TGMBS 09

Chapter 09

**Blood and Flag (4)**

《Demon to compete in Ash Moon Night 193. Lower-numbered match 4》

《Who is the Demon? The first undefeated promotee in the Japanese amateur league》

《Will he work on the world’s greatest stage? On the 193rd night when the moon turned ashen, the Demon comes》

《Undefeated promotee Demon, his first US Pro League stage is match 4》

《Was Japan’s undefeated record a coincidence? The Demon is put to the test in America》

《The next chapter of the undefeated myth, Ash Moon Night 193》

The next day.

As soon as it was officially announced that Go Taemin would be competing in <Ash Moon Night 193>, the US Nova Arena community reacted quickly.

【SteelCurtain_Hank】 Demon? That Japanese amateur undefeated promotee? The fact that he’s placed on a lower card means NAA already knows the answer

└First undefeated promotee in Japanese amateur history? What’s the level there like?

└Honestly, compared to our country, it’s way below. They say their pro league is about the level of our amateur mid-tier.

└Really? Then isn’t he going to die in his debut match?

└That’s actually the point. Watching how long he lasts will be fun.

【NovaFreak_Texas】 I heard the keyword for match 4 is survival, so it’s already over. Please, he should last at least an hour for it to be worth watching.

└Such warm consideration.

└Hey, is that comfort or mockery?

└Both🤣

【xX_BladeKing_Xx】 I can’t trust someone from the Japanese league. Here, even their pros go on double-digit losing streaks right after debut and quietly disappear — and this guy is an amateur undefeated? Is that even a merit?

└Stop hitting us with facts.

└There must be a reason NAA deliberately put him in match 4, right? Even if just to consume his image.

└Right, because he has a name. They’ll just use him in match 4 and throw him away.

└It’s cruel, but true.

【quiet_nova_lurker】 Honestly, I’m a bit excited. Do you guys even know how hard an undefeated promotion is? Achieving that condition itself is abnormal, whether in Japan or anywhere!

└HAHAHAHAHA We’ve got a lone teacher here.

└It’s not wrong, is it? No matter how low the Japanese league is, undefeated is still undefeated.

└That’s why we watch. If it works, we acknowledge it; if not, it’s discarded. That’s how the US league works.

【DemonSlayer_official】 His name is Demon? Pff, once he comes to America he’ll just become an ordinary human.

└💀💀💀

└I screenshotted this comment to repost after the match.

└Please remember me, I’m sincerely ready to be pinned.

└Either way, this comment is going to get summoned.

└Let’s just wait and see. It could be nothing, or there could be something more than expected. But even if there is, it’ll end at match 4.

└A realist is here.

└The most American reaction. Either way, results are what matter here.

“…Overall, the reaction isn’t good.”

The cold public opinion pouring across the monitor.

Chae Geon-uk clicked his tongue and turned his chair.

On the screen, provocative words doubting Go Taemin’s level were still uploading in real time.

At Chae Geon-uk’s words, Go Taemin, who was putting in circle lenses in the corner, asked flatly without even raising his head.

“What are they saying? Did they bet money on me dying?”

“They’re just saying they don’t expect much. They’re treating you like a cheap clearance product about to expire.”

“Well, they’re not wrong. I am being sold for money.”

Go Taemin began putting in the circle lenses again as if it were no big deal.

The careful way he pushed the lens in with his fingertip was as peaceful as someone choosing the type of triangle kimbap at a convenience store.

At that surreal calmness, Chae Geon-uk finally grabbed the back of his neck and let out a long sigh.

“Hey, can you laugh in this situation? These guys are even betting that you won’t last an hour.”

“Betting money? Can I bet on myself too? The odds seem like they’d be pretty good.”

“I’m speaking figuratively, you brat! And you really do need to be careful. Quite a few famous guys are competing in this match.”

As Chae Geon-uk scrolled the mouse wheel, three profiles appeared in a row on the monitor.

A former American football player, the Juggernaut.

The human butcher, Joaquin.

And finally, the Ashen Ghost, Christopher.

NAA had chosen Go Taemin, who held the plausible title of undefeated promotee from the Japanese league, as the prey to make these three Warriors shine.

‘…Maybe I should have just declined this offer.’

In Chae Geon-uk’s judgment, no matter how seasoned a mercenary his junior was, handling these three did not look easy.

Anyone who had seen their play would feel the same.

That was why seeing his junior so relaxed now was frustrating.

Whether he knew that feeling or not, Go Taemin, having finished putting in the circle lenses, turned his head.

“Ta-da, how is it?”

“…You’re seriously going out like that?”

“Why? Isn’t it cool?”

“You’re too visible in the dark.”

“But the presence is amazing.”

Go Taemin chuckled gleefully while looking at the mirror.

As he said, the red glow flowing from beneath the demon mask was very intimidating.

Add the black leather armor and the pitch-black robe over it.

If seen in the dark, it would look like just the demon mask was floating in the air.

Not stopping there, Go Taemin drew his sword from its sheath.

Then he examined the blade up and down and nodded with satisfaction.

“Indeed, domestic is the best. The previous one was Chinese, right?”

Chae Geon-uk opened his mouth with a sour expression.

“…That one was Japanese, though?”

“No wonder! If it had been domestic, it wouldn’t have broken.”

“Hey man. Domestic ones break too if you slam them into a rock.”

“Don’t slander! Are you ignoring K-steel right now?”

Go Taemin giggled and sheathed his sword again.

It was the best domestic sword in terms of cost-effectiveness, found after scouring all sorts of shopping malls to compete in this match.

Though it wasn’t a billion-won masterpiece used by pros, it seemed more than enough to paint today’s match in blood.

“Ugh, I can’t even speak.”

Chae Geon-uk shook his head at his shameless junior puffing out his chest.

He couldn’t tell whether that baseless confidence was skill or just money-mad blindness, but one thing was certain.

Tonight, the Americans were going to see one very unique lunatic.

“Fine, go show them that precious K-steel of yours.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make back the cost and bring home a nice bonus. Ah, it’s time.”

Go Taemin pointed to the clock on the wall.

The start time for match 4 of <Ash Moon Night 193> was 3 PM US Eastern Time.

In Korean time, it was 4 AM.

Though he had to dive into a blood-soaked battlefield at an hour when others were in deep sleep, Go Taemin’s expression was as calm as someone going to a convenience store night shift.

Just then, a question suddenly popped into Go Taemin’s head.

“But what if the match takes 10 hours? Do you have to wait here the whole time, hyung?”

“…I explained this before. No matter how long the fight inside, only an hour passes outside.”

“Ah, was that it?”

Chae Geon-uk let out a heavy sigh.

“Time is meaningless inside virtual reality. The same goes for people who connect directly via capsule to spectate.”

“Then what about people watching on a computer or smartphone without a capsule? Do they also feel one hour like ten hours?”

“Of course not. They watch real-time edited video like YouTube. AI picks out only the highlights and shows them.”

“Ahah.”

“Ahah, my ass. The video we watched earlier was all edited like that too.”

Despite Chae Geon-uk’s scolding, Go Taemin just scratched the back of his head and smiled brightly.

That appearance, with no tension to be found no matter how hard you looked, actually seemed to ease Chae Geon-uk’s anxiety a little.

“Then I’ll go have some fun. Rest well.”

A short while later, the scheduled time arrived.

Go Taemin lightly waved his hand and slid his body into the capsule.

With a hum- of mechanical sound, the capsule lid gently closed.

Watching that, Chae Geon-uk murmured quietly.

“…Go show them properly. And don’t come whining later that you broke your sword again.”

With those words as the last, Chae Geon-uk also laid his body in the capsule.

Soon, the two capsules in the office simultaneously lit up and began to operate.

—

When I opened my eyes, what spread before me was a dense jungle.

Broken sunlight poured like fragments through the intertwined branches that blocked the sky.

The humid air pricked at my nose.

Ding!

[Match Type: US Pro League – <Ash Moon Night 193> Match 4]

[Game Name: Blood and Flag]

[Match Type: Survival]

[Map: Red Moss Forest (Medium)]

[Current Spectators: 107,274]

[Victory Condition: The one alive at the end of the match]

[Leaving the forest will result in automatic elimination.]

[Time Remaining Until Match End: 72:00:00]

[Current Survivors: 1,000]

[Multiple hidden rules exist. (Rules will be revealed after a certain time.)]

[The match will begin in 3 seconds.]

A damp heat covered my entire body.

The hot, humid air went beyond simply feeling hot — it struck the skin stickily, like pressing a wet towel against the face.

Even standing still, beads of sweat seeped inside the leather armor and clung to my skin.

‘An interesting map came up.’

In the jungle, visibility was short due to towering giant trees and vines netting the spaces between them.

Moreover, everywhere looked similar, so without a compass, it was easy to lose direction after just a few steps.

[The match will begin in 2 seconds.]

Worst of all were the cover and concealment scattered everywhere.

Tree trunks thicker than a human torso and ferns grown to adult height were extremely tricky ambush spots.

Even if an enemy came right up to you, if you couldn’t hear the rustle of the bushes, your neck would often be gone.

For a cruel show called survival, there could be no worse stage than this.

[The match will begin in 1 second.]

But it was also a very familiar space to me.

The jungle was exactly what I had experienced countless times in Africa.

Anyway…

‘What is this?’

I tilted my head.

The white lines filling my vision.

Up to here, it was no different from usual. These lines fluttering around like ghosts were something I always saw.

But their thickness was on another dimension.

If what I usually saw were thread strands, what now crossed my vision were, with slight exaggeration, rope-thick.

I couldn’t tell why there was such a difference, but thanks to it, I felt I would never confuse reality with virtual reality.

[Match Start!]

The moment the message appeared, the taut silence flowing through the jungle snapped.

From all sides, the sound of violently parting bushes and screams burst out.

‘First, let me check the map.’

I moved through the bushes as if gliding.

In this jungle, those who run while making noise are amateurs.

The squelch of mud underfoot, the rustle of leaves against a collar — each sound was nothing less than a signpost revealing your location in this forest.

I flexibly passed through gaps in the vines and surveyed the surroundings.

‘Everyone’s moving too hastily.’

The rope-like white lines crossing the air had now become as familiar as the terrain of this map.

I lowered my stance and slowly drew my sword.

At the same time, a rustling sound came from beyond the bushes to my rear left.

Shhh–!

In an instant, a change occurred in my vision.

In the empty air where nothing had been, a single blood-red line as thick and vivid as a rope was drawn.

A trajectory flying straight for my neck.

Without even turning my head, I angled my sword up toward the end of that line.

Chaeng!

-Oh! An engagement right at the start of the match! Raven is attempting a surprise attack on the Demon!

-Raven is a Warrior in his 8th month since debuting in the US Pro League, consistently maintaining above-average results in lower numbering. He’s evaluated as named-tier in ambush tactics alone, and the Demon has met a worthy opponent right from the start!

-Raven is just an ordinary level in our US Pro League. He’s not particularly considered a strong Warrior. But if the Demon struggles against such an ordinary player… that would say even more.

-Honestly, I don’t have high expectations. The Japanese amateur league and the US Pro League have different starting lines entirely. I doubt he’ll be eliminated here, but… well, we’ll have to see how it goes. Now, let’s keep watching the match!

“…”

The opponent’s silhouette revealed itself between the bushes.

A black cloak, dual swords, and a visibly stiff expression. It seemed he hadn’t even considered that I would block it.

Chaechaeng!

But a pro is a pro.

After a brief pause, the dual swords immediately poured in.

A cross slash targeting the left flank and right shoulder simultaneously. Two blood-red lines crossed my vision.

The opponent was trying to cover the embarrassment of his failed ambush with a barrage of attacks.

I didn’t bother swinging my sword to match him.

Swoosh.

Minimal movement.

As I slightly twisted my body with a paper-thin margin, the sharp dual swords barely grazed only my collar.

“…!”

The man’s pupils dilated.

He seemed unable to believe his full-force attack had missed so futilely.

In that instant, an opening appeared in his chest.

Seogeok–!

I laid the sword I had angled up horizontally and drove it in.

It was a strike piercing the starting point of the red line — in other words, the opponent’s heart.

“Keoheok…!”

The man who had been swinging his dual swords so confidently just moments ago froze on the spot.

His expression showed he couldn’t understand why his sword had missed, or when the opponent’s blade had embedded itself in his heart.

[You have slain the Pro Warrior ‘Raven’.]

Soon, his form began to crumble into fine white data particles.

‘Easy money.’

Shaking the blood off my sword, I resumed walking.