Chapter 19: Going Out④

“······You are truly amazing.”

“Amazing? Sephie, you did well too.”

Sephie lost to me by 9 points. She was biting her lip as if frustrated, but when our eyes met, she complimented me.

I thought I’d look childish if I made a fuss, so I responded with a faint smile.

Sephie blushed, then started staring at this side.

No. To be precise.

“······Excuse me.”

It was behind me.

At the voice heard from a close distance, I turned my head, and there was a man holding a cell phone in his left hand and touching his neck with his right hand as if embarrassed.

When I looked at him, I momentarily furrowed my brow. But it was very brief, so the man didn’t seem to notice.

I thought for a moment.

‘······I did relax my guard. Even though a person with mana, albeit weak, was in the same place.’

It was because I felt mana from the man’s body. It wasn’t at the level of Shin Hakcheol and Baek Ji-a, the two people I met at the gate for the first time.

For now, I didn’t know if he was trying to hide it, or if the amount was small, but it was very faint.

It felt like a thin thread.

Because even such a thread would be annoying if it kept shaking next to my face.

However, it was also a sensitive issue for me.

To notice the existence only after he came close, and after our eyes met.

I didn’t feel any hostility, so I didn’t inquire separately. There was something I had to deal with first.

‘Me?’

The man was calling me.

His gaze was also piercing my face, and when our eyes met, the man shut his mouth.

“What is it?”

I let the question flow out as sound.

Was it my stiff tone that was the problem?

The man widened his eyes and let out a fake cough.

“Um, ahem. Excuse me······.”

“If it’s a number, I refuse.”

I immediately cut him off and turned my head.

I reacted reflexively because I had been experiencing it constantly until just before I arrived at the arcade. I was going to think about what to do next, but Sephie was still looking behind me.

With narrowed eyes.

As if glaring.

Was there a reason for that?

“Ah! Wait, it’s not like that!”

The man’s voice grabbed me.

As if drawn to it, I turned my head, and I saw the man with his arms outstretched towards me.

Our eyes met again.

Perhaps because of that, he became awkward.

The man was making a bewildered sound like ‘Uh······’.

“Haa······ What is it?”

“No, it’s really not anything weird! If you don’t mind, may I challenge you?”

“Chal······lenge?”

As I slowly received the words, the man nodded vigorously as if to confirm that I heard correctly.

Behind me, Sephie’s sigh stretched out like a long tail.

The white-haired woman.

The woman who recorded the highest score in the basketball game by a huge margin.

“So, you want to fight me?”

Yujin said so.

It was the answer after hearing the reason why Holkop spoke and the explanation that followed.

“No, if you say it like that······.”

Holkop forced a smile as he listened to her words. If you didn’t know the context, it might seem like he was suddenly challenging a woman to a fight.

In fact, even though only Yujin’s face wasn’t shown, her voice was being transmitted in real time.

-Crazy bstard ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
-Challenging a woman to a fight ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
-Me.
-This son of a btch is really trying to eat the mission for free? Do you have no pride?
-Me.
-Down.
-Ah, let us see too ㅡㅡ.

Holkop picked up his phone, briefly checked the chat, and tried to smooth out his hardening expression as much as possible, then asked Yujin.

“So, if it’s not a discourtesy······.”

I would appreciate it if you would accept the challenge.

Holkop swallowed the last words.

Honestly, he himself couldn’t understand what he had done, or why he had done it.

‘Let’s just go for it······.’

If I were to find a reason for challenging Yujin, first of all, her appearance would have played a part.

Her alluring appearance, which seemed to attract people’s attention, would surely elicit an explosive reaction from the viewers.

Next was her astonishing physical ability.

The basketball game seems simple at first glance.

But fast, and accurately.

Repeating it continuously.

If you don’t concentrate every time you throw, it’s obviously difficult to get a high score.

But Yujin?

The score that came out after finishing the existing quarter as well as the bonus quarter was an overwhelming score of 1857, and even though it was clear that she had just finished the game, she showed no signs of being tired.

Holkop thought.

‘······Is she an awakened being?’

Even if he didn’t enter the gate and chose the job of a streamer. Even though he might look like an ordinary person, Holkop is an awakened being.

In addition, he learned to exercise separately, and the main content he does is also virtual reality games based on physical abilities.

In fact, the content he was conducting in the arcade was also a virtual reality fighting game.

When it comes to physical aspects, he far surpasses ordinary people. Because of that.

‘Considering her height, she doesn’t seem to be an athlete, but did she learn to exercise?’

Such a question was natural.

Holkop felt that perhaps the challenge that started from intuition might flow in a different direction than expected.

Of course, that could only happen if the other party accepted the challenge.

‘······Please.’

Holkop, who was already on his knees in his heart, kept praying when Yujin’s mouth opened.

“If it’s a broadcast, will my appearance be shown as it is?”

“Ah, ah! No!”

Holkop shook his head at Yujin’s question. Accepting that she felt uncomfortable showing her appearance on the broadcast.

Fortunately, because it was a game that took place inside the capsule, the functions of the capsule could be used. Changing the appearance was a trivial matter.

‘Of course, if it goes out as it is, the reaction will be huge.’

Still, he couldn’t be rude. Holkop hid his disappointment with a smile and answered Yujin’s concerns.

“I’ll try, but I’ve never done it before······.”

“Yes? Then, have you never used a capsule before?”

“It’s not that.”

Yujin shook her head.

As if relieved, Holkop let out a sigh of relief.

“You can think of it as actually fighting. Of course, there is a system correction, so even if you get hit, you won’t feel pain or anything.”

“······I understand.”

Yujin nodded.

It was a movement that came from an attitude that seemed a little uncomfortable.

Wondering if she was worried, Holkop thought so for a moment, but changed his mind after seeing Yujin’s expression.

‘What is that expression······?’

Holkop felt puzzled.

It was because of Yujin’s expression. It seemed like she was thinking about something, but it didn’t look like anxiety.

‘······Anyway, let’s proceed immediately.’

The application was completed smoothly.

Now all that was left was to put it into action. Holkop briefly checked the chat.

-Ah, it’s dragging on so fcking long;
-Aren’t you trying to fake it now?
-But did you really challenge a woman ㅋㅋㅋㅋ?
-The woman’s tone is a bit unique?
-For real, she sounds a bit like a soldier ㅋㅋ She seems so fcking strong.

Most of the viewers were patient and wrote clean chats, but some viewers were very frustrated that the progress was interrupted, so they were expressing their anger.

“Ahem, ahem, I apologize for the slight delay due to the explanation. First of all, she said she would accept the challenge.”

-Is she an ordinary person?
-Is she a woman?
-Is she a viewer?

Questions poured out.

Holkop, who was a seasoned streamer, answered calmly without being flustered.

“She’s a woman. I’m not sure if she’s an ordinary person······. Her basketball game score was 1857 points. A viewer? Ah, do you know me by any chance?”

“Didn’t you say Holkop.”

“Uh······ That’s not what I meant, have you ever watched my stream before?”

“I’ve never heard of the name.”

“Ah, yes······.”

A short exchange followed.

Holkop scratched the back of his head as if embarrassed.

-He was a super nobody~ ㅋㅋㅋ.
-Do you know me?(Expectation)
-Have you ever watched my stream?(2nd Expectation)
-I’m so embarrassed for you ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
-Is the woman pretty?
-Show us too, you b*tch.

“Ah, honestly, it’s embarrassing to say it right in front of her······.”

Holkop glanced at Yujin, then brought his mouth to the microphone of the recording equipment and whispered.

“I’m not kidding, she’s much prettier than celebrities, no. She’s much prettier than celebrities. And she said she refused to be filmed, so we’ll proceed with her appearance changed in the capsule as well.”

At those words, most of the viewers reacted as if Holkop was exaggerating or making a fuss.

To that, Holkop retorted.

“It’s so sad that you guys who are stuck at home and don’t even go outside will never know, she’s so pretty······ Ah, ah! Sorry! I’m sorry!”

At Holkop’s rebuttal, the viewers’ anger exploded.

-You son of a btch.
-You’re fcking dead, you bstard.
-If I ever awaken, I’ll go straight to you, be prepared.
-The kids are so fcking angry ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
-Don’t be fooled by those words and go outside, you’ll regret it.
-Home is the safest, ah ㅋㅋ.

Holkop chatted with the viewers slyly, gave a warning to the manager, and took Yujin to the place where the capsules were.

While asking the viewers not to film her carelessly.

Yujin looked at Holkop, who was looking at his phone, once, and then at the manager, who was only filming Holkop.

Yujin, who looked at the two alternately, asked Holkop.

“Is it fun?”

“Yes?”

“Talking to people you don’t know the face or name of.”

It was purely curiosity.

Because she was from Earth, it wasn’t that she didn’t understand those who made a living as streamers.

However······.

Yujin couldn’t figure out the name of the ambiguous emotion that she couldn’t easily explain. The reason was the same.

While Yujin was struggling with a short worry, Holkop’s words awakened her mind.

“Hmm, rather than fun······ wouldn’t it be because it’s enjoyable? Honestly, when I started broadcasting, it was more because I wanted to be with many people than for money.”

“Enjoy, able······ huh.”

At Holkop’s words, Yujin thinks about something carefully. Holkop, who felt a little puzzled by her attitude, picked up his phone, looked at the chat, and smiled contentedly.

-Oh…
-I’m touched…
-I didn’t think you wouldn’t think of us as money…
-This b*stard is trying to force tears again;
-So when will it start? 111t.

“What forced tears······ Well, then, since there’s no one else using it first, let’s get started!”

Before they knew it, the two had arrived at the capsule corner where they could enjoy virtual reality games.

There was a machine for inserting cash in the center, and the capsules were lying on both sides of it, becoming one.

On the ceiling, monitors installed in all directions to transmit the game being played in the capsule were constantly playing the actual gameplay video.

The flashy movements that attract attention and the cheerful hitting sounds that ring in the ears naturally draw attention.

Fists and fists collide, a duel where each other’s all-out efforts are shared.

Yujin stared at it as if possessed, then turned her head at Holkop’s voice calling her. Holkop was inserting cash into the machine in the center.

“Since I’m the one conducting the content, I’ll pay the cost. Then, please go into the one you want.”

Yujin, who received the invitation, looked around for a moment. When she came to her senses, people had gathered around her.

Sephie was among them.

She was mixed in with the crowd, looking at Yujin with a slightly anxious look.

Then our eyes met.

Yujin, who was staring blankly at Sephie, chuckled― as if to tell her not to worry.

Seeing the prelude to Sephie’s hardened expression relaxing, Yujin lay down in the capsule, which had already been revealed inside.

‘It’s embarrassing, but.’

Yujin thought for a moment. Holkop, who was entering the opposite capsule, was reflected on one side of her vision.

‘I’ll accept the challenge.’

After that, the ceiling of the capsule slowly closes. Yujin slowly closed her eyes.

Still, with a faint smile on her lips.

Eventually―.

[Ah, ah. Can you hear me?]

Holkop’s voice was heard in my ear.

I came to my senses and opened my eyes.

Then, before I knew it, I was standing on the ring, looking at the countless people who were cheering.

[Awakened Being Gallery]

―――

[Title : I’m watching Holkop’s “Beat the Streamer” live(★)]

I’m watching Holkop’s “Beat the Streamer” live with the arcade capsule fighting game.

There was no one to challenge, so Holkop decided to challenge ordinary people himself with a penalty.

(Photo)

This person has now been challenged by Holkop, you know?

If you try to guess why, first of all, as shown in the picture, she’s so f*cking pretty, and I think it’s because she’s also physically fit.

She got 1857 points in the arcade basketball game ㅋㅋ.

But the important thing is not that.

Isn’t the woman in the picture familiar?

I definitely saw her, and I was thinking about who it was, and it was this.

(Video)
(Photo)

She was the protagonist of the topic that has been burning the Eftarel Gallery for a while ㅋㅋㅋ.

Now both Holkop and Hero have entered the capsule, and I’m so f*cking nervous ㅋㅋㅋ.

Even if Holkop is a C-rank awakened being, he can’t beat ‘Hero’, right? Maybe in a fighting game?

[Comments]

-What’s a hero, you otaku;
ㄴ She’s the user who cleared Eftarel Mobidik on Lunatic for the first time in the world.
ㄴ She cleared that ㅋㅋㅋ? Bullsh*t no.

-Basketball game 1857 points, my *ss; Don’t exaggerate~
ㄴ Are you salty?

-You’re right, she’s the same person as in the video.
ㄴ So that wasn’t her character customization?
ㄴ She’s so f*cking pretty even in the picture; But can you take pictures like that?

-The shortest collaboration ㄷㄷㄷ.

-No, why wasn’t this btch streaming, and she was doing that there;
ㄴ Would Hero be the same as ‘us’? Of course she’d be popular…
ㄴ Is this bstard crying ㅋㅋㅋ?
ㄴ I’m crying too… F*ck, it’s so sad…

-I heard our gallery owner appeared here, so I rushed over.
ㄴ Call her Hero, how dare you;

-I saw the Mobidik clear video, and she’s like an S-rank awakened being ㅋㅋㅋ?
ㄴ How can Holkop beat our Hero?
ㄴ Our?
ㄴ Our, my ss; You otaku bstard are so f*cking disgusting ㅋㅋ.

-Go and tell her to turn on the f*cking stream.
ㄴ While you’re at it, tell her to open donations and look at the chat.

-Suddenly a fighting game? But if it’s an arcade fighting game, isn’t it balanced?
ㄴ It’s balanced, yes ㅇㅇ Even if you hit, the damage goes in depending on the judgment, but when I see her clearing Mobidik, I wonder if that has any meaning ㅋㅋㅋ.