Reincarnator’s Stream

Dressed in a casual hoodie, Falcon Eye headed to a café near his home. Since he didn’t have a particularly standout appearance and wasn’t a face-cam streamer, no one recognized him.

Falcon Eye ordered two coffees in advance and waited for his guest, passing the time by browsing his kit. Soon, his guest, John Dale, took a seat across from him.

“How’s the stream going?”

Clink.

Sipping the still-steaming coffee, John Dale asked. Balhae’s management team leader’s greeting was always the same.

How was the streaming going these days?

“Same as usual.”

“‘Same as usual’? I see the numbers steadily rising.”

“Really? I guess it’s too slow to notice.”

“It’s better than rising too fast. Quick rises are easy to fall from, but steady growth rarely declines.”

Due to their profession, their conversation naturally centered on streaming. Falcon Eye had been with Balhae for a long time as a streamer. He had known John Dale long before he became a team leader, addressing him comfortably.

After a brief chat, “So, what brings you here?”

“The office and your place aren’t far apart. It’s not like I came from far away.”

“Still, you’re not the type to come out just for a cup of coffee.”

Falcon Eye knew John Dale well enough after knowing him for so long.

“What’s up?”

“Is that sharp insight of yours due to those eyes?”

“Everyone knows you’re busy, and if you were here for leisure, we’d be at a bar, not a café.”

Shrugging casually, Falcon Eye signaled that he knew it wasn’t small talk. John Dale sighed and got to the point.

“It’s about Lee Suhyuk. The newbie streamer you watched last night.”

“Oh, that guy?”

“Yes, the newbie. What do you think of him?”

“You watched my stream; why ask?”

It didn’t seem like this conversation would take long. Falcon Eye felt that from John Dale’s question.

“I meant what I said. His talent is above prime Lee Suhyuk’s, in my opinion.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, I’m serious. But why?”

“We’re thinking of bringing him into our company.”

“Excuse me…?”

Falcon Eye’s eyes widened. His hand, which had been lifting the coffee, paused and set it back down, clearly taken aback.

“Why? Are you against it?”

“No, I’m not against it. It’s just surprising. This soon? You’re a perfectionist, aren’t you?”

“What, me?”

John Dale waved his hand dismissively, but Falcon Eye knew better. John Dale never showed interest in streamers whose success was uncertain.

He was interested only in those nearing the level of a polished gem. So for him to take notice of a newly-started streamer was indeed surprising.

Falcon Eye saw Lee Suhyuk as a player, while John Dale viewed him purely as a streamer.

“There’s just a particular employee who’s paying way too much attention to him.”

“Who?”

“Someone named Un Hyang. She’s relatively new.”

“Un Hyang…?”

A name and face popped into Falcon Eye’s mind. With a startled expression, Falcon Eye spoke.

“Could it be, prodigy?”

A genius. John Dale nodded, realizing that Falcon Eye was familiar with Un Hyang’s reputation.

“Yeah, she has incredible instincts. She’s been adamant about recruiting Lee Suhyuk.”

“Interesting… If she’s that focused, it might be worth it.”

John Dale nodded, and they both understood that bringing in Lee Suhyuk might indeed be beneficial for Balhae Entertainment.

She was once a rising star in the Murim World. A few years ago, she suddenly retired and disappeared from the scene. Before that, she was one of the players Falcon Eye had his eye on.

And now, to hear her name mentioned here.

“I was just as surprised. She suddenly joined because her childhood friend worked here?”

“Un Hyang took an interest in streamer Lee Suhyuk?”

“She’s been a fan since the original Suhyuk. She watched his recent stream and became an even bigger fan.”

John Dale explained to Falcon Eye why he decided to recruit Suhyuk. Listening to the explanation, Falcon Eye felt a sense of pride in his own keen observation skills.

“See, I still got it. If a genius like her shows interest, it means he really is on par with prime Lee Suhyuk.”

“You act like you don’t care, but you do mind the hate comments, don’t you?”

“Who doesn’t get upset by getting cursed at? But still, I respect my own judgment more.”

“Fair enough.”

John Dale nodded, acknowledging Falcon Eye’s firm conviction, and then got to the main point.

“This is not as your team leader but as your former manager speaking.”

Before becoming a team leader, John Dale had managed Falcon Eye.

“What about it?”

“Whether that guy joins our company or not, let’s plan a collab stream.”

—

“There’s no one here but us, right?”

Suhyuk read the sly smile on Isaac’s face. Even if one tries to hide their expression, it’s hard to deceive the eyes.

Especially since Isaac made no attempt to hide his expression. His eyes conveyed a lot. Contempt and disdain. Anger. Murderous intent—

Seeing what Isaac was thinking so clearly made Suhyuk almost laugh.

“Yeah.”

Suhyuk confirmed there were no other presences around and continued speaking.

“… No one’s here.”

The last words came out slowly. Isaac was convinced Suhyuk’s tone indicated fear.

Right in the middle of the village. Not in a crowded restaurant but somewhere devoid of help, Suhyuk had run into him. Naturally, he would be scared.

“Why’d you have to act tough, wanting to enter a dungeon? Huh? Buddy.”

Shhh—

Suhyuk’s mood sank even further.

“What? Since you got up here, did you really think you became Lee Suhyuk? Like that streamer, getting Lightning and all?”

Step by step, Isaac advanced towards Suhyuk. Isaac finally revealed the true reason for his anger.

“Damn it! Vermin like you need to know your place. Strutting around just because you got a single Lightning.”

Grinding his teeth, Isaac glared at Suhyuk.

“Don’t you think so? Friend.”

Again, with the “friend”.

The word “friend” coming from Isaac was always dripping with sarcasm. The “vermin” he referred to included Suhyuk.

Isaac’s tongue was full of mockery as he approached, eyes blazing with hatred.

That’s right.

The term “friend” he chose was meant to trample on the other’s pride from the start.

‘I had forgotten.’

Indeed, he had forgotten.

—

-“Just you wait until you catch my eye next time.”

—

If he ever met Isaac again, he had promised himself that he would show him the fearsome nature of an adult and put an end to his casual use of the word “friend.”

Whoosh—

Flames flickered on Isaac’s fingertips. It seemed that his claim of being adept at magic wasn’t an exaggeration, as he required no preparation time for such a performance.

“So, what kind of dungeon is this? Judging by your state, it looks like you couldn’t clear it and ran away midway.”

He moved his fingers, waving the flames menacingly.

“You idiot. If it were me, I’d be too proud to leave without clearing it—”

“Let’s revisit something, because I haven’t forgotten.”

Isaac’s expression twisted in annoyance when Suhyuk interrupted him mid-sentence.

Schlack— Suhyuk drew his sword, the one he had sheathed when exiting the dungeon.

“Why do you hate me so much?”

A question asked long ago.

“Why… why are you doing this?”

But it wasn’t him who had asked then.

It was this body—Suhyuk’s previous self, who had been tormented by Isaac for so long and had timidly asked the question.

“Still with that question?”

Isaac may not realize it. But even if he didn’t know now, how much internal turmoil and suffering this body had gone through to muster the courage to ask that question.

“I don’t like your name, you piece of shit.”

“I don’t like your name, you piece of shit, got it?”

Exactly the same response, word for word. Accompanied by a murderous glint in his eyes, it didn’t seem like a joke.

“Why’s that? Most people like the name Lee Suhyuk.”

From just one day of streaming, he had learned a lot. Ascending always, moving forward without looking back, he never noticed.

But being forcefully pulled back, he realized many people liked him. Just for sharing the same name. Liking someone whose face they didn’t even know, hidden behind a mask.

Although he didn’t understand it, he was grateful.

However,

“You really don’t know who my father is, do you?”

The person in front of him was the complete opposite. Never having met, not even knowing his face.

Yet, he held a murderous wrath close to genuine Lee Suhyuk.

“No, do I need to?”

“You really don’t know? Reinhardt?”

Reinhardt?

It was a name he remembered. During his time at the training institute, his body’s original owner had heard that name numerous times.

Isaac.

The son of Reinhardt. Known in the institution as the continent’s prodigy, destined to take after his father.

But…

‘Reinhardt?’

Suhyuk recalled that name in an entirely different context.

“Are you talking about the ‘First Sword’?”

Isaac’s face contorted at Suhyuk’s sudden remark, indicating he was spot on. Thanks to this, Suhyuk understood why Isaac detested the name ‘Lee Suhyuk’ so much.

‘If only he had been straightforward from the start.’

Reinhardt.

A prominent mage family from Rune Continent. Known as a famous Ranker in the upper floors, he unfortunately carried the disgraceful nickname ‘First Sword’.

Long ago, when Suhyuk was just rising as a rookie under the name Blue Eyes.

—

“Lee Suhyuk? Such a guy can be dealt with by the First Sword alone.”

—

Reinhardt’s bold claim in front of people had backfired, as he was defeated by Lee Suhyuk.

“You bastard… How dare you mention that name?”

“Was it because of your father’s name? Is that why you hated me so much?”

“Yes!”

Fwoosh-!

Isaac swung his hand, his anger boiling over. Flames engulfed the area around Suhyuk and Isaac, cutting off any escape routes. Filled with rage, Isaac yelled,

“I hate that bastard. No, I hate all those Blue Eyes bastards!”

Hearing the term ‘First Sword’, Suhyuk’s eyes wavered.

Bastards.

Isaac was referring to all Suhyuk’s friends with that term.

“And Lee Suhyuk, that piece of shit!”

With that, Isaac let out all the pent-up anger he had harbored.

“Kim Minjae, that annoying fly!”

Flashes of faces with gaping holes in their chests, fallen in battle, flickered in his mind.

He had boasted about his speed, only to be the first to die fighting the enemy.

“Choi Suhoon, that beanpole pig!”

Grinding-

Choi Suhoon had foolishly shielded his comrades, losing both arms and dying on his knees.

“And Jiyoung, that bitch!”

She had taken a blow meant for Suhyuk.

“Kim Ilsoo, why did that bastard survive so pathetically? Damn it!”

That one he could agree on.

Still,

“Kim Shiwoo, that parasitic—”

“Enough.”

Isaac had crossed far too many lines.

“I can’t listen to this anymore.”

Swish-.

Suhyuk waved his hand.

In that moment,

『‘Lightning’ is activated.』

A spark of yellow electricity danced along his arm, and with a flash, Suhyuk advanced.

“Let me show you why you shouldn’t underestimate anyone named Lee Suhyuk.”

The air crackled with tension as the battle began, illuminating the forest with bursts of electric light interwoven with flames.

Whoosh—

Crackle, crackle—!

The flames surrounding the two were driven back as golden electricity took their place.

“…!”

Isaac’s eyes widened as his magic was pushed back in an instant. What shocked him more was the identity of the skill that replaced it.

‘What the hell is this?’

Golden electric flashes crackled around. Seeing the dazzling lightning, Isaac was stunned. And at that moment, a mask materialized over Suhyuk’s face.

In that instant, Isaac’s own words echoed in his mind.

“The world is really unfair. Even with the same name, the way you live can be so different.”

‘… No way.’

The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.

“Wait, could it be…”

His expression shifted from disbelief to fear as the full weight of the situation dawned on him.

TL’s Corner:

Bitch you’re toast.

I have an unreasonable dislike for Isaac.