Chapter 16
"Alright, back to the game now. Seo-jun, how on earth did you do it?"
Alpaca turned his head towards Seo-jun with a serious expression.
"I have to know. What exactly did you see, and how? Honestly, don't you all agree, viewers?"
-huh
-Hack maybe?
-If there's some other trick or system that lets you see it, I'll be really disappointed
-They said he's an alien lol
Seo-jun shook his head, denying the chat messages.
"Everyone, I'm not an alien. And it's not a hack either. To be honest, I don't see the grain."
"Then what is it?"
Alpaca asked, genuinely curious.
Seo-jun put on an almost comically serious expression.
"I just know. Because I'm a genius."
And Alpaca, unable to control his expression in contrast, stared at him with a dumbfounded look.
-LOLOLOLOLOLOL
-So damn cheeky LOL
-Honestly, with that level of skill, he really is a genius
-Alpaca's expression LOL
Alpaca's lips twitched before he let out a hollow laugh and put on a playful smile.
"If you're not a genius, life would be too unfair. Just tell me properly. Otherwise, I'll think it's a hack, you know?"
The first thing to disappear once virtual reality became mainstream was hacks.
The reason was simply the gap in technology.
Surface, the megacorporation that practically monopolized the virtual reality market.
They were the ones who introduced and popularized virtual reality with an insurmountable technological lead.
That gap was so vast that even other major corporations struggled just to hack the capsule terminals. That said it all.
Moreover, if a problem occurred in virtual reality, it could be life-threatening.
Because of that, external programs were especially strictly managed by Surface.
So the word "hack" that Alpaca mentioned was completely absurd.
Seo-jun also knew Surface all too well.
"But isn't making a hack more impressive than seeing the grain? Surface would probably scout you."
Seo-jun confidently straightened his shoulders.
-Now that I think about it, that's true
-For real, if you could make a hack, why would you be streaming? Surface's talent greed and benefits are insane
-Wouldn't other companies aiming for VR try to recruit him too?
"Oh? Right? Why didn't I think of that?"
Easily convinced, Alpaca nodded without realizing it and burst into laughter.
"Well, what I said earlier was a joke."
"Which part? The Surface part? Or the genius part?"
"That I just know. But that's half a joke and half the truth."
"What do you mean?"
"Because there's really no better way to explain it than just that I know."
Chat messages flooded in with people saying he was being deceptive or stringing them along.
Seo-jun waved his hand.
"Haha, everyone, calm down. I don't mean I know because of some special ability. I just thought about where the developer would have put it."
If anything, it was special, though.
It was instinct that only Seo-jun, with his accumulated past life experiences, could have.
But there was no need to explain that.
'Besides, no one would believe a story about a past life anyway.'
So he thought it would be fine even if he revealed the past life.
However.
'I might need to adapt it a bit...'
Just then, Alpaca exclaimed as if he understood something, and Seo-jun snapped out of his thoughts.
"Wow! Amazing. So, um... you read the developer's intentions? Just from seeing two examples?"
Seo-jun nodded.
Alpaca had hit the mark exactly.
"Wow, you really are an unbelievable genius! Although, hearing that actually makes me more suspicious. Hmm."
Alpaca stroked his chin, sending a skeptical glance.
-For real LMAO
-Isn't there anyone else who can see that?
-If he just knows, does that make him a genius? Is that it?
-How could anyone even know that in the first place? Isn't this a scam?
"Right? It's like he lives in a completely different world. Then other things should be easy to find, right?"
"Yes. But..."
"What is it?"
"Normally, parrying is a system that helps you take down trash mobs easily, right?"
"That's right. It's a system the developer put in so you can go on a rampage."
"But this 'grain' system is harder than parrying, and even if you succeed, it only destroys the weapon without giving any damage boost or anything."
-Oh, sharp point
-But then what's the use? Only you can use it and we can't haha
-Yeah, we can't even parry properly~
Alpaca clapped his hands.
"Oh? That's true. I see! The man who pioneered Drake's new route. You have real talent in gaming too."
"Thanks for the compliment. Anyway, this grain thing seemed like a system exclusive for boss fights."
"That could be. The boss difficulty was definitely way too high. Especially Drake... Ah. Right."
A shadow fell over Alpaca's face. He pressed the bridge of his nose and sighed.
-LOLOLOL
-Worried about turning on the stream already
-PTSD is setting in even before starting the stream LOL
Seo-jun patted Alpaca on the shoulder and said,
"I think this grain is a system meant for boss fights. So I'm going to try the remaining two with the overlord's equipment."
-????
-The bettors who bet against the odds suddenly wailing
-No, you can't do that.
-Let's play it safe, find the other stuff, then go hunt the overlord.
"Now, now. It's obvious this system is tailored for the overlord, right? Just trust me."
Seo-jun pounded his chest.
[User 'TrustedHimAndBet' donated 10,000 won generously!]
[Okay, I get it, but first go destroy those grunts' weapons and wrap up the point prediction, then challenge the overlord lol]
-Honestly, 100x odds make people go blind
-Fact) Most who bet on the 1% didn't do it because they trusted the professor.
-Since it's come to this, is there any hope for me who bet on finding two?
Seo-jun looked at the chat, his eyes gleaming.
"Hmm. Everyone seems to be saying they don't believe me, but I think it's time to check the facts. Alpaca?"
Seo-jun called Alpaca.
"Yes?"
"Shall we open one more point prediction?"
Bets don't lie.
Alpaca immediately caught on to what Seo-jun wanted and started fiddling with the prediction system.
[Prediction]
[Seo-jun can destroy the overlord's equipment within today's stream~]
[Yes]
vs
[No]
-Kya! He's trying to give us more winnings.
-Good thing I didn't bet everything earlier
-I lost everything, so I bet at least the 150 points I saved up while watching haha
Alpaca and Seo-jun waited for people to place their points.
And then.
Time passed and the results came out.
"Ah! The expected and the underdog flipped. While you're all talking in chat as if Seo-jun won't find it, what are these results?"
Alpaca made a fuss, starting to tease the viewers.
[Yes 80%]
[No 20%]
-Ah lol When points are at stake, people get honest.
-Winning that only gives a quarter of the profit. While someone else gets 100x
-Wow, I'm really jealous of those who bet on the 1% at first
-I'm someone who bet on Seo-jun not finding a single one. This time I bet on 'Yes'. If he fails, I'll come find you.
As expected.
"I knew this would happen."
Alpaca nodded beside him.
[Did you bet on 'No' just to try to recover your losses alone?]
And one donation came in.
-You really should never touch stocks
A genuinely sincere chat message appeared.
Seo-jun and Alpaca deeply agreed, praying that the donating viewer wouldn't ever invest in stocks.
Anyway.
'This collaboration stream seems to have been a success.'
He had definitely imprinted his skills on the viewers.
"Now, Seo-jun. Shall we go take down the overlord?"
* * *
Richard Neville.
At the center of a vast, ashen training ground resembling a great hall, wearing heavy armor and meditating, was the head of the aristocratic faction and the ruler of the northeastern edge, the overlord.
His alias was the Knight King.
He wielded a massive greatsword, and his towering frame stood 2 meters tall.
If hunting Drake required avoiding the eyes of several dozen organization members then finding and killing him, Richard Neville was the complete opposite.
He simply stayed in the same spot, meditating in stillness.
Methods to defeat him included sniping him with a specially obtained weapon, or dealing with his son Louis Neville so that when Richard heard the news, his combat instinct would waver, creating a single moment of vulnerability to exploit.
Of course, both were difficult.
The former due to the item's acquisition difficulty.
The latter because if you failed to precisely aim for that timing, the Knight King would counterattack immediately.
So what if you chose to go on a rampage?
His impenetrable defense utilizing his heavy armor would let you land not a single point of damage before his greatsword would often cleave your body in two.
Of course, none of this applied to the one fighting in front of Alpaca now.
'Do you know anything about Richard Neville?'
'No?'
Alpaca recalled the conversation they had while heading here just moments ago.
'I thought so. Um, when fighting Richard, you have to watch out for his greatsword. The attack speed is slower than other weapons, but he has combo attacks, so you should watch once...'
'Ah, it's fine.'
'Pardon?'
'I said it's fine. I'll see and dodge. Whatever.'
Tch.
Who was worried about whom.
Whooong!
Whooong!
Richard's greatsword cleaved the air from left to right, then right to left again, stirring up gusts of wind.
But Seo-jun, matching the trajectory of the swings, was laying his own sword against it, leisurely seeking the grain as if brushing paint onto the greatsword.
Watching that relaxed demeanor, it seemed he would never be hit by that greatsword.
"Do you think he can't find it?"
Alpaca spoke loudly after Seo-jun's string of failures.
It was because they were a bit far apart.
"Yes."
"A viewer told me that Richard's weapon is, according to the lore, forged from a special material. So maybe he can't find it because it's not that there is no grain, but that it's impossible."
"Ah, is that so?"
Just look at that. Look at him.
See how he twists his body slightly and easily dodges the greatsword.
Seo-jun was clearly looking at him while conversing.
Yet, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, he simply turned his body and ducked to dodge an attack from behind.
And then he even had the leisure to check the floating chat window.
-Alright lol The angle for failure is looking sharp?
-This is why you shouldn't be arrogant.
-Ah crap, looks like I'm gonna lose it all. Nameless, watch your back at night.
"Ah. What should we do? It looks like the overlord doesn't have a grain."
Seo-jun was smiling.
With a completely unconcerned expression.
Only the viewers were burning with anxiety.
Especially those who bet on the extreme underdog odds from the very beginning.
-My 100x ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
-Time to teach the underdog bettors a lesson!
-Even if I lose a second time, it's fine, please just fail!
The rest were in a festive mood.
Because the second point prediction had significantly fewer points bet on it than the first.
Most just didn't want others to hit the 100x even if they themselves didn't get much.
Because they were burning with jealousy.
However.
Seo-jun's sword began to move as if dancing.
He stabbed his sword into Richard's wrist and traced along the grain he had found. Then up to the torso, and as the sword came down, to the legs.
Shhhink!
Shhhink!
Richard Neville's prized heavy armor began to split apart entirely.
It was only the weapon that had been special.
Seo-jun had already known this from the subtle difference in texture after clashing several times.
"Oh dear. I must have been mistaken. Only the sword lacks a grain; the other parts have them."
Richard's heavy armor was destroyed, unraveling like a loose thread.
[Unlock condition: Destroy 10 weapons via grain (4/10)]
[Unlock condition: Destroy 10 weapons via grain (5/10)]
[Unlock condition: Destroy 10 weapons via grain (6/10)]
.
.
.
[Skill 'Weakness Detection' has been unlocked.]
What remained was a 2-meter-tall middle-aged man in stockings and a garter belt, holding a greatsword.
-Yeah, not buying it
-Ah! My eyes!
-Wow! The 100x hit!!!
-It actually happened, insane LOL
-Congrats congrats congrats congrats
* * *
Pssshhh.
Seo-jun emerged from the capsule.
"You are indeed amazing, big bro."
Alpaca's editor, Lee Su-han, greeted him.
I told him it's overwhelming.
"Thanks for lending me the capsule."
"No. I'm rather thankful that you used my capsule, big bro. My capsule must have learned a lot from this opportunity."
What nonsense is that again.
And why are you here?
Seo-jun's head turned to the side.
Because Tae-woo was standing next to Su-han.
"Didn't you stream?"
"Yeah, I just took the day off. Couldn't resist a collaboration stream."
I see.
"I did post a notice that I was coming here, so they might come looking?"
Kim Tae-woo scratched his head, and Seo-jun figured that was that, then came out to the living room and turned on Alpaca's stream on his phone.
-Bring him out fast. Bring him out fast. Bring him out fast. Bring him out fast.
-Just let his face be handsome. Just let his face be handsome. Just let his face be handsome.
-Get rid of Alpaca! Get rid of Alpaca! Get rid of Alpaca! Get rid of Alpaca!
-Go set up the food, quick! Go set up the food, quick! Go set up the food, quick!
[Oh dear, everyone, please calm down first. Ah, shut up? Understood.]
The remaining schedule for the stream was a dinner party.
While the table was being set, Alpaca asked Seo-jun to briefly introduce himself and stall for time.
[Now! Please come out...]
When Seo-jun heard the voice calling him from his phone, he opened Alpaca's door.
Click.
"Hello. It's my first time seeing you in reality. I'm travel streamer Jin Seo-jun."