Chapter 109: Chapter 109

It all started because of my plans for streaming. Climbing the ranks had been an impulsive decision, but starting a stream had been a long-held dream of mine.

Until now, the connection module I used at home wasn’t compatible with the streaming setup. I had searched for alternatives, but the conclusion was always the same: my hardware simply couldn’t support it. However, Sigma’s equipment was top-of-the-line and fully compatible with the streaming modules I needed.

Once I found out it was possible, and now that I had people who could help me, there was no reason not to give it a shot.

[Title: TestTestTest]

[‘Ga-wol’ is currently streaming in private mode.]

[Note: Streaming test mode is on.]@@novelbin@@

Elderin was a popular streamer in her own right.

Whether it was gaming or just chatting with her viewers, she excelled at everything. With her good looks and engaging personality, her fanbase was as solid as concrete. Thanks to this, anything she streamed was guaranteed a minimum level of success.

Sansa, on the other hand, was known for gaming from afternoon until dawn and keeping her stream on almost 24/7, even when she wasn’t playing. Most streamers had heard of her nickname at least once. Honestly, I think she even watched more streams than I did.

‘That’s quite an impressive feat… no, wait, that’s not the point here.’

Sansa, real name Kim Shin-ah, was well-known among freelance designers. She had originally worked in advertising but switched to freelancing as soon as her skills reached a certain level. She was so good that she could pick and choose her projects.

As if to prove her reputation, Sansa handed me her tablet.

“The theme should have an assassin-like vibe, so I made a few concepts. Want to take a look?”

“You already finished them?”

“Yep! I wanted to put some real effort into this.”

The first thing she showed me was a waiting screen for the stream.

I had no idea when the photo had been taken. It was an image of a snow-covered coniferous forest, with me—Ga-wol—hiding behind a tree trunk. Judging by the scars on my body, it seemed like I was in the middle of a fight. Was this from the semi-finals?

I must’ve seen Ga-wol countless times by now, but seeing it deliberately stylized like this made it feel unfamiliar.

In the image, my red eyes peered out cautiously, scanning the surroundings. The dagger was hidden near my chest, and a gust of wind blew through, making my hair flutter slightly.

I couldn’t help but be delighted. That moment in the image had probably passed by in the blink of an eye. Unless someone had been watching my matches intently, they wouldn’t have even noticed it.

Now that I thought about it, Sansa was the first person to ever call herself my fan. Knowing how sincere she was about it made me smile.

Suddenly, her finger poked my cheek.

“You weren’t listening, were you?”

“Oh, uh… sorry. I liked it too much. What were you saying?”

“I asked if there was anything you wanted to change or if anything looked weird. If you’re happy with it, I’ll just polish it up and send it to you by tomorrow.”

“No, it’s perfect. Thank you.”

All I could do was grin and nod. After all, feedback only works when you actually know what you’re talking about.

When it came to design, art, or video editing, I was clueless. I could tell if something looked pretty or impressive, but that was it. I didn’t know why it looked good or why it felt so special compared to other things.

Rather than offering clumsy suggestions, I trusted the expert. That was the best thing I could do. Then, a thought occurred to me.

“Oh, uh… how much should I pay you for all this? It looks like you did a lot of work…”

“You really think I’m going to charge you full price? I’ll take the minimum, but don’t pretend you don’t know me once you get popular.”

“I would never! I swear.”

“Great. Oh, and I have one more favor to ask.”

Sansa grinned at me, her piercings glinting slightly. Something about that smile made me feel uneasy.

Sansa still looked like a predator to me. I missed my adorable little halfling bard.

Of course, just because I could stream now didn’t mean I should rush into it. People didn’t even know I was planning to start streaming. Jumping straight into it would only teach me how harsh and cold the streaming world could be.

So, my original plan was simple: make a post in the community and then start streaming. No matter what, my name still carried some weight. I was sure I’d get some attention.

It wasn’t a bad idea. But in a market like this, the more exposure, the better. It was only right to use all the tools at my disposal.

That’s why Sansa and Elderin’s suggestions were so helpful. —At least, that’s what I told myself, though I still couldn’t calm my nerves.

“Da-eun, come here! This is so cute! Hurry!”

“Are we really going out like this? In these outfits? This just… doesn’t seem right.”

“Here, put your face over here. And maybe try doing a ‘V’ with your fingers?”

“You’re not listening to me, are you?”

The cameras were all set up. The stream wasn’t live yet, but Sansa had her arms wrapped around me in the studio. Her soft chest pressed against my shoulder, making me feel embarrassed.

On the left monitor, the camera feed showed me nestled into Sansa’s arms.

I looked shy and awkward, my lips pursed and my face flushed red with embarrassment. My expression, clearly showing my discomfort, was obvious. Even now, I couldn’t hide my emotions.

The cause of my embarrassment? The dog ears on my head and the maid outfit that had been almost forcibly put on me. Elderin and I weren’t even the same size—so why did this maid outfit fit me so perfectly?

I had no idea.

I tried to take comfort in the fact that Elderin was wearing one too. But she was already a seasoned pro at streaming, sipping water casually and flashing me a playful smile as if nothing was wrong.

I gave up. There was no point in trying to hide my embarrassment. It was physically impossible.

At least I managed to make the ‘V’ sign Sansa had asked for. My fake smile trembled at the corners of my lips.

“Who does a ‘V’ sign like that? Put it closer to your cheek.”

“Like this?”

“Yep! Now, say cheese.”

“…Okay.”

A person needs to have some pride, but Sansa had done all this work for me. I couldn’t refuse her request to take a few photos.

I pressed my fingers into my cheek, making the ‘V’ sign and forcing a slightly less awkward smile. Time passed, and then, click!

First, we took a few photos together with just Sansa. Then Elderin joined in for a few shots. I could feel my cringe-worthy moments being immortalized in my mind forever. Sansa smiled brightly, clearly satisfied with her work.

Finally, Sansa stepped aside, and the stream began. I gathered up all my courage and waved my hand. I had agreed to make the first introduction.

“Ah, hello, woof! Long time no… ow.”

I bit my tongue. It hurt.

[Author: Ga-wol]

[Title: Streaming a Rank Climb on Wednesday at 4 PM.]

(Attached photo: A blushing Da-eun in a maid outfit)

Hello, everyone. Long time no see.

You’ve probably seen me on my sister’s streams from time to time. A lot of people have been asking why I never stream my own gameplay. Well, I had my reasons, but now I think I can finally start.

This will be the first time I’ll be showing my personal gameplay. I’ll be doing rank games and aiming to reach first place, and I plan to stream regularly until I achieve that. I’ll also be sharing some Assassin tips and tricks.

Please drop by and watch!

[Comments]

Why is your neck a different color from your face? lol.

Your face is super red. Did someone force you to post this?

└ Ga-wol: Is your in-game name ‘GulpGulp’?

└ WTF

└ LOL

└ R.I.P.

└ You're dead meat now.

└ Not going anywhere fast.

[Author: ㅇㅇ (532.112)]

[Title: Ga-wol’s Going to Get Sniped and Fail.]

(Attached images: Ga-wol field PK)

(Attached images: Streamer’s death screen)

With all the trouble they’ve caused, do you really think the stream is going to go well?

They acted like they’d never stream, but now that they’re running out of money, they’re crawling back? Nothing is more annoying than this.

They’ll probably cry after a few games, complaining about all the snipers. Just turn on your camera and shake your ass instead. We all know you’ll quit once the hype dies down.

I can see it already.

[Comments]

Truth.

Ga-wol: Snipers welcome.

└ For real? I’m coming for you.

└ Can you even handle that tier?

[Author: ㅇㅇ (821.121)]

[Title: Is Ga-wol’s Queue a Little Weird?]

(Attached image: Ga-wol rank matching screen)

They seem to be matching with a lot of streamers. And isn’t that rifle from the Giga team?

Looks like they’re already getting sniped left and right. If they keep climbing, even pros are going to show up.

[Comments]

They said they welcome snipers, lol.