Episode 1: New World / Chapter 9: Bonus Game (4)
TL: Myoni
Edited: Myoni, Yoni
7 minutes after the boxes disappeared, the majority of the dropouts had been killed.
It was a gruesome scene.
First, the dropouts were separated into two groups, one with friends that tried to protect them and others without. The dropouts with friends protecting them numbered 7 to 8. It was more than everyone thought.
The rest had to survive on their own.
The moment the boxes disappeared.
âEuahh!â
With a hurried scream, the friendless dropouts ran. The hunters tried to stop their paths but they rolled and pushed their way out.
The dropouts werenât captured as easily as everyone expected. The hunters were people who had karma and were stronger than the dropouts but they were still students and teachers. They were people who would have a hard time catching a rabbit even while running after it with a sword. It was hard to kill those who struggled to live.
This was why a more gruesome scene unfolded. A round of mixed martial arts was 5 minutes. For the dropouts who didnât have karma to try their best to run and resist for that time, of course, they were at their limit. The dropoutsâ movements became sluggish while the hunters who were pissed became more heartless. A running dropout was hit by a swing of a spear and rolled onto the ground. Someone came running behind him, kicked his face, then grabbed his hair and sliced off his neck. Then the hammer would appear, smash its victim, splattering blood everywhere. Afterwards, an item would appear.
Madness.
The people who didnât participate but were spectating felt their knees tremble.
And this scene occurred throughout the gym. Many would chase after one and the lucky winner would obtain the item. However, not everyone was like that.
Although everyone had similar stats and karma, the difference between each other started to show and it was greater than the difference among level 1âs in an AOS game
{1}
.
There were âplayersâ who particularly shined.
First, the class president Jung Minji. She fought like she was the incarnation of Joan of Arc. Not only did she show that she was physically skilled but she even was outstanding at reading the situation and devising plans. There was no hesitation in her actions.
The moment the box protecting Yoon Girim disappeared, she grabbed her, put her over her shoulders and charged. The 6 people who surrounded Yoon Girim all had dumb expressions like a dog chasing a chicken and couldnât react in time.
The place she was heading towards was next to Chu Youngjin who was protecting his girlfriend.
Punch!
The moment she slammed her fist into a studentâs throat who was approaching Lee Hyejin, his girlfriend, an alliance was formed. Jung Minji didnât stop there.
âHey! Baek Saelom! Arenât you friends with Hyejin?â
Like that, she continued to call out specific peopleâs names. Although there were some who looked away, there were also some who slowly entered the fray.
As she started to aggressively form a group, the hunters felt uncomfortable facing Jung Minjiâs group.
This game was a bonus game. Although an E rank item was enticing, there werenât many who were willing to risk their lives for it.
Of course, they were some who were still willing to kill even though they didnât have to put their lives on the line.
The third year, student representative Kim Piljoong was like that. He coordinated with his friend, Son Dukpil, and he differentiated people he knew and didnât know with a sword. He would save those who he was familiar with but kill those he had only met once. No one was able to block his arrows as he was skilled in archery. He killed 3 dropouts and their friends who tried to protect them. Son Dukpil would take care of those that approached and Kim Piljoong would shoot arrows from behind or stab with his gladius
{2}
. Kim Piljoong had obtained a new bow, shoes and a shield. And among those, he gave the shield to his friend, Son Dukpil.
There was even a player who would run around swiftly cutting dropoutsâ necks. She was the one known as the Queen Bee among third years, Lee Hyunah. When she ran, her victims wouldnât be able to react as their heads dropped onto the floor. Even their blood took a while to flow. As if she was kind, she would save those with pretty faces and mercilessly kill those she deemed ugly. She gave swords to those she saved and ordered them to kill others. She had obtained a ring and a throwing knife.
5 teachers died after getting hit by the gym teacherâs iron mace. Among them, three werenât dropouts but those that hunted dropouts. The gym teacher Hwang Mangi didnât hesitate to kill his competitors. He had obtained a pill and armor.
Then there was Choi Junsung. As expected, he easily obtained items. While dragging a long two-handed sword behind him.
âWanna move?â
With those words, even competitors who had caught a dropout would move aside without a word. He was the rumored fighter of the third years so they didnât have the courage to stand up to him. The first third year who lost his temper was cut in half by Choi Junsungâs lightning fast two-handed sword. Choi Junsung obtained a necklace, helmet and gauntlets.
Who to kill?
Your competitors or to quickly kill the dropouts?
And.
Will you kill only the dropouts or their friends as well?
Or, contrarily, will you kill the hunters and save the dropouts?
Who will you kill and who will you save?
Even in this simple game, there were a few options and the players who shined each had their own style.
Instead of a fight between justice and injustice, it was more a fight between rules. And rules were something only the strong could create.
And among them, Choi Hyukâs rule was eye-catching.
âKill the one who obtains an item.â
There was no one who specifically targeted those who obtained items. Because an E rank was powerful, no one wanted to fight against people with items with unknown effects.
While everyone else was fairly(?) killing dropouts and obtaining items, Choi Hyuk was the only one who solely focused on snatching the items after killing their owners. Because of this, Choi Hyukâs fights were especially fierce.
Since the necklace he had snatched first was useless as it was already spent, his second fight was fierce as well. His opponent wielded an E rank saber. Every time he clashed with the E rank saber, his F rank Bastard Sword would chip. If he was to receive a hit straight on, it was certain his sword would split in two. Also, the E rank saber increased its ownerâs power and speed, so it was difficult for Choi Hyuk to break through. Choi Hyuk sneakily moved back avoiding the slashes as he waited for his opponent to tire out and stabbed right when his opponent showed an opening. His Bastard Sword ripped through his opponentâs armor and Choi Hyuk was able to seize a slightly curved E rank saber from his corpse.
Every fight would be the same, so it took quite a lot of time.
When he seized the Necklace of Protection and the saber, 6 minutes of the Bonus Game had already passed. And by that time, most the dropouts were chased down and killed.
While one side was hunting normally, Choi Hyuk was fighting fiercely by himself.
Smash!
At the same time Choi Hyuk seized the saber, another golden hammer fell to the floor. Shoes that would increase your recovery stat and jumping ability. The student who had obtained them was clearly aware of Choi Hyuk. It was because he had seen Choi Hyuk target other peopleâs items. As soon as he received the shoes, he ran to the sides and hid among the spectators. However, Choi Hyuk chased after him. The item owner used his increased jumping ability to avoid Choi Hyuk but, eventually, Choi Hyukâs estoc pierced through his stomach. There were no exceptions to Choi Hyukâs âKill those that killed first. In the order, I see themâ rule.
Everyone was filled with shock at the scene.
Especially the spectating students who thought they were a safe distance away, they couldnât help but be terrified of Choi Hyukâs determination as he moved in between them to kill his target.
âHaa⊠HaâŠâ
When he had finally killed his last target, Choi Hyukâs stamina was at its limit. The karma that was fiercely circulating his body stiffened or relaxed. It seemed he was feeling the effects of his stamina stat.
But still, perhaps it was due to struggling through fights or because of his rule, he wasnât as uncomfortable as he was when he killed Bae Hyunsung. It was better if his body was uncomfortable than his mind.
He calmed his breath and looked at his surroundings.
âWhat a mess.â
Everyone was flashing out a red (hostile) light. Some were even emitting a black (killing) light. Choi Hyuk could see it with his âEyes of Distinctionâ. Red and black lights flashed on his skin. It was an unpleasant and disgusting feeling.
Many were cautious or envious or hated Choi Hyuk. Although the student body president Kim Piljoong and the gym teacher Hwang Mangi had killed more people than Choi Hyuk, the one who was under the most hostility was him.
It was because, among the players who stood out, Choi Hyuk was a guy that they had never heard of or seen before and he was the only one who targeted those who obtained items. There was no one who doubted that the best fighter in school, Choi Junsung, would kill people. But when a person no one had seen before was doing things even the best fighter Choi Junsung wasnât doing, he really popped. A lot of hate fell onto Choi Hyuk.
Except for Choi Junsung.
âWhy is he white?â
Only Choi Junsung was emitting a white (goodwill) light to Choi Hyuk. When their eyes met, he would wave. For him to show goodwill when he killed people. For some reason, he felt worse. Choi Hyuk ignored him.
The only surviving dropouts were the four Jung Minjiâs group was protecting. Besides them, all the other dropouts either died or, with the help of their friends, killed someone and got rid of the ITEM mark.
As it was tough to face the 15 people in Jung Minjiâs group, the hunt for dropouts ended there.
Then, when no dropouts were killed for 2 minutes, the announcement for the next game appeared. There wasnât even a break.
âDamn⊠damn it allâŠâ
âThese fucking dropoutsâŠâ
Jung Minji who was unable to obtain any E rank items because she was protecting the dropouts was inwardly grinding her teeth.
However, she was the player who had formed a group faster than anyone else.
And that was how the {Throne Game} began.
{1}
Aeon of Strife, probably better to think of it as a MOBA
{2}
Gladius â https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladius
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