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The Player Who Eats Steel - Episode 142

142fury. 

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Lee Hyun-wook's sudden press conference naturally caused a huge stir..

- [Breaking News] Steele Lane, does it know the key method of conquering dragons? The truth is……

First of all, unprecedented attention was focused on what his ‘sure strategy’ was..

Those weren't considered empty words. The performance he has shown so far was the basis for this..

However, Edward Woods' side directly denied it..

- Slayer spokesperson said, “Steelrain’s claims have no credibility at all” and refused to cooperate

- A clearer way to attack than Dragon Slayer? Is this really true??

All kinds of media were talking about it all day long, and it became a bigger and bigger issue..

- Fierce competition for command of the dragon attack operation, Steelaine VS Dragon Slayer, who is the winner??

As a result, the competition between the two sides intensified, and sparks began to fly in all directions even before the dragon appeared..

There were some who began to take a keener interest in this interesting fight.…….

‘As expected, the gamblers smell the scent and gather around..’

Various betting platforms around the world began to put this issue on the main page..

The competitive landscape between famous players was more exciting than anything else..

What's more, 'Steel Rain' and 'Dragon Slayer' are waging a media war over dragons.…….

It was clear that the conditions were bound to be huge, attracting money from all over the world..

‘this… … Maybe I'll make some money?’

Lee Hyun-wook also planned to have Park Cheol-soo bet a considerable amount of money..

If things continued like this, this noisy situation might bring unexpected benefits..

But it seems that Lee Hyun-wook was not the only one who had such thoughts, and the board began to get bigger and bigger..

***

“……I still remember that day vividly.”

Dragon Slayer, Edward Woods, was sitting in the study of a hotel suite. He looked into space with a somewhat melancholy expression, and four cameras were operating around him..

"3Appeared in London a year ago... … giant fire-breathing monster……."

“—It was the first appearance of a dragon, an unprecedented being..”

"Yes, it was a catastrophe like no other..”

He exchanged lines with the man sitting in front of him, who appeared to be a producer, as if they had joined hands..

"This is your second time encountering a dragon. What a bad relationship..”

"No, I don't think it's bad luck, it's fate. This is the path I'm going to take.”

This was a promotional broadcast being filmed prior to the dragon attack..

After a while, when the filming was over, the PD smiled brightly and handed out business cards to the guild members..

"Well then, starting tomorrow, I will come and film the preparation process for the Slaize Guild.!”

From those words, I could tell that it wasn't just a promotional broadcast shoot..

This big event was planned to be turned into a reality program..

“Slayers, I will support you!”

"Smash that Steelane thing.!”

As soon as the cameramen left the hotel room, Amanda Anderson approached with a worried look on her face..

"Boss, is this okay? Live broadcast... … Won't our team's strength be exposed??”

Edward Woods grinned at this. His smile was full of leisure..

"That's right, I spoke with the platform representative so that we can cut off appropriately at key moments..”

"Ah, still… … I'm honestly worried because it's rare to see fight scenes live broadcasted..”

Because the battle scenes with monsters were so brutal, they could not be aired on national broadcasts. Although some Internet platforms received permission to provide services, major guilds were reluctant to broadcast them..

This is because the risk of exposure to electricity was greater than the promotional effect that could be achieved through broadcasting..

In other words, Edward Woods had staked a lot on this match to the point of taking such a risk..

"Steele Rain’s unexplained provocation… … To be honest, I'm worried at the same time, but it's better for me..”

He took a sip of coffee with a relaxed expression and looked at Laputa outside the window..

"Steele Lane, he's done a great job so far.……."

As he said that, he turned his head and looked around at his teammates..

"If you were to pick today's strongest player, there would be a lot more people than him, but today's most famous player... … And the most controversial player is definitely Steele Lane.?”

There was something sharp in his eyes..

"If we clearly defeat him in this raid, our guild's reputation will be... … I'll soar into the sky.”

Although it was one of the leading guilds in the UK, it did not have much of a global reputation. However, the opportunity to upgrade in a way that only they can do, called Dragon Raid, has come..

As a master, I had no choice but to seize this opportunity..

‘Catch your first adult dragon and defeat the behemoth named Stillane.…….'

A truly big event that will never come again was held for the Slayers..

***

In Laputa's Order Tower, Lee Hyun-wook, Kim Se-hee, Park Jun-mo, and Lee Jeong-jun were sitting on the sofa in front of the big TV..

- ……The guild is receiving public attention as it announced that it will broadcast the dragon capture process live on an internet platform! In addition, we will produce a documentary about the process in the future.…….

"what? Live broadcast or documentary? Are you trying to turn this into a TV show or something?!”

When Kim Se-hee heard the news, she raised her voice and showed an expression of displeasure..

"It's not like they're trying to embarrass this boss and brag about it to the whole world.?”

To be honest, Lee Hyun-wook understood to some extent that things were coming out that way from the other side..

The guild founded by Edward Woods had its spiritual origins in hunting adult dragons in London. It was a guild formed by those who survived at that time gathering together and using the fame and wealth gained at that time.…….

In other words, for them, this dragon hunt would be a monumental event that would remain in the guild's history..

It was a natural desire to take advantage of this incident and raise the value of the guild's name..

But I can't help but feel a little sad that they would use the situation in which our country is being trampled on for broadcast.…….

"Those bastards, they talk about solidarity, but in the end, they are looking out for their own interests.?”

"My words! I don't know if it's a documentary made for the record, but it's a live broadcast of a battle.?”

Lee Jeong-jun and Kim Se-hee poured out one word of evil towards the Slayers Guild..

But it was an undeniable fact that this disaster was already being consumed as entertainment..

Maybe the entire city will be blown up, and inevitably a lot of people will die.,

Nevertheless, many people will watch the process while eating popcorn or chicken in front of the TV..

'Whether the viewers shed tears or feel joy... … Most people enjoy it instinctively..’

This phenomenon is not just a problem of today; it was a natural human instinct..

Even in the era before the game began, what was the perspective on the war taking place in a distant country??

There were quite a few people looking at who would win and how..

It's a pretty inconvenient truth, but disasters that aren't felt can all too easily be turned into entertainment..

"No, you were hypocrites for thinking about making a show when you were talking about solidarity a few days ago. Absolutely.!”

Anyway, if they were really going to create a show over there, Lee Hyun-wook was planning to decorate the show properly..

“……That show will be a huge success..”

Everyone sitting in front of the TV turned their heads at Lee Hyun-wook’s words..

"huh?"

“yes?”

Everyone looked like they were asking what that meant..

"And at the climax... … we will stand.”

He got up and clapped his hands..

"Now, let’s start preparing again step by step for a perfect surprise show..”

Then everyone got up from their seats and began their duties..

It was a preparation to achieve the perfect strategy planned by Lee Hyun-wook..

‘It looks like you've unintentionally crushed the dragon slayer's pride.?’

Edward Woods, he was a good hero, but his pride in being a dragon slayer was too strong..

In the first place, his current identity was established the moment he captured the subadult red dragon.......,

‘Just because I mess with it, it won't turn me into a villain.?’

Lee Hyun-wook was planning to steal the entire show from Dragon Slayer..

***

Seven more days have passed since then..

In the meantime, the guild attracted attention by broadcasting from time to time..

- Strategy Team Interview Episode 2, Welsh Barrier, Armand Anderson scheduled to appear

- The world's attention is focused on the announcement of the introduction of 'Dragon Weapon' through broadcasting.

Before we knew it, public opinion had become more favorable to the Slayers than to Steele Rain..

In addition, the trend of betting sites began to predict the Slayers' advantage..

To put it simply, a kind of water ride had begun..

‘Okay, lean more towards that.…….'

It was good news for Lee Hyun-wook, who was betting on himself..

Around that time, Hyunwook Lee also received a proposal to produce a broadcast of the strategy process..

The representative of a domestic internet broadcasting platform came and offered a contract with good terms..

They were convinced that if they decided to promote it, they could easily make tens of billions of dollars..

But Lee Hyun-wook flatly refused..

‘What a dragon… … Even if you concentrate all your attention, you should not do something that will make you tired when it is not enough..’

Then, there was talk that Steele Rain was blocking filming because there was something wrong with it..

Perhaps the Internet broadcasting company whose offer was rejected seemed to have spread malicious rumors..

- Slayers VS Steel Rain, the world's choice is increasingly towards the Slayers.……

Looking at those news articles, Lee Hyun-wook wished the incline was even steeper..

Two days later, the Slayers Alliance established a forward base in southern Suwon and began stationing there..

Lee Hyun-wook and his men were still waiting in Laputa..

‘There is no information on exactly when the Dragon Gate will open..’

According to Donald Harris' prediction, it was said to be within 30 days from that time..

‘Today is the 21st day from that day, so the gate will open soon..’

Even though the Slayers did not have such information, they moved in a timely manner like veteran players..

I had an intuition that I had reached a certain critical point by using my experience so far as big data..

- [Breaking News] Slayers Alliance is deploying all attack forces to southern Gyeonggi (1 report))

In line with that atmosphere, an emergency evacuation order was issued early on throughout South Korea..

All residents of southern Gyeonggi Province, which was predicted to become a battlefield, had no choice but to flee to the south..

And tens of thousands of AMT troops surrounded the southern Gyeonggi area and set up a blockade..

Slayers' broadcast also cast a dark light on the tragedy coming to Korea rather than promoting themselves. A scene was broadcast where Edward Woods climbed a building and looked down on the evacuation route of Koreans..

- ……This is truly a tragedy. This disaster must end as soon as possible..

The anticipation that seemed like a big festival just a few days ago changed into intense tension overnight. In keeping with the atmosphere, the sky also became gloomy, creating dark lighting..

Rumble——

The city center of southern Gyeonggi Province came to a cold standstill..

However, the broadcasting world around the world was still running hot..

And 36 hours later, an incident finally began in the Suwon area..

- caution! The invasion of 'Angra Mainyu Legion' is scheduled to begin in the area.!

A warning system message appears before the eyes of all players in the area.…….

As a result, everyone's eyes focused on Suwon, and all players moved to Suwon..

***

Like a harbinger of disaster, the Korean Peninsula was still tinged with dark clouds..

- Well, I think we'll be talking about this topic all day again today..

- Yes. You never know when the dragon will appear, so you're always on standby..

- Hahaha—that's right. I can't sleep these days because of this..

America's famous Player Current Affairs program was also focusing on this incident..

Tyrone Thompson, currently ranked 5th in the U.S. player rankings, came out and gave his own commentary..

- Now, if you look behind you, the forces of the Slayers Union in the Suwon area are moving..

On the large screen behind them, a map of Suwon and the layout of the Slayers' Union appeared..

- A total of 1,561 people, more than 80% of which are B-grade or higher players, is an incredible level of strength. And most of them are scouting the Suwon area, trying to find the gate first..

At that moment, the screen flipped over and a picture of Steele Lane appeared..

- however… … Where on earth is Stillane's power? It hasn't been seen for several days..

- Well, guessing as to the reason, I think they gave up on the initial search in the first place. Since the Slaize Alliance had far more troops, the initial response was effectively surrendered..

As such speculations came and went on famous broadcasts, criticism of Steele Rain intensified..

I couldn't help but feel disgusted because he didn't make any significant gestures in this exciting show..

Should we say that it is similar to being booed if you make a passive move in a boxing match??

Meanwhile, the place with the most viewers was by far the official broadcast of the Slayers Guild..

- [LIVE] Slayers Dragon Strategy OFFICIAL (VIEW：11,194,551)

This is because it was the only channel where you could see the dragon attack scene most vividly..

Now, Edward Woods himself appeared on the screen, boosting viewership ratings..

He was standing on the roof of a building and looking down on downtown Suwon..

“Me— DS, if you’re not busy, I have a question for you..”

Off-screen, DS—Dragon Slayer nodded to the PD's question..

"The dragon that will appear this time is a black dragon, but what attributes will it have??”

This was a question written into the script, and was designed to emphasize the appearance of a dragon expert..

"Well, as we know, the types of dragons vary depending on their color. The London dragon I killed was called 'Red' and had the power of flame..

And the black dragon is expected to be……."

As he paused for a moment and was about to explain, a shout was heard from somewhere..

"—opened!”

As of now, the only thing that can be opened is... … Of course, there was only a gate..

As a result, the camera turned and focused on the direction from which the voice was heard..

A man opened the rooftop door and came running in a huff..

"Well, the gates huh—5 opened at the same time in one place.!”

A whopping 5 multiple gates... … Has anything like that existed in history other than waves??

At that news, the entire Slayers Guild felt tense and waited for the order..

"Boss, check this out..”

Next, Edward Woods' lieutenant brought a tablet PC..

The screen was connected to a camera on a Mana drone several kilometers away..

Soon the broadcast screen also switched to the perspective of the drone camera..

Wooooow——

Somewhere in the southern city center of Suwon, five gates were open, spaced about 500 meters apart..

Those five blazing purple shimmers... … Something is pouring out from inside..

The ones that appeared first were twin-headed ogres, and there were six of them..

Next, elephants the size of buildings came out in a row, with black fur riding on top of them..

After that, red-skinned trolls wearing iron armor appeared in formation..

This was only the opening, but the whole thing was so spectacular that it made you forget about the main dish, the dragon..

“……Angra Mainyu's Legion, those are them..”

When Edward Woods looked up from the screen and looked up, the camera snapped back to him..

Although it was a very urgent situation, Edward Woods had a calm expression and cheers erupted in the broadcast chat window..

His own spear he was carrying on his back... … The Dragon Spear was slowly pulled down..

Then he turned around with a solemn expression and looked straight at the executives of the Slayers Alliance..

"Folks, the time has come. The dragon attack operation begins now.—”

But his voice was interrupted by a woman's shrill voice..

"—he arrived first!”

It was truly the worst NG..

NG completely ruins this great scene.…….

But the noise didn't stop there.

"S, Stillane, he, he arrived on the scene.!”

At that moment, a scene was created that made one think the broadcast screen had stopped..

Alone on screen, Edward Woods didn't move, and no one spoke..

The so-called heavy silence and suddenly cold atmosphere filled the screen..

‘How so fast…….'

It appeared overwhelmingly quickly, as if they already knew where the gate would appear..

As a result, their first strategy to break Steelaine's momentum by attacking them from the beginning was in vain. There was a moment of heavy silence among the Slayers executives who knew that fact..

"......."

After a while of silence, Edward Woods looked at the camera without any problem..

Everyone around the world was watching this situation. And it was a scene that will remain for a long time..

If you showed any signs of embarrassment here, you would become a laughingstock of the world..

"It wasn't unexpected. This is Korea, Steel Lane’s home ground..”

He smiled leisurely. I had a lot of agility to respond to NG..

"ruler! Don't forget, the target is the dragon..”

"Oh, then you didn't rush it on purpose??”

The PD asked and he didn't answer. I just smiled again.

"In any case, the dragon will not appear during the first eruption. And no matter how much Steele rains steel, it won't be able to handle the first eruption that quickly. and rather……."

He turned his head and looked at downtown Suwon and frowned slightly..

“……I'm worried that if I step forward too hastily, I'll be in trouble. We need to move quickly too..”

It seemed as if he was rather worried about his competitor, Steele Rain..

But then, another scene occurred..

"I… … Boss, I received a message through Mana Messenger..”

Edward Woods' lieutenant approached hesitantly, holding the Mana Messenger..

"yes? To whom??”

"That, that, that……."

There wasn't a single mention, but everyone and everyone watching this broadcast knew..

Stillane, he had been contacting the Dragon Slayer..

"......."

I didn't know what the intention was, but since it was broadcast, I couldn't help but receive it..

Also, it was very strange to talk on the phone quietly alone without being broadcast..

- Chick—This is Lee Hyun-wook..

And so his voice rang out in the Slayers' broadcast..

- I'll warn you in advance just in case..

"......."

- Please stay away from the gate area for a while..

"yes? What do you mean by that??”

- I'm telling you this because I don't want you to get caught up in my attacks..

"hmm… … We know Steele's firepower well, but I don't know. I don't know if it will work this time either..”

Steel Rain, it was great, but it wasn't enough to kill a Twin Head Ogre or a Gray Troll..

However, it was not possible to explode them by laying a lot of mines like in the previous case of Ganghwa Island..

"It looks like they're probably trying to drop the Mogley from low altitude, but honestly, that's not the case.……."

- I gave you a clear warning. Well then, good luck.

That's how the Mana Messenger communication ended..

Unilateral notification… … They suddenly broke in, completely ruined the wonderful painting, and disappeared..

In the end, Edward Woods' eyebrow twitched twice..

right then—

“—Our team's northern mana detector caught something strange.!”

Another NG has begun.

"An incredibly large mana craft appears to be flying above the clouds.!”

Above the clouds, I realized that the sky was completely covered with dark clouds..

“……yes? Could it be that the Black Dragon has already appeared??”

When one of the executives asked, Edward Woods shook his head..

"That's probably not it, isn't it Lee Hyun-wook's steel fleet? Ha—was it this??”

but…….

“……No, neither. Something much bigger is coming.”

At those words, everyone held their breath and looked up at the northern sky..

After a while…….

Go—oh—oh—oh——

It was none other than the dark clouds that appeared like blackout curtains.…….

"No, that's ridiculous.……."

It was the floating city, Laputa..

Go—oh—oh—oh——

The massive object appeared above the city center in the visible range, covered with dark clouds..

The steel fleet was floating solidly around it, adjusting its speed..

It felt like I was seeing an aircraft carrier, the frigates surrounding it, and an aircraft carrier squadron..

At that moment, people all over the world realized.

The famous Laputa always floats in the sky..

In other words, it is a being that can fly more freely than anything else..

Since it hasn't moved even once, I just wasn't aware of it.…….

The first long-distance flight of a super-class object, its purpose is…….

Aji Dahaka, it was a black dragon hunt.