There’s an expression: ‘dead fish eyes’.
It typically describes eyes that have grown dull and hazy, much like those of a deceased pollock.
It refers to a state where one’s gaze is half-lost, devoid of any vitality.
Indeed, it occurred to me that this very moment might be the most fitting occasion to use such a phrase.
“……Could you please leave me alone for a moment?”
A voice, weary as if it had endured the weight of the entire world, drifted into earshot.
They had remained in this listless state ever since I had indulged in a bit of playful boasting earlier.
Finding their current demeanor rather amusing, I cast a quick glance their way before turning my back.
“Shall I?”
“……But don’t actually leave.”
Mado pouted, subtly clutching at my sleeve.
In response, I returned their smile and spoke.
“I contacted you because you suggested we do a collaboration stream.”
“And you didn’t just call me to brag about that, did you?”
“……Well, admittedly, that *was* the primary objective.”
“You truly are a terrible person, you know.”
A low, rumbling growl, like that of a wild beast, emanated from their lips.
Their expression was so fierce, it seemed they might snap at any finger I dared to extend.
“Ah, my apologies. It’s just that I had such good luck for the first time in ages, and I couldn’t help but want to boast a little.”
“Seriously, am I the *only* person you have to brag to?”
“……Come to think of it, that actually seems to be the case.”
Well, the truth was, Park Hamin rarely played games herself.
As for my male friends, I hardly ever heard from them, having no idea what they were up to.
My already limited social circle had essentially become a closed-off sphere, leaving me with virtually no one else to share my triumphs with, save for my viewers.
“This is rather baffling. Why is that? Am I some kind of recluse?”
“No, really? That sounds like a complete fabrication.”
“It’s true. Who would deliberately lie about not having friends?”
“Isn’t that just a concept for your stream? How could a guy with *that* face possibly have no friends?”
“……Please stop talking; it’s genuinely painful to hear.”
Their gaze, implying a complete extinction of my social skills as if struck by a meteor, pierced my heart.
It truly did.
“Ahem. So, if you called me for a collaboration stream today, do you have something specific in mind?”
“Indeed, I do. Everyone will be concentrating on leveling up during the initial stages anyway, and the arena will remain closed for the time being.”
“Yes, well. That’s true, isn’t it?”
Historically, the player base of Spiral had been segmented into three distinct categories.
There were those who devoted themselves to Spiral as a role-playing game, those who primarily reveled in its arena mode, and a third group who embraced both aspects.
While it was inevitable that most players would eventually indulge in both as time progressed, for now, with the arena yet to open, everyone was compelled to focus on increasing their level.
However, Spiral’s leveling system possessed a unique characteristic: for players who engaged in what was commonly termed ‘mindless grinding’ (TL Note: ‘daksah’ refers to the act of continuously hunting monsters without strategy for experience points), their leveling progress was remarkably slow.
Furthermore, merely raising one’s level without proper tactical consideration proved to be an inefficient endeavor, explaining why high-level players boasting above-average specifications were so rarely encountered.
“Since watching players level up in the beginner village would eventually grow tedious, I intended to venture into the wider world in search of ‘honey quests’ (TL Note: A Korean gaming slang term referring to quests that offer disproportionately high rewards for minimal effort).”
“……Ah, so you’re heading straight out to explore the World.”
“Exactly. While it’s certainly perilous at lower levels, good conduct should suffice. In fact, I believe the World sees fewer snipers or troublemakers than the beginner village.”
Spiral was segmented into three distinct regions.
The first comprised system zones, such as the beginner village where they currently resided.
The second encompassed the hunting fields, falling under the jurisdiction of those system zones.
The third, known simply as the World, was a meticulously crafted realm that brought to life the ‘otherworld’ people so often envisioned.
“True, the developers certainly put a lot of effort into hyping up the World this time, urging everyone to anticipate its release.”
“The response also seems quite positive, so I’m eager to go quickly. However, venturing out alone feels a bit awkward, which made me think it would be perfect if Mado-nim joined me.”
“I was almost moved by that sentiment, but the crux of it is, you called me because you had no one else to go with, isn’t it?”
“……I’ve asked you to stop prodding at my sensitive spots.”
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ No, this person is genuinely hurt.]
[He’s seriously a loner? That’s a lie, right?]
[But it actually has some credibility ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ In the previous game, he knew absolutely no one despite his level and skill, didn’t he?]
[So, a shut-in, gaming-obsessed, awkward, pretty boy actually exists in real life……]
[Just hearing the description, he sounds like a platypus;;]
Mado chuckled, observing my reaction.
This was a stark contrast to how she would freeze up at even the slightest word when we first met.
Had she grown more comfortable?
It was only our second encounter since then, yet I, too, felt a noticeable ease in her presence.
It was as if, after our initial meeting and with the growing success of my stream, a certain unspoken intimacy had begun to blossom between us.
*Pat-pat─!*
I gently patted her on the back, beginning to lead her forward.
“Alright, let’s go! The World is in that direction, so……”
Or rather, I *attempted* to lead her.
“Ugh, ahh……”
“……?”
For some inexplicable reason, Mado suddenly froze.
Her back was hunched like a shrimp, and she remained utterly motionless in that peculiar posture.
Completely baffled by this strange occurrence, I shifted my gaze to the chat window.
[The streamer is incredible ㄷㄷ;;]
[Ah, damn, I should’ve just become a streamer myself.]
[Starting my own stream today, for real.]
[He doesn’t even know what he did ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
“……No, what exactly did I do?”
What the hell did I even do?
Someone ought to tell me!
****
At the same moment, within the Wolves’ practice room.
Jo Hyeon’s face, which only days prior had radiated a vibrant energy, was now deeply shadowed.
She, who was considered quite striking among professional gamers and even boasted a considerable number of male fans, presented a starkly altered appearance.
“……Haa.”
Her hair lay dry and disheveled, while dark circles under her eyes seemed poised to descend to her jawline.
With a visage that suggested days without sleep, her eyes fluttered weakly, a direct consequence of her actual, severe sleep deprivation.
She could fairly assess her current state as the most disheveled she had been in years.
“This is driving me insane.”
Yet, the reason for her torment stemmed entirely from her own past actions, leaving her with no one to whom she could direct her grievances.
“Going insane? You fool, it’s the manager and the team staff who are truly going insane. You utterly mad woman.”
A growling reprimand flew from behind her head, where she lay sprawled like a corpse.
Normally, her fiery temperament would have prompted an immediate retort, but now, she could only remain silent, burdened by her undeniable transgressions.
“Just die, you wretched woman, just die. Because of you, is this truly the state of our damn team? Ugh, even innocent Jiyye gets caught in the crossfire and unfairly cursed.”
“Just stop it. I said I was wrong.”
“Oh? Are you losing your temper again? Glaring at me? I’ll pluck those eyes right out, you insolent woman.”
“…….
The one unleashing a tirade, her expression suggesting she might burst from frustration, was Lee Su-ah, the captain and eldest member of Wolves.
She was the very person who, after a brief trip to the restroom, had returned to discover a broadcast catastrophe, and had subsequently endured a torrent of abuse for that sole reason.
Consequently, Jo Hyeon found herself with nothing further to say.
It was an undeniable truth that she had become a significant burden to the team.
“But what am I supposed to do? The only public contact is Trippy’s DMs, and they don’t even accept those. Even if I wanted to apologize, I simply couldn’t.”
“If you were genuinely serious about it, you would have at least tried to find them. Did you even watch their stream?”
“Their stream? Oh, *that* person’s stream?”
The appellation ‘that person’ had long since solidified as her chosen term.
After botching the honorific in her initial apology and suffering a severe backlash, she had simply resolved to refer to them as such, twenty-four hours a day.
“Of course, I didn’t watch it…… How could I possibly?”
Perhaps it was inevitable.
She simply couldn’t bring herself to do so, even out of a modicum of shame, given how thoughtlessly she had spoken at the time.
With tens of thousands online relentlessly administering ‘mirror therapy’ (TL Note: A Korean slang term for a situation where one is subjected to harsh criticism or experiences the same negative treatment they inflicted on others, forcing self-reflection.) for her past actions, there was no escaping a profound shift in her perspective.
“Then you wouldn’t know their recent activities. Hey, take a look at this. Who is this?”
On the screen Lee Su-ah indicated, a tutorial gameplay video was displayed.
It was a clear video of the Impossible difficulty tutorial, a feat accomplished by only about thirteen individuals worldwide.
“Who is this…… Ah, surely not.”
“Yes, you fool, it’s *your* person. They’re reportedly ranked sixth among those who cleared it.”
“……Hoo.”
The video depicted a magic swordsman character deftly maneuvering, ‘cooking’ (TL Note: A Korean gaming slang term meaning to easily defeat or dominate an opponent, like preparing a meal.) a Twin-Headed Ogre with fluid precision.
The agility and skill displayed were astonishing, even to her, who regularly witnessed and experienced professional-level physical prowess.
“I truly did speak utter nonsense, didn’t I…..?”
“Yes, you fool. You’ve been offline for a while, so you wouldn’t know, but this is causing you double the criticism now. You’re utterly buried at the bottom of the abyss, I tell you?”
That certainly made sense.
Furthermore, a segment titled ‘Streamer/Pro Reactions’ at the end of the video featured the most popular player from Trippy’s current top-ranked team remarking, ‘Hmm, they’re quite good.’
While this comment wasn’t specifically aimed at Jo Hyeon, the comment section had once again summoned her, gleefully lambasting her.
“……Right, well. I get that I’m truly screwed. So, you’re telling me to just go out there and die?”
“Ugh, this woman, she just can’t manage to say anything nicely until the very end. What is this person doing right now?”
“Spiral 2.”
“Exactly, you fool. Just go in there and meet them directly. Apologize that way. Of course, the public opinion probably won’t improve dramatically, but can it really get any worse than this?”
Ah, why hadn’t I thought of that?
Lee Su-ah’s words were undeniably correct.
At this point, the situation couldn’t possibly deteriorate further.
Any attempt was better than none.
“……Alright.”
Whatever it takes, I’ll try.
With that resolve, Jo Hyeon switched on her monitor.
Then, she typed ‘Hyeonieo’ into the search bar.
[Stream On]
Viewer Count: 17,098
The immense number of viewers stood in stark contrast to the simple title.
Jo Hyeon swallowed hard and entered the stream.
She needed to ascertain their location first, then head there directly.
However, as the stream began to play, approximately one minute passed.
“……Unnie.”
“What, why? Did you cause trouble again?”
“That, the Spiral 2 World has random spawns, right? So only parties of up to four people can spawn in the same place.”
“Right?”
*Creak-creak-creak-*
Jo Hyeon’s neck rotated with a bizarre rhythm.
The eerie aura emanating from her was enough to make even Lee Su-ah flinch for a moment.
“This person, they’re saying they’re going into the World now and won’t come out for at least a week.”
“……What?”
“Still, I have to go find them, right?”
Her voice lacked conviction.
Lee Su-ah, too, found herself unable to offer a definitive answer.
According to the developers, Spiral 2’s World contained a total of seventeen bases.
Unless they were fortunate enough to spawn at the same base with a 1/17 chance, they would have to travel hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometers to meet.
