Chapter 20
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“…….”
“…….”
The thought running through the minds of the PD, AD, and everyone on the broadcasting team watching the screen:
‘Is that…… actually working?’
Chaos.
When the footage started broadcasting and the Mir Guild entered combat with the goblin swarm, there was no other word to describe them.
Their formation was sloppy. The tankers’ defensive line was crooked, and even that clumsy line failed to hold, exposing gaps to the goblins and floundering about.
Was it just the tankers’ problem?
Sure, the tankers might have been off their game. Maybe they all ate spoiled food or were unusually out of sync today.
But in such situations, the rest of the team is supposed to remain calm and step up to help. That’s what being teammates means. That’s what being a team is about.
Yet.
Instead of stepping in to assist, the teammates, seeing the tankers’ disarray, threw up their hands and joined the chaos, as if saying, “To hell with it!” They were practically tap dancing along.
The goblin swarm became a ballroom for a mad dance.
It was a horrifying sight.
Some viewers averted their gaze out of second-hand embarrassment, and the PD found herself awkwardly justifying the mess to the youngest crew member who muttered an incredulous, “Ah…….” She insisted, “It’s not usually this bad. They’re not normally this disorganized……”
Hmm…….
Correction. On further reflection, calling them chaos incarnate might even be generous. They were utterly disastrous.
Sure, it was their first battle, and nerves were understandable, but this was a bit much.
Yet this trainwreck of a battlefield turned around in an instant.
All because Mountain King Kim Jong-pil began directing.
― “From now on, follow my instructions without question.”
The tide of battle shifted 180 degrees.
The chaotic formation, the disorderly atmosphere, and even the team’s mindset—all were brought under control in an instant.
The hopelessly amateur raid members transformed into elite soldiers.
Their once-aimless strikes were now precise and lethal. The previously chaotic magic now exuded calculated precision.
These were people whose flaws had dominated every assessment thus far, but with the Mountain King adding his touch, their hidden strengths erupted dramatically.
A truly dramatic transformation.
It wasn’t as if the Mountain King used some special power. He merely opened his mouth. He merely gave directions.
And yet it made this much of a difference?
At this point, the PD and several others were reminded of the Mountain King’s pledge.
― “Until I reach League 1, I promise not to step onto the frontlines.”
Honestly, they’d thought it was arrogance.
Who are we Koreans, after all? A warrior people.
Our Guild War Korea League is recognized as the most competitive among all world guild war leagues.
And yet, stepping back from the frontlines in this cutthroat environment? Filling the squad entirely with rookies and prospects?
Sure, the Mountain King’s leadership was widely praised, but wasn’t that only because the Kirin Guild had such an outstanding roster?
What could he possibly achieve with such a meager team?
Stripping himself of his own power, reduced to offering buffs or crowd control at best.
──These were their thoughts just a few minutes ago.
The PD, the AD, the youngest crew member, even Chae Dong-ha standing over there—everyone in this place had doubted.
Everyone except for one person.
Lee Shin.
“Eh? Why are you all so surprised? That’s the Mountain King. This much is only natural.”
He was well aware that people often criticized the Mountain King’s pledge as arrogance.
But in Lee Shin’s view, their shallow judgment of the Mountain King was far more arrogant.
Who are you to doubt the leadership of the SSS-tier Mountain King that I picked? Do you know this world better than I do?
This wasn’t about faith or trust, which might seem lukewarm.
This was certainty.
And Lee Shin’s certainty about the Mountain King wasn’t mere belief.
It was a conviction born of twenty years of being a veteran who loved this world more than anyone else.
This was his life and his only truth.
“They’re about to wrap things up now.”
No sooner had Lee Shin spoken than the climax of the battle unfolded on screen.
― “Cease attacks. Tankers, plant your shields and lower your stance.”
The tankers simultaneously drove their tower shields into the ground.
The moment their bodies lowered to the ground, explosions erupted in the air above them. The same suicide bomb attack from before.
― “Melee damage dealers, advance. Go wild for five seconds.”
The shields tilted slightly, and three melee damage dealers burst out.
Swords slashed down. Spears swept in arcs. Daggers danced, and fists crushed the fragile jaws of goblins.
One second. Two seconds…… Precisely five seconds.
As they retreated, the ground abruptly gave way.
The trap the goblins had been digging collapsed completely.
The entire battle felt like a marionette show.
When told to go right, they went right. When told to go left, they went left. When told to retreat, a difficult pattern emerged, and when told to press forward, it was always the key point.
To some, it might even seem as if:
‘They know the future.’
A chill ran down the spines of several broadcasting crew members.
At that moment, Lee Shin nonchalantly remarked:
“An overwhelming field of vision and multitasking through hundreds of spirits. A mind capable of deciphering every known monster pattern.”
“The Mountain King’s command doesn’t just control a team—it dominates the entire battlefield.”
The goblin swarm that had overwhelmed them earlier was visibly thinning.
The 300-strong goblin force had been reduced by half to fertilize the ground, with the remaining half scattered across the battlefield.
It was time to end this.
Kim Jong-pil made up his mind, and now that decision would shape the future.
A wind spirit appeared in the enemy camp, flapping its wings adorably as if to say, “Here it is~!” while marking the target.
In that instant, magic was unleashed from the raid party’s formation.
Fire Wall.
The moment the massive wall of fire erupted, the supporters who had been responsible for healing and buffs channeled their mana into pre-prepared magic circles.
From those points, milky-white mana threads spread outward like a spiderweb.
Wave of Wind.
The wind surged like a tide, sweeping toward the goblin swarm.
Though its destructive power was less than that of a pure magic damage dealer, that wasn’t its purpose.
Its purpose was its wide range, encompassing the entire battlefield, and its synergy with the fire element.
Indeed, this “Wave of Wind” was.
The fuel for the Fire Wall.
Whoosh―!!
……The wind carried the flames, turning the wave of wind into a wave of fire.
The fiery wave surged across the battlefield, consuming the goblin formation in an instant.
Screeeech―!!
Agonized screams erupted from the goblins.
The panicked goblins twisted their flaming bodies, thrashing about wildly.
At this moment, the battle was effectively over.
― “A gift. You need to take revenge, right?”
It was as if he was provoking the raid party to repay the disgrace they had suffered earlier at the hands of mere goblins.
― “Charge, all of you.”
As flashes of light cut through the flames, the blood and bodies of the burning goblins exploded in all directions.
Highly sophisticated command is indistinguishable from a miracle.
A miracle.
Yes, the raid party had just witnessed a miracle. The broadcasting team felt the same way.
“This’ll be entertaining when it airs, don’t you think?”
Lee Shin’s swirling smile left Chae Dong-ha no choice but to nod.
There was no need for words.
* * *
Every year when the league begins, each guild puts up its slogan at the entrance.
It’s a declaration: We’ll achieve better results this year!
It was a bold statement of ambition, meant to inspire fans who would cheer tirelessly for their guild.
Of course, the Mir Guild had something similar.
[ This Year is Different! ]
Forget the disappointing results of last year! A new Mir Guild is here!
──That’s what it was supposed to mean, but in reality, it was more like a desperate plea: “Please don’t leave us this yearㅠㅠ.”
The Dragon Buffs hated that slogan.
No, hate was putting it lightly; they treated it as a curse—something they despised and even condemned.
This guild had been failing for far too long.
Since its founding, it had consistently been on a downward trajectory, and any slight improvement would immediately be followed by a catastrophic collapse.
And every single time, like clockwork, they’d declare: [ This Year is Different! ]
You can imagine how the Dragon Buffs, who’d endured this for at least 1–5 years and as long as 20–30 years, must have felt.
This year is different? What exactly is different?
Ah, right, it’s different—they fell even further.
By the end of every league season, the thoughts of Dragon Buffs were eerily similar:
If I cheer for this hopeless mess of a guild again, I’m no better than a fool!
And yet, somehow, they would always find themselves back, banging their heads against the wall, shouting, “I’m not human, woof woof!” and cheering passionately once again.
That slogan, [ This Year is Different! ], was nothing short of a curse.
And so, Park Seong-cheol couldn’t believe what he was seeing right now.
What he was watching…….
This really is our guild, right?
-“The Mir Guild!! They’ve broken through the goblin defenses in a single charge! They’re advancing without hesitation!!”
-“A textbook defensive maneuver, striking weak points as they emerged! The counterattack split the enemy formation cleanly in two with a wedge formation. The Mir Guild is flawless! Goosebump-inducingly flawless!!”
The raid party, who had been firmly holding their defensive line with their shields.
They’d taken a position halfway up the hill, leveraging the advantage of higher ground, and fortified their position with earth magic barriers on both sides.
From positioning to formation execution.
Everything was perfect.
To be honest, Park Seong-cheol’s jaw had already dropped.
“What the heck! Why are they so good? Why are they perfect?!”
But the Mir Raid Party seemed to mock Park Seong-cheol’s astonishment with an unspoken question: “You’re impressed by this?”
Then they launched a counterattack.
Perfect positioning.
Perfect formation transitions.
And a perfect counter!
On screen, the goblins were being obliterated. Pulverized. Trampled under the Mir Guild’s unstoppable march.
-“There were as many concerns as there was hype, to be honest. An unproven squad and the Mountain King’s pledge. Many experts voiced their doubts.”
-“I’ll admit it myself. When I first saw the Mir Guild’s lineup, I thought it was arrogant. Over half were second-hand rookies, and the rest were untested prospects. Their average age is 23.5, even including the Mountain King! Can you believe it? Mir’s squad is that inexperienced!”
“Yes, yes, you’re right! That’s right!”
The Dragon Buffs, who had been angrily inquiring about the commentators’ parents and hometowns just moments ago, were now switching sides at the speed of light.
They had recently been shedding tears and singing praises for the Mountain King, worshiping Lee Shin for bringing him in.
But even with all that, many still regarded the Mir Guild with unease.
No matter how you sliced it, their squad was absurdly weak, just as the commentator had said. A team composed entirely of second-hand rookies and prospects…….
“Even as someone who’s supported this damned guild for 20 years, I’ve never seen a lineup this weak.”
In truth, the only thing they could rely on was the Mountain King.
Basically, the Mountain King had to carry them by the scruff of their necks.
But then, lo and behold, the Mountain King made a pledge. What? He wouldn’t take the frontlines?!
Mountain King, what are you talking about?! Lee Shin, you explain this!!
Let’s be honest now.
They had been anxious. Nervous enough to vent (under the guise of complaining) on Lee Shin’s social media with harsh words.
It wasn’t just them. Millions of Dragon Buffs were on edge.
They were so anxious that Lee Shin’s social media exploded with advice (under the guise of very harsh criticism).
Deep down, they could feel it—a stench of failure creeping up.
The same foul odor of defeat that had plagued them for 20 years.
But all that anxiety.
It was misplaced.
The Mir Guild—we.
Are far more extraordinary than we thought.
-“The battle is nearing its conclusion. Commentator, could you provide a summary of today’s broadcast?”
-“Ah~ It’s been so long since I’ve felt this moved while watching a League 4 match. Instead of summarizing, I’d like to say something to the Mir Guild fans who’ve supported them through thick and thin. Congratulations. Everyone, this year really is different.”
“This year is different…… This year is different…….”
Trembling!
It was overwhelming—an overflowing sense of pride!
As the first broadcast concluded, Park Seong-cheol, speaking for millions of Dragon Buffs, declared:
― The Mountain King is a god, and Lee Shin is invincible!
—
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