Chapter 4

**The Streaming Season 1, Episode 4**

2. Let's Play a Game (1)

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

---

Sanghyun stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and tightly gripped the letter containing the secret given to him by his mother.

'Really, it works.'

It had been ten years.

For ten years, he hadn't touched a bow.

When Kim Joo-hyuk spoke as if he couldn't remember those years,

'I can't forget it.'

The date was etched in his mind, and his brain would never allow him to forget it.

The traffic accident that day is still vivid in his memory.

The feeling when he heard that his right hand would never function properly again is still fresh.

The doctor's cold face, turning away, is so clear that he could recognize it if he met him on the street.

"Ugh... Ha..."

He clenched his teeth to hold back his tears, but they continued to flow endlessly.

He didn't know why he was crying.

Was it because he was happy to shoot a bow for the first time in ten years? Or because he felt sorry for himself, who had survived the past ten years like an empty shell?

He didn't know.

Nevertheless, a burning sensation welled up from his chest, boiling over and spilling out through his eyes.

"...Sanghyun."

Joo-hyuk approached with a bewildered look. Sanghyun pushed him away and said,

"Don't come over. Shit... I'm embarrassed."

Sanghyun, who had stopped Joo-hyuk from approaching, wiped his tears with a tissue.

He seemed to have calmed down a bit.

"Are you okay?"

The manager finally approached and patted his shoulder.

"Yes, thank you. I was just thinking about the past..."

"I don't understand, but I think it's admirable."

"Really...?"

"That you still hold onto the dreams of your childhood so passionately."

This manager must have watched too many shonen manga. Sanghyun thought so, but after hearing the next words, he realized that even if the manager had watched shoujo manga, he would still have to respect him.

"I'll give it to you for 700."

"!?"

Sanghyun's eyes widened.

'Seven hundred? Surely he's not talking about the capsule, right?'

As far as he knew, a used capsule costs nearly 2,000. Seven hundred would be a loss, not a bargain.

"...You're not talking about the capsule, right? You must be talking about some other part."

"No, I'm talking about the capsule. You said you were going to stream, right? The equipment is all set up inside. It's a bit old, but it's not bad for a starter set."

"..."

Sanghyun's mouth dropped open.

"Thank you!"

He bowed deeply without any hesitation. Since he was young, Sanghyun never had the luxury to refuse. He had to accept any help to survive.

"How can I repay this?"

"There's no need to repay it. It's a cheap one. It would sell for about 1,000. The 300 is just a favor, and..."

The manager scratched his head and smiled manfully.

"Let's just say I'm saving face in front of Joo-hyuk."

"!"

Face...

Right. That's important.

Sanghyun nodded, remembering the time the entire department was in an uproar because the executive wanted to save face.

"I'm a man."

When Sanghyun answered seriously, the manager burst out laughing.

"Hahaha! You're really funny."

"Y-You said I'm a bit different, right?"

Joo-hyuk, looking flustered, scratched his head and added. After laughing for a while, the manager corrected himself.

"It's not about saving face; it's an investment. Most capsule room operators do this, but I also handle the distribution of capsules. If things go well, please do a big ad for me later. 300 is a good deal."

"Ah."

An ad. For a streaming aspirant who hasn't even played a proper game yet, it's unusual for someone to give something in exchange for an ad.

This was purely the manager's goodwill.

Sanghyun nodded even more vigorously.

"Yes! Of course!"

* * *

The next day, the manager's employees came and finished installing the capsule.

"Thank you! Here, take this on your way out!"

"Oh, thank you. What a nice gesture."

He gave each employee a can of coffee and sent them off.

After that, it took about 7 hours to complete the setup for the stream and prepare to buy the game.

"Phew. This is a lot of work."

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Sanghyun looked at the list of popular games on the streaming platform 'Tribi.'

---

Most of them were online games with fierce competition.

'This could be good, but...'

While these games were undoubtedly the hottest of the era, Sanghyun had no intention of playing them. The more popular they were, the more famous streamers played them.

It would be extremely difficult for a new streamer like Sanghyun to stand out. The top-ranked streamers were already monsters, and the ones with good banter had their spots secured.

'Too mainstream is a stretch.'

From the beginning, he had no intention of targeting such a red ocean.

He needed a game that was popular enough but also one he could excel at.

'There's one I've looked at...'

Sanghyun had a game in mind.

A game that was realistic enough to apply real-world skills and had a moderate level of popularity.

Scrolling down, he found it.

Kingdom Age.

A game where you live as a mercenary in the Middle Ages.

Medieval setting, realistic gameplay, and authentic battles.

A game filled with hardcore elements.

Such a game has many loyal fans, but not many streamers play it. It's incredibly difficult, which is why it's so realistic.

But Sanghyun, who had never played a difficult game in his life, felt no fear.

He proceeded to buy the game from the store linked to Tribi.

Given its quality, the game was quite expensive, but Sanghyun didn't hesitate.

He had planned to invest 40 million won in this venture, so 60,000 won was nothing.

Money was deducted from his registered account, and the game launched.

Swallow.

Sanghyun felt a strange tension and opened his eyes wide.

---

Flash!

A bright flash burst out, and in an instant, a different world unfolded.

* * *

Crack!

A thick palm slapped his cheek.

"Ouch!"

'What?'

Sanghyun, bewildered, jumped up. His cheek was tingling, even though it was just a game. Was it just a feeling?

"Get up! Bastard!"

Suddenly, a rough curse.

"Mercenary, are you sleeping at a time like this?"

Ah, the game has started.

Sanghyun had to remind himself that this was a game.

'It's too realistic, isn't it?'

The game's astonishingly realistic implementation. No wonder he felt like he had just been slapped. He almost got angry at a game character.

The sense of presence was on a different level from Olympic games. The sound quality was also incredible.

Clatter. Clatter.

The sound of wagons moving busily, screams and shouts echoing everywhere, and the clashing of metal.

'A battle?'

Sanghyun, a new recruit waiting inside a supply wagon, couldn't see clearly, but it looked like a battle was happening.

A senior mercenary barked orders with an urgent face.

"The bandits are attacking! Get up! Grab your weapon!"

The senior mercenary gestured roughly.

But...

"Grab it quickly! Bastard..."

His face froze in a strange expression.

The screen froze.

The tutorial began.

Swish.

Sanghyun's view was suddenly forced to turn.

A pile of straw in the cargo area.

A sword on top of a box in the corner.

His view turned again, this time to the left.

A spear stuck in the wagon's outer frame.

Finally, his view turned to the senior mercenary's back.

He was carrying a bow.

"...Why does he have the bow?"

Sanghyun scratched his head, momentarily flustered, but he didn't hesitate.

As he reached for the bow,

-Choosing the bow? Bow challenge?

A chat message suddenly appeared.

"!"

Sanghyun turned his gaze to the lower left.

'Five people?'

Was his game choice good? Five people were already watching on the first day.

'There should be a moment to talk, right?'

In the early days of streaming, every chat and every viewer is precious. Sanghyun paused the game and responded.

"Bow challenge?"

When he asked, a chat message immediately appeared.

-Don't know about the bow challenge? It's something old-timers do sometimes on their 3rd or 4th playthrough.

Sanghyun had watched many game streams. He had a rough idea of what it was, but what he was curious about was different.

"Do you... not like the bow?"

If old-timers do bow challenges, it means the bow isn't very good.

-Don't know? It hits allies, bounces off armor, and the number of arrows is strictly calculated, making it really difficult.

-Or did you not see the stream title?

-??

-It's the first day of streaming. The first day of playing the game.

Other viewers chimed in.

As for the stream title, Sanghyun tilted his head and checked the top.

The title read, "Newbie Streamer, Game Beginner."

'Ah, I must have forgotten the title.'

The algorithm had automatically set it when he hurriedly started the game. But it wasn't bad.

-Check this guy's playtime.

-Just created the account yesterday.

With the advanced body recognition system, people immediately knew he was a complete beginner.

-Wow, really a newbie. Huh, huh.

-So cool lol

The atmosphere was welcoming rather than hostile.

It seemed to be a hardcore game with only old-timers left.

'Good choice.'

Sanghyun himself thought his game choice was excellent.

"Do you find the bow difficult, guys?"

In response to his question, 'Yes' appeared in the chat. All five viewers found it difficult.

"I see."

Sanghyun chose the bow.

-?!

-This newbie is sassy and cute.

-I don't like stubborn kids~

-He might be going for a spicy stream.