Chapter 18: Going Out③

[Awakened Being Gallery]

―――

[Title : Punching Machine Legend;(★)]

It’s an arcade in Seoul.

There was a punching machine at the entrance, so I was hitting it moderately, and suddenly a woman came?

She was a bit tall, and she was covering her body with clothes, so I don’t know for sure, but she looked like she didn’t have any strength?

But lol

Look at this sh*t ㅋㅋㅋ

(Photo)

See it?

The woman put in money, got into position, and threw a punch.

I really thought my ears would burst ㅋㅋㅋ

I heard something explode in front, and there was a hole in the punching machine ball ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

The woman just calmly pulled out her fist and went inside the arcade, and I almost collapsed;

[Comments]

-Wow, f*ck; That’s so brutal;

-Who did that ㅋㅋㅋ It’s creepy ㅋㅋ

-It’s obviously fake, right ㅋ?
ㄴ Can’t you see the V sign made with hands in the picture ㅋㅋㅋ?

-Isn’t that the place where Holkop is doing “Beat the Streamer”?
ㄴ ?
ㄴ You’re right? The arcade name is slightly shown in the picture.
ㄴ Who the f*ck is Holkop;
ㄴ There’s an unaffiliated C-rank awakened being, and you, who are in the awakened being gallery, don’t know that?

―――

“There are a lot of people.”

“Indeed.”

Sephie looked around and spoke to me. I nodded with my hands tucked deep into my coat pockets.

Some of the people inside the arcade turned their gazes toward us. I was standing still and looking around, but their gazes didn’t seem to want to leave, so I met their eyes.

Then, the people who met my eyes widened their eyes and, startled, turned their heads away. I smiled faintly at them and walked inward.

It was quite crowded.

Was it because it was Seoul, or was there another reason? But there was no need to dwell on trivial reasons, so I erased them from my mind.

“What would you like to try first?”

“Sephie? Is there anything you want to try?”

“I am satisfied just by watching Yujin-nim.”

“Aren’t you being too stiff?”

I pouted slightly as if complaining, and Sephie waved her hands in embarrassment. Sephie’s exaggerated behavior was cute, so I chuckled and moved forward.

There were many things that caught my eye.

The machine where you move your legs diligently to match the beat of the song that flows out was the first thing that caught my eye.

Behind it were the classic, but essential, machines in an arcade. Machines operated by pressing buttons were lined up one after another.

There were people constantly hitting drums with two sticks, and there were also people wearing something over their eyes and holding guns. Suddenly, some people were startled.

“Hmm.”

A murmur escaped my lips.

Seeing those things, I mostly felt nostalgic, not interested or curious. Rather, the desire to play Eftarel came up more.

‘······It would be a big problem if I got addicted to that too.’

The Goddess directly told me to restrain myself, and I might make a fool of myself if I get too immersed.

No matter how real it felt, it was definitely a game. When I thought about the actions I took while playing Eftarel, I honestly felt a little pathetic.

‘Still, it’s refreshing.’

It was like I had released the lump that had accumulated inside. That alone was very effective.

Maintaining a faint smile on my lips, I moved and stopped at one corner.

It was a game where basketballs roll out when you put money in, and you put those balls into the basket. I looked at it for a moment and suggested it to Sephie.

“Do you want to try this? One person on each side, can we do it together?”

“Hmm, do I just put the balls over there into the one above?”

“That’s right. How about we compete to see who’s better?”

Sephie looked back at me. She stared at me for a while, then chuckled and nodded.

“Alright. Is there anything for the winner?”

And then, as if a little embarrassed, she hesitantly asked. Sephie’s appearance made me think for a moment.

‘······Hmm.’

Nothing I could do for her came to mind. I stopped thinking and asked Sephie directly.

“Is there anything you want?”

“Th, that······.”

At my question, Sephie kept hesitating, stalling for time. As I was tilting my head slightly at her appearance, Sephie answered in a voice as small as an ant.

“I, I’ll tell you if I win.”

It was a voice that seemed to have put in strength.

I could feel the unmistakable trembling, but I nodded, thinking that would be fine too.

I received money from Sephie, and we put it into the machine at the same time. Then, the red light on the electronic display flashed, the count decreased, and the game started.

Thump, roll―.

The compartment opens and the balls roll out.

The time was 1 minute.

The balls had already rolled down to a position where I could reach them with my hands, and Sephie and I, without even giving each other a signal. We grabbed the balls at the same time.

And.

Thunk―!

The first one to go in was mine.

I heard the sound of the ball bouncing off the hoop on Sephie’s side. Even though she heard the explanation, maybe it was because she wasn’t used to it.

Well, Sephie wasn’t an angel who was good at using her body. Thinking that it was understandable, but without turning my gaze, I teased.

“Oh, have I been overestimating Sephie all this time?”

“······It’s, it’s because it’s my first time.”

I heard Sephie’s voice, which seemed to be gritting her teeth. That was the appearance of Sephie I knew.

Reacting excessively to even a slight touch, that was no different from a competitive spirit. After that, the two of us focused on putting in the balls without saying anything.

It was easy.

The trajectory of the throw was visible to my eyes, as if it were drawn in the world. All I had to do was give the appropriate force and.

Not throwing, but putting.

There was no need to be particularly nervous. I took it with a relaxed attitude.

2 points per basket.

Five balls to throw. I grabbed one ball each with my left and right hands and threw them in sequence.

The distance to the basket was a bit far.

Therefore, when I threw two at a time, there was a very short gap until the next ball came.

In the meantime, when I looked to the side, Sephie was also looking at this side, waiting for the ball to roll, as if she had already adapted.

When I reacted with a slight surprise, Sephie smiled as if it were ridiculous.

‘······Heh.’

I smiled back and focused on the front.

Thump, and.

The sound of the ball going into the basket is repeated over and over.

When the time on the electronic display began to exceed 10 seconds, my score was exceeding 50 points.

“Ah, are there no more challengers? Why are the guys who always gave advice in the chat nowhere to be seen? Pfft!”

Saying that, a man burst into exaggerated laughter as if showing off, looking at the recording equipment that was filming him.

His name is Holkop.

It’s the nickname he uses as a streamer on Ratube.

His job is to live stream on Ratube, and like other streamers, he mainly enjoys virtual reality games as content.

The unusual thing is that he’s an unaffiliated C-rank awakened being, not belonging to a guild or the association.

Not all awakened beings enter gates and fight risking their lives. Rather, there were more awakened beings who were streamers, like Holkop, using their status as awakened beings.

It wasn’t just streamers.

Entertainer.

Idol.

From actors to athletes, there are awakened beings in various other professions.

Rather, there are people who are active as awakened beings and are also active in other fields.

As for streamers, Holkop was just a representative example. He was a streamer who was often mentioned in the Awakened Being Gallery and other large galleries.

The reason why such a person is in an arcade is.

It was to relieve the stress accumulated while streaming and to conduct content.

To legally beat up the viewers who always give advice through chat and donations. He was streaming in an arcade in Seoul.

Virtual reality capsules in the arcade.

The genre of the prepared game was fighting. Of course, it was a game based on virtual reality, so it was a game that sufficiently excluded the risk of accidents, so he chose it as content.

Holkop picked up his phone and scanned the chat of the live stream.

-Holkop, this b*stard, is really annoying after winning streaks ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
-You must be happy to beat up ordinary people as an awakened being ^^.
-I’ll let it slide this time…
-Ah ㅋㅋ He can’t control his strength when he goes outside ㅋㅋㅋ.
-For real ㅋㅋ.

“Control my *ss, you guys who seem like you could slap an awakened being in chat!”

-Oh, I’ve never done that.
-It is said that the counter to the physical type is the mental type.
-I, who only moves my fingers in the corner of the room… can make someone angry…
-ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ.

“Crazy b*stards······.”

It was a chat room full of chaos, making people dizzy. Holkop grabbed his head as if he had a headache and shook his head.

“So, the next challenger?”

After that, a declaration of war came out of Holkop’s mouth. The people gathered around him, who came to the arcade to participate in Holkop’s content, looked at each other.

Why?

-Who will challenge you when you beat everyone?
-This guy said he learned to exercise, and it was true ㄷㄷ.
-Is it 14 consecutive wins now?
-Yeah~ No one will challenge, so you’ll fail the mission~
-ㅋㅋㅋ Forced mission failure ㅋㅋ.

“Ah! I just need to win one more!”

A sigh came out of Holkop’s mouth.

The reason was because of the mission.

If he wins against the challengers and achieves a total of 15 victories.

[Mission : 15 Consecutive Wins]
[Amount : 1 million won]

He could get all the donation money accumulated as the achievement money for the mission.

A simple and clear mission, with a not so simple amount. The reason why donations from viewers weren’t pouring in was also because most of the donations were concentrated on the mission amount.

It was a mission with a large amount of money that came after a long time, so Holkop was determined to do it no matter what, but.

“I just need to win one more!”

Now he was on a 14-win streak.

Now that he was one step away from succeeding in the mission, there were no challengers.

Because he set a condition that those who had already lost could not challenge again while the mission was in progress.

Holkop swallowed his tears, remembering his mistake of joking that he would give a handicap, and his winning streak was broken once in the middle.

‘If it weren’t for that, it would have been over already!’

Although it was outdoor content and people actually gathered, most of them were spectators except for the active ones.

Because of that, he had to accept challenges, but there were no challengers, a ridiculous situation.

“Ah, everyone. How about doing it like this?”

-Suddenly?
-I’ll listen for now.
-I’ll just listen ㅋㅋ.
-Wow… Are you going to betray us like this?
-I didn’t expect that, I’m disappointed ㄷㄷ.

“I haven’t said anything yet!”

The chat room was filled with laughter at Holkop’s shout. The people gathered around were the same. Holkop, realizing that the atmosphere had improved considerably, continued.

“There doesn’t seem to be anyone else to challenge, so I’ll challenge myself. Of course, the target is the ordinary people in this arcade!”

-Beat the streamer (the streamer challenges)
-This bstard is trying to eat for free?
-Where is there a bstard who can beat a C-rank awakened being ㅋㅋㅋ.
-It’s a virtual reality fighting game, so you’re at a huge advantage;
-Who would do that ㅋㅋㅋ?
-So you’re going to beat up ordinary people yourself…

“What bullsh*t! It’s not like that!”

Laughter burst out once again at Holkop’s shout, full of injustice. At the same time, Holkop looked around the inside of the arcade.

He made a suggestion, but of course, Holkop is well aware that he has the advantage.

It was difficult for him, a C-rank awakened being who had also learned to exercise, to lose to other ordinary people.

Because of that.

In a game where you have to win three times to win completely, he started by giving up 2 wins first, and only after setting various disadvantageous conditions, could he get the approval of the viewers.

The viewers also thought that it would be better to see the end, rather than ending it vaguely like this.

“So, who would be good?”

Holkop looked at the chat on his phone and signaled his manager with a look. Then, the recording equipment started to focus on where Holkop was heading.

‘If possible, I hope it’s someone who stands out.’

Anyone living in this day and age, and anyone who comes to an arcade, would mostly be aware of the existence of virtual reality capsules.

Therefore, Holkop thought that it would not be difficult to find someone to challenge.

They would be a little surprised, and if they refused, he could find someone else.

‘There were a lot of people watching, and I was looking for someone from there······ Huh?’

At that time, while looking around to find the person who would tie the last button of the mission, someone came into Holkop’s eyes.

She fluttered her white hair, and the way she threw the basketball she held in her hand was very beautiful. Just by existing, it was as if the world was separated.

‘That, person.’

The moment he saw her, he had no choice but to decide. The intuition accumulated through long-time streaming was whispering to Holkop.

Suggesting a fighting game to a woman.

The viewers were sure to say all sorts of things, but Holkop approached the woman throwing the basketball, as if being led by something.

Surprisingly, a considerable number of people had gathered around the woman. Holkop had been so focused on the woman that he belatedly realized that fact.

And also why people were constantly staring at that woman.

Holkop stared blankly at the woman, like other people, and then suddenly picked up his phone and checked the chat of the streaming.

There.

-What is that?
-It’s so f*cking fast ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
-The speed of the ball is crazy ㅋㅋㅋ.
-Who is throwing? It’s all going in ㅋㅋ.
-Look at the sound; Isn’t that a pro at this level?

Holkop turned his head.

And after regaining his senses, he hurriedly covered the screen he was filming with his palm.

At that, the chat was filled with question marks, and Holkop nodded once to the manager.

Because they had worked together for quite a long time, the manager immediately understood what it meant, and lowered the recording equipment so that the woman’s appearance would not be captured on the screen.

It was because a problem could arise if he filmed her without permission. Holkop took a small sigh and looked at the woman with a lot of tension.

Balls on both hands.

And when her arm moves, the ball flies, and goes straight into the basket.

Continuously, endlessly repeating.

Holkop was thinking of approaching and talking to her when the basketball game was over, so he brought his mouth to the recording equipment and whispered.

“I found someone to challenge now, but they’re playing a game? I’ll try talking to them when it’s over.”

With that said, Holkop waited for the game to end, calming his slightly pounding heart as much as possible.

Eventually.

When all the bonus quarters of the basketball game were over, and the number 1857 was recorded on the electronic display.

“I won?”

“Tsk······.”

The white-haired woman spoke to another woman who was also playing a basketball game next to her.

Only then did Holkop realize that there was another woman. She also had an amazing appearance, and at the same time, her score was incredibly high.

However, it was lower than the woman who spoke first, and Holkop realized that the match between the two was over.

After taking a deep breath, Holkop signaled to the manager, and then carefully approached the women.