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 much, he knew such a market existed. In fact, there were more broadcasts featuring skilled players.

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

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

Only then did Sanghyun realize. The reason he watched such broadcasts was because he didn't play games, and the algorithm recommended them to him.

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

'Just for a game, to go to such lengths to study.'

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

Improving skills and proving oneself through those skills.

There was almost no element of luck.

A battle of skill against skill.

A real sword fight.

Competition!

"......Alright."

Swallow.

Sanghyun muttered to himself while taking a sip of water.

It was a way of life he had always liked since childhood. Competing fairly with skills and continuously improving to rise step by step.

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

When combined with school and hometown connections, it was questionable whether actual job performance was even measured.

In summary, society's mechanisms were 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 shouted at Sanghyun in the company cafe.

"Are you crazy!?"

It was Kim Joo-hyuk, the only colleague Sanghyun truly opened 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 famous American graduate school, and was employed by a large corporation, an elite among elites.

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

If someone like him opposed it so strongly, Sanghyun had to consider it.

"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?"

"Yep."

"Huh?"

Joo-hyuk tried to make the most incredulous expression possible 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 package, so keep your voice down."

"Severance package? How much do you think you'll get after just getting promoted to assistant manager and then being fired!?"

"It's a bit different because I was laid off due to restructuring."

"Ha."

Joo-hyuk grabbed his head.

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

'He's just a bit crazy sometimes.'

But sometimes, that intelligence turned into stubbornness.

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

"Hey, you might as well go to Kangwon Land. That would be better."

"......I can't play card games though?"

"Just a metaphor. A metaphor!"

Ah, what a frustrating guy.

Joo-hyuk thought that geniuses always had a screw loose somewhere.

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

"Hmm......"

"You don't even remember?!"

"Umm......"

"How can someone who doesn't remember suddenly start shooting arrows again? In a game, no less, 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 even listening, is he?'

As usual, he ignored anything that didn't interest him, especially nagging.

"Ha. How much?"

"40 million!"

'That was a quick answer.'

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

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

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

"A 150 million car still needs money for options. You know that, right?"

"Uh. I see."

Sanghyun thought.

'Elites are different, indeed.'

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

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

"Ooh! Thanks!"

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

With that, Joo-hyuk quickly headed for the elevator.

It was just yesterday that they rode the elevator together with coffee in hand. Sanghyun felt a bit of pain as he watched Joo-hyuk's back.

'Forget it.'

This pain was an inevitable part of a new beginning.

* * *

5:00 PM.

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

"How did I end up being more nervous than you?"

"Hey, you're here?"

Sanghyun tilted his head back to look at Joo-hyuk, like a bat.

"......Don't you usually turn your head sideways?"

"Oh. Is that so?"

Sanghyun turned his head sideways. Now he looked like a bat turning its head sideways.

"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 connections Joo-hyuk had used to find a cheaper capsule.

'Maybe he can get it for 500 million less.'

* * *

"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?"

"Ah, hyung. Long time no see."

"......Ah, hello."

Sanghyun quickly greeted the man, realizing the situation. It was Joo-hyuk's hyung.

"Your name is Sanghyun, right?"

A man with an appearance that suggested he might run a truth room rather 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. This is your first time with a capsule, right?"

"Yes."

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

'Is he trying to persuade me?'

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

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

"Here, go inside."

"......?"

"This is where we register your body information."

"Oh."

"First-time registration, right?"

"Yes."

"The door will close soon, so just wait in your underwear as the computer instructs."

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?"

"Yeah. The parts in capsule rooms are heavily used, so I can sell them for 1.5 million. If you really need it, I can sell it for 1 million."

"Wow, thanks."

"No problem. It's the original price. Tsk...... I usually try to discourage people."

"Even you?"

"Yeah. Sometimes people come in, possessed, wanting to buy a used capsule. They think they can make a fortune if they do well in a popular game or if their stream is successful."

"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 to finish Sanghyun's body scan.

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 that's not the case. 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."

"What about full-dive games?"

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

"Ah......"

"Maybe if I test him with a light game called Real Olympics, he'll give up right away. You should comfort him. His story is a bit unfortunate."

"......I understand."

Joo-hyuk was worried.

'Are games and reality that different?'

He had also played virtual reality games, but from his average physical standpoint, he didn't feel much difference between games and reality.

It was more common for him to do better in games than in reality.

But maybe professionals would feel a bigger difference because they couldn't use their excellent physical abilities in games.

'At least he'll save the deposit money. That's good.'

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

-Scan complete.

A little later, Sanghyun came out of the scan room and entered the first capsule.

"Let's do a test."

The owner began explaining to Sanghyun.

"Since you're good at 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......"

'Think again about buying the capsule after this.'

The owner didn't say it out loud, but he knew it would happen naturally.

Thud.

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

-Whoa......

The screen showed the excited atmosphere typical of the Olympics.

There, Sanghyun stood, looking perfect in a white uniform.

Squeak.

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