Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Main Tournament (1)
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📰 Breaking News Rookie King Tournament Round of 16 Bracket Revealed The bracket for the Rookie King Tournament Round of 16 has been revealed, pitting the 16 participants who advanced from the preliminaries among the 64 Awakeners who entered the 25th Rookie King Tournament against each other. With uniquely powerful ability users stepping up once again, expectations are high for intense matches. Experts are picking strong contenders for the win like "Triple 500" Kim Ju-seong, who overwhelms opponents with his brute strength, and "Howling" Oh Min-young, who dominates with sound-based attacks. 💬 Replies — ID: ADDSS11 Everyone see the bracket? There's this total alpha male who picked "Ada Bomber" as his nickname lololol — ID: DEMDEM3040 The reporters kept hyping up Kim Ju-seong and Oh Min-young and such, but the moment I saw "Ada Bomber," I knew this badass was taking the whole thing. Good job, Bomber! Turn every other participant into total scrubs. — ID: SOULKO123 Ada Bomber....... For real, that's disgusting. He probably thought it was funny or something? Total no-class asshole like that should get filtered out at the tournament level. Isn't a nickname basically a Hunter's business card? I'm curious why he'd pick something like that. ↳ Reply — ID: DDD444: For real, walking around with "Ada Bomber" printed on his business card... it's kinda disgusting.... ↳ Reply — ID: CAMELLIA030: I'm a girl too, but I think there must be some story behind it. Maybe some circumstances he can't talk about? ↳ Reply — ID: SOULKO123: What circumstances could Ada Bomber possibly have? He's just a fucking asshole. ↳ Reply — ID: FDZZ444: Lololol for real "The reactions are heating up."
Kim Yu-jeong sunbae said that while staring at her phone. I nodded as I looked at my own phone, which was blowing up. My friends were sending messages like crazy.
[Dude, is that Ada Bomber on the bracket really you?]
[Everyone bet everything on you, Toto, so win this. Got it?]
[lolololololololololololololololololololololol]
"Yeah, the reactions are super hot."
"I think the nickname is cool. It reminds me of my uncle."
Ichigaya Ichie encouraged me. I wasn't sure about the content, but her tone was definitely encouraging.
"Really? Thanks?"
I pictured her uncle Noboru's face and shrugged. It was praise, sort of, but it didn't feel all that great. I said,
"Anyway, this tournament is way bigger than I thought. I heard it'd be on TV, but I didn't really feel it until now. Didn't expect this much attention."
"Well, it's a regular event where ability users beat the crap out of each other directly. It's popular with the hardcore fans as eye candy, and guilds like it because they can roughly gauge rookies' base physicals without testing them."
"I'm really in some massive event. Starting to sink in now."
"Right? Think you can win?"
Kim Yu-jeong sunbae asked slyly, lifting the corner of her mouth. I met her eyes and grinned. Then I nodded and said,
"Of course."
Every time I took someone down, the losers would get temporarily dubbed "total scrubs," but that wasn't my problem. If they were salty, they should've won. Ichie turned her head. We stopped talking and turned to where she was looking. Someone was heading our way. A man in a suit and glasses, with a few people in checkered shirts following him.
The suited man spotted me, bowed his head in greeting, and walked over slowly. We still had some distance, so we quickly huddled and whispered. Ichie asked,
"Who's that guy?"
Kim Yu-jeong sunbae frowned, then suddenly grinned like she'd remembered something and tapped the back of my hand.
"Oh right! That's it! The interview! He's here for an interview. Hurry up and fix your clothes. They do interviews with all the main tournament advancers."
"I-interview?"
I vaguely remembered seeing something like that once or twice while surfing the net. Interviews with main tournament advancers. The idea that I was the star of one left me dumbfounded. Ichie straightened my shirt collar, and Kim Yu-jeong sunbae patted out the wrinkles in my clothes. For a moment, I felt like a celebrity. I cleared my throat to steady my voice and hardened my face to avoid looking dumb. When I turned with a soulful gaze, the guy flinched and took a step back.
He adjusted his glasses and finally spoke.
"Uh, are you Ada Bomber Jeong Su-hyeon?"
"Yes. I'm Ada Bomber Jeong Su-hyeon."
"Khk!"
"Pfft!"
Behind me, Kim Yu-jeong sunbae couldn't hold it in and slammed her head on the table. One of the guys behind the suited man covered his mouth, turned away, and made a weird noise. The man in front of me nodded, his lips trembling.
Was the interview starting now? I kept my straight face and started thinking of what to say. First question would probably be, "Can we do the interview?" Then I'd reply, "Please refrain from overly personal questions." The man said,
"Yes, Mr. Jeong Su-hyeon....... Um....... We're from KSBC public broadcasting. We secured the rights to broadcast the Rookie King Tournament this time. So, now......"
The man pulled a paper envelope from his pocket. I started opening it to see what was inside. As I unfolded the paper, he spoke up.
"We'd like your consent for mosaic on the nickname during broadcast."
"Khk....Kkh......!"
Kim Yu-jeong sunbae was shaking with her head on the table. The brief celebrity high crashed into feeling like an idiot. The man explained in a calm tone.
"Even if it's a Hunter's nickname, it's vulgar by societal standards, so they say we can't air it as is."
"Ah, sure. Of course I'll cooperate. Just sign here?"
Before signing, I double-checked the consent form. It was straightforward. "Ada Bomber" Jeong Su-hyeon consents to his nickname being broadcast with "XX Bomber" or the "Ada" part mosaiced.
"Yes. Here and here. Yes, and date and name here. And the mentor?"
Kim Yu-jeong sunbae finally stopped laughing and reverted to her usual mature self. Her mouth corners still twitched with leftover amusement. There was a mentor signature line at the bottom. She pulled a pen from her bag and asked,
"Right here?"
"Yes, please."
She signed and nodded. The broadcaster put the envelope back in his pocket, bowed to us again, and left. Ichie said,
"No interview?"
"Guess not."
I watched the staff walk away, feeling a bit disappointed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Damn it. Didn't see this coming."
A Diamond Club Hunter scratched his head in irritation. They'd leaked info to the press to flood articles about their promising star [Kim Ju-seong], but everyone's attention was on Jeong Su-hyeon.
📰 Breaking News Who Are the Prospects Diamond Club Is Watching? The season of the Rookie King Tournament has returned once more. Which rookies are the major guilds eyeing? Today, as the first in the series, we asked Diamond Club. Among the 16 who made it to the main tournament, who does Diamond Club Guild Master "Kim Pan-seok" think is the top contender? "I think 'Triple 500' Kim Ju-seong is the most likely winner this time. From watching the prelim videos, he showed the most destructive and aggressive style without holding back. Especially his cool-headed judgment in fights was top-notch." 💬 Replies — ID: GOTJRSS123 I came back from the future, and the winner isn't Kim Ju-seong—it's King God Bomber. — ID: AARUCIUS Reporter, you think we're curious about some scrub? It's Ada Bomber. Hurry up and get an interview with Ada Bomber. Not a single photo or interview had come out yet, which only fueled more curiosity. The man scowled as he buried his face in his phone reading articles. Then his phone lit up with a call over the article screen. The black screen showed "Guild Master." Just seeing it sent chills down his spine. He bowed his head and answered.
"Ah, yes. Oh, uh, it's still early days. Yes. You know guys like this are all talk and no skill, boss. I've never seen anyone with a weird nickname who actually had real talent. I saw him fight once before, and he's nothing special. Just got lucky with the bracket. Ah, yes. Of course. Our Ju-seong will definitely win."
He folded his phone and looked at Kim Ju-seong. Kim was hard at training as usual. Striking practice to focus on his power. He noticed the man approaching, set down the equipment, and grabbed a water bottle.
"Bro, what's up?"
"Huh? Nothing, nothing. Keep training."
He shooed Kim Ju-seong back to his workout and pulled a cigarette from his pocket. In the distance, Chun-bae was sprinting over with drinks and bread. The man lit up and yelled at him.
"Hey, Chun-bae! Move your ass faster. What, gotta lose weight? That's why I'm making you run errands—to get you exercising. Be grateful, yeah?"