Chapter 135

Soon the tournament would arrive at Surface Korea’s LOS operation team.

Deputy Manager Lee Young-joo.

Her fate today was set in stone. The enemy of all office workers.

Overtime.

But despite facing overtime after work hours, she spoke in an unusually excited voice for an office worker, shouting loudly.

“Video setup complete! It’ll go live as a premiere in 30 minutes.”

“Good work. Everyone can head out now.”

“Understood. Wow! But Team Manager, shouldn’t it be ‘most of you’ instead of ‘everyone’?”

“Oh, right. Deputy Manager Kim stays behind to handle today’s schedule, and the rest of you can head out.”

Three days had passed since the Point friendly match ended.

During that time, the operation team had recruited the remaining streamers and created the roster announcement video.

And today was the day of the roster announcement. After that, there was only the simple matter of team captains filming their evaluations of team members on the official account.

Tomorrow, the auction would begin.

“We’ve done plenty of promotion for weeks now.”

Other minor balance issues would be handled by the streamers themselves during the auction.

They’d already addressed major problems like the Seo-jun situation.

“Deputy Manager Kim, good luck. Haha. Yes! On-time departure!”

“Could you please stop already?”

“What? Stop what?”

“Coming over with that meaningful, triumphant expression and constantly grinning ever since that day. I’m sorry. I was wrong. I made a mistake. I’m sorry.”

Deputy Manager Kim begged as if he was fed up.

“Pfft.”

“Look, I’m even doing Deputy Manager Lee’s work today. Stop the workplace harassment!”

“Sure~. Good work!”

Lee Young-joo left the office just like that and entered the elevator.

“Ugh.”

Deputy Manager Kim muttered complaints under his breath.

Why did you have to beat Spoon?

With a synchronization rate of 10, no less!

Does that even make sense as gameplay? Isn’t it dangerous?

“Work hard, hehe. Who told you to make that bet?”

“Look, who would’ve known he’d win one-on-one against a Challenger using Eric?”

“Deputy Manager Lee knew.”

“That’s… true.”

The team manager, ready to leave, passed by Deputy Manager Kim and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Well, there’s still the opinion that we don’t know yet, so Deputy Manager Kim might have been right.”

“Because of the synchronization rate?”

“Something like that. No one knows exactly what a synchronization rate of 10 means, but it’s definitely, definitely low.”

“That’s true.”

“There are probably heroes he can’t play well, and there might be various other penalties.”

“So?”

“How about making another bet with Deputy Manager Lee about whether he can perform at an A-level or not…”

At the team manager’s suggestion for a second round with Deputy Manager Lee, Deputy Manager Kim decided he didn’t need to hear any more.

“Goodbye, Team Manager.”

Once bitten, twice shy?

Look at him trying to instigate a fight.

What a villain.

Actually.

Come to think of it, the team manager was the head supervisor running LOS where streamers fought each other.

* * *

Surface’s subsidiary and gaming distribution platform.

From the department manager’s office at Stream Korea, a section manager emerged.

“…Yes, understood.”

The section manager returned to his seat while recalling the previous conversation.

-Excuse me, Department Manager, how did the decision on that streamer’s exclusive contract turn out?

-We decided to just wait until Crown makes the first move on that one.

-Just wait? Even though we got clear results this time?

-Yes, well, that’s what they’ve decided.

-Hmm, Crown might already be making contact behind the scenes, and even if we just move first, it wouldn’t be bad, right?

-This idea originally came from Crown’s side, and we’re just following their lead. They said to just watch and respond. Unless Section Manager wants to steal the contract details they’re preparing over there?

-Hahaha…

-That’s how it is.

-Yes, understood.

“Can’t help it.”

As the section manager sat down, the team’s junior employee asked.

“What did the department manager say?”

“He just said it came out well.”

“That’s obvious. It had the highest sales among games released this time! Section Manager, can we expect bonuses?”

“Probably?”

“Then how about a company dinner today?”

“Why do you like company dinners so much?”

And it’s the team’s junior who’s suggesting it, no less.

“Because it’s free alcohol and free meat?”

“Ah.”

That made sense.

If you didn’t hate the company people, there was no better occasion than a company dinner.

Nobody dislikes free stuff.

“I see. But I have plans today, so count me out.”

“With MONSTER’s CEO?”

“Yes, he probably confirmed the results too, but we should meet once more to discuss.”

The section manager handed over his card.

Woohoo!

The junior made a strange sound, apparently overjoyed by receiving the card.

“Then everyone get up.”

It was time to leave work.

After leaving the company, the section manager made a phone call.

The recipient was MONSTER’s CEO Lee.

[Hello?]

“Hello.”

[Hello, Section Manager. You know today’s the LOS roster announcement, right?]

Why is this person bringing that up as soon as he answers the phone?

No matter how much he could check it from his side too, shouldn’t the game’s performance from the company insider’s mouth come before LOS?

The fact that the streamer created buzz was what contributed most to the game’s success – this was acknowledged by everyone in the company.

That made it even more painful.

Because he’d heard it directly from CEO Lee.

That there was a streamer who hit rock bottom every single moment.

That’s why it felt like they should buy him now before it gets expensive, but the higher-ups said to wait and see.

[How about we go to a quiet restaurant like last time and watch it together today?]

CEO Lee seemed lighthearted.

Of course he would be.

He’d already passed the big hurdle and achieved success.

“Hahaha.”

[Oh, speaking of this LOS.]

“Yes.”

[It’s a good sign. A good sign.]

Please stop talking about stocks.

It’s making me anxious.

* * *

[Starting stream.]

Seo-jun started streaming at his desk.

Today, he had no intention of entering the capsule.

-Seo-hi

-Se-hi

-Hello~

-SH

“Hello, everyone. Ah, what am I doing today? I’m bored so I thought I’d watch the LOS roster announcement. Because I’m bored.”

Seo-jun leaned back in his chair as he spoke. His body felt comfortable.

Maybe streaming like this every day wouldn’t be bad either?

-Really just because you’re bored? Lmao

-Why can’t you say “I’m appearing” or “I’m A-tier”!

-Sure you are

-Most streamers are preparing to watch right now, so it’s not weird

-But you are appearing, right?

As the viewers said, most streamers currently in The League category had simple-looking streaming setups showing the same premiere video that was about to start.

The same video that was on Seo-jun’s monitor right now.

Travel’s LOS-dedicated account.

“No comment on whether I’m appearing. Oh! Quite a lot of people gathered in my stream today too.”

[Viewers – 25,000]

Seo-jun’s viewer count had grown once again.

Beating Spoon and revealing his synchronization rate had been significant factors.

Of course, rapid growth came with its fair share of side effects.

That was just how the world worked.

-Trash with a lower sync rate than me

-Can’t play other heroes, right? Lol

-He definitely lowered it on purpose for attention!!!!

-Get proper verification. Go to a medical center or specialized facility

These were the scattered chat messages.

And in an instant, the mod’s sword of justice struck them down.

These were people who came every broadcast for the past three days, did this, got banned for a day, and repeated the cycle.

“At this point, I’d probably memorize all their nicknames.”

Rather than feeling bad, Seo-jun found it cute and only gave them one-day bans.

Come back tomorrow.

Come back stronger.

-The persistent ones LOL

-You should think about why someone with that sync rate plays this well instead of calling them trash

-They just lack intelligence

-Still, if it’s low, it’s like wearing weights…

Many opinions had been exchanged over the past three days.

Excluding Seo-jun, the generally known lowest synchronization rate was in the 40s.

So a rate of 10 was shocking in many ways.

Starting with whether gameplay was even possible.

Whether his health was okay, how much discomfort he felt, if he got motion sickness.

And.

How exactly he played so well with that synchronization rate.

Whether he was a gaming maniac.

Or a streaming maniac.

Or if he actually flew around in real life.

Really countless opinions were exchanged.

And while no conclusion had been reached yet, fortunately Seo-jun’s existing viewers had reached one conclusion.

[The streamer stays in virtual reality too long, so other gamers suffer, so the capsule quickly shuts off!]

That was a bit disappointing.

He only remembered helping people in that capsule world.

“Oh, it’s starting.”

As usual, chatting made time fly by quickly.

[LOS Player Roster Announcement!]

[1 second remaining]

Since it was a premiere, the other side’s chat window was also visible.

-Lol everyone’s screwed now

Seo-jun quickly caught the chat from a user with the Travel nickname Kim Tae-woo among the rapidly scrolling messages.

For reference, Tae-woo was currently preparing for broadcast in the next room.

For the team captain conversation that would happen right after.

“Crazy bastard.”

As expected.

You really need to choose your friends well.

-Let’s go!

-I think I saw Tae-woo bastard but it’s probably just my imagination

-Starting

-Who got selected?

Exciting background music began playing.

After mixing various letters through editing for about 3 seconds, the announcement began.

[E!]

A streamer’s face appeared briefly, then immediately showed gameplay.

They introduced six people that way.

Ha Yoon-ho was also mixed in.

Above Ha Yoon-ho’s name, small text reading “Team Captain” was visible.

D, C, and B appeared in order.

Finally.

[A!]

-A tier

-The streamer is appearing now

-For real lol

-What footage did they bring?

“Oh, I’m first.”

Among the A-tiers, Seo-jun appeared first.

As a newcomer, the word “new!” was attached above his name in a cute, lively font.

-Damn he’s handsome

-Look, only the streamer’s face is huge damn handsome so they zoomed in

-This kind of unfairness is rampant?

-This is what a face-blessed life looks like…

Next, Seo-jun’s gameplay was shown.

-Nice

-4-second Judgment Sword is insane

At the end, it briefly showed Eric’s ultimate skill appearing in all directions before moving on.

“It came out well.”

The video that quickly revealed all 30 players from A to E tiers ended by showing one caster and three commentators.

Then the screen naturally transitioned to a live broadcast.

[Hello everyone! I’m commentator Navigator handling today’s preview show!]

Navigator had secured a commentator spot, beating out former pros.

-Wow!!

-Navigator long time no see

-Like someone who ended up in honey after For the Murim ended lol

-Streamer <– that someone

-Honey bees lol

[Now! In the preview show, we’ll have time to hear brief evaluations and strategies about players from the team captains. Let me tell you that the team captains received the roster yesterday and had time to organize their thoughts beforehand as I introduce them! Please come forward!]

Six faces appeared on screen like a video chat.

He knew Tae-woo and Ha Yoon-ho, but wasn’t sure about the other four.

[Ah. It’s truly great to meet the team captains who will lead our tournament. How do you feel about participating as team captains?]

[Hello. I feel really nice about it!]

[Being called to this place, I, Ha Yoon-ho, feel infinite honor…]

[Mom, I’m on TV!]

For reference, “Mom, I’m on TV!” was Tae-woo.

-Crazy bastards LOL

-Already getting dizzy

-This is the stuff lmao

-These guys are all veterans lol so they don’t know tension lmao

Navigator wasn’t flustered.

Navigator was also a veteran.

Also, no matter how big the scale got, since it was a streamer tournament, this kind of casualness had always been there.

[Then shall we go right in? The first player is? Drumroll. Ah! The man whose capsule adjusts balance. Streamer Seo-jun-nim!]

When Navigator flipped the slide on the center screen, Seo-jun’s face from the earlier player announcement appeared prominently.

The caption below read “The man whose capsule adjusts balance,” which Navigator had simply read aloud.

[Now, player Jin Seo-jun is a newcomer assigned to A-tier despite being unranked. What do team captains think of Seo-jun? I’d like to hear your thoughts.]

And simultaneously.

[Not buying.]

[Probably better not to buy.]

Kim Tae-woo and Ha Yoon-ho spoke in order.