Chapter 90: The Power of Big Spenders

Episode 90

Lee Ji-seong continued to swing his sword, pushing Kim Hyun-su back.

With each swing, a giant, crescent-shaped mana blade formed and flew towards Kim Hyun-su.

**Boom! Boom! Boom!**

The mana blades always caused massive explosions wherever they landed.

Kim Hyun-su was desperately trying to dodge the attacks coming at him in quick succession. He couldn’t find a chance to attack. It was driving him crazy.

‘Damn it, what the hell is this? He wasn’t this strong!’

Kim Hyun-su had already researched Lee Ji-seong through Itube and other sources. In the videos he had seen, Lee Ji-seong was nowhere near this level of power, capable of launching such powerful mana attacks in succession.

It was impossible to launch mana attacks using mana itself, not through skills, unless you were a highly skilled master.

Kim Hyun-su had entered the arena with confidence, thinking Lee Ji-seong was weaker than him, if not equal. But…

‘How did he… Ugh!’

**Boom!**

He couldn’t even think straight, dodging another explosion.

The gamblers who had bet on Kim Hyun-su were shouting in confusion.

“Hey! What are you doing, Kim Hyun-su?!”

“Attack, you idiot! Don’t just run away!”

“Why is Lee Ji-seong so strong? He’s not the weakling I knew.”

“Damn it… I just skimmed through the videos and bet on Kim Hyun-su. Did I make a mistake…?”

Most people had bet on Kim Hyun-su winning this match. His performance in the second preliminary round had been overwhelmingly impressive.

But the battle unfolding in the arena was the complete opposite of what they had expected. It was as if their names had been switched.

“…”

Kim Jinsung watched the battle from the VIP seats, his face expressionless.

About 20 seconds into the fight, Kim Jinsung realized the source of Lee Ji-seong’s attack power.

‘That sword is amazing.’

His gaze shifted to Lee Ji-seong’s sword, engraved with the Taegeuk symbol.

‘The mana covering his body is so thin, yet he’s continuously launching much stronger crescent mana blades.’

To launch such powerful crescent mana blades consistently, the user’s mana control had to be exceptional.

Mana masters usually had thick layers of mana covering their bodies, like a shield, and the mana was a deep color. But the fact that he could do this with such a thin layer of mana meant only one thing.

‘The sword’s mana amplification is incredible.’

Kim Jinsung recalled the time he had obtained a special sword of a supply box from another participant in the mountains during the first preliminary round. He still remembered being amazed by the powerful mana pulsating on the sword, even when he injected the same amount of mana.

‘And the speed of his swings suggests it’s very light…’

If it wasn’t light, he wouldn’t be able to launch continuous attacks at such a fast pace. If that were the case, Kim Hyun-su would have had at least one chance to counterattack.

But Lee Ji-seong’s continuous rapid attacks had left Kim Hyun-su with no opportunity to counter…

**Boom!**

“Kyaagh!”

Finally, while dodging, Kim Hyun-su tripped and took a direct hit.

The audience stood up as they saw Kim Hyun-su covered in blood.

‘The protective gear he bought for 800 million was destroyed in one hit.’

Kim Jinsung watched the protective gear with an intrigued expression.

Lee Ji-seong launched another attack towards Kim Hyun-su, who was groaning, covered in blood.

Another deafening explosion ripped through the arena, tearing Kim Hyun-su’s body apart.

[The winner of this match is Lee Ji-seong!]

The announcement echoed through the arena, and Lee Ji-seong clenched his fist, celebrating his victory. Kim Jinsung nodded slightly, watching him roar.

‘It’s a weapon worth 30 billion.’

His gaze remained fixed on the sword in Lee Ji-seong’s right hand.

Kim Jinsung had rarely used weapons after mastering mana manipulation, so he was even more interested in Lee Ji-seong’s sword.

‘What kind of weapon is it… Huh?’

At that moment, he felt his smartphone vibrate.

Kim Jinsung’s eyes lit up as he checked the sender.

‘Park Jinwoong?’

He read the text message. It was quite long.

– I’m sending you information about the sword Lee Ji-seong used in the battle just now. This information is a free service. You don’t need to pay for it.

‘Oh.’

Kim Jinsung continued reading, happy to get information about something he was curious about.

‘…Is this also a kind of sales pitch?’

Just in case, Kim Jinsung turned his head to see if Park Jinwoong was sitting nearby.

Sure enough, he saw Park Jinwoong, sitting in a corner, waving at him with a smile.

Kim Jinsung nodded in acknowledgment and turned back to his phone.

– The sword Lee Ji-seong used is the latest sword made by the Daehan Guild this year for use in Sselepoh, the New Continent.

– It’s considered the best sword made in Korea. It’s particularly known for its mana amplification, which is overwhelmingly superior to other swords.

‘As expected.’

Kim Jinsung confirmed that his earlier prediction was accurate.

– It’s also excellent in terms of durability, lightness, and grip.

– Lee Ji-seong seems to have bought this weapon for 30 billion, but you can’t buy it even if you pay much more in the real world. It’s a weapon that can elevate the user’s level by several stages.

– The full-body suit worn by his opponent, Kim Hyun-su, is also a good product, a prototype, but seeing it ripped apart in one hit shows you the power of the sword.

– To block such a weapon, you need a top-of-the-line protective suit, similar in price. Prototypes won’t cut it.

‘Hmm…’

As Kim Jinsung continued reading, he was faced with an unexpected dilemma.

‘This means getting a lot of sponsorship is crucial this time.’

As the battle just now showed, the weapons and armor provided were powerful enough to completely change the outcome of the match.

What if his opponent was fully equipped with the best items, including the Taegeuk sword, while Kim Jinsung had to fight bare-handed because he didn’t have enough sponsorship?

It was possible that he might lose, depending on the opponent’s level.

Then, another message came from Park Jinwoong.

– As you might have noticed, the chances of winning are much higher for those who receive a lot of sponsorship.

– And to get a lot of sponsorship, you need to get at least one ‘big spender’ on your side. I’m talking about a ‘big spender’ like Hwang Himchan, the chairman of the Infinity Clan, who just sponsored Lee Ji-seong with 30 billion.

‘Ah…!’

Kim Jinsung finally understood Hwang Himchan’s identity.

His gaze naturally shifted to Lee Ji-seong, who was waving to someone in the VIP seats. As he followed Lee Ji-seong’s gaze, he saw a balding middle-aged man waving back from the VIP seats. It must be Hwang Himchan.

– It’s been reported that Hwang Himchan met with Lee Ji-seong at the party and persuaded him to sign a pre-contract with the Infinity Clan.

‘So that’s why he sponsored him.’

– It’s best if you can get a big spender on your side too, Kim Jinsung. Even if many fans pool their money to sponsor you, it won’t match the amount a wealthy person can sponsor.

‘That’s true.’

Kim Jinsung looked around.

The luxurious faces in the VIP seats came into view. They all had the financial power to easily throw around hundreds of billions.

As he thought this, Park Jinwoong continued to send messages.

– If you have a big spender in mind, let me know anytime. I can help you connect with them, ensuring complete confidentiality. It’s one of our company’s main services.

– Personally, I would recommend at least the top whales from the four major clans, but I’ll follow your decision, no matter what.

After reading the message, Kim Jinsung replied briefly.

– Thank you. I’ll contact you if I need anything.

Kim Jinsung put away his phone and fell into silent contemplation.

Should he really find a big spender? And if he did, who should he choose?

Despite his seemingly calm exterior, his mind was racing faster than ever.

* * *

Late at night.

A luxurious car carrying Baek Jun and Jang Seungwook was heading towards the Colosseum Survival studio.

“Whew… It’s finally over.”

Jang Seungwook sighed in relief.

“I’m completely exhausted. After the live broadcast, we went straight to a dinner with the Saudi King and other VIPs… I don’t even remember if I ate with my mouth or my nose…”

“Hahaha.”

Baek Jun chuckled softly. They had just finished dinner with the Saudi King, major figures from the four major clans, and other VIPs.

“By the way, can we really trust Bin Nasir?”

Jang Seungwook asked, his face serious. Baek Jun nodded.

“He’s committed to investing in the next season, so he’ll likely follow the plan.”

“It’ll be a huge problem if he doesn’t follow the plan. The program itself could crumble.”

As Baek Jun turned to look at him, Jang Seungwook took out his smartphone and turned on the screen.

“Look. These are some of the articles that came out today.”

Jang Seungwook showed Baek Jun his phone, displaying articles about the first round of the Colosseum’s third preliminary round.

The headlines were blunt.

– Colosseum’s Third Preliminary Round Devolves from ‘Skill Competition’ to ‘Sponsorship Battle.’

– Baek Jun’s Greed for Money Has Ruined the Colosseum.

– [Lee Kang-hee Column] The Colosseum, Once a Symbol of Fairness, Died Today.

Just reading the headlines, you could tell the public sentiment about the tournament.

“Public opinion is bad, and I can’t argue with them. It’s true that the sponsorship system has compromised fairness.”

“…”

“If things go according to plan and the expected twist happens, public opinion might change. But if the plan fails…”

“Don’t worry.”

Baek Jun interrupted Jang Seungwook with a confident voice.

“The plan will proceed as scheduled. There’s no way it will derail.”

“…President, do we really have to do this?”

Jang Seungwook finally voiced his concerns.

“Changing the program’s identity so drastically just for one person, Bin Nasir…”

“Do you think I want to change it?”

Baek Jun interrupted again, his voice a bit louder than before.

“I had no choice in this plan. You know that, don’t you?”

“But… Ugh…”

Jang Seungwook tried to argue but stopped himself. He slumped back in his seat and sighed heavily.

Then, something happened.

Both Jang Seungwook’s smartphone and Baek Jun’s phone vibrated simultaneously.

Baek Jun didn’t bother taking his phone out of his pocket and looked at Jang Seungwook. They only received group messages from the production team at the same time.

Jang Seungwook turned on his phone and checked the message.

“…What?”

He widened his eyes and spoke to Baek Jun.

“Kim Jinsung is live on the internet right now.”

Baek Jun’s eyes also widened slightly.

—