[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-online-game-starting-with-sss-ranked-summons":3,"chapter-online-game-starting-with-sss-ranked-summons-online-game-starting-with-sss-ranked-summons-chapter-369":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1650601,2114,"Chapter 369: Approaching Doom","online-game-starting-with-sss-ranked-summons-chapter-369",369,"\u003Cp>Gates wiped sweat from his forehead, his wounded shoulder forgotten in the face of approaching doom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Arthur, please tell me you have a plan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plan? Against that thing that came so abruptly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his thinking, Arthur started thinking of various ways in which he could delay the demon or deal with it once it approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the shattered window, the massive demon's body became increasingly visible. Unlike the defective creatures they'd been fighting, this entity radiated intelligence and purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>True demon. Ancient power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its burning eyes never left the hospital window as it approached at high speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur's countdown timer pulsed in his peripheral vision, numbers that suddenly carried desperate significance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[00:01:37]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less than two minutes until the merge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon's laugh grew louder as distance decreased. The sound carried harmonics that made glass vibrate and metal groan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Psychological warfare. It wants us to be afraid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur's photon weapon felt inadequate against something that massive. The energy beams that had destroyed defective demons would probably tickle this creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Need bigger guns. Much bigger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seventy-five meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sir,\" Dave said quietly, \"my weapon's showing full charge, but...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it won't be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The business-suited man who'd caused this disaster pressed himself against the wall, babbling apologies that nobody wanted to hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't let it kill me—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gates didn't let him finish slapping him in the face before grabbing him by the collar as he shouted at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur's mind raced through tactical possibilities as the massive demon closed the distance with terrifying speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two kilometres and shrinking. Need a distraction. Need bait to buy me some time...damn it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes fixed on the trembling businessman who'd triggered this catastrophe. The man's terror was absolute, but terror could be moulded into something useful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perfect sacrifice. He caused this—he can fix it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur began backing away from the window, his movements casual enough to avoid drawing attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The survivors remained focused on the approaching threat, their fear making them oblivious to subtle repositioning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Positioning is everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leaned close to the nearest nurse, a young woman with kind eyes who'd been tending to Gates's shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His whisper was barely audible in the sounds of the photon weapon as the security team pushed back the few remaining demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When I give the signal, you and the other women need to convince that man to be a hero. Use whatever it takes—tears, pleas, promises...everything. Make him think he can save everyone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To get him to step up as bait, I need volunteers who can sell the act. He's got a textbook hero complex—eager to prove himself, desperate to be seen. That's my leverage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nurse's eyes widened with a mix of understanding and horror. She nodded reluctantly, then began whispering to her colleagues. The message spread through the female survivors like ripples in disturbed water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guilt is a powerful motivator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The businessman remained pressed against the wall, completely unaware of the conspiracy forming around him. Gates still held him by the collar, his rage providing excellent distraction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Gates's anger helped, although he is quite loud and it's starting to get annoying now.' Arthur thought with a frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur stepped forward, his expression shifting to something approaching sympathy. The change was so subtle that only someone studying him closely would notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gates! Stop it! Let the man go, he just meant to help us. What do you think you are doing shouting at him so much!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Arthu-\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"ENOUGH!\" Arthur shouted staring at Gates's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gates looked puzzled, he wasn't sure why Arthur was shouting at him for a random character that was bound to die in the next few seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur walked towards the man, completely ignoring Gates, who stood there petrified in his place, as if questioning if this was real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"T-Thank you, I'm sorry about what I've done.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Listen,\" Arthur said, his voice carrying calmness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need you to understand something important about what's coming.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man's tear-streaked face turned toward Arthur with desperate attention. Any information seemed better than ignorant terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That thing out there—it's not hunting random people. It's specifically targeting beta players.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur raised his hand, letting his ring catch the flickering light of the hospital. The black ring marked him as one of Armageddon's chosen beta players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everybody had come to know what the ring of players looked like; it was common knowledge at this point in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"See this? This is what it's tracking. The ring connects us to the game world, makes us detectable to demonic senses.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The businessman's eyes widened as understanding seemed to dawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You mean... because I don't have a ring, it won't target me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good...he is taking the bait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly. You're invisible to its supernatural senses. If it can see you, then you are just another civilian in a building full of people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second lie. Building the framework.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hope began replacing terror in the man's expression. The prospect of survival always overrode rational analysis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But here's the problem,\" Arthur continued, his tone growing urgent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone else in this room is either a beta player or connected to one. When it gets here, it'll slaughter everyone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Make it personal; he has to feel some sort of risk, otherwise it's not enough for him to make a move, even if he has a hero complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The businessman looked around the room with new eyes. Children, medical staff, wounded survivors—all of them depending on protection that wouldn't come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What... what can I do? I-I'm willing to help, to rectify my mistake.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perfect question. I was waiting for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur gestured toward the window of the building across the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There's a sniper position over there. Perfect line of sight, defensible location. You could hide there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plant the suggestion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But why would I—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because,\" Arthur interrupted, \"you're the only one who can save everyone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The businessman's confusion was evident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't understand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur's expression grew grave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That demon is going to reach this window in less than a minute. It's already been some time since it started moving.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When it does arrive, it'll be focused on killing beta players. But if someone—someone it can't detect—hit it with a surprise attack at exactly the right moment...\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1036,"2026-06-06T12:00:36.158Z",1,"novelbin.me","71252be2cc9be4325f25a40c8bcbeb44ec36cab7ce4b991b60354c93a8b0f6e9","online-game-starting-with-sss-ranked-summons-chapter-424","online-game-starting-with-sss-ranked-summons-chapter-423",601,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fonline-game-starting-with-sss-ranked-summons-cover.jpg"]