Chapter 55 of "The Genius Archer's Streaming Season 1"

19. Unexpected Attention (2)

Rumble.

An alarm went off in Seo Ji-a's stomach.

She hadn't had a proper meal all day.

“......”

But she didn't budge.

In the dimly lit corner of the room, she kept her eyes fixed on the monitor.

The feeling of hunger would eventually fade away.

Just like all the pain in this world.

As long as she kept watching the broadcast, everything disappeared.

Even the guy who had sent her to hell.

Gone.

“Wow......”

On the hazy screen, Almond's super play unfolded, and Seo Ji-a couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

The real Yoo Sang-hyun and the Yoo Sang-hyun in the virtual world were truly very different.

Click—

She marked the moment when Almond dribbled past four players.

Then, she opened her notebook and wrote something down. It was a simple synopsis and storyboard.

Swish—

The pen moved as if it were an AI, but it suddenly stopped.

Because of a sponsorship alert.

‘......What?’

Seo Ji-a's expression stiffened.

She quickly opened another window to check Almond's list of sponsors.

1. Indomitable Warrior

2. Seo Ji-a

...

She was second.

Seo Ji-a was second.

The mouse was already hovering over the "Sponsor" button.

The pointer trembled from side to side.

‘I'm an editor, right?’

Ji-a stood frozen.

After a long while, she collapsed onto the desk, her messy hair covering her face like a veil.

Her eyes closed.

* * *

A little while later.

Seo Ji-a got up again.

‘I have to work.’

Her mouse moved swiftly.

Click. Click.

Based on the edit points she had marked, she started piecing the video together, trying different combinations.

‘This one. It's good.’

From an editor's perspective, this video felt good.

Even without any editing, it was already filled with outstanding plays.

Even low-frame-rate GIFs were already making waves in the community.

In other words, the video already had the potential to be a hit.

With the right editing, it could be a massive success.

“I have to make it happen.”

Not just to make it more enjoyable than the live stream, but to make it so good that even those who had watched the live stream would be amazed and want to watch it again.

This was her job now.

Lost in her work, she didn't even notice the sun rising.

Finally...

A video with this title was created.

Chirp, chirp—

The sound of birds could now be heard outside the window.

Forcing her almost drooping eyelids to stay open, she looked outside and saw the sunlight.

Even the lazy early winter morning had arrived.

“Haaaaa.”

Ji-a's small body shivered as she stretched.

Thud.

Seo Ji-a collapsed onto the bed like a melting snowflake.

Swoosh.

She fell into a deep sleep as if the film had been cut.

* * *

9:00 AM.

On Almond's channel, this notification appeared.

As befitting a first-release system, the viewers started to enter.

- First release, who told you?!

- Almond!! Almond! Almond!

- Come on out!

- Ahhhh, I'm transforming! Turn it on quickly!

- Hahaha, the guys above are all pissed off hahaha

- I can't hold it in!!

- I can't hold it in!

- Mini, I can hold it, but... Mega, I can't hold it! Ahhhh!

- Almond, everyone here is crazy! Just post it already!! Please!

If the AllTube channel had a door, they would have broken it down to get in.

Bang. Bang.

The sound of knocking echoed in Yoo Sang-hyun's ears.

‘So many?’

Even though it was his own channel, he was amazed at how many people were so eager to watch.

Swallow.

With one minute left.

Yoo Sang-hyun and Joo Hyuk, who was watching beside him, swallowed hard.

The video, which only had this simple message, was posted.

Even Joo Hyuk and Yoo Sang-hyun hadn't seen the video. For them, this was also a "first release."

So it was natural to be nervous.

Moreover, a considerable number of people had already gathered for the first release. Yoo Sang-hyun remained calm, but...

“...Did he do well?”

Joo Hyuk couldn't hide his anxiety.

“He's confident, so he must be sleeping.”

With Yoo Sang-hyun's indifferent answer.

Dun dun!

Finally, the first release began.

The background music used today was a lively New Age tune, which seemed to clash with the hard-boiled action.

However, Almond's movements were so light and smooth that it created a strange harmony.

It was like watching a near-future robot battle with classical music in the background.

The music continued with a light prelude, then a tension-building sequence was added.

「Compound Bow」

When Almond's signature weapon was discovered, the camera zoomed in.

Bang! Bang!

A grand drum sound started to layer over it.

It wasn't just a simple lively piano accompaniment.

Dun dun—

Even those who didn't know Almond could tell that something was about to start.

Sure enough.

Bang!

Almond roughly pushed open the door with his shoulder.

At the same time, the bowstring was pulled taut.

「Huh?!」

The opponent's surprised face was close-up, and Almond's hand holding the arrow's tip crossed.

Then, his hand gently released the string.

Bang—

The opponent's face was close-up again.

The arrow hit the center of his face.

It was as if the arrow had been stuck in the camera lens.

The viewers felt like they wanted to turn their heads.

- Gulp...

- Eek

- Crazy kill lol

- Surprised.

- Wow, it feels like I'm watching it live.

- He's playing better than when he got reported last time???

The first kill received a lot of positive reactions.

“Wow... It's like an action movie. Hey.”

Joo Hyuk patted Yoo Sang-hyun's shoulder.

“It has a sense of speed, definitely.”

It was much more thrilling than the actual game.

After the first kill, the video quickly skipped to the next super play.

「Almond, who gained nothing from farming...」

This text appeared, and quite a bit of time passed.

- Hahaha

- Almond-style farming...

- Nut 'ryu' farming hahaha

- Even luck is against him.

- He doesn't use guns, so his farming options are limited.

- Consistent love for the bow...

- Hahaha, how many minutes were skipped?

Then, the second blue zone shrinkage occurred.

Crackle.

Almond and six others were running to avoid the blue zone.

“Hey, here?”

Yoo Sang-hyun immediately recognized this part.

Joo Hyuk nodded.

“Here, that 4-on-1 dribble!”

“It looks really stupid in third-person.”

The seven looked like fools running for their lives to avoid the blue zone.

Most of them were actually fools.

At a time when they shouldn't attack each other, someone started attacking, risking their own life.

Boom!

A sudden change.

Almond had no choice but to join the fight.

Two near Almond died instantly.

This made the enemies realize Almond's skill.

The remaining four exchanged glances.

「That guy is good, right? Should we take him out first?」

They didn't actually say this, but the editing made it seem like they did.

It wasn't lying.

They probably did think that way and ganged up on Almond.

- Oh, trolls hahaha

- Hahaha

- Attacking each other there?!

- Stones is an incomprehensible place...

- I'm so frustrated -_-

- Sweet potato...

A situation where four fools team up, putting a single person in danger. A truly frustrating sweet potato situation.

But then, a refreshing carbonated drink hit.

Whoosh—

With Almond's graceful waist movement.

The video slowed down.

The focus was on Almond's movements, emphasizing that the upcoming events were due to this simple action.

This was the controversial fake move.

「Eek!」

「What...?」

「Shoot, shoot!」

Text appeared above the heads of the four trolls.

They started shooting at each other hastily.

Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!!!

Bullets sprayed at each other in a near-spray.

Enough to turn someone into a sieve if hit.

Thud!

But Almond, as if expecting it, was already lying flat on the ground, unharmed.

In the end, the four shot each other to death. The bullets they fired at each other exploded them.

Boom!

- Hahaha

- Comedy, damn hahaha

- Hahaha

- Wow, so cool ㅠㅠㅠ

- This is the dribble, he's insane hahaha

- Troll party hahaha

- Wow, Almond hahaha

- So cool, really...

- I want to do that too...

- Wow, 4-on-1 dribble, this is it hahaha

The reactions were hot.

Joo Hyuk nudged Yoo Sang-hyun.

“Good reactions?”

“Yeah... Definitely.”

The chat was different from what he usually saw during live streams. The atmosphere was different.

These people seemed more like the kind of people he usually saw.

“Hey, now the grenade comes.”

Joo Hyuk leaned in, more excited.

As he said, the next scene was the grenade battle with Pongsuna.

In Almond's field of vision, while farming, a faint silhouette of Pongsuna appeared.

「Named notorious cheater: Pongsuna」

This text appeared with a thud.

Below it, a timeline of Pongsuna's misdeeds was listed.

Yoo Sang-hyun felt a strange sense of satisfaction here.

- Huh??

- Pongsuna, that guy -_-

- Wow, he met Pongsuna

- Diamond and still cheating, damn hahaha how is he still alive?

- Almond got a ban for cheating, but this guy is still alive hahaha true justice...

- Is this a country!?

After a wave of curses from the viewers.

Pongsuna, with a despicable smile, rolled the grenade.

Rattle—

A high-level technique known as the assassination grenade.

Almond's eyes shrank to the size of beans when he saw the grenade.

“Wow... I was that surprised?”

This surprised expression was accompanied by this text.

「Run backward VS Kick it away」

At the same time, the screen paused.

It was a scene that instantly conveyed Almond's dilemma.

Yoo Sang-hyun whistled. It was a great technique.

- Dang, both are ambiguous

- Damn cheater -_-

- Is this just a killing grenade? He should just die

- Either way, it's ambiguous...

The first-release participants couldn't find a solution.

Ding!

The video resumed, and this text appeared.

「Shoot the arrow and run backward!」

- ???

- What?

- Huh?

- What arrow?

Almond quickly leaped backward and aimed the arrow at the grenade.

At first glance, it looked like he was trying to detonate the grenade.

- If it detonates, he'll get hurt

- Really...

- What?

Ding!

The arrow hit the grenade at a clever angle.

The grenade flew back to Pongsuna.

「What...?」

Pongsuna only managed to say this before exploding.

- Wow!

- So satisfying hahaha

- Really, he's insane hahaha

- Damn, that cheater dying feels so good hahaha

Pongsuna was eliminated.

“Yeah, feels good? Yeah, right?”

“Yeah... It does.”

The video quickly moved on.

Including the climactic bubble gum scene.

Even Yoo Sang-hyun flinched here.

「Streamer: Bubble Gum」

A scene where Bubble Gum, holding a sniper rifle, waited for Almond appeared.

His chubby and comical avatar holding a sniper rifle was quite impressive.

During the live stream, meeting Bubble Gum wasn't a big issue.

‘How will it be this time?’

The AllTube platform might have a different reaction.

Yoo Sang-hyun focused on the chat.

- Dang, Bubble Gum

- Pong hyung hahaha, that's not possible!

- Hahaha, the skill gap is real

- Wow, he met Bubble Gum?

- Pong pong pong pong!

- Wow, Pong hyung hahaha

- Bubble Gum ㅠㅠㅠ

- Meeting Almond, of all people, hahaha

- Hahaha, this is hilarious

- This is fate, right? hahaha

‘The reaction... is good?’

Yoo Sang-hyun's lips started to curl up.

Maybe it would become an issue on AllTube again?

At that moment, Joo Hyuk nudged him.

“Hey, look at this.”

Joo Hyuk showed him the situation on Bubble Gum's fan page and Bara31 board.

The encounter with Bubble Gum, which was overshadowed during the live stream, was gaining attention again.

Perhaps this was a gift from Seo Ji-a to Almond.

* * *

Park Sung-tae, Bubble Gum's manager.

He was also looking at the same screen as Joo Hyuk.

Stroking his beard, he muttered.

“I didn't expect this to blow up.”