#player unknown battlegrounds

[battlestory]

THE CULTURAL IMPACT OF BATTLE ROYALE

The Japanese cult classic film Battle Royale [based on the novel of the same name] became a worldwide success, inspiring movies, videos games, and establishing its very own genre of deathmatch-centered media.

From PUBG to Fortnite, The Hunger Games, and even Squid Game, the footprint it has left is immeasurable. A movie that follows a class of middle school students participating in a brutal game, forcing them to take the lives of their friends to save their own, continues to be a cultural phenomenon for the generations that follow.

The Republic of Greater East Asia, middle school students、a deserted island and one challenge: “only one will survive.”

This is the plot of `Battle Royale バトルロワイアル` the bestseller， that gave birth to the ominous genre later. Behind the scenes after the popularity of the novel written by Koushun Takami which reached a million sold copies only in Japan, began a cycle of reverberating actions. Only a year after the serialization of the published manga in Japan it soon became a feature film with a rare R15+rating.

The novel portrays a large dictator-like governmental agency that selects a class of middle schoolers for their so-called ‘Program’. A ruthless and bloody battle on a deserted island that will see only one winner.

Every student is provided with a random weapon or utility tool however, at the same time each student finds him/herself with a metal collar on their neck. It provides the agency with a constant GPS location and is ready to explode if there is even the slightest attempt of breaking the rules of the game.

Girls and boys with completely different social backgrounds and personalities have to face this grim destiny and see themselves cornered by the most violent and survivalist situations humanly thinkable. All this in order to preserve their own lives. They will have to fight! Fight to the death!

What started after a short career as a reporter, 30yo Takami would leave his job in pursuit of his inner vocation: writing novels.

In 1997 he presented his work to the literary competition “Japan Grand Prix Horror Novel”. During the final round, he succumbed to defeat; arguing that the story should have won the competition. However, controversies surfaced surrounding the plot of middle schoolers forced to kill each other. In turn this made many people and some of the judges of a horror literary competition shake in disapproval, resulting in a prize refusal.

In the same year of 1999, the novel would be published gaining great esteem in Japan, initiating an irreversible cultural movement…

THE BATTLE ROYALE GENRE

A brute totalitarian organization that can do anything. A defined amount of participants, weapons, and usually an island, where over time the explorable area becomes smaller and smaller, facilitating encounters between individuals.

This is the perfect mix that makes, us the readers, ponder about human nature, violence, and extreme survival circumstances.

Thanks to these thrilling emotions and feelings, Battle Royale has quickly become a staple, in the entertainment world of movies, novels, manga, and videogames, and so forth gaining great success in each respective industry.

This plot has received many alterations during the course of time, and the reinterpretation from some other authors. Of which led to the storyline changing shape: thanks to Suzanne Collins, author of the novel `The Hunger Games`. People could see a new dress for Battle Royale in 2008, ushering in a dystopian world where an authoritarian government chooses not middle schoolers this time, but young individuals from different suburbs to fight until death. Merely for broadcasting entertainment; as its predecessor and mentor, this story was meant to be a mirror depicting our society`s own brutality.

The Hunger Games obtained incredible acclaim, mainly after its content was brought to a more mainstream audience thanks to its film, whose earnings reached the ones of colossuses like Harry Potter or The Dark Knight[BATMAN], who were releasing their respective sequels in movie theaters during the same year.

Another great milestone was set, for the growth of this new genre; which could be thanks to Brendan Greene: better known for his online nickname `PlayerUnknown`.

Following his instinct as a DayZ and Arma 3 player as well as freelance web designer, he developed on his own a Mod for such game that later on would become the `DayZ: Battle Royale` Mod, inspired by the Japanese `Battle Royale` movie from the year 2000.

Through this important achievement, Brandon’s career kept rolling until an offer from Korea brought him to work for the videogame company ‘Krafton’. There as creative director, he was able to give birth to PUBG (Player Unknown Battlegrounds). A game defined by its large-scale conflict where players fight to be the last one standing in a constantly shrinking arena.

In 2017 after a few days after its release, it became an international phenomenon setting records off the ‘Steam’ online videogame platform, counting up to 3 million users connected playing online.

From then on every other ‘Battle Royale’ game would have these similar features. Undeniably, we can say that PUBG set the foundation for this new genre within the gaming world.

Not too long after this important accomplishment, a mightier figure quickly came in, under the brand `Epic Games`.

The bigger the company, the bigger the investment and as a result an unprecedented shake in the videogame industry: it was ‘Fortnite’.

For the first time, a company was able to create a game with a very colorful and simple but yet detailed design. "Which was and still is today, its strongest point. Thanks to this unprecedented aesthetic the free-to-play game was able to attract millions of users of the most wide ages.

The crazy skins that oftentimes were connected to real-life events/films/culture and the `Epic Games` work in collaborating with famous influencers of the video gaming industry. But also huge artists and musicians, raised the bar so high, for a videogame whose playability and fun was already excellent.

Fortnite is nowadays a colossus company able to generate a gross worth of 9Billion USD and has become one of the most popular and played videogames of all time.

After these two big milestones in the videogame industry reinventing a Battle Royale game, it would be a great challenge for others to take on. Especially after many technical aspects of the game have been already developed and discovered throughout the years.

If the direction is correct, sometimes it’s good to step back and see what you could do from back there or even improve.

Taking away the violence from a Battle Royale game, things wouldn`t be the same because the emotions and feelings that make us excited, are the staples of this genre. Still, someone like `Mediatonic` was able to resize these feelings and transform the whole thing into a non-violent-competition, but still with progressive elimination.

Influenced by TV game shows and Battle Royale, `Fall Guys` published on the 4th of August 2020, has rewritten the modality of the genre.

Violence can be replaced by competition dictated by skill and also fun: in a game where up to 60 players, impersonating a bean-like avatar, face different stages and challenges that require different abilities, the winner will be only one receiving an in-game money prize.

Not like its predecessor, but still with great numbers the game was one of the top downloaded and purchased of the year. Bringing a new interpretation to the Battle Royale genre was a big deal in the industry, especially because of the important influence that this change of view could have brought to the next futures.

Every single stage of this metamorphosis has created a different nuance to this genre and brought new imaginary scenarios to life.

If in the videogame industry the main focus of a Battle Royale game is set on the map, weapons, and playability, in the movie industry a major focus can be shifted on characters and psychology. Creating an exciting story that can reflect different aspects of our modern society.

You and other persons are held against their will, in a deadly competition where one’s life is put on the edge of a blade every minute: if able to endure everything and reach the end, the prize will be immense.

(황동혁)Hwang Dong-hyuk`s Squid Game is what we all were waiting for.

Thanks to the Korean film director, producer, and screenwriter we had a new and incredible setting for a revisited Battle Royale survival TV series.

Set in a parallel version of nowadays South Korea, a number of people were promised a mountain of money as the winning prize. They are lured and kidnapped into a deadly and sadistic competition that will see only one winner.

We don`t see people directly fighting each other in an open map, but rather compete in different sets, reminding us of 80`s/90`s Japanese game shows featuring physical and skill challenges.

With this new focus, we are able to empathize with every character of the story and live with them like a real nightmare.

Since the beginning of September 2021 `Squid Game` has become a real shock and revelation for millions of people also thanks to Netflix. Now one of the top streaming platforms worldwide.

The TV series has gained a large following very quickly, in an escalation of a broken record grossing profits generated.

While the green tracksuit and black masks with white triangle shapes on them still are spotted around our everyday life, another chapter of the Battle Royale genre is influencing our culture and slowly becoming a staple in our imagination.

esides the incredible success of this genre, it`s fascinating to reflect on how this mix of primordial feelings and society mirror-like storyline is able to thrill its audience in every single one of its shapes. On one side the society is drawn to the plot because of the lunacy yet rich emotional situations that are created. On the other hand, it's able to put itself in such situations or just wonder what it would or could do in a critical circumstance.

It is true that the survival instinct is within us and even though we don`t use it anymore in today’s society, it’s still a part of our obsolete instincts that tap into our darkest side. The overflow, where we can still relate to how powerful these feelings still, are.

BATTLE ROYALE: MOVIE & MANGA

The action/thriller movie published around the year 2000, was directed by (深作 欣二) Kinji Fukasaku, better known for his movies about Yakuza such as Battles Without Honor and Humanity, and based on Koushun`s novel `Battle Royale`.

It was so controversial that at the beginning was banned from international distribution, and when screened in Japan for the first time it was advised as an R+15 years of age which was unusual for the time. This didn`t stop the audience from wanting to witness this new gem, making it become the highest-grossing film for six weeks in a row at that time.

The film follows truthfully to the original novel from Koushun only with small changes. During the storyline, the audience is able to notice that the character development of every single student is not made with the same depth as in the novel. Which might result in a flattened version of our favorite student characters.

That said, in the movie we will still find plenty of blood as well as a well-built set, able to evoke our fantasies of sceneries and encounters from the book.

Battle Royale became a cultural phenomenon and is considered one of the most influential films in recent decades. It has been highly influential in global popular culture, so viewing the film is surely a must.

MANGA

In the 2000s the serializing of this manga based on the novel `Battle Royale` started along with the movie of the same work.

Thanks to the illustrator Masayuki Taguchi, Koushun was able to give graphical life to his previous work: a 15 tankobon (volumes) series was published over approximately 5 years.

Oddly despite the novel being rejected because of the thought of its controversy, the manga resulted in the ultimate form of the ‘Battle Royale’ gore and violence: it’s not strange to see very detailed scenes of dismembered bodies, rape, and other sorts of abuse in mangas in general.

An added value to this series is the deep background that Koushun was able to give for many of the characters that compose the storyline: here we don`t find many differences with the novel, but rather through the movie adaptation.

Still, to this day Battle Royal remains an amazing work that clearly shows us, human hate and boundaries of violence, as well as true and positive feelings. Battle Royale is for sure a gripping narrative, fulfilled in actuality. It is a benchmark monolith, and its influence will be there forever.

Subukaru article by Alessandro Nobile

[devileaterjaek]

Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PC)

I played the mobile version for a little while a couple years ago and had decent fun with it. I decided to download the PC version just to get a few animations from training mode.

[3neonnightlifenostalgiablog]

[obscuretobyfox]

The recent UNDERTALE/DELTARUNE Newsletter revealed a ton of concept art for enemies, done by Splendidland! There's way too much to make individual posts on, so I'll just post all the art with notes here!

"My friend Samanthuel (aka Splendidland) did a ton of concept art for Chapter 2! Sadly I couldn't use all of it because many of the concepts didn't end up aligning with my final vision for the game, but the designs themselves are super amazing! I'm thankful I got to use any of them.

Specifically I really wanted to use the paint enemy as a miniboss, since I thought it would be really fun mechanic.

Below were her notes on all of them! She also provided ideas on how she thought they could be used." - Toby Fox

"I was given the broad theme of "cyber world" and told to pretty much just design whatever I wanted, expecting only a handful to actually make it in. I made all of these within a couple days, just making whatever came to my mind." - Splendidland

(From here on out, all quotes are from Splendidland.)

"01: Hacker Guy (idk what their name is), wants to discover the secrets of the world and has special abilities, though they aren't aware of them. "Hacks" by randomly smashing keys and even swinging their mouse around in the air, could keep escalating in silly ways.

02: Handsome Face...

03: When they stand over a spot that can be "hacked into", their cursor shaped head turns into a pointing finger. They don't notice this change, so it's up to you, the player, to help them."

"04: heheh....

05: Funny Egg, their body contains a virtual pet. Can the fate of this pet be altered? Maybe not... Has an existential crisis if the pet dies, as their body is a battleground of life and death.

06 :Broken Image, their life is in ruins

07: Recycle Bin

08: Trash Fly, represents uncollected "garbage data"

09: Kiss-kiss"

"10: Painter, would basically be like Adeleine but with crude ms paint effects, especially the airbrush."

"11: Diskette, spins in place until talked to. "despite my looks, i am totally unable to save your progress"

"12: some kind of "internet" thing idk

13: "Data", little icon like creatures who march onwards with unknown purpose. they take part in the festival."

"14: Popup. hides underneath a tile and springs upwards annoyingly. touching its forehead makes it return underground temporarily. a pest."

"15: Virus, its head sways back and forth as it tries to hover in the air."

"16:Anti Virus, is it a cop or a doctor? maybe they see you as an enemy as you're an "outsider"?

17:Corrupted data or something"

"18:"Cyber World", a rough vision of what a world inside a computer could look like

19:Cyber House"

"20: Masked Dancers, they participate in the festival, each colour has a different movement pattern and dance style. very rough concept" Which one is your favorite? Mine is probably the tiny data creatures!

[bikiniarmorbattledamage]

So Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), the game which inspired the Battle Royale mode that came to define Fortnite, is doing a Chinese New Year promo themed around Journey to the West. Specifically it's themed around the trio of divine guardians who served as the primary protectors.

So briefly, I would like to discuss depictions of Zhu Bajie in popular media... who I generally refer to as Pigsy since, like many westerners - my first exposure to the character was the Japanese TV series Monkey (1978 - 1980) - in my case dubbed into English.

That's him on the right, with the muck rake. I also use this name because it's pretty much an accurate translation of the character's core premise after he is cast down into the mortal realm. It's how he's very consistently depicted:

Honor of Kings (2015)

Monkie Kid (2020 - )

It's pretty much consistent to the point where the issue with googling for examples is finding the specific product they're linked to since he always looks like a pig man.... just like the PUBG unlockables above depict him as.

So you can imagine my surprise to discover that at some point in the development of this promotion, someone from the PUBG Corporation doubtlessly asked "Have we got the design for Pigsy ready yet?" and the reply was apparently "Yeah, made her real fucking sexy for you too! Just like you asked!"

This is also a rare PUBG outfit that look kind of different on a male model, than on the female model... turning into a full crop top rather than just a sexy bra.

It's also one where the chest design etc would probably get covered pretty quick the moment a player gets a vest... but I haven't had either the opportunity... or the burning desire to test that.

-wincenworks

[pookalicious-hq]

spaces between us... nagi seishiro x reader

| 0.0: prologue | next | masterlist |

synopsis: if blue lock was created to manufacture the world's best striker why should this opportunity only be offered to teenage boys? tags/tw:soccerplayer!reader, physicalcompetition, eating disorder mentionbestie bachira meguru, graphic description of injuries word count:1200~

In a world where the mantra of "eat or be eaten" echoed in every player's mind, (y/n) stood on the edge of an unknown domain, the clouded skies shielding her as she prepared to carve her name into history—her rightful future. The Blue Lock facility loomed large in front of her, its metallic walls gleaming faintly in the dim light of the overcast sky. The chill of late autumn brushed against her skin, crisp and sharp, making the air feel heavy with anticipation. This wasn’t just a game anymore—it was a battleground where only one would claim victory, and failure meant being forgotten. She took a deep breath, the scent of freshly cut grass and damp earth mingling in her lungs, grounding her in the reality of the moment.

Pressure was a familiar sensation—the weight of it settling deep in her bones like a tight coil, pressing down on her chest. Even when her knees buckled under its force, she managed to rise. She had to. Her heartbeat pulsed in her ears, a steady rhythm against the muted sounds of players shuffling into the facility. She wasn’t just another girl who played soccer; she had always been the girl—the one whose name lingered on the lips of competitors. The one who fought for every victory, clawing her way to the top.

Yet, beneath that fierce exterior, there was a quiet vulnerability she rarely allowed herself to acknowledge. Her heart raced as she scanned the sea of players, each one standing taller than her. The air felt thick with competition, a low hum of nervous energy vibrating through the crowd. They were stronger, faster—her insecurities, long buried beneath layers of grit, clawed their way to the surface. Blue Lock wasn’t about second chances. One mistake, and her dream would slip through her fingers like sand.

She could almost taste the tension, bitter and metallic, lingering on her tongue as her mind raced. But (y/n) pushed the thoughts aside. Had to. The familiar burn of adrenaline thrummed through her veins, igniting her drive. She knew there was no space for weakness here.

The crunch of gravel under her cleats brought her deeper into the concept of Blue Lock. The cold air nipped at her exposed skin as she walked, footsteps echoing in rhythm with the players beside her. Her muscles ached slightly from the travel, but it was the good kind—the kind that reminded her of the work she’d already put in. She couldn’t afford to blend in, not when her future was on the line.

Inside, the massive entrance hall loomed before her, swallowing her whole. The sterile scent of the facility hit her first, a mix of freshly cleaned floors and the faint tang of sweat still lingering from the previous group. The Blue Lock program was designed to create the ultimate forward, a player who could stand above the rest. For everyone here, failure wasn’t an option. It was an ending.

The fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead, casting stark shadows on the tiled floor. She felt the press of bodies around her, the heat from the other players warming the cool air but doing nothing to calm the growing knot in her stomach. Each face was a reminder of what she was up against—each one of them hungering for the same prize.

Envy gnawed at her. Yoshida Miu stood a little ways ahead, her posture relaxed but with an undeniable confidence that made (y/n)’s stomach twist. Yoshida’s long limbs and effortless grace were the kind of attributes that made her stand out without even trying. (y/n)’s eyes traced the way Yoshida’s body moved—fluid, like she belonged here. The height she so desperately wished for was something Yoshida had been gifted, something she wielded naturally. (Y/n) could almost feel the heat of resentment rising in her chest, sharp and hot, but she buried it under a layer of discipline.

Her fingers absently pressed against her chest, feeling the subtle tightness she was all too familiar with. Her asthma, always lingering in the background, was a constant reminder of her limitations. She took a slow, deliberate breath, feeling the cool air fill her lungs, sharp but steady. The tightness eased but didn’t disappear. Just another obstacle to manage. Just another reminder that no matter how much she trained, there would always be things beyond her control.

The voices around her blended into a low murmur as she focused on the task at hand. She couldn’t be distracted. Not by the noise, not by the players, not even by her own doubts. The world narrowed down to a single point—proving herself. Her senses felt heightened, every sound amplified: the soft scuff of cleats on tile, the faint thud of soccer balls being passed around in the distance, the rustle of fabric as players adjusted their gear. It was all part of the battlefield, and she was ready.

“Hey, Yoshida-san,” (Y/n) called out, her voice slicing through the background noise like a lifeline to something familiar. She hadn’t realized how grateful she’d be to see a face she knew in this sea of strangers. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she approached Miu, trying to push down the mix of admiration and envy that threatened to bubble up. The warmth of the smile almost felt foreign against the tension in her body, but she clung to it.

Chestnut eyes turned to meet hers, Yoshida’s expression brightening with surprise. “Holy shit, Fushiguro-san?”

A small laugh escaped (y/n), the sound carrying a brief moment of lightness through the otherwise heavy atmosphere. Yoshida looked even taller than she remembered. “Looks like we’re teammates now,” (y/n) said, masking her nerves with a casual tone. “Guess you can finally help me out on the field.”

Yoshida chuckled, the sound rich and genuine, cutting through the anxious energy swirling around them. “Help you? I’ll just be following your lead, Fushiguro. I’ve seen you play; you own the field.”

The words sparked a flicker of warmth in (y/n)’s chest, her usual pride swelling momentarily. The tension that had been coiling tight in her shoulders loosened, just a little. The world felt less hostile with Miu beside her. From here on out, the spotlight would only grow.

As they walked further into the facility, the hum of voices around them grew louder, the anticipation thickening the air. (y/n)’s senses felt on overdrive—the crisp scent of sweat, the cool bite of the air-conditioned hallway, the low buzz of fluorescent lights—all of it swirling together to create an atmosphere charged with potential.

“This place is intense,” Yoshida murmured, her voice barely audible over the surrounding chatter. “I mean, Blue Lock… it’s everything we’ve been working toward.”

“Yeah,” (Y/n) replied, her voice steady but her heart racing. “This is where we prove ourselves.”

As they neared the locker room, the sharp smell of turf and sweat grew stronger, blending with the sterile cleanliness of the facility. The weight of what was coming settled on (Y/n)’s shoulders like a heavy cloak. The soft rustling of jerseys, the distant echo of footsteps, and the constant murmur of voices reminded her of the stakes. Failure wasn’t an option.

a/n: lmk if u wanna be added to the taglist <3 im planning this to be a little 6 chapter series. also its not only nagi x reader also blue lock x reader in general

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

Don’t Go Blindly Into The Dark

Summary:

To hide that he can't read, Jan Van Eck has been forcing his son to pretend he's blind since he was eight years old. Wylan is now attending Ketterdam University, and meeting Jesper Fahey may very well be about to change his life. But is he safe to tell Jesper the truth? And what will Jesper say if he does?

Jesper is struggling to weigh up his life in the Barrel and his life at the University of Ketterdam, and there's a good chance that his growing debt is about to make the decision for him. He hasn't attended class consecutively for months, but maybe that will change when his newest project includes partnering up with Wylan Van Eck. But can he really leave the Barrel behind him? And how long can he keep up the pretence of who he thinks Wylan wants him to be?

Meanwhile there is a darkness growing in Ketterdam, and it seems a killer may be stalking the streets of West Stave. An unknown evil is closing its jaws over the city, and it’s starting to feel like nowhere is safe.

Tags: @justalunaticfangirl @lunarthecorvus @i-need-help-this-is-my-obsession

If anyone else would like to be tagged let me know :)

Content warnings for this chapter: gambling addiction, implied violence

AO3 link

Chapter 51 - Jesper

It was a rare thing for Jesper’s mind to wander this far during a game of cards. Usually they possessed his focus the same way a fight did; in the same way the world could narrow just you, a gun, and a target, so could it to a hand of cards, an opponent, and a table to serve as battleground. He had learned to study the other players, to recognise the underlying bristle in the air, the slight changes of demeanour, the sense of anticipation that gathered when a player came alert to the fact that they might have a winning hand. He was good at noticing it, or at least he liked to think he was. He was less good, and of this he was painfully aware, at hiding his own tells. It required close concentration on both sides to keep everything in control, and every detail - from the glimmer of a button on someone else’s waistcoat down to the feeling of the paraffin wax that was coating his forearms so he wouldn’t get caught out if a Grisha amplifier might be present at the game - demanded attention. It was rare for Jesper’s mind to wander far, then, when it was so in tune and so close and so cautious, every tiny quiver in the air something to consider. But not tonight.

Jesper was losing, but that was nothing new. So what was new? Why was his mind so sullenly refusing to focus on the game, and instead continually drawing him back to the feeling of Wylan’s palm pressed against his? His head on his shoulder? The feeling of his cheek beneath Jesper’s thumb as he wiped a tear away? Jesper felt like he needed to stick his head in a bucket of cold water to wake himself up. He felt like he was dreaming.

He gave a sidelong glance to Rojakke, whose hands were moving so deftly through the pack of cards he shuffled, readying to deal the next hand, that it seemed they moved as a force entirely independent from the rest of his body, wondering if Kaz had told him to control the deck. Kaz had told Jesper that it was to be an honest game, but Kaz was a damn liar and Jesper wanted justification for this loss. Or rather, he wanted justification that wasn’t the wandering of his mind. The sound of Wylan’s voice, the piercing shimmer of his eyes.

He was brought swiftly back to the room by the sound of Nina laughing, and looked up from his distracted stupor to see her pouring champagne into the waiting glass of Ido De Baal.

“Are you trying to get me drunk, lapushka?” he asked, looking up at her from his chair.

Judging from the rugged flush across his cheeks he was already well on his way there. He’d used the Ravkan word for darling, Jesper noted, though as far as he knew the man was Kerch through and through. He was also, Jesper had definitely noted, winning. If Jesper was losing worse than anyone else at the table then De Baal was winning better than them, and he had been for the entire game. Was Rojakke controlling the deck, then? Had Kaz told him to?

“I’m just doing my job,” came Nina’s reply, low and soft but also lilting, a joyous and teasing tone with undertones that she was clearly letting De Baal determine for himself, “Lapushka,”

He laughed and Nina smiled at him, her teeth clinging ever so slightly onto the top of her lower lip. Jesper had expected Layla’s loss to be more noticeable than this, and maybe Nina wasn’t quite as swift - he couldn’t be the way his focus kept slipping - as she would’ve been, but she’d been working these fools all night long and she’d been doing it well, like she was slowly soaking coffee through hard tack and had finally deemed it ready to take a bite.

“Do you speak Ravkan?” she asked, sweetly, with what, on the surface, seemed like genuine interest, “Or do you just know how to flatter a girl in every language?”

De Baal gave a casual shrug, though his smile did not fade.

“It is the most important aspect of travel, is it not? To give every girl the attention she desires in her own tongue?”

Nina gave a very soft mock gasp, a hand pressed over her chest in fake, non-committal melodrama.

“You insult me sir,” she teased, “I didn’t take you for a player,”

He tapped the cards he’d just been dealt, a point enough for the joke all on their own but he said it out loud anyway and Nina laughed harder than was strictly necessary.

“I learned some Ravkan for a business deal,” he drawled, collecting his refreshed champagne, “and I find that some of it still comes in handy at home,”

“Ah,” she nodded, “I should have known you were a businessman. I knew it would be something that desired strength, fortitude of mind,”

Jesper thought that was perhaps the closest she’d come to being obvious, that it was a see-through course of terrible flattery, but De Baal preened. They talked casually, or with the illusion of being casual, for a moment longer about De Baal’s business in Ravka and Jesper had to marvel at how easily she was pulling all this out of him, how simple it was to lower his defences. The corner of Nina’s mouth twitched, before she leant close and murmured something in Ravkan. Jesper wasn’t close enough to hear but that hardly made a difference. Whatever Nina had just said would have been lost on him, and apparently it was lost on De Baal as well. He turned to her somewhere between questioning and expectant, Nina’s tone had hardly suggested an insult after all, and she gave him a coy smile.

“It seems your grasp on my language has disappointing gaps,” her voice was breathy. She glanced at the door for the briefest second before her eyes fell upon him again, and right before she turned to leave she purred: “Maybe if you find me later, I can provide you with a translation,”

He was not subtle as he watched her leave.

Jesper picked up his new hand of cards and moved to survey them. Would Wylan be struggling tonight? It had been a long day anyway, and his part in the job - Dammit, Jesper. He looked at his cards - actually looked at them this time - and made a cautious bid. Not, decent cards or none, that he could do much except be cautious with his meagre pile of remaining chips. He tapped two of them against each other distractedly, watched De Baal across the table for a moment. To his left sat Van Reik, a lawyer or something else just as boring that Jesper had forgotten from the Zelvar District and the biggest threat to this job going wrong. Van Reik came to the Crow Club pretty often for a someone of his standing, considering that he used his own name and didn’t hide his face - his lot usually took themselves to the Lid if they fancied a go at something they could pretend was dangerous, and even if they touched the Barrel itself they definitely didn’t venture this far South - and he always, much to Kaz’s absolute fury, requested this specific game room because the back wall was lined with windows. Most of the clubs had none at all, as did most of the rooms at the Crow Club, because the bosses wanted their patrons to lose track of time, to forget how long they’d been there, to think they could surely afford to place one more hand, after all it wouldn’t take that long would it? The windows in this room drove Kaz mad - though Jesper supposed they had come in useful when they brought Jeluna in; he would have hated to leave her even more in a dark, windowless box. Kaz probably wouldn’t have cared.

The windows were unlikely to pose too much of an issue tonight, starting the game at twelve bells and playing through the dark hours was less noticeable than playing through sunset, but they needed the session to last and if Van Reik cared about the windows he probably had his own methods of timekeeping as well. They needed to keep all of them, but particularly De Baal, here until… well, Jesper wasn’t actually sure exactly what because Kaz, of course, hadn’t deigned to tell him the entire plan. Until the aftermath, he’d said, but gave no specificity to the aftermath of what, or when it would begin. Jesper knew that they were taking out a bridge, because that was what Wylan had been working on, but that was the extent of it.

Did Nina know more? He doubted it. Inej surely did though, and she wasn’t even here. Jesper felt a brief, strange pang of jealousy at that - he didn’t even know if she knew. She probably did though. Inej knew almost everything. He wondered again if her and Kaz’s agreement of secrets went both ways, if she knew the things Kaz had locked up on Jesper’s behalf. His skin prickled beneath the paraffin wax. Kaz wouldn’t have told anyone, not even Inej. Wouldn’t he?

Jesper’s turn rolled around and he laid his cards onto the table. He won a hand, bid, lost, bid, won, bid and lost and lost again. The night ticked by. The signal from Pim came, telling Jesper and Nina there was no longer a need to drag things out but just to let them take their course. Another round passed. Jesper lost again. The game ended. Nina left to give Kaz a report of the information that she’d gleaned from the players, apparently a lot of it, and then - in her own words - go back to the White Rose and sleep more soundly than the dead.

Jesper considered going downstairs and playing another hand. He considered getting some sleep. He considered going to see Wylan, but it was almost dawn and he was probably - definitely - asleep. So a slow meander down the staircase his journey became, as the table behind him was cleared and tidied, unsure of whether he would linger or walk back to the Slat. It would depend, he decided even though he could feel an impatient exhaustion tugging on his bones, on whether anything caught his eye and his attention as he crossed the Crow Club floor. It was a foolish bargain to make with himself, a plainly obvious attempt at justifying the pull to stay because of course he knew that something, somehow was sure to grab his attention.

He just wasn’t expecting the thing that stopped him to be Kaz Brekker.

“Here,”

He held something out at arms’ length between them and it took Jesper a moment to acknowledge, beneath the black fabric they were wrapped in, what looked suspiciously like the shape of his revolvers. A second passed where he just stared at Kaz, before he tentatively reached out to take the package from him.

“Kaz-”

“I’m holding you accountable if he screws up,” said Kaz, brushing one gloved hand down the front of his coat - the one that he’d held the guns out with, the other was gripping the head of his cane, “but it would appear you made good on your end of the bargain,”

Jesper smiled in spite of himself, parting the fabric package and running his fingers eagerly over the guns. They were cool to touch, comfortable in his hands; they slipped so easily and happily into his gun belt as he shoved the stupid, sad little pistol away across the table. He could finally return that useless little lump to Anika.

“Thanks, Kaz,”

“It’s not a favour, Jes,” his voice was cold, “I keep to my word,”

There was perhaps something implicit in the phrase, the way he briefly lingered on I, that Jesper pointedly chose to ignore. Not even Kaz’s ever-present sourness could ruin the rise in his mood that came with the return of his prized revolvers. He walked out of the Crow Club feeling like he was floating, and leapt right up out of his skin when the Wraith appeared at his side.

“Saints - Inej! Every time,”

She smiled as Jesper laughed softly, shaking his head, but he thought her expression looked a little strained. Her eyes were sad; her face was drained. She looked even more tired than Jesper felt.

“Kaz is organising a parley with the Black Tips,” she told him, as they began to walk towards the Slat, “A week’s time. He wants you as a second,”

“Unbelievable,” he sighed, “I just spoke to him, he didn’t say a word of it,”

“Of course he didn’t,”

Jesper barked a short, shallow laugh and Inej gave him another, ever so slightly forced smile.

“How was the job?”

“Nina killed it, if that’s what you mean,” he shrugged, “Other than that I only know what Kaz told me, which was nothing. We kept De Baal at the table long enough, and I guess the bridge came down without a hitch because Kaz gave me my revolvers back,”

“Wylan must have himself worth Kaz’s time,”

And worth Kaz’s cash.

“What does he want with a councilman anyway?”

Inej faltered, looking up at him.

“Councilman?”

“Yeah,” Jesper fidgeted with his revolver, having missed Inej’s confused misstep, “some guy that De Baal works for. You think he’s kinda pushing it a bit? Going after Wylan for his father, and now this guy?”

“Who was it?”

“I don’t-”

“Was it Councilman Hoede?”

“Er- yeah, yeah that sounds right. Why?”

Jesper glanced back at her to discover that Inej’s eyes had darkened and her fingers were dancing over the handles of her knives.

“I need to talk to Kaz,” was all she murmured by way of reply, “I’ll speak to you tomorrow,”

Jesper shrugged. He wasn’t going to get involved.

“You should get some sleep, love,” he said, as she quickened her footsteps and began to overtake him.

“Then when would I get any work done? Oh - you should know,”

Jesper looked up.

“The Black Tips aren’t done with me,” she said - and if there was a slight tension in her shoulders? A nervous catch in her voice? The unsubtle drift of her hand back towards her blades? Jesper didn’t get the chance to question it, “We might need to remain alert. Riesen knows,”

“Knows-?”

Inej’s eyes flashed very briefly as she shook her head.

“He knows, Jes. And he’s not happy,”

Ah. Liesbeth Stoevelaar. Jesper nodded once, opened his mouth to try and reassure her, suggest she got some rest, maybe even offer to hang around if she was nervous - Stoevelaar had broken straight into her bedroom, after all - and then closed it again upon the realisation that Inej had melted in the shadows and he had been left alone.

[chains-of-destiny]

In what ways has the magocracy's rule and the subsequent rebellion shaped the current political and social landscape of your world?

Hey! In the rewrite, I'm planning to add a Codex (and maybe even a map) to delve into the world's lore.

But, until that becomes a reality, here is what I've imagined as a backstory for the world:

The Naraveneese magocracy was a major power due to its strategic position and the sheer magical power at its disposal. Situated on an island chain, it held sway over a vital maritime trade route connecting the powerful state of Qajir with the mainland continent of Runsas. The magocracy was originally an autonomous and renowned magical academy that later became the rival of the Machian High Kingdom after the magocracy seceded from the it when the first Machian High King died.

Runsas became their battleground for influence for centuries, with Machia consolidating control over the southern territories and Naraveen asserting suzerainty over the many smaller petty kingdoms and city-states of the North (+ one of the Ceovar tribes agreed to pay them tribute and to march to war against the Machians when the time came if they supported their unstable rule over the many Ceovar tribes).

Naraveen employed a system where the magically talented children in their vassal states needed to be transferred to their islands for training (somewhat similar to the Ottoman Devshirme System in our world). This ensured a constant influx of magical talent under Naraveneese control, further cementing their supremacy.

However, the balance of power shifted dramatically with the collapse of the Machian High Kingdom into a brutal civil war. This eventually resulted in the fragmentation of the High Kingdom into dozens of self-proclaimed kingdoms. Naraveen sought to fill the resulting power vacuum and extend its influence in hopes of being able to rival Qajir, but this ambition was thwarted by the Great Rebellion. In a catastrophic turn of events during the fight for the magocracy's last grand citadel, a magical calamity caused an unknown phenomenon that unleashed a deadly brown fog across the islands, rendering them uninhabitable.

The nine great heroes then fled to the mainland with whoever they could put on ships, meaning many tens of thousands of civilians, mundane and magically talented alike. They made landfall in Runsas and established the Republic (the war known as the 'Iron Crusade' also happened not much after this, but that is not significant now).

So, all in all, there is a power vacuum in the continent - the Republic, which is essentially a successor state to Naraveen, is not as powerful as the magocracy once was, and the newly independent northern states are hostile, viewing the Republic as nothing more than an extension of their former oppressors. The former Machian High Kingdom is a land of constant strife and conflict, with claimants to the High Kingdom rising and falling. Currently, the big players on the continent, I would say, are the Republic, the Ceovar Confederacy, and King Roland's western kingdom (a Machian successor state technically still allied to the Republic).

Culturally, Naraveen and Machia diverged significantly after the magocracy's independence. While sharing a common language, the two societies developed distinct customs. However blending of Machian and Naraveneese heritage in the Republic for over a century created a unique hybrid culture among the lower classes. The ruling elite still upholds traditional Naraveneese values while embracing republican ideals championed by the nine heroes.

Originally, the magocracy's rule entrenched a system where magical ability was the primary determinant of power and status. This led to a stark divide between the magical elite and the non-magical majority, resulting in widespread inequality and discrimination.

If the sources are to be believed, the rebellion against the magocracy was fueled by grievances over this inequality and oppression. It sparked a revolution that sought to overthrow the strict hierarchy and establish a more egalitarian society. However, I want to clarify that the rest of the continent still follows the same feudal system as it did before.

I hope this answers your question! Let me know if you have any further questions or if there's anything else you'd like to know.

[blaiddfailcam]

Marika's involvement in the Land of Shadow

In interview with Hidetaka Miyazaki, he posits that while the player arrives in the Land of Shadow in Miquella's footsteps, another aspect of the story will pertain to Marika, and the mystery of her actions in this world apart. Knowing her to have been a ruthless conqueror of the Lands Between, might the Land of Shadow been another battleground on which she tested her faith?

To bring Order to chaos

"They were never saints. They just happened to be on the losing side of a war."

This particular quote from the trailer, spoken by a yet unknown character, stuck out to me. It isn't clear to whom the speaker is referring, but thematically, it resonates with a theme throughout Elden Ring of the enduring power of faith and fragility. Clearly, the Land of Shadow is a deeply hostile world, and with Messmer the Impaler seemingly at the heart of this suffering, it's certainly not a welcome world for the Erdtree faithful.

Given the heavy focus on fire—in particular, "the embrace of Messmer's flame"—I'm reminded of another quote from the base game, included in the Erdtree's Protection incantation:

"In the beginning, everything was in opposition to the Erdtree. But through countless victories in war, it became the embodiment of Order."

Prior to the establishment of the Age of the Erdtree, two battles were fought: first with the Gloam-Eyed Queen and her Blackflame, and the second against the Fire Giants to seal the Flame of Ruin. Fire is naturally regarded a sin in the Erdtree faith, so it's no wonder Marika was challenged with disposing of these two volatile forces before her age could truly flourish. Might Messmer's flame have been another beast in need of taming?

While Marika eventually won her war, a key component of the Golden Order is its adaptability. Marika never truly defeated the Godskins, as we find several Apostles and Nobles wandering the world, possibly even in service to Maliketh in Farum Azula; though Godfrey slaughtered countless Fire Giants, Marika realized she could never truly eliminate the Fell God, and so cursed the last of their race to protect the secret for eternity. The Golden Order is powerful, but it cannot erase an ideology. It conquers through absorption and appropriation, enslaving all unto its will. This is once again illustrated through Radagon's marriage to Rennala after failing to defeat her in battle, a union that ultimately fettered the fate of the stars to that of the Golden Order.

Curiously, this concept arises yet again with Miquella.

"Pure and radiant, he wields love to shrive clean the hearts of men. There is nothing more terrifying."

Similarly to Malenia's quote in her gear descriptions, Miquella is described paradoxically as both loving and terrifying, wielding power over all with his ability to manipulate those who adore him. As the Bewitching Branch illustrates, he even possesses an eerie ability to inspire love in enemies to compel them to his aid. I suppose the apple didn't fall far from the tree... uh, no pun intended.

To search the depths

At the Minor Erdtree Church in the Capital Outskirts, Melina recites spoken echoes of Queen Marika:

"I declare mine intent, to search the depths of the Golden Order. Through understanding of the proper way, our faith, our grace, is increased. Those blissful early days of blind belief are long past. My comrades, why must ye faulter?"

Originally, I assumed this quote was literally referring to the region beneath the Erdtree, Deeproot Depths. After all, it is there that the heart of the Greattree resides, and where the golden star that would become the Elden Beast first landed, drawing matter from the Crucible to form the sapling that would in time become the Erdtree. However, it never quite sat right with me, as there would likely be no reason to explore the ruins of an Eternal City to better comprehend the Golden Order.

With the new knowledge that Marika also set foot in the Land of Shadow, I now wonder if this other realm is actually what she was referring to? She designates a shift from "blind belief" toward an era of reason, which almost sounds as if she sought to test her faith, as well as that of her comrades, through yet another war. It's not at all clear when she set her heart upon this introspection, but given that it's never quite explained why she divested Godfrey and his warriors of their grace, might some discovery during her exploration of the Land of Shadow have inspired this unusual plot...?

This could even mark the first instance in which Marika failed to achieve victory, even through absorption. It appears that whatever road carries us to the Land of Shadow, Messmer retains much of his power, possibly explaining why this region was somehow cloven from the Lands Between. In any case, it seems as though Messmer recognizes the Tarnished as Marika's true chosen successors, not just mere outcasts. (Might then she and her Erdtree faithful have been the alleged "saints" on the losing side of the war...?)

• • •

There's plenty left to ponder, and perhaps none of this is even close to hitting the mark, but it'll be fun to mull over and see what surprises are left in store for us. I'm not even going to begin attempting to decipher Messmer's alleged relationship to Marika, lol.

Just a few months... We can do this.

[epidaleacalamita]

to this day when i see a mention of player unknown's battlegrounds i mutter "plunkbat?" to myself

[astraa-play]

Most Costly Aston Martin . Luckiest Crate Opening 100000 Uc In Bgmi

Introduction:

In the world of luxury cars and mobile gaming, we often encounter stories that leave us in awe. This blog delves into one such fascinating tale, where opulence meets gaming luck. We're about to explore the most expensive Aston Martin ever built and an astonishing crate opening in the popular mobile battle royale game, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI). These two seemingly unrelated worlds converge in a remarkable manner.

The Most Costly Aston Martin:

Aston Martin is renowned for its luxurious and high-performance vehicles. However, there's one car that stands out as the pinnacle of extravagance, the Aston Martin Valhalla. Priced at an astonishing $2.5 million, it's among the most expensive cars in the world. The Valhalla is a hybrid hypercar, featuring a 4.0-liter V8 engine coupled with an electric motor, producing a combined 937 horsepower. With a top speed of around 217 mph and a 0-60 mph time of just 2.5 seconds, it's a beast on the road.

This ultra-exclusive car is limited to just 999 units, ensuring that owning one is a testament to affluence and exclusivity. The Valhalla's design is futuristic, with a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis and an aerodynamic body that ensures optimal performance. It's a dream car for car enthusiasts, but only a select few can turn that dream into reality.

The Luckiest Crate Opening in BGMI:

Battlegrounds Mobile India, the Indian version of PUBG Mobile, is known for its in-game purchases and virtual items. One of the most thrilling aspects of the game is opening crates, which can yield rare and valuable cosmetic items for your in-game character. These crates are typically obtained using UC (Unknown Cash), which can be purchased with real money or earned through gameplay.

In a world where the odds of getting rare items in crates can be slim, a player's luck can sometimes defy all expectations. This is precisely what happened in a recent crate opening session where a player, with a staggering 100,000 UC at their disposal, unboxed some of the most coveted and rare items in the game.

The items unboxed included exclusive character outfits, weapon skins, vehicle skins, and emotes, some of which are considered "legendary" and are highly sought after by the BGMI community. The excitement and disbelief of the player, as well as the awe of the gaming community, were palpable as this incredible feat unfolded.

Conclusion:

In this blog, we explored two worlds of extravagance and luck coming together. The Aston Martin Valhalla, priced at $2.5 million, represents the pinnacle of luxury and high-performance cars, while the luckiest crate opening in BGMI showcased how chance and fortune can lead to astonishing virtual riches. These stories remind us that sometimes, in the realms of both the tangible and the digital, extraordinary things can happen when luxury and luck collide.

[thegamersmall-official]

Crack the Code to Pubg Mobile Dominance: Top Up UC Like a Pro!

Welcome, avid gamers and Pubg Mobile enthusiasts! If you're reading this, then you're probably well aware of the importance of UC (Unknown Cash) in the virtual battleground of Pubg Mobile. UC is the currency that can give you the competitive edge, enabling you to unlock premium items, flaunt unique skins, and dominate your opponents with style. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of Pubg Mobile UC top-ups, ensuring you master the acquisition of these highly sought-after game gems.

Why Top Up UC Matters:

Pubg Mobile UC is at the heart of the game's in-app purchases. It not only enhances your avatar's appearance but also grants access to exclusive features, powerful weapons, and upgraded gameplay features. This makes topping up UC crucial for players aiming to ascend the ranks and become true Pubg Mobile champions.

The Ultimate Pubg Mobile UC Top Up Guide:

a) Choosing the Right Platform: We delve into the different options available for topping up Pubg Mobile UC, weighing the pros and cons of each.

b) Security Matters: We discuss the critical aspect of account security when opting for UC top-ups. Sharing tips and best practices to ensure your account remains safe throughout the process.

c) Smart UC Top-Up Strategies: Learn about cost-effective options, discounts, and promotional offers that can maximize your UC purchase value. We'll provide insights into the marketplace and identify sources that guarantee the best UC top-up deals.

d) Payment Methods Simplified: From traditional debit and credit cards to digital wallets, explore the various payment avenues to top up your UC balance effortlessly. Discover additional payment options that can help you circumvent obstacles, such as regional restrictions.

Beware of Scammers:

Cautionary tales are necessary when it comes to online gaming. We expose potential scams and fraudulent activities surrounding Pubg Mobile UC top-ups. Stay vigilant and arm yourself with knowledge to avoid falling victim to these deceitful schemes.

Player Testimonials:

We'll share stories from fellow Pubg Mobile enthusiasts who have successfully navigated the UC top-up process. Gain inspiration from their experiences, triumphs, and lessons learned, encouraging you to embark on your own path to Pubg Mobile glory.

Conclusion:

Congratulations, dear reader! By now, you possess the knowledge required to become a Pubg Mobile UC top-up maestro. Remember, topping up UC not only enhances your gameplay but also supports the continuous improvement and development of one of the most popular mobile games around. Unlock your true potential within the virtual battleground, and may your UC top-ups guide you towards ultimate Pubg Mobile

[toku-explained]

Overtime

Regulos: Regulos is still mourning his friends when he hears the sounds of devastation from the village, where a group of Magma Seijin are attacking, aiming to sell the Cosmo Beast Fighters as they have the people of L77. They are confronted by Lightning White Tiger Fist Phoros, Leaping Spirit Crane Fist Albeo, Phantom Water Snake Fist Pharood and Rapid Frozen Panther Fist Spica. 2 elites, Yurub and Lava order the rest forward, but the advantage is the Cosmo Beast Fighters even as Dias joins them. Magma Invasion Army leader Volcan beams down, noting the Fighter's strength and beats down Dias as Regulos arrives. Regulos attacks Volcan, but can't penetrate the replica Empera Seijin armour he wears, but Alude arrives and decimates the fleet with the legendary Juggernaut Charging Buffalo Strike, and holds his own against Volcan. Lava attempts to get Alude from behind, Alude blocks but is hit by Volcan's poison strike before the Magma Seijin retreat. Spica informs the trainees that Alude will live, but his cannot use Cosmo Beast Fist anymore, Dias showing interest in his Cosmo Beast. Phoros instructs continuing with training, but Regulos, in anger wants to strike first, Phoros warns the path of revenge will lead to expulsion, as it did to a once promising Cosmo Beast Fighter. Regulos flies off in a rage, and unfocused collides with a wall, falling into an unknown cavern, and is attacked by Gue-Basser until and unknown Cosmo Beast Fighter drives it off, and Regulos begins to make a request of him.

New Generation Stars: Geed reflects on his time with Zero, and manages to activate the Dimensionizer's data on Zero Beyond. He then thinks about his father, activating the data on Belial.

Geats: Beroba is forced to decide to return the Vision Drivers, but first her and Kekera go to the Goddess again with a wish each. Sara and Michinaga both found 33 ID Cores, and in overtime will have an hour to steal from others. Sara agrees with Keiwa they need to restore the DGP victims. Neon is wishing her fans would forget her, when Kyuun approaches, telling her continuing is pointless, her wish won't be granted. As the battle resumes, Neon relates this info to the others before Buffa attacks, he soon has Hakubi overpowered, Na-Go jumps to protect her and both are defeated. He hesitates on destroying the ID Cores when they protest they still have so much to do, but does so, Tycoon grabs the bag is Codes and keeps struggling. Ziin presents the Vision Drivers to Niram, but throws one to Ace until he explains about Mitsume, Ace uses it to go to the Goddess, Niram pursuing. Hareruya is trying to find out how Mitsume had Ace, as Tsumuri notes, the future people lack the capacity to bear children. Suel claims to Ace in the goddess chamber that she has no will of her own, attempting to prove it by presenting a wish of "A world without Ukiyo Ace", but she rejects it, though Suel blames this on her power waning, meaning she shall be disposed of in the Grand End, then tosses Ace to the battleground, where Beroba and Kekera are watching Tycoon and Buffa fight. Hareruya and Tsumuri discover that a player was erased from history for some crime, and a rule added against intimacy between a player and navigator, this was also right when the prize changed from the coin to an ideal world. Buffa grabs Tycoon's core, but Keiwa refuses to give up, still blaming the Goddess. Before Buffa can crush the core, Punkjack interferes, declaring overtime over. Gathering the 4 remaining Riders, Hareruya relates how Mitsume prayed after falling in love with a man from the past, and was miraculously granted a child. Her power to change the world was not based on despair, nor on sacrifice. Is the tool to blame, or those that use it? Suel commences the Grand End, and the crumbling Goddess is lowered in chains into the world, Suel informing Niram they already have a successor for the Goddess. Ace confronts them, and Niram is ordered to eliminate him. Gazer and Geats Laser Boost clash, but Geats starts losing after witnessing the goddess start to crumble, and is overpowered. As a large fragment from her face lands near him, he reaches over to it, and recalls her saying to forget her, something he could never do. By sheer will and rage, he causes a new Raise Buckle to appear, which transforms him to Geats Boos Mk-III, which atomised one of Gazer's drones.

Kingohger: Yanma and Shiokara are trying to interrogate Jeramie on where his Royal Arms came from. Jeremie appears to the still angry Deathnarok and Kamejin, plotting to use the Greater Guardians' bodies and hands over God Hopper's soul, they make a plot using Gerojim. Gira wants to look for the trio of Shugods, as he can't communicate with Sasorin, Himeno has him disguised as Sebastian. Shiokara and Yanma show Jeremie the factory that is the heart of N'Kosopa, after hearing how Yanma built it up thanks to mentoring from Gin, Jeramie allows Yanma to study the Venomix Shooter. Racles contacts Yanma demanding Jeramie, Yanma considers humiliating him, but his whole inner circle onows that is a bad idea, Shiokara then bumps into Gerojim. Yanma brings Jeramie to Racles, Jeramie asking if, as Shugoddom was the first kingdom, if Racles knows of what came before the King-Ohger legend. The others, Gira as Sebastian, arrive in Shugoddom, Gira can hear Sarorin, and Bugnarok attack. Yanma's attempt to humiliate Racles goes as wrong as it can, and Shiokara now turns out to be a disguised Gerojim. Yanma decides to shift blame to the Bugnarok, while Jeramie is angry that Yanma betrayed the trust he showed by using the Venomix Shooter for this, and winds up fighting and defeating all 5 Kings, taking back Scorpi's soul and the Ohger Calibers. His intent in sharing out the Guardian Souls was to establish a peace, but nobody understood his intentions again because he didn't say anything. As Gerojim grows, Jeramie is angry again about continuing to fight, and summons the unknown God Tarantula, which controls Guardian Pede and Guardian Cicada, which Himeno recognises, and snatches God Hopper's soul back, before piloting God Tarantula to defeat the Bugnarok, including controlling the Greater Guardians, once Gerojim is defeated he leaves, Gira hears the trio say they'll follow Jeramie, but Himeno is sure they're being controlled, as inside God Tarantula, it's shown Jeramie actually saved Gerojim, seeing a kindred spirit, who decides he thinks Jeramie should be king.

Metropolis: Some of the jailed AHK members play with the Dogengers sofubi, while Yuz-Yuz plays with I-Doll, but Shaberryman and the rest tell her to leave, possibly concerned about Rookie, and send Hatena out with her. Tanaka is absolutely furious about I-Doll, and rushes out, Akuta is still unwell, but Shiraishi follows, not quite understanding why Tanaka cares so much. Hatena seems a little more on the serious side, a contrast with Yuz-Yuz. The two pairs run into eachother, and Tanaka asks for I-Doll's return, but Yuz-Yuz wants to keep them, and so Rookie starts fighting her and the Toyin, as Hyakutoban fights Hatena. Hatena has a wide variety of weapons in his briefcase, a sword, a whip, a hammer, a polearm, a gun, and even a signal jammer to block Akuta's advice, overpowering Hyakutoban. Rookie defeats the Toyin, but Yuz-Yuz, still wanting the toys, gets serious, overpowering him, but he won't give up, fighting as Tanaka and refusing even after she beats him down, rushing her. Shaberryman interrupts to discuss the way things are going, before we return to Tanaka charging at Yuz-Yuz, when in a flash of light, Insurgent and Doll appear. Tanaka breaks down, hugging them and apologising for letting them get taken, but they forgive him. Yuz-Yuz now really doesn't get it, as all three fight/play until she gets annoyed and leaves. As the three rush to help the beaten Hyakutoban, Hatena sees the tide changing and flees by smoke bomb, Hyakutoban insists he will pursue, telling Rookie to enjoy the reunion. The trio talk together while Akuta regains contact with Shiraishi, who merely says he has failed as a hero and a police officer, and Akuta's not sure his Ohga book has any good advice for this.

[ry-reviews]

Team Vitality : La fierté de la France aux pas chancelants

Préambule

            Quand on a une culture à représenter, il faut prouver. Quand on est la première structure française, il faut prouver. Quand on a un ensemble de fan, dévoué et amoureux du maillot, derrière nous, il faut prouver. Quitte à décevoir, quitte à faire des choix, quitte à dépenser des millions, il faut prouver. Prouver qu’on est les meilleurs, que personne ne fédère autant que nous, qu’on est la fierté de la France, ce grand pays, cette nation au cœur arrogant et à la population compétitive. Prouver que, au même titre qu’au football, qu’au volley, qu’au handball, on est capable de rivaliser, non, de dominer les autres pays. C’est dans cette optique qu’une structure, reconnaissable par ses couleurs jaunes et noires, Team Vitality s’est lancé dans l’eSport avec un seul but : prouver au monde que la France aussi est la meilleure dans l’eSport.

Introduction

En 2013, à l’époque où l’eSport était encore une scène de niche, Team Vitality s’est créée. C’est suite à l’impulsion de quatre jeunes hommes, dont encore les très connus Fabien « Neo » Devide et Corentin « Gotaga » Houssein, que la structure à l’abeille est née. Elle s’est fondée sur Call of Duty, et uniquement sur ce jeu, avec les membres-fondateurs. Gotaga était joueur pour la structure, Neo était son coach. Mais très vite, la structure française s’est diversifié sur d’autres jeux, tels que Fifa, Rainbow 6 Siege ou encore League of Legends. C’est en effet après le rachat du slot de Gambit que Vitality officie son arrivée dans la scène européenne de League of Legends, participant aux LCS EU la même année que G2 Esports, en 2016.

La cadence s’accélère lorsqu’en 2017, l’équipe aux abeilles s’étend sur les jeux H1Z1, Player Unknown’s Battleground (PUBG) et enfin Counter-Strike : Global Offensive. Mais cela ne s’arrête pas là, puisqu’un an plus tard, ils investissent dans une équipe sur Rocket League et signent des contrats avec des joueurs Fortnite. En bref, la structure est tentaculaire, en plus d’être touche-à-tout, et cela, sans parler des nombreux ambassadeurs qui diffusent et créent du contenu avec le logo et les vêtements de Vitality.

En termes de succès, Vitality a été couronné championne de l’ESL Pro League en 2016 sur Rainbow 6. La structure s’est créée un nom sur CS-GO avec leur joueur star et français Mathieu « ZywOo » Herbaut, et elle a dans son étagère un titre de champion du monde sur Rocket League datant de 2019. C’est une écurie française forte de son succès et qui compte parmi ses rangs de nombreux ultras, prêt à défendre bec et ongle leur structure (même quand il s’agit de défier le mur bleu de la Karmine Corp.). Mais qu’en est-il sur League of Legends ?

On ne peut pas dire que le succès était au rendez-vous dès leur entrée en LCS EU. C’était encore une jeune structure qui devait se battre contre le géant Fnatic, quand la structure était la seule impératrice de l’Europe, puis du nouvel arrivant G2, l’antihéros qui déplait à l’ancienne génération. Il n’y avait pas de place pour Vitality, qui s’est tout de même hissé à la troisième place vacante du podium lors de leur premier segment. Néanmoins, c’était un fait qui ne s’était pas reproduit par la suite, l’équipe entamant alors une longue traversée du désert. Puis, 2018 était arrivée.

L’équipe se retrouve à nouveau parmi les grandes structures, retrouvant une place confortable pour les playoffs des segments de printemps et d’été. L’équipe aux abeilles pouvaient remercier Daniele « Jizuke » Di Mauro, l’étalon italien qui a surpris sur la voie du milieu, ainsi que Lucas « Cabochard » Simon-Meslet, vétéran de l’équipe qui a su se remettre aux niveaux des meilleurs toplaners de la ligue. C’est à partir de ce moment-là que la course pour les Mondiaux s’était entamée. En effet, avec les points accumulés au printemps, la structure française était en nette avance pour représenter l’Europe aux Worlds. Et avec la descente aux Enfers de G2 ESports et leur victoire lors de la petite finale face à Misfits, une équipe redoutable qui est parvenue à faire une première moitié de segment sans défaite, l’équipe a été qualifié aux Mondiaux.

Mais parfois, le sort peut s’acharner. Lors du tirage des groupes, l’équipe française s’est trouvé dans une fâcheuse posture, tombant dans le « groupe de la mort » avec le grand favori du tournoi Royal Never Give Up ainsi que l’ancien champion du monde Generation Gaming. Pourtant, ils ont réussi à défier la fortune en remportant deux victoires contre les coréens de Generation Gaming et en faisant subir la première défaite aux hommes d’Uzi, RNG. Si l’histoire ne retiendra pas leur nom, puisqu’ils ont été éliminé lors du « Main-Event », ils ont néanmoins réussi à faire déchanter les ogres coréens et chinois et prouvé au monde entier qu’ils n’étaient pas infaillibles, d’autant plus qu’ils ont triomphé avec leur propre style.

Après 2018, Vitality ne parviendra jamais à trouver sa gloire d’antan. Quand bien même ils dépensent beaucoup d’argents pour leur équipe sur League of Legends, ils ont un gros problème sur le poste de jungler, puisqu’ils ne parviennent pas à trouver un joueur stable sur cette position. C’était un si gros problème que Vitality s’est retrouvé lors de l’été 2022 avec plus de quatre junglers en attente, sans pour autant trouver du succès. L’ensemble des joueurs de 2022 a été un échec. Ce projet de super-équipe n’a pas porté ses promesses, puisque l’équipe n’a pu aller plus haut que la sixième place. Alors, est-ce qu’en 2023, peut-on espérer mieux ?

Pour 2023, la Team Vitality a décidé de faire table rase du passé et de reforger une toute nouvelle équipe. Sur le botside, on a droit alors à Neon qui assurera le rôle d’AD carry. Il est connu pour être un des éléments du succès miraculeux de Misfits lors de 2022, quand bien même il ne joue qu’une poignée de champion. Pour l’accompagner sur la voie du bas, Kaiser sera là pour le supporter. Son entrée en LEC a fait grand bruit grâce à son style de jeu et ses champions uniques. Reste à savoir sur la sauce va prendre et s’il y aura une bonne synergie entre les deux joueurs. Du côté opposé de la carte, la toplane sera officiée par Photon. En effet, le joueur star Alphari a décidé de prendre une pause pour se ressourcer, restant cependant sous contrat avec la structure française. Son remplaçant coréen provient de l’académie T1, connu pour avoir fait émerger des joueurs tels que Zeus, Gumayusi ou encore Oner, dont le talent n’est point à douter. Alors, Photon sera sûrement du même acabit dans une compétition moins compétitive que celle du pays au matin calme. Enfin, pour compléter l’équipe, le jungler sera Bo. En plus d’être une première pour l’Europe, la LEC n’ayant jamais accueilli de joueur de LPL, le joueur est prometteur en plus d’être bourré de talent (On va y revenir.)

Analyse

Parmi les points forts à citer, on peut parler du topside. Photon est un aussi bon joueur de carry que de tanks, ce qui est un élément à ne pas négliger, d’autant plus que le vivier de talents européen à ce rôle est faible. Ensuite, la versatilité qu’apporte Kaiser à son rôle assure la phase de lane en plus d’épauler la voie du milieu. Enfin, tous les postes ont un énorme potentiel de carry individuel, ce qui a de quoi faire pâlir les autres écuries.

Mais il y a des défauts qui contrebalancent tout cela. D’abord, Perkz a de quoi nous interroger. S’il a été à son meilleur niveau chez G2 ESports, le succès n’est pas le même depuis son départ de la structure espagnole, d’autant plus que le niveau sur la voie du milieu n’a fait qu’augmenter depuis son départ. Alors, aussi surprenant que cela puisse paraitre, il est normal de le considérer comme le point faible de son équipe. Maintenant, on peut à tout moment assister à un éveil de son potentiel d’antan, ce qui serait destructeur pour les autres équipes. Ensuite, cela va faire un an et demi que Bo n’a pas participé à un match officiel. Être bon en classé est une chose, mais parvenir à jouer avec une équipe en est une autre. Surtout que l’un ne garantit pas l’autre (on se souviendra du colosse en soloq qu’était Magifelix, mais dont les pieds deviennent argiles quand il participe au circuit compétitif de Riot Games). Enfin, la plus grosse interrogation se trouve dans la barrière de la langue. Avec un Coréen et un Chinois dans leur équipe, la communication pourrait s’avérer compliquée, ce qui est un problème dans un jeu d’équipe tel que League of Legends. Est-ce que le monstre qu’est Bo sera fragilisé par cette barrière ?

VIT Bo – le destructeur venu d’Orient

Bo est un joueur dur à analyser. En effet, à cause de la situation particulière dans laquelle il s’est trouvé en Chine, on se retrouve avec des informations vieilles en plus de décrire une carrière brève. Lorsqu’il était jungler pour FPX, structure chinoise championne du monde, le joueur n’avait aucune défaite au compteur. Il avait une carrière prometteuse, mais son parcours véloce a vite été stoppé à cause d’une sombre affaire de match-fixing en LDL, deuxième division chinoise, et en LPL. Il aurait subi des pressions de son manager pour arranger les matchs qu’ils jouaient afin d’avantager des parieurs. Suite à ces pressions, le joueur a choisi de dénoncer la situation. Malheureusement pour lui, son élan de justicier est un préjudice, puisqu’il écopera d’une punition de 4 mois durant laquelle il a été interdit de jouer des matchs officiels. Suite à cette annonce, et malgré la levée de sa peine, il a été boycotté par les structures chinoises qui ne voulaient pas s’associer à lui et, surtout, à cette histoire. Vitality tirera profit de cette histoire pour lui faire signer un contrat chez eux, le chinois faisant alors le voyage jusqu’en Europe pour jouer dans l’une des ligues majeures.

Maintenant, avec le peu d’informations dont on dispose, il est obligatoire de se pencher sur ses statistiques en classé. Et on s’aperçoit qu’il est capable de tout jouer en plus d’avoir un potentiel de carry remarquable, à tel point qu’il trouve actuellement à la place n°6 du ladder. En plus, d’après ceux qui l’auraient rencontré dans leur partie, il est considéré comme un alien, sortant des mécaniques hors du commun.

Avec les statistiques récoltées sur ses matchs joués en LPL, Bo c’est :

Une participation au « premier sang » de 40%

Un ratio victoire/défaite de 100%

523 de damages par minutes

Un KDA de 5,3

Une participation aux éliminations de 68,5%

Maintenant, il a beau être un monstre, être le plus redoutable des junglers, son talent est caduque s’il ne parvient pas à communiquer dans un bon Anglais avec son équipe. D’autant plus qu’on peut se questionner sur sa synergie avec son nouveau toplaner.

Conclusion

Si on devait faire une analogie du mercato de Vitality, disons simplement qu’ils ont joué un tapis avec leur jeu de cartes. Et ce jeu de cartes peut être le meilleur coup de poker de tous les temps comme peut être une action ridiculement mauvaise. Quand bien même il y a peu de doutes, on peut se demander comment va se porter la synergie sur la voie du bas entre Kaiser et Neon. Enfin, est-ce que Perkz pourra assurer son rôle de carry d’antan ou sera-t-il cantonné à se faire porter par ses équipiers ? Tout ce qu’on peut savoir, c’est que cet ensemble a de quoi être la meilleure équipe que l’Europe n’a jamais portée, dérobant alors le titre à la line-up de G2 ESports en 2019. Cependant, avec tous les doutes que soulèvent cette équipe et avec le passé de la structure française, le futur pour les abeilles reste incertain.

Place attendue : dans le top 6

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Article très long, mais quand on aborde une équipe aussi prestigieuse que Vitality, il faut savoir prendre son temps ! Sur ce, on se retrouve dans deux jours pour un nouvel article et passez une bonne journée/soirée !

[maladaptive-ninja]

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