"Fucking bastard! Stop yapping and just… Huh, what?"
"You crazy son of a bitch…!"
Thud! Crash!
A short shout was followed by a dull crash. Turning quickly, I saw a rough-looking man sprawled on the ground. Above him stood a panting, seething player, marked with the Golden Lion emblem, likely a control instructor.
Unsatisfied with just one hit, the instructor began kicking the man on the ground.
"You dare… defy… the Golden Lion Clan… in Babara?!"
"Ugh, argh, ugh!"
Each kick was punctuated by the instructor's broken words. The man screamed in pain, drawing the attention of those nearby. Though not everyone noticed amidst the commotion, it was enough to catch the eyes of the anxious new players. Fear flickered in their gazes as they watched.
Seeing this, I couldn't help but shake my head. Strictly speaking, instructors had the authority to discipline those who defied control and incited chaos, but there were limits. When I entered, it was similar—Park Dong-Gul was dragged to the plaza's center, beaten, and humiliated publicly.
But in this situation, choosing to beat someone in public was a mistake.
These new players were like blank slates, yet to fully experience Hall Plain. While force might temporarily suppress them, it would leave a cruel first impression. It would've been better to handle it discreetly like with Park Dong-Gul, then explain the situation publicly later.
I couldn't help but think the Golden Lion Clan would regret choosing this player as an instructor. He didn't seem like a veteran—more like a moderately skilled Year 2 or 3 player, puffed up with pride in his clan. A veteran would've handled it more deftly or taken the man somewhere secluded. Instead, this instructor seemed oblivious to his clan's current state, drunk on pride.
I felt a twinge of pity for the instructor, still blinded by past glories. The Golden Lion was no longer the supreme clan it once was. Back then, their pride could overshadow everything, but now they were just as hungry as the other clans. Their lofty pride no longer held sway. With fierce competition for new players ahead, this would be something to watch.
At least some of the other instructors seemed to have sense, belatedly trying to stop their colleague. I considered passing by but suddenly had a good idea. These new players—blank canvases—were being tainted by the Golden Lion's actions. While I felt bad for them, this could be an opportunity for me. With three months of subtle competition among clans ahead, building a positive image now seemed like a good move.
I slowly walked toward them. The man, even while being beaten, kept yelling about being attacked and demanding others look. Normally, a few hits would quiet someone, but he was tenacious. The instructor, equally stubborn, had rolled up his sleeves.
Pushing past his colleagues, the instructor raised his arm high. As the man struggled to his feet, the instructor's fist was about to come crashing down. I quickly stepped between them.
Bang!
The sound of the instructor's fist meeting my palm echoed out. The impact was heavy—he'd put considerable force into it. I even sensed a faint trace of mana. I chuckled inwardly. Even if it was justified, this was excessive.
"What the hell! Who are you?!"
"Huh…? Hey!"
The instructor, startled, shouted and turned to me. A slender hand swiftly grabbed his shoulder. The colleague trying to stop him, recognizing my face, gasped. A second or two passed. She immediately smacked the back of the instructor's head, yelling in panic.
"Goddamn… Why'd you hit me…?"
"Shut up, you idiot! That's the Mercenary…"
She let out a curse loud enough for me to hear, then glanced at me cautiously before pulling the instructor's ear and whispering to him. His initially furious expression gradually shifted to one of panic. After observing his changing demeanor, I spoke in a calm voice.
"I came because of the commotion. What's going on to cause such a ruckus?"
"M-Mercenary Clan Lord, greetings. It's just… this guy was defying control and being too loud…"
"Even so, that punch just now wasn't light. It could've seriously injured a new player."
"N-No… It's just… there were so many people acting up…"
Finally coming to his senses, he stammered with a pale face. My goal wasn't to corner these two players, so I decided to ease up.
"Alright, I understand. Since I'm involved, I might as well help out. It looks like you're short on hands."
"T-Thank you. Haha, we weren't expecting so many new players this time."
As the instructor hesitated, the female player beside him quickly chimed in. I nodded once and turned to the side. There, sitting on the ground, was the man, staring at us with a dazed expression.
"Get up. Are you okay?"
As I extended my hand, a flicker of surprise crossed his face. He hesitated briefly but then grabbed my hand. At that moment, I applied force and pulled him up effortlessly.
"F-Fuck. Who the hell are you… Ugh!"
The man I helped up was quite imposing, easily over 190 cm with a muscular upper body. When I lifted his bulk with one hand, small gasps of astonishment came from the surrounding crowd.
The giant, looking at me with a confused expression, coughed loudly before speaking.
"Hey! Are you that guy's boss? What the hell is this place that I have to go through this shit? Huh? We had to survive for a whole week in that weird place with those monster bastards!"
"Yeah! Where are we? This isn't Korea, is it? Japan? Is this even Earth?"
"Send us home! Please, just send us home!"
"Where is this place… I barely survived… Mom… Dad… I miss you… Waaah…"
Seeing me deal with the two players, they must have thought I was someone important, as questions poured out like a flood, starting with the giant. I waited patiently for their voices to subside. When someone's sobbing briefly drew my attention, I seized the moment to speak in a composed voice.
"You've gone through the Rite of Passage and met the angels, so I don't believe you're completely clueless. I understand your confusion right now."
"Yeah! They called it the Rite of Passage!"
The man growled in response. I shot him a faint, menacing glare, and he flinched. Confirming his reaction, I slowly softened the intensity and continued.
"Let me make one thing clear: everyone here, including us, is in the same situation as you. We went through a similar Rite of Passage, met the angels, and entered this place called Hall Plain. The only difference is whether you arrived earlier or later."
Though I spoke quietly, I infused my voice with mana, ensuring it reached everyone's ears clearly. The noisy crowd fell silent almost instantly. After a brief pause, I sensed someone cautiously raising their hand from the side.
"S-So, does that mean we can't go home? Is there still something left to do?"
The voice, tinged with tears, sounded young. Answering this could lead to a lengthy explanation, so I decided to hold back for now. Shaking my head slightly, I raised my voice with more force.
"We'll explain everything soon. We'll move to another location shortly to discuss your situation in detail. It's hard to hear anything in this chaos, so please bear with us for now and follow the control instructors' guidance."
After I spoke, the commotion didn't stop entirely, but it noticeably calmed. The instructors beside me looked embarrassed. Honestly, I felt a bit sorry for them. The earlier instructor had created a fearful atmosphere by beating the man, and I'd slipped in to take control. Of course, my abilities played a part, but life is all about timing.
Seeing the situation settle, I turned to the two instructors.
"I have a question. There weren't many personnel in the plaza. What's going on?"
"Oh, we've had an unexpectedly large number of new players. We've requested support from the clan house, but for now, we're managing with the personnel in the plaza…"
"I see. Understood. Please take charge of guiding them now."
"Yes. Thank you for your help."
The two instructors bowed, expressing their gratitude. A glance showed their necks slightly flushed, likely from embarrassment. I nodded and stepped aside to let them resume control. Soon, the two instructors got back to managing the situation. The new players still showed signs of unease, but they were noticeably calmer than before.
I took a few steps back to survey the overall scene. As additional personnel began arriving, the chaos was gradually subsiding, albeit slightly. The clamor persisted, but the situation had improved from utter chaos to something like five minutes to chaos.
Shortly after, I saw the entrance to the fifth hall open. Over fifty people poured out in a rush. I worried that this influx might disrupt the fragile stability, but the personnel there, seemingly experienced, quickly brought things under control. After watching for a moment, I slowly turned away. With all five halls now open, all that was left was to head to the plaza and wait.
*
At the central plaza of the great city Babara, about forty minutes later, the first group of new players began to arrive. I had expected it to take at least an hour, so this was surprisingly quick. The atmosphere was also strikingly different from before. The heavy unease that had permeated earlier had largely dissipated, almost to the point of being unnoticeable.
While I tilted my head in curiosity, I spotted Park Hyun-Woo and Seong Yu-Bin entering the central stage from a side path. They noticed me standing on the stage, offered a light greeting, and spoke.
"Mercenary Clan Lord, you're here early."
"No, I should've come before the portal closed, but circumstances delayed me a bit."
"It's fine. You're here plenty early."
Park Hyun-Woo shook his head with a wry expression and turned toward the plaza's steps. Following his gaze, I saw instructors organizing the new players by class and seating them on different tiers.
Among them, a female player slipped out and hurried toward us. She looked familiar, and upon closer inspection, I recognized her as the one who had restrained the overzealous instructor earlier.
She looked startled to see me standing next to Park Hyun-Woo. I signaled that it was okay and stepped back, indicating she could speak freely. After clearing her throat a couple of times, she began in a small, delicate voice.
"Reporting on personnel: Hall 1, 47 players; Hall 2, 51 players; Hall 3, 52 players; Hall 4, 50 players; Hall 5, 52 players. Total: 252 players."
"That's a lot. Compared to four years ago, it's a small number, but it's nearly double the recent intakes. Do you know how it compares?"
"Uh, well, that…"
Unsure, the woman stammered with a flustered expression. Then, Seong Yu-Bin, who had been quiet behind us, spoke up.
"Hall 1, 19 players; Hall 2, 43 players; Hall 3, 22 players; Hall 4, 29 players; Hall 5, 17 players. Total: 130 players."
Ah, she's referring to when I arrived. Park Hyun-Woo nodded a couple of times before continuing.
"How about the class breakdown?"
"Melee combat class: 126 players; ranged combat class: 59 players; magic talent class: 38 players; priests: 29 players. We haven't yet detailed the secret, rare, or other classes. Oh, and there's one special matter to report."
"Special matter?"
When Park Hyun-Woo echoed her words, the woman turned toward the steps. Her eyes scanned the crowd as if searching for someone, then she pointed at a specific individual. Her lips parted slightly.
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