NOVEL WEB Chapter 114 - Honor?
Chapter 114 – Honor?
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“Alright, let’s officially start the game. The volcano has formed at the southernmost point of the map. As the eruption intensifies, the south will gradually be covered in lava, and the edges of the island will begin to be submerged due to the aftermath of the explosion. Only the apex predators will have the right to survive the wrath of the volcano!”
“As we speak, the eruption is beginning. The volcano at the southern tip of the island is spewing lava from its northern slope. This will significantly impact the early competition. What kind of combat scenarios do you foresee?”
“We should first consider the ratio of people between Lapland Town, which is adjacent to the northern slope of the volcano, and the city above it, Keraunos. For example, if more people flock to Keraunos, users who activate their skills in Lapland Town will push in en masse. Those without skills will suffer the most.”
It was a kind of psychological warfare.
The number of users staying in Lapland Town, where the skill activation zone appeared first, and how many people were setting up a preliminary defense line in Keraunos. If, contrary to the mentioned situation, users flocked to Lapland Town, the number of early eliminations would skyrocket.
Interfering with opponents in the skill activation zone, and then being targeted by other users once your location is exposed. There could even be battles between users who have opened their skills.
An endless cycle of bloodshed formed a vicious spiral.
As the battle began in earnest and sporadic engagements broke out everywhere due to the small size of the map, numerous windows popped up in rapid succession, as if watching a relay.
When one of them appeared, the commentary continued.
“At this very moment, a battle is occurring in the lower part of Lapland Town. It’s Xi impressive’s Whale player versus Blank K1KERS’s Chariot player. With fierce fighting underway, we can’t help but hear Yoo Jin caster’s evaluation of this situation!”
“Both of them can’t be said to be engaging in proper combat. Fighting openly in the facility with the most foot traffic indicates they might be looking to disrupt the game by drawing in other nearby users.”
“Ah, looking closely, it seems there is some truth to that. Currently, Chariot appears to be avoiding direct confrontation with Whale! The battle radius is expanding to what feels like a dangerously wide area!”
“In such cases, the longer the engagement drags on, the more disadvantageous it becomes for both, likely resulting in the skirmish ending inconclusively.”
About a minute passed, and just as predicted.
Whale started fighting another user who had come to investigate the noise, and Chariot, half in tatters, hurriedly escaped the building.
Questions also came through donations.
“If your goal is to catch them, maintain a certain distance and keep following them without firing. The initiative depends on who reveals their weaknesses less.”
Tracking without shooting can put significant pressure on the opponent. If the enemy shoots to deter the tailing, it reveals their position to other enemies as well.
Countless engagement windows started to appear. The game was just beginning. Sometimes, battles occurred so quickly that another engagement started while explaining one.
It was certainly novel. Occasionally, there were those who used unthinkable tactics. When I was a user, I played with the mindset of eliminating any opponent blocking my path, but seeing the overall picture from a higher vantage point provided a new perspective.
“Hearing experiences and tips from actual users is indeed vivid. Even though I’ve played Apex Predator several times as a broadcaster, the clashes between such highly skilled users are truly remarkable. It’s as if a complex strategic battle is simultaneously unfolding beneath the surface.”
“Exactly. Ah, as I speak, battles are breaking out everywhere! Near the skill activation zone, the strength of the nanomachine defense barriers significantly increases, leading to an all-out war!”
“…Predicting who will survive this zone is meaningless at this point. Considering the survival rate drops below half, half of the twenty gathered nearby will either return to the lobby or barely escape with their lives.”
Amidst the heated commentary of the two broadcasters, I continued to speak as much as I could.
Since I wasn’t the one falling in the game but rather a spectator, I couldn’t stay silent. In other words, I was also half-forced to join their energetic conversation.
“I’m sure many are curious about how to survive and excel in such chaos! What kind of judgment shines in these situations?”
“Due to the increased strength of the nanomachine defense barrier, a momentary concentration of firepower is crucial. A large number of grenades, precise throwing and shooting skills, and the ability to catch isolated enemies are needed.”
“Thank you! Yoo Jin caster often emphasizes the importance of grenades. Can you elaborate on that?”
“If it hits properly, a grenade can force the firepower equivalent to an entire magazine onto the enemy in a very short time. Moreover, it can confuse the senses with its noise and shockwave, creating an advantage. If used correctly, it’s an unparalleled weapon in modern CQB.”
Unlike usual, where concealment and risk management are important, the skill activation zone allows open movement due to the strengthened defense barriers.
Therefore, prolonging the fight results in a bizarre situation where neither side dies, and soon, the chain turrets nearby will wipe out all moving entities.
Hence, I didn’t have much more to say.
“Although I can’t say for sure… I think the Arcadia Games user Evler, who has the best kill-catching ability and grenade usage, has a slightly higher chance of standing out here.”
“You’re making a vague statement despite the specifics. Is there a reason for that?”
“Simply having those elements doesn’t guarantee survival here.”
-YoojinSpecial）No vague answers
-This person never ends with abstract, generic statementsㅋㅋ
-Gives very definitive answersㄷㄷ;;
-Expertise aside, speaks with full confidenceㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-This person must be a tactical advisor! Our Yoojin is amazing~
Countless viewers were enthusiastic.
Combat was a process where countless variables spun wildly inside a massive machine, creating unpredictable outcomes, and even seasoned veterans could only make predictions based on verified data.
On the contrary, this time was different. Yoojin’s input wasn’t someone’s typical MOA figures, first-shot accuracy, average movement distance, or other readily available yet unnecessarily quantified information.
She simply explained the situation in a way everyone could understand, and laid out what efforts or preparations were needed to achieve specific goals, concluding definitively whether it was possible or not. If it had been an ordinary person’s words, it would have been just one of many opinions, but Yoojin’s accumulated reputation placed her statements in an unquestionably credible position.
Meanwhile, the broadcast continued.
Time passed quickly.
“The battle in the lower region is concluding. Meanwhile, tsunamis are hitting the western, eastern, and northern edges. With pyroclastic flows descending the northern slope, about two-thirds of the southern area has become an uninhabitable wasteland.”
“The current circle encompasses the large Luau Lei Shopping Center on the island’s edge. The final stage of the map filled with deadly gimmicks seems to be leading to a pure physical showdown. With 25 survivors, a quarter of the players still alive, a blood-soaked final battle is imminent.”
Now, they subtly turned their gaze to me.
In just a few minutes, a sort of nonverbal communication had developed between me and the casters, implying ‘what’s your take?’
Although I hadn’t experienced much combat in this facility, I had gone through tournament and preliminary ranks, playing this map over twenty times. Adding the experience I gained as an operator, analyzing building structures became slightly easier.
“The final circle’s direction and how the buildings collapse due to weakened foundations will be crucial. Simply shooting a rocket at the already weakened building pillars could cause them to collapse, so there will likely be users targeting this, whether they like it or not. Moreover, due to tournament rules, heavy weapons will also appear here, partially demolishing the buildings.”
-Lol, so trueㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-These buildings really have trash durability
“There was an earthquake, so will you drop?”
“Dodging falling ceiling debris while sweeping up enemies and running away, where is Yoo Jin?”
“So who do you think will win? LOL.”
Seeing the chat room explode with predictions about the winner, I took a deep breath and added quietly.
“…Why does everyone think I’m going to predict who’s going to win?”
“Yoo Jin coin is skyrocketing, you’re not getting on this?”
“Hold on tight, it’s going up~~~~~~~~~~~~~~”
“Just shoot, teacher.”
“Now, will there be a special event with a 1:1 match against the top user?”
“They’re all crazy, LOL.”
Ah, the world of the internet.
[AngelThree donated 1,000 won.]
“Wow, the mascot of the prediction room is really beautiful^^”
“A sigh.”
“Eek!”
Bam!
Yoo Jin used the interview function to pop up the avatar’s head near her. As she swung her hand through the air, the avatar’s head, which belonged to a girl with striking white hair, was crushed like a balloon.
Leaving behind the avatar that disappeared with a strange scream, a slightly flustered caster Liquid asked me.
“…Is that okay?”
“She’s a viewer of our channel.”
She would be dumbfounded by now, but she wouldn’t be in pain. Since the advent of virtual reality, various activities became possible without the constraints of distance—even reactions like this—according to what Harmony once told me.
It was part of that.
After planting someone’s head on her neck, the chat room—of course—did not quiet down. The viewers kept cheering madly, crying out for more rewards. I had to threaten to lock the chat room before they calmed down a bit.
There were fewer than twenty enemies left. Tasting each of their nicknames as if savoring them, I spoke.
“I will do my best to explain until the end.”
Now it was time to finish with dignity.
“…I clearly won first place, but why does it feel like I’m being judged?”
I managed to defeat countless enemies blocking my way and clinched first place.
I crossed the village made of collapsed buildings, ruins, and debris, dodging numerous bullets and fighting enemies. Even skill dealers armed with shields and drones were no match.
Sometimes cunning, sometimes brute force. By playing appropriately for each situation, I achieved a decent score and became the sole survivor amid the ashes.
Thus, the first-place interview remained. Normally, joy and exhilaration would have surged through my body, making even my fingertips tingle. I should have been happily debating what to eat for a late-night snack to celebrate my success in the Preliminary Rank.
But somehow… it didn’t feel like a victory.
With those thoughts, I climbed the stairs.
“Ah! As I speak, the user who won first place in the Atakaya volcanic island match is emerging! Clear Sky’s Gambit has clinched the Apex Predator title───!”
“Everyone, please welcome them with applause!”
However, at that moment.
As I stepped onto the podium where three casters, not two, awaited, overwhelming cheers and applause, unlike anything I’d experienced before, shook my avatar.
“Wow.”
Just that one word.
The only word that barely escaped my lips from the overwhelming emotion swelling in my chest. A gigantic stadium with no visible end when I looked up. Massive banners and cheering sticks quickly produced, and the applause of 150,000 people carried through the air.
How could one not love this? How could one see this and regret or complain about this path? Considering how pro gamers use fans’ love and support as their driving force, today would be unforgettable until the day I die.
Amid the emotion and exhilaration that melted my body, only a single sound escaped my mouth.
It felt like walking in a dream. The distance between steps became blurry.
Before I knew it, I was sitting in a chair, holding a microphone.
The interview began.
“Haha, you must be very surprised. There are far more viewers than usual because caster Yoo Jin is here today. I hope it’s a memorable experience for you.”
“Ah… yes, I truly won’t forget this, even if I die.”
“Exactly. Anyway, congratulations on winning first place. As you probably know, all the players in this session were viewed by 150,000 people. Among them, the person most talked about would be Gambit. Be proud.”
“I am truly honored, haha.”
“But it’s not over yet. There’s another special honor given only to the first-place winner, right?”
Clatter.
At the same time, the two casters stepped aside, revealing a person who cautiously appeared between them.
The one who turned the relationship between the winner and the interviewer into that of a participant and a judge.
“Let’s welcome today’s special caster, Yoo Jin, as the evaluator!”
“…The honor feels a bit burdensome.”
That casual murmur might have been the most accurate and insightful comment about the situation.
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