The vote ended while the other players gathered.
[Vote tally complete.]
[Wave 1: 3,832 people]
[Wave 2: 6,424 people]
[Wave 3: 1,171 people]
[Wave 4: 276 people]
[Wave 5: 19 people]
“More than ten thousand people participated. It seems that most of the people watching my stream joined in…… I do not know why.”
-Hahaha. Why do you not know?
-Ah, haha. No one can resist a new S5~
He had promised a new car worth more than fifty million won in cash value as a reward for the correct answer, so the participation rate was understandably high. Yet Shin-hyeok pretended not to know why.
The viewers were dumbfounded by that, but it did not last long.
-But who are the nineteen brave souls who bet on Wave 5?
-Seriously. Even reaching Wave 3 in Silver Tier gets you treated as a super rookie. Honestly, even Wave 4 is insane.
-Seriously, have their brains been soaked in dopamine?
-Betting against the odds is right! Betting against the odds is right! Betting against the odds is right!
It was because of the nineteen brave souls who had bet on Shin-hyeok succeeding in Wave 5.
On average, players in the Bronze-Silver bracket could not get past Wave 2.
That was why guilds and the government treated anyone who passed Wave 2 as a promising prospect.
But succeeding in Wave 5, not even Wave 3 or Wave 4?
-Honestly, I bet even Robert could not do Wave 5 when he was Silver.
-Robert? You mean that American Robert?
-Yeah, that is right. Ultimate Magician Robert Jason, the current world’s number one player.
-If Robert could not do it, then this cannot be done.
Even the viewers who had eagerly swallowed a bowlful of national pride because Shin-hyeok was South Korea’s rising star could only shake their heads.
Despite their reactions, Shin-hyeok scanned the chat and smiled at a familiar name.
Was Robert number one in the world at this point?
Robert Jason.
Though he traded places with Roderick of Europe, currently ranked second, Robert was called the strongest in the world because he had spent the longest time in first place.
Of course, after Shin-hyeok began to stand out in earnest, Robert became a perpetual second-place finisher.
For the regressed Shin-hyeok, it had been several years since he had heard Robert’s name, making the feeling especially poignant.
Regardless of those thoughts, Shin-hyeok drew his weapon.
“Just because others cannot do it does not mean I cannot. I will prove it with results. Let me make a prophecy. You nineteen who believed in me will never regret it.”
The Holy Sword emitted a brilliant light, lending strength to Shin-hyeok’s words.
The viewers were startled at the sight of such an obviously extraordinary weapon.
-Sir, you did not say you had a weapon like this;;
-You were hiding cards!
-But honestly, he is a third-generation conglomerate heir from Shinhwa Group. Is equipment like that not a given?
-If it is a Unique Grade weapon, it has to cost at least several billion won.
-The Chairman of Shinhwa Group has assets in the trillions. What does that matter?
-If it is not too rude, please buy me a melon ice cream bar.
They sensed that something was wrong and furiously flooded the chat, but unfortunately, their feelings did not reach Shin-hyeok.
[The game has begun.]
“Let’s go.”
The moment all the team members were matched and the game began, Shin-hyeok turned off the chat window.
Leaving their unheard cries behind, Shin-hyeok faced his teammates.
***
“Wow, I never thought I would get to play with a super rookie.”
“That sword looks amazing. What Grade is it?”
“I look forward to working with you!”
Shin-hyeok’s teammates were ordinary Silver Tier players.
They must have seen Shin-hyeok’s Placement Exam or the news, because they behaved like his fans.
Shin-hyeok responded to them with a gentle smile and quickly assessed his teammates.
One warrior, one mage, and one priest. The balance is perfect.
Tank, damage dealer, healer.
Once that basic composition was complete, it was safe to say that a team began most games with an advantage.
With an all-rounder like Shin-hyeok added to the mix, there was nothing more to say.
“Now that Shin-hyeok is here, let us prepare right away. Warrior, take your shield and stand in front of the gate.”
“Yes.”
“Mage, stand behind the warrior with me.”
“Understood.”
“Shin-hyeok, I saw that you use a wide variety of skills in the Placement Exam. What position are you most comfortable in?”
The priest, a class commonly called the nobility, quickly arranged the warrior and mage before asking Shin-hyeok for his opinion.
Having watched Shin-hyeok’s Placement Exam, the priest knew that Shin-hyeok could handle close-range, mid-range, and long-range combat alike.
Shin-hyeok gave a casual answer.
“I am fine anyw—”
[The Pinnacle of All Evil has given you a quest.]
No, he had been about to give a casual answer.
That was before the Constellation, the Pinnacle of All Evil, had given him a quest.
At the unexpected quest, Shin-hyeok’s eyes widened.
[Quest of the Pinnacle of All Evil]
Condition: Kill 1,000 enemies during the waves.
Reward: 5,000 Achievement Points.
Five thousand Achievement Points from a single quest. That is generous.
He could earn five thousand Achievement Points, an amount ordinary achievements could not even hope to offer, from a single quest.
After thinking that far, Shin-hyeok completely revised the words he had been about to say.
“I will take that position.”
“……That is outside the fortress.”
“Yes, that is right. I will fend off the waves alone outside, so the rest of you defend the fortress.”
“No, that makes no sense…….”
Shin-hyeok had planned to clear Wave 5 with ease, so he designated his position as outside the fortress.
The priest stared at Shin-hyeok in disbelief as he suddenly did something so insane.
But Shin-hyeok paid no attention to the priest’s gaze and strode out through the fortress gate.
[The wave has begun.]
At the same time, the wave began.
***
-KREEEAK!
-KREEK!
“Kobolds?”
The Demi-Humans that appeared in Wave 1 were Kobolds.
Kobolds resembled humans, but they were small and unintelligent enough that it was difficult to call them Demi-Humans.
Nevertheless, the reason Kobolds were called Demi-Humans was simple.
FWEET! THUD!
“Arrows. How bothersome.”
It was because they could wield weapons.
Shin-hyeok avoided their arrows with light steps, then immediately began hunting.
CREEEAK—
“I will show you that you are not the only ones who can fire arrows.”
Shin-hyeok nocked an arrow to the bowstring of the bow he had prepared as a secondary weapon, then released it.
“Choi Shin-hyeok Style, Fourth Form—Rapid Fire.”
FWEET! FWEET! FWEET! FWEET! FWEET!
One shot.
But it was not a single arrow that flew forth.
At least five arrows rushed toward the Kobolds.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The sharply honed arrowheads pierced into the Kobolds’ bodies.
A chilling sound of flesh being pierced rang out.
Of course, not every arrow struck a Kobold.
Two of the five arrows missed and embedded themselves in the ground.
“Perhaps because Integrated Weapon Mastery is only Grade D, the accuracy is a little low.”
It could not be helped.
No matter how much Shin-hyeok retained the memories of his previous life, he could not prevent a low Skill Grade from holding him back.
But Shin-hyeok did not care.
SHING—
“My main weapon is a sword anyway.”
Even an All Master had weapons they handled as their main weapons.
The bow was certainly not Shin-hyeok’s main weapon, so he smiled and charged into the Kobold horde.
***
A wolf among sheep.
That was exactly what Shin-hyeok was as he charged into the Kobold horde.
SHING! SHING! SHING!
Whenever the Holy Sword scattered white light, a Kobold head flew into the air.
After that repeated several times, no Kobolds remained around Shin-hyeok.
[Wave 1 has ended.]
[Enemies currently slain: 132]
“Only a little over one hundred? I need to work harder.”
After checking the message announcing the end of the wave and the number of enemies he had killed, Shin-hyeok roughly wiped his bloodied sword and returned to the fortress.
“The fortress is fine, right?”
“……You came back alive from out there?”
“Not many Kobolds came this way, right?”
“That is true, but…….”
“I think it is because I killed 132. Anyway, I am counting on you for the next wave too.”
“Uh…… Yes…….”
No matter how well he killed enemies, the wave was considered a defeat if the Guardian Stone inside the crumbling fortress was destroyed.
After confirming that both the Guardian Stone and his teammates were unharmed, Shin-hyeok headed outside the fortress once more.
[Wave 2 is beginning.]
The second wave was waiting for Shin-hyeok.
***
-Wow, that is insane.
-That is Silver Tier?
-This is seriously unbelievable.
That was the viewers’ reaction as they watched Shin-hyeok tear through the waves with unstoppable momentum.
It was only natural for them to react that way.
He began by using a bow to pressure enemies at range.
Then he immediately drew his sword and charged into the midst of dozens of enemies.
Even while doing so, Shin-hyeok minimized the damage he took and sometimes even picked up and used weapons the enemies had been carrying. His martial ability was far from ordinary.
-Hahaha. The important thing is that the real thing has not even appeared yet.
-Seriously. His Necromancy was insane during the Placement Exam. It was already that strong right after he awakened, so I cannot imagine how strong it is now.
But the viewers could not hide their excitement at the fact that Shin-hyeok’s true specialty, Necromancy, had not yet appeared.
It was similar to saving the most delicious food for last.
Of course, not everyone was impressed.
-It is only the end of Waves 1 and 2. Stop making such a big fuss.
-Exactly. Do you not know that Defense Theme truly starts from Wave 3?
-This place is full of people who know nothing about Dimension Arena. This is why you should not watch lower-tier streams.
They could be called Shin-hyeok’s anti-fans.
They were obsessed with disparaging Shin-hyeok’s ability any way they could.
By the time the chat window was turning into a battlefield between haters and fans—
[Wave 3 has begun.]
-SNORT!
-SNORT!
-SNORT! SNORT! SNORT!
Loud snorting filled the air.
“……Ha, I have been waiting so long that my neck was about to break.”
Shin-hyeok knew the owners of those snorts very well.
“Orcs. I finally found you pig bastards.”
Orcs.
They were at least a head taller and larger than an adult man, and their rough green skin even possessed physical resistance.
Naturally, they made up the largest numbers in the New Humanity Empire.
They were also the Demi-Humans who had been present when Shin-hyeok died.
At the sight of the Orcs before him, memories of his death flashed through Shin-hyeok’s mind. A cold smile formed on his lips.
“From now on, I will do this properly. Tonight’s dinner is spicy stir-fried pork.”
-No way?
-Is something big coming?
-Is it really coming?
-Ah, haha. It is already here, so do not say it~
At the sight of Shin-hyeok’s cold smile and his declaration that he was getting serious, the fight between fans and haters fell silent, leaving only excitement behind.
“Rise.”
CRACKLE—
The corpses of the Kobolds and Goblins Shin-hyeok had killed during Waves 1 and 2 began to rise.