A Lucrative Invitation

Of course, there was no way to ask. Knowing this, people began to make even more shameless claims. Some players, having completely sold their consciences, went so far as to openly claim on their personal streams that they were the player in question.

Actual Koreans were utterly dumbfounded watching foreigners mimic lines they had clearly misunderstood from dramas. Regardless, the players continued their shameless boasting.

Even after the reveal of the World Tree Arena, Tae-hyun couldn't rest. He had another event to attend.

"Is anyone up for a trip to the Auston Kingdom?"

"May I ask why you are heading to the Auston Kingdom?" Ryu Da-young tilted her head as she asked.

Beside her, Ryu Tae-su spoke as if the answer were painfully obvious. "Dear sister, what else could it be? It's obviously for PK."

Currently, the Auston Kingdom was one of the hottest zones in the game. It was a battleground where massive factions like the Erangs Kingdom, the Guild Alliance, the Midas Guild, and the White Knights fought with everything they had! Siege wars—which guaranteed a hundredfold spike in video views—occurred more than ten times a day, and large-scale skirmishes between players were too numerous to count.

Players confident in their PvP skills flocked to the Auston Kingdom, viewing it as a golden opportunity. Running dungeons and clearing quests weren't the only ways to level up; PK was just as effective. Plus, the expensive equipment dropped by defeated opponents was a sweet bonus!

The only downside was that killing too many players increased one's Infamy and triggered system penalties... but since almost everyone active in the Auston Kingdom already had high Infamy from constant fighting, those penalties were negligible. It was the perfect place to hunt each other!

"A place like that would be perfect for gaining real combat experience and building teamwork, wouldn't it?"

"No, that's not it at all."

Tae-hyun's flat denial left Ryu Tae-su feeling incredibly embarrassed. "Ah... it isn't?"

"You know that tournament the Guild Alliance is hosting? The All-Star Super Player."

"Was that not just a baseless rumor?"

"No, I agreed to go."

"But why...? Were you perhaps threatened?"

"Huh? No. They offered a ton of money."

"..."

"..."

An unimaginably pragmatic reason! But it was hard to argue with. He didn't even have to travel to China in real life; he just had to log into Pan-On, sit on a judging panel, and say a few words to receive a massive payout. There was absolutely no reason to refuse.

"I haven't had many reasons to visit the Auston Kingdom lately. I figure I'll take this opportunity to look around properly."

"...Tae-hyun?"

It wasn't as if Tae-hyun had never been to the Auston Kingdom before. Granted, his visits usually involved launching attacks... and if he wanted information, he could easily find it. There were countless videos uploaded by players active in the region. So, what did he mean by wanting to "look around properly" himself?

Reconnaissance!

No matter how they looked at it, it sounded like reconnaissance. He was scouting the area in advance to find the best spots to cause absolute chaos later.

"Da-bi, do you want to come along?"

"Of course I should." Lee Da-bi nodded. If he was conducting that kind of reconnaissance, she couldn't possibly miss out. She would tag along and identify every vulnerability and weak point with her own eyes!

"Se-yeon, are you interested too?"

"I don't have to participate as a judge, do I?"

"Probably not. Think of how much they're paying."

"...I don't obsess over appearance fees that much. If it's a meaningful event, I'll attend for a reasonable amount."

"But they're paying a really absurd amount here."

"True." Lee Se-yeon nodded in agreement. The Guild Alliance wasn't hosting a charity event; they were running an audition to milk views, so there was no reason to show them any courtesy.

"If you want to attend, I doubt they'd object... but you don't have to."

"You didn't invite me just because you wanted extra firepower in case something goes wrong, did you?"

"...N-no, of course not."

"I knew it...!"

"I'm kidding. There's no way they'd attack us there."

This wasn't just an in-game squabble; it was an event tied to real-world business. The Guild Alliance wasn't running it alone; various corporations had sponsored and invested in it. If they pulled some stunt like, "Heh... Kim Tae-hyun! You fell for it! Die!" on a broadcast streamed live to the entire world, they would be branded as absolute lunatics.

"Alright, I'll go with you."

"I think it would be great if a fight broke out."

"Don't say such crazy things..."

Arene City, the stronghold of the Guild Alliance. As the de facto capital of the Guild Alliance, it was a city built on astronomical investments and pay-to-win spending. Consequently, the city's facilities were staggering, easily rivaling the most famous cities of the Erangs Kingdom. It boasted a Magic Tower, training grounds for warriors, crafting guilds, and various rare NPCs... all built on the blood, sweat, tears, and cash of the Guild Alliance members.

That wasn't all. The city was massive, capable of accommodating hundreds of thousands of people at once. As if to prove it, every single plaza, from the First to the Third, was packed to the brim with players. They were all spectators who had gathered to watch!

"...T-these aren't all Guild Alliance members, right?" Tae-hyun felt a sudden wave of tension. Had the Guild Alliance expanded globally and ballooned their numbers while he wasn't looking?

"They're not guild members; they're spectators who came to watch the tournament."

"Whew, thank goodness. If this entire crowd attacked us..."

"If they did?"

"It would be troublesome."

"..."

The fact that he said "troublesome" instead of "we'd be doomed" or "it's over" spoke volumes about Tae-hyun's mental fortitude. He truly was built different!

"Whoaaaaaaa!"

"Kyaaaaaaaaah!"

The moment Tae-hyun's party appeared, the crowd noticed and erupted into deafening roars. It was a cacophony so primal it could easily have been mistaken for an Orc battle cry.

"Kim Tae-hyun! Kim Tae-hyun! Kim Tae-hyun!"

"Kim Tae-hyun is here!"

"Get him! Don't let him escape!"

Players rushed forward, shouting rather ominous threats. They weren't assassins trying to kill Tae-hyun, however—they were reporters from all over the world. It was easy to spot those who didn't normally play Pan-On. They wore basic novice gear, equipped only with a few high-quality recording items.

"You cannot pass through here."

"Why?! What do you think you're doing?!"

However, Guild Alliance members blocked the reporters. They were clearing a path to give the Chinese reporters the first shot at interviewing Tae-hyun.

"You cheap, underhanded, dirty bastards!"

"Can't hear you."

"Do you really think people will watch your broadcast just because of this?!"

While protests erupted in the background, the Chinese reporters quickly closed in on Tae-hyun. The foreign reporters practically wept tears of blood. Those bastards! Let's see what kind of groundbreaking questions they ask!

"Do..."

"Do?"

"Do you know Su Ning?"

"..."

"Why are you asking in English?!"

"Ah, right. Do you know Su Ning? Su Ning? Player Kim Tae-hyun, do you know Su Ning?"

"Of course he knows him, you lunatics! He's beaten him up in-game so many times!"

Jeers flew from the crowd behind them, but the reporters ignored them. The facts didn't matter right now. What mattered was a sensational headline!

How perfect would those headlines look?

"Do you know the Beijing Fighters? The Beijing Fighters?"

"Who is your favorite player on the Beijing Fighters?"

"Which mascot do you prefer: the Shanghai Pandas or the Chengdu Bears?"

"Do you like zhacai? What kind of Chinese food do you like?!"

Tae-hyun nearly lost his mind at the sheer lack of substance in these questions. It was mind-bogglingly absurd! Foreign reporters who had finally managed to squeeze past the guild members scoffed in disbelief.

"Are you seriously calling those questions?"

"You guys can do the same when Kim Tae-hyun visits your countries! This is our turf!"

"What do you mean 'our turf'?! We're inside a game! Stop talking nonsense!"

"...Let's just keep moving."

The rest of the party nodded in unison. They wouldn't have blinked an eye if thousands of monsters had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠charged them, but these reporters exuded a terrifying, genuine madness.

McKinley, the scouting director for the New York Lions. Ames, the former head coach of the Boston Tigers. Guroda, the planning team leader of the Osaka Dragons. Alongside them sat representatives from several other prestigious gaming teams. The sheer financial power of the Chinese sponsors was evident in their ability to recruit such high-profile figures. The money offered was simply too good to refuse! But there was one more reason.

It was hard to believe, but the audition was indeed open to players worldwide. Representatives from the various teams whispered among themselves, wondering, Has the Guild Alliance lost its mind? Did the investors pressure them? Still, this is crazy. But with global participation confirmed, they had no reason to decline.

Promoting a gaming team was an incredibly difficult task. Simply posting on social media about how great their facilities were, how rich their history was, or how prestigious their brand was did nothing to attract fans. They needed to showcase raw, undeniable impact. Just look at Kim Tae-hyun's Team KL. They uploaded videos as rarely as rain in a drought, yet the impact of each post was astronomical. Other gaming organizations practically wept tears of envy. From their perspective, this tournament was a golden opportunity—a chance to show the world how incredible their teams were and to pitch themselves to prospective rookies.

I hope we can recruit some good players.

I can't let that bastard from New York outshine me.

Is Kim Tae-hyun really coming? Are those Guild Alliance bastards pulling a fast one on us?

I heard they even prepared Korean food at the opening ceremony venue.

The fact that they went to such lengths makes it even more suspicious.

"Kim Tae-hyun is here!!!"

"What?! Kim Tae-hyun is actually here?!"

These middle-aged men, who held highly prestigious positions in the industry, all leaped to their feet.

"Hand over my hundred dollars!"

"Ah... damn it! He actually came!"

"..."

A Guild Alliance member working as a staff member nearby watched them with mounting irritation. These bastards didn't even believe us?!

"Is that really Kim Tae-hyun? Are you sure it's not an imposter?"

"Make him speak Korean! Speak Korean!"

"It really is him!"

The presence of a true superstar always shifts the atmosphere. Though the people gathered here were highly respected figures in their own right, the entire room buzzed with excitement the moment ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Tae-hyun walked in.

"Oh! Player Kim Tae-hyun! Long time no see!"

"McKinley, stop acting like you're close when you're not. You're making Player Kim Tae-hyun uncomfortable."

As McKinley called out, Ames sneered from behind him. True to their status as rivals, the two were always at each other's throats.

"We do know each other."

"And how is that?"

"I offered him a spot on the New York Lions, and Player Kim Tae-hyun rejected me!"

"..."

"..."

"Y-yeah, fine. You win. Go ahead and call yourselves acquaintances."