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Chapter 96
There is a saying that Mr. Lee’s son, Mr. Shin, often repeated like a habit.
The League is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
There was of course the lesson that in order to run 42.195 km you need to steadily build stamina and refine your pace, but more importantly, it was a warning: if you throw your whole life on the line and run like hell from the starting line, you’ll crash and burn.
That was exactly the current situation of League 2.
“Right now, League 2 is overheated! If this keeps up, they’re all going to die!!”
Ӗ_n̆ u mа..і̀ d_
“H-ha, Jen-ah. Let’s start with the opening, the opening.”
The MC pushed away the agitated panelist and began the opening.
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“Digging into this week’s league. Amaaazing~~”
““League!!””
<Amazing League>, counted as one of the three main analysis programs alongside Guild Section.
If Guild Section featured former hunter analysts holding expert debates about strategies, tactics, and the current league meta, then dropped the headache-inducing expertise and instead focused on what viewers really wanted—guild results and hunter gossip.
Ē nu̇m a .і̂d
Even the MC himself was a national MC from the entertainment world, with nothing to do with hunters. Those reaction machines waving placards over there were idols who hadn’t even awakened in the slightest.
Thanks to that, the core audience was teens to twenties, with female viewers overwhelmingly outnumbering in comparison to the other two shows.
Truly a young and MZ program.
And the one carrying the Y.o.u.n.g.M. in this young and MZ program was none other than “Jen,” the one who had just gotten heated.
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“Hyung, now that we’ve done the opening, I can talk, right?!”
“Yeah, Jen, do whatever you want.”
W̆ e b n̂о v_ѐ l Е n̊um̊ a
Jen was a first-generation idol-hunter, and the very first Korean idol-hunter to make it onto the Billboard charts, a living legend of the entertainment industry.
He was called the model case of an idol-hunter who made remarkable achievements in both entertainment and guilds, and during his active days had the nickname “Passion Man.”
And today too, true to his nickname, Jen glared at the camera with blazing eyes as if to crush it, and spoke.
“The current pace of League 2 is abnormal! Thinking back, it was strange from the very start. It may be an uncomfortable truth, but normally, not all guilds throw themselves wholeheartedly into the season like this!”
Of course, all guilds try their best for good results, but the degree of seriousness varies.
The sincerity of a guild that barely failed promotion in 2nd place last season, and that of the guild that barely survived relegation in 29th place, can never be the same.
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That’s why most set realistic goals.
The 29th place team, who tasted the bitterness of relegation matches: “Let’s just escape the relegation zone.”
The 20th place team, wanting to get out of the bottom: “Let’s get to mid-tier.”
Once you subtract all those, there are at most 10 guilds truly going all-out.
“But this season’s League 2 has none of that. It’s like they’re all possessed, throwing themselves in with all their might. They’re ramping up the pace!”
As proof, as of yesterday, all thirty guilds in League 2 had finished the 10th round.
Е̂n̄um а. і̌ď_
Jen stressed that this was just 1/5. Out of a 50-round season, only 1/5 had passed.
Just the early stage, and yet…
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“Already, guilds are retiring! Guilds, plural. Not one, not two, but three! Three!! In just 1/5, three guilds have retired!!”
As Jen flailed and exaggerated, the MC smoothly picked it up.
“Then the fundamental question arises. Why did they run until they were forced to retire?”
“You’ve hit the nail on the head! Why did this happen? To answer that, we have to go back to the beginning.”
W̌ е̄ bǹ о́vе l̄ .Е n̂ūm̀ а
This season, an unprecedented number of free agents were released, and the League 2 guilds swarmed them like a pack of hornets.
That’s where it went wrong.
As if smeared with honey (it was), League 2 guilds flung open their wallets like crazy.
Hunters who clearly weren’t worth that much (they weren’t) were sold at two or three times the price.
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The bubble born of excessive competition.
In truth, the bubble born of Lee Shin.
Ŵ ebń о̃ v̀ ӗl̆ Еñüm̂а
And bubbles inevitably burst.
“The common point among the three retired guilds was that the poor performance of the expensive hunters they recruited was decisive.”
The amount the CEO signed on the recruitment contract equals expectation.
This player will deliver results equivalent to this amount. That expectation is expressed as a number.
So when the player shows performance equal to or above that amount, we call it a successful signing.
On the other hand, a failed signing it’s when they don’t live up to the price.
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If they fail to deliver results proportional to the money paid, from then on, the figure written on the contract becomes the label of the representative’s incompetence and failure.
Therefore, once they stepped into the bubble-filled market baited by Lee Shin, the guilds could not stop. They must not stop.
It wasn’t the kind of money you could just chalk up as a loss. If they stopped, the responsibility would fall squarely on the CEO himself.
Up to this point, everything was according to Lee Shin’s scenario.
“Right now, the guilds are dancing. Like the protagonist wearing the red shoes in a cruel fairy tale, this dance will not end until their feet are cut off.”
________________________________________
Е n üḿ а̀.id
<White Lily Guild>, Incheon
A strategy analysis meeting was being held under the guild leader’s supervision.
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“Upon investigation, Mir Guild’s raids in the lower leagues were impregnable.”
League 4, League 3.
On the screen, Mir Guild’s raid results and other indicators filled the display… At first glance, one might think this was Mir Guild’s room, though it was clearly <White Lily Guild>.
Of course, it wasn’t meaningless.
Е̇ n̄ũ m̂а̄ . і d̃.
The brain and command of Mountain King, who had changed the paradigm of raids, remained intact. Just studying that would provide great lessons for the next round and dungeon strategies.
But again, this was <White Lily Guild>.
They hadn’t gathered to praise Mountain King. They were here to find weaknesses in Mountain King —or rather, in Mir Guild.
“This time we’ll watch their League 2 raid footage. Interestingly, the formation itself isn’t all that different.”
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Mountain King commanded with his hands behind his back from above, providing only simple buffs, while the rest of the raid party shifted formation and attacked in accordance with his commands.
A typical Mir Guild raid battle.
Ё ń ümā . і d̃
“But there is clearly a difference. Watch closely from here.”
At the team leader’s button press, the League 3 raid footage and the League 2 footage popped up side by side, and immediately played at triple speed.
The differences became crystal clear.
The early stages went similarly, but as the fight went on, the League 2 raid party fell behind.
Even the healers, who usually had relatively less stamina drain, were sweating heavily…
The team leader placed the responsibility squarely on one person: Mountain King.
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“The reason Mir Guild’s raids haven’t been as overwhelming since promotion to League 2? It’s because of Mountain King. The reason Mir Guild’s pace looks shaky? Again, it’s Mountain King.”
Because—
“They are, in effect, down one person.”
“……!!”
That was it.
Brilliant mind, excellent command—but in the end, when you strip it down, they were missing one person.
W е b̊.n̄ŏṽ е̄ l_ Ёnü m ӓ
“In League 4 and 3, it wouldn’t have shown. Because those hunters had poor brainwork but excellent physical ability.”
But in League 2, can you still bulldoze with physical power alone? If they could, they wouldn’t have been in League 4 in the first place.
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“Mountain King has done nothing wrong. He is still the smartest commander in the world, and undeniably a legend. But it is also undeniable that by serving as the brain, he is excluded from the fighting power.”
“Pressure meant for 15 people is now borne by 14. The raid team has no breathing room, and when there’s no room, their vision narrows. With narrowed vision, commands no longer land.”
“And this is the result.”
The screen changed to show rankings.
Е n̂_ǔ ṁ а̄
It was the raid results of the 10th Round.
1st <Mir Guild>
68 hours 47 minutes 1 second.
2nd <Dynasty Guild>
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68 hours 49 minutes 50 seconds.
3rd <Mujang Guild>
Е́ n ü ḿ а̃. і d̀
68 hours 50 minutes 9 seconds.
•
•
9th White Lily Guild>
68 hours 56 minutes 25 seconds.
9th place was certainly upper ranks, but a bit lacking to call it a promotion spot.
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But that was normally. Currently, it was different.
“As you can see here, from 1st to 10th, the difference in raid times is within 10 minutes.”
A certain research institute in the UK reported that the range of variance luck can cause in raids is 11 minutes.
If the boss had many surprise patterns, it could delay you by 11 minutes. If luck gave you critical damage opportunities, it could make you 11 minutes faster.
“When you combine the pressure weighing on Mir Guild, the overall rise in League 2’s strength, and all these other factors together…”
“The conclusion is, Mir Guild is not as overwhelming as we thought.”
W е́b̌ň о̊v̂ еl Е̌n̈um̃ а́
This was League 2.
Even with Park Su-bin, called a monster, and Yu Rira, their opponents were fundamentally no pushovers either.
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Moreover, thanks to Mr. Lee’s scheming this year, the league’s average level had been involuntarily raised.
Naturally, the gap that originally existed had shrunk further. So much so that it could almost be called League 1.5.
The reason Mountain King declared in the beginning, back in League 4, that he wouldn’t use his own powers, was because he had the normal level of League 2 in mind. In other words, the current situation was an irregularity.
Even if it were not just Mountain King, but Mountain King’s grandfather, it would still be impossible.
Е.n u ma
Thus, the head of strategy concluded:
“Mir Guild’s record will be broken in the near future.”
And at that moment, for the first time, a reaction came from the seat of honor.
“Ai, damn.”
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________________________________________
With both legs propped up on the desk and the chair pushed all the way back, sitting almost as if lying down—this was Ryu Hyung-seok.
W̌е̃bńò v̊ё l E_n̊ um ā
He was the CEO of the <White Lily Guild>, installed by the LeeDo Group, and the son of Lee Se-jeong, the esteemed daughter of Chairman Lee Sang-byeok.
And—
“Team leader, you still don’t know me? After seeing me for two years, you still don’t?”
Just as heaven produced both Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang, since the LeeDo family had Lee Shin, it was inevitable that Ryu might be overshadowed.
But still, he was the number two delinquent, the one who doggedly chased after Lee Shin’s back.
“I told you, I’m thickheaded. Even if you show me stuff like that, I don’t get it. Stop talking in circles and just tell me the point. Only the point.”
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Stretching, Ryu Hyung-seok wiggled the foot he had on the desk and pointed at the screen.
“So, is the record going to be broken or not?”
“It will be broken.”
“By when?”
“Soon…”
“Don’t be vague. If it’s a day, say a day. If it’s a week, say a week. If it’s a round, give me the number. Answer like there’s a gun to your head.”
È nù m̂ a . і̀ d
Knowing that this threat wasn’t just a threat, the head of the power analysis team felt a chill run down his spine and answered carefully.
“By Round 14, within four rounds, the raid record will fall to second place, or they’ll at least lose a set in a match.”
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“Okay. You promised? If you’re wrong, we’ll see then.”
“Now get out.” Bang!
He fired a finger gun, and everyone cleared out of the meeting room. Soon after, a secretary in a suit walked in.
Ryu Hyung-seok’s gaze toward the man was displeased. He was an aide—and watchdog—assigned to him by his mother, Lee Se-jeong.
E ǹu m̈ а
“Didn’t even call you, but here you are. So what? What’s mother saying this time?”
“She didn’t say much. Other than mentioning Young Master Lee Shin of the Mir Guild.”
“You think I’m deaf? Saying she didn’t say much when she said it all. She wants me to break the record before I face that precious big brother of mine, isn’t that it?”
“……”
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“If you’ve got nothing to say, shut it, yeah? Don’t worry. I’ll do fine. I hate Lee Shin too.”
Well, honestly, was there anyone in this family who liked that guy?
Е̌ñ ŭm̄ а. ĭd
There were many reasons, but it was certain that few, if any, liked him.
Because he was loved by their grandfather, because he stole an ex-girlfriend, because he gave them disgrace…If it had been his older brother, maybe there would’ve been some lofty complex about the surname “Ryu” that came before Lee Shin’s name.
But at least for Hyung-seok, it wasn’t anything like that.
It was really nothing more than—
‘Shit, he just pisses me off.’
He just hated him.
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Hated the sight of him.
A visceral rejection.
Ryu Hyung-seok himself didn’t realize it, but we call this “self-hatred of kin.”
He leaned back in his chair and put a cigarette to his lips. The secretary lit it for him.
Taking a deep drag, Ryu wiggled his toes and turned his gaze back to the still-glowing screen in the corner.
“You heard, right? What do you think? You think Round 14 is possible?”
W̊ е̃b ń о̂v̆е l Е́nũḿ а.
Though outside, walls were no obstacle to the secretary, who had the ability of “Psychometry.”
Based on what he had heard, he quietly gave his opinion.
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“It is true that the record is within sight. It is also true that the 14 raiders, aside from the Mountain King, are reaching overload. Therefore, the team leader’s words are entirely reasonable.”
“When do I go up against him?”
“Round 15.”
“So the record will be broken before I face him?”
Е ñú mа
“It’s highly likely.”
“And if we strike when their momentum falters?”
“If the record is broken, the chances are high.”
“Good. Good. It pissed me off to see such a useless bastard doing so well. Let’s see how that smug face crumples.”
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And so came Round 11.
Mir Guild (3) : Tartion Guild (0)
Е́n ǔ m ă
• Mir Guild wins (+3 points)
“Park Su-bin’s not bad. Is there any way we could rope him in?”
Then Round 12.
‘LV6. The Chimera Ogre’s Great Escape’
64 hours 5 minutes 14 seconds. (Gap: 7 minutes 11 seconds)
“They cut it down, 7 minutes. Pushed themselves a little too hard this time? Tsk tsk, they shouldn’t blow all their records at once. Let’s see the next one.”
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Then Round 13.
Mir Guild (3) : Card Shuffle Guild (0)
“Hm…”
Finally, Round 14.
‘LV6. Revenge of the Goblins Who Achieved Civilization.’
59 hours 51 minutes 14 seconds.
Е ñ ũm̂а̃. id̂
“…Hey, you said they’d stall?”
Gap with 1st place: total 27 minutes 7 seconds.
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“Shit, the gap got even wider?!”
________________________________________
~Mir Guild~
From the hunters lying on the stone beds, groans of pleasure escaped.
Е n ùm̀ а̀
“Ohhh, that’s good.”
“So warm~”
“My fatigue’s just melting away.”
“Five stars…”
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Two hours later, the hunters came out looking refreshed.
With a towel wrapped around his head—no one knew where he even got it—Lee Shin gave them high-fives as they came out.
Ė ǹ ü m à .іd̄
“Wow…CEO, this is insane.”
“Nice, right?”
“It’s no joke.”
“It’s killer.”
“This is the real shit. This is it.”
“Keheheh.”
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And then came the knock at the waiting room door.
“Next group, go on in.”
““Ohhh!””
Once again, today, the Mir Guild was in perfect shape.
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