Chapter 374

The national exchange competition was a significant event that attracted reporters from the political, entertainment, sports, and international departments.

Even in Japan, the far-right Sankei Shimbun’s Moriita Goiichi was not pleased with the recent behaviors of the Korean media.

[The Unique Magic spear that propelled Japan to the semifinals, “Is it a collaboration piece from NoName?”]

[The Katsuhata School improved significantly with the Korean training camp.]

[Is there a possibility that NoName will be selected as the youngest participant in the National Exchange Tournament? Some believe it’s quite possible.]

“This isn’t just from a nationalistic TV channel, but from a major media outlet. Korea is really in its decline now.”

Although there were no direct mentions, most articles were aimed at downplaying Japan’s achievements while elevating NoName.

Recently, news spread among some netizens that NoName had participated in the Katsuhata School’s training camp and provided assistance.

There were not a few Japanese people who believed it wholeheartedly.

Katsuhata Emika is a pride of Japan.

Her achievements must be attributed solely to Japan.

[Is it something to brag about that you couldn’t take down a single child while hitting number 249? Look at the level of awareness Japanese people have regarding magic battles.]

Moriita Goiichi decided to use this to tarnish NoName’s reputation within Japan.

He aimed for the national exchange competition to conclude with all spotlight focused solely on Katsuhata.

Above all, the anti-Korean business is lucrative.

“Watch over Katsuhata-chan, I’m protecting the honor of Japanese magicians.”

Recording without consent is illegal.

Thus, he armed himself with a circumvention program and anonymously released the recording on the community.

As expected, the community ignited with fury.

Comments poured in: “Low-class kid, lacks manners, needs better parenting, arrogant,” and more.

Once the discussion matured to a point, he captured the reactions of the netizens and wrote an article.

“The ones who crossed the line first were the Koreans. Those who can’t even participate in the national exchange competition, tsk…!”

Goiichi missed watching the semifinals while writing the article.

He later saw Emika’s interview and smiled contentedly.

At that moment, NoName appeared unexpectedly.

Wearing only a bathrobe, she looked quite precarious.

However, unlike the hostile reactions in the anonymous community, the responses in the broadcasting studio chat were very favorable.

– Not of this world’s cuteness.

– Look at those big, sparkling eyes, haha.

– Her skin is baby-soft and so white, haha.

– If only I had a little sister like her, I’d have no regrets.

– Sign: A wink from NoName.

– Who was that girl with her? An older sister?

As NoName dried her hair with magic, Emika continued to brag about NoName.

[NoName is not only a precious friend but also my second mentor. The external manifestation, Unique Magic, all the dreams I couldn’t have achieved without NoName. Thank you for supporting me, NoName, I’ll do my best until the finals!]

[Todays like this, you’ll do just fine. Show them that effort doesn’t betray you. Katsuhata Emika, fighting till the end!]

[Ah, NoName-chan, could you do a heart gesture with your hands before you go?]

[Sure, like this?]

[Hahaha, not that finger heart! These days, please make a half-heart on your cheeks.]

[Ah, got it… Okay, I’ll do it. Emika, since I’m doing this for you, you must win.]

[Yes! Love you, NoName!]

NoName cupped her palms together and placed them on her cheeks.

Her small hands didn’t quite form the shape of a heart.

But the viewers watching live let out dolphin-like screams at her deadly cuteness.

While provocative and hate-filled articles may be lucrative,

most people preferred heartwarming stories.

The Korean girl who wholeheartedly supported and the Japanese girl who expressed boundless gratitude towards her.

Despite the fierce political rivalry, the friendship of the two girls moved both countries.

On the other hand, Moriita Goiichi found himself in a precarious position.

– The main culprit ruining the friendship of girls transcending borders and age.

– A cheap article fit for a 100-yen newspaper.

– The world sure has changed. Just sitting on a kotatsu and tapping the keyboard brings in money.

“Moriita! Why aren’t you answering your phone in time? Take that article down now!”

Moriita received a call from his senior with a stern expression.

“Are you messing up at such a good moment? You should write based on the situation! A journalist should be flexible enough to read the flow of public opinion… The director is furious right now!”

“I-I’m really sorry…!”

“Prepare to write a formal apology. That recording was yours, right? Delete it quietly so the higher-ups don’t find out.”

* * *

Photos of water-type NoName were reverse-exported to Korea.

[Gallery main’s polar bear edition legend renewed, haha]

Who thought to add a bear-hood to a children’s bathrobe?

So adorable, I want to give a thousand kisses, haha.

Gallery main looks harmless and trivial, but she’s ridiculously cute, haha.

[Comments]

– Just a way to increase birth rates, GOAT.

– Is a polar bear harmless when it tears someone apart?

– Can I save this without it getting cut off?

└ It’s not showing bare skin, what’s the fuss? It’s fine.

– Wow, too cute and fluffy, haha.

– Someone who didn’t even participate in the national exchange competition is in the top 10 of the popularity poll?

└ Japanese variety shows are really something, haha.

└ NoName is well-known among entertainers in Japan, no doubt about it.

– Even an 80-year-old can learn from the 9-year-old NoName.

– She always seems to get good reviews.

[The reason NoName’s evaluation can’t be low is simple.]

(hand heart NoName.jpg)

If you argue, you’re wrong.

[Comments]

– You’re insane, man~

– Haha, just a little aegyo and it’s done, haha.

– I really want to see NoName fight. Why doesn’t our country hold a magician tournament like Japan, damn it…

– Everyone’s too busy studying at the academy, haha.

– Instead, all capital was invested in the martial arts competition.

[Curiosity about the evaluations from NoName’s associates.]

I really don’t know what she did to be deemed a monster by everyone.

I don’t watch the exchange much, but how does the performance compare to last year’s Academy tournament level?

[Comments]

– If you’re at least an otaku at Altear Academy, I think you can break into the top 64, and if you’re lucky, maybe even the top 32.

└ She’s not an otaku, she’s a part-timer, know your terms.

└ You guys are unbelievable, haha. Her real name is Odukjae, haha.

– The national exchange competition is on another level.

– According to Federico Mancini, 3 matches, 3 losses.

└ If this were real, the world would be in chaos already.

└ NoName has already flipped the world upside down before, right?

[In my honest opinion) No matter how you look at it, 249 consecutive attacks aren’t anything to be looked down on.]

This is the leaked recording of the dialogue involving NoName that’s causing a stir across Japan.

(▶ Audio file source: 5ch)

Even if NoName is a super ultra mega genius, Katsuhata Emika is currently a junior magician just on the brink of gaining her title.

Honestly, you all must admit some things.

The exchange competition is remembered as a legendary scene in the top 5 highlights of all time, so what exactly did Katsuhata do wrong?

[Comments]

– Are you perhaps a Japan enthusiast?

– It’s possible for a child to think that way. Why take it so seriously?

– Wow, now we’re even at odds with a 9-year-old, how impressive!

– When you’re young, everything seems like an ultimate move. As you grow older, you realize the value of every little jab. NoName will learn this someday too.

└ Trying to teach feels a bit gross.

└ It was proven in the competition; what more needs to be learned, haha?

– I think that’s somewhat valid? If you hit 249, why hasn’t the game ended?

└ In the end, she finished it with a strange Unique Magic, right?

Meanwhile, a new controversy sparked in the community.

Was Katsuhata Emika’s final performance truly her best?

Most Japanese believed it was her best, but surprisingly, opinions were split in Korea.

[If there are any ranked players from the Woroa Katana, come check in. Let’s experiment once.]

Deciphering the ‘essence’ and ‘handshake’ of a sword-wielding magician shrouded in aura is quite a challenging task.

Sometimes what appears to be a mistake could actually be a psychological tactic to provoke a response from the opponent.

The discussion went on uninterrupted for half a day.

In the process, 1200 transient users and 58 permanent users were blocked.

– Instead of arguing amongst ourselves, how about we go directly to NoName and ask her?

It’s hard to even find someone in Korea who can wield a sword.

Moreover, the Katsuhata School uses their own special sword techniques.

Thus, it was concluded that the best streamer knowledgeable about it is NoName, who trained alongside them.

[Did the announcement for NoName’s upcoming stream come out?]

(7pm Katsuhata Emika semifinals review stream.jpg)

It’s out, so let’s post it, haha!

[Comments]

– I created 50 accounts to artificially boost the upvotes—it’s worth it, haha.

└ Was that you!

└ The protagonist of ‘It’s not fabricated; I just clicked upvote 50 times’ is right here, haha!

└ Thank you. Thank you.

* * *

[NoName]

[Just Chatting – Review stream of the National Exchange Competition semifinals Match 61&62]

[Broadcast Time – 0:03:28]

[Viewership – 21,044]

“We’ve announced today’s broadcast time in advance, so I’ll skip the opening.”

– The honey badger finally got cut!

– It’s finally a normal broadcast…!

– Can we review the quarterfinals instead of the semifinals?

– NoName, which part of the 249 consecutive attacks do you think was a mistake?

– Can we see Katsuhata vs. Desanpaiyo once more, teacher?

Adella kicked them out saying she was going shopping and turned on the broadcast in the hotel.

The viewers didn’t seem particularly interested in the semifinals.

[‘AlarmBellUser’ donated 10,000 won!]

– Professor NoName, did you see the community talks from yesterday and today?

“I got a general idea of what’s been said.”

Adella, who was addicted to the community, couldn’t miss the late-night chatter.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding due to my strong nuances, but let’s put that aside for now… I’ll explain why I felt this way.”

This applies to people across the globe, friendly individuals are often matched by rude ones.

As I mentioned journalists I met in Japan, the chat exploded.

“What I wanted to say was that Emika performed far better in the first half than what the 249 consecutive attacks suggested, but since most people are unaware of it, I felt a little sad. Of course, she wasn’t without her mistakes. Let me explain it all step by step.”

Until she was hit by a decisive blow from Cecilia, Emika had chipped away at about 67% of the wall from a distance.

“The first half was flawless. While she did lose quite a bit of the wall, she gained more than that. The turning points that might have been hard to judge were around the 6th minute and the 13th minute. Let’s see… At 6 minutes and 13 seconds, Cecilia interrupted Adella’s magic. All the mana she diligently infused into the magic circle went to waste, but honestly, that was the right call here.”

Just because Cecilia was a magician didn’t mean she only attacked from a distance.

“She closed the distance unpredictably with the piercing hammer magic, and Emika cleverly evaded. What advantage does Emika gain here? She can seize the center of the arena, gain the initiative on magic, and if necessary, rush at Cecilia to provoke a close quarters encounter.”

Emika relentlessly pushes her opponent.

And 20 seconds later, Cecilia’s wall is down to 15%.

At this point, there’s no room for carelessness due to the extreme rise in reaction time.

Both had taken calculated risks, but Katsuhata won the small skirmish.

– Whoa, look at that design, whoa.

– She fought with all that in mind?

– The tournament looks genuinely ridiculous.

– They’re just monsters.

– The snowball from 20 seconds ago rolled like this, haha.

“The Academy’s competition isn’t inferior. The tournament relies heavily on instantaneous decision-making while the exchange competition fights within relatively structured patterns.”

It’s a matter of learning.

If you gather the winners of the Academy’s competition and train them for just a year, they could turn into such monsters.

However, in Korean society, such actions are considered useless, so no one steps up to do it.

If one isn’t careful, a full year could be wasted, making it hard for candidates to emerge in Korea, where falling behind is feared.

Ultimately, it’s a difference in cultural perspectives.

“This is interesting… Winning makes it enjoyable, right?”

I refocused my mind and concentrated on the broadcast.

“How is it? Fun to watch, right? This is why I enjoy battling. Now, let’s sort out the controversial 249 consecutive attacks. I also sat and thought for an hour today, and I’d summarize the clear mistakes to be 158, 208, 233, and 234, while the somewhat disappointing parts would be 41, 112-115, and 193.”

– ?????

– Wait, 113-115 isn’t a mistake, but rather a somewhat disappointing area?

– Added 112 to that.

– 233-234 are indeed mistakes. At that time, it seemed like Katsuhata’s concentration suddenly dropped.

– 158 was founded through reasoning in the weekly gallery after all.

– But why was 208 considered a mistake?

– What was the 41st? It seemed nearly perfect beforehand.

“Oooh…”

Various opinions flourished.

I kneeled on my chair to see the discussions in the chat more closely.

Unbeknownst to me, the broadcast screen was filled with my face as I rolled my eyes energetically.

– Soft cheekbones, oh my…!!!

– Randomly showing aegyo, haha.

– Suddenly being cute here… feels great.

– What is it? What’s going on?

Wait, these people.

They’re more interested in the duel than I expected?

Moreover, their background knowledge was impressive.

Fighting physically is good, but I also enjoyed discussing battles.

There’s no underestimation of it as mere brawling here.

“Today everyone’s attitude in listening to the class was excellent; I’ll award each of you a sticker of praise.”

I look forward to future broadcasts.