Chapter 71

The <Irimpic> was held with a total of 64 teams.

Of course, more people than this always applied to participate, but they couldn’t accept everyone. That’s why the <Irimpic> organizers set clear criteria to select the teams.

They sorted the teams by average viewer count and picked the top 64.

Even though <Irimpic> prides itself on fairness and skill, it’s still a broadcast. It’s entertainment.

They had no choice but to go in the direction the viewers liked the most.

Well, saying it like this might sound cold, but honestly, 64 teams was way too many.

Each team needed 6 members, so a total of 384 people were participating in the tournament, and these were all broadcasters.

Even if you picked the 384th place among all Korean broadcasters, the average viewer count would drop to the 400s. And yet, 384 broadcasters who were interested enough in <Eternal World> to participate in the tournament?

Double-digit viewer counts were falling like rain.

As long as your average viewer count wasn’t single digits, you were pretty much guaranteed to be in the top 64 teams.

It’s not for nothing that <Irimpic> prides itself on fairness and skill. For the underdogs, <Irimpic> was like a lifesaver in a drought.

Anyway.

The <Irimpic> tournament period was incredibly long at 2 weeks.

They had to go through the group stage, the 1st place decider, the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals, and it felt even longer.

That’s because the pre-tournament practice period wasn’t included in those 2 weeks.

I faced Chaenarin with my sword drawn.

Chaenarin’s character was ‘Cheonseoa,’ a typical melee DPS character.

Ranged DPS and melee DPS both had their own difficulties, but generally, melee DPS was considered harder.

It’s like the difference between dodging a bullet right in front of you versus one coming from far away. The former is obviously harder to avoid.

It might seem strange for an Iron-ranked player to be playing a melee DPS, but there was no other choice.

This was the best option for us.

I swung my flaming sword at Chaenarin.

In <Eternal World>, melee combat without infinite parrying leads to extreme evasion battles.

How well you use movement and defensive skills, how well you weave basic attacks and offensive skills, and how well you time your parries.

These three were the core of melee combat, and to excel at them, you needed fast reaction times.

Someone living in 0.1 seconds and someone living in 1 second would naturally see, feel, and react differently.

Frankly, if someone who waits until the last moment to use a defensive skill and someone who predicts and uses it had the same combat power, that would be even more absurd.

The flaming sword grazed Chaenarin’s shoulder. It was because she twisted her upper body at the perfect moment with a weaving motion.

Next, her staff pierced through the air like a counter. But I had already read the motion. I sidestepped to avoid the attack.

I moved to a position close to me but far from Chaenarin and swung my sword hard. Clang! The staff deflected the sword. A parry. Even though I had planted feints to cancel attacks, it was activated at the perfect timing.

This meant Chaenarin had reached the level of reacting by ‘seeing,’ not predicting.

Iron 2 vs. Challenger Rank 1.

Even Bbangbbang said, “I’ve never seen reaction speed like this, even on the world stage.” She’s not far behind Han Yoorim in Super Developer mode?

It was beyond absurd—it was physically impossible.

But that’s just for ordinary people.

If it’s a gem I, the Super Developer, discovered, of course, she should be able to do this much.

Parrying had high risks when failed, but the rewards were equally high when successful.

The moment you succeeded, you gained frame advantage for the next attack, so the person who got parried usually took a reorganization time. But—

I stepped forward.

The advantages of taking the initiative were too great to give up just because of a minor disadvantage. It was better to take the loss and play the mind game.

I swung my sword, aiming for Chaenarin’s right midsection.

This was a kind of light poke.

The Chaenarin from a moment ago would have dodged it lightly and countered. Naturally, I adjusted for that—

Swoosh.

I stopped my thoughts and looked at Chaenarin.

Contrary to expectations, Chaenarin stood awkwardly, having allowed the attack to hit.

I erased the [WIN] sign above my head and checked the time.

6 seconds, huh.

“You’ve improved.”

“…Thank you.”

Still, this was a good start.

There was still a long way to go, but if we gradually increased the duration like this, good results would follow.

“Pape, what are they doing?”

“Don’t ask me.”

I frowned at the intruder’s nonsense.

What do you think? Training, obviously.

Never seen someone train before?

“Let’s take a short break.”

“…Okay.”

I cleared the training ground in admin mode, and a sandy field took its place.

This was a VR map I had created earlier.

I had added various functions when making it, so you didn’t need to switch between programs—you could do all sorts of training just within the VR map.

“When did you make this? Give it to us too. It looks really useful.”

“I don’t mind, but I have one question.”

“What is it? Just say it.”

“Why is Bbangbbang here?”

<Irimpic> didn’t require coaches or managers.

Of course, many teams hired coaches for practice, but we had no such plans.

So originally, only me, Pape, Mos, Bunny Run, Chaenarin, and Choco Full Bread should have been in the VR room…

But at some point, Bbangbbang had naturally joined in.

What are you even doing here?

“You were the one who invited me.”

“Well, I did it because you asked, but when I think about it, I wonder why I even came.”

“It’s me, Rumen. Last year’s World Championship runner-up. I’ll help you.”

“But you’re not the champion. And if you get distracted during the season, won’t the fans scold you?”

Especially since starting today, with the broadcast on, it was clear that I’d be under even more scrutiny.

<Bbangbbang'sNoonaLikesYou donated 1000 won>

-It’s fine since it’s the summer season break.

A donation came in.

I know it’s the break, but still, hmm.

“I don’t care what happens to me.”

A pro proves themselves with results.

Bbangbbang is currently on a winning streak and leading the league, but if he slips and loses his rank or doesn’t win the championship? Then this <Yoorim Olympics> coaching participation would definitely come to light.

The excuse that it’s my break and I can spend it however I want didn’t work.

That’s just how the relationship between pros and fans is.

If you do well, you’re a lazy genius even without practice; if you don’t, no matter how hard you try, you’re just a dumb fool.

In other words, for Bbangbbang to avoid getting flamed, he had to win the championship, but whether he, born with a supporter’s DNA, could do that was questionable.

Hang in there, Bbangbbang.

I’ll always cheer for you.

“Why do I feel strangely annoyed? Does the VR room have that kind of feature too?”

“Chaenarin, let’s start practicing.”

I exchanged swords with Chaenarin again.

The training ended quickly.

“This time it’s 5 seconds. You’re back to normal.”

“…I’ll practice.”

“Yoorim Transformation doesn’t get mastered that way. You have to control your mind and draw the inner sword—.”

“Seriously, I’ve been curious since earlier, what are you two doing?”

Bbangbbang interrupted me with a voice full of questions.

Sigh. Typical of a supporter to be curious about everything.

“We’re practicing.”

“No, I know that, but what’s that?”

Bbangbbang rolled his eyes, searching for the right words, then opened his mouth.

“What’s Yoorim Transformation, and why is Chaenarin suddenly dying pathetically to a zoning skill after brawling with you…?”

“You don’t know that?”

“Don’t tell me I’m the only one who doesn’t know? Right?”

“Of course, only Bbangbbang doesn’t know. Everyone in the world knows.”

As soon as I finished speaking. Ding. A donation came in.

<ㅇㅇ donated 1000 won>

-We don’t know either, you crazy bastard ㅅㅂ

―――

Seriously, you just turned on the broadcast and explained that we need to find the Yoorim Transformation control method, how are we supposed to know?

What’s up with Chaenarin’s physical skills? When I first saw her, I thought, does an Iron rank even have that kind of physical ability?

―――

The viewers were in an uproar.

I guess my explanation was lacking.

I had no choice but to call an expert.

“Malangmabang, please.”

“Why me?”

“If I repeat the explanation, people will get bored.”

“Who?”

“The viewers.”

“The viewers…?”

Mos tilted his head and gave a friendly explanation to Bbangbbang and the viewers.

Bbangbbang looked at me, baffled.

“Your focus only lasts 5 seconds?”

“Exactly, it’s a hyper-focused state for 5 seconds.”

“How are you supposed to win games with someone like that?”

“If you extend the Yoorim Transformation duration, it’s possible.”

“That’s possible?”

“Of course.”

We also have a secret weapon (Concerta) prepared just in case.

There’s no worldline where we lose.

“Well, I don’t get it, but I kinda understand. You’ll handle it, right?”

“I’m actually doing well.”

“But what’s up with her?”

“Who? Full Bread?”

“Is she in special training? Like tying her hands and feet and controlling or something.”

“Currently, Full Bread’s hands and feet are free.”

“Don’t lie.”

Bbangbbang muttered in a shocked voice.

But no matter how much you scream, the world won’t change.

Only actions can change the world.

“Unfortunately, this is reality.”

“You’re going to win with this team?”

“Despite appearances, our team’s win probability is very high. It’s almost a scam-level composition—.”

“Ahh!”

Turning my head to the source of the sound, I saw Choco Full Bread had fallen.

Tripping while controlling the VR device was a rare sight.

Bbangbbang asked.

“Really, the win probability is high?”

“It just dropped by about 10%. But it’s okay. Even so, it’s still very—.”

“…Yoorim unnie, I just remembered I left water boiling in the pot.”

“Go turn it off quickly.”

I sternly sent Chaenarin to the kitchen.

Luckily, it was the latest heating device that stops automatically if it gets dangerous, so there was no fire.

Bbangbbang asked again.

“Really, the win probability is high?”

“If we work hard, we’ll manage somehow. So, Bbangbbang, fighting.”

“Huh? Why me?”

“You said you’d help.”

Come to think of it, I was in trouble because there was no one free to help Full Bread.

Since both their names have “bread” in them, if Bbangbbang steps up, it should work out.

Hang in there.