The D-Rank Guild Master of the No. 1 Guild

In truth, if we simply fight, I will definitely lose. 

Not only is there a difference in physical abilities, but Yudirei hasn’t even revealed her gravity abilities yet. I don’t know how she has compensated for her shortcomings. 

However, I can’t let it show that I’m lacking compared to Yudirei.

‘…There’s no choice. I’ll have to bluff with confidence.’

[The entrance to Zone 3 has been opened.]

Rather than continuously fighting Yudirei over Spot 50, which isn’t even a guaranteed win, it’s obviously more efficient to take the empty spot in Zone 3.

So, I decided to act as if my main goal was the final victory rather than a one-on-one showdown.

Sharpening my gaze and clenching my teeth, I muttered in a sharp, barely audible voice.

The characters couldn’t hear, but the viewers could.

“We don’t have enough time.”

Pretending to talk to myself, I bit my lip as if regretfully and retreated.

This way, it wouldn’t seem like I was backing down because I would lose, but rather that I wanted to fight but withdrew for the sake of winning the territory battle.

I’ve really come this far purely on acting skills.

“…! Rudeell!”

Yudirei’s chilling roar felt strangely like déjà vu.

I ran hard to escape the wave of killing intent spreading from that roar. I ran without stopping.

It was a retreat disguised as ‘unavoidable withdrawal.’

With Unahar recalled, I was currently alone in Zone 3.

I briefly considered calling Gio to join me, but having such a strong combatant with me alone would be a waste of resources.

I decided to answer the call that had been coming in since I started fleeing from Yudirei and had postponed until I reached Zone 3.

It was my diligent sniper, Kanel.

[“We have successfully captured Spot 40 as well. Rudel, please give your next instructions.”]

At Kanel’s first words, full of energy, I let out a small laugh to ease the tension.

“Aren’t you curious why Unahar was recalled?”

[“You’re smiling because the situation is still under control, right? Quickly, tell me your location.”]

His tone was as steady as ever, but was it just my imagination? I felt a stronger sense of trust from him than before.

The guild members’ faith in me makes me incredibly strong.

Aware of the viewers probably watching me now, I faintly smiled to myself.

[“Oh, and what should we do about the subordinates group?”]

“Have the subordinates group retreat. If they keep fighting, they’ll get fatigued and lose their fighting spirit. As for the spot I’m in…”

We quickly ended the communication after exchanging a brief strategy. Then, under Kanel’s sniper support, I started targeting a relatively easy point. Although there weren’t any explosive scenes of overwhelming power like those from Aleon or Lesia due to the low output of fire, it was still fine for now. Both the viewers and I are holding out for a brilliant moment of amazement someday.

Working in sync with Kanel was very enjoyable. I didn’t worry at all about him accidentally shooting me because I trusted his concentration and accuracy. Kanel also remained unfazed even if I got hit or injured, using that time to fire another shot instead.

Before I knew it, the round was almost over. Sweaty and bloody, I brushed my hair away from my forehead and, sitting down on the conquered spot, connected with Gio.

“Gio, what about the captures?”

How many spots have we captured now? Did Gio manage to get one, or maybe two, in Zone 3?

Just then, Gio’s voice came through the communication, panting heavily with excitement. It was hard to understand his words, but I managed to make sense of them and asked blankly, “…You didn’t capture even one? In Zone 3?”

[“It’s weird, the spot seems broken! So, I kept digging and hitting the ground until it worked!”]

Gio’s voice was drowned out by rumbling and crashing noises. Now that I think about it, the vibrations in the ground that reached this remote spot were caused by Gio?

[“They said machines respond if you hit them!”]

…But that doesn’t apply to the capture spot system! Who told Gio such a crude home remedy?

[“…I said that. Machines respond if you hit them.”] 

Kanel’s hesitant words made me hold my head in frustration.

How could someone in my guild hold such an outdated and ignorant belief?

Because of statements like that, perfectly fine machines around the world meet their demise today!

(It seems that this anger indicates I must have loved machines or had a related job in real life.)

[“But still, if Gio is standing alone and the spot isn’t captured, it suggests a system malfunction-.”]

Kanel quickly continued, trying to divert my attention from mourning the world’s machines. Then he fell silent.

[“Oh, actually, if Gio isn’t alone at the spot and someone else is there too… it means a standoff situation is maintained, right?”]

Kanel, in a bewildered tone, added one more word.

[“Blance’s ghost.”]

I finally raised my head.

[Agasa Guild’s Capture Status

Zone 1: 2 spots (Gio 1, Me + Unahar 1)

Zone 2: 4 spots (Gio 2, Subordinates + Kanel 2, Me + Unahar 0)]

We had managed to rack up a decent score so far.

[Zone 3: 1 spot (Me + Kanel 1, Gio 0)]

But with Gio failing to capture a single spot in the final moments, were we really going to slip from the round victory like this…?

[Time out. Round ended.]

In the end, Gio, unable to uncover the secret of the capture spot, panted in frustration.

For a moment, I couldn’t react.

I had thought Blance would try to persuade Kanel and Unahar with words, and hence wouldn’t reach out to Gio. Gio, being a fool, wouldn’t fall for Blance’s schemes because we had Lilith, a beacon of light in our guild. I believed Blance, being smart, would have excluded Gio from his targets entirely. But this time, instead of approaching Gio directly, he used his ghost ability to stay hidden and only hinder the capture?

Gio had been causing a ruckus, overturning and hitting the ground of the capture spot, but he hadn’t noticed the half-ghost quietly standing there.

‘Yeah, Gio is a fool…’

Once he gets fixated on something, he clings to it madly, his thoughts so narrow that he doesn’t realize when something’s off.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I should have warned Gio.”

Kanel argued otherwise. Gio, who seemed still confused, had gone completely silent.

Soon, the broadcast of the round results echoed.

[Scoring has been completed.]

[The winning guild has been confirmed!]

Waiting in silence, we braced for the next announcement.

[The winner is… by a narrow margin, Agasa Guild is the final winner!]

What?

I hadn’t expected this. We won despite the mess in Zone 3? By a narrow margin?

[Second place goes to Red Monarch Guild, third place to Ice Castle Guild, with the scores from first to fifth being very close!]

Could it be… Did Aleon’s team and Shemarin’s team clash somewhere? Unlike how I quickly retreated when facing Yudirei, did they have a heated head-to-head battle?

Is that why they narrowly missed the top spots?

[“…We won after all. The activities in Zone 1 and Zone 2 were commendable. Thanks to Rudel’s foresight in predicting and instructing us to target the less competitive spots.”]

Despite Kanel attributing the success to my guidance with a relieved tone, I wasn’t as pleased as I thought I’d be.

First place by a narrow margin?

Well, we ranked first in all three rounds, so it’s undeniable that Agasa Guild is the top guild in the first generation… but I don’t have much to say.

In the end, Blance succeeded in hitting me in the back by adhering to his ironclad rule of ‘any means necessary.’

I beat Lesia and outmaneuvered Yudirei twice, only to get hit like this.

I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but now that it’s over, my head is throbbing.

My formidable rivals have caught up to me.

Even though we secured the number one guild spot, thinking that someone from our guild has to achieve the top individual ranking feels daunting.

Being the top guild of the first generation doesn’t mean we can relax. Intense training continues as usual.

I jutted my chin defiantly and returned to the fortress with a fierce determination that startled Unahar, who had come to greet me.

However, when the final announcement for the first generation was made, my enthusiasm quickly dissipated.

First Generation End: Cooling Time

Following the final ranking settlement, the preparation period for the second generation will commence.

The system plans a selection match for new players in the first round.

During this period, the basic stats and unique ability training of existing first-generation characters are strictly prohibited.

Training… prohibited?

If I don’t train, I’ll have withdrawal symptoms.

[Soon, the final individual/guild rankings for the first generation will be announced.]