Im Chan-ho was not only a professional gamer but also a seasoned streamer.
The recent training period had been, to be frank, incredibly demanding and exhausting.
Yet, the day he had chosen for a break was a full three days away.
Naturally, the benefits of such a decision were far too significant to ignore.
Even now, with less than twenty-four hours passed since the finals concluded, the fervor of those who had witnessed the match remained undiminished.
What, then, would unfold if Im Chan-ho, having secured the runner-up title, were to go live under such circumstances?
– Jyeotjalssa (TL Note: A Korean slang term, a shortened form of ‘졌지만 잘 싸웠다’ meaning ‘you fought well despite losing’) sponsored 1,000,000 won!
[Chan-ho, you worked hard. Congratulations on being the runner-up.]
“Waaah! Big bro! Thank you so, so incredibly much! I’ll strive to do even better in the future!!”
Unsurprisingly, a deluge of sponsorships, accompanied by congratulatory remarks, began to pour in.
Already, this marked the fifth substantial donation of 1,000,000 won.
In mere moments, a sum far surpassing the 3,000,000 won prize money for second place had accumulated.
Im Chan-ho was diligently heeding the old adage: ‘Row when the tide is in.’
As the arduous efforts of his tournament preparation seemed to melt away, his lips continuously curved into a wide smile.
After some time, having collected donations while spinning tales disguised as match analyses, and as the day’s total sponsorships began to rival the grand prize money for first place, the promised time for the collaboration stream finally arrived.
“Alright then! For the second part, as we announced, we’ll get ready for the Disciple CK (TL Note: A ‘CK’ is a custom game, often involving a specific theme or challenge, here ‘Disciple’ refers to students or apprentices)! I feel a little guilty towards Nari. I’ve neglected her for far too long.”
[The schedule is truly packed.]
[Chan-ho, are you really sure you don’t need to rest?]
[Since she’s been neglected anyway, why not just go all out and neglect her for three more days?]
[LOL, for real.]
“Oh, come on. How could anyone be so cruel? I’m already feeling quite self-conscious about it….”
The other streamers slated for the Disciple CK had already been diligently practicing for quite some time.
Moreover, Kang Nari was notoriously known as one of Triarkia’s female streamers who was exceptionally poor at the game.
If she failed to push herself starting now, any hope of a decent performance would undoubtedly vanish.
While all public sentiment currently favored Im Chan-ho, if Kang Nari’s future gameplay proved to be disastrously bad, beyond any leniency…
A significant backlash could erupt, stemming from accusations that he hadn’t taken a major content event seriously.
Therefore, he absolutely needed to demonstrate at least a minimal level of effort.
****
*Ding!*
“Oh! Nari! Can you hear me? It’s been ages. Is this our first interaction since the mixed-gender CK half a year ago?”
– Master! Congratulations on being the runner-up!
“Thanks. Hey, I’m truly, truly sorry…. I’ve been so swamped that I couldn’t give you any attention.”
– To be honest, I anticipated this outcome…
“Oh…?”
– Why, you ask? Because I had full faith that Master would absolutely reach the finals!
“Kyah! Your insight into the game has sharpened considerably since we last met, hasn’t it?”
Ordinarily, viewers might feel a degree of discomfort seeing a male and female streamer maintain such a close relationship.
However, such public sentiment only surfaces when a certain minimum standard of perceived threat is met.
Im Chan-ho and Kang Nari, on the other hand, had an age gap of nearly a decade.
This significant difference allowed them to forge their friendship quite freely.
Yet, there was another unspoken truth to this dynamic, one that Im Chan-ho vehemently denied: his appearance was, shall we say, ‘perfect for gaming,’ rendering him utterly unthreatening.
Any ‘yuksu’ (TL Note: A Korean slang term referring to an overly dedicated, sometimes obsessive, male fan, often of a female streamer) could observe their collaborative stream with complete ease.
“Speaking of which, I heard you’re getting private tutoring, aren’t you? From a friend.”
– Yes. It just sort of happened that way. I couldn’t exactly sit back and do nothing just because Master was busy…
“No, no. I’m not criticizing; I’m actually quite proud of you. Your friend is coming today as well, aren’t they?”
– I asked them to come a little later. Master’s stream has an absolutely incredible number of viewers today, doesn’t it? Since they’re not a public figure, I was concerned they might feel overwhelmed. They’re probably watching the stream right now.
“Ah. You’re right. The current engagement is absolutely wild. Good call, kid.”
He spoke, his gaze fixed on the viewership that had soared well past ten thousand.
With Kang Jun-oh, the champion, having announced a break for the day, the vast majority of viewers had naturally gravitated toward Im Chan-ho’s stream.
To go live and solicit sponsorships before the fervor dissipated? A true champion had no need for such trivial tactics.
The title of the undisputed number one in the current Triarkia scene carried an immense weight.
Even if Kang Jun-oh were to begin streaming a week from now, it was likely he would still receive several times the donations Im Chan-ho had amassed today.
“Well then, before your friend joins us, how about we take a quick look at how much you’ve progressed?”
– I’m feeling very confident! Just try not to be too shocked.
“Hmm, I seem to recall hearing those exact words during the last mixed-gender CK, only to be completely blindsided….”
– Oh, today is genuinely different!!
[Yeah, I’m absolutely not falling for it.]
[My eyes, which were just cleansed by yesterday’s match, are about to be soiled with garbage again, LOL.]
[Surely there’s no ‘black cow’ (TL Note: A Korean slang term for someone easily fooled or taken advantage of, like a ‘sucker’) who would fall for it a second time???]
[Kang Nari is genuinely infamous for her ‘poop hands’ (TL Note: A Korean slang term for someone who is very bad at controlling games or has clumsy hands)…. ]
[It would be quicker to just conjure a homunculus than to try and teach her, LOL.]
Under ordinary circumstances, the balance of the Disciple CK would have been perfectly golden.
With Im Chan-ho fiercely contending for the top spot and Kang Nari holding her own at the very bottom (TL Note: Implies being last, or at the bottom of the rankings), their master-disciple dynamic evoked the renowned French film ‘The Intouchables.’
However, due to her prolonged neglect, no viewer harbored significant expectations for Kang Nari.
Im Chan-ho shared this sentiment.
He was convinced that no amount of private tutoring from a skilled amateur could ever truly compare to the detailed, professional coaching of a pro gamer.
This belief was not unfounded; in Triarkia, the distinction between professional and amateur players was starker than in almost any other game.
The sole, crucial variable was that the person who had tutored Kang Nari was Yoo Seo-ha.
“Huh? What? You can execute a 973?”
As they engaged in a 1v1 skill check within a private room, their vision mutually shared, a strangely familiar build suddenly appeared before his eyes.
– It’s a new special technique I’ve mastered specifically against the Dragon race!!
“Oh. What is this, truly? For you, the optimization is surprisingly decent?”
Six ghouls relentlessly pursued Im Chan-ho’s workers as they ventured outward.
This indicated her awareness of ‘search’ (TL Note: A game term, scouting the opponent’s base).
Adjusting to Kang Nari’s skill level, Im Chan-ho simply allowed his workers to be caught.
Truthfully, this alone warranted a passing grade.
It signified her understanding of both the vulnerabilities and strengths of her current build.
Yet, the surprises did not cease there.
“The ghost ship’s positioning is apt… and your counter to the Dragonspawn poke is also quite effective?”
Dragonspawn, while individually potent, held no exception when faced with overwhelming numbers.
The instant they were encircled by ghouls, they would quickly perish.
Thus, a Dragonspawn poke typically aimed to create a one-on-one confrontation with ghouls by utilizing terrain and backing against a wall.
The most optimal scenario involved positioning them between an Aether Mine and a wall, thereby disrupting the enemy Undead’s resource collection at their natural expansion.
Kang Nari was skillfully herding the Dragonspawn to thwart precisely such a stratagem.
“Your control is a little lacking, I must admit… but it’s excellent that you possess a clear objective. This strategy would certainly be effective at your current level. I’ll even let a few of these units get caught.”
Im Chan-ho then adopted a build commonly employed by the Dragon race when facing the Undead.
This involved constructing a Warrior Residence at his natural expansion, followed by the necessary upgrade structures for defensive towers, and then launching a ‘poke’ attack once five Dragonspawn had amassed.
Concurrently, he would activate his natural expansion—a strategy colloquially known as the ‘Wyvern & Attack Speed Up Dragonspawn’ build.
However, the ‘poke’ attack was thwarted with surprising ease.
This was because the ghost ship, having successfully executed a ‘one-search’ (TL Note: A game term, a successful early scout of the opponent’s base), had accurately ascertained the precise number of Dragonspawn.
Kang Nari, rather than fixating on matching the worker count characteristic of the 973 build, had instead produced additional ghouls in direct response to the Dragonspawn count.
This demonstrated why a 5-Dragonspawn poke was a poor choice when facing a successful ‘one-search.’
Naturally, as most 1,500-point players simply executed their learned strategies without deviation, Im Chan-ho had also adjusted his own play to a lower skill level.
– I’ve confirmed you’re prioritizing tech over additional unit production with the ghost ship, so I’ll adapt and expand my base accordingly.
“…Well, look at this?”
A satisfied smile played across his face.
Im Chan-ho had played with a rigid adherence to commands, much like a programmed computer.
Kang Nari, conversely, was expertly leveraging the inherent flexibility of the 973 build.
With their ‘search’ effectively nullified and their ‘poke’ attack blocked, the Dragon race found themselves completely unaware of whether their opponent would opt for Liches or Necromancers.
They were left with no alternative but to grudgingly produce Wyverns.
The subsequent unfolding of the match culminated in the complete annihilation of the Dragon race, utterly overwhelmed by the 973 strategy.
An overwhelming tide of Necromancers surged forth from three distinct resource points.
He had attempted to defend by constructing ‘Arcane Launchers,’ a formidable defensive tower,
but ultimately, he proved unable to withstand the assault and was completely pushed back.
Even though he had barely exercised any control, merely replicating the ‘brain-dead’ play (TL Note: A game slang term for playing without much thought or strategy) typical of a 1,500-point player, he suffered a clean defeat.
He quietly marveled at Kang Nari, who had shown remarkable improvement compared to before.
This was far beyond his expectations.
With a little refinement, it seemed she could even aim for the upper ranks in the CK.
“Wow. You’ve learned a lot, haven’t you? Did your friend teach you this?”
– Yes! Haven’t I improved a lot??
[What? Is this a hidden camera prank?]
[No, she’s not just imitating 973; this is genuine 973!]
[What on earth happened while Chan-ho was competing in the tournament?…]
[Even with a ‘one-search,’ her counter to the poke isn’t bad.]
[I’m experiencing cognitive dissonance;;]
[So, her skills actually *could* improve???]
“Your friend must be quite good. What’s their rating, by any chance?”
– They said 2,750 points. Oh, maybe they played more earlier today? Anyway, it’s around there.
“…Huh? No, that’s practically semi-pro level! You know someone like that?”
[??????]
[No, f***, they’re really good.]
[Isn’t that a stable ranking?]
[What kind of life do you have to live to have someone like that around you?]
[????]
– Nariyuksu (TL Note: A Korean slang term referring to an overly dedicated, sometimes obsessive, male fan of a female streamer) sponsored 3,000 won!
[Info: Nari’s friend beat Kim Sung-jin in a best-of-multiple-games series. It was even a complete rout (TL Note: ‘Daetteok natda’ is a slang term for a crushing defeat, like 3-0 or 4-0).]
“What? Really? Big Bro Sung-jin, and in a multi-game series!?”
– Uh… it’s uploaded on YouTube. It happened yesterday, so I guess the rumor hasn’t spread yet. And there’s a slight omission there; Sung-jin played with two off-races in two of the three games.
“What? It’s not a lie, it’s real? No, then that means he lost one with his main race?”
– They said they were lucky… Honestly, with my eye for the game, it’s impossible for me to judge.
“…It seems Big Bro Sung-jin’s form has completely fallen apart lately, hasn’t it?”
[LOLOLOLOL]
[But isn’t it reasonable to lose to a 2,750-point player? Seriously.]
[It’s standard for former pros to get roasted if they lose a best-of-multiple-games series to an amateur LOL.]
[Yeah, just WWE.]
[Siri (TL Note: Kim Sung-jin’s streamer nickname) herself must be furious, but teasing him? Can’t miss this opportunity LOLOLOLOL]
[Agreed LOLOL]
[If 2,750 is real, it’s a justifiable loss, but that’s that, and this is this LOLOL]
“Yaaah!! Kim Sung-jin!! You’re bringing shame to all former pros!! At least I went to a full seven games in the finals!!!”
[Now he’s even dropping formalities LOLOLOL]
[If you lost to an amateur, you have to accept it, for real LOL.]
[In the Triarkia scene, the skilled player is the ‘hyung’ (older brother/senior), deal with it LOL.]
[LOLOLOLOLOLOL]
– Anonymous sponsored 1,000 won!
[Breaking news!! Mentioned that in Siri’s stream and got a 1-day ban LOLOLOLOLOLOL]
[That crazy bastard actually went to tease him LOLOLOL]
[LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]
[He must have been genuinely provoked LOLOLOLOLOL]
[No, if this is the case, why upload it to YouTube? LOLOL]
[Siri doesn’t personally review his YouTube content; he just leaves it to the editor.]
[The editor will probably be replaced soon LOLOL]
“Big Bro Sung-jin, are you watching? Someone will probably clip this and send it, so I’m recording a video message. To think you’d be completely routed by an amateur… As your junior, I feel sadness before disappointment. Will we never see the sharp, AI-like Kim Sung-jin again? *Sniff*…!”
[Is there no martyr who will send this to him? LOL.]
[You’ll get banned the moment you go LOLOL.]
[Burn your body for the cause!!!!]
[Stop joking and pretend to cry, you crazy bastard LOL.]
****
*Ding!*
Just as Im Chan-ho was in the midst of teasing his senior gamer, someone entered the Deathcord group messenger.
A quick check revealed it was Kang Nari’s friend, whom he had briefly greeted last night, and one of the two main characters of their current conversation.
Yoo Seo-ha.
Her appearance was perfectly timed.
No, given she was watching the stream, it was likely a deliberate timing.
He could surmise she was a person of considerable wit.
“Oh! Everyone, they’ve arrived! Hello! Seo-ha, is it? May I call you that?”
– Hello. I’m Yoo Seo-ha. Chan-ho, congratulations on being the runner-up. You can call me whatever you’re comfortable with.
“Hahahaha! Thank you. But is it really true that you beat Big Bro Sung-jin??”
– Hmm… Unofficially, yes, but…
Her tone was somewhat troubled.
Ah, Im Chan-ho felt a slight pang of surprise.
While he had highlighted the incident for broadcast entertainment, it might have been an awkward situation for her, a non-public figure.
He must have made a mistake.
Im Chan-ho cleared his throat, moving to rectify the situation.
“Ahem! My apologies. The actual person concerned is elsewhere, and perhaps we’ve been talking about it too freely among ourselves?”
– No… that’s not it.
“Hmm? Then perhaps another issue?”
– Hmm… It’s nothing much, but I can’t quite recall when Kim Sung-jin won the STL (TL Note: A fictional esports league in the story).
“Suddenly? When was it? About seven, eight years ago? That was Big Bro Sung-jin’s prime.”
– Aha. Thank you. Approximately seven years ago. But hearing that… it somehow makes me think.
“Yes?”
– Still, Sung-jin is a ‘champion’ (TL Note: ‘Yugwan’ is a Korean term for someone who has won a championship or title) who has lifted a trophy… Is it right for a ‘non-champion’ (TL Note: ‘Mugwan’ is a Korean term for someone who has never won a championship or title) to dare tease a champion? Something like that.
“Cough! Cough!!”
[What?!]
[F*** LOLOLOLOLOL]
[Gasp LOLOLOLOLOLOL]
[Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh]
[When it comes out of nowhere LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]
[So true, LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]
[Surprise fact check LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]
– Ah. My apologies. Even if he’s a ‘non-champion,’ Chan-ho is a runner-up. In fact, it’s hard to call a runner-up a ‘non-champion,’ isn’t it? Who would call the world’s second-best professional gamer a ‘non-champion’?
“Why is there a specific accent on certain words?”
– Yes? Ah. My apologies. Usually, when referring to someone, I use the word ‘champion.’ Perhaps because I don’t often use the title ‘non-champion,’ it doesn’t roll off my tongue.
[= Your title is ‘non-champion’ LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]
[What a vicious person LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]
[The shield of a non-celebrity is strong!! LOLOL]
[Since she’s not a streamer, you can’t even ‘gorosi’ (TL Note: A Korean slang term for publicly shaming or ‘canceling’ someone online) her LOLOLOLOLOL]
[It’s not easy to get roasted like this right after becoming a runner-up LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]
[Reap the karma for teasing Sung-jin, bro LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]
‘Ah.’
‘So this is what she meant this morning.’
A wave of dizziness surged, and he pressed a hand to his forehead.
‘Could this really be her normal attack? A light jab thrown as a greeting??’
Im Chan-ho was already on the verge of collapse after just a few words from Yoo Seo-ha.
What’s more, the collaboration stream had only just begun. There was still so much time left.
‘Would he be able to hide his agitation for the remainder of the stream?’
The world began to darken before his eyes.
