The Promotion Match Begins

December 10th.

The morning of the promotion match had arrived.

So this is finally the day of the decisive battle!

"The match starts at 10 a.m. Korean time. We've still got some time."

The promotion match was being held as a national competition. Every month, three countries from the East Asia and Southeast Asia region—including Korea—were selected to compete against one another.

I headed toward the team building as usual. Once the residential facilities were finished, there would be no need to commute anymore. How bothersome.

While I was on public transit, a call came from Jiyoung.

"It's me."

Master, we have a problem!

"Did the reporters show up?"

What? You're already near the team training ground?!

"If you're calling at this hour, it couldn't be anything else."

They're asking us all sorts of questions. Youngsoo is buying us some time for now.

I had expected reporters to swarm either my house or the team training ground. After all, this had turned into a clash of national pride between Korea and China. It was only natural for the media to take interest.

I'm sorry I didn't anticipate something so obvious.

"It's fine. Just try harder next time."

……Yes.

"I'll be there soon. Just hold on a little longer."

They really were diligent. Reporters from various outlets, and even the team members, had gathered. The area in front of the team training ground was packed. There were as many reporters as there had been right after the tutorial—maybe even more.

"It's Player Yu Jinho!"

"Please give us a word about your resolve for this promotion match!"

"Player Ping Lei of China provoked Hunter Yu Jinho. Some are concerned this match could spark conflict between Korea and China……"

Flashes went off from every direction. The barrage of questions from the reporters was deafening.

Being popular is truly exhausting.

It was fine. I had dealt with situations like this plenty of times even before regressing. Anyone who stood ahead of others couldn't avoid it. And the words I needed to say were already decided.

"I have no interest in who Ping Lei is."

"Excuse me? The Guryong-bang Guild formally submitted to the Player Association……"

"Because Korea will win the promotion match."

I tossed out that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠single line and stepped into the training ground. The endless shutter sounds and the reporters' questions fell silent in an instant.

Three seconds later.

"He ignored Ping Lei!"

"He said he's never even heard of Guryong-bang's next ace…… That's huge!"

The reporters stopped their coverage and threw themselves into writing articles. It was a common provocative remark, but when I—the person involved—said it, the weight was different. The media always quieted down once they were given a juicy piece of bait.

"Special Task Force member. That was quite the strong bait, wasn't it?"

Han Suchang quietly approached me.

"Team Leader, why are you here instead of at the office?"

"I came because I knew this would happen. I got the Association President's approval."

"I'm not affiliated with the Association. I'm a mercenary, remember?"

"There's also the Black Tiger team incident, and if this goes wrong, it could become an international issue."

"Then please keep the reporters under control."

It didn't matter to me, but it would be troublesome if they interfered with Kim Youngsoo's training. Thanks to the agents dispatched by the Association surrounding the building entrances, no further commotion occurred.

"Wow, Master, that was really cool."

"What was?"

"Ping Lei is the most famous Unranked player in East Asia, you know."

"Unranked is still just Unranked."

Jiyoung's eyebrows twitched. What was that? It looked like she was suppressing some rising emotion. Was there really a need for that?

Have you forgotten that you too are Unranked?

"The Goddess is right!"

The two of them were in perfect sync. They bickered constantly, yet only at times like this did they work so well together.

"Goddess, it would be troublesome if you forgot that I defeated a Bronze-rank contractor."

I was referring to Jeong Sinho, Bathory's contractor.

Hmm. There was that incident as well.

"R-Really?!"

I had said it to put Nyx in her place, but the person in question showed no reaction while Jiyoung was the only one startled.

"You'll find it if you look up the Association's Special Task Force activities."

"It's true……"

She looked strangely frustrated. I shook my head and headed toward Kim Youngsoo.

"Good work, hyung-nim."

"Not at all. I just bought some time until you arrived, Team Leader."

"It would have been troublesome if only Jiyoung had been here."

"Well, I've dealt with reporters pestering me before, haven't I?"

Kim Youngsoo let out a hearty laugh. "Since the reporters are here anyway, I'll say this now. Jiyoung, you listen too."

"Me too?"

"Yeah. Reporters are going to swarm us more often from now on."

Jiyoung and Youngsoo. Like hidden gems, the two of them would inevitably draw attention from many people regardless of their own wishes. It had been the same before my regression.

"So get used to it. This situation."

They couldn't just find the reporters burdensome. At times, they would need to use the media for their own benefit as well.

"Understood, Team Leader."

"Yes, Master."

Both of them nodded, seeming to understand the meaning behind my words.

After spending the morning on our usual routine, when the time came, I reached for my phone.

"Master, do I just press the Iron promotion match?"

"Yeah. We'll be assigned to the same server."

Jiyoung gulped audibly. Well, of course she was nervous. Her face had gone pale, probably because of the reporters camped outside the team building.

"Just follow me."

"Y-Yes!"

"Like during the tutorial."

Jiyoung took a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠short, deep breath and nodded.

"I'll trust only you, Master."

"Then let's connect."

"Yes!"

We pressed the Babel Tower access button at the same time.

* * *

A white room. No, at this size, "auditorium" would be a more fitting description than "room." ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠White walls enclosed all four sides, and the sky was covered by a gray ceiling. Light flashed in various places as players participating in this promotion match appeared one by one.

"Master, are we having the promotion match here?"

"Not yet. This is literally just a waiting room."

I crossed my arms and looked around. There were no particularly notable opponents. The number of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠players being summoned into the white space was noticeably decreasing.

"Get ready."

Instead of asking, Jiyoung deployed her Vibration Barrier.

The atmosphere in the waiting room sank rapidly.

Did you anticipate this situation and have that child prepare for battle?

"Laos has a small population. Around seven million, I think."

They would have fewer players compared to the other two countries.

"That's right."

Conversely, countries like China, with their massive populations, divided their regions when holding promotion matches.

Korea / China (East 1) / Laos

Japan / China (West 2) / India (East 3)

Something like that.

A minor advantage was that within the East category, we could at least determine the order?

In other words, that Ping Lei fellow could avoid facing his contractor.

"He wouldn't start a fight and then not show up."

If he had connected to a different region to avoid me, that would be quite the masterpiece in its own right.

"Master, what should we do?"

"Wait for now."

The theme of the promotion match was national competition. The higher our allied combat power, the higher the chance of taking first place. If there were players who stood out, there was no reason to eliminate them.

"Hey, you're that Yu Jinho who's been making a name for yourself lately?"

If only there weren't people who picked fights like this. A group of players with the same guild emblem on their chests approached with smirks. Fighting spirit shimmered in their eyes. They were drawing up mana, and I could sense colorful mana moving through my Observation Eye.

"What do you want?"

"Ah, we just came to have a little chat, Mr. Yu Jinho."

"Jiyoung."

The moment I spoke—

Hexagonal tiles wrapped around the lead player's body. The overlapping barriers amplified the vibration coefficient and shook the player caught between them.

"Kuhack!"

The player vomited a bowlful of blood. Blood flowing from his eyes, nose, and mouth wasn't a pretty sight.

"What the hell are you doing……"

"This is the conversation you wanted, isn't it?"

I charged into the center of the player group in one bound and struck the abdomen of the player wearing a robe. The player turned to dust without even screaming. What were they thinking, leaving their ranged dealer completely exposed?

"Take him down!"

"There's no escape!"

The players who came to their senses a beat late swung their weapons. Tsk tsk. This was what happened when you relied only on numbers and let your guard down.

My hair stood on end. A red aura flowed from my entire body. The boss skill from the 8th floor, exclusive to the demon, had manifested in the promotion match.

"Kuaaaah!!"

Overflowing power. I let out a roar filled with my boiling emotions.

"A wide-area debuff skill?!"

"It's only a 10% decrease. If we rush him, we can win!"

Swords, spears, axes—various weapons came flying from all directions.

"M-Master!"

Jiyoung's urgent voice.

Do not worry. My contractor is not weak.

Nyx's answer echoed in my ears. Right. If I couldn't even handle this much, how could I fight the ancient gods?

Ting ting ting! The weapons bounced off without piercing my armor. Attacks not even worth using Stone Skin for. I aimed my right hand at the tank's chest. Blood Claw Technique, Fourth Form—Four-Headed Strike. Like a snake snatching its prey, my hand moved nimbly and dug into his heart.

"You won't be able to break through my defense!"

The tank used defensive skills and grinned wickedly. He must have underestimated me because I was bare-handed. Did he really think I wouldn't have anticipated that?

The Four-Headed Strike imbued with Penetration. A skill that delivered damage inside armor. The Four-Headed Strike struck the full plate. Part of the impact enhanced by internal energy struck the tank's insides.

"Kugh……"

The tank collapsed with a groan. He seemed to have avoided instant death, but the shock was severe enough that moving would be difficult.

"Yu Jinhooooo!"

They were calling my name like a curse. A player aimed for my back with a shout. If you wanted to ambush someone, you shouldn't make noise. This was why amateurs were amateurs. Just as I was about to turn and counterattack—

The hexagonal shield blocked the blade. Then it trapped the player who had shouted. "It would be troublesome if you forgot about me." Jiyoung's support. The timing and positioning of the barrier deployment were perfect. It was still lacking compared to the "Wall of Wailing" in my memories, but with time, she could grow beyond that.

"W-Wait a second. If we combine our strength, our chances of winning the promotion match will increase."

"With your skills, you won't be any help."

Skill was skill, but there was nothing more dangerous than unreliable allies. Therefore—

"Aim for next month."

I curled one corner of my lips and swung my fist.