Fenrir Translations
Meanwhile, just as Corvus had predicted, the reactions of others weren’t too different.
Although a game’s rank is the most reliable indicator of a player’s skill, there are aspects that can’t be easily discerned by rank alone.
For example, playtime.
In terms of other games, it would be akin to reaching a rank between Master and Grandmaster, but if a user started from scratch and reached that rank in just over ten days?
For example, match content.
Beyond just shooting accuracy and game sense, there are elements like terrain selection, so-called luck-based lead shots, and countless other variables inherent to battle royale games.
This player trampled all those variables with overwhelming skill, maintaining an average of 13 kills per match and reaching that rank without a single loss.
Even for a professional, such gameplay would be nearly impossible.
That’s why, regardless of gender, professional gamers notice the details that casual players might overlook or ignore.
Even coaches, who have increasingly become a new career path for former special forces soldiers, were glued to their screens, analyzing every movement of a player named Yujin.
Whether something was possible or impossible didn’t matter; they recorded and simulated anything they could learn from, processing the footage into material to distribute.
While the pros were engrossed in their work, Yujin was becoming a frequent topic of conversation in Korean communities, regardless of her viewer count.
As always, Koreans excelled in online debates and asserting their opinions, and if there wasn’t any gossip to discuss, they’d create some.
There were discussions on whether Yujin would ruin not only the Apex ecosystem but also tournaments if she went pro, or whether people were getting too excited before the Qualifiers rank, which hadn’t even opened yet.
People speculated on what would happen if Yujin faced off against pro gamers.
There was curiosity about Yujin’s background—who was she, or where did she come from?
They wondered who would win if Yujin sparred with a special forces soldier.
They even speculated on what kind of supernatural abilities Yujin might possess if she were an awakened being.
Yujin’s strong aversion to revealing personal information meant that not only her viewers but also those who picked up on the gossip were left with plenty of room for imagination.
Though it wasn’t worldwide, many people connected to Dark Zone and related communities were keeping a close eye on Yujin’s activities.
So, if you asked what this hot topic was doing right now…
-[Alert: Approaching R&D Laboratory. Continuous biosignal scanning detected.]
-[ISO: Do you see that, agent? That’s… definitely a biometric scanning device that Artemis Corp was supposed to deliver to the Department of Homeland Security. Simply put, it’s a ‘skill.’ The recorded name is ‘Pulse.’]
-[ISO: After sending all the surrounding enemies to the afterlife, if you retrieve the data or the module related to that device, you’ll be able to access the skill category in your Icarus Gear.]
“Oh, finally, a skill! So this is how we obtain it!”
“Exactly. It’s time to bury some enemies.”
They were in the middle of a main mission.
It was a relaxed approach that suited her.
—BOOM!
“Whoa! Yujin! They’re firing rockets! They’ve gone mad!”
“Wow, they’re really going all out.”
A sharp firing sound cut through the air.
A bright light streaked across the sky, leaving a white smoke trail, and with a thunderous impact, the object that two enemies were using as cover was blown away.
As shattered metal fragments and flames danced in the air, black smoke rose over what was supposed to be a sterile area that required decontamination to enter.
Cutting-edge equipment, whose purpose would be difficult to guess without expertise, coexisted with primitive weapons designed solely to kill people.
Two incompatible scenarios were unfolding in the same place.
“You have a rough idea of where the rocket launcher is, right?”
“Yes. I have Pulse activated, so…”
“I’ll draw their attention with suppressive fire. Take them out during that.”
The chat was chaotic.
If the sound seemed lacking, donations and voices would subtly come through, mingling with the whip-like crack of gunfire and the English shouts of the enemies, creating complete chaos.
Amidst this, one person ran across the cover to the other side.
As the lead shots fired a half-beat too late raked over the spot where Yujin had just passed, Harmony peeked out from behind cover, taking a deep breath.
She saw it.
The enemy who had just finished reloading the rocket launcher was now tracking Yujin’s footsteps, not paying any attention to her. For now, it was a welcome situation.
Through the hybrid sight, the enemy’s silhouette was magnified. The red dot aimed at their body moved slightly with Harmony’s heartbeat.
As she pulled the trigger, the shot hit the target almost instantly.
And then—
—BOOM!
“Aaah!”
The 5.56mm round tore through the wrist, almost severing it, leaving the enemy with a near-amputation as the rocket launcher slipped from their weakened grip.
What happened next was a mystery, but—BOOM.
The rocket launcher soldier and the enemies taking cover nearby were instantly reduced to nothing but thousands of tiny polygons, disappearing from the scene.
Yujin’s voice echoed over the comms.
“Well done. That was some good sense you showed there.”
“The enemy met a rather unfortunate end.”
Naturally, there were no major issues after that.
The synergy between Yujin’s quick responses and Harmony’s growing familiarity as a shooter couldn’t be dismissed, and the low difficulty, far weaker than a real battlefield, only added to it.
Leaving behind the bodies of the fallen enemies, the two of them soon found themselves in front of a module that looked like it belonged on a space station, accessing a nearby computer.
Two servo arms began to move, disassembling the internal components of the machine.
-[Alert: Pulse module detached.]
How should I describe it?
The module was about the size of a large plastic container for storing kimchi, carefully detached and placed on the table in front of them.
At the same time, the lights in the entire facility went out,
—!!!
And intense flames erupted from the upper walls of the facility, starting from the control room.
-[ISO: Agent. Are you okay? It seems like some uninvited guests have shown up.]
-[ISO: The Icarus Device provides superior and safer physical enhancement and reliable cargo transportation compared to what Artemis offers. The module should be securely attached to your bag.]
-[ISO: If possible, try not to damage the module. It would be a hassle to dig through the place again for skill-related data.]
“I’ll carry it. I don’t think it’ll end well if you carry it, Yujin.”
“…I can’t argue with that.”
“Hey! Are you trying to slander me!?”
“It’s okay, it’s not entirely wrong.”
Nevertheless, their actions were swift.
There was plenty of cover available, and the roles were quickly and effectively divided. Harmony immediately strapped the module to her back and started running.
Of course, it might be more accurate to say she tried to run.
“Ugh, this thing is too heavy…!”
Despite its potential, the module was, after all, a chunk of cutting-edge metal, densely packed into something the size of a large kimchi container.
No matter how much her stamina was maxed out, she couldn’t override the system that forcibly burdened her movement and body.
As Harmony let out a deep, guttural sound from within, unfit for a woman, while taking cover amidst the chat’s jeers, Yujin’s gun roared to life.
Bosses, elites, veterans, regular enemies—they all melted down equally.
Seeing how the situation was clearing up within minutes of taking cover, Harmony, who had thought she’d at least get a shot in, ended up lying down and staring up at the sky.
“Well, figures…”
Still, as they said, it didn’t feel right to do nothing at all, so she picked up her gun and started practicing her shooting, just as Yujin had taught her.
Unlike a few hours ago, this time, the targets were actual enemies. Much smaller than human-shaped panels, and moving far more unpredictably.
As always, the firing mode was set to single-shot.
Focusing on each shot as if performing delicate work, instead of tracking the enemy, she waited for them to move into her predicted line of sight, then pulled the trigger at the precise moment, like in a rhythm game.
Bang.
A heavy shot rang out, her shoulder trembling slightly. The enemy dropped to the ground, headshot clean through.
She quickly rolled her eyes to find the next target. There was one enemy that stood out—a boss clad in an exosuit, armed with a grenade launcher and a machine gun, armored with steel plates all over.
Due to its weight, the boss was slow.
She leisurely tapped its head, landing shots as if flicking a pebble.
If it seemed like the boss’s attention was about to shift, Yujin would unload a full magazine into its body, drawing back the boss’s aggro until it was eventually defeated.
When the boss finally fell, a brilliant effect filled both their screens.
Harmony was steadily becoming a competent Dark Zone player.
-[Xi IMPRESSIVE Scrim Announcement]
-[Preface]
-Hello, this is the enforcer from Xi Impressive.
The last week of August is already upon us. We send our sincere support to all the players who are honing their skills through tireless Dark Zone gameplay, despite the still hot and humid weather.
The KSM - Korea Selection Match for the Asia Qualifiers is just two weeks away.
As always, scrims will continue to be held at designated times as long as capacity allows, and those aiming to participate in the qualifiers are likely already part of the Dark Zone communities of various teams.
Each custom match will include not only players from Xi but also professional gamers from other active teams.
The list of professional gamers assigned to each match will be continuously updated daily, so if you want feedback, feel free to join those matches.
After the scrims, there will be debriefings from the professional gamers and the match winners. We encourage those interested in participating in the tournament to take advantage of this opportunity.
To ensure overall skill improvement among the tournament players, if the number of participants exceeds expectations, those who have participated in a certain number of scrims may be asked to leave the custom match after prior notice to allow others the chance to join.
The open time for the custom match and the password for access will be distributed individually one hour before the scrim to users affiliated with the community. If you lose or delete it, you won’t be able to participate in the scrim for that day.
You can find more details about the custom match rules and participant information below.
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