***
***
BattleNet.
Even during the tutorial period, people blindly followed this game.
They lost interest in the sports and games they used to enjoy.
The entire human race was ecstatic about watching brutal games where blood and flesh flew.
Scenes that would have been deemed emotionally disturbing for children in the past were now actively encouraged, with people being urged to watch even if it wasn’t emotionally suitable.
As if collectively hypnotized, humanity was consumed by its fervor for BattleNet.
But as BattleNet transitioned from being just a game to the main event, people began to harbor not just interest, but also fear.
“Truly, fear had begun to grip them…”
Robert Gates watched the monitor intently.
There, the ranking of the Space League, to which humanity belonged, was displayed in full.
Humanity was currently in fourth place. However, the daily point difference between fourth and fifth place was significant, indicating that they could quickly fall behind.
‘Humans have retained this ranking because of the Seong Jihan. Without him…’
The greatest warrior of humanity, Seong Jihan, who appeared like a comet last year.
If he had been absent, humanity might have been below the ranking table, perhaps even beneath the Zojin race, whom people currently ignored and mocked.
‘If that were the case, dungeon portals would have opened worldwide, and cooperation between national associations would have been impossible.’
Thanks to Seong Jihan, humanity is currently maintaining a fragile peace much like during the tutorial,
but this state could flip at any moment.
Objectively, human capacity wasn’t great enough to warrant such a high rank.
Dependent solely on Seong Jihan, humanity hung onto an uneasy peace.
Now, people couldn’t just enjoy the game as they did during the tutorial phase.
Instead, they desperately wished to maintain their high ranking to escape this unpredictable combat game.
“That was the sentiment before the league competition began.”
The shift in perception of BattleNet, from fear to something else, occurred as ‘Planet Colonization’ began.
Robert Gates was reading internet news.
[All humanity benefits from BattleNet, and the morning feels lighter.]
[The medical industry, lacking smiles due to enhanced vitality. Patients decrease rapidly.]
[No side effects observed in planet colonization resources; BattleNet Association monitoring closely.]
Under Seong Jihan’s leadership, humanity engaged in “planet colonization.”
Initially, humanity had only aimed to perform well here to maintain their ranking in the league.
However, “Summoned Dwarven Bio-Robots,” summoned by Seong Jihan for resource extraction, brought back the hearts of indigenous creatures hunted by players.
Viewers initially questioned why resources were being brought back, but after messages like “Enhanced vitality for all human races” appeared, everything changed.
-Damn, Seong! Overnight, my mom stopped coughing in the morning. Love you! But… her hair, can it be restored?
-Baldness is not a disease, man. It’s just your genetic trait. Blame your hormones.
-Genetic trait? Do you think I’ll be exempt?
-But is this really okay? In a matter of days, I feel a decade younger.
-So you want us to stop extracting resources? We’re getting healthier.
-My father’s complexion is improving. We must continue colonization…
As Robert read these replies on the news, he stood and examined himself in the mirror.
‘Not 10, but perhaps 5 years younger.’
His complexion was vibrant.
His eyes, dimmed by heavy duties, were brightening.
The persistent phlegm from smoking had mostly vanished.
Even though vitality had only been “slightly” enhanced, the effects were sweeter than expected.
Robert’s eyes sparkled.
‘If ‘slight’ means this much, we could usher in a new era if vitality increases further.’
Feeling the benefits of BattleNet itself, it was sweeter than imagined.
‘I must enjoy these benefits to the fullest before leaving BattleNet. To do that…’
Robert looked at the monitor beside him, where the Dwarven Bio-Robots were diligently harvesting the bodies of indigenous creatures.
* * *
“Can’t we purchase more dwarves for resource collection?”
“Yes, Player Seong Jihan!”
“I’m not sure. They are expensive.”
“Oh. The GP is not an issue! American First and The People’s Association are jointly contributing funds!”
Both the U.S. and Chinese representative guilds are joining hands?
Seong Jihan raised an eyebrow upon hearing about the American First guild member’s story.
‘Why all of a sudden?’
Since the base camp’s construction,
busy with constructing buildings like watchtowers, resource storage, and then venturing out to gather more planet points once they ran low,
He was unaware of what was happening on Earth.
However, he had a guess.
“Has vitality enhancement been effective for people?”
“Yes! Correct!”
“We, high-ranking players, don’t notice it much, but average people have noticeably become healthier.”
“My mother says her vision improved and asked to convey her thanks!”
A vitality boost felt by all of humanity.
If slight has such an impact, how much healthier could they get with abundant resources?
“The Arabian royals are also willing to invest plenty of GP.”
“While some worry about side effects, the notable improvement in health has subdued these concerns.”
“…Alright, I’ll get in touch.”
After all, to ascend to the Hall of Fame, points from resource mining were necessary.
Since he wasn’t spending his own money, and if Earth’s wealthy were willing to buy, he didn’t mind.
Seong Jihan messaged Artemus.
-Artemus, can we purchase more dwarf bio-robots?
-Sir, those relics… I mean, the 22nd Evolutionary Bio-Robot Dwarves? Why the sudden interest?
-Our people have tasted the effects of vitality enhancement and are interested.
-Hmm… Are you spending your savings for our people?
-No, it’s from the investments we received.
Even with plenty of GP, there was no reason for Seong Jihan to dip into his savings when he’s been offered funds.
After he sent that message, Artemus, who had been silent for a while, replied.
-How about this? 40 billion GP per unit, selling 20.
-40 billion? That’s four times more!
-Hehe… Instead, I’ll deduct 10 billion GP per unit for you. After all, it’s just between us, right?
-So, you’re profiting from this.
-Exactly. After all, are you the one dealing with these purchases? A player with overwhelming strength in Space 4. You should reign as king of your race, sowing your seeds far and wide… tsk, tsk. 10 billion GP should be your reasonable fee.
Seong Jihan scoffed.
Quite the talker for a peddler of junk.
But still,
‘I’ll take what I can get.’
Seong Jihan accepted Artemus’s scheming and went a step further.
-Add one more thing and take requests.
-What? With 20 billion GP received, what else do you want to ask?
-I have a Dragon Heart, any useful applications for it?
-A Dragon Heart?! You obtained that?
-Yes.
The Dragon Heart received from the Dragon Lord.
While Seong Jihan integrated its fiery power steadily into his own during the league competition,
He thought of seeking other uses rather than simply absorbing it from the inventory.
-Oh… Really? Hang on. Oh… the Dragon Heart… I am getting some ideas! But I’d need to fix the forge first to deal with that.
-Is that so?
-Alright. I’ll sell the antiques right away and use the GP for forge repair work. Let’s go packaging. You gather the GP! …Hmm?
-What happened?
-Well, hold on. My forge… It’s shaking right now. It feels like there was some impact from the outside. I’ll report back.
Artemus, who had been excitedly chatting alone, fell silent.
Seong Jihan turned to the American First guild member who had approached him.
“They say it’s 40 billion GP each. They’re offering 20.”
“40 billion GP each…!? Th-that’s expensive indeed. So, a total of 800 billion GP…?”
“It’s pricey, isn’t it? Should we just skip the deal?”
“Oh, no! I’ll report to the higher-ups for now!”
After the American First guild member heard the price from Seong Jihan and left,
Yoon Sejin, who was watching from afar, approached him.
“Jihan, they say that something you mentioned appeared in the south.”
“If it’s what I mentioned… Did a tree show up?”
“Yes. The People’s Association discovered it. According to them, a massive tree reaching the end of the sky is visible in the south. A strange tree that doesn’t fit with the desert landscape at all.”
Seong Jihan nodded at this.
“It must be the World Tree Elves.”
“Je Galheon sent a message saying he retreated because of concerns about it.”
On the fourth day since the start of the League competition.
After wiping out the Zojin Race on the first day, humanity had yet to encounter the next race.
But the second encounter turned out to be the World Tree Elves, who were of a higher rank than humanity.
Yoon Sejin frowned.
“It would have been nice to meet a more manageable opponent… Why did it have to be the World Tree Elves, the second closest.”
“No, it’s better this way. We’ll deal with a formidable opponent early on, then slowly collect resources.”
“Hmm… I envy your leisure. I still vividly remember being struck by a wooden sword.”
Yoon Sejin sighed as he talked about being pushed around since the main game’s start,
“Hmm… what’s that?!”
Suddenly, his face became grim as he looked back.
Above, precisely in the sky.
Whoosh!
Five sphere-like objects were falling.
Thunk!
Right beneath where Seong Jihan and Yoon Sejin stood.
Five heads landed accurately.
They belonged to players from the People’s Association who had gone south for reconnaissance.
“Ugh, it hurts…”
“Damn elves, what did they do…”
“I can’t even log out…”
“P-please, kill me!”
With only their heads remaining and their mouths moving.
All of them had half of their faces severed.
As if their faces had never existed, like blank halves.
‘This is…’
As Seong Jihan frowned at the scene,
Je Galheon, , who had led them and had only his head left, slowly spoke up.
“You…! You’re here. So we finally met at last. I couldn’t make it last time, but things are different here.”
Unlike the other players from the People’s Association, who didn’t complain of pain or beg to be killed,
but instead, Je Galheon, who seemed to be enjoying the sight of Seong Jihan, said,
“Enjoy your current leisure. I’ll come to tear you apart soon.”
After uttering those words.
Boom!
His head exploded.
Then, in a chain reaction, the People’s Association players exploded one after another.
“Hmm. They clearly sent a message saying they retreated… Were they captured in the meantime?”
As Yoon Sejin looked at the exploding People’s Association players in bewilderment.
Seong Jihan, looking at the faces of the five remaining players, recalled a presence.
‘The ancient elf who failed to invade Earth last time.’
The one who just mentioned it was an ‘already experimented world’ when he tried to come to Earth.
The one as powerful as a Constellation.
He was here in this world.
***
***
