Chapter 106

[The opening contest is a Battle Royale!]

Every competitor is required to join the Battle Royale for their inaugural league event.

While the Battle Royale was generally viewed as a mere prelude to the true competition, the stakes were incredibly high.

The framework computed individual statistics for both eliminations and defeats to organize the specific league brackets.

“Gather round, team.”

Hwang Juwon, acting as the guild advisor, rallied the squad together.

“While several among you possess experience in this environment, others do not… regardless, the moment an adversary enters your line of sight, neutralize them. Do not hesitate.”

The setup consisted of nine distinct divisions.

Participating nations were organized based on historic achievements and distributed into groups sequentially, starting from the highest tier.

The implications were obvious.

Securing a spot in the top nine meant avoiding a direct matchup with the most dominant global forces.

South Korea, traditionally positioned at the lower end of the league standings, had consistently exerted every effort to stay out of the brackets containing the formidable Five Emperors.

Those specific superpowers occupied the premier spots from first through fifth, establishing dominance in Groups 1 through 5.

Landing anywhere within Groups 6 through 9 was considered a massive advantage.

The strategy for the national selection remained identical this time around.

With Baek Jinwoo now anchoring the lineup, and following their decisive performance during the exhibition matches against Japan, their capabilities were clear. The objective was straightforward: secure a placement in the top nine and avoid unnecessary risks.

“Once you eliminate a target, vacate the position immediately. Let the remaining competitors point fingers and engage in petty vendettas. We rely strictly on hit-and-run, guerrilla tactics.”

Hwang Juwon offered guidance based on his own historical tenure in the arena.

“Should you encounter a teammate, disengage. Furthermore, keep the mutual non-aggression pact in mind. Under no circumstances are you to engage personnel representing the five major powers. Keep that locked in your heads.”

[The Battle Royale takes place across an expansive, dense wilderness!]

[The entire roster of 920 competitors will be distributed unpredictably across the terrain!]

[The survival round persists until precisely 100 combatants remain standing!]

[Scour the environment! Powerful items designed to counter elite adversaries are concealed throughout the landscape!]

Interesting.

Baek Jinwoo absorbed Hwang Juwon’s tactical brief while simultaneously analyzing the notifications populating his peripheral vision.

The general wisdom suggested making a mad dash for elevated terrain the instant the clock started running, correct?

The highest elevations supposedly contained the greatest density of useful resources.

He had committed the fundamental operational protocols to memory.

This promised to be entertaining.

He was aware that specialized tools could swing the momentum of a battle significantly.

Naturally, every participating state kept their specific league data tightly restricted, meaning the insights Baek Jinwoo possessed were limited to South Korea’s internal records.

I’ll simply adapt to the circumstances as they unfold.

[With that concluded, please finalize your companion roster!]

[You are permitted to deploy five distinct summons! The moment a single creature is forced back into retirement, you face instant disqualification!]

Right then, his spatial awareness distorted violently.

A interface dedicated to roster configuration materialized right before him.

Without a second thought, Baek Jinwoo locked in his most devastating assets.

Ramba, Drill Sarge, Stormy, Rolly, and the Skypierce Wyvern.

The winged creature was included partly to ensure swift aerial transit, but its primary purpose was tied directly to Stormy.

“Hwang Jiwoo.”

“I’m listening.”

“You remember the plan? The moment the countdown hits zero, mount Ice Bird and ascend as high into the clouds as possible.”

The same core mechanics governed this specific competitive environment.

If a distance exceeding a single hour’s travel opened up between himself and Hwang Jiwoo, the progression for Stormy’s specialized quest line would reset completely.

To be perfectly candid, ensuring the success of Stormy’s objective held far more significance for Baek Jinwoo than the overall standings of the league itself.

“Understood.”

The second the arena opened up, Baek Jinwoo intended to plot a direct course toward Hwang Jiwoo’s position.

“Whew.”

“Deep breaths.”

The palpable anxiety was evident across the features of every teammate.

It was entirely understandable.

A collective that had trained side-by-side for so long would now be torn apart, dropped solo into the heart of a perilous wilderness.

Ultimately, it wasn’t the end of the world.

Suffering an early exit here didn’t mean they were completely ejected from the global tournament.

It was merely a preliminary sorting phase for group distribution.

However.

[An additional note! Do not forget that the competitor who secures the highest casualty count will be granted an exclusive, hidden reward!]

[During the previous league cycle, England’s Rachel claimed the top spot for total eliminations!]

Pardon?

An unlisted bonus?

“Is that actually accurate?”

As Baek Jinwoo voiced his question, his teammates nodded in unison.

“It’s true.”

“The bonus exists… but given our usual standings, it was never something we concerned ourselves with.”

“Through the initial stages and subsequent rounds… Rachel dominated the category every single time. Consequently, nobody outside their circle actually knows what the hidden reward entails. England undoubtedly maintains maximum security over that data.”

An unlisted bonus, interesting.

Baek Jinwoo moistened his lips in anticipation.

If an incentive of that magnitude was up for grabs, it fundamentally altered his approach.

Crack, crack!

He rolled his neck from side to side and loosened up his wrists.

In all honesty, he had intended to coast through this preliminary phase to conserve energy for the primary tournament.

But given these new parameters? He would have to apply maximum pressure from the outset.

[All combatants have locked in their companion selections!]

[The countdown begins now: 10 seconds remaining!]

[May fortune favor all participants in the arena!]

“Alright.”

Baek Jinwoo offered a final parting word.

“To the whole team. Ensure you are among the final hundred survivors.”

“”Understood!””

The group responded with absolute resolve, channeling their collective focus into the remaining ten seconds.

“Let’s show them what we’ve got!”

“Move out, move out, let’s make an impact!”

“South Korea! Fight to win!”

Directly after.

FWASH!

A blinding array of light erupted simultaneously, and the entire roster vanished from the staging area.

The media distribution rights within the colosseum were assigned to the specific country managing the designated Player Zone.

Given that this particular league iteration was hosted within London, England retained total control over the broadcasting infrastructure.

How does one monitor an event spanning such a massive woodland territory?

Physical cameras weren’t even required for the task.

A centralized production complex overlooked the arena’s boundary, and utilizing the underlying system architecture, it replicated every participant’s real-time movements with flawless accuracy.

The visual clarity was so immaculate that it felt as though one were observing the events from mere inches away.

The view could seamlessly transition from an intimate close-up to a sweeping panoramic perspective.

The feed generated by the production hub was captured using cutting-edge, ultra-high-definition recording systems, which were subsequently distributed to international markets as lucrative broadcasting licenses.

This meant the host nation standing at the top of the league stood to gain astronomical auxiliary revenue.

South Korea had likewise secured the necessary media licenses.

They operated with two distinct feeds.

The primary broadcast window, alongside a dedicated feed tracking the actions of Baek Jinwoo exclusively.

— The Battle Royale has officially commenced!

— Our cameras are locked directly onto Baek Jinwoo at this moment!

Whoosh!

Baek Jinwoo materialized in an undisclosed sector of the woodland.

The environment generated within the colosseum operated under the exact same parameters as a standard instanced dungeon.

Materializing roughly two meters above the terrain, Baek Jinwoo absorbed the impact smoothly, immediately extending his forearm.

Vwoom!

Radiance spun from his shoulder down to his fingertips.

Baek Jinwoo called forth his companion roster with effortless precision born of muscle memory.

Rolly vanished from sight the precise millisecond it materialized.

— A critical situation is unfolding immediately beside him! An opponent has spawned in close proximity!

— Can we identify the combatant?

— The Congo! It is a representative from the Congo!

Each competitor was outfitted in their distinct national attire, featuring their respective state flag displayed prominently on the torso.

The emblem dividing a deep blue canvas with stripes of gold and crimson indicated a representative from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Drill Sarge.”

Baek Jinwoo wasted zero time on deliberation.

“Eliminate the target and rendezvous with me.”

— …!

Drill Sarge gave a silent nod and unsheathed his blade.

If the opponent did not belong to a designated friendly nation, show no leniency.

Such were the explicit operational guidelines handed down by the South Korean leadership.

Three seconds flat.

SHRRK!

Regardless of their standing, an elite competitor chosen to represent a sovereign nation should have put up a fierce resistance. Yet within a mere three-second window, all five of the opponent’s summons were systematically cut down in bursts of crimson, dissolving into nothingness.

The Congolese competitor, forcibly removed from the arena the very instant he arrived, could only stare forward with an expression of paralyzed bewilderment.

[South Korea, Baek Jinwoo — 1 kill!]

— That is… absolutely UNBELIEVABLE!

— Baek Jinwoo wastes no time! Behold the unmatched prowess of JinuGod!

— That was Drill Sarge leading the assault, correct?

— Spot on! The identical, overwhelming summon that left our own domestic rankers completely demoralized during the qualification phase!

Baek Jinwoo didn’t even bother to witness the mechanical efficiency of Drill Sarge’s assault.

Grip.

He had already secured a firm hold on the avian creature’s plumage, launching himself directly into the atmosphere.

Ice Bird.

He was required to locate the position of Ice Bird regardless of the difficulty.

What happens if Hwang Jiwoo suffers an early elimination?

If that scenario played out, well.

He would either systematically butcher every living soul within his operational radius to force an accelerated conclusion to the match before the hour expired, or simply trigger his own exit to join her outside.

Even as he climbed higher, his pulse was racing.

Admittedly, the notion of an individual who routinely cleared apex-tier dungeons and conquered the Tower of Trials getting worked up over a standard Battle Royale might strike an observer as absurd, but…

It was genuinely exhilarating, wasn’t it?

This marked his debut appearance under the national banner, performing under the direct scrutiny of his entire homeland.

Baek Jinwoo harbzed absolutely no desire to deliver a mediocre performance.

— KREEEEEE!

The massive wyvern unleashed a deafening screech as it gained altitude.

— A bold challenge! What could his strategy be?! Under normal circumstances, a player would prioritize concealment!

— He is effectively daring any challenger with sufficient confidence to engage him out in the open!

— The sheer bravado displayed here is staggering… I am genuinely concerned that Rachel herself might alter her course to confront him!

To clarify, the general populace remained entirely oblivious to the non-aggression pact established among the primary global powers.

It remained highly classified intelligence retained strictly by governmental leaders.

Getting compromised wouldn’t signal total ruin, but…

Even so, wasn’t it preferable to let matters progress quietly without generating unnecessary scrutiny?

A multitude of observers suspected that some form of mutual understanding governed the top tiers, naturally, but no official acknowledgment had ever been made public.

Having propelled himself into the upper atmosphere, Baek Jinwoo quickly identified the coordinates of Hwang Jiwoo.

She was positioned an immense distance away — appearing as little more than a microscopic blue speck against the horizon — but…

There was no mistaking the silhouette of Ice Bird.

His focus intensified.

The distance separating them exceeded his initial estimates.

That factor necessitated a significant increase in his transit velocity.

“Accelerate, wyvern!”

— KREEEEEE!

The flying creature ceased its vertical ascent, angling its body into a roaring, high-speed dive.

Drill Sarge was already dangling securely from its powerful claws.

Expending a mere three seconds to neutralize a competitor, followed by an immediate leap from the terrain to intercept the climbing mount.

That sequence alone constituted a premier highlight of the opening round.

Fwish fwish fwish fwish!

Ramba persistently channeled enhancement points to Drill Sarge without a single moment of interruption.

Perhaps the effects weren’t overwhelming at this exact moment.

But once a full hour elapsed? An individual capable of matching Drill Sarge’s enhanced parameters?

He harbored absolute certainty: nobody existed.

Ramba was systematically splitting the accumulation of attribute enhancements between Rolly and Drill Sarge.

FWOOSH!

Simultaneously, Stormy continued to build up the reserve energy for Dragon Burst.

Hwang Jiwoo, adhering strictly to the pre-arranged strategy, had taken her position atop Ice Bird and climbed high into the upper atmosphere.

“Ugh…”

Despite dedicating considerable hours to training, maintaining a stationary position at this specific elevation still induced a sense of profound unease.

The sheer, overwhelming drop of the open sky.

She settled Frost Cat directly onto the crown of Ice Bird’s head while allowing Lich to hover loosely by her flank.

Her pair of Ice Wraiths were strictly restricted to terrestrial operations — calling them out at this altitude would merely result in them falling helplessly to their destruction on the terrain below.

Where is Jinwoo?

She scanned the horizon frantically, turning her head in every direction, but his silhouette remained completely missing from the sky.

This is problematic.

What is the backup plan?

They had established a firm understanding before deployment.

Should they fail to establish visual contact with one another, both parties would voluntarily exit the arena precisely at the fifty-minute threshold.

Voluntarily dismissing all five active summons simultaneously triggered an automatic self-forfeit.

Perhaps my best course of action is to maintain this elevated position for the time being…

She was preparing to signal her mount to ascend a fraction higher when—

FWEEEEEE!

A pair of competitors were rapidly climbing toward her position from the forest canopy far below.

Which state do they represent?

She strained her eyes to discern the details. Yellow attire accented by green sashes.

Brazil. Without a shadow of a doubt.

Furthermore, both individuals were outfitted in identical team gear.

Talk about atrocious fortune!

If the apex of the competitive landscape was occupied by the superpowers under the direction of the Five Emperors, the tier directly beneath them comprised nations that were nearly as formidable.

China, Indonesia, Nigeria, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, and several others.

Within that specific tier, Brazil boasted a pair of absolute titans on the global leaderboard.

Occupying the 40th position worldwide — Gavsiba.

Sustaining the 100th position worldwide — Piris.

And by a stroke of incredibly miserable coincidence…

The two figures rapidly closing the distance toward her position were none other than Brazil’s primary and secondary elite competitors.

How do I manage this?

Hwang Jiwoo didn’t even possess a spot on the global rankings — she had yet to even secure a breakthrough into the upper echelons of her own domestic standings.

Whether she could manage to survive for even sixty seconds against adversaries of that caliber was a massive question mark.

And yet.

She possessed a fierce desire to hold her ground.

Delivering an impressive spectacle for the cameras?

That consideration carried very little weight for her.

She cared about a single objective.

She refused to become a liability that dragged down Baek Jinwoo.

If my roster is wiped out… Jinwoo is restricted to a tight fifty-minute window.

Analyzing the aggressive postures and overwhelming pressure radiating from the ascending combatants, it was blatantly obvious that diplomacy was completely off the table.

Their objective was to eliminate her swiftly before redirecting their trajectory toward other targets.

Faced with that reality, she had only one path forward.

“Ice Bird!”

Hwang Jiwoo cried out.

An absolute determination to anchor the position utilizing every ounce of tactical mastery she had fought to acquire.