Chapter 82
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“Riot has been doing a great job lately. A new game already?”
“Exactly. ‘Galaxy Craft’ is phenomenal.”
“How do they even come up with ideas like this? Honestly, ‘Hidden Attack’ and ‘Galaxy Craft’ are both terrifying.”
“Right? When ‘Hidden Attack’ first came out, I felt the same way. Who even thinks of weapons that can kill people so easily?”
“Come on, it’s just a game. What’s with all the seriousness? And dangerous weapons like knives and guns are basically the same.”
The release of successive games sparked intense reactions among the public.
Both games were set in bizarre worlds completely different from reality.
In fact, the invention of guns in the game even brought drastic changes to its world.
Yet, for most people, life remained the same.
Even with the invention of gunpowder, ordinary people had no use for it.
Using small artifacts was still more convenient.
These artifacts were primarily used for cost-efficient large-scale operations, such as mining.
It had only been a year since ‘Hidden Attack’ was released.
The same applied to guns.
The manufacturing methods for guns were strictly regulated by governments worldwide.
While a few individuals figured out how to make them privately, most nations restricted general firearm usage.
Even in secret, guns were mainly used in the underworld.
Besides, anyone determined to kill someone would do so with a knife or any other weapon.
The presence of guns did not significantly increase the rate of murders.
Human nature stayed the same.
Ultimately, people’s focus returned to ‘games.’
“Are you choosing the Zerg race? That horrifying species?”
“You just don’t know how satisfying it is to play as Zerg. It’s way more fun than those flashy Protoss.”
“You people are hopeless. Terran is obviously the superior choice.”
“Oh, please. Terran, my foot.”
‘Galaxy Craft’ gained even more popularity than ‘Hidden Attack.’
An engaging storyline. Intriguing factions.
And one match where players became strategists, leading battles to domination.
Countless strategies for ‘Galaxy Craft’ were developed.
On ‘Tworch,’ the streaming platform, ‘Galaxy Craft’ streams surged in viewership.
Additionally, various groups and individuals began organizing small and large ‘Galaxy Craft’ tournaments.
Unlike COL, these tournaments were for solo players, making participation much easier.
As a result, the popularity of ‘Galaxy Craft’ skyrocketed.
“Damn it, lost again. Those damn Terran players.”
One prominent user, Kong, stood out among many famous players.
Known as one of the top Zerg players, Kong participated in numerous tournaments.
Kong was the second son of the imperial Count Jino family, just two years younger than the eldest.
With two arms, legs, eyes, nostrils, and ears like everyone else, he managed to secure second place in every tournament he entered.
His skills were exceptional, consistently bringing him to the finals, only to be defeated by a Terran player each time.
“Ah, Kong Jino, thank you for your efforts.”
“Ah, yes. Please, just call me Kong.”
“It’s easier to say your full name since it’s so short.”
At the age of 22, Kong chose gaming over pursuing higher education at the academy.
This trend was increasingly common among young people.
Some even managed to bypass the academy entirely and secure positions as professors with outstanding skills in COL.
Perhaps part of this trend stemmed from a growing dissatisfaction with traditional academic studies.
But most were like Kong Jino from the Jino family—young people hoping to find success through games they loved.
Of course, such cases were rare.
No matter how talented a gamer was, exceptional talent on Kong’s level was uncommon.
“I need to win to achieve anything…”
It was widely known that the academy’s I-SPORTS major was about to introduce a new specialization focused on ‘Galaxy Craft.’
Kong Jino also dreamed of becoming a professor in that field.
However, to achieve this, he needed victories in several major and minor tournaments.
Especially in the upcoming international tournament hosted by the royal family.
Yet, strangely enough, he had never won a single championship.
He always lost in the finals, finishing as the runner-up.
“No one remembers who came in second…”
Indeed, the academy only scouted champions, those who secured first place.
“Oh no! Kong Jino’s Zerg loses yet again to Johan’s Terran in the finals!”
Even in the royal family’s first international tournament featuring ‘Galaxy Craft,’ Kong Jino participated.
Despite the immense attention the tournament garnered, akin to the COL Championships, Kong once again faced a Terran player in the finals and lost.
Achieving second place in the first international tournament was undoubtedly impressive.
Yet, Kong Jino was far from satisfied.
The I-SPORTS major at the academy also appointed Johan, the champion, as a professor.
All Kong had left was the “eternal runner-up” label and his 21st consecutive second-place finish.
“Another second place? Seriously, you should just enroll in the academy already!”
“Brother, it’s not too late. You’re only 22. You can still apply.”
Even his family saw him as a freeloader.
They had pinned their hopes on ‘Galaxy Craft,’ but now they scolded him for not applying to the I-SPORTS program.
“But I’m not good at games like COL… I wouldn’t have passed the entrance exam anyway.”
The competition for the I-SPORTS major was insanely high.
For someone like Kong Jino, who only excelled in ‘Galaxy Craft,’ it was a daunting task.
“Maybe I’m cursed or something.”
Kong Jino wandered the streets, lost in thought.
A game he was good at had finally emerged, yet he had never won a championship.
This had to be the work of some curse.
Then, he heard some surprising news.
“Have you heard? The royal family is recruiting a new strategist.”
“What’s that got to do with us? We don’t know anything about military strategy.”
“Apparently, they’re using ‘Galaxy Craft’ skills for the recruitment!”
“What? Has His Majesty lost his mind after playing games for so long?”
“Shh! Are you trying to get yourself killed? That’s not it. The reorganized military is struggling to develop proper strategies. Apparently, the knights, who’ve only ever fought with swords, can’t adapt to new strategies that incorporate firearms.”
“Ah! That makes sense. Recruiting someone skilled in ‘Galaxy Craft’ could help devise strategies for the restructured military. If only I were a bit better at the game, I would’ve applied. Sigh.”
The news spread that the Imperial Army was looking for a new military strategist.
And they were even planning to recruit through Galaxy Craft.
It made sense that having a Galaxy Craft user skilled in diverse strategies could benefit the new army.
There were even rumours that Galaxy Craft would be included in officer exams starting next year.
“This might be my chance…”
Kong Jino applied to be the Imperial Military’s strategist with a trembling heart.
He could barely recall the military strategies he had learned lightly during high school.
But he believed the strategies he had internalized from playing Galaxy Craft could still be utilized effectively.
“But… I’m a Zergling main.”
The problem was, Kong Jino was a Zergling player, not a Terran user.
That part could be dealt with later.
***
“What?! They’re selecting the new military strategist through Galaxy Craft?!”
Upon hearing the news, the Emperor stood up and shouted.
He had just finished his Maple Leaf Story homework.
“Yes, Your Majesty. It was approved by you…”
“Hm… I don’t recall. Was I playing Auto Chess at the time?”
The Emperor didn’t remember approving such a thing.
In reality, it was one of the many proposals he had carelessly approved while gaming.
Lately, he hadn’t even been attending government meetings because of his gaming addiction.
“Hm… It is true that the new army has been a concern.”
Still, the Emperor didn’t dwell on the matter for long.
After all, he was also an avid Galaxy Craft player.
Thus, he already understood most aspects of the game.
“Galaxy Craft. It’s truly the essence of military strategy.”
In war, the critical factors extend beyond mere combat.
Army coordination. Commanders. Supply lines. Resource allocation. Contingency plans for emergencies. The harmony of diverse units. The importance of vision and reconnaissance.
Formulating military strategies.
Especially for an army incorporating new weaponry, crafting new military strategies required careful consideration of such elements.
“To be honest, I’ve always been dissatisfied with appointing bookish types to the military department.”
“Y-yes, Your Majesty.”
“After the era of peace, it couldn’t be helped, though.”
Only those who had faced the brink of death in war truly understood such nuances.
However, after peace was established, graduates of the Academy—elite intellectuals—dominated the Imperial Military.
It was inevitable, as academic records became the sole metric.
As a conqueror Emperor, this had always been a source of dissatisfaction.
“But with Galaxy Craft, it’s different.”
Galaxy Craft. Truly, the pinnacle of strategy.
It could compensate for the lack of experience among strategists and commanders.
Thus, even the notion of selecting the new military strategist through Galaxy Craft earned his approval.
With a satisfied expression, the Emperor spoke.
“You’re doing good work. Now, let’s start a COL broadcast…”
“…”
The Empire is running smoothly.
The pleased Emperor connected the Tworch artifact and began streaming.
“Greetings, everyone. Oh, a donation right as I start. Thank you. No reactions, though. What do I do with the donation, you ask? Well, despite being the Emperor, I’m flush with funds. I spend it all on Maple Leaf Story. By the way, today, I have a collaboration with the Demon King-sama…”
The Emperor’s secretary shook their head and quietly left the room.
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