60. Area Integration
"Prepared something?"
[It's area integration.]
People made puzzled expressions at the angel's words.
The meaning wasn't clear to them.
One brave man raised his hand high.
"Angel! Could you explain in detail what area integration is..."
[You should understand right away when I say it once, don't be annoying.]
"S-sorry..."
[It means exactly what it sounds like - I'll integrate the areas. You may not know, but there are hundreds of areas just in your country? To be precise, 875 areas.]
"Gasp! 875 areas?"
"There were that many areas just in our country?"
[Kihihi, you're surprised by such a small thing. It's actually few compared to other countries. I hear the country called China has over 26,000 areas.]
"Wow..."
Though their mouths gaped open, the players soon understood.
It made sense for China, the world's most populous country.
"If 10,000 people are assigned per area, countries with larger populations would naturally have more areas."
"That's true. Oh? Wait, if angels are assigned to each area then..."
"That means there are at least tens of thousands of angels...?"
People were surprised by this fact they hadn't considered before.
That there were so many angels.
The angel smiled as if affirming their murmurs.
[It's as you guessed. We angels are assigned one per area. Did you just realize this now? How stupid.]
People could only listen to the angel's sarcasm.
Not only was it true, but they couldn't talk back to an angel who was the ultimate authority.
Instead, one question arose.
"A-angel. Then does that mean you angels didn't create this survival game?"
[...]
For the first time, a troubled expression appeared on the angel's face.
But only briefly.
The angel regained a poker face and asked expressionlessly.
[Why do you think that?]
"Tens of thousands of angels wouldn't cooperate to create just one survival game, right?"
[What if we did cooperate to create it? Are you going to praise us?]
"..."
[Don't have unnecessary doubts. Your head might explode from meddling, human.]
"S-sorry..."
People could only bow their heads at the savage words.
Except for Ryumin.
'Looks like they hit the mark, seeing how the angel changed the subject. I guess there's a policy to keep quiet about information on the designer.'
Angels who can even be killed by players couldn't have created such a massive survival game.
To begin with, individualistic and selfish angels wouldn't cooperate.
[I won't take any more questions from worms from now on. Worms should just focus on surviving like worms.]
See.
Getting angry like that is proof they're admitting they're not the designers.
[You've just wasted time annoyingly. Anyway, I'll start the area integration as announced. Just know it's a measure because there are too few people. Don't make any other useless speculations.]
As the angel flapped its wings and signaled, the ground suddenly began to shake.
Rumble rumble rumble-!
"Wh-what's this!"
"An e-earthquake?"
People were flustered, but only Ryumin maintained his composure.
He knew this was a natural phenomenon that occurs every time areas are integrated.
'Strictly speaking, it's not the ground but space itself that's shaking.'
With an earsplitting sound, cracks appeared in space.
Crack crack crack-!
Black lines appeared not only on the ground but even in the sky.
The space divided into ten pieces flipped like a cube.
Groan-
As the space flipped, about 500 people appeared.
They were players from other areas.
Thud-! Thud-! Thud-!
Then the lines disappeared with the sound of spaces merging.
The somewhat empty prairie was suddenly filled with people.
"Is... is it over?"
"Those people are...?"
Everyone just stood looking at each other warily, no one moving from their spot.
[Now, the area integration is complete. Hm? What's wrong? Greet each other, you're all humans. How long are you going to stay awkward like this?]
An unfamiliar angel rose up with a fresh smile.
It wasn't just one.
A total of ten angels gathered in one place.
[Hello, Olive?]
[Hello, Priscilla?]
[Hello, Ellen?]
The angels greeted each other in turn.
Though they were smiling with their mouths, their voices were utterly blunt.
[Olive, how many people are in your area?]
[442.]
[Similar to us?]
[They're all probably similar.]
[Anyway, who should speak as representative? The humans here seem to need an explanation. About the game too.]
[I'll do it.]
Olive, who was from the same area as Ryumin, raised her hand and volunteered.
[Wait. You're trying to score points with the Archangel, aren't you?]
[Points? Me?]
[It's suspicious that you're volunteering so readily.]
[Then you do it. Why are you picking a fight?]
[Yeah, Priscilla you do it.]
[What? Why should I do it? So annoying really.]
[Girls, don't fight and just have anyone do it.]
[Right. Do you think the Archangel cares about this kind of thing?]
[Ugh. Come to think of it, that's true.]
[Just do it Olive. You have the prettiest voice among us.]
[Sigh, how annoying. Fine.]
The angels disliked and found it bothersome to just step up and explain.
Olive flapped her wings and flew to the center of the prairie.
[Hello humans? You heard from your assigned angels, right? That areas were integrated due to low numbers.]
The players nodded silently.
[Currently ten areas have been merged into one, and there are a total of 4,844 people here.]
"Ten areas merged?"
"Almost 5,000 people?"
"No wonder it looks crowded."
The muttering players looked at each other.
Their hearts pounded somehow at the thought of proceeding through rounds with these unfamiliar faces they were seeing for the first time.
[Other areas also integrated to fill numbers. Of course, the area name has changed accordingly. For reference, this area's name is C-ESKS007. It consists only of players from the country called Korea.]
"Ah... they were all from our country?"
"Fortunately we can communicate at least."
"Hmm, we might mix with other countries later..."
This area integration won't stop at just once.
Every time the number drops below 500, it will continue merging with other areas.
Eventually, as someone muttered, they'll meet players from other countries.
'When the number of Korean players drops below 500, that is.'
Ryumin knew when that moment would be.
'In Round 11, the fourth area integration will occur and we'll compete with players from other countries.'
This isn't all Ryumin knows.
He also knows the angel will hold a bonus game shortly.
Sure enough.
[Before announcing the main quest, we'll have a simple bonus game to commemorate the area integration.]
"Bonus game?"
The angel opened its mouth as expected.
[You each had one representative in your areas, right? But now that they're integrated, what should we do? Of course we need to choose a new area representative.]
"New... area representative?"
It was a game held because there should only be one area representative.
[The game method is simple. The ten existing area representatives will come out and fight each other to the death. I'll promote the one survivor among them as the representative of this integrated area.]
In other words, it was a deathmatch where they fight until one survives.
"We have to kill each other to become the integrated area representative?"
"Wow... that's cruel."
The players whispered, but showed no signs of worry.
Rather, they were just enjoying it as if it was someone else's business.
"Sounds fun, kukuk."
"I wonder who'll become the representative?"
"We should have popcorn for this."
They could be at ease since it was a duel between area representatives that didn't concern them.
Except for the area representatives themselves, that is.
'Damn, we have to kill each other just to choose one?'
'Sigh... I shouldn't have become area representative...'
'Maybe we revive if we die this time too?'
'Forget everything else, can't we just give up the representative authority?'
The 9 area representatives all had sour expressions, but only Ryumin maintained a blank face.
Rather, he was rejoicing inwardly.
Because he knew how good a position the integrated area representative was.
[Area representatives? Kihihi, no need for such worried expressions. Though it's a deathmatch, you don't really die. All the dead representatives will revive when the game ends.]
"Ah! We revive this time too."
"Hmm..."
Even hearing about revival, the representatives' faces didn't brighten.
It was a game with no benefits for them anyway.
But the angel wasn't finished speaking.
[Looking at your expressions, you seem to think there's no merit even if you become the integrated representative, but how could there be no benefits?]
"Are there benefits just for the integrated representative?"
[Of course. The integrated representative can use Domination Authority instead of Command Authority.]
"Domination Authority?"
[It's the authority to dominate players with lower levels than yourself. An upgraded version of Command Authority that lets you freely control players in the area regardless of whether they've changed classes.]
"As long as their level is lower..."
"You can control anyone as you please...?"
"Regardless of class change...?"
The eyes of the area representatives widened.
The Command Authority that had become useless since most had changed classes now had its restrictions removed.
It was an overwhelmingly powerful authority with virtually no downsides.
[Of course, the rules of 10 uses and authority transferring if the integrated representative is killed remain. But isn't it attractive? Being able to dominate other humans.]
It certainly was.
As a superior skill with the restrictions of Command Authority removed, if one became the representative, they might be able to reign like a king.
[How about it? Is this enough motivation?]
It was.
Definitely so.
Though they didn't answer, the representatives' murderous gazes spoke for them.
That they would fight desperately to become the integrated representative no matter what.
Ryumin's thoughts were no different.
'Until now there was no merit to being area representative, but it's different from this round. I must win the deathmatch and become integrated representative.'
This is why he killed Hwang Yongmin last round and took the area representative position.
Because he knew the representative's authority would become powerful from Round 5.
'Though killing him for the sub-quest was part of it too.'
In any case, he's confident.
He has enough level and experience to win even in a 9 vs 1 fight.
'Above all, I've never missed the integrated representative position.'
However, there was something even Ryumin who lived through multiple regressions didn't know.
That the angels had placed bets on the integrated representative position.
********************************************
I have completely translated the following books
-The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player
-ReLife Player
-Your Girlfriend was amazing
-Corruption in the dungeon
Check them out on my P@tr30n
ko-fi.com/translatetoki only donate if u want to
My p@treon is now up go to p@treon.com/Translatetoki
Remove the @ symbol and type a