Chapter 76

**Chapter 76 of Season 1 of The Genius Archer's Streaming**

27. Toward the Diamond (2)

To reach the promotion match, Almond needed to win about 12 rounds in total. Winning here means placing in the top 10. If calculated as first place, 4 rounds would be sufficient.

It was impossible to complete 12 rounds in one day, but 4 rounds were doable.

"Smooth sailing until the promotion match, I think."

Almond was confident. He would continue his four consecutive victories without ever losing first place, just as he had done so far.

Thanks to the support of long-time viewer RubySword, today's goal became even clearer.

"Thank you, RubySword. 100,000 won."

- Haha, 100,000 won already?

- It's only 10,000 won, though?

- Haha

- Almond, back in the day, 100,000 won meant you'd stick an arrow in your head and commit suicide...

"Starting with abundant support and missions. Thank you. Let's go──"

The Battle Royale was about to begin, and he was ready to start.

Dun dun dun!

With the sound effect of a 100,000 won donation, this kind of support came in.

"Hmm?"

Almond had never received this type of support before. It was the first time someone asked him to share a story.

"Pretty, right? Amazing."

- Bro, tell us more stories! Haha

- Almond: 100,000 won! A heartfelt request!

- Tell us more stories today!

- Even tell us about the medical check-up! Haha

"I saw the real thing and then the screen later, and the real thing seemed a bit prettier. There's not much difference. It's hard to comment on the doctor, who is just a regular person..."

Most viewers came to watch the game, but the atmosphere was strange now. Was it because of a big event that just happened, or had the viewer base changed?

They seemed to want to hear more about what happened yesterday.

These kinds of donations suddenly flooded in.

"Well, a big event did happen, so it would be strange to just let it pass, right?"

He recorded the electromagnetic interference and the tie. This was a significant event in the industry.

Receiving the Flare from the placement test could be attributed to the electromagnetic interference not performing at its best. But the Survive Test was a different story.

- What? What's the tie with the electromagnetic interference?

- What happened...

- I'm the only one who doesn't know? I'm the only one who's out of the loop?!

Viewers who only watched Almond's live streams were unaware of the issue and couldn't follow along.

"Looks like I should take some time to share some stories."

BalloonGum's broadcasts always start with a 'Just Chatting' session, where he chats with viewers about recent events and exchanges stories.

Almond's stream now had 8,000 viewers, so he might need such a session too.

"Um... Thank you, Osori. When the tie happened, I thought it was rigged and grabbed my manager by the collar."

- Haha, oh my!

- Crazy!

- Ah, TMI, what is this?

- So honest!

- It did seem rigged.

- Collar! Haha, crazy!

- Hello, I'm the manager, Joo-hyuk. He really grabbed me by the collar.

"Ah. Joo-hyuk. Joo-hyuk, you're banned."

- Joo-hyuk banned Joo-hyuk! Haha

- Crazy!

- Really? Haha

- Real appearance.

Thud!

The capsule shook.

"Oh... Joo-hyuk actually lives with me. He just hit the capsule."

- Haha, crazy!

- Was he really the manager? And he really hit the capsule?

- Really grabbed by the collar! Haha

- Haha

- Would you rig it out of fear? Too much, Almond!

"But it wasn't rigged. The engineer explained it. He said it was strange, but there was no interference."

- Oh, I see.

- Well, Fantasia isn't some hole-in-the-wall place, right?

- In this era, what rigging? Not like the old broadcast networks, right?

- Haha

"That's right. Fantasia wouldn't advertise their own products and do something like that. If they were going to rig it, they would have made me survive 0.00001 seconds longer than the electromagnetic interference."

- Haha

- Right

- Haha, true

- Almond's inner thoughts: Rig it

Various reactions from the viewers popped up in real-time.

"I never asked for it to be rigged. What are you talking about?"

- Haha

- Haha

- Haha

- Sorry... Haha

When celebrities first become famous, they enjoy reading comments about themselves. Streamers experience this in real-time. With 8,000 viewers, the number of comments is enormous.

'Surprisingly fun.'

One of the fun things that comes with having more viewers. Of course, there are downsides, but the benefits are immense.

- Sir, medical check-up! Tell us!

- Answer the other donations too! Haha

- ??? : Ah, 1,000 won isn't serious, right? Haha

- 1,000 won? Haha!

Almond remembered there were other donations.

"Ah, thank you, Sa-myeon. I saw it too late. The reason I couldn't last in the capsule is because of my constitution."

- Is there such a constitution?

- Are you a solar type or a lunar type?

- Haha

- Wow

- I'm worried

"It's not that serious. I just don't play games for long periods."

- Wow

- Reaction shots are a must.

- Isn't it a poison to streamers?

"Consistent exercise will help, they say."

This was a lie. The doctor never said it would improve. He just said that consistent exercise and a good diet were the 'best' options.

'Will it improve?'

This was just Almond's hope. He liked this job. Communicating with people who liked him and enjoying the game was fulfilling.

There was no better job for Yu Sang-hyun than this. He wanted to do it for a long time without any issues.

"Um. Talent is a vague concept, so I'll just say No. I think everything is about the result."

- Wow

- Hands up!

- This is a trap card if you choose Yes. Haha

- Really, how did you choose Yes? Haha

- It's a trap question!

It was a direct question. He didn't really know much about the electromagnetic interference.

He had only seen a few videos recently to prepare for the 'Survive!' test.

He was indeed impressive.

"I've heard the name, but I haven't been interested in virtual reality games for long, so I don't know much. I'm trying to study more recently. But he doesn't talk much in his streams, right?"

- Yeah, the electromagnetic interference's voice is a complex.

- It's part of his character. Haha

- But he talks in interviews.

- I like his voice.

- Haha, not a voice women would like.

- He says it's a complex, though.

I see. I didn't know about that.

- Haha

- Haha

- Crazy

- So funny

- What's the sudden rush? Haha

The sudden donation. This kind of donation is on the edge, but it's fun.

However, if left unchecked, it will cause trouble in the future. Once a line is crossed, it keeps retreating.

Almond dealt with it without hesitation, as he had learned.

"Joo-hyuk. Ban this guy."

- Crazy! Paid ban

- Haha

- 2,000 won for a ban

- No mercy!

Almond actually studies more about how to lead a broadcast by watching BalloonGum, rather than studying the game. He knows the essence is the broadcast, not the game.

Besides, he's already good at the game.

"Ban this guy too!"

* * *

A dark room.

A cold voice murmured.

"How long will you just talk?"

It was a woman's voice, cold as ice. Did she hear Almond's chatter?

After a long chat, Almond finally started the game and swept through to the Flare 2 promotion match.

He lost first place once, but it was due to bad luck and not finding any bows. The rest of the rounds, he naturally took first place, successfully reaching the promotion match in one day.

"..."

The woman turned off the TV without a word.

She turned the wheelchair and left the room.

The room was empty again until 3 PM the next day, when the TV turned on, showing Almond's broadcast.

Thump thump.

Someone was walking. An elderly man.

"Miss, are you watching today too?"

"...Yes."

The answer from the turned wheelchair was simple. Her gaze was fixed on the TV.

The elderly man's gaze also turned to the screen.

It was a personal broadcast. The elderly man seemed familiar with it and didn't seem bothered.

"Is this person on your mind lately?"

"Yes."

"I know who he is. Almond."

Zing.

The woman's gaze sharply turned to the elderly man.

She seemed uncomfortable that the elderly man knew who he was. The question that followed was sharp.

"Does the butler think what people say?"

"People? About catching up to the electromagnetic interference?"

Ha ha.

The elderly man, called the butler, laughed.

"Such a level of fame isn't easily caught up in a moment, Miss. Even if the records were reversed."

"The records were actually reversed."

The woman, still staring at the screen, spoke.

Almond in the screen was starting another Battle Royale, saying he would continue his journey toward the Diamond.

"It's a tie, isn't it?"

"It's not a tie. The VNS score was defeated, and the Battle Royale was a Flare after the placement test. Two records were broken."

"Didn't you say it was a tie? The VNS score is meaningless as a consolation."

The woman was silent, her expression calm. But the butler could sense something burning in her eyes.

"Does that bother you more?"

"Yes."

The woman nodded.

"He seems relaxed. He could break the 'real record' anytime."

"There have always been many ambitious newcomers. Miss, do you remember any of their names now?"

"..."

The woman shook her head.

Yes. She couldn't remember any of their names.

Newcomers usually don't last a year in this field.

"I'm not worried."

"Then it's settled."

Ha ha.

The butler laughed and left to attend to his duties.

The large room was left with only the woman and the man on the screen.

The man, who had been chatting, was now jumping into the survival island.

Whoosh──

His destination was the armory. It was a strategy he had used from the placement test until the promotion match today, and it always worked.

The strategy itself was simple, but it relied on Almond's unique physical abilities.

If things went as usual, he would take first place again.

As always.

'Will it work this time?'

But the woman's eyes showed doubt.

'Things are different now.'

The promotion match is different from a regular game, especially for a streamer.