In the central boulevard of Glocken City, the plaza before the Presidential Tower at the northern end was usually a sparsely populated area. However, today it was teeming with countless players.
Players holding drinks and food were reveling, some even firing weapons occasionally. With the neon lights and numerous screens displaying advertisements and announcements, the scene resembled a bustling city that never sleeps, far more lively than the day before.
On one of the screens, a countdown timer would flash occasionally.
That countdown, of course, was for the start of the 3rd BoB (Bullet of Bullets) tournament.
The players watched the timer with unparalleled excitement, shouting enthusiastically.
"I think this year, it's Yamikaze's turn."
"I agree. Yamikaze seems likely to win."
"After all, last year's BoB champion suddenly vanished this year, not even joining the tournament, right?"
"Without the reigning champion, it's only natural for the runner-up to win, isn't it?"
"No, you're forgetting Magus, aren't you?"
"This year, that monster is participating."
"True enough."
"I wonder if Yamikaze can beat that monster."
"I doubt it."
The players were abuzz with such discussions.
This wasn't merely because the BoB tournament itself was captivating, drawing much attention to its outcome. The result was closely tied to many players' potential profits.
Although only thirty players could participate in the BoB main event, that didn't mean the others were just passive spectators.
Before each BoB tournament, the GGO (Gun Gale Online) management company would organize a betting pool, allowing players to wager on their favored contenders, much like horse racing. Bets were placed, fortunes won or lost, and anticipation ran high.
Now, with the betting pool for the BoB tournament open, much of the currency circulating in GGO was pooled here. That explained why the plaza was so lively.
"This really is a virtual world that operates in a gray area on all fronts," remarked Rozen as he logged in and appeared amidst the bustling crowd.
Rozen observed the lively plaza.
Suspended in mid-air were holographic windows displaying the odds for each BoB participant.
Gorgeously dressed bookmakers—officially designated NPCs provided by the management—were stationed at corners of the plaza, busy accepting wagers from a steady stream of players, amassing wealth in the process.
Meanwhile, information brokers, selling questionable insider data, mingled among the players, peddling what they claimed were secret strategies or intel on competitors. It was clear they were profiting by exploiting the uncertainty of the players, claiming they had "insider knowledge" on potential dark horses.
In essence, this place was one massive casino.
And yet, due to the currency conversion mechanism, all the money flowing through this "casino" was tied to real-world cash, pushing its nature dangerously close to actual crime.
No wonder Rozen commented that this virtual world was perched on a knife's edge of legality.
"Perhaps there are other VRMMOs out there with specialized gambling mechanics," he mused.
But unlike GGO, none of those games had a currency conversion system. By nature, their gambling systems were fundamentally different.
It was fair to say that this was as much a real casino as it was a virtual one.
"It's a wonder the management company dares to host this. If their headquarters were in this country, they'd have been shut down ages ago."
Rozen made this observation without a hint of rejection or disdain.
Why reject it, after all?
"Since half of the revenue from this in-game gambling goes to me anyway, thanks to my share in the operation."
With such benefits, why should Rozen be critical of it?
"I wonder what my odds are," he muttered, approaching one of the NPC bookmakers. Looking up, he scanned the holographic display of odds.
The odds for lesser-known or moderately skilled players, or those who had participated in previous BoB tournaments without significant results, were naturally high. Betting on these players was akin to gambling on an underdog. A win would yield massive returns, but such occurrences were rare, and they garnered little betting interest.
Conversely, the favorites to win had predictably lower odds.
Players trusted these top contenders to have a high likelihood of victory. Consequently, most of the money was placed on them. If the management company set their odds too high and they won, the company would face staggering losses.
As a result, many players aimed to identify one or two "dark horses" on whom to bet, hoping for an unexpected windfall. This behavior fueled the information brokers' aggressive activity—claiming to possess insider tips on potential dark horses and enticing players into paying for such information. Whether these tips were genuine or fabricated depended on the buyer's discernment.
In this context, Rozen, participating in the BoB tournament for the first time, found that his odds were just slightly higher than Yamikaze's.
In other words, the management regarded Rozen as one of the undeniable favorites to win.
"Well, given all the chaos I stirred up earlier, everyone knows how strong I am. It's only natural for them to view me as a top contender," Rozen thought with a chuckle.
Still, the fact that Yamikaze's odds were slightly better indicated that the management company considered Yamikaze to have a stronger chance.
"They probably think my limited playtime and my focus as a super STR (Strength)-type player with low VIT (Vitality) makes me vulnerable to being outmaneuvered by Yamikaze's superior speed."
Rozen dismissed the notion with a nonchalant smile. Then, his gaze fell upon Shinon's odds, which were unexpectedly high.
"Wasn't she supposed to be this tournament's biggest dark horse? Why are her odds so high?"
Tilting his head in puzzlement, he quickly understood the reason.
"Could it be because of her loss in yesterday's preliminaries?"
Indeed, in the fifth round of yesterday's preliminaries, Shinon had suffered a defeat.
Her opponent, a professional player ranked below her in last year's BoB, exploited the jungle-themed map, which made sniping exceedingly difficult. Moreover, Shinon's inexplicable inability to focus led to her loss.
This defeat significantly tarnished her reputation, raising her odds and erasing her status as the tournament's dark horse.
In fact, the title of biggest dark horse had now shifted to Rozen. Shinon's decline in standing was a predictable consequence.
"You wouldn't have lost if you had focused," Rozen muttered, shaking his head in mild amusement. Little did he know that he was the reason for Shinon's inability to focus during the match.
And...
"You forfeited during the finals yourself. You're in no position to criticize me."
A cold voice suddenly spoke from behind him, causing Rozen to arch an eyebrow. Shrugging, he turned around to see who it was.
As expected, the figure standing before him, staring icily, was none other than Shinon.