this mean 60% of the players will advance if they enter promotion matches?
-Yeah Yeah Yeah. My brother always fails to get to platinum, but he might now LOL
-Aren’t we just going to produce a bunch of weak Diamonds this way?
-Even if they’re weak, more Diamonds are better. It means the number of strong players is increasing.
-Seong Jihan did another big thing!
Even after discussing the impact of this reward for a while, the commentators showed the scoreboards of the league competition.
=It seems that the games on the other side are still in progress. The scores of the ?? species are still changing!
=It would be nice to show the games in other groups as well. Oh, but the World Tree Elves we met in the opening match are overwhelmingly leading in Group 1.
=The World Tree Elves… are certainly powerful. Although he seems weak against Seong Jihan, the power of the race itself is undoubtedly exceptional.
=Don’t tell me some of those ?? races include more of the elves?
=Ah, come on!
The World Tree Elves were overwhelmingly leading in Group 1 with a score of 71. The 1st place in Groups 2, 4, and 5 marked as ?? was also nearly identical, with a similar score, equally securing the 1st place.
– All the first places have similar scores.
– Don’t tell me they’re all World Tree elves? LOL
-Well, surely not…
-Don’t say unfortunate things.
As people debated whether this coincidence in other games’ scoreboards was by chance or not,
Seong Jihan logged out to his penthouse to review his personal game rewards.
[You’ve achieved the special accomplishment, ‘League Competition Victory’.]
[You’ve gained 500,000 achievement points.]
[You’ve achieved the special accomplishment, ‘League Competition MVP’.]
[You’ve gained 500,000 achievement points.]
[You’ve achieved the special accomplishment, ‘Giant Graveyard Dissolution’.]
[You’ve gained 1,000,000 achievement points.]
[You’ve achieved the special accomplishment, ‘Offense Over Defense’.]
[You’ve gained 1,000,000 achievement points.]
Perhaps because he finished the game with offense on a defense map.
Seong Jihan achieved several commendations in total, gaining 3 million points.
[Your level has increased by 10.]
[You’re rewarded with 100 million GP.]
In addition to becoming the MVP of the promotion match, his level increased, and the GP reward amount jumped significantly, receiving 100 million GP.
‘Perhaps because I declined 1,000 trillion, 100 million seems too small.’
Compared to the GP offered by the Universe Tree Yggdrasil, the GP reward had a difference similar to that between the sun and a firefly. It was barely worth noticing. Instead, his focus shifted to the last line.
[You have cleared the constellation quest.]
His focus was concentrated on the last sentence.
[The ‘Constellation of the Dead Star’ attempts to summon the player to the ‘Void Swamp’ to dispense the quest reward.]
[Will you respond to the summon?]
The Void Swamp.
Although it sounded suspicious and ominous, Seong Jihan couldn’t divert his gaze from the last line.
[Activities related to the ‘Void’ stat will be safely conducted under the supervision of the BattleNet system.]
When the BattleNet system unexpectedly assured safety, he made up his mind.
“All right.”
Seong Jihan accepted the summoning.
* * *
‘Is this the Void Swamp?’
Seong Jihan, who responded to the summoning, looked around. A world tainted with crimson and black. Faint light descended from the sky, and a massive whirlpoo slowly rotated on the ground.
‘The energy from the whirlpoo feels tremendous.’
It didn’t suck in Seong Jihan, but
A tremendous force was felt in the slowly turning whirlpool, its limit immeasurable.
As he focused on the whirlpool, wondering what might be happening inside, a familiar, casual voice reached his ears.
“Silly head! You’ve arrived!”
From behind him, a familiar frivolous voice sounded.
Seong Jihan turned his head slightly, widening his eyes.
“This time it’s not a skeleton.”
“If I’m to give you Void, I need to come in person.”
Karlein, The Constellation of Dead Star, who usually appeared as an undead, was different this time. Clad in a black robe, a white-haired man stood, grinning and speaking in a somewhat lighthearted manner. His red eyes were dim and hazy, but his exposed appearance was surprisingly beautiful, comparable to an elf.
“Are you human?”
“Human… that frail kind? I was several orders of magnitude above. Hmm. Right. In your terms… divine, no, demigod?”
“Half-god?”
“Yes. Once upon a time, I was quite splendid. Look at this.”
Karlein pointed under his eye.
A distinct sign that stretched down to his jawline was written.
Though it seemed uninterpretable since it was an extraterrestrial language,
Flash!
When light emerged from the script, it was automatically translated.
[This item belongs to the Solar King]
[Only he shall possess it]
[Those who covet will be destroyed, through three generations.]
“What’s this?”
“The Solar King, who favored me, branded me with this. Kiki.”
“Can’t you, a constellation, get rid of that?”
“Well, various circumstances… but if our heads get together, everything seems solvable!”
Karlein stretched both arms towards Seong Jihan.
The hem of the robe slipped slightly, exposing his forearm beneath the hand.
Unlike the face or hand, there was only bone in Karlein’s arm.
‘The neck is also just bones.’
Was it a mix of an undead and a demigod? It did seem more complicated than when he was a mere skull, but.
‘Well, it’s none of my concern.’
He came here only to obtain the ability of the Void.
Seong Jihan waved his hands at Karlein, who was trying to approach.
“Enough with that. Give me the Void quickly.”
“Aw. Got it. Hey. But, is it okay if I don’t delve too deeply?”
“Why?”
“If you get too entangled with Void, you won’t live long. I can’t have you as my head.”
“…Why won’t one live long?”
Seong Jihan asked Karlein with a stiff face.
Even being associated with the Void was somewhat uncomfortable for him, on one hand.
And now the star’s words made it impossible not to worry.
“Void itself doesn’t allow for longevity. It ensures you can’t outlast your natural lifespans.”
“What does that mean, exactly?”
“You’re human, right? How long do you live?”
“Uh…on average 70 years?”
“Really? That’s all you can live?”
Karlein shrugged and placed his palm on the ground.
Then,
Boooom…
From the whirlpool on the ground came a purple energy.
“With your abilities, passing 70 should be simple. Hundreds of years? That would be too easily exceeded, I reckon. Including BattleNet’s various support effects, you might see over a thousand years.”
“I have no plans to live that long. But according to what you said, I can live up to 70, right?”
“Yes. You can enjoy the lifespans given to your kind. But no more than that.”
“Then that’s fine.”
“Ha… even though you say so now, when death comes, everyone changes their mind. I, who oversees the power of death, can guarantee that at 70 you’ll be desperate to live longer.”
Seong Jihan pondered over these words.
Now, in his twenties, he couldn’t see himself living a thousand more years.
But, if he really did live much longer, his thoughts might change.
What creature likes dying?
Especially someone like Seong Jihan, with longevity that transcends race, would likely prefer to live a long and healthy life.
They wouldn’t welcome death.
“What about you? You have the Void ability yourself. From what you’re saying, Void doesn’t seem to suit the undead?”
“I haven’t delved too deeply because I need to roam across the cosmos to annihilate all kings.”
Pat! Pat!
Pointing to his cheek, the ‘Property of the Solar King’ and smirking, was Karlein
Displaying this, he spread his palms completely.
“That’s why I only have 10 in the Void stat.”
“10? That’s it?”
“Yeah. If you decide to take it, I’ll lose 5.”
“Hmm…”
“What do you think? You still want it?”
“Yeah, give it.”
Despite listening to all the warnings from Karlein,
Seong Jihan did not take long to decide.
‘Can’t even be sure to live another ten years, let alone a thousand.’
In this world where one competes with gods and overpowered beings.
Anything that can be swiped with power must be used.
And to analyze the Void ability, he also had to find his sister.
“I understand. I’ll give it… but don’t rush to commit your stat points. You might really regret it later.”
“Just give it to me quickly.”
“100. 100 is the limit. Never exceed it. Really. Head, We’ve got to last a long time!”
Eyeing Karlein and his sincere concern, Seong Jihan smiled faintly and gestured.
“Just give it already.”
“Alright. Here you go.”
Whoosh…
The swirling whirlpool, which was rotating clockwise, started spinning anti-clockwise.
[The ‘Constellation of Dead Star’ bestows upon you, his own power, ‘Void’.]
[Do you wish to acquire ‘Void’?]
As the system message rose before him, Seong Jihan didn’t hesitate and pressed yes.
[Gradeless ability, ‘Void,’ acquired.]
[Void stats won’t be affected by titles or other stat+ effects.]
[The more you invest stat points, the higher your chances of being bound by Void’s will.]
Gradeless, huh.
Although it was a gradeless ability, it was entirely different from the powers of constellations, such as the Martial soul.
Seong Jihan checked his status window.
Beneath several impressive abilities,
[Void: 5]
Void stood out with just a meager score of 5.
‘At least I have a place to spend additional stat points that were piling up.’ With Martial Soul, which could only rise by developing martial arts and stored additional stat points.
But Void stats seemed free from such constraints, allowing for any amount to be invested.
Of course, considering Karlein’s warning before investing any stats.
‘Thinking of living for a thousand years…’
For Seong Jihan, who had witnessed Earth’s destruction in a past life and became an enemy of the gods,
It was more urgent to upgrade his current abilities.
And
‘I’ve got to get my sister out of there.’
With just minimal analysis of Void, he intended to fully commit stat points.
Then recalling something, he asked Karlein,
“Hey. But can I take away my niece’s Void ability?”
“‘Niece’? Oh, that girl? That won’t be easy. She seems quite entangled with Void… you’ll need to invest a bit into Void.”
“Ah. I see I need to invest a bit.”
“Hey! What are you talking about? That’s a firm 70-death sentence!”
“That’s enough for me.”
“It’s not enough for me! And, if you put it that way, isn’t 70 years enough for your niece too?”
“I chose with my will, and Seah didn’t know. So I have to let her choose.”
At Seong Jihan’s words, Karlein looked at him as if he was incredulous.
Why does this guy not want to live long?
“Hey. Seriously. Consider carefully before you invest in Void. Once it’s 100, there is no going back.”
“Enough, just send me back now.”
“Hey, hey. Wait a minute. Let’s talk more. Has the power of death been useful? If you become my head, you could enjoy it a thousand or even a million times more!”
While arguing about being sent back home, Karlein began sticking to him again, and Seong Jihan furrowed his eyebrows.
Come to think of it, this power transfer had been safely managed under the oversight of the BattleNet system.
“System. Send me back home.”
[The ‘Void’ transfer for player ‘Seong Jihan’ is complete.]
[You will return to your original location.]
“Oh what, you’re leaving already! Hey…! Don’t ever reach 100!”
Karlein warned until the very end not to exceed 100 points.
Having returned from the Void Swamp,
‘Maybe I should listen to Seah’s intentions at least once. I can’t just absorb her ability.’
As Seong Jihan pondered what to do regarding his niece’s ability of Void,
[You’ve acquired Void ability.]
[The achievement shop has opened.]
[Hidden conditions have been met, the achievement shop is revamped.]
[A secret store opens.]
‘…A secret store?’ Seong Jihan watched the suddenly appearing system message with wide eyes.
***
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