<Chapter 74: The God of Combat Reverted to Level 2>
* * *
"Now, shall we hear the story about the Akashic Page, Ariel?"
As Seong Jihan muttered upon returning home, a black shadow spread from his elbow, and Ariel revealed herself.
"The Akashic Page is... the equipment of those who possess the Supporting Gift."
"Equipment?"
"Yes. The Akashic Page amplifies the abilities of the Supporting Gift."
Ariel extended her hand over Seong Jihan's desk.
A black aura extended, and what she grasped was the Space 23 model he had received as a gift for this commercial shoot.
"Although it doesn't work permanently... it has an outstanding amplification effect. It's not something that should be used just to fold and unfold a machine like this."
Shaking her head, Ariel seemed to be indicating that she couldn't understand.
"The item description of the Akashic Page also mentions that it supports the Supporting Gift. I can't understand why it's used for such a thing."
"Hmm. There was no such description?"
The item description of the Akashic Page that appeared on Earth was simple.
[Akashic Page]
- Rank: SS
- Contacts with a hyperdimensional information aggregate.
In the past, because no one knew how to use it, the Akashic Page was jokingly referred to as "the most useless SS-grade item on the internet."
When Seong Jihan showed this to Ariel, she blinked in surprise.
"Doesn't it have an appraisal function? There should be players with the Appraisal Gift."
"Earthlings can't appraise SS-grade items."
There was no one among the players with the Appraisal Gift who could appraise SS-grade items, as the minimum rank for the Appraisal Gift was A.
"Huh... How many of the lowest-tier species are there?"
"About 7 billion."
"7 billion? Not a single one of them can appraise SS-grade items? Indeed... the lowest-tier species!"
Nodding as if she understood, Ariel seemed to have solidified her belief that humans were the lowest-tier species.
"And even if that was known, the probability that it would be used like this is high. In this world, the use of the Supporting Gift is almost non-existent. Those who receive the gift just live like ordinary people."
To invest the Akashic Page for such people, abandoning technological innovation, was unimaginable for Earthlings.
"I can't understand. Aren't there dungeons in this world? Wouldn't players with the 'Exploration' Gift be needed to remove them?"
"What...! If there's 'Exploration,' it's possible to remove dungeon portals?"
Seong Jihan's eyes widened at Ariel's casual remark.
Dungeon portals.
During the tutorial period, they only appeared in the bottom 10% of countries in the league.
After the tutorial, the percentage gradually expanded, and eventually, all but the last 10 countries were covered by dungeon portals, leading to their downfall.
'The problem with dungeon portals was that they couldn't be completely eliminated.'
There were several attempts to remove dungeon portals.
They tried bombing the portals and casting spells on them.
However, the dungeon portals never disappeared from external impacts.
Humans eventually chose to enter the portals.
'Even if they entered, it was impossible to completely remove the dungeon.'
Even if everything inside the dungeon portal was destroyed using tactical nukes, the portal would become stronger after a day and regenerate.
The types of monsters that emerged from the changed dungeon portals kept changing.
If ghost-type monsters appeared, the area had to be abandoned.
Although the attacks of supporters and mages were effective, the sheer number of monsters made it impossible to stop them.
But if the dungeon could be removed using the Exploration Gift...
"Didn't you know? To find the dungeon core, the Exploration ability is essential."
"Completely... I didn't know. The Supporting Gift is quite useful."
"Yes. That's why in our world, they were the most respected. It's truly... a strange world to look down on the Supporting Gift."
Ariel tilted her head, unable to understand.
Then,
"Ah... By the way, what is the highest rank of the Supporting Gift in the lowest-tier species?"
"The highest I've seen is A. Our guild master has that rank."
"A is the highest? Then there must be many C, D, and lower ranks."
"That's right."
"The Supporting Gift at those ranks is useless... It's natural for them to be treated like ordinary people. What about in the combat field?"
"There are several SSS-rank players."
"That's why...?"
Ariel nodded as if she understood something.
"Is there something you can guess?"
"The species of the owner is not suitable for combat. First, there are too many vital points."
Ariel pointed to her chest with her finger, and a hole appeared.
"Shadow Elves can survive even if they are like this."
Pointing to her neck,
Her head floated in the air as her neck was severed.
"Survival is possible even with just the neck."
"...Impressive."
"This is the survival ability of mid-to-high-tier species. Humans, on the other hand, are very easy to kill. In terms of combat ability, they are the lowest among the species participating in BattleNet."
Seong Jihan recalled the species he had faced as enemies in the Space League.
'...Indeed, they were the weakest when considered as a species.'
Humans had very low physical abilities compared to other species.
They had many vital points, and if any were pierced, they would die from excessive bleeding.
In contrast, other species could reattach severed limbs and even regenerate like starfish.
Especially, the 'Elves' had a lifespan that could outlive cockroaches, making it impossible for them to be in the same league for balance.
"Given that such a weak human species participated in BattleNet... the system must have given them excellent gifts to balance it out. There are several players with SSS-grade gifts."
"Other species don't have them?"
"That's right. When our planet first joined the Space League, the highest combat gift rank was A."
"In exchange, they received good Supporting Gifts?"
"Yes. The average was B, and the highest was SSS."
Seong Jihan nodded.
'This guy is more useful for providing information than for combat.'
Ariel, the Shadow of the Sun.
She was certainly useful as a summon or as a shadow sword, but her knowledge of other worlds was even more valuable now.
The ability to find the dungeon core using the Exploration Gift...
'This information should be made public later.'
While it would be good to immediately share the information about removing dungeon portals for the sake of Earth,
Seong Jihan made a cold judgment.
'If it's known that this information came from Ariel, my safety could be at risk.'
Although he is currently treated as the world's top prospect, if it's known that Ariel knows the information about this world's league, he could become a target for powerful nations' intelligence organizations.
No matter how strong Seong Jihan is, he is still Silver.
If he becomes a target at the national level, it would be difficult to withstand.
'I need to release the information when I can handle it.'
The fact that it's still the tutorial period, and the world isn't in immediate danger due to dungeon portals, also played a role.
'In any case... I need to secure the Akashic Page.'
If it amplifies the effects of the Supporting Gift,
It's a necessary item for Seong Jihan, who still has a long way to grow.
By enhancing the training ability of Iha Yeon, he would also benefit.
'I need to find a way to obtain it.'
* * *
[You have been summoned to the Valley of the End.]
[You are on the Angel team.]
[Help the angels to occupy the Demon team.]
'Finally, the Angel team.'
Seong Jihan was celebrating for the first time in a while.
Since entering the Silver League, he had played six games, but he had never been on the Angel team in the Invasion map.
'Even after four Invasion games, I was always on the Demon team...'
Although the team assignment has a 50% chance, it felt like he was being rejected by the Archangel for breaking the sword.
'It was just bad luck.'
On the seventh day, he finally became part of the Angel team and had the chance to obtain the scythe fragment.
The other players on the Angel team were overjoyed to see his face.
"Wow! It's Seong Jihan!"
"Azuaaaa!!! It's the first game of Invasion!"
"Finally, my day to ride the bus... Black!"
Indeed,
- Are these the passengers on this bus?
- First game of Invasion? Silver newbies lol
- Last game, Seong Jihan's teammates were all in the late 20s to early 30s lol - At this point, he's recognized as the official bus driver on BattleNet, right?
- Y~YJ~~~
In his first game, Seong Jihan played among players in the 48-49 level range.
Despite the harsh conditions, he continued to dominate the game, and now his teammates are different.
In the past, he would meet high-level players, but now he meets newly promoted Silvers at level 25.
He is paired with Invasion map beginners.
However, the opposing team is still at the same 40-level range, making the team's overall strength overwhelmingly in the enemy's favor, except for Seong Jihan.
But,
- Even if it's just a team of level 1s, Seong Jihan can carry the game, right?
- He wins 5v1 anyway, so what's the big deal lol
- Who among Silver players goes jungling?
- He's farming a bit, right?
- Oh, farming with 200% buffs in lane and then going to the jungle?
- If he's going to do that, why jungle at all? lol
The viewers were not worried at all.
And the game, as expected, went as they predicted.
"Damn... Why am I on the opposing team!!"
Poke!
Seong Jihan, who was on the mid lane, mercilessly pierced the head of the leader of the team from the same guild, which he had played with in the first Invasion game.
[Player Seong Jihan is raging!]
[Player Seong Jihan is unstoppable!]
[Player Seong Jihan is blessed by the gods!]
The now familiar system voice.
Seong Jihan's channel viewers were no longer excited and were simply waiting for his next performance.
- Will there be a well pentakill this time?
- Yeah, he said he would try it when he's on the Angel team, since he's already done it on the Demon team.
- But isn't Seong Jihan's sword dark-attribute? Doesn't the same attribute deal less damage?
- Jihahn will definitely do it, don't doubt it!!!
And soon,
The game progressed as the viewers expected.
"Wow... The bus ride feeling... surpasses even My Mah!"
"My Mah? This is like riding a Rolls Royce."
"Ah! I fully agree. Since we're low-level, he might come back as the bus driver next time too..."
Seong Jihan's low-level teammates were chatting and enjoying the game.
[We... decided not to meet the enemy... sniff...]
[Aaaa I want to be on Jihahn's team!!]
[There won't be a well pentakill this time!!!!]
[We need to stay in the jungle... sniff...]
The enemy team, to avoid the humiliation of a well pentakill, was not defending the base and was hiding in the jungle.
- They're not defending their base? lol
- They're not even at the well;;;
- The well pentakill video is a classic on BattleTube lol - It's clever to hide