It’s not that kind of malicious broadcast

I thought of myself as an ordinary person.

I wasn’t particularly evil, but I wasn’t especially kind either. Just an average Joe, so to speak.

… I had received various criticisms and misunderstandings, but those were inevitable.

In that sense, I was reluctant to judge others hastily.

Of course, I could evaluate someone’s skill or lack thereof… and I should. However, determining whether someone was good or bad was a realm I found hard to meddle with. Considering I made a fair amount of mistakes myself, I felt uneasy about criticizing others.

In the game world, where rules weren’t clearly defined, this was even more true.

What counted as manners, what actions warranted condemnation on the forums… there were certain rules, but I never leaned on them. I never criticized anyone based on such rules.

Especially in KoK, if someone wronged you, you could just prove yourself by cutting off their head. If you couldn’t, the true reason for your grievance wasn’t their bad manners but your lack of skill.

Still.

If there was one thing I could never tolerate…

“…It seems… deliberate. Yes. Deliberately doing that.”

It was treating a serious opponent as a toy. Like those people in the beginner’s zone of the doomed KoK, pretending to be newbies only to dominate inexperienced players.

Creating emotional turbulence during an equal match by teabagging might be acceptable, as sometimes that minor provocation could tip the scales of victory.

Even celebratory actions at the end of a match, which became the spice for the next, were fine. It all added to the narrative. But… making a mockery of the match itself.

-Crreeeak!

On the screen, the Warrior’s axe glided harshly along a tilted buckler. It was an exquisite deflection. A stunt not easily pulled with a small shield.

The buckler’s angle adjustment was quite skilled. To boast like that meant he had some real talent.

As the Warrior took a step forward to regain balance after his weapon’s trajectory was forcibly corrected, the Knight’s sword flashed, seizing the opportunity.

-Thud!

Though he twisted his body at the last moment to avoid a direct hit, blood began to flow from the Warrior’s side.

The damage was clear. However, the real pain was probably in Revan’s pride. The thrust was well-aimed to be easily dodged, and there’s no way he didn’t realize it.

《Pagol! Pagol has an opportunity here! A single stroke has completely turned the tide against the aggressively charging Revan!》

《Pagol is moving in. Oh, he chooses to pull out cautiously. Having secured stamina superiority, there’s no need to risk an over-aggressive attack which could trigger a relapse. He’s calm! Very calm! Normally, Pagol would have dived into close combat without a second thought. This makes me excited for next season’s Pagol!》

《And just as we speak, Revan charges in again! He hasn’t even triggered his rampage yet, but he’s fierce!》

In the fierce battle-like atmosphere, the commentary team couldn’t hide their excitement. During the initial stages, Revan’s aggressive moves made it seem like he had already secured victory, much to their thrill.

However, it wasn’t quite so. There was still a long way to go before things really kicked off. His actions weren’t about avoiding an out-of-control situation.

It was more about creating a dramatic show, a strategic move.

…… Still, it seemed a bit off.

『Why is the atmosphere so calm haha』

『Both are playing well ㅇㅇ』

『One minute to garbage cut』

『Still managing well』

Glancing at the chat window, it was hard to find people who shared my dissatisfaction. Well, these details weren’t easily noticed. Maybe only the involved parties and a few observant ones would recognize them.

“…… Is that player famous?”

『ㅇㅇㅇㅇ』

『He’s the top option, honestly』

『If it weren’t for his habit of diving, he’d be number one』

『Handsome ON』

『You really don’t watch the league, huh』

『Isn’t he just another troll?』

『He’s good-looking, though』

『Looks like he’s flirting with another female again……』

– User has donated 1,000 won! –

【Known for his strength 100, intelligence 10, politics 0, charm 100】

– User has donated 1,000 won! –

【He made the news for his fiery ceremonies, yet you really don’t know or are pretending not to?】

– User has donated 1,000 won! –

【Building up to break the unicorns’ horns again, GetDevoured……】

Amongst the chaotic chat, words like promising rookie, troublemaker, troll… Ah, I see what kind of style he has. However, his aggressive, flamboyant playing style coupled with his looks drawing many female fans… What’s that about?

It was a sensitivity I had a hard time grasping. Could flashy beating of a weaker opponent really attract fans? If you call it showmanship, there’s not much to argue, but…

It was still irritating to watch from my standpoint.

– User has donated 1,000 won! –

『…… Originally, it was obviously the Holy Knight. But now it’s ambiguous.』

While Lee Yeri answered the donation question haphazardly, she furrowed her brows slightly. On the screen, Revan’s axe once again missed its mark dramatically.

This time, it was clear he had acted in haste. Perhaps his opponent sensed that Revan was trying to create a flashy highlight reel using him. It could be. Even so, the more tense the situation, the calmer one should be.

He struggled with emotional control even in the game.

It seemed like he got angry quite often… Maybe he needed more training in this area. Like how national archery athletes train amidst noise on purpose. Something similar… Anyway.

《Pagol! An exquisite dodge! Revan is in a crisis! How will he block this?!》

The Holy Knight elegantly dodged the attack, leaning deeply forward, and, shifting his center of gravity sharply, stepped into the Warrior’s range. His sword was now held in an inverted grip. With his left hand holding the cross-guard firmly at its forte, he assumed a close-range stance.

Within a breath, he changed his posture and swung the pommel upwards towards the exposed jaw of the Warrior.

-BOOM!

“Oh.”

The Warrior boldly abandoned his left-hand axe and managed to block with his left arm at the last moment.

-THUD!

The Holy Knight extended his leg through a slight opening, pushing the Warrior far away. The attack did minimal damage but successfully interrupted what could have been a fatal follow-up strike.

And thus, the standoff continued.

It made for quite a dramatic scene.

In exchange for surviving, the Warrior’s left arm was broken, bleeding profusely—but his eyes were finally turning red. He was going berserk.

Across from him, the Holy Knight, draped in a blue cloak, lightly readjusted his sword, lifted it high toward the snowy sky, and tossed away his buckler to the ground.

It was as if he was saying that the handicap of a broken arm shouldn’t decide the outcome of the duel.

《Ah! Pagol has thrown away his buckler. He refuses to end an honorable duel with an injury! You’re one-armed? Then I’ll abandon my left arm too, let’s fight on equal grounds! That’s what he’s saying now!》

《The God of Madness, he once said that when he fights, he’s relentless. But this is on another level! Pagol was restraining himself in team fights to appease his seniors.》

《Imagine if this player didn’t have the clash mode released! No matter how much they fight in the top rank, they can’t vent all this fighting spirit!》

The commentators ramped up the atmosphere, and in response, the camera naturally widened to capture the standoff between the two heroes, then zoomed in on each player’s face.

It was an unnecessarily grandiose production.

Comparing a two-handed axe Warrior losing one arm to a discarded buckler was laughable. The former was essentially losing about 70% of his power, while the latter was something anyone could do as a light showmanship.

To portray it as a true display of knighthood seemed…

Well.

《……It’s already a finished game. Wouldn’t it be more entertaining to focus on the angry logger grandpa’s face? We could even have a betting pool on when he’ll start swearing.》

I wasn’t in a particularly good mood.

* * * *

“Ha- sigh. This is going to be tough.”

Right after the first set ended, Shihoon let out a few deep sighs. This was his routine, something he’d developed during the stress-filled life of broadcasting.

However, the shame that churned in his chest did not easily dissipate.

It was humiliation.

The moment he faced his opponent, he knew. He couldn’t win. From the very start, he was beaten in terms of build compatibility, and the skill gap was so vast that it was impossible to overturn.

The opponent, Revan, probably knew as well. He deliberately ignored chances for a critical blow and lured out a flashy back-and-forth. He did so knowing he could seize victory at any time.

It was particularly malicious because it was ambiguous to even call it “teabagging.”

The thought that ‘the opponent was toying with him’ was something he couldn’t bring himself to admit, no matter what.

“… Pros are different. I’ll give it my all in the next set.”

All he could do was pretend to be as unaffected as possible and think about the next set.

Reaching the Round of 16 itself had been a miracle. It had been the result of a fortunate series of wins in the build rock-paper-scissors game. Perhaps—

‘It was time to lose. If you think of it that way, ending admirably by competing toe-to-toe with a pro might be better… No, no. Think about it later. Think about it later.’

Countless builds flashed through Shihoon’s mind as he tried to brace his weakening spirit. What would the opponent bring in the next set? It was so hazy, like fog, that he couldn’t make a decision. Should he hold out with a safe, all-round build and hope for a lapse in concentration? Or should he aim for a one-hit reversal with a giant dual axe and an indomitable tree? Maybe—

A short vibration sounded unusually loud.

He thought he had turned off his notifications. There was no reason for notifications to—

『GP Bank Deposit Alert – Losing question mark 1,000 won』

“Ha.”

It was a bank notification. No matter what name was used, it was obvious who it was from.

It felt as if a tight rope around his neck suddenly loosened.

Right.

Why had he been thinking so weakly?

‘Falling in an unspectacular way… it means nothing. If I drop out here, I won’t even be able to land a blow on that infuriating head.’

His opponent could only be beaten by catching them off guard. In that case, he had to take a gamble and deliver an utterly unpredictable move.

“I’ll go with this. I’m comfortable with dual weapons.”

* * * *

《Rogue! Rogue! Revan suddenly brings out a rogue here! Known as a master of build diversity, did Revan prepare this build as well?》

《Oh- It seems Pagol didn’t expect a rogue at all. He seems to be preparing a greatsword knight instead, which doesn’t match up well in a snowy landscape. If the rogue starts utilizing the terrain for out-fighting, it’ll be hard to keep up with a greatsword.》

《Yes. It seems Pagol read Revan’s build as a counter-type giant axe. There were indeed a few dangerously close moments in the first set. Ah- as we speak, both players have locked in! It’s going to be knight versus rogue!》

TL’s Corner:

Revan skill issue. But this Pagol guy is such an ass. Disrespectful.