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

“The first thing we need to find out is which hallway leads to the broadcasting booth. The structure here is so winding that I can’t figure out where the booth’s door is hidden.”

“Leave it to me. If I scout just one floor, I can figure out the entire layout. There are about three suspicious spots.”

The middle-aged man’s gaze lingered in the air. It seemed a blueprint of the massive colosseum was already forming in his mind.

I couldn’t help but be impressed. As expected from characters, their identities are distinct.

Even among those with high intelligence, their specialized fields vary so much.

Shemarin has animalistic intuition, Blance is skilled in stats and spatial abilities, and Ifrea excels in balanced leadership.

Something like that.

So, what is Akata specialized in? I haven’t noticed a clear field yet. Maybe improvisation?

Meanwhile, Blance opened the notebook he always carried and began sketching the colosseum’s blueprint.

Not just one drawing, but several, estimating the hidden spaces as well.

Who would have thought Blance would seem like such a reliable ally? I guess it’s because we have a common enemy.

“Three suspicious spots? Then it’s perfect for the three of us here to each check one. Whoever finds the right one should take over the booth and tie up the manager, then broadcast. If we pretend to be the broadcasters, won’t we get caught?”

“We’ll get caught. Just reveal our names and boldly declare, ‘We’ve all been played by the manager!'”

“Yeah. Let’s go with a shocking announcement. I don’t think there’s anyone here who would write a script in advance. Whoever catches the broadcasting team can decide the announcement content… By the way, isn’t the colosseum design cool? Are they just going to throw it away after one match? Can’t it be reused?”

“I think it’s an unparalleled masterpiece of metaphysical curves.”

“It would be great to add a colosseum to our PK arena too.”

Suddenly, even when I said something random, the two high-intelligence characters picked it up seamlessly.

A different character passed by behind us, glancing our way. But they didn’t notice anything suspicious and just kept going.

I took a sharp look around the surrounding hallway and then spoke to the two.

“This hallway is too exposed. There are second-generation kids walking around. I can see the managers too.”

I wanted to find a more discreet place to talk comfortably. Shemarin and I simultaneously spotted a place beyond the hallway.

“There’s no choice but there?”

“We can’t help it. Let’s continue the meeting there.”

Blance quietly and smoothly followed behind us like a shadow.

At the entrance, I stopped Blance from going in.

“Blance, you stay out. I’ll connect you via remote communication from over there.”

“Why?”

“This is the women’s restroom.”

At my words, Blance looked up at the sign overhead. His gaze slowly lowered again.

“…It’s an emergency, so I’ll be a woman too.”

“Stop talking nonsense and get out.”

Reluctantly, Blance turned around. His back, as he entered the men’s restroom alone, seemed to be mumbling something.

Was that guy always like this?

“Since we’re in the restroom, let’s talk openly.”

I confirmed that only Shemarin and I were left in the restroom and glared.

“Are you all crazy? Why have you been training so intensely?”

Shemarin’s guild also beat the second generation.

Our guild, which was number one, barely won, but theirs, which was second, won by a landslide, and it really bothered me.

Shemarin leaned against the wall, looking down at me with a peculiar gaze.

“Rudel, that’s our line, don’t you think?”

“What?”

“Isn’t that something you shouldn’t be saying? The flame you showed was chilling and vivid. Seeing how you’ve kept it hidden for so long made me realize again how smart and cunning you are. That alone was thrilling from the first match. But what about Akata, who came after you? Did your fire duo plan to sweep through the battles?”

Shemarin apparently had something to say to me about this too. Her unexpected rapid response momentarily overwhelmed me.

Soon, a gruff voice emerged from me.

“Akata ultimately lost to Tian, though.”

“That’s because he’s inexperienced in combat. While Tian was running around doing all sorts of things, Akata didn’t move a step, didn’t you notice?”

Shemarin’s points were all correct, and I knew that Akata and I had performed remarkably well.

I knew, but my dissatisfaction didn’t go away. I muttered something more under my breath.

Shemarin was watching me with a peculiar, smiling gaze.

After a brief delay, I contacted Blance, who was waiting in the men’s restroom. As soon as the connection was made, Blance got straight to the point.

[“There aren’t three places, but four. Four places suspected to be connected to the broadcasting booth.”]

“Really? Then there are three of us, so the numbers don’t match. We’ll just have to hope the booth is in one of the three places with a 75% chance.”

[“I’ll point out the most likely places first…”]

His voice trailed off. After about three seconds of silence, I asked.

“Why did you stop talking?”

[“…”]

Click.

The communication was cut off from his side.

“Is it a communication problem? That can’t be.”

This isn’t even reality. I turned the communication window off and on. I was about to call Blance again when Shemarin gestured to stop me.

“Bad feeling about this, but maybe he realized someone was eavesdropping in the men’s restroom stall.”

Crash!

As if to confirm Shemarin’s suspicion, a violent crashing sound echoed from the men’s restroom beyond the door.

* * *

“You’re as eccentric as you look, brother.”

Blance’s thick leg had smashed the hinge of the restroom stall, pressing down roughly inside.

Someone crouched inside was coughing and sputtering under Blance’s foot but still managed to speak.

“How much did you overhear?”

“If I tell the truth, what are you going to do to a fragile guy like me?”

“I’m going to bury you so you won’t interfere.”

“What if I cooperate with you?”

Despite the situation, the character didn’t lose his composure, even though he had a foot pressed into his solar plexus by Blance. His defiance and unyielding spirit were clear in his black irises. Blance’s eyebrow subtly arched.

‘Indeed… He bears an uncanny resemblance to Rudel.’

Runehan started to make choking sounds, as if his organs were becoming uncomfortable. However, Blance didn’t ease up on the pressure.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Why would a second-generation player cooperate in this?”

What Blance, Shemarin, and Rudel were planning was to expose the unfair advantage the second generation had in the battles and to overturn the entire match.

If it were a first-generation player, cooperation might make sense, but why would a second-generation player help?

Despite his ashen face, Runehan let out a low laugh, sounding strangled.

“See, you’re the ones who started with the bias, dividing us into first and second generations. I hate unfair games too. Even if I win, it’ll feel hollow and make me angry… Our guild lost anyway.”

Cough!

Blance finally lifted his foot just before Runehan could suffocate.

Runehan doubled over, gasping for breath, and carefully touched his probably bruised abdomen.

Blance didn’t have to wait long. Runehan quickly raised his sweat-soaked face.

“Find the broadcasting booth and overturn this round… Let me join you. That way, you’ll have the one extra person you needed, and you can show that second-generation players are also standing against injustice, preventing the rift between generations from deepening.”

Blance scrutinized Runehan with his characteristic, ghostly intense gaze.

Then, with a movement as silent as a shadow, he slowly reached for the communication device.

About twenty minutes later.

As the final match was unfolding in the colosseum, a sudden scream blared from the speakers, followed by an abrupt silence as the commentary stopped.

All the spectators and the fighters below turned their eyes towards the broadcasting booth. However, the inside of the booth, painted black, was not visible.

No one outside could tell what was happening.

Then, a different voice, familiar to the audience, came over the speakers.

[Ah, ah, can you hear me-?]

It was Shemarin who had found the broadcasting booth and seized the opportunity to make an explosive announcement.

[I hope everyone listens carefully to what I have to say-? No, it’s not my place to say it. This sneaky broadcaster is going to confess with his own mouth-.]

The NPC announcer, created for special purposes, was powerless against A+ grade strength.

Finally, the secret of the match was revealed directly from his mouth.

“The matches were rigged?”

The crowd reacted noisily. The first-generation players tried to hush it up, while the second-generation players were vocally protesting.

“The first-generation seniors just can’t stand losing to the juniors, so they rigged it? What kind of dream are you talking about, claiming it was rigged!”

However, the second-generation characters’ doubts subsided in the next moment. Shemarin had displayed the evidence on the electronic board.

It was the broadcaster NPC’s notebook, which detailed how they had analyzed every player’s unique abilities and stats to deliberately match them against opponents who would counter the first-generation players. 

Additionally, there was an explanation of how the current round of battles, labeled as the “Broadcaster’s Round,” was controlled entirely by the broadcaster NPC. 

And finally, the last piece of evidence:

[I am Runehan, the guild master of Meadow from the second generation. And I participated in this revelation.]

When Runehan’s voice echoed, most of the second-generation players who knew him visibly wavered.

[We all know that the second generation is at a disadvantage compared to the first generation because we joined later. I’m also on the disadvantaged side. However, instead of silently accepting this, we should formally demand additional experience points and benefits from the system. It’s not right to let the game be manipulated by the administrators.]

Runehan’s persuasive or stern advice helped to calm the overheated atmosphere among the second-generation characters.

Thus, the system’s final stance on the unfair battles was announced, summarized as follows:

[The hidden task of this round, {A Round Played by the Administrator}, has been exposed. Additional sponsorship will be awarded to the players Rudel, Shemarin, Blance, and Runehan, who revealed the secret.]

As Rudel had expected, the administrator’s manipulation was part of the pre-planned content, so the system shamelessly admitted it to the characters.