Chapter 2

Chapter 1, Episode 2 of "The Genius Archer's Streaming Season 1"

1. I Still Want to Shoot (2)

Skill broadcasting.

Although Sanghyun hadn't really watched it much and didn't know about it, such a market did exist.

In fact, there were more broadcasts that focused on skill.

The streamer 'Balloon Gum' that he often watched was strangely bad at the game.

'Balloon Gum must be a broadcast for people who don't play games.'

Only then did Sanghyun realize. It was recommended to him by the algorithm because he didn't play games.

Skill broadcasts were generally watched by players who loved games. They watched to learn and improve their own skills.

'Just a game, and yet so much effort is put into it.'

Sanghyun inadvertently felt that he had been dismissing games. It was similar to the sports industry.

Improving skills and proving them through competition.

There's almost no element of luck.

A battle of skill against skill.

A real sword fight.

Competition!

"......Good."

Swallow.

Sanghyun muttered to himself while taking a sip of water.

It was a way of life he had liked since childhood. Competing fairly with skill and continuously developing oneself to rise step by step.

In contrast, society was completely different. Luck played a significant role, and connections were several times more important than ability. Sanghyun himself was a parachutist.

When combined with school and regional ties, it was questionable whether job performance was even measured.

Rather, having a good appearance seemed better than being good at work.

In summary, society's mechanism was too complex and had too many variables.

Sanghyun preferred simplicity.

"......Let's try it."

He thought that perhaps this world of games would suit him well.

* * *

Two days after quitting.

A colleague he met at the company cafe shouted at Sanghyun.

"Are you crazy!?"

He was Kim Joo-hyuk, the only colleague Sanghyun could open up to.

Joo-hyuk had lived a life completely opposite to Sanghyun's.

He grew up in a wealthy family, attended a prestigious university, graduated from a well-known American graduate school, and was employed by a large corporation, an elite among elites.

"......Are you crazy?"

If even he opposed it so strongly, it was something Sanghyun needed to think about.

"Then, does this not seem crazy to you?"

"No, why. I'm really good at it."

"......But you've never played a game before, right?"

"Yeah."

"Huh?"

Joo-hyuk tried to make the most ridiculous face he could and shouted.

"Hey, you're going to spend all the money you saved for a deposit on a capsule?!"

He shouted so loudly that nearby employees turned to look.

"That... I also have a severance pay, so keep your voice down."

"No, how much severance pay can a newly promoted assistant get!?"

"It's different because I was laid off due to restructuring, you know."

"Ha."

Joo-hyuk grabbed his head.

Sanghyun was a bit grumpy, but he was smarter and better than most graduates from prestigious universities.

'Sometimes he's just a pain in the ass.'

But sometimes his intelligence turns into stubbornness.

For example, the moment he said he would spend all the money he saved for a deposit on a capsule, like now, while eating only in the company cafeteria on weekdays and cup noodles on weekends.

"Hey, rather go to Kangwon Land. That would be better."

"......I'm not good at card games, though?"

"Just a metaphor. A metaphor!"

Ah, what a frustrating guy.

Joo-hyuk thought. After all, geniuses have a screw loose somewhere.

"How long has it been since you last did archery?"

"Hmm......"

"You don't even remember?!"

"Umm......"

"What kind of guy suddenly starts shooting arrows again? Especially in a game, and using all the deposit money? Hey, just live a normal life."

"Umm......"

Sanghyun's expression didn't change at all.

'This guy isn't listening, is he?'

As usual, he doesn't listen to things he's not interested in. Especially, he has the talent to let nagging go in one ear and out the other.

"Ha. How much?"

"40 million!"

'This answer is really quick.'

Joo-hyuk almost said something but held back. He wouldn't listen anyway.

"The capsule alone costs 40 million, and the electricity to run it won't be cheap, and what about other strange equipment... Do you need anything else?"

"Hmm... I don't know yet. But maybe just one capsule will do, right? It costs 40 million, after all."

"Even a 150 million car needs money for options. You know."

"Ugh. That's true."

Sanghyun thought.

'After all, elites are different.'

He always learns something from talking to Kim Joo-hyuk.

"Wait for me until I finish work, okay? Don't buy anything in the meantime. I'll contact someone I know to find a cheaper place to buy it."

"O...! Thank you!"

"Stay here. I'm leaving early today."

Saying that, Kim Joo-hyuk quickly headed for the elevator.

Just the other day, they were in the elevator together with coffee. Sanghyun felt a bit of pain as he watched his back.

'Forget it.'

This pain was probably an inevitable procedure for a new beginning.

* * *

5 PM.

Sanghyun was roughly checking the market prices on his laptop at the cafe and looking at stock charts to decide how to use his severance pay.

"How come I seem more nervous than you?"

"O. You came?"

Sanghyun lifted his head backward to look at Joo-hyuk, like a bat.

"......Don't you usually turn your head to the side?"

"Oh. Is that so?"

Sanghyun turned his head to the side. So he became a bat with his head turned to the side.

"Anyway, you're a really strange guy. Let's go."

"Where? Did you find it?"

"Just follow me."

Joo-hyuk confidently put on his suit jacket and led the way.

Sanghyun was curious about what kind of connections Joo-hyuk had to get a capsule at a lower price.

'Maybe 500,000 off?'

* * *

"Huh?"

"What's 'huh'?"

"This is a capsule room."

"Right. Just follow me without asking questions."

"But... I want to buy a capsule, not use one."

As Joo-hyuk led him, a familiar voice greeted them.

"Hey, Joo-hyuk is here? Is that your friend next to you?"

"Ah, hyung. Long time no see."

"......Hi."

Sanghyun quickly assessed the situation and greeted the man. He was Joo-hyuk's acquaintance.

"Your name is Sanghyun, right?"

A man with a presence that seemed more suited to running a truth room than a capsule room approached and extended his hand.

Sanghyun shook the man's thick hand and nodded.

"Yes, I'm Yu Sanghyun."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Lee Kang-seok, the owner here."

"Ah... Yes."

"Follow me. You're a complete beginner, right?"

"Yes."

"But you shouldn't consider buying one yet."

'Is he trying to persuade me?'

Sanghyun turned to glare at Joo-hyuk. He just smiled and waved.

Sanghyun followed the owner to save Joo-hyuk's face.

"Here, go inside."

"......?"

"This is where you register your body information."

"Oh."

"You're a complete beginner, right?"

"Yes."

"The door will close soon, so just wear your underwear and wait for the computer's instructions."

Thud.

Sanghyun suddenly found himself trapped in a place that felt like a giant emergency escape pod.

* * *

While Sanghyun was inside, the two of them talked.

"Hyung, you said you have some used ones left?"

"Yeah. The parts in the capsule room are used heavily, so I can sell them for 15 million. If you really have no money, I can sell them for 10 million."

"Wow, thank you."

"No problem. It's the original price. Tsk... I'd rather discourage you."

"Hyung, too?"

"Yeah. Sometimes people come in, possessed, wanting to buy a used capsule. These days, games can make money. If you do well in a popular game or if your stream does well, they think it's a quick way to get rich."

"Pfft. If someone thinks that simply... Are there others like him?"

"Do you think everyone is as smart as you? They're all idiots. Of course, your friend isn't one of them."

"He's an idiot."

The owner laughed heartily and stood up. It was time for Sanghyun's body scan to be complete.

He continued as he walked towards the scan room.

"By the way, there's another misconception people have."

"What is it...?"

"They think they can do well in games because they did well in reality. But it's not like that. Games, whether old or new, don't have physical limitations. It's all about mental strength. Being good at soccer in reality doesn't mean you'll be good at it in a game."

"Even in full dive?"

"Yes. In reality, you can cover or dominate with your physical abilities, but you can't do that in a game. There's no physical distinction."

"Ah..."

"Maybe your friend will give up after I let him try a light game called Real Olympics. You should comfort him. His story isn't good."

"......I understand."

Joo-hyuk was worried.

'Are games and reality that different?'

He had also played virtual reality games, but from his perspective, there wasn't much difference between games and reality.

It was more common to be better in a game than in reality.

But maybe professionals would feel a bigger difference. They can't use their excellent physical abilities in games.

'At least it's good. He'll save the deposit money.'

He thought of some words to comfort Sanghyun, believing it would be better not to buy the capsule.

-Scan complete.

A moment later, Sanghyun came out of the scan room and entered the capsule at the front.

"Here, let's do a test."

The owner started explaining to Sanghyun.

"Since you mainly did archery, this test will be easy. It's a game called Real Olympics. I've set it up for archery."

"Ah... Thank you."

"Now I'll close the door. Try to get a score. And..."

'Then think again about buying the capsule.'

The owner didn't say it out loud. He figured Sanghyun would realize it on his own.

Thud.

The capsule door closed, and the owner and Joo-hyuk turned on the monitor in spectator mode.

-Woah...

The screen showed the excited atmosphere typical of the Olympics.

There, Sanghyun, who somehow looked perfect in a white uniform, stood.

Creak.

Without any hesitation, he drew the bowstring. It was as if he had been doing it every day for years.