Chapter 265: The Mightiest Reinforcement (3)

A massive raid involving three guilds.

Since it was an attack on a key area of the 15th floor, the world’s attention was focused on it.

Especially because Kang Jinhyuk, the ranker of the moment, was participating in this raid.

It was only natural that all the community sites and portals were flooded with related news.

“Hoo…”

Cigarette smoke wafted upward.

After the popular broadcast program ‘Climbing the Tower of Trials’ was canceled due to an unfortunate incident, KDS broadcasting station went through a major overhaul, launching a newly revamped program instead of being bogged down by the past.

‘Solo Max-Level Newbie.’

It targeted top rankers and guilds, covering their daily lives and activities both inside and outside the tower.

The program thoroughly dug into everything about them.

What set this program apart was that a player-turned-PD would directly participate in the raids of large guilds.

“Yes… Delivering live raids of famous individuals to viewers was definitely its charm.”

Team Leader Jung Bumhee of KDS reflected on the past few months.

Despite many trials and tribulations, they had managed to endure and make it this far.

The greatest contributions were made by Jinhyuk and the Unknown.

Though it was impossible to embed a PD in their raids, just summarizing information about them was highly entertaining.

‘Korea… No, the world should be grateful. If it weren’t for those two, we wouldn’t be living our lives so peacefully.’

However, just when things seemed to be sailing smoothly…

A problem arose.

All broadcasts from inside the ruins had been halted.

Unable to contact the PD dispatched as a correspondent, they were completely cut off from information.

-Sunwoo Joo: Am I the only one who can’t access the Dangun Guild broadcast?

-djh: I know the broadcast system is supposed to be active in that area. Why did this happen all of a sudden?

-Koonie: Over 10 channels have closed.

-Owl: What’s KDS doing? Aren’t they supposed to manage this? Didn’t they officially partner with Dangun?

-Fig: They accepted over ten advertisements and did nothing. I knew something was up when the official channel started buffering.

-Hyemyung Park: The overseas channels are also down. Gandara and Olympus are closed too.

-Aria: What’s going on? Did something happen?

-Ice Ssanghwa Tea: I heard there’s a boss monster with special abilities on the 15th floor. But with so little information available, it’s hard to be sure.

Comments were flooding in.

“Damn it! If you’re not planning to feed your family by raiding goblins, figure out what’s going on! Whether you have to blow up the Tower of Trials or find the people who made it, do whatever it takes to contact our correspondent!” Jung Bumhee shouted.

Frustrated, he grabbed his cigarette pack, but it was already empty.

He needed to quit chain-smoking.

The atmosphere in the situation room froze under his stern reprimand.

‘Damn it. I understand his frustration, but what a load of nonsense…’

‘If we knew how, we would’ve created another tower by now.’

‘Guess it’s another late night at work.’

Just then, a ‘NEW’ message appeared on the empty channel list.

“What, what is this? How…?” The monitoring staff muttered in disbelief.

“Team Leader! You need to see this!”

＊＊＊

[Broadcast has been activated.]

“Moooogi…”

“Wait. Don’t you remember what the master said? If we mess up, we’ll all end up in the zoo.”

“Hey. The broadcast is on.”

“Huh? Really? Shh! Everyone, shh!”

“Quiet down. I’ve got a headache.”

Voices murmured in the background.

Since it was a private account, it was unclear who had started the broadcast. But the important thing wasn’t who was talking.

It was what they were showing.

-Twilight: What is this? Is this real? I thought it was a trick, but the broadcast is on.

-Pretty Jihyo: Why is Gandara Guild attacking Olympus Guild?

-Jay: Did they know the broadcast was down and decide to backstab? To hog all the rewards?

-Hwang Hyunseok: Wow, this isn’t just bad manners, they’ve gone mad.

-Richard: This needs to be protested on a national level.

-BaronCat: I thought stealing ramen from my little brother was bad, but I’m an angel compared to this.

-Alkl: That’s still bad. You devil.

The first thing the screen showed was Gandara Guild ambushing Olympus Guild.

The scene of allies turning against each other was broadcast unfiltered.

“Oh no…”

“They targeted the porters.”

Even within KDS, regretful sighs were heard.

No matter how strong Olympus Guild was, it was impossible for their current members to withstand Gandara’s main attack force.

A bloodbath was inevitable.

But then.

Silver-haired figures with red eyes intervened.

-Ydy: Who are they?

-Wanna Fish: Silver hair and red eyes… Are they Olympus Guild players?

-jun: First time seeing them.

-SSS: Wait, they’re insanely strong. They’re pushing back Gandara Guild!

-Anenbri: Sagitta is one of the top rankers in Gandara, but he’s getting pushed back. Especially by that man and woman at the front—they’re monsters.

-kim: Is this what justice looks like?

-Hoon: Guys, a few more live streams have opened. Check it out, it’s complete chaos!

Indeed, two more live streams had started.

Rattling skeletal sounds were heard, followed by the appearance of a large, red-skinned apostle being blocked by a familiar old man.

Who could not recognize him?

If you discuss the strongest in Korea, he is always mentioned.

Though the Apostle of Wrath swung his greatsword wildly, Yoo Chunyung held his ground without being pushed back.

No, he wasn’t just holding his ground.

As the essence of his martial arts, refined to the extreme, manifested through his hands, the huge apostle began to be pushed back.

“Y-Yoo Chunyung, sir. I thought he never entered the tower. What’s he doing here?”

“To see this in my lifetime…”

Amid astonishment and admiration, all eyes turned to the live broadcast.

[You have received a whisper request.]

A message appeared in Jung Bumhee’s personal status window.

A message at this crucial moment. Of course, he had no intention of checking it.

Unless the sender’s name was Kang Jinhyuk.

Jung Bumhee clicked the status window with trembling hands.

-K-Kang Jinhyuk Player… Is this really you?

-Names are good, but I’m short on time. I need to eat before my food gets cold. So I’ll make one proposal.

-What do you mean?

Jung Bumhee stuttered, but Jinhyuk continued.

-As you can see, I know how to break the barrier inside the ruins. I am the only player capable of broadcasting live.

Indeed, being the only one was an overwhelming advantage.

And the reason for saying this…

Jung Bumhee swallowed dryly.

-I want to sell the broadcasting rights. To ensure that only KDS channel can air this raid.

-…That’s a tremendous offer.

-I have a connection with KDS. I feel more attached to you than other places.

-So, what price do we need to pay for this broadcast?

-100,000 mana stones and 5,000,000 coins. Oh! Think carefully. I said it’s a one-time offer.

…Here it is.

As expected, an offer demanding an astronomical price.

Jung Bumhee’s mind raced.

If it were cash, no matter the amount, he would have accepted. But 100,000 mana stones and 5,000,000 coins could shake the entire headquarters.

Even if all the players in the company were to gather and broadcast a large guild’s raid, it wouldn’t be easy to meet that quantity.

However…

‘If we can secure the rights to broadcast this raid, the impact would be unimaginable.’

Even a few ads would be sufficient.

No, it’s a chance to make KDS known worldwide.

Right now, the whole company and viewers were going wild.

‘I can’t approve this on my own. At least the director… No, the president must handle this.’

The problem was time. There was no leisure to seek approval step by step.

Jinhyuk wanted an immediate result. The company needed to give an immediate answer.

‘It’s all up to me.’

To push through. Drastically. Breaking the existing mold.

This was why he was made the team leader of this program.

At that moment.

“Teresa… Player Teresa is there! In the third live stream!” someone exclaimed.

“Are you talking about Teresa from Europe? From the Rosenberg family?”

“Yes. But we should probably put an age restriction on this. Some scenes are hard to watch.”

Even with just one incident, it was chaotic. But with such major events happening simultaneously, it was overwhelming.

Gandara Guild’s betrayal, the demons’ involvement, Yoo Chunyuk’s official debut, and even Europe’s hero, Teresa.

Jung Bumhee bit his lip.

His hesitation didn’t last long.

“We’ll take the broadcasting rights. Gather all the resting staff and notify the higher-ups to come to the office. I’ll take full responsibility, so no objections.”

“Y-You want to call the director at this hour?”

“Whether it’s the director, president, or chairman, tell them all to come! Do you think they’d praise us for not reporting because we didn’t want to disturb their sleep?”

Of course not.

They would scold us for not having the sense to report during a company crisis.

“Understood.”

The employee, pale-faced, searched the smartphone contacts.

The broadcast that would determine KDS’s fate had begun.

＊＊＊

Kuukuuukuuu!

The air shook violently as magic clashed with magic.

“Krrk!”

A deep growl escaped from the Apostle of Wrath, no, from Rephes’s mouth.

The opponent was just an old man.

But why!

Why was he being pushed back, when he was known as the strongest among the seven apostles?

“This is impossible!”

Rephes raised his greatsword high again.

[Rephes activates Lv32 ‘Painful Wound’!]

An ability that deals double damage when injuring the opponent.

The greatsword, already powerful, became a deadly weapon that could inflict fatal wounds with even a scratch.

But.

Bwoong!

Bwoong!

No matter how powerful the weapon, it’s only meaningful if it hits.

“Krrk! This can’t be… It can’t be happening!”

Rephes swung his greatsword wildly.

The sword drew chaotic trajectories in the air with formidable force.

“Attacks driven by emotion are easy to read. Didn’t I tell you? Our years of experience are different.”

“Shut up. You humans live only 100 years, but I have existed for far longer! Your experiences are nothing before me!”

“No.”

Yoo Chunyuk shook his head.

“From your swordsmanship, I can tell you enjoy toying with those weaker than you. That’s not years of experience. It’s just wasting your abilities, intoxicated by your own power.”

However.

“I have fought against my own limits.”

To surpass that wall.

To reach a new realm.

He had diligently accumulated every single day.

The result was…

[Yoo Chunyuk activates Lv40 ‘Subdue Spirit Kick’!]

This.

Kwaaaaa!

The energy channeled through his waist descended down his thighs and calves.

When the energy, which trembled as if it would explode, fully bloomed through his heel,

It looked like a massive scythe wielded by a giant.

“Aaaah!”

Rephes raised his now diminutive greatsword high.