Chapter 145
"Huh? Penguin, what do you mean by that?"
Bangju questioned Penguin's commentary that Seojun had thrown away his gun and thus moved further from victory.
"That's right! Please explain—no, please commentate!"
Arin joined in.
- Commentary, not explanation lololololololololol
- Showing your true colors, huh?
- Is she even a caster? lololololol
- Why is Bangju acting like that already lololol
It was a sight hard to believe for a caster and commentary team. But they'd always been like this, so it didn't matter.
As long as it wasn't malicious baiting, slander, or disparagement, casters and commentators were free to cheer for one side.
It was a tradition that had been going on for a few years now.
They say the viewers' feedback that commentary was too formal and cared too much about chat sentiment, making it boring and uninteresting, was taken into account.
Anyway, it's not a major tournament, and when you think about it, no matter how big it's gotten, isn't it still an underground streamer tournament?
Minors have their own unique vibes!
"No, Bangju, Arin. Isn't this too biased? And even if you're cheering, maybe do it a bit later, for that team when the actual games start! Why are you acting like this from the very first warm-up game!"
Penguin seemed to have a lot to say.
Of course, cheering too openly might upset the other team's fans, so it's something you have to moderate yourself appropriately.
- lololololololololol
- That's understandable, Penguin
- Stop the biased judgment!
- Those two were giving Seojun the side-eye after he won with a frying pan lololololol
- Taeyang seems to not be saying much
"Since it's a warm-up game, that's exactly why we're doing this, hehe."
Arin's rebuttal. Fair enough.
Now it was Bangju's turn for a rebuttal.
"Because that's what a streamer is!"
- Mm! Nod
- That's what Rioseu is!
- Chaos destruction
- Chaos, destruction, wreckage!
- I'm convinced. Looks like Penguin is in the wrong lololol
The viewers passed judgment.
Likewise, it was fair.
Penguin had nothing more to say and moved on to the main topic.
"Anyway, I think Seojun, who threw away his gun, is going to have a hard time."
As the discussion deepened, Arin stepped back.
While she had been impressed by Seojun's play, she wasn't as blindly trusting as Bangju.
"Alright. Why is that?"
Bangju asked, grinning broadly.
"Well, obviously! I mean, common sense says that with gear barely looted and no weapon, it's absurd to think he'll win!"
On the other hand, Penguin spoke with a tone that carried a bit of sincerity.
From his previous prediction being wrong, he simply wished that things would unfold normally when it came to Seojun.
'Why on earth does he keep pulling off crazy stunts!'
It's undermining the professional insight of a former pro!
Even so, his conscience wouldn't allow him to just blindly say Seojun could do it.
Because it really doesn't seem possible.
"Heh heh, this is all because of a lack of faith. After all, he's facing the Sword God, and he put a sword in his hands, you know."
"It's a frying pan."
"I'm not sure about that. So, care to make a bet?"
Penguin flinched for a moment.
Looking to his side, Bangju was smiling confidently.
He wondered where that confidence came from.
Penguin wasn't entirely sure.
But Bangju's eyes were saying it all.
If you're scared, just die or something.
So he made his decision.
"F-fine. What shall we bet on?"
"Hahaha! How refreshing. Then let's bet on the winner prediction. The loser, during the later game's best player interview, will... magical girl..."
"Absolutely not."
"Alright. How about doing it in nya-speak."
Arin, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, interjected.
"Oh! That's a great idea! Yes!"
- Announcer excited because someone else is doing her interview for her.jpg
- Isn't Arin enjoying this too much? lololololol
- Nya-speak lmao lolololololololol
- Argh! They're about to commit terrorism!
- But wait, did Bangju watch the streamer's broadcast?
- The streamer said not to mention that guy on the official account
- Anyway, looks like they saw it lololol talking about magical girl too
Exactly right.
Bangju was a loyal viewer of Seojun's streams!
But they didn't know.
At that time, during Seojun's stream when they were deciding penalties, the viewer who suggested nya-speak was Bangju.
Why?
'Ah, I suddenly miss seeing a cat.'
Because he's a cat person who raises cats at home.
So, is it gross to see a guy using nya-speak?
- Geez lolololololol who's the penalty for?
- Neither Penguin nor Bangju are super ugly, but I think it'll be infuriating to watch?
- For real lolol
- Seems like it'll be really annoying lololololol
That's why it's a penalty.
Not doing something humiliating or gross, but if it's cool or somewhat decent to watch, what would be the point?
"You'll do it, right?"
Bangju looked at Penguin with an air of triumph.
Once again, shooting him a look.
"Fine! Yes, alright!"
"Then I'll go with Seojun's squad. Commentator Penguin, what about you?"
"I'll go with Pado's squad."
Bangju made the obvious choice based on the flow of the conversation so far, and Penguin went with the safest choice.
If anything, in the current situation, it was the most sensible, conventional pick.
"Now, but neither of you gave your reasons. Could you tell us?"
"Pado's squad is guaranteed to get the supply drop. Since they can fly freely in the sky. The supply drop's items are on par with the Secret Room. Also, if you look at the storm's position this time, eventually the way out will be near the airfield. If the supply drop falls early, they can grab it and wait for those coming up from underground. And the teams underground..."
Penguin glanced around and cut himself off.
"Yes, I'll stop there."
"It was sufficiently logical. Then, shall we hear from Bangju?"
"Yes."
"What's your reason?"
"Because he's the Heavenly Demon!"
- Mm! Nod
- That's what a Heavenly Demon is!
- lololololololol you crazy bastards lolololololol
- Japan might sue for overusing the Funkulsec joke lololololol
- Info) Heavenly Demon is the nickname that streamer Jin Seojun once used for the sake of chivalry...
"That was equally logical."
Penguin looked at Arin in the middle with an expression of disbelief.
Where exactly?
"Now then, let's see the results. With a bet thrown in, it's very exciting and great."
- It's probably not great just because it's exciting lolololololol
* * *
Thud, thud, thud.
The corridor brightened then darkened again.
An underground bunker. The facilities were decrepit and poorly maintained; some lights worked properly, but more were flickering or completely broken.
"We'll arrive soon."
And as they went, they occasionally encountered larger spaces.
Taewoo listened to his teammate ahead and raised his gun.
They arrived at the center where the Secret Room was.
After that, not just Taewoo but the entire squad quietly held their breath.
To detect any other movement, the team leader at the very front did so.
Keril.
An A-rank support.
Support is a position many people dismiss.
Since its purpose is to assist the ADC and there's no need to farm minions, controversy over skill never ceases.
But once you reach Challenger level, even those who disparage the position itself shut their mouths and are forced to admit three times that they were wrong.
That's what Challenger means. Regardless of whether a position lacks skill or whatever, it's simply a rank that's incredibly hard to reach.
'He's reliable.'
Support Keril. Age sixteen. A male high school student.
Young. Not only does he possess outstanding talent, but he's also a prospective pro.
'And he's energetic?'
In any case, he was the A-rank player secured in place of Seojun, and also one of the reasons they brought in an ADC instead of the Wind Sword from B-rank. They essentially piled everything into the bottom lane.
And now.
"There's no one here. Let's quickly grasp the terrain."
Following his orders, the team members quickly circled the area.
The underground cavern, the central hub of the three popular spots where the Secret Room was located, had its terrain randomly generated each game.
Also, the key to enter the Secret Room was hidden there.
"Taewoo hyung, you can stand here and watch over there. If enemies come toward the ADC hyung, go support him."
Keril grasped the structure in an instant and issued orders.
"Even if we take down all the enemies and then find the key, it won't be too late. Don't forget to pop the three-piece stimulant set, hyungs. And take your radios out and put them on your waist."
Taewoo took a position hiding behind a box and kept an eye on the front corridor.
The most important thing in Ground Zero is positioning.
If you make a mistake and show an opening for even a moment, a bullet flies right at you.
And once you fire, enemies will pinpoint your position and approach. If you don't know where they're coming from then, you're already dead.
Since Taewoo's team was equipped with level 2 and level 1 gear, a one-shot kill wouldn't happen, but still, the moment you lose track of positions, you die.
In that sense, Keril had secured perfect positions.
Outstanding spatial awareness, game sense, and split-second judgment.
He's not a support for nothing.
At the very least, there would be no getting attacked without knowing where the enemy was coming from.
'They said that bastard is coming.'
Taewoo stared intently at the front.
Thanks to the viewers, the legal stream-cheating in this game, he knew how many enemies there were.
And also, what Seojun had shown.
'He deflected bullets with a frying pan? No, does that even make sense?'
That damn guy.
Such a monster was currently targeting him, they said.
The fortunate part was that he had thrown away his gun and gone underground.
He might have looted along the way, but chat hadn't mentioned anything like that. Even if chat wasn't reliable, he knew.
Seojun was someone who would stick to what he said.
'Is this the first time we're clashing properly in a game?'
Maybe they could even face off in Rioseu. Position-wise, it was most fitting for Taewoo to fill in for mid.
'Yeah, let's see how good you are.'
Just a frying pan? No matter who it is, it'll be tough.
'Is he coming?'
Faint gunshots could be heard.
Bang! Clang!
'Isn't that a gunshot?'
Uncertain, Taewoo looked toward the end of the corridor from which the sound traveled.
The middle of the corridor was dark, but the end had lights on.
And probably, around that corner, people would be fighting. One of them was definitely that bastard.
Bang!
Along with a gunshot, an enemy appeared from around the corner, stumbling backward. It wasn't him.
But the enemy wasn't paying any attention to Taewoo.
Clang!
Instead of looking this way, the enemy kept firing back toward where they had come from.
Bang!
A gunshot was heard, followed by a somewhat faint.
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing against metal reached them.
'Has he come?'
Damn. Finally, they were clashing.
'That bastard' finally appeared. He struck down the head of the enemy who had appeared first.
Then he turned his head.
Their eyes met.
Menacing. The frying pan in his right hand made him look truly insane.
- shudder shudder shudder
- From a distance, it's frickin' terrifying
- Did he actually kill with a frying pan?
- If you're curious, just watch the stream simultaneously lololololol
- Ah. That guy likes Seojun lololololol
'He's here.'
It was something he had fully prepared himself for mentally.
The enemy who had appeared first collapsed into a stunned state.
'That bastard' began walking directly this way. His body entered the dark corridor, disappearing into the shadows.
Thud, thud.
But because of the sound and because, no matter how dark, it wasn't completely devoid of light, he could faintly make him out.
'He's not even running? He's completely relaxed, huh.'
The corridor was dark, and where Taewoo stood was bright. But that was fine.
He had already taken his position, and from the moment he fired his gun, his teammates would hear it, reposition, and come to support.
It was just a fight where he had to stop the enemy from reaching this spot until then.
'From the day I realized I had been tricked into offering you bread for the first time, my dream was you.'
Taewoo rose from behind cover, faced the front directly, and fired into the darkness.
Bang!
Naturally, he thought that even Seojun, who could block with a frying pan, would use the cover in the middle of the corridor.
But.
Clang!
Sparks flew. For an instant, the dark corridor lit up like a camera flash going off.
For a moment, he saw the figure of that bastard slowly approaching from the center of the corridor, but soon vanished.
[Get ready to support Taewoo hyung's side.]
Bang!
Without panicking, Taewoo fired another shot.
Clang!
Flash!
Again, that bastard's figure was clearly visible for an instant.
He was still approaching just the same. What changed was the momentary position of the frying pan and the slightly closer distance.
Bang!
As soon as he could fire the next shot, Taewoo, flustered, pulled the trigger. Continuously.
'Huh? He's not stopping? He's deflecting all of this?'
But.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In the dark corridor, each time he fired, that bastard's precisely pinpointed position was gradually getting closer to him.
Without a single step back.
It was like a picture of a ghost slowly approaching from the end of the corridor, captured in photographs.
- Feeling like Taewoo is slowly screwed, upvote lololol
- Crazy lololololololololol
- Is this a spirit photo? lololololol
- How does he not make a single mistake
- When are the teammates coming! lolololololol
At the moment he fired the eighth shot, that bastard emerged from the darkness.
"Long time no see?"
With a grin, his friend's face rushed at him.
The frying pan swung.
And then.
"Did you dodge? You've grown a lot."
Seojun looked down at him.
To be precise.
He hadn't dodged.
'I got so startled my legs gave out.'
You crazy bastard.
Damn scary.