Chapter 3: The Thrill of Victory and the Price of Fame

“Um… can someone explain why a grappling hook is attached?”

Is the program setup wrong?

There doesn’t seem to be any issue.

I immediately grabbed my phone and checked the stream in a logged-out state.

The screen was broadcasting fine, and the game sound was coming through perfectly.

Did I accidentally start a regular game?

No, it’s definitely a ranked game.

What on earth is the problem?

Having no other choice, I asked the viewers.

[This is about to be hilarious lololol.]

[Everybody stay sharp lololol.]

[Is this that stream where the guy gets banned for flashing on his debut stream?]

[Why didn’t you turn on your cam? How else are we supposed to check if you flashed? lolol.]

[Something big is coming.]

[Oh, already something big? lol.]

There they go, keeping it all to themselves.

Ugh, typical stream chat antics.

Like seasoned insiders, they banded together, refusing to give me a straight answer.

Judging by their cheerful reactions, it didn’t seem like something had gone wrong in a bad way.

Well, I’ll find out sooner or later.

There’s no need to get swept up by the viewers.

I’ll just answer them calmly.

“If I lose even one game, I’ll restart the stream on my phone and fulfill any promises. Happy now?”

[Ooooh, new male streamer selfie incoming lol.]

[Heuuuung…]

[This guy is golden.]

[Can I clip this? lol.]

[What a maniac lol.]

“Yep. I’m not going to lose anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

These freaks are absolutely loving this.

But sorry to crush your hopes—it’s all just wishful thinking.

Losing even one game during my placement matches in this female-dominated League of Legends scene?

Not a chance. That’s exactly why I used that provocative title for bait.

[lololol the ban-pick phase is finally here.]

[Let’s go!]

[lol got assigned mid-lane!]

[It’s been ages since I saw a male mid-laner lolol.]

[Dodging is not allowed, lolol.]

“Oh! So this is what it’s about?”

Even in this world, League of Legends is an old-school game.

With its skill ceiling raised so high, most male streamers who lack the mechanics end up sticking to support roles.

No wonder everyone reacted with question marks when I started the game.

They probably assumed I picked the wrong position by accident, thinking I must be a support main.

[What now? lol.]

[Should he play mid Seraphine?]

[Nah, that’s so outdated now.]

[Just go Yasuo and call it a day lolol.]

[Oh, Yasuo? lolol.]

“You want me to play Yasuo mid? Sure, why not.”

When it was my turn to pick, I locked in Yasuo right away.

They want a show? I’ll give them one.

This champion was my specialty, and I even landed a pentakill in a pro match once.

His flashy skill set makes for a perfect first impression.

[Breaking news: new male streamer already doomed lol.]

[Said he’d reveal himself if he doesn’t win 10 games straight, then accidentally got mid-lane lol.]

[Is this guy an attention seeker or what?]

[If he was, he’d have just turned on his cam lol.]

[Male streamers pulling stunts like this is nothing new. Watch, he’ll lose and make excuses later.]

[True. Remember that guy last week? Said he wouldn’t stop streaming until he got out of Silver but rage-quit after 13 losses lol.]

[LOL he just picked Yasuo.]

[For real?]

[This is nuts lol. His teammates are gonna roast him so hard lolol.]

[I’m bored, might as well watch. Honestly, male streamers these days are so dull. Even if he gets stomped, watching Yasuo is more fun.]

“Huh, strange. Why are my viewer numbers increasing so fast? It’s almost scary.”

The number of viewers spiked rapidly during the pick-ban phase and the early moments of the laning phase.

It didn’t take long before the stream hit 100 viewers.

Was it because the thumbnail switched to the game screen?

As I pondered, one particular comment caught my eye.

[I posted about this on the forum lol.]

“So you guys came from the forum? Welcome.”

Apparently, one of the viewers had written a post about me on a community site.

Still, that alone shouldn’t have caused such a massive surge. Guess I got lucky with my timing as a mid-laner.

[But where’s your cam?]

[He said he’d restart the stream on his phone later lol.]

[lololol.]

[But wait, his opponent is Renekton. Can he even handle the lane?]

[Doesn’t matter, he’s gonna lose anyway lol.]

[True lol.]

I was Yasuo, and my opponent was Renekton.

The matchup heavily favored Renekton.

Yasuo’s W skill can block projectile abilities, but Renekton is a classic melee bruiser with gap-closers.

Essentially, one of Yasuo’s core skills is useless in this matchup, making it a notoriously tough lane.

But that’s only true if the players are equally skilled.

Do you think a professional baseball player would miss hitting a golf ball just because it’s small, even if a kid throws it?

“The stream hit 100 viewers—any missions or challenges to celebrate?

That’s odd. I’m sure I didn’t disable donations.”

[This guy reeks of “attention-seeker-in-the-making” lol.]

[Eww!]

[Is he really begging for missions on his debut stream?]

[Putting missions on this game would just be a waste of money lol.]

[He’s gonna get banned after this game anyway.]

“Yeah, sure. Call me whatever you want. Feel free to suggest missions.”

The term “attention-seeker-in-the-making” refers to someone who accepts impossible challenges to attract attention.

They must think I’m an amateur mid-laner with no shot at winning this unfavorable matchup.

But go ahead, suggest your missions. It’s not like anyone’s actually going to donate, right?

[KimBokhee123 donated 1,000 won.]

[Mission: Get the first kill for 5,000 won.]

Unexpectedly, someone responded right away.

A mission to secure first blood with a reward of 5,000 won.

“Wow! Thank you for the first donation, KimBokhee! I’ll make sure to claim that 5,000 won for the mission as well.”

[Claim what? Lolol.]

[How are you going to get first blood as Yasuo against Renekton? Lolol.]

[LOL no way.]

[Even a beginner could crush Yasuo in the early game.]

The reactions were predictably negative.

But I’d already set up the perfect scenario for success during the laning phase.

With Yasuo’s Q skill, I had gradually chipped away at Renekton’s health, leaving him at half HP.

Now all I needed was to bait him into a trap.

At level 3, with all my basic skills unlocked, I deliberately stepped into Renekton’s attack range.

I even made it look like I was fumbling—losing trades and missing CS.

Frustrated, Renekton would want to take this rare opportunity to even the score.

I kept teasing, hovering just out of range.

And, as expected, Renekton took the bait.

He dashed toward me with his E skill.

I instinctively countered with my own E skill, weaving through his body like a skate, slipping past his attack range with smooth precision.

Caught off guard, Renekton’s W stun skill misfired on a minion instead of me.

Riding a minion, I once again kept a safe distance from Renekton’s pursuit.

[???]

[What did I just see?]

[?]

[What’s with the mechanics? LOL]

[How did you even react to that? LOL]

It wasn’t about reacting.

It was about setting it up and waiting.

There was no need to explain it further; they probably wouldn’t understand anyway.

Renekton’s long-cooldown WE skill was now used up.

This was my chance to attack.

Charging in, I closed the distance and launched Renekton into the air with an empowered Q skill stacked to three.

Following up with auto-attacks, I quickly reduced his health to critical.

At this point, he’d likely try to escape.

With minions blocking the left and top paths, the only safe retreat was in one direction.

As if we were in sync, we both flashed at the same time to the right.

As expected, the distance between us didn’t change.

Yasuo swung his sword one last time, delivering the final blow to Renekton.

[First Blood!]

[Yasuo has slain Renekton.]

“See? What did I tell you?”

[Insane play LOL]

[How is this even possible? Level 3 Renekton losing to Yasuo?]

[What’s with that synchronized flash? Are you hacking?]

[That’s just god-tier mechanics LOL]

[Are you even human?]

[I can’t believe this.]

The chat scrolled endlessly.

Despite the slight variation in tone, all the messages were filled with admiration.

Yes, this was it. This was the feeling I craved. I’ve always thrived on praise.

“Uh, excuse me, Kimbokhee? Where did you go?”

The mission donation hadn’t come in.

It had been quite some time.

Five thousand won isn’t much, but I couldn’t let my first mission end without receiving it.

Especially since donations are my main source of income, I needed to be strict about them.

It was time to set the tone.

Lowering my voice, I muttered, “Hey, give me my 5,000 won. Or I’ll block you.”

[User KimBokhee123 has donated 5,000 won.]

[You’re really good! I’ll keep watching your streams.]

Was that a threat that worked?

Before I even finished speaking, the donation success message popped up.

“Wow! Kimbokhee! Thank you for the 5,000-won mission donation! I love you! I knew you wouldn’t let me down!”

[Weren’t you just threatening to block them LOL]

[Switching tones real quick LOL]

[Have you ever seen a streamer take a donation this seriously? LOL]

[Imagine if it were 10,000 won. You’d probably show up at their door with a knife LOL]

“Come on, I was just joking! You’re making me look bad.

I stream because I enjoy interacting with you all, not for the money.”

[Ew, liar.]

[Didn’t you just go full serious mode about the 5,000 won LOL]

The mood was great.

While I was confident in my gaming skills, I’d worried about whether my stream itself would be entertaining.

But seeing the viewers enjoy themselves with barely any effort on my part was reassuring.

My fears disappeared instantly.

“So… any more missions?”

[Didn’t you just say you’re here for the interaction? LOL]

“Ugh… my stomach hurts.”

I drank way too much last night.

It was my first time being scammed, and the frustration led me to down drinks like water.

Thankfully, it was the weekend; otherwise, I’d have missed work.

Seriously, what a joke. The more I think about it, the angrier I get.

Was it all just good camera angles?

How does that mediocre face look like a total heartthrob on stream?

All the money I spent feels wasted.

I’m never spending money on streamers again.

I fumbled under my blanket for my phone and opened the Twika TV homepage.

From the subscribed channels list, I unsubscribed from “WhirlNine.”

It felt so refreshing. Maybe I should look into celebrities again.

At least with them, there’s no camera angle trickery.

But… I haven’t found any faces I really like in that world either.

Damn it.

The marriage clause I earned by agreeing to business management classes is starting to feel like a curse.

Despite my accelerated promotions to vice president, I haven’t found a man who meets my standards in years.

I’m 24 years old and haven’t even dated.

What am I doing with my life?

This must be my fate—to work until I die.

“Huh? Who’s this? Never seen him before, but he already has 100 viewers?”

On the homepage, under “Rising New Streamers,” a thumbnail caught my eye.

“Just in case, let’s recharge a bit… Oh, Na Hyejeong, you’re hopeless.”

[Triple Kill!]

The game was nearing its end.

All three inhibitors were down, and the final fight began at the Nexus.

I had 21 kills, fully geared with five core items.

Diving into the enemy base, I instantly deleted the bottom duo.

The remaining opponents put up meaningless resistance before being wiped out.

[What just happened? What did I even see?]

[He dodged Malphite’s ult with flash, used EQ to lift the bottom duo, then chained it with his ult?!]

[Unbelievable LOL]

[Honestly, is this even fair?]

With only the Nexus left standing, I ignored my teammates dancing in front of the enemy fountain to taunt their opponents.

Pathetic. None of them contributed anything, yet they act like they carried.

I attacked the Nexus alone, swiftly ending the game.

[Victory!]

As expected. 24 kills, 6 assists, and an overwhelming performance to secure a win in my first placement match.

My damage stats broke the graph.

“Alright, first game in the placement series—clean victory. I’ll be back after a quick bathroom break.”

[Out of nowhere?]

“What do you mean, out of nowhere? I’m just going to pee.”

Responding to the cheeky comments, I headed to the bathroom.

Relieving myself, I washed my hands and returned to my chair. But the chat was in chaos.

[Even TangleChangsoo wouldn’t attempt content like this LOL]

[Thanks for the bonus content LOL]

[Can I clip that?]

[ASMR quality!]

[I’m so grateful for this rare material LOL]

“…You heard that? Couldn’t you have just ignored it? No wonder you don’t have boyfriends.”

I’d forgotten that the bathroom wasn’t soundproof.

Embarrassing, but not enough to die from.

Everyone pees, after all. I’d just be more careful next time.

“Starting the next game. If there’s a champion you want to see, send a mission. I can play all champions.”

Ding-ding-ding!

Before I even finished speaking, a donation came in.

What champion would it be? Please don’t be Teemo.

I could play him, but his role is too limited to shine like in the last game.

Nervously, I checked the donation.

My eyes widened in shock as I read it.

It wasn’t a champion request.