I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers

The typical specifications of a modern sword are a blade of 73cm and a handle of 27cm.

However, the sword I handled had a slightly longer blade.

The owner of the first sword I ever tried was my teacher, and he was notably large in stature.

Back then, I was big enough to handle it without issue.

I liked the feel of it so much that I even got a similar one.

The sword I had back then is still stored away in a corner of my room.

But now, my body has shrunk significantly.

Holding a similar sword now made it look incredibly large.

The size difference from my player days starts from the palm of my hand.

The weight is quite different from what I was used to, and my body, adjusted from training, has a different muscle capacity.

So, it might feel a bit strange.

Yet, as soon as I gripped the hilt, all my senses seemed to come rushing back.

In the Arena of Duel. My eyes open in a long corridor.

The air entering through the respirator felt distinctly cold.

I could see my body at the bottom of my vision.

‘Is this yearning?’

I hadn’t consciously thought about it.

The gear I had saved up from the swordsman resembled the distinctive black uniform of Kendo.

It was slightly more revealing than the original uniform, and felt softer, but anyway.

That’s how it appeared on the outside.

The feeling of walking lightly was no different from before.

Thanks to the flat terrain, it even felt like being in a dojo.

Yeah. Fortune smiled upon me after a long time.

A place where I could swing my sword without complex thoughts.

It was the best battlefield I could ask for at this moment.

I slowly advanced forward.

There was no need to rush.

The enemy’s warhorse was fast enough.

I drew my sword only after I could clearly see the enemy’s new form.

The blade emitted a low hum. Unlike the dagger, it had a heavier weight.

Exhaling to empty my lungs—I intercepted the first attack.

“Ugh…”

That attack, which had been so heavy, now felt light.

Using the received shock to stab for the heart of the horse.

Pulling the sword out immediately, I adopted a mist stance.

I aimed at Kelberos’ waist, who hadn’t yet steadied his form.

A sharp metallic ring echoed.

It seemed he’d received it, but that didn’t matter.

Leaning forward, I pulled the sword inward.

I twisted the blade and stabbed his thigh, taking exactly one and a half steps back.

Kelberos’ retaliation didn’t touch my body.

There was precisely a finger’s width of distance.

“You, no way…”

“Shut up. I’m focusing right now.”

I didn’t need any noise.

What should reach my ears were only my breaths and the enemy’s movements.

The sound of the edges of armor clashing.

The faint friction of chains in the chainmail.

The altered breaths of a human when intent is held.

In this sharpened sensation—without needing an explanation, the conclusion was reached.

‘Maintain a spacing of exactly half a step. The enemy aims for my right lower leg.’

I stabbed the shield with the tip of my sword.

The keen blade sliced through the air, leaving a pale shadow behind.

His arm flinched from the shock.

That sight resembled a terrified herbivore.

Twisting the sword, I stabbed inside the shield and scraped past his breastplate.

Kelberos turned his body to counter.

There was no need to respond.

Even if he tried to move now, at this distance and angle, it wouldn’t reach me.

I lightly flicked the blood off the blade.

Taking a moment, I drove my sword into the ground, dispersing the magic that was about to erupt.

[The opponent’s magic has been cut, and the ‘Decisive’ effect is…]

Annoying.

I wiped away all the irritating system messages.

Right now, I just want to clash weapons.

So that’s what I decided to do.

I boldly approached, weaving between the sword and shield.

For the opponent, it was long range.

For me, I maintained a distance of “one step, one blade,” colliding weapons endlessly.

The thrill rising from my stomach made my head feel like it was melting.

At this moment, it felt like I could do anything.

No, could it actually be possible?

I deflected the rain of black blades pouring from the sky.

It only looked abundant on the surface; as long as I didn’t move recklessly, only a few would hit me.

Deflecting a few thrusts was basically no different.

‘Was that guy this slow?’

The moment I thought that, I could no longer smile.

Uh-oh, this isn’t good.

It already felt like bugs were crawling over my body.

My nape itched.

I felt an unpleasant sensation creeping up from my toes, something sticky.

The impression was that a viscous slime was covering my body.

I knew with my head that this was my paranoia.

But it had been quite some time since my reason and emotions started to drift apart.

The fortunate thing was—while my mind was deteriorating like this.

My body continued to engage in optimal combat without rest.

“What the hell…!”

“I told you to shut up. Doesn’t what I’m saying make sense?”

My body moved instinctively at the incoming blade at the edge of my vision.

Deflecting the blade, aiming for the wrist, slicing at the side, then stabbing the nape and retreating.

During this time, the dirty, unpleasant sensation covered my feet.

From the tops of my feet to my calves. From my calves to my thighs.

In an instant, it reached my belly and chest and finally up to my head.

‘I’m hungry.’

Suffering from hunger.

I should have had a heartier breakfast.

I should have agreed when my mom told me to eat more.

As for dinner… we had planned to dine out as a family.

I’ve always preferred meat.

I like fatty pork more than beef.

Grilling pork fat with kimchi on the side, and occasionally scooping some doenjang jjigae, that’s my taste.

I personally dislike wraps. Especially lettuce; it tastes bitter to me.

I don’t understand why everyone likes wrapping veggies so much.

Whenever I go to a barbecue, they keep bringing lettuce and perilla leaves next to me, but I’ve never finished them.

Then my mom would hit me on the back while complaining… though that’s not possible now.

My mom was crushed along with the crumpled car when she died.

She took the brunt of the massive iron block colliding for me.

A voice kept echoing in my head.

“I love you, my son.

I love you, my son.

I love you, my son.”

Me too, I love you, Mom.

I wanted to say that.

But now there’s no one to hear it.

“Ugh… ugh.”

Nausea rising from my body.

When I came to my senses, my sword was stabbing into Kelberos’ belly.

The giant knight slumped down weakly. Red lines were clearly etched on both arms.

That’s a severance judgment. I must have already cut him down.

I vaguely remembered clashing swords a few times.

My nape itched disgustingly again.

This was pushing my limits of patience. I could no longer endure it.

I scratched, as if tearing at my skin with my nails.

At this moment, a 70% pain sensitivity felt grateful.

It eased the itchiness.

If I did this in reality, I’d probably have scars left on my body, right?

I shouldn’t log out until I calm down.

As I struck to finish Kelberos, he wore an expression filled with rage.

“You didn’t focus on me at all.”

“I don’t know.”

“Draw the swordsman again in the last match. You must.”

“Fine by me.”

—

《Can this… Can this be happening?》

《Ah, it’s overwhelming. There’s no other way to explain it.》

《We have the highlight video prepared. Please check it, and we’ll meet at the analysis desk.》

The shock was evident in the voice.

For veteran commentators, a momentary silence is rare.

That’s how shocking the result was.

In the video, Kelberos couldn’t land a valid hit on Gawol.

All his attacks were blocked before they even began or couldn’t surpass that single blade.

The shield, which seemed impenetrable, was always a beat too slow.

When blocking the skill ‘Grasping Hand,’ he didn’t even get a proper view.

Just for a moment, the red eyes flickered past the spot where magic congregated.

– Is this going to five matches?

– How come he didn’t use the swordsman until now, if he can do this?

– But does Gawol seem a bit mentally unstable to me?

– The scratching was a bit uncouth, though;

– The concept seems a bit excessive, haha.

As always, the chatroom mood was playful.

But the professionals and officials watching the match could hardly contain their astonishment.

Kelberos had been an insurmountable wall for many until now.

Right here in the Arena, he finished the Traveler’s journey and dimmed Luce’s light.

The rookies of the European League often cite the moment they first bent the knee to Kelberos.

Though he didn’t participate in this arena, the professional scene in Infinity Black is fundamentally a team game.

There aren’t many players as recognized as Kelberos.

But players with such immense presence are rare.

Such a towering wall fell so helplessly.

There’d be plenty of excuses if searched for.

But wasn’t he a man who didn’t need excuses?

《He’s a player with an exceptional understanding of swords. Looking at the fighting metrics, he held the upper hand in almost every exchange.》

《This scene seems emblematic, doesn’t it? Do you see? Before Kelberos can even use his skill, the sword is already moving.》

《That’s why it looks like the attack was blocked before it even began. The mix of reaction and prediction has made analysis extremely difficult.》

In the swiftly changing atmosphere.

Nonetheless, time moved on, and the final match commenced.

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