Chapter 70

EP.70 The Melting of Iron Will

This is,

the beginning of the story of how I turned on the camera after purchasing it.

It was right after I defeated the paladin character Rosmarie, who had just used her ultimate move, "Kill with a Twist."

After a series of mishaps, I finally exhaled the breath I had been holding.

Relaxing my body, which had been tense from facing a formidable opponent,

I indulged in the sense of achievement from finally defeating an opponent after nearly ten rounds of challenges.

Although it ended anticlimactically with a surrender,

I had almost won the match.

Through the battle with the user named Rosmarie, I learned quite a lot.

How to deal with a fast enemy when wielding a slow weapon,

and what to give up and what to choose in the decisive moment of a match.

I could take pride in having reached a fairly high level.

Someone might call me arrogant for evaluating my improved skills after just barely surpassing ten rounds,

but even I, who am usually quite critical of myself, couldn't help but be impressed by the rapid improvement in my skills.

Observing the opponent and understanding their habits was something I had always done well,

but making the right judgment in the split second of deciding how to act based on what I saw was a different matter.

Anyway, it's late.

How engrossed must I have been in the game to lose track of time?

It happens every time, but I'm always surprised by how time flies.

My stomach was starting to rumble,

and the broadcast was nearing its end, so I thought about ending the game.

Oh, before that.

I should at least say goodbye to the opponent I just faced.

[ Saint: I'm going to log off now. ]

[ Rosmarie: What? ]

[ Rosmarie: Are you letting me live? ]

[ Rosmarie: . ]

[ Rosmarie: . ]

[ Rosmarie: .... ]

[ Rosmarie: This humiliation... ]

[ Rosmarie: I will never forget it...! ]

[ Rosmarie has left the room. ]

She really stuck to her character until the end.

I don't know if the person behind the screen is a lady or a gentleman, and I don't really care,

but it's amusing to see how players get into the roles they create for themselves.

Will I meet her again?

Her rank was clearly marked as Red.

It's a tier that still feels far away, but if I keep improving, I'm sure we'll meet again.

"I'll stop here for today."

The viewers were quite disappointed to hear that.

For me, saying goodbye to the people who watch and support me, and even sponsor me from time to time, is just as bittersweet as it is for them,

but it's not the end of the world.

"See you later."

As the window confirming the end of the broadcast appeared,

I slumped in my chair, letting my overworked mind relax.

The sense of relief after each intense match enveloped me.

Next time, I'll do even better.

After that, I had a quick meal with a bento I bought from a convenience store,

and while brushing my teeth, I idly thought about how beautiful I looked doing it.

Despite my energetic body, I didn't feel extremely tired, but when I felt the urge to sleep after lying in bed for a few minutes,

I turned off the lights and got into bed.

Just as I was about to fall asleep, a small notification sound came from the computer speakers.

It was a familiar sound I had heard many times.

I remembered that I used to hear this sound when my teammates sent messages to call me during the last tournament,

so I got out of bed and sat down in front of the computer.

Sure enough,

the Discord window was flashing, indicating a new message.

[ Kang Joon-tae: Hello, Saint! ]

[ Kang Joon-tae: Do you remember me? I'm the commentator, Kang Joon-tae. ]

[ Kang Joon-tae: I also conducted the interview with you after you were named MVP in the last tournament. ]

[ Kang Joon-tae: Is this a good time for you? ]

I replied that it was fine.

What could this person want?

I briefly considered the possibility of it being a scam, but I could ignore or block it if it was.

Besides, my Discord ID wasn't widely known.

[ Kang Joon-tae: Oh, great. ]

[ Kang Joon-tae: It's a bit complicated to explain in writing, or rather, I'm worried if I can convey the meaning well. ]

[ Kang Joon-tae: Is it okay if we talk on a call, even though it's late? ]

I agreed again.

Soon, a Discord voice call request came through.

When I accepted, the familiar voice from the broadcasts came through.

It wasn't a scam.

"Hello!"

"Yes, hello."

"I'm sorry to contact you so late. I didn't want to mention it during your broadcast, so I delayed, but it ended up being this late at night."

"It's fine."

"Thank you for your understanding. The reason I'm contacting you is... I'll get straight to the point."

He started the conversation and got to the point.

"Have you heard about the 1v1 tournament being held on the platform?"

"I've heard about it."

"Great. Well, I'm contacting you because I want to invite you to participate in this tournament."

"Me?"

I was surprised.

Even if I accepted the content of his message,

wasn't he a commentator?

Why was a commentator asking a streamer to participate in a tournament?

As if reading my mind, he spoke in a slightly bitter tone.

"While my job is a game commentator, I'm also affiliated with the platform where you stream, and I handle various tasks. Lately, the people who handle these tasks have been busy. Haha..."

"Ah."

His tone conveyed the kind of weariness only overworked employees can have.

"Anyway, the platform has a purpose for hosting the tournament, so it's natural that the organizers want to invite streamers who can generate buzz."

They contacted me because they thought I could generate buzz.

I had a rough idea, but I asked to confirm.

"Is that me?"

"Yes! You have a lot of fans, and you were named MVP in the last tournament. Your great performance with the greatsword in the finals left a strong impression on many people, so the organizers strongly recommended inviting you."

The last tournament's finals.

When the paladin had internet issues and couldn't swap equipment or skills, I had to play with the greatsword, and it led to this.

As I was thinking about the past, he asked me.

"Can you participate?"

"..."

I wasn't sure.

It wasn't a particularly appealing offer.

While I had recently gotten into 1v1 matches,

I was hesitant about participating in a tournament.

"Ah, and one more thing. I didn't mention it earlier."

"Go ahead."

"There was an issue in the previous 6v6 tournament, the one before you participated."

"Ah."

"One of the team members in the finals was reported for using an illegal program, essentially cheating. It caused a mess in the tournament..."

I didn't know about that.

"In the next tournament, the one you participated in, the organizers decided to trust the streamers and not take any special measures."

"Ah."

"This time, they concluded that at least some safety measures were necessary. Since 1v1 and 6v6 are different, and teams aren't formed by selecting one player from each tier, it's a direct competition of individual skills, so there's a risk that participants might take a wrong turn. So..."

"Ah."

"We can't impose strict restrictions, and it's not practical to invite each player to a specific location."

"Ah."

"Haha... I talked a lot, didn't I? To sum it up, we're asking you to set up a camera to show your screen, keyboard, and mouse."

"What if I don't have a camera?"

"Unfortunately, you won't be able to participate in this tournament. The rules are the rules."

"..."

My resolve was leaning towards a refusal.

I wasn't particularly interested to begin with,

and the mention of a camera setup made it even less appealing.

I had once used the analogy that wanting attention is like a farmer wishing for rain.

While I wanted attention, I knew I would run away if it came in a flood.

Even showing my hands might not lead to a big issue,

but it's better to be cautious.

After thinking it over, I opened my mouth to decline.

"Unfortunately..."

"Ah, I forgot the most important part."

As I was about to refuse, he quickly added.

No matter how important it was, it couldn't change my mind now.

I had made my decision.

What could possibly change my iron will?

I didn't know.

"Ten million won."

"Ten million won?"

"The tournament prize."

"..."

"This time, we'll pay you ten million won after deducting taxes."

"..."

"The runner-up in the finals will receive three million won, and the total prize money is fifteen million won. There are also special awards for the most impressive performances, and of course, some merchandise. We have various consolation prizes for interesting moments..."

"..."

"Ah, were you about to decline? I might have made an unreasonable request by coming to you so suddenly."

"..."

"I'm sorry to take up your valuable time. I'll go to the next person now..."

"I'll do it."

"Really?"

"I'll participate."

"Okay."

That day, I learned that money can melt even iron will.

Am I a materialist?

...

So what if I am?

Money is the best.

Hehe.

Author's Note:

Thank you, Ayer,