All-Kill! It's Another All-Kill!
"—An all-kill! It's another all-kill! Player Kim Tae-hyun! He sets a new record in the league! Out of all the matches happening right now, there is absolutely nothing as dominant as this!"
"—This was truly a feast for the eyes. How happy must the Team KL fans be, watching this match right now!"
The commentators' voices were thick with excitement. And they were absolutely right. Right now, Team KL's fans were practically dying of happiness!
The watching fans split into two camps, arguing back and forth: "This was only possible because Team KL is insanely strong!" versus "No! It's just because the Shanghai Pandas are trash! It's a fluke!"
In truth, fans of other teams knew it deep down too. No matter how weak the Shanghai Pandas might be, a single player pulling off a crazy all-kill like that was practically impossible. It was a feat only possible because it was Tae-hyun of Team KL. Who else would dive headfirst into enemy lines alone and slice everyone to pieces?
But there was nothing more annoying than watching another team's star player succeed. Fans of other teams around the world desperately tried to list Team KL's weaknesses, praying for their downfall.
The first match of the Pan-On League was a massive success, drawing intense interest from all over the globe. Fans were thrilled—and sometimes disappointed—to see the rankers they usually watched on personal streams playing as professional athletes. This was exactly the result the Pan-On organizers had aimed for!
• Fantasy Online 2 Arena League, Record-Breaking Box Office... Sets New Records!
• Participating Esports Teams Scream with Joy. Foresight Proves Expensive Investments Were Worth Every Penny!
• Teams That Failed to Join Flood Inquiries for the 2nd Division...
• The Rising Star of the Arena League, Kim Tae-hyun. Reigns as the Star of Pan-On!
• Kim Tae-hyun's Overwhelming Stats... Proves the Potential of Small-Scale Teams!
The response was so passionate that it made sense why people were saying this league would dominate the esports scene for the next twenty years. Teams that hadn't made the cut scrambled to inquire about starting from the 2nd Division, and for the major corporate-backed teams that had failed to participate, the managers in charge were practically forced to write their resignation letters!
And standing at the absolute vanguard of this sensation was Tae-hyun. The atmosphere was so electric that even people who didn't play Pan-On were asking, "Who is this Kim Tae-hyun guy, and why is he all over the news?" His playstyle, his character, his flair... everything about him possessed a uniqueness that other rankers simply couldn't replicate. Tae-hyun was already a star, essentially the face of Pan-On!
Of course, the other teams and players in the league were clutching their heads in despair, muttering, "Damn it, how the hell are we supposed to stop that bastard Kim Tae-hyun?"
"—I feel like I'm going to die!"
"—Oh dear... I had no idea the work was that hard. I understand. I'll look for another agent..."
"—No! No! It was a joke! I was just joking!"
Vincent cried out in sheer panic. As the agent representing the players of Team KL, there was technically no reason for an elite, top-tier agent like him to manage the entire roster. He had taken them on for one reason and one reason only: Tae-hyun. The moment he laid eyes on Tae-hyun, he had judged, "This player will become irreplaceable in Pan-On." And now, Vincent was watching his prediction turn into reality.
"—But is the work really piling up that much?"
"—We are getting contacted from literally every place you can possibly imagine. Just translating and sorting through the offers takes hours."
It was nothing unusual for famous Pan-On players to star in commercials. Naturally, Team KL had received plenty of advertisement offers even before the league began. However, Tae-hyun was not the type of person to let things slide easily, so he had laid down the law from the very beginning.
"—Since players like Cain might lose focus and waste time, we will basically only accept advertisements that reuse existing Pan-On gameplay footage. Naturally, keep the corporate image in mind, and we will avoid direct appearances like broadcasts as much as possible."
Let's play more games instead of shooting commercials! Even with just that, the income of the Team KL players was overflowing. Above all, Team KL was a team where the organization didn't take a cut of the players' earnings! It was a structure that would shock any other professional player. In any case, they had only done simple, non-time-consuming advertisements like that so far... but the moment their first league match ended, inquiries began flooding in like crazy.
It wasn't just commercials. There were broadcast appearances, interviews, and even transfer inquiries from other teams for the post-season. It was only natural. Right now, the New York Lions were lamenting, saying they should have offered more than a hundred million dollars.
A hundred million dollars for a single team. If it were a massive team with state-of-the-art facilities and a full management staff, it might have been a bargain, but for a tiny team like Team KL, which had nothing but its players, it was an absurdly high price. Though it was framed as a team acquisition, the offer was solely targeted at Tae-hyun.
At the time, there had been quite a backlash within the New York Lions, with people arguing, "A hundred million dollars is way too much. There's no need to go that far for a single player. We can win the championship without doing that." But now, those voices had completely vanished. It was a situation that perfectly illustrated the old adage: "The most expensive player is actually the cheapest."
"—Can we stop that player right now, Coach? Speak honestly. Is it possible with our current roster?"
"—...We'd have to try to know for sure, but I believe we are at a disadvantage."
The New York Lions were a traditional contender. They had been even before the era of Pan-On. In exchange for receiving massive funding and support, they were expected to deliver results! Knowing this, the New York Lions had gathered top rankers and prepared strategies, researching teams that seemed likely to stand out, like Yuseong Gaming and Team KL, even before the season started...
But Team KL's first match had utterly flabbergasted their analysis team, head coach, and coaching staff. It was far beyond anything they had imagined! Is that guy really a player just like us? Didn't they just disguise a boss monster and bring him in? It was a shock wave that completely disrupted all their plans for the season. Thanks to this, Vincent's phone was practically ringing off the hook.
"—We don't really have any intention of transferring. As for our other members... well, there might be, but I wouldn't know."
Is there anyone who would actually want to transfer? It would be a shock if Lee Da-bi did, but as for the rest, they can go if they want...
"—Since you've received so many offers for commercials and broadcasts, please organize them and send them over. I'll look them over with the players and get back to you. We can't keep turning them down forever, after all."
"—Yes! That is an excellent decision! I was thinking the exact same thing!"
Vincent's voice brightened instantly, sounding as if a flower had suddenly bloomed. Hearing that, Tae-hyun felt a slight pang of guilt. Because Tae-hyun had been stubbornly chanting, "No, I'm not doing it, I'm not doing it," Vincent had been the one suffering like crazy, forced to handle all the incoming rejections.
"—Player Kim Tae-hyun currently wishes to focus solely on the league..."
"—No, well, can't he still do quests? Why isn't he doing league practice matches? Well, he could be doing them privately."
"—Why did a player focusing on the league go to the Demon Realm, you ask? Haha. That is all part of his strategy. The skills he can acquire in the Demon Realm are... It's true! I swear!"
But that was finally over! Now, he could proudly say, "Player Kim Tae-hyun is currently considering it." He had been forced to reject his industry contacts every single time, but now, at last!
Jeong Yun-hee was adapting to Pan-On at an alarming rate.
"That guy holding the spear over there is Quadro! Chase him!"
"Urgh!"
Quadro quickly sheathed his spear and tried to blend into a crowd of other players.
"The guy in the green helmet over there is Quadro! Don't lose him!"
Someone must have used a tracking skill, because no matter how much he darted left and right, they locked onto him like a homing missile.
"Damn it!"
Quadro even swapped out his helmet.
"The ugly guy over there is Quadro! Don't let him get away!"
"Who are you calling ug—Ah, wait!"
"Catch him!"
The World Tree rankers had expected assassins and bounty hunters to pounce on them shortly after Tae-hyun disappeared. But their expectations were completely off. The enemies had arrived far sooner, and in far greater numbers!
I'm... I'm gonna die!
Anyone who had never fought more than ten players at once would never understand just how blood-drying of an experience it was. With killing intent and pressure pouring in from all directions and all kinds of skills flying at him, very few people could keep their composure.
"Kang! Help me!"
"You crazy bastard! Why are you calling me?!"
The other fleeing rankers cursed in sheer terror. If you're going to die, die alone!