Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Silver TOP 100 Promotion Battle
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Whoosh!
In an instant, Shin-hyeok transported from his room to the waiting area, leisurely scanning the space around him.
The waiting room for the world's TOP 100 Silver Tier players.
It was his first time here.
When Shin-hyeok had first entered the world TOP 100 promotion match, his hidden trait Late Bloomer had unlocked, placing him in Platinum—so it was only natural.
Even so, with unshakable confidence in his own strength, Shin-hyeok wore a relaxed expression unbefitting a newcomer as he observed the other participants.
The world's TOP 100.
Naturally, every player here was a veteran among veterans.
But since this was their first time in the world TOP 100 promotion match, most showed clear signs of tension.
That said, there were definitely a few, like Shin-hyeok, who exuded a sense of calm composure.
"About ten of them. Talented players from various countries, no doubt."
Ten out of a hundred.
A rate of one in ten was impressive enough.
But what mattered most was whether any of these faces were ones Shin-hyeok remembered.
If a regressor who'd reached Challenger remembered them, it meant they'd go on to make waves in the future.
And sure enough, four out of those ten jogged his memory.
"America's Berserker, China's All-Rounder, Japan's Shrine Maiden, and Europe's Flash Knight."
Players from powerhouse nations America and China.
Followed closely by those from Japan and the European Union.
The nicknames Shin-hyeok mentioned were the ones they'd earn in the future, so naturally, no one paid them any mind.
Of course—
"You're Choi Shin-hyeok, right?"
"Berserker?"
"...? Knowing my class means you've done your homework on me, huh."
"Eh, something like that."
Berserker. Ellis Veronia.
Her unique class was Blood Berserker.
Because of that, Shin-hyeok had unintentionally acted interested in her, but he didn't particularly care.
Though Ellis was a stunning blonde beauty with golden eyes, Shin-hyeok showed zero interest.
He'd never been one for women or looks to begin with, and having Su-ah—a beauty in her own right—had built up his immunity.
But this was a novel experience for Ellis.
'It's been ages since I met a player who doesn't hit on me just for my looks.'
Even those twice her age or older usually fawned over her.
Meeting someone unmoved by her appearance for the first time? It put Ellis in a great mood.
"Looking forward to a good match. Though first place is mine, of course."
"Sorry, but that's mine—no can do on the handoff."
"Heh, we'll see."
Though they were clear rivals, Ellis took a liking to Shin-hyeok and chuckled as she turned to leave.
"Look at the small-country trash and Yankee getting chummy."
"...Hong Deung-pyeong."
"You know me? Well, you should. I'm the player who's gonna be a pillar for the next big match."
"Ha! Whether that's true remains to be seen."
"Kuh, even the Martial Emperor praised my talent. Better start kissing up now—we'll be clashing in the upper tiers plenty."
"You'd best watch yourself. My sword doesn't have eyes."
Were it not for the taunting Chinese player Hong Deung-pyeong who'd swaggered over.
Ellis shot back with sharp eyes and words at the man belittling her, but Hong Deung-pyeong ignored it entirely, approaching Shin-hyeok and jabbing his chest mockingly.
"Saw on the boards you're gunning for first? Guess small countries only teach bravado. All hot air—you're an early dropout for sure."
"..."
Even as Hong Deung-pyeong prodded his chest and jeered, Shin-hyeok made no move, simply staring at him with silent eyes.
With no reaction to his taunts, Hong Deung-pyeong huffed in annoyance and spun away.
Seeing Shin-hyeok give no retort, Ellis shot him a dissatisfied look.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"Not the type to bark back at every mutt."
"...Pfft! You're hilarious. Turns out I'm a year older—drop the formalities?"
"Suit yourself."
"Cool. Match is starting soon. See you at the top."
Evidently pleased by his response, Ellis wiped away her discomfort, grinned, and waved before heading off.
Shin-hyeok nodded casually in return and stood quietly, waiting for the prep time to end.
Fortunately, no other players followed Hong Deung-pyeong's lead in picking fights with him.
The noteworthy ones from Japan and the EU merely eyed him warily, keeping their distance.
And so time passed until prep ended.
Whoosh!
The hundred players in the waiting room transported simultaneously to the battlefield.
Thud!
Shin-hyeok landed lightly on the ground and surveyed his surroundings.
"Even Silver Tier uses the same map."
The world TOP 100 promotion map was always the same.
Even for higher-tier promotions.
A vast forest terrain.
This enormous woodland, reminiscent of the real Amazon, was so massive that over a hundred players could rampage freely without issue.
Finishing that thought, Shin-hyeok immediately scanned around.
"Tracking."
Shwaaaaa!
Before acquiring the skill, Tracking relied on terrain, scents, and wind to locate targets.
A primal method, one might say.
But after gaining the skill, it changed.
Mana.
The miraculous energy that turned the impossible possible.
It spread outward, detecting nearby presences.
To Shin-hyeok, it felt like an invisible mana net enveloping the area.
Anything touching the net revealed its position to him.
Of course, it wasn't easy, nor could just anyone do it.
But for Shin-hyeok, it was simple—and he was far from just anyone.
"Got 'em. Three north, two east, two south, five west. Quite a crowd."
Instantly grasping the enemy count in every direction, Shin-hyeok smirked and looked up.
"And one right above me."
The stealth-class player hidden among the dense leaves jolted in shock at Shin-hyeok's gaze and words.
True to his pride as a top-100 Silver 1 worldwide, he believed no peer could detect his stealth.
'Amateurish.'
But even on a brief hiatus from active play, Shin-hyeok—who'd pierced Diamond-level stealth—found it laughably sloppy.
Especially since Tracking grew exponentially more potent up close.
His exposure was inevitable.
His stealth was beyond Silver level, so it fueled the skill's growth nicely.
"No more use for you."
"...!"
Having served as fertilizer for Tracking's upgrade, the stealth player had nothing left to offer Shin-hyeok.
Trees with nothing left get felled.
Slash!
Shin-hyeok's holy sword arced in a crescent, scattering sword energy as the stealth player's head tumbled free, rolling across the ground.
"First kill, huh. Not bad. This'll count as an achievement too."
First Blood.
The very first kill.
Having snagged one of the promotion match's key achievements right at the start, Shin-hyeok smiled in satisfaction and stepped forward.
Boom!
From then on, massive explosions and blasts began shaking the entire forest.
"...That damn small-country freak. How many has he killed already?"
Hong Deung-pyeong, smashing through charging foes amid the forest chaos, couldn't hide his disgust at Shin-hyeok's skyrocketing kill log.
He'd racked up 5 kills himself as a powerhouse player, but Shin-hyeok's tally was on another level—utterly off the charts.
"...Impossible. Three times my kills?"
Nearly half the players were already dead.
With Shin-hyeok accounting for almost half of those solo, Hong Deung-pyeong was speechless at the rankings.
But he soon gritted his teeth and refocused.
Crunch!
"...He must've cherry-picked weaklings. If he'd faced powerhouses like mine, no way he'd hit that number."
Not from any mental fortitude, but by downplaying Shin-hyeok's feats.
In truth, Shin-hyeok had crushed foes stronger than Hong's, but he'd never know.
Such thoughts were fleeting.
Boom!
"What the—?!"
Hong Deung-pyeong recoiled at the forest-shaking blast and explosion, clenching his fists.
His government- and Trinity Party-forged gauntlets crumpled with a screech, swallowed by the roar.
It felt like an unstoppable foe approaching, evoking 'fear' unbidden.
'Boss monster? No, promotion matches never had those. So a fellow player... But can a Silver Tier really do this?'
The overwhelming aura and blast evoked unseen bosses.
Hong Deung-pyeong couldn't accept it came from a Silver like him.
Believe it or not, that unstoppable monster—a Silver-defying freak—was closing in.
Rumble—
A massive tree toppled amid deafening crashes from the blast.
From the clearing emerged one player.
Bathed head to toe in blood, yet unscratched.
All that blood belonged to his foes.
Hong Deung-pyeong's eyes trembled as he faced him.
"A dog after all."
"...?"
He tilted his head at the out-of-left-field remark, but only briefly.
"No point prodding a fear-shaking mutt. Scram."
"...!!!"
Treated like a trembling dog, rage spread across Hong Deung-pyeong's face.
"You Bronze trash dare—!"
Boom!
Rage erupted into action.
Hong Deung-pyeong's trait: Martial Arts Archive.
Granting access to myriad martial techniques.
He unleashed a intricate footwork-body technique fusion, charging the blood-soaked player.
Shin-hyeok.
Crunch!
"...Gahk!"
"Not a trembling mutt—a rabid one."
But the moment he closed in, Shin-hyeok's golden claws seized his throat.
As a chilling smile curled Shin-hyeok's lips, Hong Deung-pyeong flinched.
"Rabid dogs need the stick."
"W-Wai—"
Unlike his dropped holy sword, Shin-hyeok gripped his demonic spear tight and swung.
Crack!
In the now-quiet forest, crisp whipping sounds echoed relentlessly.