Chapter 71 - The Knight's Duel (1)

At the MetaGamer headquarters.

The atmosphere in the influencer team's office was heavy and tense.

"Journalist Shin, the team leader is calling for you."

"Ah, yes."

Shin Hye-rim glanced around cautiously before heading to the team leader's office. Inside, the team leader was nervously tapping away at his keyboard.

"Team leader?"

"Huh? Oh, oh. Sit, sit. Did you finish talking with Eclipse?"

"Yes, it's done."

Eclipse had shown little interest in the live broadcast. He had stated that the authority for this duel rested entirely with Purple, and he would follow that decision.

"Hmm... Now we just need Purple to agree..."

The team leader gnawed on his fingernails and rolled his eyes. Shin Hye-rim, sensing the tension, carefully spoke up.

"Um, maybe the proposal was a bit too daunting?"

"Daunting?"

"Well, given the circumstances, it seems like we're making a casual match between two people into a big deal."

The team leader stared at her for a moment before exhaling sharply.

"Huh, Journalist Shin. The important thing isn't the duel itself."

"Huh?"

"What's our team's name? Influencers, right? People are what matter. Even if the scale of the event is small, the people involved are on a different level."

He displayed a hologram in front of her wide-eyed gaze, showing an article about a previous live interview conducted by Purple.

"The comments alone have already surpassed 300, 300. Even Daltang only had about 200, and this is 300. And it's been less than a week since it was posted, even after it was taken off the main page!"

"Ah..."

"Journalist Shin, are you done writing the article? Haven't you been monitoring it? No, you must not have noticed with all the gold threads."

"Gold threads?"

"Exactly! Not just any threads, but 24K pure gold threads!"

The team leader chuckled and showed her a graph.

"See this? As soon as the duel issue came up yesterday, the views spiked again."

"Ah, yes, yes."

"Journalist Shin, or Hye-rim. The editorial department is looking at our team very favorably right now. Purple and Newton's Seat. These keywords are drawing a lot of attention."

Hye-rim's eyes gradually regained their sparkle as the team leader passionately explained.

"But this time, Eclipse is involved too?"

"Exactly! You're starting to get it! This isn't just about a year-end bonus. This is an opportunity for you and me to hit a career high!"

It was rare for such a promising newcomer to receive this much attention. For the influencer team, it was an unusual opportunity.

The team leader, who had been explaining with enthusiasm, leaned back in his chair.

"So let's pray. Please, please, let Purple hand over the broadcasting rights."

"Team leader, you're an atheist, right?"

Hye-rim asked casually, and the team leader clasped his hands together in response.

"Right now, Purple is my god."

* * *

"Because of this, MetaGamer is probably praying too."

Park Joo-ho adjusted his glasses lightly and concluded his explanation. Lee Kyung-bok blinked.

"Is this duel really that big of a deal? I just thought it would be fun."

"Ultimately, whether it's a streamer or a webzine, we all live off people's attention. And right now, you're at the center of it."

"That's true. Wherever people gather, money follows. But you're practically dragging people in by the collar."

Choi Byung-hoon also chuckled and agreed with Park Joo-ho.

"Hmm, so what is Meta offering?"

"5 million won as a base, and all the donations from viewers on the MetaGamer broadcast channel. No transaction fees, just the principal."

"Even covering the transaction fees? Wow, Meta is really determined."

Choi Byung-hoon couldn't hide his amazement.

Lee Kyung-bok didn't accept donations during his streams to focus on the game. But this time, viewers would have the opportunity to donate freely.

Moreover, there would be no transaction fees, and no need to wait for settlement.

"The conditions are good."

"Man, it's not just good, it's a steal!"

"I agree."

"It's not just good from a financial standpoint."

Lee Kyung-bok smiled and added a comment. His two friends looked at him with question marks on their faces.

"When I called Ji-nom to ask about Eclipse, I heard something."

"You heard something?"

"Yeah, PVP will attract all sorts of people."

Ji-nom had recommended Eclipse, explaining that there would be opportunities for malicious snipers and attention-seeking streamers to intrude.

"Wouldn't MetaGamer filter that out?"

"Right, like they did with the apple squad during the last interview."

"Ah, the streamers loved Meta's protection. But this time, we're getting paid too? Wow, this is really sweet."

Choi Byung-hoon's mouth curved into a smile. Lee Kyung-bok chuckled and nodded.

'No ominous premonitions either.'

It was a quiet, risk-free offer.

"Since there are no objections, let's go ahead with it."

There was no reason to refuse.

* * *

That evening.

The long-awaited broadcast time for Purple finally arrived. Even before the broadcast started, the number of viewers had already surpassed 9,000.

As the broadcast time approached, the screen transitioned.

- Big one coming!

- 5555555!

- Go go go!

- (Pehacon) Peha!

- Kueha!

The viewers greeted warmly, but the person receiving the greetings was not Lee Kyung-bok.

"Yes! Hello everyone!"

The person in the center of the screen was Shin Hye-rim, wearing light armor. Question marks appeared in the chat.

- ??????

- Who are you?

- Where's our God Purple?

- What's going on? Is it a bug?

- Is our bro switching to a vlogger?

- Vlogger ㅇㅈㄹㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

- Is this a broadcast hijacking?!

But such reactions didn't last long.

- Didn't you know MetaGamer is broadcasting this?

- Journalist Shin, good luck!

- Ah ㅋㅋ Look, they didn't even read the announcement.

- ㄹㅇㅋㅋ They probably didn't watch the live interview either.

- Don't call yourself a Purple fan if you don't know this.

The fans who had diligently read the announcements informed the others.

"Yes, today's duel! We at MetaGamer are handling the broadcast. I'm Shin Hye-rim, a journalist at MetaGamer."

Shin Hye-rim bowed and took a deep breath.

'Wow... There are even more people here than during the interview.'

The number of viewers had already surpassed 10,000. Speaking to so many people at once was a rare experience.

Shin Hye-rim, who had never done this before, needed to calm her racing heart.

'Really glad we invited her.'

Fortunately, she wasn't alone in handling this broadcast. Shin Hye-rim maintained a bright expression and spoke.

"Additionally, to provide more professional commentary and hosting, we have a distinguished commentator. Please welcome him!"

As she spoke, the screen zoomed out slightly. A heavily armored knight approached her and removed his helmet while looking at the screen.

It was none other than...

"Trha! The man who plays games at the genetic level, Ji-nom!"

The streamer, Ji-nom.

- Huh?

- Why is bro here?

- Ah ㅋㅋ I knew it.

- No wonder he suddenly took a break today ㅋㅋㅋ

- ㄴㅇㄱ I already imagined his identity!

- As expected, the best commentator and host is Ji-nom!

- He transitioned to this right after finishing his stream, crazy ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Since many of Lee Kyung-bok's viewers were also fans of Ji-nom, the reactions were immediate.

Shin Hye-rim, noticing the divided attention, relaxed a bit and spoke.

"Yes, Ji-nom has connections with both Purple and Eclipse, right?"

"Yes, I featured them in my content on blacksmith anatomy. If you haven't seen it, you can check it out on my YouTube after the broadcast."

- What kind of ad is this? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

- Ah ㅋㅋ Can't stand those in-between ads.

- Our bro is so shameless, even in front of so many people ㅠ

- What is he doing in someone else's broadcast?

- He's determined to stick in the straw ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

The viewers playfully criticized him. Ji-nom, however, held his head high with confidence.

"Also, I've done a lot of content on Elden Ring. In terms of connections and experience, there was no reason for me to be left out."

- Self-praise, what?

- No shame ㅋㅋㅋ Can you really do this in front of so many people?

- G.e.n.o.m.e. e.n.t.r.a.n.c.e.

- G.e.n.o.m.e. you scoundrel! Get out of Ji-nom's body!

- As they say, people become shameless as they get older ㅉㅉ

The atmosphere naturally centered around Ji-nom. Shin Hye-rim, as a result, regained her composure.

"Ahaha, thank you for agreeing to join us. Let's get settled in, shall we?"

"Sure. Now, many people are eagerly waiting for the duel. Journalist Shin, do you know about Elden Ring's duels?"

Shin Hye-rim tilted her head in response to Ji-nom's question.

"Isn't it just two players fighting?"

"Yes, that's correct. But we need to look at it in more detail. Elden Ring's PVP is divided into 'duels' and 'invasions.'"

"Oh, there are differences?"

"Yes, but today we're only doing a duel, so we'll skip the invasion. However, even for a duel, settings are necessary."

"Settings?"

"Yes. Since Elden Ring has growth elements, there can be differences between characters."

- That's true.

- ㄹㅇㅋㅋ The difference between God Purple and Eclipse is astronomical.

- 3-day character vs. all-background-cleared character.

- Their stats are probably worlds apart.

The viewers agreed. Shin Hye-rim quickly checked the reactions and asked.

"Ah, I see. So, how much of a difference is there in terms of time?"

"Purple is on his third day, having only played for two days. In terms of time, that's about 6 hours."

"And Eclipse?"

"To my knowledge, Eclipse plays at least 8 hours a day. Since Elden Ring came out about 5 months ago, he's probably played around 900 hours."

The chat buzzed at Ji-nom's words.

- 6 hours vs. 900 hours, what? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

- If we consider his experience with FromSoftware games, it's like 6 hours vs. 12 years.

- A 2x difference?

- No, don't just look at the numbers! The units are different!

- This is really impressive.

- Spoiler: God Purple still wins.

- Purple fans are definitely here ㅋㅋㅋ

Ji-nom clapped lightly to draw attention to the chat.

"That's why Eclipse requested a 'duel.'"

"Is there a specific reason?"

"Yes. A duel is a fair match! Both characters' stats are balanced, and the available spells are limited in number and level. The same goes for equipment."

"Excluding other factors to focus solely on skill."

"Exactly! Now, let's introduce the main characters of today's duel!"

Ji-nom raised his left hand as the screen zoomed out, revealing the duel arena, the 'Grave of Swords.'

As the name suggests, countless swords were erected like a wall. It resembled the Iron Throne from the popular overseas drama, 'Game of Thrones.'

Ji-nom cleared his throat and began the introduction.

"First, the challenger! A hardworking knight who strives to become a perfect knight, practicing every day without fail! A romanticist acknowledged by all! The modern Don Quixote, Sir Eclipses!"

- Wow ㅋㅋㅋ Good intro!

- Ji-nom is a good host ㅋㅋ

- Trha is really getting into it ㅋㅋ

- ㄹㅇㅋㅋ Even adding the 'Sir' title, nice touch.

- Modern Don Quixote ㅋㅋㅋ It fits perfectly.

- Even God Purple fans admit Eclipse is cool ㅋㅋ

Amid the cheers of the viewers, a knight in heavy armor appeared. He landed lightly on the ground, wearing a cross helmet.

Eclipses straightened his body and saluted with his sword.

- Look at that ㅋㅋㅋ

- How much practice did he put in?

- This is what 'role-playing' really means.

- That's why he's an NPC in Elden Kingdom ㅋㅋ

- I envy his dedication to one thing.

Ji-nom nodded at Eclipses and raised his right arm. The screen then showed the opposite side.

"The host of today's duel and the one accepting the challenge! A rising star with the impact of an apocalypse! A perfect streamer, as his name suggests! Perfect, Play!"

- What ㅋㅋㅋ Is this a meteor?

- What's a 'Purgedon'?

- (Pehacon)(Pehacon)(Pehacon)

- Perfect, that's Purple (nod)

- Long live! Long live! Long live!

- God. Purple. Arrival.

The excitement of the viewers reached its peak as Lee Kyung-bok appeared.

"Trha!"

Wearing light armor, Lee Kyung-bok landed and greeted the audience, not hiding his identity as a streamer.

"Yes! Both of our main characters are here! The enthusiastic cheers of the viewers are making my fists clench!"

"Huh? Should we wait a bit?"

"Huh?"

Shin Hye-rim's eyes widened, and Ji-nom smiled.

"Of course, I'm joking! Let's start right away!"

- Ah ㅋㅋㅋ I almost cursed.

- Bro? You can go from hyping up Trha to dropping it like that?

- (Rough curses)

- The hosting is so smooth, I subscribed to Ji-nom's YouTube twice^^

- I'm already subscribed, but I clicked again ㅎㅎ

- What's a subscription cancellation? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

The screen then focused on the center of the arena, not the commentators.

Lee Kyung-bok and Eclipses approached each other. They faced each other.

"Now, both sides are close. It's only natural to exchange greetings before the duel!"

As Ji-nom said, the two exchanged greetings.

"Thank you for accepting this duel, Sir Purple."

"I should be the one thanking you. You're making the broadcast so interesting."

The start was smooth, but the atmosphere quickly changed.

"Complacency is a knight's shame. I will give my all in this match!"

Eclipses' public declaration prompted Ji-nom to speak immediately.

"Ah! Sir Eclipses has declared a full effort! Usually, Elden Ring players are casual enthusiasts. This declaration means he highly respects Purple!"

"The tension is already building! What will Purple's response be!?"

Ji-nom's excitement was contagious, and Shin Hye-rim, standing beside him, also got into the spirit.

"That's good, but..."

While everyone's attention was focused, Lee Kyung-bok's smile deepened.

"You need to give even more effort than your full strength."

The next words that came out.

"Ah! It's out! It's out! It's out! The confidence is bursting!"

"This confidence is the reason for Purple's popularity!"

The commentators raised their voices.

- Purple's confidence is ON!

- This is it! This is it! You can't see this in other broadcasts!

- Sweet! Sweet! Sweet!

- Is he starting with a confidence breath before the duel?

- First move, first win is a rule ㅋㅋ

- God Purple wins, period.

- Ah, ban the spoilers ㅋㅋㅋ

- Is this... the spirit of a 6-hour player?

The response was already heated. Eclipses nodded.

"Exceeding limits is also part of chivalry! The rest of the conversation will be with our swords!"

"Let's start then."

The two turned and moved apart.

"Now, the duel is about to begin! Everyone, focus! The moment they stand in their designated positions, it starts!"

"Ah, I'm getting nervous!"

Lee Kyung-bok and Eclipses moved to their respective golden circles.

Just as they were about to take their final steps.

"Hmm?"

Lee Kyung-bok paused, feeling a sudden discomfort. It wasn't from Eclipses.

"Uh? What are those red circles?"

"Red circles?"

The commentators' voices immediately caught everyone's attention.

As they said, red circles suddenly appeared in the arena. People dressed in red emerged from them, at least twenty of them.

Seeing this, Ji-nom spoke quickly.

"Invasion!? Journalist Shin, didn't you turn off the invasion function!?"

Since MetaGamer was handling the broadcast, the game functions were under their control.

- What ㅋㅋㅋ Did you really not turn off the invasion function?

- No way;;; What are you doing?

- This was supposed to be a historic match!