Genius Archer’s Streaming - Chapter 587

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Genius Archer’s Streaming Season 3 Episode 57
20. The Preliminaries Begin (3)
Korea’s gaming market was remarkably robust relative to its population size.
In fact, looking purely at population numbers, most game companies should have ignored the Korean market entirely.
Yet competitive games in the online format that sold particularly well in Korea were prioritized above all else, rather than being overlooked.
This was because Korea stood at the forefront of esports—whenever a competitive game gained popularity there, the secondary and tertiary revenue streams that followed would multiply exponentially.
Given these circumstances, the Civil Empire’s Korean branch was perpetually tearing its hair out.
“For the life of me. Why won’t this damn game sell in our country no matter how much we promote it?”
They were distributing a game that sold poorly nowhere else but Korea.
It was only natural that headquarters viewed their branch as the problem.
“That’s true… Maybe our people just aren’t interested in world history?”
“Then what about the Americans? They can’t even point out where their own country is on a map!”
“There are certainly people like that, but there are plenty of history enthusiasts too. It’s a place full of all kinds of people.”
No matter what reasons they offered, it was honestly difficult to pinpoint the cause. In a country where RTS was once called a national pastime.
RTS had no popularity.
“Games based on civilization and history have traditionally never been popular in our country. Strange, isn’t it? Historical dramas are filmed more here than anywhere else in the world.”
For inexplicable reasons, there were actually quite a few games that failed to gain traction in Korea.
“We’re not the only ones. There are so many foreign IPs that don’t catch on here. Games like Warhammer are so popular overseas, yet nobody in our country even knows about them.”
It wasn’t just Warhammer.
There were too many examples to count on one’s fingers.
The Civil Empire was one such game.
“Sigh. Next year’s budget cuts again.”
“Yeah… We’ll have to reduce staff too…”
Staff was always being cut, and the budget from headquarters was perpetually slashed—this was last year.
The Civil Empire’s Korean team had failed to advance from the preliminaries, and the Rild Cup had seen a Korean team claim a dramatic championship victory.

* * *
Time passed, and the new year arrived.
The Civil Empire held its annual international competition as it always did, but this year’s tournament was different somehow.
Especially the Korean branch—the atmosphere was completely transformed.
“Did you hear? The budget came through again….”
“Looks like they’re really pushing for this.”
“If we fail this time, we’re truly finished.”
The push from headquarters had begun.
It started with a surge in revenue late last year from a popular streamer’s extended gameplay sessions.
Particularly since he was a promising prospect from the national archery team, he synergized exceptionally well with the Civil Empire game, which was closely tied to the nation.
It was something far more significant than just one popular streamer playing the game.
“The community’s packed with people.”
“And he’s been playing for such a long time too.”
Rather than playing just a few times, he had created content spanning an extended period, climbing all the way to S+ rank.
Public interest in the Civil Empire was reaching its peak.
And then came another major event.
“This is our moment….”
“The heavens have granted us one perfect opportunity!”
The worst year in Ril Cup history was unfolding.
No team from the Korean league, LAK (LIL Avatars Korea), reached the finals—all eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Ril was a massive game, ranking in the top three global markets.
It stood in stark contrast to the Civil Empire’s position.
For such a dominant game to completely botch its world championship performance.
The disappointment was beyond words.
[Jeon-ja-pa’s absence ultimately….]
Honestly, Shiba was in her prime during the CK Entus days ㅠㅠㅠ
[LAK wasn’t strong—Jeon-ja-pa was strong…]
[What’s with LAK lolol Let’s all go with ROKA now~~~]
Jeon-ja-pa’s absence: a full three years.
Moreover, the old CK Entus members who had centered around him had all since retired or been sold to other leagues.
The Korean league was experiencing a dramatic generational shift and crisis.
Meanwhile, the Chinese league was displaying peak form as rookies who had been steadily developed combined with veteran players.
[Electromagnetic wave, please come back ㅠㅠ]
[The traitor of this era <<< the bastard who allowed Jeon-ja-pa to retire]
[Why did Jeon-ja-pa retire at his absolute peak??]
[Damn it, I'm not watching anymore, we've been getting stomped since mid-season and now we're completely done]
Already, not only the Ril Cup held at year's end, but even the Mid-Season Cup hosted in summer had been handed over to China.
Public sentiment was, in common parlance, a complete collapse.
[???: Die drenched in my malice]
[I never imagined there'd be nothing worth watching from the quarterfinals onward]
[My chicken ran out before it even got cold lol]
But whenever someone falls, another's chance to rise arrives.
[Is there nothing else to watch? So disappointing]
[Let's just watch the Civil Empire national team tournament]
[I want to feel that national pride once more…]
When the Ril Cup held at year's end ended anticlimactically, people craved new entertainment.
They wanted a scenario that would prove once more that Koreans excel at games.
Simply winning wasn't enough.
They needed a narrative of breaking through harsh conditions and crushing opponents with pure skill.
"That's us."
Just before the preliminaries.
Cookie speaks in front of everyone.
"Korea has never shown interest in Civil Empire, and perhaps because of that, we've always struggled."
The one game where Korea, a gaming powerhouse—no, an esports superpower—consistently fails to excel.
Yet it's a game the world watches.
If Korea even reaches the quarterfinals, it would be a massive upset.
That's the Civil Empire national team tournament.
"Because of that history of struggle, we're finally getting attention now. So if we seize this opportunity well, we'll definitely be rewarded. Of course, I know not everyone talks about getting rewarded."
Being noticed precisely because we're weak.
Whether to like it or hate it remained ambiguous.
But one thing was certain.
"There's no sport that's bad when the crowd is large."
No athlete dislikes a large audience.
There's no reason to deliberate over good or bad.
It's unconditionally good.
[Enter!]
Whoosh!
The moment arrived, and all Civil Empire players were summoned to the battlefield.
A blazing sun hovering above verdant grassland.
It resembled some nameless rural estate from the medieval era. This was the Civil Empire's battlefield.
A brief waiting period.
[All Dive System Operated]
The All Dive System, demonstrated at the Nant Tournament and now used in all competitions, unfolded.
All spectators were summoned simultaneously, and cheers erupted at once.
"Waaaaaaaa!"
An almost overwhelming number of people in blue clothing.
France's cheering section.
But they weren't alone.
"Waaaaa…!"
People in red clothing were visible in the stands.
It was Korea's cheering squad.
'This can't be….'
'Wow.'
Not just the other soldiers, but even the two commanders, Bread and Coffee, were taken aback.
Regardless of numbers, the very existence of a cheering squad was something they were grateful for.
-Whoa
-Ril's evil spirits all came here lolol
-Still, that's like 20%
-This is a heavenly nation game…
"The flag! Raise it!"
The supreme commanders standing at the very front unfurled their nation's flag and planted it at the base.
Thirty seconds after both nations had planted their flags, the match would begin.
Flutterrr!
The massive Taegeuk flag was planted above the village hall of the home base.
'….'
The Taegeuk flag.
For Almond, who had dreamed of becoming a national representative, this flag was far more than a mere symbol of a nation.
It was the very image of his dream rippling through the wind and advancing forward.
"Waahhh…!"
Though their numbers were far fewer, the roar of those dressed in red grew fiercer.
Moments later, the cheers of the blue-clad supporters engulfed the entire arena.
"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"
Though unseen, France was surely planting their tricolor flag as well.
The countdown had begun.
[Game starts in 30 seconds]
[29]
[28]
.
.
.
Gulp.
Everyone swallowed hard, tension gripping them all.

* * *
"Flutterrrrr!"
The moment the Taegeuk flag rises, King Gul springs to his feet and assumes a salute position toward the national flag.
Lol I practiced my patriotism properly lol
Crazy lolol
What even is theft lol
Haha, that's hilarious!
-He made the flutter sound with his mouth lol
The Caster beside him stokes the excitement.
"Wow! This feels completely different from the Rild Cup club tournament!? The Civil Empire is a proper! Proper! National representative match, isn't it!?"
"That's right! My heart is pounding so hard I'm going crazy!"
"And there are quite a few people who came to cheer us on since the preliminaries!? Even though it's an unpopular game!"
The French cheering section was overwhelmingly larger. But the fact that a cheering section came at all was remarkable.
Originally, there was practically none during the preliminaries.
"Ah, I wonder if this is because the Rild Cup fell apart?"
"Ah…."
"So that's why we're here too, right?"
-Oh…
-Solemn…
-Their main job failed…
Hahahaha lol
-The Ril analysts saying this is hilarious
"So those people also came here to take refuge like us?"
"Well, you could say that. Haha…."
In the meantime, the game has begun.
"Alright! While we were chatting! The game has officially started!"
The Observer alternates between capturing both sides.
"At 6 o'clock! The Korean team. The Joseon civilization. Power ranking 57th! And at 12 o'clock, the French team. The France civilization! Power ranking 31st!"
The Caster, reading the power rankings displayed for each civilization, tilts his head.
"Ah. Joseon's ranking is one thing, but France's power ranking is lower than expected?"
"Yes. Power rankings are based on recent performance. It seems the preliminary elimination last year had a significant impact on their power ranking."
"What!? You said they had one championship?"
"That was… the championship from the first national representative tournament. It's been several years already…."
"Ah… So they're the inaugural champions!? They might actually be the strongest team in this group?"
"That's right. Unless matchups work against them."
"Now, as I speak! The soldiers from each side are beginning reconnaissance!"
A total of 400 points on the map begin moving busily.
"King Gul. Could you explain more about the matchups you mentioned earlier?"
"Yes. First, I'd like to discuss France civilization's strengths."
"Ah, what are they?"
"It's Knights. The Frank civilization can produce the 'Royal Knight' class as early as the second age. Knights are different from regular cavalry, you see? Their equipment is completely different. That's France's strength."
"Ah… True to a nation of chivalry, cavalry is their advantage. What's our nation's strength in the second age?"
"This is where it meshes poorly. Our nation's strength lies in archers in both the second and third ages."
"Is that a bad matchup?"
"Yes. Cavalry units are best at countering archers."
"Ah…!"
That was true.
Joseon fares reasonably well against civilizations with strong infantry.
But against a civilization with powerful cavalry like France, they were inevitably at a disadvantage.
"So how do we overcome this?"
"Well, we could ignore the faction and produce spearmen instead."
"Faction?"
"The traits that contain a civilization's strengths are called factions here. In other words, instead of producing archers—Joseon's strength—we produce spearmen."
"Yes. Good explanation of the terminology. There are many people seeing this for the first time, you know!?"
-lol true
-totally focused right now lol
-new viewers everywhere lol
"That's because cavalry is weak to spearmen, right?"
"Yes."
"So we just produce spearmen and we're good?"
Of course it couldn't be that simple.
"The efficiency drops. France can just produce archers too."
We always had to remember that our opponent wasn't an amateur—they were a national-level force.
"Ah… Is there another method?"
"Yes. Completely shake them up from the early game! Prevent Knights from appearing at all!"
Hmm? That sounds plausible when you say it like that.
Everyone's equal before overwhelming force, after all.
"Oh? That sounds good? Does that actually work?"
"No! The enemy knows that too! And European civilizations are always a bit stronger at early aggression!"
-what lol
-so what lol
-fact) no way to win
-no! lol why so energetic lol
Haha.
King Gul laughed it off and thought to himself.
'I have heard something about this…'
Having had many opportunities to communicate directly with the national team while preparing for this broadcast.
He had heard quite a lot.
A way for Joseon to beat France. He'd learned something fortunate through watching scrimmages.
But for now, he decided to be careful with his words.
'I'll get criticized if I lose for no reason.'

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————