Episode 55
He ran simulations in his head.
He was confident he had identified most of the deathmatch elements on the very first run.
The room layout, the stairs' material, even the outer wall's structure.
After going through it all in his mind—
"It's possible."
He declared it boldly.
- 4 minutes lololololol
- I’m goated, I’d do it in about 6
- I’m ~~ but no wait ~~
- If it’s the streamer, it’s possible!
- We believe in the Heavenly Demon!
- Jin, open the door! Jin, open the door! Jin, open the door! Jin, open the door! Jin, open the door!
Public opinion was split.
But those who believed he could do it were mostly joking around.
It felt less like genuine belief and more like they didn’t want to deny him—so they affirmed him.
There were even bet-crazed folks shouting at him to open the door.
"Hmm. Point betting can come later."
He didn’t really want to do it.
- Why aren’t you opening the door? Why aren’t you opening the door? Why aren’t you opening the door?
- Take my points! Take my points! Take my points!
- Ah lol I have to make up for what I lost last time lol
The reactions were intense.
Like a bunch of addicts.
The world’s gone to the dogs, truly.
"Anyway, me getting in within four minutes is a given. Who would bet on failure? So, I’m not taking bets."
It was a statement without any basis, no matter who thought about it or heard it.
But that was fine. That was how he’d always done things.
Just as a hundred good deeds and one bad one gets you cursed at, a hundred sound arguments and one illogical one get you cursed at.
But what if you always just spout nonsense?
- Just shut up and open the door
- You nutjob lmao
- I wanna bet ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
- Can these guys even handle it?
There was pushback, but it just passed.
Streaming is live, so what matters most is broadcasting comfortably.
The streamer has to be comfortable for the viewers to be comfortable, and viewers come not for amazing content or information but to hang out with the streamer.
In that respect, Seojun was a decent streamer.
Good skills, not too serious, and he cracked harmless jokes well.
That was Taewoo’s veteran assessment.
- Hopeless
- I always go against the odds, I might bet on failure, you know?
- So what’s the route that lets you clock 4 minutes?
- Reveal your strategy!
Strategy, huh.
Truth be told, there wasn’t much to call a strategy.
"Speaking of strategy—you all know I’m pretty good at games, right?"
Seojun sat down.
The central building in the game was shaped like a restaurant, so he almost called out for a waiter out of habit.
Maybe because it was a public channel, his eyes met a viewer watching from a distance.
Most kept their distance. Probably because it was virtual reality.
- Well, you are good lol
- Honestly, this kid’s a real genius
- Just with occasional insane talk
"I may be a bit weak in combat, but my head’s so sharp that I’m good at games too, right? Hey, don’t laugh. If I were stupid, could I have solved the Assassin Order’s Dawn breadcrumb trail that no one else could?"
His evidence was solid.
Even if people wouldn’t admit it.
- Lololol instantly spouting mad nonsense lmaoooo
- Dominate with mechanics then act like it’s all brain
- ???: What’s parrying?
- ???: What’s a Dominator?
- ???: I don’t even know the Dawn of the Assassin Order lore, though?
"Anyway, there’s just one thing I want to say. Leverage your strengths well."
That was the best strategy.
To leverage your strengths well, you have to know yourself.
And the enemy, too.
Why else would the saying go, know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll never be defeated?
- So what’s the strategy
- For real lol
- Just hurry up and play the damn game
"Sure."
Seojun turned his gaze from the chat window to the battlefield interface.
He selected the same area again.
Just as he was about to press Start Game.
A donation notification rang out.
[‘Dang Xiao’ has donated 10,000 won!]
[4 minutes? As expected. You spout nonsense well, just like a con artist!]
The donor’s name was Dang Xiao.
The name of that stupid unorthodox sect guy he’d met earlier.
"Ah, thank you for the 10,000 won donation."
He didn’t know if this donor was the same person as the in-game user.
Because you could freely change your donor name whenever you donated.
Generally, impersonation is rare, and if you assumed that Dang Xiao had made a cool exit, then realized belatedly that today’s battlefield mode was a raid and came back to the stream, there was a chance this donor really was him.
Could be for information gathering too.
Whatever the case.
10,000 won was a profit.
- Is that really the same guy?
- It’s plausible. He’s famous for being an attention whore.
- If he’s that famous, well lol
- Smooth-brained jerk is watching the stream, huh.
[‘Dang Xiao’ has donated 10,000 won!]
[If you do it in under 4 minutes, I shall graciously bestow 100,000 won upon you!]
Now a mission had been slapped on top of it all.
"Hmm, thank you for another 10,000 won. But if that really is you, don’t donate—just give me your Travel ID. Whisper it to me."
Seojun’s current minimum donation amount was 10,000 won.
If it had been 1,000, flow-breaking donations might flood in.
That’s a waste of money.
[‘Dang Xiao’ has donated 10,000 won!]
[Do you think I lack a measly 10,000 won? minj4635]
- He’s supposed to have money, why expose his ID
- He wants to show off, I guess
- Cute, so cute
- Not at all
After reading the ID, Seojun grinned wickedly.
Naturally, Seojun hadn’t demanded the ID thinking about that guy’s money.
Seojun immediately found the same ID in chat, then banned the user.
A hundred-thousand-won mission?
Don’t need it.
"Thanks for the 10,000 won. And you’re banned."
Trolls must be dealt with mercilessly.
"Travel IDs aren’t something you give out so easily."
You should hide them like Lee Dongsu did.
- lololololol spent 30,000 won and got banned
- Proper education ㅅㅅ
- The streamer is god during streaming! Ban is possible!
Anyway.
Well handled.
Seojun smiled along with the viewers, a satisfied look on his face.
After a bit more chatter, when he was about to start the game—
"Stop!"
Someone tried to grab Seojun’s wrist, but Seojun, who’d sensed the approach, smacked the hand away.
Turning his head, Seojun let out an admiring look.
He’d thought it was just some troll and kicked them out.
But it seemed it really was him.
Once again, Seojun thought he’d made the right call in kicking him out.
"Unban me at once. Then, I shall overlook this just this once."
Dang Xiao stepped closer and issued a threat.
"No thanks?"
But Seojun didn’t blink an eye.
Instead, he smirked.
"If you don’t unban me right now, you’ll have to refund my thirty thousand won!"
In contrast to Seojun, Dang Xiao’s face grew grim.
- lolololololololololololololololololololololololololol
- Ah lol, even a vending machine eating a thousand won pisses you off, and the streamer just ran off with thirty thousand!
- True, a thousand won does tick you off lol
- Seeing how fast he showed up, he must’ve been in a real hurry
Reading the chat and thinking about it, it did seem worth getting angry over.
Even if it was just for trolling, if you can’t troll anymore, the money you spent before inevitably feels wasted.
No choice then.
"To refund you, the only method is bank transfer, and that’s a hassle, but I’ll do it after the game. If you tell me your Travel ID, I’ll send a whisper."
Seojun wore an expression of magnanimous mercy, but an irrepressible, mischievous smile seeped through.
"Really? My ID is minj— wait. Didn’t I tell you already!"
Slow on the uptake, Dang Xiao flared up again.
- The god of toxicity lolol
- Great at teabagging, huh
- Actually, a streamer isn’t obligated to refund donations
Yeah, who told you to troll?
Anyway, having squeezed enough fun out of it, Seojun decided to refund him.
"Send your account number now. I’ll send it after I’m done."
"Fine. Still, running off after taking donations—where did you ever learn such manners? Tsk."
Muttering, Dang Xiao started typing a message to send to Seojun.
Seojun added one more thing.
"Is the hundred thousand won for clearing it within four minutes still on the table?"
Hearing that, Dang Xiao lifted his head and stared wordlessly at Seojun.
It was as if he was cussing him out with his eyes.
The glare stung a little.
- Truly endless lol
- What a guy
- By the way, the streamer refunding is nice
After a brief silence, a game message popped up.
Seojun checked it, then turned toward Dang Xiao.
"Then we’re done here? Be on your way now."
"I’ll withdraw for now. For the record, four minutes is impossible. If you want a good time, let me give you a special tip—put everything into movement speed traits. And wait. Use the routes other people find. Then you’ll clock around six minutes. Oh, and one more pro tip: among the other demonic sect traits..."
He sure talks a lot.
Dang Xiao was waxing eloquent.
Maybe he was in a better mood since Seojun agreed to the refund? Was this his idea of goodwill?
Seojun chuckled and spoke.
Too much trouble to listen any further.
"Then let’s do this."
"I’ve played demonic sect, you see... what is it."
"Let’s make a bet. If I clear it in the 4-minute range, I win. If not, you win."
Dang Xiao let out an amused laugh.
"Ha. As expected of a con artist, so confident! What shall we wager? 100,000 won?"
"No. The loser switches to the winner’s faction. Today, right this instant. What do you say?"
"Uh..."
Dang Xiao seemed at a loss for words for a moment.
"Didn’t you say you’ve played demonic sect? Then that’s perfect."
Heh heh heh.
Scared?
If he lost the bet and switched factions, it was just one wasted day at worst. But for someone aiming for the top, one day could be fatal.
- Scared?
- If you’re scared, just die
- Can’t answer right away
- Ah lol, come to the demonic sect
- Life’s good in the demonic sect~
"...."
"Are you scared? Then forget it."
"What are you saying. I am not afraid. ...Fine. Let’s bet. On the condition that you start right away. This instant. No watching anyone else play."
Chat started calling it pathetic.
"I was already going to start right away, but that really is pathetic, though."
"Shut up. Start quickly."
* * *
- But is the streamer really able to do it?
- Do not doubt the Heavenly Demon
- If he fails, instant penalty
Seojun was summoned to the exact same spot as before.
60 seconds until the game started.
"I told you earlier, right? Leverage your strengths well."
What were his current advantages and disadvantages?
The disadvantage was that it took a long time to climb to the 13th floor where the enemy commander was.
Because he couldn’t use traits on ordinary NPCs.
The advantage?
Actually beating the commander took little time.
Click.
The game began, and an enemy kicked the door open.
Seojun immediately disarmed the charging enemy, snatched the weapon, and poured inner energy into the sword to smash through the wall.
The cool outside air whooshed inside.
Seojun exited through the broken wall.
Landing outside, he looked up.
The top of the 13th floor stood open.
If he wanted to get up there—
He’d have to expend all his inner energy.
And fighting the commander after using all his inner energy wouldn’t be easy.
But that was another of his strengths.
He had the skills. And his traits favored resource recovery.
Seojun readied himself to kick off the ground.
- No way lololol
- He’s going to climb the outer wall using lightness skill?
- There was this method lol
- But can’t you not go up in one go?
It was just as the viewer said.
Void Step, the lightness skill that treads on empty air, unfortunately didn’t exist in the game.
‘No matter how much inner energy you use, the maximum height you can ascend in one leap is about seven floors.’
In that case—
Bending his knees and then straightening, Seojun’s body soared up high.
"Hup."
With a short kiai, while ascending, Seojun hurled the sword he’d taken from the enemy into the wall.
Since he’d infused it with a small amount of inner energy beforehand, the sword firmly embedded itself in the wall.
- No way lol
- The lightness skill mechanics are lenient enough to make it possible, but can he land on that?
- You think it’s impossible?
Of course not.
For Seojun, who had already envisioned this scenario before he even jumped, landing on the sword driven into the wall was no great challenge.
When he infused his feet with inner energy and landed on it, the sword properly supported his weight.
The lightness skill’s mechanics that lightened his body were generous.
Draining the rest of his inner energy and kicking off once more, Seojun shot upward against gravity at high speed, grabbing the railing at the 13th floor peak.
"I told you, didn’t I? It’s possible."
It seemed almost all his inner energy was used up.
Still.
- It works lol
- Whoa lololololol
- Kyaa! Now that’s a master!
- Why do you keep showing off acrobatics when I’m telling you to play the game lololol
- If you waste all your resources like that, how will you catch the NPC?
- Good!
- Somehow!
- Streamer, no, Cult Leader-nim, can’t you trust him?
Only 18 seconds had passed.