Chapter 29: The Eye of the Typhoon

Half-Cam.

A stream where the webcam is on, but the streamer’s face is not visible.

Originally, face cams were synonymous with showing one’s entire face.

However, as countless types of streams emerged, this style of streaming developed.

In the early days, these half-body-only broadcasts were mocked, often compared to the headless knight Dullahan.

Similarly, streams without webcams were ridiculed as being for “otaku” or “nerds.”

Thankfully, those perceptions have faded over time.

In my case, the main reason I never used a webcam was due to those lingering stereotypes.

If showing my face were a requirement to stream, I wouldn’t have started at all.

The thought of revealing my identity via webcam feels daunting, especially with a face like mine.

Still, it’s just a half-cam. That’s not revealing too much. If it’s a requirement for participation, then fine. I’ll be a *Dullahan* for this.

As I prepared myself mentally, the chat, predictably, exploded.

[Half-cam, let’s gooo~!]

[Bring it on~ Half-cam hype~!]

[Mollu’s upper body reveal? I can’t miss this!]

[Finally, you’re showing more than your hands, lol.]

[Time to prove how big your heart is, haha.]

[Why is this drawing so much attention?]

“Calm down, everyone,” I muttered, annoyed.

Why is everyone so hyped over my upper body? Their reactions gave me a weird sense of unease.

Feeling deflated, I leaned back in my chair, spinning it aimlessly.

Ah, maybe I should just quit this whole thing.

Apathy washed over me, leaving me motionless at my desk.

<Sua donated 100,000 KRW!>

[Teacher, are you okay?]

Sua’s generous donation and careful words broke my trance.

She seemed genuinely worried that I might back out of the tournament.

Does this person live in my stream or something?

“Aren’t you streaming today?”

<Sua donated 1,000 KRW!>

[I’ll stream later.]

4 PM. That seemed later than her usual start time.

Whatever, it’s none of my business. She’s probably just waiting to hear my decision.

“Don’t worry, I’m joining.”

[Really?]

Amid the chaotic chat, her relief was apparent through her adorable emotes.

Fine. What’s the big deal about a half-cam anyway?

It’s not like I’ll lose anything by showing my upper body.

Besides, there might come a day when I can’t avoid revealing my face on stream.

…Wait, no. That’s going too far.

Shaking my head to dispel the thought, I returned to focus.

“Good evening, viewers! Welcome to a new era in gaming history. Hosted by Watch Corporation, the timelessly popular game *Agents of War* brings you the 2030 1st Annual *AoW Streamer Championship*! We’ll begin with an overview of the rules and introductions of the participants. I’m your host, caster Bang Hyung-jae.”

The screen transitioned to three men sitting behind a desk.

The man seated in the center spoke with a commanding tone to grab everyone’s attention.

“Next to me is a figure often called the only *Agents of War* analyst on Switch: streamer Maple! And we also have commentator Kang Seong-hoon, who will provide insights on the overall flow of the tournament.”

“Hello, I’m streamer Maple.”

“And I’m Kang Seong-hoon.”

“Wow, I never imagined such a large-scale tournament would take place! With a total of 24 participants, we’ll get to see a wide variety of streamers!”

“That’s right. The tournament consists of 4 teams, each made up of six members, including a coach. The team leaders, or coaches, will draft their players through an auction system.”

“Ah, yes, that was in the teaser, right?”

“Exactly. The coaches will use allotted points to bid for players, a format that hasn’t been used in tournaments before. What do you think of this, Mr. Kang?”

“Considering this is a festival-like event for streamers, it definitely has a strong element of fun. But those who let their guard down might pay a steep price.”

“Indeed. The auction is a battle of wits with no set order or breaks!”

“It’ll be crucial to recruit the players they want with minimal points.”

“Each of the four coaches has their own unique style, so we’re expecting some entertaining dynamics during the auction process.”

“Alright, I think that’s enough explanation for now!”

“For detailed rules, viewers can check the Switch homepage.”

“Are the coaches ready?”

“Yes, it seems everyone is prepared.”

“Then let’s move on to the highly anticipated player introductions and auction!”

The host, Bang Hyung-jae, reached into a box filled with slips of paper bearing the players’ names.

After closing his eyes tightly, he drew a name and unfolded the paper toward the camera for everyone to see.

“Our first player is… oh~~~!”

“Player ‘DeadSong’ steps up as our first pick!”

“Ranked Gold, their main agents are the Iron Man, Barbarian, and Mechanized Soldier.”

“From their agent lineup, you can already tell they’re a solid player. They appear to be a dependable tank user.”

“We’ve prepared a gameplay highlight video for DeadSong, allowing them to showcase their skills to the coaches.”

“Wow, you can see how comfortable their backline agents look in that video. Their steadfast frontline defense really stood out.”

“And their personality seems gentle. As a tank user, who relies heavily on teamwork, they seem unlikely to have trouble syncing with teammates.”

“Let’s begin the auction. Coaches interested in bidding should announce their name and the number of points they’re offering.”

“Coach Panoro starts with 50 points. If there are no further bids after three calls, DeadSong will be recruited for 50 points.”

“Oh, Coach KimGun raises the bid to 60 points!”

“It seems they’re unwilling to let such a player go for such a low price.”

“And suddenly the tempo picks up! Coach Panoro declares 100 points!”

“A tense silence falls over the room.”

“This kind of atmosphere is what makes it exciting!”

“With the large prize pool at stake, everyone is cautious with their bids.”

“Coach KimGun successfully recruits DeadSong for 200 points!”

“Next up is—oh, this player is famous! Player ‘Oh Dae-sik’!”

“Anyone who knows Switch at all would recognize this name.”

“There’s been a lot of buzz about them lately, with rumors that they’re performing better than ever. They’re ranked Master, and their main agent? All of them.”

“That’s their charm and identity. They’ve shown they can handle all agents with skill.”

“A player who can fit into any position is highly sought after in tournaments. Teams facing Oh Dae-sik will have their work cut out for them.”

“Let the auction begin! Oh, they’re starting strong at 200 points!”

“It shows just how much they want this player. Now the bid jumps to 300 points!”

“Player Oh Dae-sik is sold for a total of 400 points!”

“Wow, we’re already halfway through. Here comes the 11th player. One of the few high-tier female players among the *Agents of War* streamers.”

“Yes, it’s ‘Sua.’ The chat has gone wild as soon as she was announced.”

“She’s a very popular player. Interestingly, her rank rose significantly just a few weeks before the tournament.”

“Currently ranked Master, she’s among the top players in this competition.”

“Her main agents are Swordsman, Assassin, and Mage. She prefers highly skill-intensive damage-dealing roles.”

“That speaks volumes about her physical prowess. She’s known for her bold, solo-queue-oriented playstyle, which can either be a great asset or a liability depending on the coach’s guidance.”

“The auction begins! Oh, Coach KimGun wastes no time and bids all 600 of his remaining points right from the start!”

“Coach KimGun’s team currently lacks a damage dealer. It’s clear he’s determined to recruit Sua no matter what, even if it means filling the remaining spots with leftover players.”

“It seems the other coaches find it hard to match that bid. Sua, Sua, Sua! No additional bids are coming in. Coach KimGun’s bold strategy has paid off.”

“I’m curious to see who will take the last remaining spot on his team.”

“Is this the 18th player? We’re nearing the end of the auction.”

“We’ve come a long way already.”

“Oh, this player… They’ve been a hot topic on Switch recently. Many viewers have questioned their rank.”

“However, Watch Studio reviewed their account and confirmed there were no irregularities.”

“From what you’re saying, I think I know who this is. A player skilled enough to spark doubts about their rank.”

“That’s right. The player who caused a boom in Sniper and Swordsman picks on Switch—‘Molu’ is our final player!”

“The chat is in an uproar. Like Sua, Molu is another one of the rare high-tier female players in *Agents of War.*”

“But the reactions this time are different. Molu seems to have a particularly intense fanbase.”

“As this is an official broadcast, please understand that overly aggressive comments in the chat may result in temporary bans.”

“There’s been talk that many coaches had their eyes on Molu even before the tournament.”

“She’s certainly a coveted player. However, her late appearance seems to have thrown off some coaches’ plans.”

“It almost looks like they’re glaring at host Bang Hyung-jae in frustration.”

“I just randomly picked the names from the box, I swear!”

“Well, it’s fine! Even if the auction fails, there are always leftover players to form a team. Somehow, the teams will come together.”

“Whether such teams can actually gel, though, is up to the coaches’ abilities!”

“Brutal. This is a ruthless competition.”

“Let’s proceed with Molu’s auction. The remaining coaches seem low on funds. Oh, but look at this—500 points! A big opening bid!”

“It seems there’s no time for hesitation anymore. Molu is seen as a key player. The determination of the coaches is evident.”

“But the coach with the largest remaining points, Jackie, swoops in with a bid of 650 points, ending the auction.”

“That’s the highest bid for any player so far.”

“It’ll be exciting to see if Molu lives up to that valuation with her performance.”

What is this?

What’s even happening here?

I watched the team selection broadcast with noodles spilling out of my mouth.