I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers

I finished my reluctant whining and bought a bottle of soju at the convenience store.

This was also a luxury I could indulge in now that my wallet was a bit more forgiving.

Sitting on a bench where a cool breeze blew, I took a sip—and it tasted horrible.

Ugh. Eww?

Reuniting with soju after several years was the worst experience ever.

Did soju always taste this weird?

Sure, it wasn’t exactly a drink you’d call delicious back in the day, but the disparity in taste was shocking!

The chemical taste of the alcohol was unbearable.

If it at least had some sweetness, I could understand…

Ah, is that why women drink fruity soju?

I felt an uncomfortable realization wash over me.

I never expected to feel my body change even in a place like this.

But anyway, I bought this alcohol. I’m not going to waste it.

*

[Posted by: ㅇㅇ(259.25)]

[Title: Can Gawol beat the Ripper?]

[Posted by: Talking Pigeon]

[Title: If I catch the Ripper tomorrow, I’ll fry rice with mint chocolate.]

[Posted by: Stylish Shot]

[Title: Mint chocolate fried rice? I’m adding pine needle eyes!]

As I drank, my story sporadically popped up on the community board.

It seemed everyone assumed I wouldn’t win.

I thought it might change a bit after I caught Rime, but it felt like I still fell short of the Ripper’s reputation.

Well, European teams had indeed shown strong performances against Korea.

Given the history, it made sense.

In that context, all sorts of bizarre pledges were surfacing.

I captured the posts and took a gulp from my drink.

You better believe I’m going to make you eat those words.

*

[Posted by: ㅇㅇ(438.58)]

[Title: Sparrow got ranked, and Gawol is yapping, haha.]

[Posted by: ㅇㅇ(420.324)]

[Title: Korea can never win an international war.]

Hmph. We can win. Where in this world is there something we can’t beat?

Am I weak when it comes to alcohol?

Is the buzz hitting me sooner, or am I just feeling overly emotional?

I can’t even recall how much I drank; the soju bottle was already looking empty.

Looking back, my friend was truly a monster.

He was the first opponent I felt completely overwhelmed by. I had no idea how to even win against him.

I’ve tried despairing, but soon after, I started looking for ways to win.

‘Keep probing from afar, charge in like a mad dog, over-train my muscles and get scolded…’

I’ve seriously tried everything possible.

Each time, I’ve ended up losing due to the numerous openings I exposed.

But then I would improve those weaknesses and charge in with new tactics.

Reaction speed, visual acuity, strength, endurance, agility—those basic physicals had to be on point.

I needed to be as close to human as possible, considering my opponent was anything but.

Next, I had to see what I had never seen before.

No matter how strong an opponent is, they can’t hide everything.

Before they pull their arms, their back muscles move first, and before they fake, they need to check the attack position beforehand.

In the end, a scuffle is all about who gathers more clues.

From simple brawls to endurance battles, psychological warfare, and mêlée—trying out every form of combat opens up areas I can catch up in.

So, what I excel at isn’t necessarily relying solely on physical prowess.

In fact, it’s the opposite. My time as an athlete was dedicated to finding ways to beat opponents who surpassed me in every capability.

Picking apart weaknesses like the Ripper is the direction I’ve pursued since my athlete days.

Phew…

Today felt oddly good.

It’s probably because of the alcohol.

So, I did something I usually wouldn’t do.

I logged into an account that I had created but never used.

I immediately hit the write button.

*

[Posted by: Gawol]

[Title: Hello, this is Gawol.]

[Recommended: 1,695]

(Attached photo: Connecting to Infinity Black account)

It seems many of you are betting on my victory.

Unfortunately, it seems many might be losing that bet.

Still, I’m happy to see you all keeping an eye on me.

Of course, I’ve screenshotted all your pledges.

To ignite the flames, I’m here to make a pledge too.

If I lose to the Ripper tomorrow, I’ll do what the top-comment person suggests.

Of course, it can’t be illegal or cause harm to others.

[Comments]

– Reveal your face (Recommended: 565)

└ Let’s see what you look like.

*

Today’s matches were lined up with the losers’ bracket before the winners’ bracket I was a part of.

In Group E, an enraged Rime took down Fury and won.

One person was eliminated, and the other got a new chance.

Once the last losers’ match ended, it was my turn.

As soon as the commentators saw my name, their energy shot up.

《 Next, the moment you’ve been waiting for has arrived. It started generating buzz since yesterday, right? The match between Ripper and Gawol! 》
《 This thrilling match has attracted a lot of external attention as well. I’m eager to see how it unfolds. 》

It seemed the commentators had seen my post.

I was hot-headed, but I quickly calmed down.

I couldn’t let myself be distracted if I wanted to beat the Ripper.

I took a deep breath to steady my mind, and soon enough, I couldn’t even hear the commentators’ voices.

I finished my last check to ensure I hadn’t missed anything and prepared for the upcoming battle.

[Infinity Arena Main Event Group E – Match 8]

[Battleground: Fairy Tree Great Forest]

[vs Acid Gaming Ripper (Ghost Sorcerer)]

This was the battleground where I had clashed with Camelian in the second qualifiers.

With plenty of branches, the place was perfect for concealment and aerial maneuvers, plus it accelerated mana recovery.

Even in the assassin class, I had the upper hand in reconnaissance.

It was a gap I could bridge, but knowing Ripper, he wouldn’t step into unfriendly battles.

If I could negate one of his advantages from the start, that would already be a benefit.

And right on cue, a thick fog enveloped the center of the Great Forest.

He was clearly leading me into the mist instead of fully concealing himself.

But I had a different answer.

Just as I had analyzed you thoroughly, did you do the same with me?

I decided to throw out a light question.

[‘Melody of the Black Moon’ effect activated.]

[For 30 seconds, all actions utilizing the Chain Scythe receive positive effects.]

[Damage inflicted using the Chain Scythe increased by 16%, and…*]

This was my second use of this in the Arena, but I hadn’t let my Chain Scythe gather dust during this time.

It seemed like a good card, so I practiced it continuously.

Just like you avoided me in that dangerous reconnaissance, I had no intention of stepping into the perilous fog.

If you can dodge, go ahead and try.

I’ll swing without mercy.

I unleashed a few of the assassin class’s limited area skills like a barrage.

Black chains lashed without end against the ground, transforming the floor into a swath of crimson and green mud.

My Chain Scythe cut through the fog, roughly revealing the Ripper’s position.

[The effect ‘Curse of the Ancient Demon’ has been applied to the enemy.]

[All the enemy’s stats are reduced by 8%, movement speed by 20%, and it lasts for 4 seconds.]

[They take damage equal to 2% of their max HP every second.]

Gotcha.

With the system message, a chill ran down my fingertips.

The chain, tasting its enemy’s blood, roared angrily.

Yes. It had to be this way.

An attack thrown so hurriedly, even I couldn’t fully track it.

With the boost from mana recovery, there’s no way you can see and dodge all of this.

I adjusted the position of my skills directly where the chains had echoed.

A little further ahead than expected. You’d want to close the distance right away.

The moving chains began to reel back towards me.

The way I wield the Chain Scythe is different from reality; I manipulate it by using the blades attached to the end of the chain.

So, while I had overwhelming reach, no weapon comes without flaws.

Should it slip into close combat, responding becomes difficult.

And right on cue, it was just that kind of situation.

“Fast.”

“……”

“I wasn’t slow either.”

From the fog’s edge, the Ripper appeared even faster than my chain.

The boy, who briefly showed himself, suddenly charged at me.

He aimed for my throat and heart. The chilling claws came flying without mercy.

No need to evade.

With my other hand not holding the chain, I lightly flicked a dagger.

Just for fun, I extended my arm forward—a mere hair’s breadth between the two weapons stopped dead.

The Ripper’s silhouette vanished like a lie, and where he once stood, shadowy chains were now embedded.

The ghost sorcerer that had disappeared reappeared above me, reaching out its claws once more.

I leaned back to evade the attack and, precisely half a beat later, I parried.

Kaaang—! With a clarion clang, the retrieved chain lunged for the Ripper’s head.

It missed, but the Ripper’s attacking turn ended.

Seemingly aware of the situation, the Ripper willingly retreated, maintaining a safe distance.

A smile graced the Ripper’s features as he revealed himself.

The sight seemed to amuse him, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

Of course, we both remembered that we were aiming for each other’s lives.

“Funny?”

The mist took on the shape of a giant, swinging a hammer at me.

The shadow of the trees sprouted like thorns, aiming straight for the Ripper’s body.

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