Screams of terror erupted throughout the area.
The front of the stage, once packed with people, was now a desolate wasteland. Chairs that had been neatly arranged lay overturned and smashed into splinters. Reporters who had previously swarmed the front were now scattering in every direction, no one daring to remain near the stage's edge.
Nawa observed the unfolding chaos from a point not too far away. Nearby stood a reporter, gripping a camera to record the events. Although their current position wasn't technically within the combat zone, it was far too close to be considered safe.
Nawa recognized this man. His name was Yongyuth, a famous political news analyst from five years ago. Back then, Nawa would see him on the television screen almost every day.
Now, however, he was reduced to producing minor news scoops that aired for only a few minutes. Nawa couldn't help but wonder what had transpired in the reporter's life over the last five years.
'Um... excuse me. Are you Yongyuth, the famous news anchor?' Nawa couldn't resist asking, even though he knew the timing was far from ideal.
'Yes, that's me,' Yongyuth replied without looking back, his focus entirely on capturing the footage through his lens.
Yongyuth had once been a titan of political analysis. But his unwavering integrity and blunt, straightforward style had led him to criticize high-ranking politicians once too often. Eventually, he was pressured by the powers that be to abandon political journalism entirely.
He had since pivoted to covering news about The Oneness, but it hadn't brought him the fame he once enjoyed. Despite his sharp eye for detail and analytical prowess, he wasn't a Player.
Unable to enter The Oneness to gather firsthand information, his reports often lacked precision and were delayed, causing his popularity to dwindle from its former heights.
"'Hey, little brother, are you a reporter too? It's rare to see young people nowadays so dedicated to news coverage,"
Yongyuth suddenly asked, turning his attention to Nawa. The two of them were currently taking cover behind a thick pillar, which offered a certain level of safety.
"No, I'm not a reporter," Nawa replied flatly.
"Oh? Then why are you here? Based on my experience, a battle between Players is about to break out any second. Those guys are way beyond human limits now. This entire vicinity is going to turn into a battlefield very soon," Yongyuth warned with a serious tone.
"I know," Nawa replied succinctly, his eyes locked on The Future Guild Chairman and the man named Singkhon, who were now facing each other down. He was eager to see what a high-level Player battle looked like.
"Don't tell me you're a Player yourself?" Yongyuth turned, his interest piqued, and looked intently at Nawa's ear, hoping to spot the one item every Player possessed.
He saw nothing. Before Yongyuth could ask any further questions, the fight between The Future Guild Chairman and Singkhon began.
Singkhon, clad in ancient Thai warrior attire that revealed his muscular torso, lunged at the Chairman like a wolf. He attacked with a short knife in his hand, moving with incredible speed and ferocity. Each slash was so swift and powerful that even Nawa, positioned far away, could feel the wind pressure slicing against his skin.
Yet, none of the attacks managed to land a hit on The Future Guild Chairman, who was forced to continuously dodge and weave around the relentless assault.
"Not bad... for a low-rank Player to actually force one of the top ten A-rankers to stay on the defensive.
No wonder the Earth Tiger Guild was willing to bend the rules to recruit this Singkhon as a core member, even though he hasn't reached high-rank status yet,"
Yongyuth muttered to himself, his eyes glued to the fight.
"You know that man?" Nawa asked.
"Yeah," Yongyuth glanced back briefly before returning his gaze to the battle.
" I once did a news scoop on Singkhon. He was one of the most watched rising stars. Although he wasn't exactly a frontrunner for the eleventh A-rank spot, he was the fastest-growing low-rank Player.
He climbed to C-rank in just a single year after entering The Oneness. What's more impressive is that he didn't come from a wealthy family or have a massive corporation backing him. To low-rank Players from poor backgrounds, Singkhon is practically their idol."
Yongyuth was one of the few who truly understood the plight of low-rank Players, who were often exploited and treated no better than modern-day slaves.
It was true that Players could grow stronger through training and consuming monster meat, but for those from ordinary or impoverished families, significant self-improvement was little more than a pipe dream.
The entire system for starting out as a Player was rigged against those without capital. Many ended up throwing their lives away, while others lived in a state of indentured servitude.
Every cent they earned was swallowed by interest payments, leaving them with zero opportunity to actually develop themselves.
In stark contrast, those from wealthy families are pre-trained in combat arts and essential skills long before they even step into The Oneness.
Once inside, they are equipped with high-quality weapons and artifacts, making their initial hunts significantly easier and safer than for the average person.
Furthermore, every resource they gain from hunting is theirs to keep, rather than being drained by high-interest debts.
Singkhon, coming from an ordinary background, became an inspiration to countless players in similar positions.
At that time, Yongyuth himself had been a vocal supporter, writing news pieces that openly cheered for Singkhon's success.
One could say he played a part in Singkhon's rise. Rumors even circulated that the Earth Tiger Guild recruited Singkhon primarily because they wanted to leverage Yongyuth's media support to polish their own guild's image.
However, shortly after becoming a core member of the Earth Tiger Guild, Singkhon changed. Scandalous reports began to surface—claims of him using his strength to oppress lower-ranked players and even committing robbery against them.
Worst of all, rumors spread that he had joined 'The Darkness Association,' a notorious underground organization within The Oneness known for its countless atrocities.
This downfall was one of the reasons Yongyuth struggled to reclaim his former popularity.
Now, with Singkhon going as far as to disrupt the press conference of The Future Guild's Chairman—a man hailed as a public hero for his sacrifices and for providing the most opportunities to low-rank players—Yongyuth's chances of returning to his glory days as a leading journalist seemed further away than ever.