Throne Game (2)

Flash!

Lights flashed out everywhere as a king symbol appeared above everyone's forehead. And they were granted the names of the kings.

Jung Minji's symbol was a bloody knight, her king name was the Crazy Knight King.

Choi Junsung had an executioner as his symbol, his king name was the Slaughter King.

Kim Piljoong had a hunter as his symbol, his king name was the Hunter King.

And above Choi Hyuk's head was a black flag made from something that looked like the clothes of a death god. His king name was the King without subjects.

As their symbols were larger and brighter than everyone else's, it was easy to find a king wherever he was. And you could tell who was under who's rule in an instant.

Those who declared themselves as kings numbered 43 and there were 5 thrones.

Each group started to distance themselves from each other. There were too many competitors to start fighting right away. A fierce psychological battle erupted between close groups. And that boring engagement... would have continued.

If it wasn't for Choi Hyuk.

While groups were wary of each other as they distanced themselves away, Choi Jung dashed. Towards the school president, the Hunter King Kim Piljoong.

Kim Piljoong's reaction was fast.

"Those with shields come forth, spearmen behind them. The rest get behind them and all of you get your backs against the wall."

Among the groups in the gym, Kim Piljoong's group was the truest to their name as well as the strongest. He wasn't afraid of Choi Hyuk. However, he was pissed.

'There nothing good being under attention from the start... tsk."

In a situation where everyone was trying to read what was on each other's mind, they would only become targets if they put under attention. If his battle line became disorganized when fighting Choi Hyuk, there was a possibility that another group would launch a surprise attack.

Kim Piljoong drew an arrow. The bow he obtained when he killed a dropout, the 'Returning Bow', not only increased the speed of his arrows but his arrows would return to him after being shot.

'I will shoot when he comes within 5 meters.'

No matter how good Choi Hyuk's skills were, he believed that there was no way that he would be able to block an arrow shot from the 'Returning Bow'.

But, Choi Hyuk switched directions before he came within 5 meters. He even sped up. With his 19 karma points in Speed and the speed effect of the 'Tireless Boots', Choi Hyuk sped forward.

Choi Hyuk's target was never the Hunter King Kim Piljoong. Running towards Kim Piljoong was just a disguise.

His real target was the weakest of the six kings he pointed to. His symbol was a dhole[1].

Choi Hyuk didn't know his name. Only that he was friendly with Lee Mangi, Bae Hyunsung and others who bullied him. His killing intent towards Choi Hyuk was his mistake.

He stared blankly as Choi Hyuk approached him. His eyes widened later as if he was surprised but it was already too late.

Tada, Slam!

Choi Hyuk's body flew 10 meters into the air. The moment his subordinates flinched, Choi Hyuk was already passing above their heads. When his target was fumbling with his sword, Choi Hyuk pulled his Fang Saber from its sheath.

Slash!

[First Kill! You were the first to kill a king. You have been given an additional 3 free karma points. Retribution points have increased by 3.]

[You have killed a king. You have been given 2 free karma points.]

If he found a hidden rule about the first kill, he might have gotten a bigger reward but it wasn't a bad start.

Thud.

When Choi Hyuk landed, the group without a king stared at him with blank expressions. The king's symbol above their heads disappeared.

Choi Hyuk lifted his head and counted the numbers.

"One down. Five bastards left."

Choi Hyuk's next target was the next weakest one. It was normal in a fight against many to target the weakest ones first.

The fight began.

**

Originally, those subject who had lost their king would become affiliated with the enemy king.

However, it was different when their king was killed by the 'King without subjects' Choi Hyuk. The subjects who lost their king lost their affiliation as well and would join the first king who made contact with them. So, whenever Choi Hyuk killed a king, the place would overflow with new subjects. The first to take them got them. When such a chance appeared in a game where you would die out if you couldn't increase your power, the real competition between the kings began. The psychological battle quickly switched to battles and all-out wars.

A blood wind blew with Choi Hyuk at its center.

Choi Hyuk was intoxicated with the karma circulating his body. Karma was stronger than bones, tougher than muscles and more flexible than joints. The more karma he received, the more superior the karma that circulated his body was.

The karma from his 21 Speed stat immediately contracted to moved Choi Hyuk's body. When others took one step, Choi Hyuk took two. In a fight, that one step difference could mean life or death.

Slash!

His opponent unconsciously took a step back as he saw Choi Hyuk approach but, with another step, Choi Hyuk slashed off his neck with his Fang Saber. Choi Hyuk quickly turned around and charged to his next opponent.

Slash!

It was a guy wearing an E rank armor. Choi Hyuk didn't aim for his armor but for his wrist.

"Gahhh!"

When his target screamed as he grabbed his bleeding wrist, Choi Hyuk used that chance to take out a thin estoc with his left hand and stabbed his opponent's neck between the folds of his armor. 30 Control. He didn't waste a single drop of strength with his Control stat that surpassed his Power and Speed. The karma stretched out and precisely stabbed with the sword.

"Grkk..."

Enemies were everywhere, he took one out but another enemy arrived raising his sword immediately after. Choi Hyuk grabbed and pulled the wrist that was holding onto the sword. As the man lost his balance, the Fang Saber sliced his throat.

The dead turned into ashes as they were absorbed into Choi Hyuk. Then, Choi Hyuk's stats would increase once again. He was getting stronger in real time.

"Block it! Block it!"

Choi Hyuk's second target. The symbol of a wild dog, the Wild Dog King Song Minsik urged his subjects crazily. Due to the rule that subjects could not disobey their king, his subjects blocked Choi Hyuk's path knowing all too well that they would die.

Taking advantage of the confusion, the Weed King Kim Taesik brought his subjects to launch a surprise attack on the Wild Dog King. "Euah! What the!" shouted the freaked out Song Minsik who ran away. "Goodbye," said the tailing Kim Taesik. And behind Kim Taesik was the Crazy Knight King Jung Minji who attacked, "I'll use your items well." Jung Minji who wasn't able to obtain any items during the Bonus Game was first targeting easy kings with items.

Although they chased one another and tossed and turned, eventually only the strong would survive.

The Crazy Knight King Jung Minji (Class President, First in School) and the Hunter King Kim Piljoong (School President) were well versed in tactics. Their subjects didn't lose formation in this confusing brawl.

"Go back a step!"

They would move back.

"Two steps forward!"

They would push away their enemies and stay in line. If they were to obtain shields, spears and swords and planned out new tactics, everyone and their dog wouldn't be able to stop them.

That was the reason. Why Kim Piljoong was so overly confident.

It had been 20 minutes since the Throne Game had started. 20 kings had already been eliminated. Kim Piljoong's group was still the strongest as well as the largest. Choi Hyuk killed 3 kings by himself but to Kim Piljoong, it was like he only killed pathetic ones who didn't even know the basics. It was because of that. During the brawl, Kim Piljoong's group came close to Choi Hyuk but Kim Piljoong wasn't nervous in the slightest. He thought that he could just lazily clean up his surroundings and devour Choi Hyuk when he had the chance.

'Killing a regular king gives you 2 free karma points... I wonder how much a king without subjects will give?'

Instead, he was actually becoming more excited.

**

That moment, Jung Minji was in the middle of urging Yoon Girim.

"I did what I can. I'm pissed so don't push it."

"Bu...but..."

"Stop. Just shut up and kill. You trash."

Jung Minji threw a student who was subdued by her group in front of Yoon Girim. Yoon Girim still hadn't gotten rid of the ITEM mark. She wasn't distributed any karma, wasn't affiliated with anyone, couldn't fight and was instead becoming a target for enemies. Jung Minji had a mind to kill Yoon Girim and obtain an item. However, whenever she saw her weak face, she couldn't leave her alone. That was why she became angrier.

'If I could have my way, I would like to do this to Lee Hyejin as well..."

Jung Minji glanced at Chu Youngjin's girlfriend, Lee Hyejin. Currently, among the four dropouts, two had killed someone and had gotten rid of their ITEM marks. The only ones left were Yoon Girim and Lee Hyejin. However, Jung Minji found it uncomfortable telling Lee Hyejin what to do.

Unlike Kim Piljoong who was always famous as well as a leader and the school president, she was only a class president, even though she was a king of the alliance, she couldn't help be careful around Chu Youngjin.

'I can't make enemies when I don't know what kind of games there will be in the future.'

Chu Youngjin who was currently the attack leader of the group was crazy for Lee Hyejin. There was no reason to create grudges.

"Sob... sob..."

While Jung Minji was pondering over things, Yoon Girim had stabbed the subdued student in the neck while crying. The ITEM mark above her head disappeared. In its place was Jung Minji's Crazy Knight King symbol.

Jung Minji didn't want to see Yoon Girim's crying face.

'Fucking sensitivity..."

When Yoon Girim cried in this bloody battle reeking with blood, Jung Minji's heart hurt. Jung Minji patted Yoon Girim's head as if she was hitting her before turning towards the battlefield.

"Now, go fight."

It was about time the fight would come to a lull anyways.

Even if she roughly counted, there weren't even 20 kings remaining. As there was more space than before, it was much easier to keep each other in check. And due to the brawl started because of Choi Hyuk, everyone's stamina was at rock bottom. After using Power surpassing their Stamina stat, karma would completely relax and they weren't able to move their bodies like they wanted to. It was similar to a muscle pain. Some would call it the 'Waiting Time for Re-use'.

Already, she could tell that the front lines weren't as fierce as before. Instead of fighting, it was more like they were acting like they were.

'If you die in this situation, Yoon Girim, you're a dumb bitch.'

When Jung Minji was finishing her calculations.

Murmur.

The front lines noisily murmured.

'What happened?'

In the middle of the commotion stood Choi Hyuk.

And a countless number of Hunter symbols were surrounding Choi Hyuk. Currently the strongest, Kim Piljoong's group... Their symbol was disappearing. Jung Minji's mouth opened wide dumbly.

"The school president is dead!"

Someone who was overcome with fear and terror screamed.

But that wasn't the end of the screams.

While Choi Hyuk was stirring up Kim Piljoong's group, Choi Junsung thought this was a chance and set up a small party and was devouring Kim Piljoong's outer lines.

So,

Choi Hyuk's eyes landed on Choi Junsung who was with a small group.

"Waaahhh!"

Another commotion arose.

Just how many did he kill to get so strong? Choi Hyuk's movements had already far surpassed that of a human. His body immediately accelerated that it was like watching a motorcycle hit zero-hundred in 2 seconds. Choi Hyuk's Fang Saber shot towards Choi Junsung.

Clash!

Sparks flew out like lightning. Choi Junsung's two-handed sword blocked Choi Hyuk's Fang Saber with lightning speed. However, Choi Junsung's face became completely pale.

'Fuck... don't tell me that was just his strength without a skill?'

Choi Junsung was the man who followed Choi Hyuk up to the ceiling. There, he found an E rank skill called [Lightning Strike]. [Lightning Strike] could use any weapon to strike with incredible speed and it matched well with Choi Junsung's two-handed weapon. However, Choi Hyuk's running slash was equal to his [Lightning Strike].

Clang!

The swords clashed again. Choi Junsung's [Lightning Strike] was able to deflect Choi Hyuk's Fang Saber. On the outside, they looked equal. But, Choi Junsung's insides were burning. The skill consumed a lot of stamina. His tense karma already started to stretch out like rubber on a hot day. If he used [Lightning Strike] again in this state, he wouldn't even have the strength to run.

"Fuck! Block him!"

Choi Junsung used the subordinates who followed him here as a shield as he escaped.

Slash!

Crash!

"Gahhh!"

His subordinates died a gruesome death but because of them, Choi Junsung was able to escape to his headquarters. Even when Choi Junsung arrived at his headquarters, he didn't have the courage to go save his dying subordinates.

The surroundings were still.

At some point, there was an empty space with Choi Hyuk in the middle.

He suddenly cut off the school president Kim Piljoong's neck then Choi Junsung who dominated fights ran away with his tail between his legs.

"Haa... haa..."

In the center, Choi Hyuk was catching his breath.

After 30 minutes of fighting desperately, everyone's karma had become stretched out and their legs were trembling. Steam even came up from Choi Hyuk's body.

Choi Hyuk was recalling the fight.

'So close.'

It was going great when he killed Kim Piljoong while his guard was down. The interception from the [Necklace of Protection] really showed its worth. Kim Piljoong couldn't block his attack when he ignored defense and rushed in.

'It would have been the best if I took down Choi Junsung as well.'

However, Choi Junsung was already locked up in his headquarters, completely alert. He had already used up the one interception he had and it was too much to fight him now.

Choi Hyuk wiped his head. Sweat dripped off.

Huh...

It was refreshing.

He wasn't fighting with the intentions to kill.

How far his body could move. Where he should stretch his arms or legs to. He moved that way up until now as if he was training and experimenting. Everything went the way he thought it would. Choi Hyuk's ability was finally able to stretch out its arms and let out a cheer.

Choi Hyuk looked at his surroundings. He had killed 4 out of his 6 targets. There were only about 17 kings left alive. They all looked like their stamina had reached their limit as they took this chance to curl up and rest.

However, Choi Hyuk never thought about resting.

"Don't we have to continue? I still have 2 left."

Choi Hyuk stared at the gym teacher Hwang Mangi. He took a deep breath before dashing towards him.

"Crazy!"

"Just what is this bastard's Stamina?"

Cries erupted everywhere. To those exhausted people, Choi Hyuk looked like he had become even faster.

Since the beginning of the Throne Game, when everyone else's stats were around 10 each, Choi Hyuk's Stamina was at 45 and his Recovery stat was at 35 after using the free karma points he received as a reward.

And currently, his Stamina was at 83 while his Recovery was at 73.

Choi Hyuk put more strength into his sword.