Martial Arts Returnee’s Game Broadcast

Chapter 274

Gladiator Master has five major phases.

Phase 1: Growth Phase.
This isn't a soft game where NPCs just happily accept becoming your disciple when you shout, "Become my disciple!" The player must grow stronger first.

Phase 2: Recruitment Phase.
At this point, the player needs to find disciples themselves, figuring out how to recruit NPCs as disciples by increasing their affinity or loyalty. This is the phase viewers are most excited about, as you can recruit all kinds of strange beings as NPCs.

Phase 3: Training Phase.
Simply bringing in a disciple doesn’t automatically make them strong after 10 years. The player has to search for training tools, equipment, training grounds, and possibly hire special instructors or teach skills. This is the busiest phase, and streamers tend to hate it the most, as significant growth only happens when the player works hard.

Phase 4: League Phase.
To participate in the various tournament leagues in Gladiator Master, players need to meet certain criteria. Bronze league has no conditions, but from Silver league onward, a 1 gold entry fee is required, and a consent form to allow humiliation in case of defeat must also be signed. Gold League requires a certain level of honor, and Platinum League requires courage.

Phase 5: Ranker Phase.
By challenging leagues and achieving impressive results, players who reach a high level of honor gain the right to challenge the top gladiator rankers from around the world, from rank 1 to 100. These rankers are given the prestigious Champion badge.

“Master, you’ve really chosen the best members for today’s joint stream. After all, I’m a rank holder, aren’t I?”
[Surprising. You had a disciple.]
“Could you stop looking at me like I’m some person who can’t teach anyone? Even I get hurt if I’m blatantly disregarded.”
[Sorry. I thought you’d be used to it because I do it often.]
“Haha. I always feel like you’re truly evil. Ah, that’s a compliment. Normally, when I act badly, I do it, but never get treated that way. Starting off dizzying.”

Though he said that, Eum Gil-dong still had a smile on his face, which didn’t seem to fade.
Thanks to the joint stream with the Silent Swordsman that he had dreamed of, his viewers surpassed 10,000 easily—how could he not feel good about that?

“Even someone who already has a disciple can go out looking for new disciples. So let me show you how to recruit a disciple first.”

Eum Gil-dong, who had seemed ready to cause some laughter by shouting "Become my disciple!", handed over a robe to cover the Silent Swordsman’s appearance.
If such a beautiful face were harassed, what was he thinking, walking around in an open-world environment in real mode without any fear?
He spent several minutes just following behind, keeping his appearance covered.

“Ah! Isn’t that Eum Gil-dong, the one who’s been bringing honor to the Hixsen Empire? Want to know the latest gossip? I’ll gather those who are well-versed in information!”
“Some pirate made a trivial request to the Wind Spirit, and the spirit got so angry. Apparently, a giant storm’s been sweeping across the seas and land for a while.”
“I’ve never heard of any plague rumors, but I heard the Kingdom of Postucal and the Kingdom of Yaspana are at war. If you’re looking to sell weapons, you should go there.”

Eum Gil-dong kept gathering information, gathering more and more.

[Wasn’t this game called an information-gathering simulator?]
“It was a bit boring, right? I understand how you feel, but this is all part of the waiting game. Because of this information gathering, I can now start creating rankers.”

The intellectual streamer Eum Gil-dong.
His build-up was complete.

“Now, let’s use the information we just gathered. First, they said the spirits are running wild, right? That means strong winds will blow across the land for a while. Environmental elements are changing.”
[Oh, I see.]
“It might not mean much to you, Silent Swordsman, but this is very important, you know? For example, if the air is unstable, projectile accuracy could decrease, or if you can create tailwinds, projectile speed could increase. These are the variables.”

There was some logic in it. Without vast internal energy and strength, hitting a pigeon up close with Tangji Gong would be impossible.

• Knowledge increased
• Where’s Hellse Sal? You crazy bastard!!
• Another new game?
• You said you were playing Ibok Academy, why are you switching games?
• Eum Gil-dong plays Gladiator Master with pure logic, wow
• Wasn’t this the game where you’re supposed to break the heads of stupid disciples?
• That’s the level of disciple you can pick…
• Clearly, Eum Gil-dong is an intellectual streamer.

“War is an important factor too. Strong, ambitious NPCs will flock to the warzones, while the weak ones will hide, won’t they?”
[That makes sense.]
“When this happens, if you go looking for a hidden master in the mountain valleys, you’ll only find cowardly ones who fled the war. You have to go to the military districts to pick a disciple and hit the jackpot.”

By analyzing solid information, Eum Gil-dong was able to determine where to find the best disciples based on the current meta.

“A commander-level NPC who achieved a rapid promotion after making great accomplishments in the war would be a promising disciple. But I’m not picking that one.”
[Then why mention it?]
“This is going to be the meta for this season’s tournament. While others can only pick that, I’m a meta sniper, so I’ll counter them.”

A counter to a gladiator in heavy armor who achieved great feats on the battlefield.
What a quick and clever idea.

[So, where are you taking the food?]
“I’m going to get a disciple.”
[But you said the mountain valleys are full of cowards.]
“Well, humans aren’t the only ones living in the mountains, are they? There are natives too.”

Eum Gil-dong wasn’t going after a human disciple.

“Who?”

A giant, muscular monster, 4 meters tall.
It was an ogre.

“Ogre! If you become my disciple, you won’t have to struggle to find food anymore. I’ll always provide food whenever you want, as much as can be carried by this cart!”
“Good! Good!”

[The Lord of the Forest Ogre has become Eum Gil-dong’s disciple.]

“No matter how well armored warriors perform, what will they do? If a physical beast like an ogre charges in, weapons and tactics are all shattered.”
[Oh.]
“Even if the wind-based mage meta arrives, it won’t be scary. Look at this size. The headwinds can’t even touch it, and with a tailwind, it’ll go berserk. Dirt winds? Sandstorms? It’s hard to even reach its face.”

His disciple-raising methods were truly innovative.
Eum Gil-dong gave the ogre all the food it desired and even brought back a female ogre from another mountain to pair with it.

[The Ogre expresses infinite gratitude and respect for its master, Eum Gil-dong.]
[The Ogre awakens a sense of responsibility.]
[The Ogre shows great enthusiasm for entering the tournament to earn more food for its family.]

• Non-human disciples never listen, but he manages to train them like this?
• Incredible
• Hidden tip, agree
• If I were the ogre, I’d be loyal if someone gave me food every day and found me a mate, seriously.
• I would too.
• There are many aspiring gladiators LOL
• You guys wouldn’t take it even if you were given it.
• Please, just take me. I’ll be happy with one meal a day.
• I’ll buy the food, just give me a decent female ogre, please.
• Female ogre LOL
• Driven mad by lust, abandoning humanity and becoming a wild beast LOL
• Isn’t this Eum Gil-dong’s lust?
• ?
• Why is it true?
• It’s Eum Gil-dong’s lust…

The ogre entered the tournament, and with an undefeated streak, quickly ascended to the Platinum League.

• How does the sword look like a toothpick?
• <Main Weapon: One whole Paulownia Tree>
• This isn’t even a gladiator!!
• Are you discriminating against the ogre now? You speciesist! Evil! Eum Gil-dong is just like that!
• Your words are too harsh, you bastard.
• Oh, I get it, I was too excited. I’ll cancel calling him evil, okay?
• You’re canceling it? LOL
• The evil bastard’s suffocating burst damage time LOL

“See, this is how it’s done. Easy, right?”
[Yeah, I got the gist of it.]
“So, what do you want to do? Should I help you find a disciple, or would you like to try it yourself and call me when you need help?”
[Help me from the side.]
“Hehe. My popularity is something.”
[You don’t have to help me while I’m still alive.]

Swish.
As the Silent Swordsman drew his sword, Eum Gil-dong quickly lowered his head.

“I won’t mess around again.”

Dying once is fine, but the hell of being blocked was not welcome.

“So, what can I help you with?”
[It seems like money makes everything easier.]
“Oh. How much do you need?”
[How much do you have?]
“I have enough to get whatever you need. Just tell me.”

Eum Gil-dong didn’t realize.
What Ha Eung Eung had learned by watching his play.

[You’ve shown that if you invest more, you can get stronger disciples, right?]
“Yeah. That’s true.”
[This is a fantasy world.]
“Yeah, yeah. In fantasy, everything exists.”
[So, there are dragons too, right?]

The build-up wasn’t great.
Eum Gil-dong’s expression became a bit cautious.

“Why suddenly bring up dragons?”
[Prepare gold and treasures to offer to the dragons.]
“Oh, how much?”
[Enough to fill three carts.]

Emperors usually receive bribes of that amount. If it's a dragon, even if it’s not much, don’t you think their greed would be emperor-level?
Eum Gil-dong awkwardly smiled at the ambitious thought of recruiting the strongest species in the world, dragons, as disciples.

“Well, even so, that’s a bit much…”
[Really?]
“Hehe. Thanks for understanding.”

Even so, filling three carts was too much.
You’re good at making jokes, haha.
Sweating cold, Eum Gil-dong wiped his chest while Silent Swordsman casually responded.

[It seems your abilities are limited, Gil-dong.]

A cruel message piercing his pride!

[It seems there was a reason why Lee Jae-chan was often called stronger than you.]

Eum Gil-dong forced a smile.
Was this person trying to provoke him?

“Who says that? I said I’d fill the carts with jewels.”

That provocation had an incredibly effective result.