6.

Kim Buja's concerns were simple. How would the individual matches be conducted? To what extent would stats be normalized? As soon as he entered the 'Individual Match (Provisional)', the holograms that unfolded before his eyes answered the second question.

[You have entered the 'Individual Match (Provisional)'.]

[All stats and combat-related options, excluding stat adjustments from your 'Class', will be nullified.]

[The use of all items, excluding item effects from your 'Class', will be restricted.]

[You have acquired a '(Provisional) Life'. It will be automatically consumed upon death, and you will be expelled from the 'Individual Match (Provisional)'.]

"Whoa." The explanation was simple, so he was a bit unsure about the extent of the restrictions, but the moment he opened his status window, he couldn't help but be impressed. His stats were all standardized to 100. His special stats were sealed, and only the additional stats from his class were applied next to them. Naturally, Kim Buja's additional bonus stats were enormous.

▶ Stats: Strength 100(+19), Agility 100(+19), Stamina 100(+19), Magic Power 100(+17), Holy Power 100(+17)

'Is the effect of that 8,000 gold actually pretty good?' All Stats +4.

Compared to the fixed stat of 100, that was a four percent increase. Since almost no other players had stats applied through class effects or skills, he was essentially starting with about a twenty percent advantage over others. 'Not bad.' When he thought about it, Kim Buja was essentially participating in the individual matches as a support class.

Like a bard or a healer, he had practically no attack skills, but he had passive skills that raised his own stats. So, he had to bridge the gap of having or not having skills with that difference. That's why he had been worried. What if even that wasn't acknowledged? He would have done his best regardless, but it would have been a tough fight. This was a relief.

Now, all that was left was the format of the individual matches. 'Is it a 1v1 tournament, or a death match?' The most common individual match formats that came to mind, and the formats that had appeared in the international competitions over the past five years. Personally, he didn't really care which it was. He was confident he could take advantage of and utilize either format.

[The 'Individual Match (Provisional)' will begin.]

A system was introduced that was sure to pique the interest of Kim Buja, the other players, and the countless people who would be watching.

[Drawing a map for the 'Individual Match (Provisional)'.]

"Oh."

The event suddenly became more interesting. The word 'provisional' attached to it had subconsciously made him think it would be crude and hastily prepared, but to think there were several different maps! The other players also looked intrigued. In truth, none of them had probably intended to show their full strength on a temporary map.

There was no way for this footage to be shared with players from other countries, but there would surely be people who would watch the footage and sell the information elsewhere. But if the format, starting with the map, was this well-made, their resolve might not be so easy to keep. If it wasn't the simple kind of individual match they were thinking of, they would face various variables, and to deal with those variables, they would have to display more skill than planned.

[The 'Colosseum' map has been selected.]

[There is map #1 activated in the 'Individual Match (Provisional)'.]

Of course, the hype died down just as quickly.

'Damn it.'

Of course. Everyone let out a hollow laugh, but the look of anticipation in their eyes didn't disappear. After all, the fact that it wasn't activated meant that it was prepared. If they became the last one standing here and their guild performed well in the team match, they could become the national representative. They could show off their skills against famous rankers from around the world on well-prepared concept maps without worrying about death.

Each map might have unfamiliar aspects and disadvantages, but most players were probably thinking this. 'At least the odds are better than facing Fly and the other Legendary-grade rankers 1v1 on a Colosseum map.' Variables always favor the underdog. Seeing that this event offered revolutionary rewards and a variety of maps that made the past five years of events feel like a tutorial, the players tightened their resolve.

In a way, this was a dream-like opportunity for each individual, for each guild. The position of national representative was open to anyone. The title of the SJ Guild being the domestic number one was acknowledged by everyone in the early days, but as five years passed, players' levels and equipment were standardized upwards, and skilled players were no longer monopolized by SJ but spread out evenly. It was a time when people were saying it was time to re-establish the hierarchy.

They had to make a name for themselves here. That way, the year would be comfortable, and the player who built up a grown guild could raise their own value.

Along with their determined wills, their vision flashed. And what they saw was not a waiting area, but the dueling stage of the Colosseum itself. Five stages. Duels between the two players were proceeding simultaneously.

[The 'Individual Match (Provisional)' has begun.]

[Victory and defeat for each participant will be determined through a duel.

The winner proceeds to the next round, while the loser consumes a 'Temporary Life' and is expelled from the 'Individual Match (Provisional)'.

The outcome is determined only by the opponent's death or a declaration of surrender.

If both sides become 'incapacitated' and the duel does not proceed for more than three minutes, both participants' 'Temporary Lives' will be consumed.]

This was certainly new. Who, after their awakening, had ever fought a battle where death didn't matter? Sure, the few players who participated in the international competitions each year had some experience with this, but even they could only do it once a year. And the thrill it provided was indescribable.

Buja let out a long breath.

How to describe it?

Other players might feel differently, but to Kim Buja, this felt like playing a real game again. It had been a long time. Even though he'd bought a top-of-the-line, three-million-dollar capsule when he moved, hoping to occasionally dip back into his memories, he hadn't logged in once for nearly a year. It wasn't that he'd lost interest; the thrill of the real-world hologram was simply that much more intense.

But now, facing a game-like system once more, the memories came flooding back. No, the nostalgia likely stemmed from a single game-like element he'd always wished for finally being added to the real-world system, all as part of this event. Still, it didn't matter.

"Haah."

In this moment, he wasn't the rising star Kim Buja. He was a veteran of veterans, a true old hand whose name alone on a tournament bracket would make opponents sigh at their rotten luck.

'Vwwm.'

Mana stirred, and the Gold Ring took shape. His first opponent was a face he'd never seen before: a martial artist, an attack-focused class with knuckles fitted over his fists.

'The ace of the tenth-ranked guild.'

Though he didn't recognize the face, the information was already filed away in his head. Overwhelming an opponent with pure skill versus knowing their information and exploiting their weaknesses—when it came to efficiency, there was no comparison. He couldn't memorize every member of the ten participating guilds, but it wasn't hard to commit the nine likely individual-round participants to memory, plus another twenty or thirty aces of similar skill.

This wasn't studying; it was related to something he enjoyed. Besides, all he had to remember were their class types and habits.

Levels, armor, and weapons were all normalized, after all. The Gold Ring finished forming, and without hesitation, Kim Buja charged.

* * *

People were talking.

—This time, it's really different.

—Is something finally changing in the sixth year?

—What if everything up to now was just the tutorial?

The New Year's international competition was a Legendary-grade event, a true national tournament. It was a massive affair that happened once a year at most, barring extraordinary circumstances. And this year, a sudden, significant change had occurred. In gaming terms, it was a large-scale update.

The proof that people weren't overreacting went beyond just the improved rewards. For the first time, there was a spectator mode. Along with this groundbreaking change came an additional option.

—What the? Is this a hologram in front of my eyes?

—Whoa, did I awaken?

—Holy crap. I can see it!

The spectator function, once thought to be visible only to players, had been opened to all ordinary citizens of their respective countries. The only difference was that non-players had no choice in which nation to spectate. Those with dual citizenship were assigned to their current country of residence, and even those living abroad could view the Korean event screen as long as they held Korean citizenship. It was a revolution.

—Players have been seeing stuff like this every day? This is amazing.

—It's starting.

And it sparked a logical suspicion: this could be the prelude to a great change. Amid such predictions, the preliminaries of the selection unfolded. Held in a colosseum with ten participants in a tournament format, it wouldn't take long. That's why everyone watched with bated breath.

Spectators could watch all five ongoing matches simultaneously or choose to focus on just one. Of course, there was no need to agonize over the choice. All the matches would remain available for viewing as long as the event was active. So, there was only one choice to make: which one to watch live. The majority chose.

—Obviously, SJ's Shin Hyeseong.

—As expected, Shin Hyeseong is way better than Park Sijun. If SJ had any sense, they'd send him out.

—Why are they pushing a guy like Park Sijun when they have Korea's number one?

—Looks, level, control… he's not even in the same league as Park Sijun.

Shin Hyejeong's younger brother, a star whose popularity rivaled his sister's—the star of Korea. In a nation suffering the humiliation of having only a handful of players in the top 100 and not a single name in the top 10, he was the undisputed Korean Rank 1, proudly holding the thirteenth spot. Shin Hyeseong's destructive power, wielded with a greatsword by his attack-type Special-grade class, shone brightest in raids against giant monsters.

His battles against multiple monsters often racked up views in the hundreds of millions. So what would he be like in PvP? He'd shown glimpses a few times, and the consensus was that he was just as flawless. This was the real reason Kim Buja's popularity hadn't surpassed his, even though people speculated that Buja might win under the selection match conditions. And in the live feed, he was indeed giving the crowd a decisive performance that justified their choice.

And that was against a ranker from the fourth-ranked guild. It was a one-sided match! People offered their silent condolences to the opponent, who had the misfortune of being the same attack-type class.

—How many minutes will this take?

Indeed, the tide of the match turned dramatically in just two minutes, looking for all the world as if it were over. Perhaps because of that perfection, posts on Shin Hyeseong's dedicated real-time community board began to multiply. Those who had been watching from the start clicked their tongues and consoled the latecomers.

—How's it going?

—Why'd you get here so late? It's already over, lol.

—He's just finishing up now.

—Well, better late than never. Let's watch him wrap this up quickly and then go check out Kim Buja's match. Gotta see how good he is.

But it didn't take long for Shin Hyeseong's fans to realize something. Why had a massive wave of viewers, larger than their own late-arriving contingent, flooded in about a minute after the match began instead of right at the start?

—What are you talking about? We came here because Kim Buja's match just ended.

—Kim Buja was definitely fast.

—We don't know yet. Kim Buja's opponent was from the tenth-ranked guild.

—Hey, he's still a ranker over level 60.

The event was about to catch fire.

* * *

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