A dim, ash-colored sky.
『Initiating the Platinum Rank debut match.』
『The event for this debut match is Survival, with a total of 516 participants.』
『The location is the ‘Ruins of Gluttony’ in the Dimensional Chaos Realm.』
『The Dimensional Chaos Realm is the only borderland between the Heavenly Realm and the Demonic Realm, filled with danger. Eliminate all other players.』
Accompanied by messages flowing in.
Sparse, desolate landscapes in colorless hues akin to the sky’s darkness were scattered about, resembling expanses of barren land devoid of even seawater. The gaze of Kim Shimun, the spectator, skimmed over the desolate region and wasn’t pleased with what he saw.
Gathering large and small islets, it looked as though all the seawater had been drained away, leaving behind the remnants. It felt as if he was stranded on a fragment of a planet drifting in space. And that was indeed the case.
‘The Chaos Realm. How is every arena I participate in like this?’
The previous dimension, Insectia, had quite a reputation, but it paled in comparison to the Dimensional Chaos Realm. Kim Shimun’s gaze turned towards the sky, reminiscent of the universe, and the bleak horizon.
Hooong……
It was impossible to gauge how far the distance was, but faint echoes of fluctuating dimensions gently surged like calm waves. Judging from the faint sounds that could be heard from below, it was highly likely that a myriad of abnormal phenomena from various dimensions lurked even below.
– Oh! The Platinum debut match!!
– It’s finally starting!
– Crazy Chaos Realm lol, look at the atmosphere.
– This guy always picks insane maps. That’s a talent too lol.
– The whirlpool of dimensions lol, so creepy.
Viewers who had tuned in through the broadcast also chimed in with their remarks. One thought crossed Kim Shimun’s mind.
‘In reality, as long as you don’t get too close, such things aren’t even a threat.’
Kim Shimun gazed up at the ominous sky. Although predominantly ash-colored, like the sun obscured by dark clouds, a dazzling light radiated from one side, while on its symmetrical counterpart below, a dark shadow crept along the ground.
Light and darkness.
At the point where these two met, they created an ashen atmosphere that encapsulated the entire Chaos Realm. And fitting for such a Chaos Realm, there existed elements of danger.
‘The real danger lies with the Celestials and Infernals.’
Like a blizzard in the Snowy Map or a storm and tsunami in the Sea Map, the occasional appearances of Celestials and Infernals in the Chaos Realm were akin to natural disasters.
Celestials and Infernals were powerful races that typically appeared from the Diamond Rank onwards. Encountering them one-on-one could be quite a headache in itself. When multiple of them appeared and engaged in battle, the entire region would easily be torn apart.
The consequence of that was the scattered terrain of the Chaos Realm.
‘Even without getting involved in their battles, the aftermath alone can destroy the land.’
Then unless there’s no other means of flight. Players are going to fall straight down. Naturally, they’ll be trapped in a dimensional anomaly below and end up dying just like that. Not even a peaceful death.
– Ugh… Those dimensional anomalies. Just looking at them makes me dizzy.
– Ugh! PTSD X is hitting me hard, lol.
– It feels like all your senses are twisted, lol. If I feel like I’m falling, I’d rather just commit suicide.
– Me too.
The viewer glanced at the chat window and nodded slightly.
‘Being trapped in a dimensional anomaly until right before death really messes with your mind.’
3D motion sickness or something similar. Even if you’re not suffering from that. Dimensional anomalies provided an experience so bizarre that it could completely wreck a person’s psyche. It would be advantageous in many ways to just die as quickly as possible.
– Tankers, keep your mouths shut…
– Right. DPS and healers, shut it!
– Don’t be weak… what you’ve experienced is nothing compared to what tanks go through…
– Tank bastards showing off their endurance again.
– fr lol. Is it a bragging point to fall there?
Naturally, if you’re a tanker with high health on average, you’ll suffer even more, and even they, moving between Platinum and Diamond ranks, will go through a lot of suffering. Unknowingly, Kim Shimun let out a sigh of relief.
‘Whew… It’s a relief Shiyeon wasn’t here.’
Just before Shimun’s Platinum debut. The image of the child who tearfully followed her dad came to mind. How cute she, sobbing in the arms of Kim Shihyuk, Lee Yujeong, and Go Malsuk. Even though she wasn’t his biological child, she felt like a real daughter.
‘So that’s why. It’s embarrassing to bring her.’
Even in a casual arena like this, battles and bloodshed were inevitable. Taking a six-year-old child to such a place was out of the question. Unconsciously, Kim Shimun chuckled.
‘Of course, fundamentally, it’s a virtual reality, so it should be safe…’
Mithril, orichalcon, Adamantium, Dragonium, and even Queen’s eggs and Mimir’s Spring Water. Just the materials used to make her amounted to billions. That’s how Shiyeon was created. Perhaps unexpectedly, in terms of basic stamina, she might have easily surpassed Kim Shimun himself. As he thought that far.
‘Should I have just brought her along?’
Kim Shimun absentmindedly scratched his cheek. Naming Shiyeon led to a sudden engraving, bond work. Moreover, the system clearly said it shares the owner’s status window. Originally, sharing the status window was a function only available for the highest-grade summons.
And the summons that shared the status window also shared the majority of the owner’s experience points. Therefore.
‘I need to find out if we share experience points or if there are other growth conditions…’
Ordinarily, the production golem was supposed to have a status window only visible to the creator. Was it because of the unexpected Queen’s egg?
Shiyeon was a special case, as her status window did not appear at all. Therefore, it was unclear whether she shared experience points, or if she grew stronger through upgrading parts like other production golems.
The method of Shiyeon’s growth had to be found out directly. Lost in contemplation, Kim Shimun eventually clicked his tongue in disappointment.
“Tsk. I should have just climbed up with Shiyeon.”
But can they even participate in the arena together? After all, Shiyeon was never mentioned being a summoned beast, nor was there any indication of a status window or system like other production golems having their own separate dimension.
As Kim Shimun was lost in thought, a voice that definitely shouldn’t have been heard reached his ears. Thud. Kim Shimun froze in an instant. Turning towards the source of the lively voice behind him, he saw a young girl with a mischievous smile, her tiny hand cupping her cheeks.
“Apaa! Surprise~!”
Kim Shimun just stood there, dumbfounded, staring at the girl with a blank expression.
***
Thud. A heavy striking sound reverberated.
“Ugh!”
The man in plate armor struck by it gritted his teeth and glared at the man and woman in front of him.
“You cowards! Ganging up on me!”
“Haha!”
The man with a large scimitar, who had delivered the heavy blow, burst into laughter.
“Hey, Big Nose. This is a platinum rank debut match. Don’t you know?”
“I know that it’s a debut match with a survival setting, Middle Eastern bastard!” spat the man in plate armor.
“Alright, alright, calm down, Big Nose” the nonchalant scimitar-wielding man gestured to the woman next to him.
“Suad, could you explain to our fiery new recruit here?”
“Yes, Zayed.”
The woman named Suad nodded briefly and explained, “Teaming in a platinum debut match is essentially legal. There’s nothing unfair about it.”
“What nonsense!”
“Hey, Big Nose, don’t pretend you don’t know,” Zayed, accompanied by Suad, patting the man on the shoulder.
“If you’re here to participate, surely you know it, right? This isn’t some gold debut match; it’s a national event with public stakes involved. What’s there to argue about?”
“Indeed. Besides, your own group, Europe, must be somewhere else preparing right now. Isn’t that right?”
“Th-that’s…”
The man in plate armor shut his mouth tight. It was true. From the platinum rank onwards, the matchmaking extended beyond the country’s borders. And as it was divided into top-tier players, events like debut matches or national competitions in the arena carried national significance.
This led to various privileges granted by Galaxy Arena in that country. The representative example being the globally recognized Arena channel, TWC’s broadcasting rights.
“You, you look like you’re from France, aren’t you?”
“Ah, yes!”
“Then you should have even less to complain about.”
“That’s right. It’s called an alliance, but in reality, Germany, the UK, and France dominate the public channels, right?”
“Hey Suad, the UK has been out for quite some time now. It’s Italy now.”
“Oh, right. Haha, it’s quite fascinating, isn’t it? Acting like they would stick together and then abruptly withdrawing.”
“Those fanatics obsessed with money only have loyalty based on that.”
The man and woman bantered with evident mockery. Interrupting them, the heavily armored man exclaimed, “Aren’t you guys fighting with each other despite your almighty Allah!”
But he didn’t get to finish his statement.
You idiots who resort to awakened terrorism because missiles weren’t enough, who are you to talk! Even the infamous villain Bomberman was one of yours…
Swish.
A blond head flew through the air. It was Zayed’s Shamshir struck the armored man’s neck.
“Tsk. These money-crazed so-called Christians dare to speak of Allah.”
“That’s right. Whether past or present, these people have no genuine faith whatsoever.”
The man and woman watched the armored corpse collapse with a cold gaze.
Shortly after,
Boom.
Suad turned at the sound of an explosion nearby.
“Hurry, Zayed. We need to find our players quickly.”
“Right. We have to avoid those smug bastards and meet up with our other brothers.”
Just as Zayed was nodding, ready to move,
“Whoosh!”
Eyes wide open, he leaped back, changing direction. His decision was spot on. Crashing sounds echoed through the floor. Something impaled where Zayed had been standing, instantly releasing a cloud of dust.
“Zayed, are you okay?”
Suad, who had approached Zayed, now held a round shield in a defensive stance.
“Yeah. It was a close call for sure.”
As the dust settled, Zayed, staring at the deep pit in front of him, shivered.
Then,
Swish.
“Here they come.”
Zayed, brandishing his Shamshir, fixed his sharp gaze straight ahead.
Thump.
Light footsteps echoed on the gray ground.
“Quite light. An assassin guild? No, assassins wouldn’t create pits like this. Then, a magic guild?”
Zayed’s mind raced with complex thoughts. Sensing something, suad by his side also lowered himself further, gripping his round and sharp shield tightly. In an instant.
Suddenly. Zayed and Suad’s mouths slightly opened at the sight of something revealed. It was inevitable.
“Hehe! Surprise~!”
A child appeared with an innocent laugh. Before discussing their pretty and cute appearance. The child, who didn’t even reach their waist, didn’t fit in with this arena at all.
“Oh, a child?”
“Why is a kid here…?”
Zayed and Suad were immediately thrown into confusion. What was a child doing in the Galaxy Arena? Not to mention in this desolate chaos? Without a chance to gather their thoughts.
Thud.
A clear and cheerful sound resounded nearby. Zayed and Suad instinctively pounded the floor.
Thud thud thud!
The floor surged as if it had been waiting, turning into sharp thorns that followed behind them.
Then.
Thud.
Another sound echoed.
Thud thud.
“Oh no!”
The spikes shot up and quickly transformed into the shape of giant hands, grabbing the two’s legs.
Heavenly Demon Divine Arts.
Wave Annihilation Cannon.
A dark beam flew out, piercing through Zayed’s head.
“Z-Zayed!”
She tried to catch the collapsing Zayed but immediately withdrew her hand. Her sharp senses had warned her of an imminent attacker. Someone was approaching.
“This!”
She attacked the assailant with a round wheel. But.
Clang.
The wheel was effortlessly blocked. Looking back at her circular wheel with her aura around it.
‘They caught my wheel with bare hands?!’
It was an unbelievable phenomenon to catch her wheel barehanded. But she couldn’t dispute it. Actually, she had no room to do so.
Ping.
Another dark beam shot out. Passing through Suad’s chest without grabbing the wheel. It seemed to cleanly slice through her chest. Suad fell to the ground with a hole in her chest. The last thing she heard was.
“Shiyeon! Didn’t I tell you not to wander around alone without dad!”
It was like a man scolding his own child.
TL’s Corner:
Shiyeon for the win!!!
Shimun just accepting that he’s a dad now.