Chapter 128
Chapter 128
Translation: godtl
Palestine, a country in the Middle East.
In this land where conflict with Israel never ceased, an unusual peace had settled.
The reason was simple.
[This is strange. Is that really all the participants from Korea?]
[Surely they're not underestimating us Palestinians, are they?]
[Of course not. Korea might be strong with Diamonds and above, but below Platinum, they're a minor power.]
Al Zyra, the premier broadcasting network representing the Arab world.
Since the emergence of the Galaxy Arena,
it had risen to become the largest arena channel in the Arab region, and now it was broadcasting Palestine's Special Match live.
[But didn't something extraordinary happen just days ago in the Platinum Debut Match?]
[Yes, Korean players took both first and second place in the Debut Match.]
[It was a shock to the entire world. Not just the results, but the content of the matches themselves.]
The footage of this Platinum Debut Match was currently racking up unprecedented views on TWC.
True to their roles as arena broadcasters,
the three hosts and commentators here had already reviewed—no, watched live—the Debut Match in question.
[Even if Kim Si-mun's demon control involved some special factor, his individual combat prowess was still remarkable.]
[True. Didn't he effortlessly handle our promising talents?]
The region where Si-mun had spawned.
Wasn't that the very same spawn zone dominated by Middle Eastern players, which he single-handedly swept through?
[Even Palestine's rising stars, Zayed Khan and Suad, couldn't hold out for long against him.]
[No, I'd say they lasted decently. Our Moroccan prospect couldn't even last thirty seconds against him.]
The Palestinian commentator offered a bitter smile at what was meant to be consolation.
The Debut Match was a clash between prospects, not Rankers.
Losing there didn't invalidate their Platinum promotions, and future growth could always change things.
A loss in the Debut Match wasn't necessarily a mark against them.
But.
[We appreciate the praise, brother... but facing Player Kim Si-mun again is a serious concern.]
If they had to face Kim Si-mun once more, the story would be different.
[The Debut Match and the Special Match carry entirely different weight.]
[That's true...]
[And we absolutely must secure the Seed Rights through this Special Match...]
[Ah, now that you mention it, Palestine, like Korea, needs these Seed Rights for the main event.]
[Yes, which is why we're so nervous. Honestly, the opponent draw itself was the problem. Of all teams...]
The Palestinian commentator lamented their misfortune of drawing Korea out of all possible opponents,
until the Al Zyra host, exchanging glances with the other commentators, cut in.
[W-well, Korea is fundamentally a weaker team, and there's a numbers gap. The Special Match should be different, right?]
[Exactly! Judging by the greetings exchanged between national coaches, Korea's team is confirmed at eight members.]
They quickly steered the conversation toward more optimistic remarks.
Fortunately, their efforts seemed to work.
[True. Even Player Kim Si-mun would struggle against our thirty warriors who've trained together.]
The Palestinian commentator's expression brightened slightly.
[Of course!]
The Al Zyra host eagerly supported the sentiment.
[Plus, Player Kim Si-mun is joining the Special Match using an Option Addition Ticket, isn't he?]
[Right. And despite that, they only have eight members. They used the ticket to increase numbers, but ended up with fewer.]
[The Palestinian side must have prepared strategies specifically tailored against Kim Si-mun, so this match is definitely worth looking forward to!]
[Isn't all of this Allah's divine arrangement?]
[Haha! Of course! Personally, I'd bet on Palestine's one-sided victory.]
In an instant, the atmosphere of Al Zyra's broadcast team brightened.
But they weren't the only ones.
-From 31 to just 8?
-This is Allah's blessing.
-I checked the Korean communities. Apparently, the Korean Association purged a bunch of their players?
-Their division was inevitable. Korea has always been a spineless country that tolerates all sorts of cults and heresies.
-Allah is watching over His children!
From Middle Eastern nations watching Al Zyra's broadcast—
-What the hell is Kim Mu-yeol thinking?
-Even if he's a lone wolf, this is crossing the line. Deciding to go with just 8 without even a word of discussion?
-Guys, you all know what kind of person Si-mun is.
-22. If you're Korean, just cheer for him, damn it.
-Lol, Kim Si-mun is Kim Si-mun, but 8 is 8. Let's be real here. Do they think the Special Match is child's play?
-Seriously, even if it's Kim Si-mun, 8 against 30 is just... And the opponents can use Option Addition Tickets too.
To Korean viewers—
The prevailing sentiment was that Korea would lose.
And it was only natural.
-Wasn't his Debut Match sweep basically carried by the demons?
-Yeah. He did fight multiple people directly, but even that was only possible because he wiped them out before the Middle Eastern players could group up.
-Exactly. Summoning demons was only possible because demons were there in the first place.
Even if he had achieved overwhelming results in his Platinum Debut Match—
It was largely due to the demons, a Diamond-tier race, rather than his individual combat prowess.
-I admit Kim Si-mun is strong... but team battles are different. He'll probably lose.
-I agree. The other side has Option Addition Tickets too. If 30 players move strategically, it's over.
-And in Platinum, he's the only Magic Class player, and even that's just one out of 8. Lol, sigh... I'm not watching.
-Me neither. The opponents are all seasoned Platinum players. If they coordinate as a team, it's obvious.
Even if Si-mun's combat abilities were exceptional, he was still just one person.
Against dozens working in perfect coordination, with Option Addition Tickets in play—no matter how strong Si-mun was, defeat seemed inevitable.
Amidst this overwhelming consensus of Korea's impending loss—
[The Special Match's location has been selected.]
The two coaches exchanged greetings before selecting the map.
Though "selecting" wasn't entirely accurate.
Without additional influences like Option Addition Tickets—
The map for the National Tournament's Special Match was always randomized.
[The location is 'Blue Sand Desert.']
[The mode is 'Domination.']
Once the mode was also decided—
"Haah..."
The coach of South Korea's Platinum Division.
'So they didn't use the Option Addition Ticket for the map or mode after all.'
Jang Yun-sik wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.
'But Blue Sand Desert with Domination...?'
The worst of the worst.
'At this point, I'd take a regular sand desert map over this.'
Just looking at the map was enough to tell.
With the Blue Sand Desert's sinking terrain, even moving around drained stamina significantly—
And true to its name, the sand here carried a biting chill.
It was practically no different from a freezing snowfield.
Naturally, teams with more Support or Magic Classes had a huge advantage in basic condition management—
'But with only one of each in our team...'
Unfortunately—
Their precious Magic Class had only increased to one after Si-mun joined,
And their once-solid Support Class had been reduced to just one after yesterday's purge by the Association President.
Meaning they'd have to enter the Blue Sand Desert with 6 Combat Class players and just 1 each of Magic and Support.
And it was a territory battle at that.
A sly voice reached the ears of Jang Yun-seok, whose expression had darkened completely.
"Heh heh! You look absolutely dreadful, Director Jang."
It was the Palestinian team's director, his voice dripping with false sympathy.
Half of his expression was a sneer.
"I understand. Losing a whopping 23 players overnight must be devastating."
The other half feigned pity as he offered hollow consolation.
"That's how it is for people like us. No matter the circumstances, we can only follow orders from above."
"Yes... that's right..."
Jang Yun-seok let out a sigh at the so-called "consolation" that was anything but. Yet it took less than a minute for his face to grow even darker.
"But that aside—"
Any pretense of camaraderie from the Palestinian director vanished in an instant. His tone now carried the finality of a judge delivering a death sentence.
"With the map and match type decided, I believe it's time to use our Option Addition Ticket."
He pulled out an unremarkable-looking slip of paper from his pocket and tossed it toward the floating system window in front of him. The paper melted seamlessly into the interface.
[Option Addition Ticket has been activated.]
[Please specify the additional option.]
New messages appeared, and the Palestinian director bared his teeth in a vicious grin.
"The option we're adding is..."
Whoosh.
A chilly wind blew beneath the scorching, blazing sunlight.
Fine grains of sand scattered with the breeze, yet strangely—
it felt less like desert sand and more like snowflakes drifting across a frozen plain.
But it wasn't just the sensation.
[The National Tournament Special Match has begun.]
[Location: 'Blue Sand Desert.' Match type: 'Territory Battle.']
True to its name, the Blue Sand Desert was entirely covered in azure grains. Defying all common sense that deserts should be sweltering—
"Brrr! It's freezing!"
"Damn it!"
—the temperature here was as biting as midwinter.
The spawned Korean players huddled, shivering, their breaths puffing out in white clouds. White mist under blazing sunlight?
But that wasn't the only thing awaiting the Korean national team.
[Territory points are being generated.]
[Earn points by securing the territory or eliminating all opposing players.]
Far in the distance, a towering dune rose like a mountain. The moment the territory zone was marked upon it—
[Option Addition Ticket has been activated.]
The Option Addition Ticket took effect.
[Additional option applied: 'Activity Range Restriction.' Target: Player 'Kim Si-mun.']
[Until the end of this Arena, Player 'Kim Si-mun's 'activity range' will be restricted.]
Like the territory marker, an outline swept across the ground, tightening around the national team. But as the system declared—
The boundary focused solely on the restricted target, forming a circle with a 20-meter radius around Si-mun.
"Ah..."
"We're screwed..."
The players groaned in unison, their breaths once more frosting the air in white plumes.
And for good reason.
"How are we supposed to fight like this from the start?!"
Activity Range Restriction.
Exactly as the name implied, it completely confined the target's movement. The affected player could never cross beyond the outlined boundary.
Thud.
"Tch. Just as I thought."
When Si-mun experimentally tried to step past the circle, his foot met an invisible wall.
"This is exactly why you don't let the enemy use their Option Addition Ticket first!"
"Uncle Sang-min, what do we do now?"
The team's faces twisted further into despair.
This was the player they had specifically used their own Option Addition Ticket to recruit.
And after yesterday's disaster, they had already lost 23 out of their original 30 national team members.
Now, the enemy had sniped even their newly added member. For the remaining seven players, the future looked pitch black.
And worse—
"This is a territory battle, for crying out loud!"
Wasn't this match a territory battle?
To capture a point, you need to step foot on the occupied territory.
"At the very least, we need long-range support, but with our movement range restricted like this!"
"And we can't possibly take on thirty people with just seven of us......"
With their strongest combatant immobilized like this, they couldn't even receive long-range support.
The distance between their current position and the marked sand dune capture point was considerable.
Then.
"Admittedly, we'll lose at this rate."
Lee Sang-min, who had been silently listening to the players' lamentations, finally spoke.
"Middle Eastern teams generally have solid combat and support classes."
True to his decade of experience and status as the eldest, Lee Sang-min calmly assessed the situation.
"If they just abandon their forte in close combat and wait for us at the capture point, they'll win. They'll probably act exactly like that."
Though the scenario he described was utterly bleak.
"And with our only wild card—the Magic Class—immobilized, we probably won't even set foot on the capture point."
Contrary to his words, there wasn't a trace of gloom on Lee Sang-min's face.
Rather than letting out a hollow laugh at the absurd disconnect.
The national team's gaze followed Lee Sang-min's clearly focused eyes.
There.
Thud!
"Hmm. It seems no part of my body can cross beyond this."
Kim Si-mun was experimentally testing the restricted boundary.
Lee Sang-min approached him.
"Mr. Si-mun. What do you think? Do you have any spells that could reach the capture point from here?"
Despite being in his forties, Lee Sang-min spoke respectfully.
"I've watched your streams often. If you could support us with spells like Lightning Spear or Black Beam, I think we might still have a fighting chance."
Whether it was due to his seniority and experience.
Or his faith in Kim Si-mun.
Rather than wallowing in despair, Lee Sang-min sought a path to victory.
Kim Si-mun, offering a faint smile in response, answered.
"No. Probably not. My spells don't have as much range as you might think."
"That's a shame. With that kind of firepower, we might have scraped through somehow. Then we'll just have to lure them here......"
Lee Sang-min clicked his tongue briefly in disappointment.
Yet, undeterred, he continued searching for alternatives.
A glint of interest flickered in Kim Si-mun's eyes.
'So this is why he's remained active for so long.'
Most people saw Lee Sang-min's prolonged stay in Platinum as a flaw, but Kim Si-mun didn't.
If you flipped the narrative on his so-called "stagnation."
As a First Generation player, he had maintained a high Platinum-rank for over a decade and was consistently selected for the national team in the Platinum division.
'With someone like this, he was bound to reach Diamond eventually.'
Though the current Lee Sang-min wouldn't know, Kim Si-mun—with his past life's knowledge—was aware.
This middle-aged man before him would soon ascend to Diamond-rank.
And even after Korea's fall, he would become a reliable pillar in the Ssaulabi Guild, founded by his younger brother.
Perhaps interpreting Kim Si-mun's smile differently?
"You seem to have something in mind."
Lee Sang-min returned the smile and inquired.
"You're sharp."
Kim Si-mun nodded slightly and stroked his left arm.
"That......"
Lee Sang-min's head tilted slightly as he examined Kim Si-mun's left arm.
And for good reason.
"A cylinder? Looks like some kind of artifact."
A blunt-ended cylinder dangled conspicuously from it.
"Well... something like that."
Kim Si-mun grinned and extended his left arm forward.
"I've been wanting to test this in actual combat. Finally, the right situation has come up."
"Test it?"
"Yes. Now, let's take our time moving forward."
With those words.
Zzzing—
A complex black transmutation circle emerged from the cylinder's muzzle.
"By the time we arrive, the capture point should be... neatly cleared."
Zzzing—
As if his words were the signal, the black transmutation circle shot forward.
Arcing through the air, it flew far into the distance.
Upon reaching a certain point, it dissolved into the void as though melting away.
Zzzing—
Ding!
Kim Si-mun fired two more black transmutation circles in succession.
They, too, melted into the void.
Then—
Crack!
A sound like shattering glass.
Grrrrr—
Kihahak!
Cruel, distorted cries carried on the cold desert wind.