Chapter 196

The long-awaited day dawned.

It was the day of the Apocalypse Dragon raid, a major project we had been preparing for over a month.

I woke up early in the morning as usual and had a light breakfast.

Coffee and toast.

I had streamed until 1 AM last night and then slept soundly until 9 AM.

I had worried about not being able to sleep due to nerves, but thankfully, I slept well until the next morning.

I felt great.

Although I had been slightly fatigued recently due to training, I felt perfectly fine today.

Just as I finished getting ready to go out, Jin-hyuk, who still looked tired, rubbed his eyes and spoke to me.

“You’re leaving already?”

It was around 11 AM.

Considering the raid was scheduled for 6 PM, it was indeed quite early.

It was only natural to leave early.

I had to go to SD Corporation’s headquarters to prepare for the raid in advance.

Also, I had to attend a press conference scheduled for 2 PM by SD Corporation, and there were many things to take care of.

Not only did I have to capture the Apocalypse Dragon, but I also had to participate in various related events.

That was why SD Corporation had hired me as their exclusive model for a hefty sum.

I had to do everything my employer, who was paying me, asked of me.

“I’m off, bro.”

“I’ll make sure to watch the stream later.”

Jin-hyuk waved lightly as he said this.

“Don’t betray me today because of someone else. You know what I mean, right?”

“…Yeah.”

Come to think of it, this raid was also quite significant for Jin-hyuk.

For Jin-hyuk, this raid was filled with various emotions.

Even though he always appeared cheerful in front of me, he often looked unbearably apologetic when the topic came up.

The last time, when we drank lightly, he clung to me and cried.

Well, he’s always had a tendency to cry when drunk, but it meant that he harbored a deep sense of guilt.

I understood.

If my brother had done the same, I would have felt guilty for the rest of my life.

I paused for a moment before leaving the house and spoke to Jin-hyuk.

“Alright, I’ll be back from work.”

“See you, bro. Bring back some chicken, okay?”

Jin-hyuk tried to send me off with a bright expression, and I lightly punched his chest as I replied.

“Chicken, my foot. I’m going to clean up the mess you made when I saved you.”

“Aw, bro, when you put it like that….”

“I’m going to clean it up today, so let’s leave it as just a memory from now on. You understand what I’m saying, right?”

It was time to break free from the shackles that had plagued us for quite some time.

After a light farewell with Jin-hyuk, I headed straight to the underground parking lot and got into my car.

The car I had bought from Sung-soo for a mere 100 million won.

In fact, it felt strange to use the word “mere” for 100 million won, but considering the car’s value, it was a fitting expression.

“Mom! What’s that car? It’s so pretty.”

“Oh my, really. I wonder if a third-generation chaebol lives here.”

“Hey, bro!”

Just as I was about to start the car, a kid passing by approached my car.

It was a good day.

On such a day, I decided to be kind to others as well.

I rolled down the window and looked at the kid.

“Why are you calling me?”

“Huh? Are you the… Mituber?”

“You know me?”

“Oh my! Aren’t you Shia?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The kid recognized me, and his mother looked at me with wide eyes, surprised.

This is why I love public broadcasting.

It skyrockets your recognition instantly.

“Isn’t today the day of the Apocalypse Dragon raid?”

“Oh, you seem to have some interest?”

“I used to play a lot back in the day.”

The so-called Gaia Moms and Dads.

Some of the users who enjoyed back then have now settled into society.

They are referred to as Gaia Moms and Dads.

I smiled and nodded in greeting.

“Oh, you were a Gaia user.”

“I recently bought a new capsule to play when the server opens today. It’s supposed to arrive soon. My husband is also a Gaia user, so we plan to play together with our kid.” ȑÅ𝐍ȱβΕ𝐬

A whole family enjoying together.

Nice to see.

Now I had another reason to clear the Apocalypse Dragon.

“Just trust me.”

“If it’s Shia, everything except for his personality… Oh! I’m sorry.”

“Mom! Is this guy a bad person?”

“He used to be a bit….”

“So he’s a bad person now too?”

“He’s really nice and good now.”

“Mom, you always say people don’t change easily.”

…Ahem.

Anyway, I lightly patted the kid’s head and asked.

“What’s your dream?”

Without hesitation, the boy replied.

“Pro gamer and Mituber! I want to do both!”

“Oh! That’s impressive!”

“I’m going to be like you, bro!”

I wondered if being like me was a good thing.

I thought about it for a moment.

But soon, I decided to let go of that thought. What could I say to a kid who wanted to be like me?

I was just grateful.

“Bro! Good luck today!”

“Shia, fighting!”

“Ha ha ha… Thank you.”

The mother and son, who had given me strength, walked away from the car, playfully teasing each other.

It felt like a good day.

I felt great, and the recent encounter had lifted my spirits.

Many people, like that mother, were probably waiting for .

Yes.

What I could do now was to put on a spectacular show for them.

Vroooom.

I heard the pleasant sound of the engine and drove quickly towards SD Corporation’s headquarters.

6.

“Over there! Is the live broadcast setup almost done?”

“All the filming equipment is set, and the connections to each capsule are complete.”

“Make sure the screens of all 40 people can be broadcasted from various angles at any time.”

“Server! Where’s the server manager?”

“Here!”

This place was like a battlefield.

The usual relaxed atmosphere of SD Corporation was nowhere to be found.

Yells echoed everywhere, and the staff were running around without rest.

Today was not only the day of the Apocalypse Dragon raid but also the grand server opening day.

Because we had to open the server right after slaying the Apocalypse Dragon, the staff were on edge.

I heard that those people had been living in the company for two weeks….

Should I call it the unfortunate reality of IT companies?

“Busy, isn’t it?”

In the midst of all this chaos, the one who seemed the most at peace was, of course, Sung-soo hyung.

Sung-soo hyung looked at his employees bustling about and nodded in satisfaction.

“They’re all so capable.”

“Shouldn’t you be directing them, hyung?”

“Chan-sik, there’s a saying, you know? The best leaders just stay put.”

“…Ah.”

“And honestly, they’re the experts in this field. What could I possibly add? All I need to do is boost their morale and pay them well. That’s it.”

He said that, but I knew that most of the planning at SD Corporation began with Sung-soo hyung.

If it was humility, it was a well-placed humility.

I grinned and casually asked Sung-soo hyung.

“Hyung, will you be playing ?”

“Of course, it’s our company’s game, so I’ll definitely play at least 10 hours a week.”

SD Corporation was preparing more than just .

This was just the beginning, marking the start of their story as well.

“We held an event recently.”

“What kind of event?”

“A pre-payment discount event for . Users who paid for a year in advance received a 10% discount, and a million people signed up.”

Considering the original number of users, it’s not that high.

But it was enough to give an idea of the project’s business potential.

“We’ve covered the maintenance costs of the supercomputers. It’s not a satisfactory profit yet, but in time, significant profits will come to us.”

“So, you’re saying we should feel the pressure and risk our lives to clear it.”

“Exactly! That’s it. Chan-sik, you understand quickly, that’s why I like you. If your stream ever fails, will you join our company? I’ll give you a director position.”

“…And get criticized for nepotism?”

“I was criticized like that at first too.”

“Okay! If I screw up, I’ll run straight to SD Corporation.”

A director at SD Corporation?

I knew he was joking, but it felt good.

A comforting insurance policy like a hearty meal. I should show SD Corporation how useful I can be this time.

While chatting with Sung-soo hyung about various things, all our raid members for the Apocalypse Dragon raid gathered.

“Everyone, you’ve worked hard for the past month. Let’s finish the Apocalypse Dragon smoothly today and bring it to a successful conclusion.”

Dong-su hyung, the raid leader, spoke cheerfully to the raid members.

There were no major concerns.

The Apocalypse Dragon would eventually fall to us, and would launch.

No one here doubted that fact.

“Oh, and once opens today… be sure to apply to join the renowned ‘Kan’ guild….”

Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

The people here had top-tier potential.

If you were a returning ranker, any guild would want you.

I couldn’t stand watching this attempt to recruit anymore.

I interrupted Dong-su hyung.

“Hyung, noona! I’m thinking of making a guild too.”

“The youngest?”

“It’s time for a fresh face.”

“Kid, if we join your guild, will you buy us Korean beef at every meetup?”

“Of course, hyung.”

“…Top grade.”

“Pardon?”

“I only eat top-grade beef!”

Dong-su hyung tried to make a bold bet. The rest of the raid members laughed out loud at Dong-su hyung’s reaction.

You might think it’s just meaningless banter.

But this was Dong-su hyung’s usual method.

By exchanging jokes, he helped ease the raid members’ tension and allowed them to focus more on the goal.

Of course, his personal interests were involved as well.

“Raid members! It’s time to log in!”

“20 minutes until we’re on air.”

“The issue with SBC’s broadcast has also been resolved!”

It seemed time was up as jokes continued to fly around.

Following the staff’s guidance, our entire raid team logged into the capsules, and soon new lines prepared for the broadcast were heard.

[We commend your dedication to reviving the destroyed world. My name is Gaia, the mother of this land. With all my power, I have returned you to this world.]

[Defeat the Apocalypse Dragon. Collect the fragments of the destroyed world, and you may restore it.]

[Once again, all hope rests on your shoulders.]

With an appropriate story explanation, the view changed, and system messages popped up.

[You will spawn in a special area.]

[Player , your current location is .]

Kwaaaaaa!

As soon as all our raid members spawned, a massive Apocalypse Dragon roared at us from the sky.

-Hahaha! The worms who died under my feet have returned! Even if you return, nothing will change!

That was just a greeting.

To face the Apocalypse Dragon, we had to pass through all the dungeons it had created.

The dragon’s arrogant roar disappeared, and I exhaled lightly, gripping my sword.

A suitable level of tension and a perfect grip.

I felt great.

“Let’s finish this quickly and go eat.”

With Dong-su hyung’s words, messages related to the Twipod streaming appeared before my eyes.

[Starting the broadcast.]

[Broadcast title: The Day We Settle It]

[5… 4… 3… 2… 1!]

[Starting the stream.]

As the stream began, the chat window exploded.

-Wow!!!!

-Finally!

-Open Gaia Classic now!

-Apocalypse Dragon tail soup is amazing, right?

-Haha, I trusted you!!!

Excited viewers.

I smirked at them and said.

“Just shut up and watch. I’ll open the server for you. Get ready.”

Finally, the Apocalypse Dragon raid had begun.