Gathering Like Clouds
Jung Ji-yong nodded as he watched the applicants gather like clouds. Thank goodness. This should do the trick. His last session playing Pan-On with Chairman Yoo had been an absolute nightmare. "A new life in a new era! Enjoy it!" was Pan-On's official advertising slogan, but Ji-yong hadn't been able to enjoy a single second of it. The reason, of course, was Chairman Yoo.
The moment he logged into the game, the first thing that caught his eye was Chairman Yoo's dazzling appearance! Clad in all sorts of extravagant, high-end gear, the chairman looked nothing like a beginner.
"Ch-Chairman?"
"What is it?"
Ji-yong wanted to ask: Didn't you log in today just to see what kind of game Pan-On is? If his assumption was correct, Chairman Yoo should have looked like a complete newbie, just like him. Yet, no matter how he looked at it, the chairman seemed to have played a significant amount of Pan-On.
He desperately wanted to ask! But Ji-yong held back. It was the very prudence that had elevated him to his current position.
"...It suits you wonderfully, sir!"
"Hoho. Is that so?"
Chairman Yoo wore a rare, pleased expression. Normally, he was entirely immune to flattery, but in Pan-On, it carried a different weight.
"Well then, let us move together."
"Yes, sir!" Ji-yong replied energetically. And then...
"Ji-yong, did you collapse again?"
"No, Ji-yong. You can't even catch that?"
"Ji-yong, why are you using a potion there? You can hold out a bit longer before using it."
"..."
Thick beads of sweat rolled down Jung Ji-yong's back. He was in a state of absolute, high-tension panic! Having just started Pan-On, Ji-yong was no match for Chairman Yoo, who had already undergone hellish training.
As a result, Chairman Yoo ended up having to carry him. And every time the chairman helped him, he would throw in a nagging comment, making Ji-yong wish he could just sink into the ground.
"I-I am terribly sorry, Chairman."
"No, no. It is only natural for a beginner. Do not let it bother you, and keep your eyes forward."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"This is why newbies..."
"!?"
It was quiet, but Ji-yong heard it clear as day. He didn't know what a "newbie" was, but he was absolutely certain it wasn't a compliment!
"Perhaps I should have had him start in Tyrum City..."
"Pardon?"
"No, it is nothing. Let us keep moving."
Ultimately, Ji-yong had to swallow his tears and continue hunting. Although Chairman Yoo didn't outright scold him, it was clear he was thoroughly unsatisfied with Ji-yong's performance. The chairman kept smacking his lips in disappointment right next to him!
"Ahem. I am not blaming your skills, of course... but the next time we go out together, I would appreciate it if you leveled up a bit more. That way, we can actually play together, yes?"
It was phrased politely, but the meaning was singular: Go level up!
Ji-yong understood the chairman's intent perfectly. The moment they parted ways, he immediately went into action. First, he bought every book on Fantasy Online 2 available on the market. Reading books like How to Become a High Ranker, he studied diligently.
"I see, I see. To specialize as a tank, one needs this kind of class... Then is the Chairman a fisherman? To support him best..."
The more he studied, the more he realized that supporting Chairman Yoo on his own was practically impossible.
Even if I buy top-tier gear with cash, my level is too low. And leveling up will take time.
In that case?
The younger employees must love games. I can just summon the ones with high levels!
A simple solution!
And just like that, Ji-yong gathered high-level players in the blink of an eye.
"W-What is the meaning of this...?"
"How do they look, Chairman? These are our employees."
The high-level players exuded an impressive aura just from their appearance. Seeing the players clad in flashing, high-tier gear standing at attention and waiting for the chairman, Ji-yong couldn't help but feel a swell of pride.
"There was no need to go to such lengths..."
"Haha, they are all doing this because they want to, sir."
"I-Is that so? Is it really alright?"
Chairman Yoo felt a bit guilty about pulling young employees away from their work, even if Ji-yong was the one who arranged it. However, it was too late to back out now, and the party was simply too enticing to refuse.
"Chairman! I've pulled the monsters over here!"
"Chairman! Casting buffs now!"
"Chairman! Nice shot!"
The party's enthusiasm was terrifying. At first, the employees had wondered, Why is the company gathering Pan-On players? But once they realized the truth, their attitudes completely flipped.
An opportunity to play a game with Chairman Yoo himself!
In the company, even if you successfully pulled off a major project, it was incredibly difficult to catch a glimpse of Chairman Yoo, let alone receive a direct compliment. They had to show off their skills and catch his eye, no matter what! Even if they had no idea why the chairman had suddenly taken an interest in Pan-On!
"Hyaaa! Burning Lava Slash!"
"Blazing Flesh! Siphoning Hand!"
Some cast buffs to get on his good side, while others unleashed flashy skills right in front of him... Everyone shared the exact same goal.
"Chairman! How was that?"
"?!"
One of the employees boldly stepped forward. After executing a flashy combo of skills, he had directly addressed Chairman Yoo.
Everyone else thought to themselves:
That bastard, cutting in line!
I was going to speak to him first!
Chairman Yoo slowly turned his head. Then, he spoke.
"Mediocre."
"...Pardon?"
"I said it was mediocre. Did I speak too softly?"
"N-No, sir!"
The employee who had stepped forward hurriedly bowed his head and retreated. The others were left utterly bewildered by the exchange. Normally, they would have laughed at their colleague for getting shut down after cutting in line, but they were too shocked to even do that.
That was mediocre?
Wasn't that incredibly good?
In their eyes, their colleague's play had been outstanding. He had moved gracefully, chained his skills perfectly, and delivered a solid finishing blow! To any ordinary beginner, it was a performance that would elicit gasps of awe.
However, there was one thing they didn't know.
The players Chairman Yoo had been hanging around with!
Having witnessed the gameplay of top-tier rankers like Tae-hyun and Lee Se-yeon, Chairman Yoo's standards were so high that ordinary players couldn't even begin to satisfy his eyes.
As the young employees stood frozen in shock, Jung Ji-yong stepped in.
"Ch-Chairman. Isn't that actually quite decent? May I ask what part of it fell short of your expectations?"
"Hmm? I simply called it mediocre because it was mediocre... It seemed to me that Kim Tae-hyun and Lee Se-yeon's plays were far more impressive than that."
"..."
"..."
The employees' jaws dropped at Chairman Yoo's words. Who on earth was he comparing them to?!
No, you can't compare us to the absolute top rankers in the country!
Gaming isn't even our day job!
It was like watching a company soccer tournament and saying, "Hmm. Compared to Messi or Ronaldo, you are rather mediocre."
"Who are those two... Ah, the rankers."
Having studied Pan-On to some extent, Ji-yong recalled who they were upon hearing their names.
"Chairman, aren't those two the absolute top-tier players in the entire country?!"
Even Ji-yong found the chairman's comparison absurd!
"Well, I suppose that is true. My mistake."
Ji-yong was taken aback, but he realized something else. Chairman Yoo's interest in Pan-On was much deeper than he had anticipated!
There were plenty of players who casually played Pan-On just to enjoy experiences they couldn't have in reality. For middle-aged and elderly people, being able to enjoy exercise or leisure activities regardless of physical limitations or location was a massive advantage.
However, a casual player wouldn't have memorized the names of top rankers, let alone analyzed their gameplay.
It was certain. Chairman Yoo was seriously invested in Pan-On.
What on earth brought this on? No, the reason doesn't matter right now. What matters is how to utilize this!
Ji-yong's mind spun rapidly. If the chairman was interested, all he had to do was draw up a proposal worthy of that interest. After all, wasn't he always the one who stayed one step ahead of everyone else?
"By the way, where did the old gentleman go?"
"No idea. He asked to be let off because he had some friends to meet, so I dropped him off. Huh? Wait, did he even have friends?"
"..."
Tae-hyun and Lee Da-bi were conversing high up in the air. Tae-hyun was riding atop Yong-yong, while Da-bi and Cain were each riding on undead wyverns lent to them by Lee Se-yeon!
Tae-hyun had thrown a massive tantrum, whining, I came all this way because of you, and you won't even provide transportation? Wow, aren't you a total sweatshop boss? I'm reporting you! Thanks to his shameless badgering, he had managed to squeeze these mounts out of her. Since they were undead mounts personally crafted by Lee Se-yeon, Da-bi and Cain's satisfaction was through the roof.
"Well, he could have friends..."
"Really? I don't think he has friends who play Pan-On. I mean, my dad is one, but he's currently busy playing Lineage in the Auston Kingdom..."
Currently, Kim Tae-san was completely preoccupied with managing his territory in the Auston Kingdom alongside his guild members. Having secured a territory, Tae-san was thoroughly reliving his glory days.
Territory growth fueled by relentless pay-to-win spending and heavy investments! Among the numerous factions that had seized territories in the Auston Kingdom, they were easily counted among the top few.
"For your information, their territory is several times more developed than ours," Da-bi noted.
"...W-Well, our territory has the church buildings!"
Unable to refute her, Tae-hyun quickly changed the subject. Cain, who had been listening to their conversation, saw an opportunity and chimed in.
"They're growing like that even while fighting the Auston Kingdom's army..."
"Do you want to get off your mount?"
"We're in midair?!"
"That's exactly why I'm asking."
Having gained absolutely nothing from chiming in, Cain quietly backed away. Why is it always me...?!
"Well, the old man can take care of himself. Judging by how much his level went up last time, he won't die easily. And isn't that all thanks to me?"
"He did mention he's about to hit level 80 soon."
"..."
Tae-hyun's face contorted. He hadn't wanted to hear the specific number!
"...Let's just hurry up and get to the royal palace!"
Chairman Yoo had been dropped off in another city along the way, and the remaining group was currently flying toward the royal palace of the Atali Kingdom.
"Are you in a hurry because of the Arena?" Da-bi asked. "I watched the practice match, and it seemed fine. You and Cain played exceptionally well."
"I'm not rushing because of the Arena. Besides, the situation there isn't all that great. That guy Do Dong-su has such a nasty temper. Seriously, how can someone be so ill-tempered?"
"..."
"..."
Da-bi and Cain opened their mouths to speak but thought better of it.
"W-Well, at least that player Do Dong-su barely got to do anything this time."
"Huh? What do you mean? Lee Se-yeon told me Do Dong-su did decently well."
"What? Do Dong-su barely did anything at all."
Throughout the practice match, Do Dong-su had been plagued by terrible luck. It was fine that he chose to act alone, but there were never any opposing players wherever he went. While Tae-hyun and Cain handled three opponents, and Lee Se-yeon and Kim Chul-soo dealt with two, Do Dong-su spent the entire time wandering around aimlessly before finally running toward Se-yeon and Chul-soo's side.
Of course, by the time he arrived, the battle was already practically over. Running over in a hurry amounted to a completely meaningless contribution!
The spectators in the stands had jeered at him.
Naturally, this only served to send Do Dong-su's blood pressure through the roof.
"Ah, she said that because she was worried I'd torment Do Dong-su."
Tae-hyun realized why Lee Se-yeon had spoken that way. If she had told him the truth, Tae-hyun would have immediately started picking on Do Dong-su! Since there was no way Tae-hyun would rewatch the footage after the practice match anyway, lying and saying "Do Dong-su did decently well~" didn't hurt.
Clever girl, Lee Se-yeon! She really knows how to exploit my lack of interest in Do Dong-su!
While Tae-hyun was busy admiring her cleverness, Da-bi stared at him with a highly complicated look in her eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Please, at least watch the matches you actually participate in..."