Overgeared

“Do you want to increase the number of events?”

Director Yoon Sangmin was in charge of planning the 5th National Competition. After flying directly to the United States, he was making his way to the stage when he received a phone call and frowned.

President Janson’s flustered voice continued, -That... Mr. Grid has become the Blood King.

“The Overgeared Kingdom has already raided Fenrir?”

Fenrir, the highest ranked direct descendant vampire after Marie Rose, was similar in strength to the 19th great demon. The setting of the child—who received Shizo Beriache’s expectations and the hidden piece, Blood King—was a key setting obtained as a result of several calibrations.

Of course, the vampire race itself was inferior to a great demon, so their health was much lower. However, the power of struggle ‘which increased when the enemy was stronger’ and the power of domination ‘which neutralized the enemy’s weapons and skills’ were abilities optimized to counteract Grid’s knights.

It was impossible for Grid to succeed against Fenrir before Braham grew to level 500. Therefore, the management team determined that Grid wouldn’t become the Blood King until after this year’s National Competition or until next year’s National Competition. Yet he was already the Blood King?

“How is this possible?”

-Braham’s magic ability turned several of Fenrir’s strengths useless. Braham only used four spells in this raid, including Frozen Tempest. This was indirectly triggered using Grid’s mana, and he blocked Fenrir’s resilience throughout the raid.

“Duke of Wisdom...”

Satisfy’s artificial intelligence learned and evolved. Braham’s power exceeded the expectations of the management team.

-Not only has Grid grown rapidly after meeting Biban, but he is now the Blood King. Which player can compare to him? The executives say that increasing PvE events and reducing the direct competition between Grid and the other participants will help better maintain Satisfy’s value. Of course, the promotion of competition will be weakened at present, but for the sake of the future, isn’t it better to reduce the players’ sense of deprivation?

“This has yet to become the board of directors’ official position.” 

-Of course, but there are many people who are frantic about the current outcome. Can the board of directors watch silently as the status of the National Competition lowers? However, you have been promoting the National Competition for years. If you stand on our side and empower us...

“Have you forgotten?” Director Yoon Sangmin’s interrupted President Janson’s words and recalled the atmosphere of a year ago. “Thousands of players have been unlocking their potential, and they are filled with hopes and dreams at the appearance of the supreme one. It has been proven many times that the supreme one is the object of admiration, not envy. Even if Grid shows an overwhelming performance this year, the players won’t feel deprived.”

-No, that is just once or twice. The vast majority of people who play Satisfy feel the greatest pleasure and satisfaction from experiencing their ‘growth’ in real time. They have been trying so hard over the past year to get a bit closer to Grid. Once they find out that the gap with Grid has widened even further, will they just laugh and say that Grid is great? Don’t you think they will lose their satisfaction at the growth they’ve achieved in the past year and lose motivation?

“...It reminds me of a game that enjoyed unparalleled popularity before Satisfy was released.”

-The game of the RTS genre created by an American company?

“That’s right. It was the most popular game in the world for over 30 years. Do you know that South Korea almost monopolized the championship for 10 years once the game started international competitions?”

-I wonder if there is anyone who doesn’t know.

“In the first few years, the Western players were jealous of the Korean team’s monopoly on victory. They ridiculed Koreans and denounced our success in e-sports because we are ‘poor people born in a country where games aren’t played’. However, that was only for the first few years. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t keep up. What happened when this repeated again and again? They acknowledged and respected the Koreans. It means that the feelings people have toward Grid will flow in exactly the opposite direction of your expectations.”

-Isn’t this interpretation too optimistic?

“No, I’m certain. In particular, the high rankers will hope that Grid’s high reputation will continue. Only then will they feel a greater joy when they catch up one day.”

-... Do you think Grid will lose his place as the supreme one?

“It is hard to see a force beyond the Overgeared Kingdom, but there are plenty of players who can potentially go beyond Grid’s personal strength.”

Yoon Sangmin would soon be meeting one of those candidates.

“It is time to shoot the opening video. I’ll be going off.” Director Yoon Sangmin hung up the phone and entered the capsule.

Inside the Valhalla Kingdom in Satisfy...

“You came, Director.”

Dozens of staff members, who had connected first, welcomed Director Yoon Sangmin.

“Thank you for agreeing to shoot today.”

Director Yoon Sangmin shook hands with all the staff and found a group approaching from a distance. The rankers from the Valhalla Kingdom were scheduled to participate in this year’s National Competition. The members of Ares’ Army were approaching.

“I’m sorry to make you come here,” God of War Ares said. He had been an unofficial ranker for many years and was one of the famous bigshots who established a kingdom and made his name known. Thanks to the recent blossoming of his class characteristics, he gained the passive skill ‘the more subordinates you have, the more your stats will increase’. Now he welcomed Director Yoon Sangmin and the staff.

Director Yoon Sangmin shook his hand. “No. Thank you for giving your time to participate in the shooting of the opening video.”

In fact, before the 1st National Competition, the S.A Group’s production method for their opening video was outdated. Participants were brought into local studios, and the videos filmed. This resulted in a great loss of game time. In any case, the video shoot took place after connecting to Satisfy. Thus, they were heavily criticized for making people attend in real life. Now the S.A Group found and filmed people in person inside the game.

“So what should we do? Should we stand in a group like the participants last year?” Luck asked bluntly.

He felt anxious leaving the hunting grounds for even a second, so he was in a hurry. Nevertheless, he was filming the National Competition’s opening video was because it was somewhat cheesy but cool. Since this was the first time the majority of the Ares’ Army was participating in the National Competition, they wanted to be heavily involved in the opening video.

“This year’s opening video will be filmed in the form of an interview.”

“Interview?”

“It is intended to make the audience more engaged by communicating your environment, goals, ideas, and commitment to the competition.”

“It isn’t bad.”

‘I’m not good at speaking...’ Luck frowned and started murmuring. 

Unlike Luck, Scott responded positively, “It is a great way to build awareness.”

“Yes, that’s right. That is our intention.”

The power of the fans was strong. Grid, Kraugel, and Yura proved it in real time. The more famous and popular the rankers became, the more Satisfy’s popularity increased. It was a win-win strategy for both the S.A Group and the rankers. In particular, from the perspective of a weak country, it was an opportunity to build awareness. For the Ares’ Army, it was absolutely valuable.

“Ares, would you like to be interviewed first?” Director Yoon Sangmin gave the signal, and the staff became busy.

The lights and reflectors scattered everyone made Ares’ armor and crown shine. The makeup artist’s skill also added shades to Ares’ face. Ares’ majestic figure was captured on camera.

“Ares, you’ve been an unofficial ranker for many years. Despite becoming the second player king, you are still unfamiliar to the public. Why have you decided to abandon your mysticism and participate in the National Competition?” The host asked the question from the script.

The host’s voice and questions would be removed from the opening video. Yoon Sangmin planned to ask the participants as many questions as possible. Then he would select them, edit the essences, and form the video. The interviews of the participants, intersected with the beautiful and magnificent US landscape, would make the audience waiting for the National Competition be filled with excitement. 

“I will remove the stigma of a third-class player.” Ares was smiling in a friendly manner. Yet the moment he started shooting, he transformed into a different person. His serious and clear voice had the power to draw the audience’s focus, and his eyes had an intensity that overwhelmed people. He wasn’t a king for nothing. Ares had enough force to stand on his own at the top.

“The public has often compared the work that I’ve done after founding the Valhalla Kingdom to Grid’s. Overall, it is a bad evaluation. Compared to Grid who developed the Overgeared Kingdom and formed a double-walled power with the empire, I have only had repeated failures.

“Of course, it is undeniable that I am a person who is lacking in comparison to Grid. The blatant evidence is that Valhalla is still a weak kingdom.

“However, I want to prove my potential. I want to prove that while I might be third-rate in comparison to Grid now, I will one day become a first-rate person comparable to Grid.”

‘As expected.’ Director Yoon Sangmin’s conviction was strengthened.

Ares’ attitude was completely different from Janson’s concerns, and he gave a perfectly normal response. If it were human nature to feel jealous or deprived because a person was better than them, how could human society have developed to this point? It was absolutely impossible. Humans were able to develop more because they felt a greater sense of competitiveness and respect toward their rivals, instead of frustration and jealousy.

Some netizens expressed bad responses because they could hide in anonymity while some players launched despicable propaganda out of jealousy, but they were a small number and not the majority.

Director Yoon Sangmin made up his mind, ‘No new events will be added.’

A few days later, the opening video was released on the internet, shaking the whole world. People were completely attracted to Grid, who appeared last in the video.