The Second God Appears
When the chilly wind gains a touch of warmth, it arrives.
[ Korea League, the Most Insane Stove League Ever! ]
Insane! Another insane one! That damn "insane" again!!
The season was about to begin, and the off-season transfer window had returned.
News outlets, broadcasters, even YouTube channels all slammed the gas pedal at once.
[ Asia's top league is one step closer! ]
[ How much fun are they trying to have this year?! ]
[ Rumors of the four major conglomerates completing their super-team rosters? Predicted lineups? ]
[ 20 reasons this season's league is guaranteed to be even richer ]
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(+999)
The amusing part was that all this hype was 120% fact.
Right from the start of the Stove League, Mir Guild—the defending champion and Asia champion—had fired the opening salvo. The ripple of their wings had become a storm that put the entire world league on edge.
That was right. The "Super Team Relay."
[ Taeyang Guild: How will they fill the void left by Sword Master, who switched to top lane? The answer is Egypt's #5-ranked national mid laner, 'Horus'! ]
[ Shinseong Guild recruits Kenya's #2-ranked Guardian, Milinchi. "There was no second choice. We wanted only the Guardian!" ]
[ Is this even possible? 'Tyrant, Chang-gwi, and Divine Archer' all in one guild? Kirin Guild's insane upper lane has fans buzzing already. ]
[ Park Su-bin's Vlog comment goes viral: "The super teams are secretly scrimming, and their opponents are 'Mets Guild' and 'Namgoong Sega.' And the one who recommended it was Lee Shin." ]
This naturally led to the next topic.
The training camp that had quenched the thirst of league fans starved for off-season matches.
[ Mir Training Camp. Fresh faces, fresh format, generating daily buzz. ]
[ Record number of tourists visiting Korea during the training camp period! ]
[ Mets Guild: "It was a fantastic experience for both our fans and ourselves. Mets Guild plans to build even closer cooperation with Mir Guild." ]
[ Namgoong Sega's Changcheon Sword Emperor: "The future of the league was here." ]
Before anyone knew it, Korea had become the center of the world's attention.
So naturally, the cry went up:
— This year is insane too!!
— I can't wait to watch the league!
Yet while league fans were revving their engines in excitement, the people who should have been the most hyped were strangely quiet. Or more precisely……
"They just don't have the time to care."
Park Seong-cheol—or rather, Toegail-jwa now that he was off work—kept his eyes glued to the monitor.
The site displayed a photo of someone lifting a trophy. It was the fan café of Yongbung Era, Korea's largest and most prestigious fan club.
And right now, something was changing.
A new bulletin board had been created in the category.
And in that instant, the posts exploded.
The page filled up in seconds. 1, 2, 3…… Watching the page count skyrocket at a terrifying pace, Park Seong-cheol couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
"Look at that firepower."
A debate forum that was really just a battlefield.
It hadn't been like this at the beginning. When the nickname contest first started, the fan café had been nothing but warm and friendly.
After all, "nickname = ranker" meant all of their "Children of God" had become rankers.
But the first trouble began over something trivial.
"It was because of the monster."
Monster.
The nickname that had symbolized Park Su-bin until now.
The problem started with the "greatest genius monster" title that the Baek & Choi duo had given him back in the 3rd Division.
It was well known that Park Su-bin was sacred ground to the Yongbungs.
After all, they had been with him since the 4th Division. He was the number-one contributor to every legend Mir had built. More than anything, they all knew what he used to be like.
The kid who used to run around in an oversized mink coat that dragged on the floor, going "pitter-patter." That same kid had grown up to become a Korean ranker.
He was literally a child born of their hearts.
And now his first official nickname was going to be "Monster"?
That was how the first nickname debate war began.
"The second and third were about Lira."
Whether to focus on the gun, the speed, or the lightning.
That was the second round. The third was the age-old Korean-character-versus-English debate. The "English is the trend these days" faction and the "nicknames must be rooted in Chinese characters" faction had clashed head-on.
"Then around that time Yeon-woo joined and we got rounds four and five."
When someone suggested "Heavenly Sword," another comment went viral: "Do we really need to trap Yeon-woo inside the word 'sword'?"
It wasn't wrong. Baek Yeon-woo's violent image—swinging an axe as big as his own body against Japanese rankers—was still considered one of the best clips from the Asia League. The transforming weapon from the recent promotional video only reinforced that.
Then came the "King, Queen, Emperor, God" debate that triggered every league fan, followed by another time-loop back to the English-versus-Chinese-character war.
And so, after going in circles, they had finally reached the current 13th round.
Park Seong-cheol chuckled.
"Honestly, they're the ones who submitted to the contest in the first place."
They kept saying they needed to unify opinions and gather voices, pounding away at their keyboards like they were possessed by martyrs. But don't forget—these were Yongbungs.
If they actually listened to each other, would they even be Yongbungs?
As a true Yongbung, Park Seong-cheol could guarantee that 99.9% of them had already finished their contest submissions. He himself had finished his.
They were just doing this because they loved the guild too much. Their expectations were so high that they couldn't help but make a fuss, and the moderators knew it, which was why they kept creating new boards.
"Well, this nonsense is finally coming to an end."
Park Seong-cheol's gaze drifted to the calendar. One date was covered in circles.
"Tomorrow, huh."
He had been waiting a long time.
The circled date read: "Ranker Reveal Broadcast."
The day that would end all the arguments was right around the corner.
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"We will determine Korea League's top 20. Who are the rankers selected by the Bureau? Hosted by Baek Seong-jae!!"
"Joining us is commentator Choi Moon-seong. Thank you for having me."
"Now, let us begin the Bureau's official Ranker Reveal Broadcast!"
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The broadcast opened with the usual announcement.
"Before we reveal the rankings, we would like to inform you that the ranker selections were made after thorough verification by all of the Bureau's senior mages from multiple angles."
"The Bureau's evaluations are known for being extremely precise."
No matter how neutral and objective it was, rankings and rankers were bound to spark controversy. Still, saying it out loud made a difference.
"The reveal will proceed in reverse order starting from 20th place, concluding with the nickname, name, commentator Choi Moon-seong's introduction, and the senior mage's 'comment.'"
"I'm already getting excited."
"Let's begin right away."
They kept it compact to cover all twenty.
Baek Seong-jae shouted "20th!" at the top of his lungs and gestured behind him. A woman's video appeared on screen.
※ 20th. Blaster Choi A-ra (-3)
"Shinseong Guild's Blaster, Choi A-ra. A master of firepower who can poke from long range, nuke with concentrated single-target damage, and even use area-of-effect skills."
"Last season she was ranked 17th. Though she dropped three places, considering the terrifying rise in Korea League's overall level thanks to 'Lee Shin's Children' trio and the Super Team Relay, this is still a solid performance."
"Without a doubt."
"The Bureau's comment is as follows."
A versatile marksman capable of every possible damage style a ranged DPS can offer. While the lack of mobility might be questioned in high-tempo matches, her unique carry potential means she will shine on strong teams—that was the Bureau's comment.
Next came 19th. Both hosts flinched at the name on the cue card.
"W-wow…… A major upset right from the start."
"It really is an upset."
Because the name written there had been much higher just last year.
※ 19th. Gwisal Oh Kang-min (-10)
"Gwisal Oh Kang-min. Baekgeom Guild member. An outstanding assassin and calm commander. He was praised for being able to handle any composition with stealth and various mobility skills…… but no one imagined he would fall this far."
"I'm curious. Why did the Bureau give him this ranking? Let's check the comment. 'The assassin's effectiveness has been decreasing every year……'"
In short, the moment he went from a lethal assassin to just an average one, Gwisal had become neither assassin nor commander—just an awkward in-between.
Meanwhile, Baek Seong-jae swallowed the final explosive comment that read "coward." That kind of vibe wouldn't fly in Korea.
And even without that, there were plenty of other bombs.
The very next ranking was already a massive one.
※ 18th. Flame Queen Kim Ji-ah (-10)
"Kirin Guild's Flame Queen Kim Ji-ah. A fantasy-style player who represented the league with instant-explosion attacks whose trajectories couldn't be measured, plus an invincibility skill on her mobility. Haha, the word 'represented' stings a little."
"Let's find out why."
Flame Queen was different from the previous two. Her own abilities hadn't declined. It was simply that the emergence of even stronger superiors and the Super Team Relay had pushed her down in relative evaluation.
She was both a witness and a victim showing just how brutal this year's Korea League had become.
The comment was somewhat harsh, but Baek Seong-jae found himself nodding as he read it. Because the names of the incoming transfers that followed were so unbelievably stacked.
17th. Specter Carl Blackwood (New)
"Last season's #7 in the U.S. Eastern League. Now with Taeyang Guild. A ranged DPS who uses ghosts and spirits for survival and unpredictable attacks."
※ 16th. Trickster Sebastian Ashford (New)
"Previous season's #9 in England. Kirin Guild member. A creative marksman who handles every status effect in existence—stuns, slows, knock-ups. He made a name for himself as a support stronger than most marksmen."
※ 15th. Guardian Milinchi (New)
"Kenya's #2 ranker. Shinseong Guild member. A beastkin ability user who wields a drum. Incredible regeneration for tanking, powerful formation disruption, and even healing."
※ 14th. Horus Mohamed Salah (New)
"Egypt's #5 ranker. Taeyang Guild member. A powerful sand mage and fist fighter. Uses the sand gimmick to change his appearance every match. A hunter with strength rarely seen in Korea."
※ 13th. Tyrant Park Chang-ho (New)
"U.S. Western League #3. Kirin Guild member. The return of Tang-ah, Korea's former #7 ranker. Countless Korean hunters were ground to dust before his tattoos and axe."
It was a chain of shocks.
First shock: the transfers immediately becoming rankers.
Second shock: all of them had been single-digit rankers in their respective leagues last season.
The final, third shock: despite those stellar records, they were all outside the top 10 in Korea.
Insane……
Baek Seong-jae once again realized just how crazy this Korea League had become.
After that came more familiar names.
※ 12th. Guardian Yeo Eun-seo (-5)
※ 11th. Black Star Gong Ju-in (+8)
※ 10th. Cross Iruha (-)
※ 9th. Chang-gwi Yang Kang-cheol (-3)
Guardian Yeo Eun-seo had been unable to avoid falling due to her role as a commander being affected by Royal Sword Guild's previous performance.
Chang-gwi was an excellent predatory jungler, but his lack of command ability held him back.
Cross had barely maintained his position thanks to his unique healing power.
Finally, Black Star, who had carried the perennial bottom-feeder Challenger Guild into the mid-tier, saw a massive jump. The comment "a prime example of how a powerful necromancer equals strategy" was particularly striking.
Baek Seong-jae took a quick sip of water once he finished announcing up to this point. They had finally arrived.
Perhaps the most talked-about figures of this Stove League.
He called out one of their names.
"Now announcing 8th place. 8th is Yu Ri-ra. Her nickname is—"
In German, it meant lightning, flash, or glare.
In English, it referred to a lightning-fast assault, raid, or concentrated bombardment.
Blitz
※ 8th. Blitz Yu Ri-ra (New)
"She's finally here! Blitz Yu Ri-ra. The marksman of the defending champion Mir Guild. The fastest speedster in the league and its greatest superstar."
"What makes Blitz Yu Ri-ra special is that she excels in survival just as much as she does in carry potential. Even in 2v1 or 3v1 situations, she always finds a way out."
"I've been watching Hunter Yu Ri-ra since her debut. Many people focus on her flashy aggression, but the truth is she's a perfectly balanced hexagonal marksman. It's just that her hexagon is so ridiculously large that people misunderstand her."
"Let's take a look at the Bureau's comment at this point."
The comment was lengthy.
She was the tactical core of Mir Guild. The lane that received the least support, yet always shone and became the most dazzling carry machine whenever the team needed her most.
If you looked only at carry potential, she surpassed every ranker above her. If this year's Korea League hadn't been so insane, she could have aimed even higher—that was the extreme praise.
The first starter had been broken.
※ 7th. Fist King Kang Hae-il.
Passing lightly over the next ranking, they greeted another welcome face.
"6th place, Baek Yeon-woo! His nickname is……"
"The most fitting word."
"Genius!"
6th. Cheonjae Baek Yeon-woo.
"Genius Baek Yeon-woo. Mir Guild member. What more needs to be said? He debuted the year he awakened and dominated the top lane while bombing the league in his debut season."
"He lifted the Korea League Champion Cup and the Asia League Champion Cup in the same year as his debut. A true royal loader."
"The word 'genius' itself. From now on, we can call other geniuses 'Baek Yeon-woo-like.' In that sense, I really like this comment."
"Let's introduce the comment right away."
His talent was too vast to be confined to the title of "swordsman," along with the extreme praise that he would have been #1 in any other league.
And the final comment that Choi Moon-seong particularly liked:
"……The distance between Cheonjae and Cheonje is but a single step."
Both men shivered as if on cue at those words.
They were almost at the end now. Moving quickly.
※ 5th. Sword Master Park Gwang-seob (-2)
※ 4th. Hwanhu Hwang Yeo-wang (-2)
Like Guardian, Sword Master Park Gwang-seob had dropped two places due to Baekgeom Guild's slump. Hwanhu Hwang Yeo-wang had also dropped two places due to her long sabbatical.
In contrast, the next player had set a historic record in this insane Korea League.
"3rd place! A massive 13-place jump—Hwarang!!"
※ 3rd. Hwarang Kim Yu-shin (+13)
"Hwarang Kim Yu-shin. The shield that protects Mir. The devoted top laner was reborn after meeting the genius Lee Shin. And in doing so, he immediately revived a league that had been stagnant."
"That's right. No matter what anyone says, he was last season's protagonist who, alongside the Mountain King, changed the global trend."
"With this, Hwarang has become the ranker who climbed the most places in a single year. Let's set aside Lee Shin's Children for a moment. On a happy day like this, let's just enjoy it."
"Starting from 20th and steadily climbing all the way to the top 3. Now let's look at the comment."
The strongest shield on earth.
And a game changer.
The meta creator who changed the perception of the support position.
As expected, every possible extreme praise followed.
And now only two remained.
"We've come this far without a single break."
"Really, the only word that comes to mind is 'insane.' How is there not a single weak link in this lineup? Honestly, in all my years in this league, I've never seen a ranking this tight."
"The Korea League is evolving into a major among majors. And now, Korea's #1 ranker is about to be announced. As always, we'll announce 1st place first, then 2nd."
Baek Seong-jae flipped the cue card.
He paused for a moment, then took a deep breath.
He spun around with all his might and spread his arms wide.
"Guild War Korea. The #1 ranker is……!!"
In that instant.
The lights went out. Complete darkness fell.
Then the screen lit up again.
A young man appeared, wearing his signature black mink coat, seated with his legs crossed, proudly displaying the gold rings on all ten fingers.
Mir's gatekeeper.
The Yongbungs' sanctuary.
The first of the Children of God.
The moment Park Su-bin stood up and smiled.
The black mink coat whipped about in a surge of magic power, and the upper body of a mechanical giant roared toward the world.
As if declaring itself the greatest.
※ 1st. Geoshin Park Su-bin.
"#1 ranker, Park Su-bin!! Geoshin Park Su-bin! The second god has appeared! The legend of the dragon has given birth to a myth!!"