Pureum Co., Ltd. had an obligation to provide users with fresh and enjoyable content.

Of course, it was best if that content fit the current situation and could draw the attention of the greatest number of users.

A few months after the server merge.

Pureum Co., Ltd. kept wondering whether there was any content like that left, but nothing came easily.

Then User Hyunsoo officially stated that he would begin the Great Atlas War.

The Great Atlas War was a siege where a real force—Hyunsoo’s troops—was packed into a virtual fortress and made to defend it.

And the allied army would be centered on peak-tier users from each country and world rankers.

Ironically, it would concentrate more people than the “continental wars” that had been held all over the world.

And originally, it should have drawn huge global interest, but expectations were far too low.

Because the gap between the two sides’ forces was believed to be too extreme.

That’s the force balance the world is assuming.

CEO Lee Sejin judged that while there was indeed a significant gap, it wasn’t so irrational as that.

At the very least, Hyun’s Forge is stronger than what they think.

So it could create a massive reversal.

Of course, whether it created an even more entertaining, dramatic reversal than that depended on User Hyunsoo.

There was only one reason Sejin came to the conference hall.

“It’s CEO Lee Sejin!”

“Why is CEO Lee Sejin here?”

The moment he entered, reporters’ camera flashes exploded.

And Hyunsoo and Kali—and even the people standing behind both sides’ representatives—were just as shocked.

CEO Lee Sejin stepped into the hall and spoke in a low voice.

“How about taking a short break?”

Hyunsoo and Kali felt he had something to propose.

The conversation paused.

*****

In the waiting room behind the conference hall.

A long table had been set up. Lee Sejin sat at the center, with Hyunsoo and Hyein of Hyun’s Forge on the left.

On the right sat Kali and the peak-tier users from each country.

Sejin brought out an interesting proposal.

“I came because we at Pureum Co., Ltd. want to officially host this event that Hyun’s Forge started.”

With Sejin’s appearance, it had been a partially predictable development.

Hyunsoo’s face twisted, but the alliance side smiled brightly.

This is when our victory becomes certain. If global broadcasting happens now, everyone will see Hyun’s Forge collapse helplessly, and our name value will rise even higher.

Hyunsoo had recently hunted the Legendary monster Fenrir.

Watching someone like him get brought down easily would benefit the allied army.

Hyein shook her head.

“You mean broadcasting the Great Atlas War across global game channels.”

If Pureum Co., Ltd. announced it would host the event, it would be able to line up broadcast networks worldwide.

But that would only be good for the alliance side—and it could be disadvantageous for Hyun’s Forge.

Of course—

...If we pull off our reversal, Hyun’s name could rise even higher.

Even the reversal they already had would create a huge shockwave.

Still, Hyein was about to voice opposition, and Sejin read what she meant.

“According to the report I received on the way here, the alliance side proposed one week. I propose three weeks.”

Hyein and Hyunsoo were impressed.

It was like he could see straight through their thoughts.

One week was too short for them, and a month was too much for the other side—so he was trying to settle it at three weeks.

The alliance objected.

“......We don’t want to extend any more convenience. Why should we?”

“Convenience...? Is it really ‘convenience’ when countless strong people gather to bring down a single outstanding person, forcing Hyun’s Forge to trigger the Atlas War?”

FLINCH—!

It was an undeniable fact—and a statement only Lee Sejin could make.

No matter how much they were the best users in their countries, and quite wealthy—

Lee Sejin was on a different level.

A world top-tier conglomerate owner rumored to have wealth exceeding 100 trillion.

Sejin wasn’t trying to take Hyun’s Forge’s side.

“The alliance side also needs to think. If the Atlas War breaks out in one week and it proceeds easily as expected, will people cheer? No. There’s a high chance they’ll criticize you for gathering strong people just to drag down one person. But if we, through Pureum Co., Ltd., can say we gave a sufficient three-week period, that changes.”

That was also true.

Hyunsoo sharply pointed it out.

“Is there any reason we have to accept Pureum Co., Ltd.’s opinion for those kinds of reasons?”

Of course, Hyunsoo liked gaining three weeks.

But as he’d said, global broadcasting was a burden. The alliance side agreed on that too.

Global broadcasting was nice, but did they really need it?

“Yes. There is.”

Sejin was someone who prepared thoroughly.

“I prepared rewards.”

The ones who reacted most strongly were Hyunsoo and Hyein.

Hyun’s Forge has no reward.

But if Pureum Co., Ltd. designates it...?

“First, if the allied army wins, you’ll obtain an elixir that increases all stats by 5.”

“......An elixir!”

At the word elixir, the alliance side exclaimed.

An elixir was something difficult to buy even with money.

The peaks were joining the event with their subordinates.

And while they were monopolizing Hyun’s artifact crafting rights, it was true they also felt guilt and pressure toward their people.

“If Hyun’s Forge wins, we’ll distribute a puzzling elixir to everyone.”

Hyunsoo tilted his head at the elixir he’d never heard of.

“A puzzling elixir basically increases all stats by 5. But it’s true Hyun’s Forge is at a disadvantage in this Atlas War. So depending on things like audience response, or how much damage you take before winning, the puzzling elixir can also grant more than 5 stats.”

It was a good elixir—assuming a reversal happened.

Sejin looked at the alliance side.

There were no further objections.

The alliance has the advantage. It’s only natural for Hyun’s Forge’s reward to be evaluated as better.

But Hyun’s Forge still felt the reward was lacking—and Sejin could fill that gap.

“For Hyunsoo, there will be a personal reward.”

“......A personal reward?”

Hyunsoo had been feeling bitter and frustrated.

Even if they somehow won, what they gained wasn’t that great.

He focused on Sejin’s mouth.

What kind of personal reward was he going to give him?

“It’s the material of a divine beast.”

“......!?”

“......!?”

“......!?”

The waiting room buzzed.

No one in Ares didn’t know about divine beasts.

Divine beasts were more incredible than people thought.

In a world where no complete god had appeared yet,

people around the world were certain that an actual “god” existed in Ares.

Divine beasts were the proof.

Divine beasts were like gods of monsters.

So “material of a divine beast” meant a material holding power that might be close to the god-grade.

Hyunsoo’s heart pounded.

Crazy....

Sejin’s unexpected arrival was gifting him a reward and giving him a new target.

To a blacksmith, divine beast material was something he wanted to handle even more than dragons and demons.

Hyunsoo had already once seen Babylon, which contained 100g of god-infused mineral.

His mouth went dry.

Musashi from Japan raised an objection.

“Why are you handing out such an absurd material? Are you playing favorites because he’s Korean too?”

Kali quietly grabbed Musashi’s sleeve, but Musashi bristled.

Musashi had a hot-blooded personality and didn’t make rational judgments.

Sejin looked at Musashi with sharp eyes.

“In User Hyunsoo’s case, it was decided that he would craft at least 20 Legendary artifacts and, upon defeat, provide that as compensation to the allied army. You’re taking something worth more than 20 Legendary artifacts, and you say that? I can’t really understand it.”

An untouchable charisma rose off CEO Lee Sejin.

“And it takes over a year to craft 20 artifacts. Can you really call that excessive? If both sides don’t take appropriate rewards, can this be considered a proper ‘event’?”

Sejin drove the facts home precisely.

“From where I stand, it looks like several people gathered to oppress one person, with the intention of simply taking and taking.”

“.......”

Musashi’s face turned red, and Mio stepped in to mediate.

“I accept it. If User Hyunsoo wins, I judge it’s sufficient for him to receive divine beast material.”

Kali smiled slightly.

“Musashi made a mistake. I also accept it. And even if it’s divine beast material...”

Rankers calculated faster than anyone.

“Even if you have it right now, what’s the point of getting material you can’t use?”

The higher the grade of a material, the more crafting restrictions there were.

“You need to be level 650 to use it.”

“Pfft.”

Of course, they said that because they didn’t know Hyunsoo’s true value was his skill.

“What material it is will be delivered only to User Hyunsoo.”

Everyone agreed. They could allow that much convenience.

“Do both sides agree to Pureum Co., Ltd. hosting?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“Then we’ll release an article, set the event content and rules, and proceed in three weeks.”

The people in the conference hall dispersed quickly.

The allied army’s faces were full of smiles.

One week or three weeks, it’s the same for us.

Because they were certain of victory.

And as Lee Sejin got into the Bentley, he thought.

He had checked the Great Atlas War’s win rate through the supercomputer.

He never played favorites.

It was simply that—

As things stood, the win rate for Hyun’s Forge was far too low.

Sejin thought.

Whether the Great Atlas War became entertaining or not depended entirely on User Hyunsoo’s hands.

He’ll check the notice the moment he gets home.

And whether he obtained that material, too, would depend on Hyunsoo.

*****

Hyunsoo logged into Ares.

A reward appeared....

That alone made motivation surge.

Whose is it?

He knew the phoenix of the Ares Church—the divine beast of good—could unleash the most powerful flames in the world.

If it’s Hydra?

The Hydra of absolute evil would let you create a weapon with the most powerful poison in the world.

Then Hyunsoo looked at the Twin Dragon Sword.

I’m already more than satisfied with this Twin Dragon Sword.

Hyunsoo, freshly logged in, marveled.

The identity of the divine beast, known only to Hyunsoo.

[You learn about the guardian deity Black Tortoise.]

Guardian—meaning to protect and defend.

[If you win the Great Atlas War, you can obtain the Black Tortoise’s shell.]

Hyunsoo was horrified when he saw it.

The Black Tortoise’s °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° shell.

The best material that exists in Ares.

What kind of best material?

Armor.

At that time.

Blood King Brad.

He received a report on an anomaly from the fall of Goyard.

“......Gremory descended?”

There was another report that piqued his interest.

“......An unidentified person killed more than 50 commanders.”

When he heard the description, Brad’s eyes widened.

“......It’s Luxiu. They became human again!”

A subordinate asked.

“Should we bring them?”

Brad shook his head.

“I’ll go myself.”

Meanwhile.

Luxiu smiled bitterly.

I’ll leave without causing trouble.

He looked around Territory Atlas, where he’d stayed only a few days.

Luxiu knew.

The king he had served would notice, and would soon come to meet him.

The Great Atlas War.

Not participating in it was partly because there was no justification—

but it was also because Luxiu knew he would soon have to leave.

As Luxiu was preparing for that, a small puppy approached him.

“Wwoof......?”

This puppy was special.

As if it had noticed what was about to happen, it looked at Luxiu with worried eyes.

“......Protect your lord. It’ll be fine when I leave.”

Luxiu patted its head.

Hyunsoo as he was now could never defeat Blood King Brad.

“Woof, woof!”

Lucky Lump barked as it watched Luxiu leave the territory.

And Lucky Lump had power.

His scent—his trace.

No matter where he was, Lucky Lump could chase him.

And Lucky Lump knew.

If he returned, he would live to protect Hyunsoo.