Apex Predator.

A name that, when translated to Korean, means the pinnacle of predators. It was a brutal game that threw nearly a hundred players into a vast area, where only one user could emerge as the winner.

A chaotic free-for-all and survival showdown. The simple yet intensely macho motto of "Climb to the top by trampling others" allowed Apex Predator to surpass other prominent PvP modes, rising to fame even above the legendary Team Six.

Moreover, unlike Team Six, which required an understanding of basic map structures, operator gadgets, and the ability to break through walls and floors to create entry points, Apex Predator offered a straightforward gameplay directive: shoot visible enemies and move to the safe zone.

The lower entry barrier was a significant advantage Apex Predator held over other PvP modes.

However, the low entry barrier didn’t only apply to viewers.

The complex map structure, the fact that walls could be broken to create entryways, and the unfamiliar concept of reinforcing walls and setting traps made Team Six challenging not just to watch, but also to play.

Apex Predator was the opposite.

Even though there were buildings, the interiors were relatively simple, and unlike Team Six, where skills were limited by EMP, players could use skills from PvE like Pulse, Seeker Mines, Sticky Bombs, and Healing Devices.

The instruction was simple: shoot when you see enemies, move when told to move to the safe zone, and hold your position. Players experienced both victory and bitter defeat multiple times through this process.

But these experiences were easier and quicker to grasp than in other PvP modes, making Apex Predator a fitting choice for newcomers to try.

AP had a high player turnover.

This wasn’t just a casual remark; the quick turnover meant a higher chance of discovering hidden talents among the players.

Thus, while easy to enter, Apex Predator became a testament to how difficult it was to climb the ranks. The path to the Asia Qualifiers, starting with the qualifying ranks, was a battlefield filled with blood, fire, metal, and the fallen.

And now, in the last week of August, on the brink of September...

-[Notification: A message has been sent to all participants.
Apex Predator - The qualifying ranks have begun.
Good luck to all participants.]

The massive sieve of blood, sweat, tears, steel, lead, and gunpowder began to separate the strong from the weak.

"…Damn it, this map again."

Not that it mattered much, but even I had my preferences and dislikes.

Ever since my body changed, my tastes had slightly altered, and I had become more sensitive to certain things—but no need to beat around the bush.

In short, one of the Apex Predator maps was set in a cold environment.

Not just any cold, but an abandoned, massive power plant complex near the Arctic Ocean, making it feel like a survival mode situation.

Realistically, there’s no reason to build such a structure in a place like this, but regardless, the map had a mountain range on one side and the sea to the north.

Unusually, most AP maps forced players to move via a "kill zone" commonly called a "safe zone," but a few maps didn’t follow this rule.

The Arctic Power Plant complex was one of those exceptions.

The gimmick here was that the area had been contaminated due to a toxic chemical leak caused by overzealous facility operations. Additionally, an avalanche from the mountain covered part of the section in snow… In short, the game used various methods to guide players toward specific regions.

I thought it was a rather unique setup.

-[Warning: Vibration detected. This area will collapse in 13 minutes and 24 seconds.]

This map didn’t start with a high-altitude drop like others; instead, players woke up in a random location on the map after losing contact while investigating the area.

It felt like a survival scenario, though with some differences.

At least here, the temperature didn’t become an issue. While the temperature slowly dropped over time, by the time it became a problem, players would have gathered enough items to deal with it. Especially with tournament rules in place.

Even though the map had changed, the start was the same.

However, with a different map came different supply boxes. The abandoned port I first landed on had boxes labeled "ship supplies," and the research facility had "emergency supplies" in more high-tech-looking containers.

Here, it was a mix of both.

Inside the box were various guns, armor waiting to be worn, grenades, and other items.

The purpose was to create intense combat and keep the action going.

Today’s weapon of choice was an unexpected S&W M500. Maybe it was because I’d recently visited a shooting range, but it was definitely an odd pick.

And then there was the main star of the day...

"…Sigh."

The Mk.18 Mod.1 Mjolnir. My old companion made a sudden appearance.

No wonder the box seemed larger.

This rifle, to put it simply, was a designated marksman rifle with a rather long barrel for precision. Even the shortest version was about 20 inches.

But the ammunition it used was the powerful .338 round, and back in the day, I carried it as a secondary weapon to easily silence heavily armored enemies or drones.

It had much greater penetration power than a slug shotgun and delivered similar impact, so as long as you could manage its weight and recoil, it was an advantageous weapon.

I quickly equipped the armor, grabbed six or seven magazines from the box, and loaded them into the Icarus gear’s integrated magazine loader.

With a series of clicks, I had seven fully loaded magazines in under 10 seconds. I slotted one into the rifle, chambered a round, and stuffed the remaining six into my pouches.

The accessory on the upper rail wasn’t a scope, but a HAMR sight. This suited me better since there was no need for long-range engagements here.

But then...

──Ratatatat!

Suddenly, bullets rained down, and I quickly grabbed my rifle and took cover behind a wall.

This was the annoying part of hardcore mode. In other players’ videos, you’d see them open a box, grab a weapon, and get fully loaded in no time. But that wasn’t the case for me.

Judging by the direction of the bullets, the sound, and the vibrations through the floor, I had a rough idea of where the enemy was. With my right hand holding the revolver, I deliberately made noise while pulling out a grenade.

Nothing yet?

Then, I hooked the grenade pin onto my tail and yanked it out with a strong pull.

The enemy, realizing I was exposed, tried to relocate while pre-firing, but I extended only my left hand to toss the grenade while squeezing the revolver’s trigger with my right finger.

The recoil was substantial, but I countered it with sheer grip strength.

Boom!

Two out of five shots hit.

Not the best outcome, but considering I was firing with one hand and using .500 S&W Magnum rounds, the damage dealt couldn’t be ignored.

I threw the revolver to the side to cause confusion and dashed forward to close the distance. I could hear the enemy reloading.

Quickly, I ran the mental calculations. I couldn’t be sure, but the enemy’s weapon was likely stronger than an SMG—probably an ordinary carbine, with a minimum fire rate of 700 RPM.

Factoring in my weapon, their weapon, and our gear...

The moment I landed a hit, the enemy wouldn’t be able to aim and shoot back effectively due to the impact.

In the next moment, our lines of fire crossed.

The firefight was over in an instant.

"Kuhh…!"

No one in the world could remain standing after taking three .338 Lapua Magnum rounds to the chest.

The enemy was flung backward, landing hard on the cold, concrete floor, knocked several meters away by the sheer force. Since it was early in the match, the rounds weren’t armor-piercing, which likely played a role.

The bullets hadn’t penetrated the armor but had deformed against it, pushing the body back with tremendous force.

─Thud!

The sound was less like gunfire and more like a giant stomping.

As the heavy shell casings hit the floor with a low thud, the enemy was immediately taken out of the match, the message notifying them of a fatal head injury.

It was always like this.

I felt somewhat guilty saying it, but I could only offer my condolences to those who encountered me early in the match. Leaving a target alive was never an option, and once I chose my target, I couldn’t let them escape.

What they left behind would become my strength.

I swapped the discarded revolver for the Mk.18 CQBR the enemy had dropped. Fortunately, my nanomachine durability was holding up. I dragged the body behind a container and carefully inspected the gear.

I stashed the six loaded magazines into my top pouch. The sight was a Vortex UH-1, which I was familiar with, so sighting in took only a few seconds.

I detached the NGAL, mounted it on the 12 o’clock rail, and adjusted the sights to align with it. The zeroing distance was set at 50 yards. I slightly adjusted the stock length. The grip was oddly a Hera Arms CQR grip, which I adjusted for better handling.

All of this took less than a minute.

These were tools I was familiar with, and I’d spent over a week practicing this routine, knowing that the longer it took, the lower my survival chances.

With everything set, I wouldn’t be switching weapons mid-match. It took too long to reconfigure.

-[Warning: This area will collapse in 10 minutes. The zone will be sealed in 8 minutes.]

"Three minutes already?"

Time had passed quicker than I expected.

I opened the map, taking into account the dangerously cold areas, the contamination zones caused by the collapse, and the estimated avalanche zones to plan my route.

The route needed to be simple. I couldn’t afford to linger too long in one area. I had to estimate how long I’d stay in each zone, not as a strict plan but to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Eighty-nine players left. I checked the route and familiarized myself with the terrain before moving out.

The next objective was the skill activation zone, where everyone fought tooth and nail.

Meanwhile, as Yujin moved forward, unaware of anything else...

-Phew, that was a clean firefight, lol.
-That's not the point, how did she fire an M500 with one hand???
-Have you seen Yujin before? I stopped caring about realism when she rapid-fired a Barrett, lol.
-If a human can do it, that’s realistic enough, you idiots.

Yujin’s broadcast room had turned into chaos as her regular viewers flooded in,

-How does she even control the recoil? Is that possible?
-What’s with the tail? How did she prime that grenade like that?
-She’s so calm while playing, wow...
-She’s using Mjolnir? That rifle’s recoil makes it really tough to use.
-It’s impressive, but I need to see how she handles other players.

Even those who were seeing Yujin for the first time in this broadcast were intrigued.

Once again, Yujin was unaware that she was being broadcasted to countless viewers.