Lee Sangmin.
As a first-generation player who has been active for 12 years, he was a ghost of the so-called first generation who stayed in Platinum for the past 10 years. Or a player known as the Gatekeeper.
But he was also once a highly admired talent. He was a player in the higher range of Platinum who stood before the wall of Diamond. Naturally, he had numerous arena experiences with the players currently known as elites.
He was a world-renowned ranker and a man who rose to the top position of the Awakening Association of South Korea. He also had arena experiences with the Ironwood King Kim Muyeol.
Because of that,
“This can’t be true…”
As Lee Sangmin, who had gone through several arenas with Kim Muyeol, he couldn’t believe the current reality. That man who was as sharp as a knife.
“Who in their right mind is spouting such nonsense?!”
He was so agitated. In fact, he had doubted it when he first heard the voice.
“Is that really Kim Muyeol?”
Kim Muyeol. Well-connected in both politics and businesses, he was considered the apex of the South Korean business world and had a close relationship with Chairman Lee Suncheol of Holy Trinity.
From his military capabilities to his network, there was nothing lacking. How could a mere Platinum player have direct contact with such a powerful figure?
But there was no time to dwell on that.
“Answer me! Who the hell dared to spout such nonsense?!”
Kim Muyeol, who had never raised his voice before. This applied not only to Lee Sangmin but also to any South Korean citizen who knew Kim Muyeol. No one had ever seen that composed president get so agitated.
Or rather, did the agitated emotion even exist in that man? However.
“Well, it seems they have no intention to answer, do they?”
“How dare those little punks disrespect me?!”
An intense confrontation was unfolding.
“Are they really going to defy Kim Muyeol’s words?”
Putting aside the agitated emotion. Based solely on the tone coming from the phone, it was undeniably the Kim Muyeol that Lee Sangmin remembered. The esteemed Kim Muyeol, who didn’t even bother with Diamond-ranked players.
And then.
“Hmm… Kim Shimun.”
“Yes.”
This unbelievable situation was not a fleeting dream of midday.
“Keep everyone there in check until I arrive. Don’t let a single soul move.”
It was the beginning of a dreadful nightmare.
“Even if it’s me… They are also Platinum players over there, right? How can I stop them when they are national players?”
BAANG!
“Then tear their limbs apart if you have to, just catch them!”
The building of the association was trembling with worry. And along with it, the sound coming from Kim Shimun’s phone abruptly stopped. The call had been cut.
“…”
“…”
The waiting room froze in a different sense than before. Kim Shimun spoke, representing their paralyzed minds.
“Everyone, things have gone wrong, haven’t they?”
* * *
『Breaking news! Sudden departure of the association president?』
『The Boisterous Shouting and Enraged Ironwood King at the Top Floor of the Association! Secretary Choi Changwook: ‘It’s Just a Small Issue’』
『Breaking News! Did Platinum Group Anger Ironwood King? Controversy Within National Team!』
『‘Do You All Want to Die?’ National Top Guilds Startled by Association President’s Call!』
『Controversy Arises from Chung Hajun and Kim Shimun? Scorpio Guild’s Kim Jongjun: ‘Investigating the Situation. Nothing to Worry About’』
『Rumors of Discord within Platinum Group. Desperate Participating Guilds and Silent Kim Shimun』
Just three hours had passed since the phone call with his aunt, Kim Muyeol. A torrent of articles poured in like a waterfall, overwhelming in its sheer volume. But that was not all.
-What’s going on? Ironwood King got pissed off?
-Yeah. My friend works at the association. Said the president was furious. I’ve never seen him that mad before.
-Really? That guy even capable of getting mad?
-He’s the kind whose blood runs cold instead of bleeding if you stab him…
-It’s true. My sister works at the association too. She said the president stormed off to the parking lot looking like he’d kill someone.
-I just talked to my uncle. Heard the National Training Center is in chaos now. Can’t go into details though.
Various sites, including the Arena Community, were abuzz with discussions. It was expected. Kim Muyeol had been synonymous with ruthlessness since his first generation activities. The coldness and cruelty he displayed in his past individual broadcasts made enemies shiver, not only foes but allies as well.
Naturally, after becoming the association president, it was taken for granted. Kim Shimun’s hand paused as he touched his phone screen.
『I manage the National Training Center… This is no joke.』
-I’m a current administrator, stop laughing, haha. It’s Golem Choi Changwook. That guy.
-Really… Here and now… Let’s just say it’s a sea of blood here…
-Do some work, haha. Do you really think the president would slaughter national teams?
-Sea of blood, haha.
-Even if he’s Ironwood King, why would he slaughter the national teams, haha. Can’t he handle some provocation?
Perhaps it was because of the title “current administrator”. A certain post on a community board was exploding with views and comments. Seeing this, Shimun chuckled.
“So even our staff here use community forums.”
Of course. As long as the place guaranteed some degree of anonymity, there was nothing they wouldn’t do.
-You’re kidding, nope. I have a meeting tomorrow, and knowing the president, we should stay away from the mess. Let him clean up.
-#22. But he seems to have handled the provocation well, right? The number of comments is insane, haha.
-I’ve already warned our guild members, haven’t I? I think that’s why the articles are like that.
-Yeah, one of our guild members. Emergency meeting is going crazy right now.
-That’s it. The end. Why is the training center a sea of blood, haha. Do things in moderation, humans.
Every time he scrolled, the real-time increasing comments caught Shimun’s attention.
-He shook his head in disbelief.
“The author must feel unfairly accused.”
It was likely true. With a tone of pity, Shimun glanced towards the door. No more screams echoed from beyond the door, but just moments ago, he knew well what cries had been heard.
And the glass wall beside him. Reflecting the restless figures of association and training center staff.
Especially the 2-meter-tall man among the association’s figures, Golem Choi Changwook’s bewildered expression included, the anonymous post about a sea of blood was certainly no mere fabrication.
“It could be one of them. Who could it be?”
Just as he inclined towards his phone to divert his attention from the dwindling chaos outside, the waiting room door suddenly flung open, bringing the outside bustle into the room.
“Choi Changwook.”
“Yes, president.”
In just three hours, he had single-handedly stirred up the nation.
“Get rid of those damned bastards. Erase them from the national team roster.”
“What? But… Understood.”
Choi Changwook was taken aback and asked in surprise. However, faced with the terrifying gaze of Kim Muyeol that seemed to expose even himself, he quietly closed the door and left.
“Hoo….”
Like a well-sharpened blade, his voice, always calm and sharp, now trembled unstably. The man took a deep breath. Kim Muyeol walked unsteadily, roughly wiping his hands together with a handkerchief.
“Damn it!”
Was it a lot of dried up liquid, or had it dried up a bit over time? Filled with irritation at the poorly wiped blood, Kim Muyeol threw the handkerchief aside.
Thud.
A sound that was hard to believe as cloth hitting the wall echoed.
“You worthless bastards! What? A boycott?!”
Bang!
Breathing heavily, Kim Muyeol lightly knocked over a nearby bookshelf and approached the table. A demeanor reminiscent of a furious beast filled with rage. Even ordinary men would involuntarily tense up in the face of such a terrifying presence.
With his teeth clenched, Kim Muyeol growled, but that was it. Seeing him shaking his phone lightly, he promptly bit his tongue.
“Tsk. Looks like the trash are starting to talk.”
“All this chaos and no one’s gossiping is strange, isn’t it?”
Shimun put down his drink and spoke.
“You should’ve acted more discreetly, don’t you think?”
“No one’s dead. Isn’t this sufficient?”
How much more discreet is he expecting me to be? With Kim Muyeol’s stern gaze, Shimun shrugged.
“Well, considering uncle, it ended quite well.”
Kim Muyeol, the Ironwood King. A man who wouldn’t hesitate to commit murder if necessary, actually had a history of attempting to assassinate his own nephew. That he had completed the task without any casualties really meant a lot of leniency was involved.
Moreover, “They dared defy my will regarding the Platinum match. Just the fact that they are still breathing shows very generous care.”
It went without saying that anyone who defied the Ironwood King’s will faced severe consequences.
“But they still have backers.”
They were perennial Platinums. In other words, players with considerable skills holding high positions within the Platinum ranks. Naturally, they were backed by numerous top guilds in the country. However, “Ha! What can those first-generation ghosts do?”
The Ironwood King of all under heaven. Did it mean anything to Kim Muyeol, the Chairman of South Korea’s Association?
“Even if I cut off those bastards’ lifeline, those losers wouldn’t dare to confront me.”
He replied without a hint of hesitation.
“Those bastards must have accepted them as guild members because they are just that, losers. I don’t bother with losers. I’ll just kill them if they get in my way.”
He lashed out scathingly, more like he had put them through a grinder rather than a mixer. Seeing his outspoken uncle, Shimun chuckled lightly.
“Uncle is such a reliable personnel. Truly reassuring.”
“Cut the crap.”
With a fierce look in his eyes, Kim Muyeol glared at Shimun.
“I didn’t come here to watch your back for you.”
He growled low, like a beast about to pounce. It was a warning to Shimun.
“Because those vermin dared to oppose my will. They challenged my authority!”
It was a threatening warning that even made seasoned players tense.
“Indeed, there aren’t many who have survived defying uncle.”
Shimun just shrugged nonchalantly. Whether it was bothersome to him, Kim Muyeol’s gaze flickered briefly, but that was all.
“Well… Anyway, from now on, no one will dare to interfere with your participation.”
With a hint that he won’t tolerate any defiance in his tone, Kim Muyeol finished talking. Shimun did not ask a question like, “What if someone does?”
‘If someone else dares to challenge him here, they will surely all perish.’
It wouldn’t just end with handling the players with a light touch as it is now. Soon the entire guild they belonged to would be uprooted. The leaders and senior members would disappear without a trace.
Maybe someone like Kim Jongjun, the vice-guildmaster of the Scorpio Guild, would have to sacrifice his life. He had such power, the man named Kim Muyeol.
“By the way, what now?”
“What are you talking about?”
Shimun gestured towards the bustling outside, where the national team members with blood all over their body were being escorted.
“Looks like they just barely survived. They seem heavily injured. Will they be able to participate in the match tomorrow?”
“Didn’t you just hear? They will all be removed from the national team roster.”
“Ah.”
Shimun sighed softly.
“Let’s see. Except for Lee Sangmin and the six who supported him, we’ve wiped them all out…”
Originally, the National Battle Special Match had a capacity of 30 participants. Except for Lee Sangmin and the six who supported him, everyone else would be sent away.
So, including himself, a total of eight people would have to compete in the special match the next day. Was the slight narrowing of Shimun’s eyes a sign of satisfaction?
“Why, don’t you have confidence?”
Kim Muyeol’s mouth, which had been full of malice until now, suddenly curved with a hint of arrogance.
“Well, even if you are strong, it won’t be easy to defeat the 30 trained individuals with just 8 people.”
Moreover, these were individuals who were selected for the national team, aiming for the top ranks in platinum.
Of course, many true experts aiming for diamond did not participate in the national team selection matches. However, that didn’t mean the skills of those who did participate were lacking.
Moreover, if these individuals had trained together for several months for team matches…
“I have no intention of changing the deal. I’ve personally watched your back this far, so be prepared if you lose this special match.”
His usual sharp demeanor showed. In addition, a hint of sarcasm was added to Kim Muyeol’s tone.
‘
‘Why did he bother coming here?’
Shimun thought. Was he already confident that he wouldn’t be shaken from the moment he was authorized to join the national team?
But in life, there are always uncertainties. The possibility of losing the match still existed. In such a case, it implied that any failure would be entirely blamed on him. And to ensure that plan, more than half of the national team was taken down today.
Of course, knowing his uncle, satisfying his own pride and temper was the main priority.
“Truly thorough. Uncle, I have to respect you for that.”
Kim Shimun shook his head.
He meant it. Even with his own extensive experience from past lives, Shimun’s uncle Kim Muyeol never missed even the smallest details.
“But don’t worry.”
Kim Shimun’s lips curled into a smile.
“Even if I end up fighting alone, winning the special match won’t be a problem.”
His smile was a stark contrast to Kim Muyeol’s sneering grin.
Perhaps uncomfortable with that,
“Hah!”
Kim Muyeol scoffed.
“Your arrogance knows no bounds.”
“Is that so? Well, Uncle, you’re the same. Must be a family trait.”
Kim Shimun responded without backing down.
Unable to retort, Kim Muyeol clenched his mouth shut.
“Uncle, setting aside our personal feelings, can you tell me objectively if I’m wrong?”
“……”
Kim Muyeol stared at Kim Shimun silently. He wanted to tear into his arrogant nephew with sharp words, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
It was obvious. Personal feelings aside, the discerning eye of the ranked Iron King undoubtedly saw that this troublesome nephew could indeed sweep the special match single-handedly.
As if Kim Shimun took Kim Muyeol’s silence as an answer,
“See? So don’t worry about the special match. Just handle the task I’ll give you later.”
Kim Shimun’s smile grew even broader.
The sneer that had been playing on Kim Muyeol’s lips vanished.
“…I sincerely hope you lose.”
“Uncle, careful, or you’ll get recorded again.”
“Hmph! Your neck will be severed before that happens.”
“Hahah!”
Kim Shimun burst into laughter at his uncle’s quick retort and propped his chin on his hand as he asked, “Are you sure about that? Uncle, you have no choice but to listen to whatever I say.”
“You brat! Just because one trait is blocked, you think I can’t handle you…”
“If you find it hard to believe, feel free to test it right now.”
Kim Shimun raised his eyebrows with a sly nuance. Though it made Kim Muyeol’s insides boil, he said nothing more.
“…Be prepared if you lose.”
Kim Muyeol, driven by an inexplicable sense of unease, suddenly stood up and left the room.
* * *
The next day.
『Finally, the day has come!』
『We believe the entire nation will be watching with bated breath!』
Live broadcast on the National Arena channel of the Republic of Korea.
The MC, Choi Kanghyup, and commentator, Song Jaekyung, were extremely excited.
It was natural.
『When you think of the player who joined the Platinum-rank this time, you can’t help but feel excited!』
『Haha! You’re right. I made a typical statement.』
A player who joined with the Option Additional Rights. A promising player who has been gaining worldwide popularity recently by debuting in the Platinum-rank debut match, breaking various records, didn’t join, did they?
Of course not.
『Although there was a slight misunderstanding, it has been well resolved by the association.』
『That’s right! We just need to support and keep supporting!』
There was a bit of noise, but even that was settled by the association president himself, so all they had to do was look ahead to victory.
This was the sentiment shared by Choegangyeob, Song Jaekyung, and even the viewers watching the broadcast.
『Oh, the national anthem is playing, indicating the entrance of the Platinum-rank players… huh?』
Until the players participating in the special match entered.
『Um… Commentator Song, is it just me, or do I see only eight players?』
“I, I have a question.”
The two people stumbled over their words, filled with confusion.
Naturally.
“Only eight players are visible. Could it be that these eight are not the total number of participants in this match?”
TL’s Corner:
Haha, the Platinum team got wiped before the competition. Time for Shimun to hard-carry again. Nothing new.