130. Conclusion from the Past
In the past, during the era when hunters were pioneering the Tower, I'd heard that the Palace of Illusions was the map infamous for claiming the most victims. Its notoriety was such that even though relic excavations weren't fully complete, hunters rarely attempted to conquer it.
And naturally, while the 'doppelgangers' were part of the reason, the decisive factor was the Chaos effect that triggered when seven or more doppelgangers gathered.
"Uh...?"
"My body's senses are all messed up! What the hell did you guys...!"
This Chaos influence kicked in the moment they got close to a bunch of doppelgangers. It was so dangerous that even the most skilled hunters could lose their lives in an instant.
Thud.
"Ugh... I try to stand, but my legs won't move. Why won't my arms respond?"
"Hey! Hey! Can't you see the doppelgangers closing in? Snap out of it!"
Even Oshi-hwan, who usually acted all laid-back, was tense as hell. And who could blame him?
Under Chaos's influence, your entire body's senses get all jumbled.
It felt like the brain's command circuits were tangled. You try to move your arm, but your leg twitches. You aim for your left hand, but the right one moves. Total loss of control.
And then doppelgangers charge in? No pro hunter, no matter how battle-hardened, could put up a proper fight.
"Ugh... Chang-hyun, what the hell is this...?"
"Don't move. Can't even control your sword properly?"
"The sword's moving on its own too. Feels like the sensory linkage is screwed up. I can barely manage one blade..."
"Yeah? That's plenty. No need for backup. Just hold your own body steady."
"......"
Yoon Han-gyeol's face hardened as the doppelgangers drew closer.
Alright... here we go.
The final puzzle piece to end the game clicked into place.
Most Tower maps had special gimmicks and creatures. But since they each had unique conditions, they rarely appeared in Hunters League matches, ending without a show.
But...
The longer the match dragged on. And if a player knew the map inside out.
Those special variables were bound to emerge.
Of course, with countless maps, memorizing every gimmick and condition for simulation wasn't for ordinary folks.
But if you've got way more career experience? That's a different story.
Plus, my Piercing Eye let me glean plenty of hints even if I didn't remember everything.
The Chaos of the Palace of Illusions? Not an easy gimmick to handle, sure.
But stacking a world-top career? Nothing compared to that.
No matter how absurd the situation—even gimmicks—you'd faced them once before and won. That's what reaching the pinnacle meant.
Left arm swapped with right leg... left leg with right arm.
Even having experienced it once, it was hard to get used to. Felt like manipulating my body for the first time.
That held true even for me, who'd trained against Chaos pre-regression.
But the others?
They've never even imagined it. Hell, spotting the pattern in the swapped circuits would take time even for pros.
In reality, every other player except me couldn't even stand properly.
I closed my eyes for a split second. Focused.
Even in this advantageous spot, one instinctive twitch and it was over. I'd collapse, giving them time to adapt while I got wrecked.
Plus, four targets. One slip, and even a lucky punch could land. Chaos affected everyone, resistance or not.
Staying calm was key. No panic—just focus on the swaps.
Consciously doubt every action. Move like balancing on one arm and one leg. Weird, eerie sensation.
Endure it. Grip the gun like curling toes—raise it.
Maintain that odd feel. Never lose focus, recall the warped linkage, pull the trigger.
Bang!
Yeah, the gun—a forgotten hunter weapon—shined here too. Dead simple to operate.
A faint smile crept up unbidden.
One shot. Killed the guy flailing, rising and falling in sensory chaos.
Bang!
Two shots. Killed the idiot slashing his own arm for a shock-reset.
Bang!
Three shots. Killed the one hastily shielding with mana after seeing the first two drop. Wrong direction, though.
"Ha... haha. What the fuck is this? You crazy bastard."
PSG's Lee Gyu-jin laughed in disbelief, the last one standing.
Bang!
Four shots.
...
Too bad—four shots for four wasn't enough. He'd adapted a bit, raising an arm for a barrier.
But that was just stalling.
Last one—let's make it flashy.
Only Lee Gyu-jin left. Unlike my conservative plays, I gripped an Air Anchor in my left hand, Magic Engineering Weapon Conversion shifting my gun to a sword.
I zipped through the air, unleashing a single downward slash from above.
It cleaved the final foe barrier and all.
The watching doppelgangers lunged in excitement—but before they touched.
Bzzz—
PSG's defeat ended the match.
"Fun game."
Meanwhile, in the match's final stretch. When PER was cornered 2-vs-4.
The stands were deathly silent with tension. Only the casters' voices echoed.
Such chatter filled the air just as Lee Chang-hyun reached the doppelganger horde. He'd even smashed ceiling and floor, revealing more from above and below.
Looked like desperation or a gamble to turn it into a free-for-all.
But shockingly, the doppelgangers stood frozen, staring intently.
Right then—the unbelievable happened.
Everyone else floundering, unable to stand—Lee Chang-hyun rose steadily, gun aimed.
What followed was all too familiar.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One by one. Déjà vu from one of his old matches.
Stunned by the unforeseen, the commentators froze mid-air.
Only when Lee Gyu-jin blocked a shot with a barrier did one squeeze out a word.
But as if mocking him—
Lee Chang-hyun Air Anchored toward barrier-blocking Lee Gyu-jin.
Like Chaos didn't faze him at all. A single strike bisecting the barrier clean through.
Everything ended.
The commentator was too flustered to speak, but dead air was a broadcast sin.
The caster scrambled to fill it.
With the commentator still out of it, the caster wrapped it up solo.
The longer-than-usual match ended with fireworks, so the chat blazed hotter than ever.
Then, as expected from the marathon length, the victory team interview picks dropped quick.
The vibe was agreeable—he'd taken out nearly half PSG solo.
But maybe because this decided Second Division's top spot?
They didn't limit interviews to just him—other standouts got the nod too.
And soon, the picks were announced.