Due to the battle data leak incident, the National Exchange Tournament Committees from 43 countries filed for billions in damages.
The claim lawsuit was still ongoing.
Even if it was considered a past event, there were even more pressing issues regarding future security.
It was confirmed that the information of each participant was leaked through the individual combat simulation, so a meeting to discuss countermeasures was convened.
“How do we fix the security issues with the individual combat simulation for seeding the participants? Any good suggestions?”
The staff sequentially raised their hands to present their ideas.
“Enhance application security!”
“Send combat power assessors to each country!”
“Let’s just line them up in order of Aura Heart size?”
““…!!!””
This is the story of a new employee who joined last month and ended up receiving the Employee of the Month award.
Although it seemed like a foolish idea at first glance, its justification could be spun however one wished.
There was a significant correlation between the participants’ grades and the volume of their Aura Hearts.
Additionally, it resolved the problem of the previous seeding method, which often did not yield upsets in matches below the quarterfinals.
Creating a security solution in just four months was utterly ridiculous.
If a new measurement standard was introduced, there would be fierce backlash against it.
“Right. From this year, the round of 64 will proceed in a group stage. Let’s roughly divide them into top seeds from the Aura Heart sizes and then randomize it.”
Everyone was well aware that this was all for cost-cutting reasons, even if no one spoke it aloud.
*
[NoName]
[Just Chatting – 2053 France National Exchange Tournament Group Draw]
[Broadcasting Time – 0:02:17]
[Number of Viewers – 14,852]
The group draw was held at 2 PM France time, which was 10 PM in Korea.
The number of participating countries had slightly decreased from the previous year to 41 countries.
For the first time in the National Exchange Tournament, a round of 64 group stage was being introduced.
Thus, the number of matches required to win would increase from 6 to 8.
There were even jokes going around that the matches were extended just to earn the compensation money.
Although it was a revision determined long ago, what could be done?
Well, they should have done a better job of securing things in the first place.
[Hello, Magic Battle fans! I’m caster Kim Jae-sung. The Earth’s largest single magic battle event, the National Exchange Tournament, is just three months away. With Korea deciding to participate for the first time in three years, today we’ll be seeing the fateful group draw!]
Kim Jae-sung from KBS announced the start of the draw with a charming voice.
I walked into the living room with a towel draped around my neck.
I set up a camera in front of my desk and sat on the floor in front of the sofa.
“Hi hi! It’s been a while since the reality cam!”
I had just taken a shower.
I vigorously shook off the remaining water with the towel.
Nah-meh-hai~~
Pposong Nah-me!!!
Why did it take so long to wash, Teacher?
Kyaa! So cute!
OMG, Nah-me’s legs look so thin… they look like they could snap if kicked…ㅠㅠㅠ
└ Your legs look about to break.
Look at that face, so smooth and white, totally a baby! Hehe.
“Nah-me, if you’re done showering, you should dry your hair.”
“I’ll do it later, Dad. Just let me watch the draw.”
The professor Cheon, who was in the master bedroom, nagged.
I ignored it and slowed down the chat window.
I wasn’t confident talking for an hour alone, so I planned to listen to what people had to say.
[‘DecoMori’ has donated 20,000 won!]
“No, Dad, I can handle it! Just close the door and leave!”
“That’s truly slander… Ugh, because of you guys, I have to go dry my hair.”
I brought an electric dryer and plugged it in.
Whoooosh-
Drying this heavy hair was gonna take forever.
I spread my hair neatly on the desk and moved the dryer back and forth like ironing it.
“Nah-me, it’s not the time for puberty…”
“The teacher who listens well is pretty!”
“Dad, what a meltdown! LOL”
“Your hair is really long. Nah-me would suit short hair too.”
└ It just looks long because she’s short.
└ (Deleted comment)
└ Kyaaa, censorship!
└ Never mention height in front of Nah-me.
Nah-me, what seed are you?
└ Asking that, you’re pretty mean.
“Did you know? I’m not last place!”
I boldly revealed my rank.
[#62 Name No (KR): 1458cm^3]
[#63 Bruno Miguel (AO): 1457cm^3]
[#64 Mohamed Bakambu (BF): 1455cm^3]
I closed my eyes and stretched my arms up high.
God Nah-me!
Is it worship time now?
Applaud…
Ahhh, I bow to you, GOAT!
AO, BF, I see country codes for the first time, where are they from?
└ In order, Angola and Burkina Faso.
Mehwhang is seriously cool!
What’s with the sense of variety these days? LOL
An Aura Heart of a 10-year-old can’t be as big as that of an adult, right?
└ In such cases, it’s usually said that the “guts are swollen.”
└ OMG… so Nah-me is?
└ Aah.
“Sometimes I check DMs and I find that surprisingly, many people are worried. ‘I’m worried you might get hurt’, ‘Nah-me, please overcome the weight difference and win!’ etc. We magic users have to worry about our Aura Hearts because that equals our levels, so you don’t have to worry too much.”
In terms of mixed martial arts, it’s only about one weight class difference, at most two weight classes different.
“By the way, why does everyone call me ‘unnie’ and ‘noona’? Aren’t you all younger than me?”
A bewildered expression naturally formed on my face.
Looking at the profile, they look like high school or college students, right?
LOL
I just naturally cheered for Nah-me, my noona, even though I’m a seven-year-old younger sibling!
LOL, I had no idea and just called you unnie!
After the singers had finished their performances, the actual draw began.
“The first draw is Mr. Samuel Lopez from France. He’s a very famous person, isn’t he?”
He twisted his short tongue to make the sound. Though pronounced in an Italian way, not French.
[‘Rice Shower’ has donated 5,000 won!]
“Who is that? Please explain Napidwagon!”
“I… I’m not really sure. He must have come because he’s famous.”
LOL
Failing to act like I know it!
Are you joking? LOL
From Group A to Group P, participants are assigned to the first draw accordingly.
The host country France was assigned to Group A.
Following that were Singapore, Sweden, India, the Netherlands, and then the United States… skipping a few and then more United States.
“Wait, why are there three Americans participating?”
I stared at the chat window with a serious expression.
“Well, um… the US is always the money source, so there were always three spots. Then what about France? Ah, host country… Japan? I’ll guess that’s because they won last year. Oh, right, I… …Ahem, I actually knew that. I was just pretending because some people might not know. Just a moment… Italy has no relation, right?”
[‘All-White Ant’ has donated 5,000 won!]
“Last year’s Europa winner was Italy, so they get a +1 ticket! LOL”
What?! This unnie really doesn’t know anything!
Please take an interest!
Master: Anyway, Nah-me is going to crush everyone, so there’s no reason to care.
Teacher, you’re impressive!
The United States, France, Japan, and Italy brought three tickets each, while 15 countries including South Korea got two tickets, and the remaining 22 countries got one.
Feeling awkward, I pulled the blanket and poked my head out.
As each participant’s name was picked one by one, the camera captured the faces of the national team coaches.
Depending on whether the group was a honey pot or a death group, their expressions varied greatly.
With the tournament abolished, weaker countries had a golden opportunity to make it to the round of 32.
It seemed Kim Love was designated to Group H.
Her supporting fans raised their glasses in favor.
Relatively prominent friends all ended up in Groups I to P on the right side.
And in group I, the US and Japan were grouped together.
To make matters worse, they ended up alongside the UK in the third draw.
Please tread on them, Master!
Seems like the main event spots are already full.
So boring without Emika!
Seriously, a total death group!
One out of three will fall off.
If you get to the fourth draw here, just don’t come and stay there, LOL.
Finally, it was time for the fourth draw.
Now it was finally my turn.
I kicked the blanket aside and jumped up.
Nah-me is making an emergency escape from the blanket!
“Please not Group B or C!”
“Nah-me, may your group luck be good!ㅠㅠ”
“Why am I so nervous?”
I wouldn’t mind hitting the death group.
Holding my hair tied back in pigtails, I wrapped it around my face.
Group B was a definite no, and Group C was a pass too.
As my name continued not to be called, the viewers displayed increasingly neurotic reactions.
[Next is Group H, which includes Korea, Ireland, and Estonia. Who will be the last person to face Kim Love?]
The announcer picked a white ball from a transparent basket.
He opened the lid of the ball and rummaged through the note inside.
The man held the note with both hands and lifted it decisively.
[Name No – Republic of Korea]
The audience hummed loudly enough to be heard by the mic.
The caster shouted in an elevated voice.
[It’s Korea’s Nah-me! But since Kim Love is in Group H, we need to move to the next group!]
[Oh, does it go to I?]
[It’s Group I! Aaaaaah, the youngest participant in the National Exchange Tournament, Nah-me, has ended up in the deadly Group I!]
[Oh… Coach Connolly of the UK seems to be urgently making a phone call. His expression isn’t too good.]
[Was the death group somewhat bland? Now that Korea’s Nah-me has joined, it’s really being seasoned up nicely.]
[Additionally, I’d like to inform you that in Group H, Kim Love has been matched with Burkina Faso’s Mohamed Bakambu.]
“Oh, Group I.”
The group drawing was over.
[Group I]
1: Levi Huning Jr. (USA)
2: Narita Hiroyuki (Japan)
3: David Everett (UK)
4: NoName (Korea)
[‘Big-Let’s Cry Siren’ has donated 50,000 won!]
Waaahhhhhh!
BisaAAAAaaaang!
DING DING DING DING DING!!!
Why did I have to get matched with those?
Does this even make sense mathematically?
Group H was such a honey pot but overlapping assignments is ridiculous!
For a moment, I thought, “Oh nice, such a sweet deal,” and then it hit me, “Ugh, shut the pock!”
I went from tasting heaven to entering hell in a moment.
Nah-me, you seem to have a hard fate…ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
Is this real life?
The big three from the US, Japan, and the UK, seriously tough!
Oh, what a fuss!
What remained of the draw was about the match schedule, so there was no need to watch further.
I opened the V-tube and searched for the national anthems of the US and Japan, along with the UK, and played all three songs at once.
What are you doing?
National anthem?
Suddenly, why the national anthems?
“Since I won’t be able to hear all three, I want to listen to them in advance!”
