<strong>4.</strong>
The Changwon Guild’s Trouble-Maker Trio—Ahn Chang-yoon, Kim Gil-tae, and Lee Jung—were in grave danger.
“Aren’t you kidding me? We just climbed 100 meters in one go. Earthworm, that crazy bastard.”
“Are you scared?”
“Scared? You think I’m scared? Do you not know it’s because of you that we’re falling behind? Stop cracking jokes and just run!”
With Kim Gil-tae’s Iron Spear, they crushed otherpetitors. Lee Jung used his telekic power to fly through the air, covering the shortest distance. And with Ahn Chang-yoon’s Phase Shift, they used surprise attacks to regain the advantage when their numbers fell behind.
Their cooperation had great synergy. They made it all the way to the final six together.
[Ah, here we have the trio from Changwon Guild, who are trailing the farthest. Shall we take a look?]
But all the remaining participants were high-level C-ss Awakeners with a high conversion rate. The three who had risen through teamwork were naturally falling behind among the remaining survivors.
[If the Earthworm moves even a few meters, their elimination will be confirmed. How do you feel about that?]
<ul>
<li>“This level of questioning, hahaha.”</li>
<li>“Seems like you’re getting frustrated. Are you?”</li>
<li>“Hey, you crying? Are you crying? Hahaha.”</li>
</ul>
The three who were sure to be eliminated red at Joo Ah-young, who had calmlynded on a nearby rock, with genuine annoyance in their eyes. Unlike them, who had drained all their mana, used skills repeatedly, and squeezed every ounce of energy just to survive, Joo Ah-young looked like she was on a field trip, her mood lighthearted despite the situation.
[The Changwon Guild trio~ stop focusing solely on running and let’s do an interview with the lowest-ranked group for a moment!]
“Damn it, can’t you see we’re struggling here, almost dying?”
“Don’t touch me.”
“Go do your interview with someone else.”
[Are you trying to help? Oh, thank you~ I’m really moved by your earnestness, still doing the interview even when elimination is imminent!]
<ul>
<li>“Forced interview.”</li>
<li>“Hahaha.”</li>
<li>“Then why ask at all? Hahaha.”</li>
<li>“Just... because it’s fun?”</li>
<li>“Like sister, like brother, hahaha.”</li>
<li>“Real vicious sisters, haha.”</li>
<li>“But where’s the Silent Sword Master?”</li>
<li>“What’s good about winning the tournament? Asking for the 381st time.”</li>
</ul>
Kim Gil-tae, unable to contain himself, lifted his Iron Spear.
“Hey, you bastard, didn’t I tell you to stop?!”
Suddenly, Kim Gil-tae’s powerful spear was thrown in a fit of rage! The spear, flying like a shell, struck the ground where Joo Ah-young hadnded, creating a deafening crash. Amid the shattered stone debris, Joo Ah-youngnded lightly on a rock 10 meters to the side with an annoyingly cheery bounce.
[Oh no, how can you attack the host out of anger? No wonder you’rest.]
<ul>
<li>“Wow, hahaha.”</li>
<li>“That spear throw was ridiculous.”</li>
<li>“The bounce sound was so irritating, honestly.”</li>
<li>“What does ‘King-burned’ mean?”</li>
<li>“It means ‘heated up’.”</li>
<li>“Why is heat bing ‘kinged’?”</li>
<li>“It’s a thing.”</li>
<li>“So is Gwanggaeto the Great King Gwanggaeto the Great Army?”</li>
<li>“Who taught that guy the ‘Ya-min Jeong-eum’?”</li>
</ul>
“Say something! Is that bastard insulting our Changwon Guild...?”
Just as Kim Gil-tae was about to team up with hispanions, his eyes caught sight of the figures of the two others who had already moved far ahead.
“Are these bastards just sucking the easy stuff and leaving me behind?!”
“You’re the one who threw away your Iron Spear, you idiot.”
“AAAAHHH!!!”
Kim Gil-tae, in his rage, smashed a wall with his fists, but the two had already disappeared.
[How do you feel about being betrayed by your teammates and left alone at the bottom?]
“I’m gonna kill all of you, you fucking bitches!!”
<ul>
<li>“No mercy, Kim Gil-tae, haha.”</li>
<li>“I can hear your annual sry melting away.”</li>
<li>“Changwon Guild Leader might need low blood pressure treatment, haha.”</li>
<li>“Sejong the Great Army.”</li>
<li>“Aaaahhh, I think I’m losing my mind, losing my mind, losing my mind.”</li>
</ul>
“Who does this bastard think he is to do interviews like this…?”
Unable to handle Joo Ah-young’s constant teasing, Kim Gil-tae lost his temper, pointing his finger at her and yelling, before losing his footing and falling.
[yer 93, Kim Gil-tae, has been eaten by the Earthworm and died.]
[Earthworm – 10 kills.]
[Remaining participants – 5.]
<ul>
<li>“Hahaha, that’s such a pathetic way to die.”</li>
<li>“The death interview, hahaha.”</li>
<li>“Oh, slow pace? Just do interviews, I guess.”</li>
</ul>
[Uh… there was a little incident. Shall we continue with the lowest rank interview?]
<ul>
<li>“Does this mean he’s going to kill thest person left?”</li>
<li>“The Grim Reaper’s here, haha.”</li>
</ul>
Having desperately tried to create some distance, Ahn Chang-yoon and Lee Jung moved forward. Both were still perfectly fine, and with smug expressions, they casually reached the area where Joo Ah-young had justnded.
They saw the calm,posed face of JumpingRabbit, who was now the “old hand” in the game.
And they understood Kim Gil-tae’s feelings as he had thrown that spear without hesitation. Kim Gil-tae had just been… a pioneer who recognized the truth before the others.
That evil woman deserved to die.
[Now, we’re down to the final 5 participants. Among you two, is there anyone who’s ready to sacrifice themselves for their teammates?]
[Ah~ it’s a bit odd when people don’t say much during the tournament. Well, someone’s going to be eliminated, so you can speak freely!]
[Excuse me~ can you hear me? Just because you try hard doesn’t mean it’ll work, just do the interview! Okay?]
[Hey, you’re not supposed to run like that.]
[Ah, idiot. Hee-hee.]
In this suffocating contest of pride, Joo Ah-young tried to get something out of the two participants while they were doing their best to avoid it.
Ahn Chang-yoon finally plopped down, exasperated.
“Fine, I’ll do the interview, just shut up already!”
[Eh~ this doesn’t seem interesting, so never mind. I’ll just interview the final four when they get to the semi-finals.]
<ul>
<li>“What did the Changwon Guild do wrong?”</li>
<li>“Their only crime is being ugly.”</li>
<li>“That bitch is so dizzying.”</li>
</ul>
Even though she said that, Joo Ah-young still smiled yfully as shended.
[Before you’re eliminated, is there anything you want to say to your teammate?]
As Joo Ah-young extended the mic, Ahn Chang-yoon grabbed her arm fiercely.
“There’s nothing to say, you bastard. You’re finished now! Kim Gil-tae, I’m sorry I didn’t understand how you felt! I’ll kill this bitch, and then I’ll die with her!!”
<ul>
<li>“Hahahaha, dramatic reconciliation, holy shit.”</li>
<li>“The public enemy is terrifying.”</li>
<li>“No, the yers should be fighting each other, but here they are fighting the host, hahaha.”</li>
<li>“What a crazy level of the tournament.”</li>
</ul>
With a determination to be eaten by the Earthworm along with Joo Ah-young, Ahn Chang-yoon clung tightly to her arm.
[Who’s going to die together? Hmph, whatever. I’m leaving now, so just die alone.]
With a sulky expression, Joo Ah-young took her signature "bunny hop" stance and then, as if mocking the low heights of her previous jumps, leapt an incredible 30 meters in one go.
<ul>
<li>“What the heck, why is she jumping like that?”</li>
<li>“Is that a super jump?”</li>
<li>“Is it that thing where you get one lucky jump out of a thousand?”</li>
</ul>
With high leaps came high speed.
“Ughhhh.”
While the user of the super jump received the system’s correction and was fine, Ahn Chang-yoon, who had no such correction, was face-pressed by the wind, falling in a humiliating fashion.
[No freeloaders allowed~ Never underestimate the Jumping Rabbit veteran!]
Ahn Chang-yoon, falling behind Joo Ah-young, was filled with humiliation and shame. Still, with a crooked grin, he headed for the cliff.
It was then that Joo Ah-young remembered his abilities.
[Could it be? No way, right?]
“Don’t underestimate an Awakener.”
With a twisted grin, Ahn Chang-yoon jumped off the cliff. The light shed in his hand, and his Phase Shift ability took effect.
[Phase Shift]
By switching the positions of two targets, Ahn Chang-yoon and Joo Ah-young’s locations were swapped.
[AAAHHH!!!]
[The host, Joo Ah-young, was eaten by the Earthworm and died.]
[Earthworm – 11 kills.]
[Remaining participants – 5.]@@novelbin@@
An unprecedented broadcast ident urred during the martial arts tournament as the host, Joo Ah-young, was killed.
<ul>
<li>"Is Ahn Chang-yoon a god? Is Ahn Chang-yoon a god? Is Ahn Chang-yoon a god?"</li>
<li>"Changwon Guild is the light, and Ahn Chang-yoon is the god."</li>
<li>"The evil sisters got cut!"</li>
<li>"But now who’s going to run the tournament? Hahaha."</li>
<li>"What a ridiculous situation, hahaha."</li>
</ul>
Since no one was left tomentate on the event, the broadcast plunged into chaos. With the absence of a host, the system settings were automatically activated, and a spectator mode, which searches for objectives on its own, began to slowly ascend.
“How the hell do you go up from here?”
Ahn Chang-yoon, who had arrived at the ce where Joo Ah-young hadnded, found himself on a rock ledge more than 20 meters off the ground. Confused, he stared nkly into the air.
As he turned, he spotted Lee Jung, floating up between the cliffs with telekinesis.
“Hey? Hey! I’m down here! Can you get me out of here?”
Lee Jung nced down at Ahn Chang-yoon, then shed a sinister grin and gave a thumbs-down.
“Hey, you wanted to kill that bitch, didn’t you? Where are you going? Hey! You betrayer!”
Ignoring Ahn Chang-yoon’s desperate cries, Lee Jung turned his back and left. A notification appeared in the system, announcing Ahn Chang-yoon''s death as the ground shook beneath him.
[yer 92, Ahn Chang-yoon, has been eaten by the Earthworm and died.]
[Earthworm – 12 kills.]
[Remaining participants – 4.]
With Ahn Chang-yoon''s elimination, only four contestants remained in the tournament.
"Ha. Ahn Chang-yoon, that idiot, saved my life by doing the hard work. He didn’t know the world, taking the lead and ending up suffering. What a fool. This is why idiots like him can never make it. Hahaha!"
Lee Jung let out an evilugh as he steadily ascended, the spectator view rising higher and higher.
"But seriously, why isn’t this over yet? Why’s that thing going up again?"
[yer 94, Lee Jung, has been eaten by the Earthworm and died.]
[Earthworm – 13 kills.]
[Remaining participants – 3.]
Lee Jung had overlooked one key fact. While the tournament’s map was managed by the host, Joo Ah-young, who had just been killed, there was no one left to reset the map for the semi-finals. Even with four survivors, the map for the tournament wouldn’t be changed back to the final round.
Good or bad, the legendary "Jumping Rabbit" map would remain until the end of the game.
<ul>
<li>"Hahaha, did the host die and now the map can’t be changed?"</li>
<li>"Changyun was quickly dropped from the hero to a viin."</li>
<li>"This snowball is insane, haha."</li>
<li>"But why does the spectator view keep going up?"</li>
<li>"No clue."</li>
<li>"Doesn’t it seem to be speeding up?"</li>
<li>"Oh, look! Another yer’s visible."</li>
<li>"They’re panicking because the map isn’t changing, hahaha."</li>
</ul>
Passing through various sections—the thousand-step segment, the cliff path, and the crumbling tforms—they reached higher ground, climbing up through the swirling snowstorm. The observer view slowly moved upward, far beyond the other contestants.
As they reached the highest point of the mountain, the view approached the final ridge, where the fierce winds and snowstorms shed with a jet stream, blocking the way forward.
Atst, the spectator view reached the Silent Sword Master, who stood, arms crossed, contemting the final challenge ahead. The ascent finally stopped.
<ul>
<li>"What the hell, hahaha."</li>
<li>"The yers are all dying, but the host seems to be having the time of their life!"</li>
<li>"How has she climbed so high?"</li>
<li>"The yers are nowhere to be seen."</li>
<li>"This is too funny, hahaha."</li>
<li>"But why is she so fast?"</li>
<li>"She’s not even jumping like the host does."</li>
<li>"Is she climbing this on her own, without any assist action?"</li>
</ul>
ording to the Jumping Rabbit system, the current record of the top yer was 400 floors, reaching an altitude of 4,000 meters. But the Silent Sword Master, uninterested in the tournament and more curious about the map, had already surpassed the record. She had reached 1,100 floors.
Without caring about the tournament, she climbed to an astonishing height of 11,000 meters.