Genius Archer’s Streaming - Chapter 666
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Archer’s Streaming Season 3 Episode 136
45. Departure (1)
“Oh….”
Sanghyeon nodded after hearing the story.
“Support merchandise sounds good. Back during the Nant tournament, there were lots of requests to make them.”
He was agreeing with what Juhyeok had brought up during breakfast.
It was about creating and selling support merchandise for Disworld.
“Right. We haven’t been participating in tournaments that frequently, so we weren’t paying attention to it. But this main tournament is different, isn’t it?”
“…Though we could get eliminated right away.”
Sanghyeon teased him playfully.
“Oh….”
Juhyeok hadn’t considered that possibility, his expression turning awkward.
Now that I think about it, everyone had said Joseon’s advancement to the main tournament was already a miracle.
So why had I been thinking they’d keep climbing higher?
Even Juhyeok himself found it puzzling.
He was usually strict about probability calculations, so had greed gotten ahead of him at the thought of starting a company?
Or had his heart for supporting the national team simply grown too large?
Strangely, Juhyeok didn’t feel like they’d be eliminated in the Round of 32.
‘Is this what they call confirmation bias or something?’
Juhyeok shook his head again and decided he needed to do a proper risk assessment.
The calculator in his mind began spinning through complex calculations.
“Don’t overthink it.”
Sanghyeon swallowed a handful of Almond cereal and spoke.
“Even if we get eliminated in the Round of 32, would the company go under just from making some Disworld support merchandise?”
“Huh…?”
That was true.
So what if we go into debt? The company won’t collapse. We already had debt anyway, didn’t we?
The problem was that Juhyeok had no intention of stopping at just Disworld support merchandise.
“I’m… also thinking about offline goods.”
“Then let’s make them if we pass the Round of 32.”
“Huh?”
At Sanghyeon’s casual remark, Juhyeok felt tempted.
How does this guy understand me so well?
“And even if we get eliminated in the Round of 16 right after… honestly, they’ll sell well. Just advancing one more round in the main tournament would be incredible in itself.”
“…That’s not bad? So you’re saying we adjust production timing based on risk?”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
“Nice! That works? This way we’ll minimize losses. Really.”
Sanghyeon thought it was just common sense, but he let it slide.
‘I’ve seen similar things plenty of times….’
Though Sanghyeon had disappeared midway, he hadn’t completely lost touch with news about his colleagues who were preparing for the Olympics.
I had only blocked out archery-related news due to emotional pain. However, I often heard stories about other athletes in different sports who had connections with me.
After making the Olympic team, whenever they planned anything, they had to divide it into Round of 16, Quarterfinals, and Semifinals.
Each time they surpassed that stage, their lives would change once.
All previous plans would become meaningless.
That’s why they structured all their plans around tournament brackets.
Sanghyeon simply applied that same mechanism to merchandise as well.
“Alright. Then we can definitely give the merchandise a serious shot. The problem is the other members… I’ll discuss that with Cookie.”
With that, Almond merchandise was confirmed.
“Oh. Then I should mention it on stream.”
* * *
Before departing for Japan for the main tournament.
Almond streamed every day, whether for advertising or simply to connect with viewers.
-Kyaa
Are you streaming again today?? lol
-Wow
-Are you doing this every day until the main tournament?
Though not as many people flooded in as when the main tournament qualification was confirmed, his stream was still on an upward trend.
[Current Viewers: 83,000]
Just from advertising and community streams, he was surpassing 80,000 viewers.
‘I think this is the right time to mention it.’
Once a decent number of viewers had gathered, he casually dropped this comment.
“Um… I’m not certain, but it looks like Almond merchandise might be coming out.”
-Ooh?
-No way
-That’s huge
-Wahhh
-Finally
I can’t provide a meaningful translation for this text. It appears to be Korean consonants repeated without vowels, which doesn’t form actual words or convey meaning in Korean or English.
-The beginning of legend
-Kyaa
The viewer reaction was quite positive.
In fact, for a streamer as popular as Almond, it wouldn’t have been strange if merchandise had come out long ago.
The fact that it was only now appearing was rather surprising.
“It looks like it’ll focus mainly on cheering tools that are immediately needed. We’re still discussing what can be used within DisWorld.”
-Ohhh
Yeah, we didn’t have official cheering tools ㅠㅠㅠ
“And now you’re asking if almond clapping balloons are happening? lol”
It would be nice if there was an almond book too lol, or a walnut book lol
Without me even mentioning specifics, the viewers began letting their imaginations run wild among themselves.
Ding.
[Copyright Villain donated 5,000 won.]
[Why don’t we just catch and bust those kids selling illegal Almond hats, hyung?]
Hahaha, how are you supposed to catch that?
-For real let’s catch them
-Isn’t it just a hat shaped like an almond…?
“Ah. Thank you for the donation, Copyright Villain. That’s just an almond-shaped hat, so… since I’m not actually an almond… wouldn’t that be difficult?”
[Rubisword donated 10,000 won.]
[Huh! You weren’t an almond? Then who are you!]
hahaha
Lol my belly button is bursting at Ruby Princess’s joke!ㅋㅋㅋ
-Who are you! 2222
Hahaha, so cute!
“Ah. Thank you, Rubisword. I am an almond, but. Not a nut… no… this is strange too.”
Nuts work too, haha.
You’ve become too much like an almond yourself lol
There’s no way to explain it lol
The design trademark for that nut almond doesn’t belong to Streamer Almond.
Since “nut” is also an expression used for Almond, my head spun for a moment.
The viewers weren’t about to let this moment slip away.
Ding.
[Descartes donated 1,000 won.]
[Can you prove that you’re not an almond?]
Hahahahaha
-Ah… No!
Wow, that’s hilarious lol
Ding.
[Pseudoscientist donated 5,000 won.]
[So you’ve revealed your true identity! A Nuttilian!]
-Nautillion lol
Wow, all kinds of weird stuff is coming out ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Are you a reptilian? lol
I’m dying laughing ㅋㅋㅋ
-Is this that Nuttilian that’s been trending in the Nuts Punk worldview lately?!
Nuttilian? What’s that supposed to be? I was bewildered.
All sorts of memes were being created without my knowledge.
[Jjin donated 3,000 won.]
[Info) A species whose true identity is a nut human, but who masquerades as human and mimics human form, are called Nutilians. They rule human society from the darkness.]
-??
Haha, the worldbuilding explanation is tedious.
-Where on earth is Nut Punk going…
-…Please recommend a novel about that!
-Hmm. Is that so.
Almond decided to cut off this topic here. He’d carelessly brought it up and the conversation had drifted in an odd direction.
“Ahem. Anyway! I can’t catch that Almond hat. And I shouldn’t catch it either.”
-Just as expected from Nuttelion. Preventing us from catching it.
-Why won’t you let us catch Almond?? Are you biased?
Crazy lolololol
-Lol the chat is a mess ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Already tainted
-The Almond hat must be the key clue to Nuttelion.
I’d have to turn this Nuttelion merchandise into goods as well.
With that thought, Almond wrapped up the merchandise-related chat.
It was enough just to let them know that merchandise would be coming out.
“Alright. Moving on to the next game.”
-Next ad incoming
-Moving on to the next ad~
-Fact) Even home shopping networks don’t advertise this hard
Hahahaha
-It’s fun though~
And so he continued the broadcast, managing to get through most of the advertisements he’d received at G-Star before the main tournament.
‘All that’s left is Zombie School.’
The only one remaining was Zombie School, which had a slightly larger volume.
He figured that would probably be done after the tournament ended.
And as time passed, the day of departure drew near.
* * *
The official first departure date was two weeks before the main tournament began.
Not all Players departed at this time.
Only those with flexibility, or those who needed to arrive early for preparations, left during this period.
From Korea, the Think Tank team and approximately 40-50 Players departed at this time.
Borrowing Pangeo’s words, only the “unemployed fleet” was leaving.
Those with jobs simply substituted by coming and going only on weekends when matches were held.
Since the entire main tournament proceeded quite rapidly, even reaching the finals required only two weekends of time off.
As a full-time streamer, Almond had joined this “unemployed fleet” that departed early for preparations.
That’s why, starting from early this morning, he was struggling down the steep neighborhood stairs with his luggage.
Thanks to Juhyeok’s help, he nearly tripped carrying the suitcase down alone.
Thud.
Finally, when the suitcase touched solid ground, Juhyeok called out to him.
“Have a good trip.”
“Yeah. You handle things well here.”
Juhyeok had plenty to do staying behind in Korea.
“All the support merchandise will be sold out a week before the tournament starts. Don’t worry.”
For now, he had been entrusted by Cookie with overall management of the merchandise revenue for the national team.
He’d probably be busier than ever.
“Okie~ I’m heading out.”
Sanghyeon waved goodbye to Juhyeok and headed to the spot where the chartered bus was supposed to arrive.
“Fake national team! Fighting!”
Juhyeok continued shouting cheers as he climbed back up the stairs.
“Go! Nuts!”
“Monster! Roaaaar!”
“King~ you can’t beat me! ~Extra!”
There were so many of them.
* * *
The chartered bus arrived precisely on schedule.
“Hello~”
The bus was filled with quite a few familiar faces. Despite the early morning hour, everyone’s eyes were bright and alert.
Probably a mix of excitement and nervousness.
Sanghyeon found an empty seat and boarded, greeting each person one by one.
“Almond ham~”
“Yeah. Spam~”
“Hi!”
“Right.”
Once he settled into his seat, the cameraman and writer from Fake National Team approached him.
“Almond! This must be tough starting so early in the morning, right?”
They seemed to be trying to get an interview.
“Ah… it is pretty early.”
“Have you ever been on a trip to Japan?”
Japan… I’ve been there a couple of times.
“Ah… I’ve been there for work.”
I went there for work. But I’ve never been there for leisure. Now that they mention it, I’m realizing something…
“Ah. So you’ve never been there for a trip?”
“Now that I think about it… I’ve never really gone anywhere far just for fun.”
I’d never traveled abroad just to enjoy myself.
It wasn’t just overseas.
I’d never gone anywhere far simply to have fun.
Maybe when my parents were still alive?
“Ah… I see.”
The production team continued chatting about various things before moving on to another section.
Where Chiseung and Mandoo were sitting.
Chiseung was asking them if clouds really come pouring in when you open an airplane window.
I was laughing, thinking that scene would definitely make it into Fake National Team.
Then a sudden memory flashed through my mind.
‘Oh…’
I’d always remembered it, but it was a memory I’d been ignoring and trying to forget for some time.
Whoooosh…
There was a time I went to the beach for fun.
The refreshing sound of waves, the warm sand, long black hair flowing in the breeze with a shimmer.
She turns back to look at me.
「What are you doing? Come dip your feet in the water.」
When I don’t respond, the girl shakes her head.
「Come on. We came all this way and you’re being so stiff. Who knows when we’ll come again.」
She chatters away in a voice bright as a morning bird.
“The next Olympics is in Greece, right? I heard the beaches there are absolutely beautiful…”
What was he trying to say with that?
“You’re lucky. I probably won’t make it to the next Olympics.”
What kind of response was he hoping for?
* * *
‘Was it a dream?’
I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them again.
Somehow, we’d already arrived in front of the airport.
I couldn’t quite remember what the dream was about.
It just seemed like the ocean appeared in it.
“Alright, everyone! We’re here! Let’s get off!”
Bread takes charge at the front like a schoolteacher.
Everyone chatters noisily as they disembark and retrieve their luggage.
“Phew. Hyung. We finally made it!”
Chiseung grabs Sanghyeon’s arm excitedly and shakes it.
“…We’re still in Korea though?”
“No! The airport! The airport!”
“Ah…”
Chiseung gets this excited just arriving at the airport.
“The airport’s nothing special.”
Sanghyeon chuckles and tries to calm Chiseung down.
“Oh. Hyung. You must come here often. Show me around.”
‘I forget everything every time I come.’
The airport is a place I always get lost in, no matter how many times I’ve been.
I resolve to just follow the group ahead at all costs.
“I’m going first.”
“Huh? Hyung. Why the rush! Show me around!”
I walk quickly so as not to lose sight of the group ahead.
But up until this moment, I wasn’t particularly excited or tense.
To me, the airport is just a confusing and complicated place.
It’s not a space that stirs any particular emotion.
When a valuable buyer comes from abroad, I go to greet them, or when related executives are heading out, I go to see them off…
To me, the airport was a kind of bothersome hospitality venue.
That’s all it was.
It was definitely like that…
But the airport I entered today was an entirely different space from before.
“!”
Since we’d arrived before dawn, the outside was still clearly dark.
Suddenly, the entire world blazes white with light.
Sanghyeon’s eyes widened as countless faces flooded his vision.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!”
An enormous roar of cheers surged toward him.
Flash!
Pop!
Camera flashes from journalists, throngs of fans, and airport police lined up everywhere….
Sanghyeon could only stand there with wide eyes, gazing around in a daze.
‘This is just like….’
This scene was strikingly similar to the one he’d always pictured in his mind.
‘It’s exactly like a national team hero.’
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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