novelraw Chapter 121 : Time Warfare - VS Team Killernoid (2)
Chapter 121 : Time Warfare - VS Team Killernoid (2)
Time Warfare - VS Team Killernoid (2)
The major event match in celebration of the GGG update, "Time Warfare."
As soon as it began, word of mouth spread fast and the viewer count soon neared 50,000.
And naturally, among those viewers were GGG employees.
"Hey, isn't this made way too hard no matter how you look at it?"
Late at night, the GGG headquarters building was still aglow. Inside, in the main conference room—
The managers responsible for development and business were watching the broadcast together.
"This has completely diverged from the original flow we planned. Are we sure this is okay?"
The business manager couldn't hide his worries. Since the two were company peers, they could speak candidly.
"It definitely does look different from the in-house tests."
"What do you mean 'a bit'? It's totally different!"
"We didn't expect people to cooperate this little."
The development manager answered with a disinterested look.
"Still, don't worry too much. If anything, being too easy is a problem. It being hard is actually fine."
"Fine?"
"Right now, killernoid is set to around 60% of Purple's data. Seeing this, I think we'd better tune it down to around 40%."
The business manager's eyes widened at that explanation.
"60%? Everyone got wiped out at just 60%?"
"I'm telling you, if they'd cooperated, it wouldn't have gone this far."
"Wait, then the final boss? What's Annihilator set at?"
The business manager looked anxiously at his peer. He answered calmly.
"It's at 100%, of course."
"100%!? Are you nuts!?"
"Hey, what's with the sudden outburst? If it gets beaten too easily at the start, people get bored and user numbers tank. Weren't you the one who said that?"
"Well, that's true, but...!"
"So we'll just keep it at 100% at the very beginning and then gradually lower it. That's already been discussed, so why freak out now?"
The business manager had nothing to say. Everything had already been confirmed in the planning phase, just as his peer said.
Still, who could have predicted the difficulty would be this high?
"Ugh, this is driving me crazy. Well, it's their own data, right? Purple, perG-Day team can win, right? No—I mean, they have to win. They will win, right?"
"I can't guarantee that."
"Why!? It's their own data!"
"That's right, but every character has their own concept. Plus, as the final boss, I made sure to give him high stamina and good weapons. And..."
"Oh..."
The business manager's face paled, head in his hands. The rest of the explanation didn't even register.
"If something goes wrong, people might think we're trying not to give out the prize money. If that happens, the community will explode..."
Muttering, he clapped his hands together.
"Let us win, please...!"
There was nothing else he could do for now.
He prayed for PerG-Day's victory—and a safe finale for the event.
* * *
The PerG-Day team was moving toward the final battleground—Uptown.
[Killernoid 》Pulse Rifle》 Gamo]
[SYSTEM 》Electro Field》 Umphadoompa]
...
Even then, death messages of the remaining survivors kept popping up—whether from Killernoid or the safe zone.
As a result:
[4 Survivors]
Four survivors remained.
The PerG-Day team had become the last squad.
"Ah, originally, we should've already won."
Genome, at the wheel, spoke in a tone of regret. In the old mode, the game would've ended with a victory message. But this time, things were different.
"There are three Killernoids left, plus a final boss. This situation isn't in our favor."
"Glory always comes after hardship."
"Purple-nim, please keep giving the command. I'm only good at handling humans."
At Genome's last remark, Lee Gyeongbok nodded.
"Understood. First, let's distribute the weapons we've picked up. The railgun will go to NewtonLord, and the laser sword stays with Sir Eclipse."
"Uh... sorry to interject, but what about me?"
"If you're more confident in your aim than NewtonLord, feel free to take it."
Genome asked, and Lee Gyeongbok answered with a radiant smile.
"Oh, right away, I'm convinced."
As Genome gave up immediately, the chat filled with laughter.
― Ah, lol, just take it if you're that confident
― Our hyung really knows his place!
― Just focus on driving, man!
― Can't argue with that logic, lol
― So what about Godple?
― For real, by skill, godple should have it
NewtonLord paid no attention to the chat, but her opinion aligned with the viewers.
"If it's about skill, shouldn't they get it?"
"I'm fine. After going up against them once, I get it now. Even without future tech, I can handle it."
His firm answer brought a momentary silence in the car. Emoji-like question marks appeared in chat, echoing their feelings.
"Well, if it's Purple, that's probably possible."
"In that case, I can accept it."
"Wait, what do you mean by 'I can'?"
Genome quickly noticed something strange and turned his head.
"Are you saying you'll be handling it alone, Purple-nim? That can't be, right?"
"Of course not."
Lee Gyeongbok shook his head with a chuckle. But before Genome could even be relieved, he added,
"You'll each be facing your own opponent."
"What?!"
"Purple?"
"What do you mean by that?"
The teammates were shocked.
And so was the chat.
― What's he talking about? Each take on their own target?
― Is he pulling off a solo-clear again?
― Wait;;; The opponent is Killernoid?!
― Ah lol, is he joking about it being perfect again?
― For real, why is everyone so serious about this?
― This a perfect-joke, right?
But to the chat's disbelief, Lee Gyeongbok was dead serious.
"Uptown's buildings are taller than Downtown's. It's harder to set up an encirclement."
"That's true, but—"
"Also, the Killernoids won't just sit back and observe. There's a real risk we'll be surrounded instead."
The teammates nodded, realizing he wasn't wrong.
Lee Gyeongbok smiled at them.
"But it isn't all downside, right? As I said, the situation is different. It might even be easier than the military base."
"Easier?"
"We also have future tech now. And in a one-on-one, each of you can make use of your abilities 100%."
Two of them seemed to understand and nodded, but one person still didn't.
"Uh, Purple-nim? As I said before, you know I don't have any future tech, right?"
"Yes, so you'll have to approach it differently."
"Differently?"
"Run and gun. Keep hitting and retreating while just holding your target in place. All you need to do is stall until the other team members finish up and can come help. You always have fantastic situational awareness, right?"
The chat immediately responded.
― Yeah, this makes sense, you'd avoid getting surrounded that way
― If it's about drawing aggro, that's Genome's specialty lol
― Our hyung is sharp when it comes to reading the room
― Maybe not much skill, but at least good eyesight
― Ah lol, watching him become the relative noob is hilarious
― Guess Run & Gun is really just bounty hunting, huh?
― They kept joking about him being a chaser and now he finally is, lol
― No, for real, this is nuts, hahahaha
As usual, the viewers poured their hearts into teasing Genome. He laughed along and then asked,
"Then what about you, Purple-nim?"
"I'll take the final boss."
Lee Gyeongbok gave a gentle smile.
As they neared Uptown, the divine energy that sensed threats grew even stronger, but his smile only deepened.
'An NPC modeled after my own data...'
Underneath that smile was pure curiosity.
"I wonder how strong it'll be."
* * *
Only one squad remained.
The commentators and casters covering the event had no choice but to focus their attention there.
"Ah, Purple's going bold again with his tactics!"
"What's going on here? Is he addicted to splitting the team?!"
"Of course, Purple's reasoning is valid. Still, there's one thing I'd like to say."
As Lee Gyeongbok moved to split the party again, all three in the studio were stunned.
Not just because it was a bold move—there was another reason.
"Have you forgotten that we're event hosts? We're supposed to be commentating on a squad battle! But this isn't like any squad battle I've ever seen!"
"Honestly! We're not Octa-Core, unlike Purple! If they split up again, how are we supposed to commentate?!"
The explanation triggered a wave of laughter in chat.
― Lol, straight facts
― The casters are seriously salty
― They're filling dead air with jokes because there's nothing to commentate on, lol
― Is this the commentary crew or the comedy crew?
― Ah haha, gotta admit, this is Purple's fault
-???: It's a squad battle! Aren't squads supposed to fight each other?!
― Squad battle (everyone solos)
Jung Soyoon chuckled and quickly wrapped up her remarks.
"Of course, I'm just joking. We can't force PerG-Day team to pick a different strategy. As commentators, we just have to keep up. But as you all can see, this situation has made it unavoidable. We'll have to focus on just one of the four. Let's start by assessing the situation!"
As the commentary team filled the air, the PerG-Day team reached their destination: Uptown.
As planned, they scattered in different directions—and the screen split into four to follow them.
"Let's start with NewtonLord. As planned, the railgun went to her. What Killernoid is over there?"
"Oh, the view is switching to the other side. You can see what weapon the Killernoid is holding."
"Pulse rifle! Ah, that's a terrible match-up! Unlike the railgun, which needs charging, the pulse rifle can just keep firing?!"
The commentary team's voices rose. If NewtonLord missed her shot, she'd be totally exposed as the railgun recharged.
"Let's watch and see how that goes. Ah, the screen's changing again!"
"It's Sir Eclipse! Knight skin, laser sword, and frying pan! It's a weird combo, but oddly fitting!"
"The Killernoid on this side...! Ah, another bad match! It has a plasma shotgun! The spread is way too wide for the frying pan to block?!"
By coincidence, Eclipse was also facing a Killernoid that was a bad match-up for him. The commentators expressed their regret.
"Ah, something just flashed!"
"What was that? Where?"
"Is the fight starting?!"
The view quickly shifted to Genome dashing at full speed.
"Ah, genome! It's Genome! He encountered Killernoid first!"
"At least this one has a railgun! If he dodges well, he can survive for a long time! The match-up is the best here!"
"But the problem is Genome doesn't have a weapon that can actually finish the target! This is likely to become a stalemate! But he's holding up using the three types of explosives he picked up!"
Genome began lobbing grenades, smoke bombs, and flashbangs to attract the Killernoid's attention.
Ironically, it seemed to be the battle with the highest survival potential, but also one that wouldn't end soon.
"Now, finally—it's time for Purple's screen! As you might expect, this is where we'll be focusing!"
With Jung Soyoon's words, the screen shifted. Lee Gyeongbok sprinted between buildings, heading for a massive pillar of light.
"That's right! Purple's skill is legendary, but the core of this event is the final boss—Annihilator! We have to show it!"
"To be honest, I wonder if a 1:1 is even possible. But if the challenger is Purple? There's no way we can skip showing this!"
The commentators elaborated.
― Ah lol, that's an absolute must
― Not showing the boss fight would ruin the event, for real
― People would riot if there's no broadcast
― I mean, the other members are amazing, but Godple vs. the final boss is a must-see
― This is really the ultimate human vs. non-human match, huh?
― If the camera switched away, gGG's stock price would crash
― Lol, straight to the bottom
No one objected to the decision.
Viewers accepted it as a given.
With that, the four-split view disappeared, leaving only Lee Gyeongbok's observer cam.
"Ah, here it comes!"
"Annihilator! Definitely different from the other Killernoids!"
"Instead of an exposed, skeletal frame, it's sleek! Looks more like a mannequin or a ball-jointed doll!"
The Annihilator that emerged from the light looked human, but its head was featureless.
"Wow, the developers really went all out to raise the difficulty!"
"What do you mean? Can you explain?"
"The other Killernoids have eyes. Whether or not it has eyeballs is a huge difference. You can tell what it's aiming for and destroy the eyes to blind it, like NewtonLord did!"
"Right, that's a weak spot! But this Annihilator has no weak points! And no eyes means it can track you from any direction!"
The commentary made the chat erupt.
― No way, they really went too far
― Were they even planning for this to be beatable?
― Did GGG do this so they don't have to pay out prize money?
― Obvious conspiracy vibes
― It's even smaller than other Killernoids
― It's about as big as Godple?
― Probably did it to make it harder to hit than the regular Killernoids lol
― Can Godple really solo this?
― I mean, if it were anyone else it'd be game over, but with Godple, who knows?
Soon, the commentary was proved correct. Annihilator looked straight at the building Lee Gyeongbok was hiding behind and immediately raised its weapon.
A flash of blue—then a huge ion sphere, nearly the size of a mortar shell, was fired. A thunderous boom; the building was half-destroyed.
"Ah! Annihilator's opening attack! What about Purple?!"
"H-he's alive. He barely made it! Unbelievable reflexes!"
"Incredible! Annihilator is using the ion cannon! Of all the future tech weapons in the update, it's the strongest by far!"
Jung Soyoon and the commentary team practically shrieked.
Through the thick dust, Lee Gyeongbok began running.
"Purple is repositioning! After feeling the ion cannon's destructive power—it's called 'cannon' for a reason—how powerful is it?"
"Compared to the old weapons, it's like... never mind, sorry, got too excited!"
"I'll explain instead! Basically, it's an improved RPG-7G, an anti-tank rocket! But it has auto-loading and even crazier projectile speed!"
"Yeah—given it just demolished a building, even a glancing hit means instant death! But Purple isn't intimidated and is striking back!"
But Lee Gyeongbok wasn't just taking hits. He dodged debris and ion rounds while returning fire.
But strangely, sparks flared up before his bullets could even hit.
"Huh? What's that? Purple's shots are being blocked?! What's happening?!"
"I'll say this as it is: The devs went too far! A barrier in this kind of situation?!"
"I agree! Viewers might not see it easily, but if you look closely, a honeycomb-shaped, semi-transparent shield appears before the bullets connect!"
Bullets stopped dead at the Annihilator's barrier before even touching its chassis.
Weapons like plasma, pulse, or laser could pierce easily, but regular ammunition stood no chance.
― Wow, lol, they crossed the line right from the start
― Developers lost their minds?
― Did they not QA this? No in-house testing?
― I bet they played this mode hundreds of times behind closed doors
― GGG shares are going to die tomorrow lol
― Hold on tight! It's going down!
― Turns out, the real "Time Warfare" was GGG's stock going back in time lol
With the chat going wild, Jung Soyoon quickly pulled the focus back.
"Aha, this is why you need future tech! Remember, folks: PerG-Day's current situation is special. Normally, you'd work together to bring this thing down!"
"Exactly! Why do we have hope? Because Purple is worth at least several people!"
"Still, it's tough. The railgun went to NewtonLord, right? So Purple is like Genome, forced into run-and-gun just to buy time!"
"But, this is Purple! If anyone can last until backup arrives, it's him!"
They desperately tried to paint an optimistic picture. But saying it out loud, they realized it wasn't untrue.
So their voices grew more confident.
"In the meantime, maybe we should check on NewtonLord or Eclipse—"
"Wait! Hold up! Purple is smiling! There's a clear smile on his lips!"
"He's still fighting back, even after realizing the barrier is there. Why hasn't he given up?!"
Jung Soyoon hesitated.
No matter how popular Purple was, they couldn't just show him running away. Even if he kept fighting, wasn't the barrier making it meaningless?
But her hesitation didn't last.
"Wait, wait! There's a crack in the barrier! What's happening?!"
"Pinpoint! Focused fire! It sounds unbelievable, but Purple is hitting the exact same spot every time—even in the middle of all this chaos!"
The barrier everyone thought was unbreakable began to crack.
The commentary team nearly burst their voices in excitement; Jung Soyoon's eyes sparkled.
"Incredible! Purple has overturned everyone's expectations! It wasn't just aggro—he's actually fighting back!"
"I can't believe it! How can he aim that accurately with such wild movement? Beyond human, it's divine! He's called Godple for a reason!"
"As a player—never mind a commentator—watching this gives me chills! It's an honor to see this live! I can't help but feel a rush of gratitude!"
― Got chills for real, lol
― Thanks, god Purple! Thanks, god Purple!
― Godple! Godple! Godple!
― Even the Heavenly Realm is impressed!
― Crying! Glad to be born in Korea!
― The commentators are genuinely hyped lol
― Just seeing a play like this makes my time worthwhile! Lol
― Another level? Another class? No—this is a perfect level! Perfect class!
Amid all the excitement, something else happened.
"Waaaaaaaa! He broke through! Purple's shot landed!"
"He used a conventional weapon to get the same result as future tech! Is that really possible? Yes, if it's Purple!"
"But! This fight isn't over! Annihilator is still a machine! Even though he scored a hit, there's no sign of actual damage!"
Jung Soyoon managed to sum up the situation coolly amid the outpouring; even her excited co-commentators found their realism again.
Annihilator was unaffected by bullets.
"This is such a shame! What Purple accomplished is legendary—but in the end, is the difference in weapons just insurmountable?"
"That's right. If only it had a weak point... Or if there were future tech, it could have been different. Has Purple realized it? He's stopped shooting!"
While the commentary team lamented, they soon had to shout all over again.
"Huh? Why did he stop running, too?!"
"Wait—what's he doing? What is Purple thinking?!"
After constant dodging, Lee Gyeongbok stopped in his tracks, facing Annihilator directly.
There was no reason not to seize this chance.
Annihilator immediately aimed the ion cannon at him.
Or rather, tried to. But the ion cannon wouldn't raise past a certain angle.
"What's happening?! Annihilator just stopped attacking!?"
"As a commentator, I'm embarrassed, but I can't understand what's going on!"
"The organizers are... Ah, now the screen is switching!"
A flurry of question marks filled the chat, with the commentary equally baffled.
The view suddenly switched—
—to the bullet cam.
Lee Gyeongbok's shooting scene replayed. When the result was revealed, everyone was stunned.
"What in the world...!"
"How is this even possible?!"
"What am I watching? How is this even possible?!"
Jung Soyoon and the crew gaped, jaws slack and eyes wide as saucers.
"Everyone! Purple's bullet is lodged in the joint!"
At that moment, all their commentary experience went out the window. Their only job was to describe what they saw.
-?
― Wait, I freaked out for real
― Soon as I saw it, I yelled for real
― This is insane, truly insane
― The craziest part is, he was aiming for that from the start
― Seriously not a fluke; the barrier was there all along
― Wow, he targeted only the joint the whole time
― Seeing that tiny gap was amazing—and hitting it, even more so
― If this isn't a miracle, what is?
With explosive reactions, chat froze again.
"What really surprised me is, Purple already knew!"
"Right! He was sure of it! That's why he could face it so confidently and calmly!"
"At my age, it's a bit embarrassing to admit, but seriously, that was impressive. If I were a bit younger, I would've called him oppa right here."
Jung Soyoon's quip made the commentary team wheeze with laughter. Their voices had worn out from all the shouting.
But the jovial mood didn't last.
"Wait! Annihilator is pulling out a laser sword!"
"It's cutting off its own arm!"
"The fight's not over yet!"
When the joint was damaged and it could no longer attack, annihilator severed its own joint with the laser sword.
Then boosters fired at its feet, suddenly closing the distance to Lee Gyeongbok.
Everyone panicked, but Lee Gyeongbok still smiled.
He narrowly dodged the plasma blade—but his rifle did not.
"Purple dodged! He was lucky!"
"Ah! But his rifle got sliced off!"
"He has no weapon now! He's in trouble!"
The mood abruptly changed; the commentary looked ready to cry. But Lee Gyeongbok laughed brightly, as if having fun.
"It's alright."
He even took the time to calmly speak to the audience.
"I trust my teammates."
The reason for his confidence was soon revealed.
"Purple!"
With a shout, the observer cam whipped around. Eclipse was running to him, tossing him a laser sword.
"Ah! It's Eclipse!"
"Did he win!?"
"Reinforcements have arrived!"
Each Killernoid was issued a laser sword as a melee weapon. Eclipse had grabbed the one his defeated opponent dropped.
"Thanks!"
"I'm off to rescue Genome!"
Contrary to expectations, Eclipse didn't stay behind but quickly left.
No one lamented this.
"Purple's got a sword! The laser sword is in his hands now!"
"Remember, folks: this is Gunner Ground! You all know what that means!"
Everyone knew what the commentator meant in an instant.
― The game that must not be named, lol
― Aunt Soyoon was quick to hush them up, haha
― What is he, eldemort or something? lol
― We can say whatever we want!
― Ohh, that familiar chill and weight!
― Hasn't it only been a few days?
― Those short days of contempt and oppression are finally over!
― Thanks, Eclipse!
― Elden's Only Sword—it's time for Godple's return!
― What fantastic teamwork, lol
― And all in a matter of days, haha
― I can see it, I can see it!
― What is Purple-dong, really, haha
Lee Gyeongbok snorted at the chat as he faced Annihilator again.
"Your shooting wasn't so impressive, but—"
Bzzt— With a mechanical whine, a plasma blade ignited.
"Let's see how you handle swordplay."
The chat erupted in cheers.
― Purple's got a sword? That's GG, lol
― No, seriously, isn't this GunG, lol
― GGG: Wait... this isn't right?
― So much for capsules and Fromme
― Crazy, that's so annoyingly awesome, lol
― Looks like Annihilator was just a skill check?
Just having picked up the sword was enough to make everyone excited.
***
**New Names, locations, skills, techniques**