Baekrang's Rampage
The distance seemed quite far.
Mu-hyuk's deliberation was brief.
"We're going that way."
"Huh? Why?"
"We need to scout the situation."
"Do we really have to...?"
Mu-hyuk stared intently at Aadeon.
"Fine, fine, I get it."
With no other choice, Aadeon nodded and followed after Mu-hyuk.
"We'll only go as far as nearby."
"Right? I thought so."
He just needed to send Skull Snakes near the site of the battle. Their vision alone would be enough to grasp the situation.
Wind Step.
The problem was that Aadeon was painfully slow.
"Hurry up."
"Ugh, got it."
Mu-hyuk kicked off the ground again and glanced back.
Aadeon was gone.
"Hah."
As he stopped to wait, a voice came from ahead.
"What're you doing? Come on."
"Huh?"
Aadeon was ahead of Mu-hyuk.
"Heh heh, my skill. Pretty cool, right?"
He must have used a skill to swap positions with one of his dolls positioned ahead in advance.
"Then I'm going faster."
"W-Wait...?"
Mu-hyuk accelerated.
Whoosh!
Aadeon could only stare blankly at his retreating back.
"He's just gonna ditch me?"
At that moment, a Skull Snake burst from the ground and coiled around Aadeon's neck.
As if saying it would kill him right there if he tried to run.
"I-I'm coming...!"
Only then did he remember the summons right in front of him.
Ugh, damn it.
Cursing inwardly, Aadeon quickened his pace.
Position Swap!
By swapping places with his dolls every time the skill's cooldown reset, he barely made it to the destination without falling behind.
"Ugh, what a mess..."
"Shh."
Mu-hyuk raised a hand, signaling silence.
Ah, annoying.
Aadeon clamped his mouth shut and twitched a finger.
A thread fluttered into motion, and the eyeball connected to it floated into the sky.
The eyeball arrived at the central plaza and hovered in midair, gazing down below.
*
Thanks to overseeing several teams, he had to constantly check the screens.
"There, B2 Team, Sector 7—switch it."
"Yes!"
"Turn up the volume. Zoom in."
But the intriguing scenes vanished all too quickly.
"Hah, damn it. A1 Team—switch."
"Got it!"
"Jump straight to Sector 17. Then back to 5, then 3."
He had to cram in anything that might spark interest, but unlike regular live broadcasts, there wasn't even a single script.
He needed to craft a story purely from the users' actions and dialogues—and it wasn't easy.
Damn, this sucks too.
Something that looked fine on a small screen would always derail when he tried to build a narrative around it.
What now?
He bit his lip and focused on the screens.
Please, just one good one. Just one.
It was then.
"Huh...?"
"Director?"
"There, check B1 Team."
"B1?"
"Yeah, hurry!"
"Ah, yes."
Three screens from B1 Team caught his eye.
One showed a raggedly dressed user heading toward the center. Another was a user hiding somewhere, manipulating dolls.
The last was Mu-hyuk resting in front of a building with a bizarre-looking skeleton at his side.
The top user.
Gangster Necromancer.
"Screen 7."
Screen 7 went main. Mu-hyuk was staring into empty air, and the director frantically scanned the small screens.
With incredible focus, he caught it—things crawling on the ground.
He clenched his fist.
"Then 8, 11, 12, 16."
"Yes!"
Skull Snakes appeared on screen one after another.
"Next, 15."
This time, it captured the puppeteer.
His dolls were all in terrible shape. Interestingly, they were luring users—straight toward Mu-hyuk's position.
Perfect. This has story potential.
But he couldn't focus on just those two.
"To 5."
"Yes."
The man filling Screen 5.
No armor, no helmet.
No shoes, no gloves.
Not even basic accessories.
Whoosh.
Clothing so light it fluttered in the faintest breeze.
And no weapons.
Yet there he stood alone in the center, scanning his surroundings.
Users hidden nearby showed interest and edged closer. The man eyed them, eyes gleaming, and advanced.
"What is it?"
"Baekrang."
"Hah, you idiot? I didn't ask for his name!"
Instead of answering, Baekrang swung a light fist.
Thud!
One hit, and the opposing user vanished.
Dead.
"No stronger ones?"
Some users took the bait.
Thwack, thud!
Baekrang won effortlessly again.
"Stronger?"
"This bastard...!"
Several charged at once. Baekrang dodged casually, blocked their skills with ease.
Then closed in, slamming his shoulder into one's solar plexus and shoving another's gut with his palm.
A gust of wind blasted the user back. He staggered, cursing, before fading away faintly.
Baekrang dispatched the rest with light gestures, then scanned around with a serene expression once more.
"Nothing more?"
The director watching this looked genuinely intrigued.
"That's some guy."
"Whoa, impressive. All one- or two-shots."
"Hidden powerhouse."
"Keep it going?"
"No, 4 and 6 next."
"Yes!"
"Back to 5."
Screens 4 and 6 captured users' reactions to Baekrang.
Then back to 5, showing Baekrang unmoved amid the stares.
Like an absolute ruler on a throne.
This alone would hook viewers.
"To 7."
Back to Mu-hyuk and the puppeteer.
"5."
Then Baekrang again.
Both were must-watch entertainment.
As he looped this, more users piled on against Baekrang.
Mu-hyuk and the puppeteer's situation unfolded entertainingly too. Mu-hyuk had pinpointed the puppeteer's location and was closing in.
But Baekrang's screen dominated right now.
Surrounded by dozens, yet still utterly composed.
Boom!
One change: he was finally using skills in earnest.
Now seven users rushed him at once. The numbers seemed to weigh on him—his stance shifted slightly.
Knees bent, one hand at his side—like prepping a massive strike.
The director's gut screamed something big was coming.
"Close-up after the attack, then to 15."
"Yes!"
As expected, a massive explosion erupted.
Kaboom! Rumble rumble boom!
Wide shot, then Baekrang, then the users' gruesome aftermath. Straight to 15, capturing Mu-hyuk turning his head at the perfect moment.
Helmet hid his face, but his eyes gleamed sharply.
"Close-up!"
Mu-hyuk's face filled the screen, revealing small vents.
A glimpse of nose and lips through them.
The outline sparked imagination—just as Mu-hyuk bolted toward the explosion.
"Perfect."
A smile crept across the director's face.
This makes a story.
It was already plenty fun.
The unseen battle between the puppeteer and Mu-hyuk, followed by a brief alliance.
Would it hold or shatter? Pure curiosity bait.
Plus Mu-hyuk eyeing the bizarre fight in the central clearing.
Top-tier stuff.
If only Mu-hyuk and Baekrang clash.
*
Dozens of users drew weapons, targeting Baekrang. But the man at the threat's heart looked relaxed, while his assailants trembled in fear and terror.
Like rabbits encircling a tiger.
Absurd, yet that's exactly how the users looked.
"Boring as expected."
Baekrang muttered, taking a step forward.
His aura crashed down.
Heavier than a mountain.
"Guh...!"
The user ahead recoiled in shock. Only now did the surroundings register.
Users vanished on death, but traces lingered.
Huge craters like bomb blasts.
Fissures like earthquakes.
Shattered rocks, dead grass.
Splintered pillars.
Utter devastation.
"W-Wait!"
Baekrang ignored him.
He struck swiftly.
"Damn it!"
Some nearby users fled.
Baekrang finished one, then hunted the runners.
His blinding speed claimed them all. He returned to the center, eyeing the survivors.
Remaining Users: 231
Overwhelming.
"Tch, should I have even bothered?"
Should he finish the rest?
Troublesome.
No need. They weren't worth the effort.
As he stretched, something caught the edge of his vision. He moved like a ghost, picking up what seemed dead.
"This is...?"
A Skull Snake.
*
Mu-hyuk's brow furrowed.
That guy...!
Rank-wise, nothing special.
38,200th.
Impressive, but lacking compared to Mu-hyuk.
Yet he possessed strength levels couldn't measure.
A man who'd devoted over 30 years to self-training, recognized in China's martial world since childhood.
Amusingly, his Illusion class was Martial Artist.
A hidden job: extreme body training, but no item use.
He accepted it without hesitation, reaching this point.
A terrifying expert.
In the same group as Baekrang...
Mu-hyuk itched for a fight.
The guy was legendary; Mu-hyuk had marveled at dozens of his videos.
But things were different now.
He was confident he'd win against Baekrang. That aura stoked his battle lust.
It tingles.
But he couldn't move rashly.
Fighting Baekrang meant taking damage, and other users could swarm the weakened him.
Qualifying for the preliminaries was priority.
Regrettable, but...
Mu-hyuk decided to postpone.
"Let's pull back for now."
"Whew, good."
Aadeon sighed in relief and chased after Mu-hyuk, already heading away.
*
Plans always hit snags.
"Hah."
This snag was bigger than expected.
How'd it come to this?
Facing Baekrang, Mu-hyuk felt irritation and anticipation clash as he drew his sword.