Genius Archer’s Streaming - Chapter 94
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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 1 Episode 94
33. Catching Two Rabbits (1)
The first match of the promotion tournament.
This was the most critical moment.
There existed an enormous difference between placing first in the first match and advancing, versus failing to do so.
If I secured first place in the first match, the subsequent match could be concluded simply by maintaining my rank.
However, if I fell outside the top 90 and died in the first match, even placing first in the next match would require me to compete in another rank defense.
Was that why?
[Ah, we absolutely can’t let Almond reach Diamond lol]
[For real, I’m going sniper too.]
[As Diamond’s five-year gatekeeper, this absolutely cannot happen]
[Sniper squad ‘Diamond – Almond’ now recruiting new members!!!]
.
.
.
There were a whopping 23 posts that came up when searching for “Almond sniper” on the community.
While some envied and resented Almond, there were also those determined to block Jeon-ja-pa’s record.
Most of them simply wanted to interfere with this record “for fun.”
Regardless, I had drawn considerable attention.
An unprecedented number of snipers compared to before would attempt to interfere.
Naturally, skilled players would be among them.
To attempt sniping, one needed to be at least Platinum high-rank or Diamond low-rank.
-Will Almond’s challenge succeed with so many snipers?
└For real….
└Jeon-ja-pa had even more than this, if anything. All streamers just bear this burden and move forward.
Poor almond ㅠㅠ
There’s nothing we can do for them… ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└We’re just Bronze players…lol
└For real lol
└If you want to help Almond, just reach Platinum Diamond! lol
The community users were concerned enough about me to the extent of such numbers.
Considerable hardship was anticipated.
* * *
Facing the cold wind of the upper atmosphere, Almond gazed downward.
Dense forests of deep green visible faintly between the clouds. This map was indeed a jungle.
‘Let’s do this in one go.’
I resolved this as I placed my feet on the drop platform.
I needed to finish quickly.
I had already consumed considerable energy today. No matter how good my condition was, it would eventually run dry.
Finishing fast was crucial.
‘Now is the time to throw the changeup.’
I had thrown nothing but fastballs until now.
The enemies would probably expect me to throw another fastball.
After all, I had insisted on fastballs no matter what hardship came my way.
There was no particular conviction behind it.
I had thrown countless fastballs all this time for the sake of this one changeup.
It was merely a setup to make it difficult for them to handle the changeup.
‘Now is the moment.’
And that setup would prove its worth now.
At this most important match.
Thud!
When Sanghyeon reached the drop point, he leaped without hesitation.
Whoooosh──
It was not the armory.
-???
-This isn’t the right spot?
-Huh?
-What’s going on
-Did he mess up from nerves?
The viewers who confirmed the drop point all harbored doubt.
[JaenSon donated ‘1,000 won’.]
[Bro, this isn’t the armory?]
Someone even asked through a donation.
And for good reason.
Ever since Almond established the strategy of raiding the armory, he had never failed to execute it. Not once.
No matter how many snipers came hunting, no matter how the crowd swelled and the landscape became hellish.
He had never once stopped his charge toward the armory.
“Yes. I know. It’s a changeup.”
Smirk.
A smile formed at the corner of Almond’s lips.
As expected, I could see numerous parachutes descending toward the armory.
While it was already a popular location, such a concentration of parachutes was unusual.
They’re probably the ones who came to take a shot at Almond.
* * *
[Yes. I understand. It’s a breaking ball.]
The moment those words reached my ears, the hand resting on the wheelchair twitched.
My brow furrowed in a peculiar way.
‘A breaking ball?’
It seemed like I was somewhat irritated.
It wasn’t that the strategy displeased me or seemed strange.
It was because I hadn’t anticipated it.
Because that man had executed a strategy that even I hadn’t foreseen.
‘Surely not.’
It was hard to believe.
I thought he was pushing forward with a concept of charging straight toward the Armory alone, or trying to display some kind of noble image.
But it was all groundwork for this breaking ball?
Did that make sense?
If he’d only thrown fastballs to conceal the breaking ball, didn’t that mean he was more confident in the breaking ball than the fastball?
How could that be.
The fastballs Almond had displayed so far were devastatingly destructive, and even beautiful.
That’s precisely why it was hard to believe.
Why hadn’t he used a breaking ball that was even better than such fastballs from the start?
There were definitely critical moments before, yet he held back and didn’t use it?
Was that even possible?
No, this man was currently….
‘Did he have that much leeway?’
Was the Diamond Challenge not that difficult?
[We’ll start from here today.]
Whoosh.
Almond’s parachute folded up.
He had landed at a hospital building that had fallen into ruins.
* * *
“Finally doing it.”
Juhyeok chuckled as he watched Almond’s avatar descend toward the hospital.
Everything was going according to plan.
This was the perfect moment to throw the changeup I had prepared.
“No one’s tailing him.”
The snipers who always clung to me like pests were nowhere to be found.
During this Diamond promotion match, most players had likely activated sniper queue.
Juhyeok and I already knew this.
This was the most dangerous time.
And the most critical moment as well.
That’s why I had spent the past while practicing only macro play.
Juhyeok had selected streamers famous for their macro strategies and organized the theory for me, while I devoted myself to mastering macro fundamentals.
I would develop mechanics through actual matches, and every night I studied macro theory.
Now it was time to bring macro-oriented play into real competition.
The macro strategy I had chosen now.
‘Ruins Hospital start’ was a typical approach used by macro-focused players.
-Wait, what’s a hospital start?
-Whoa
-Suddenly playing macro?
-He’s done for lol Was all of this setup for this changeup!?
lol
-Hyung, that’s terrifying.
-If he dies right now it’d be hilarious lmaooo
If this keeps up, what am I supposed to do ㅠㅠ
A mechanics-focused player like Almond suddenly switching to macro play—naturally, even the viewers were bewildered.
Some chat messages expressed concern about his potential defeat.
But Juhyeok was different. He harbored no such worries.
‘He practiced, after all.’
I believed in him.
In Almond, who trained every night in his mind.
A genius who worked hard.
* * *
The operational strategies I had learned by watching broadcasts of famous Battle Rage players like Jeon-ja-pa and Dudu.
Though I had never put them into practice in actual combat, Almond had committed them to memory.
I had conducted extensive mental training sessions with Juhyeok as well.
Sufficient imagination and practice would manifest themselves in real combat.
At least, that was what Almond believed.
-Oh. What’s this? He’s actually pretty good.
-Looks like he’s been practicing.
-For real, who would’ve thought Almond would pull off operational plays…
As I entered the ruins of the hospital, I had memorized every blind spot that existed throughout the structure.
I farmed naturally along the route, always concealing myself in the blind spots.
Whoosh.
I hid myself in the space behind a pillar on the third floor of the hospital and checked the map.
Constantly monitoring the changes in the Blue Zone.
This was also something the usual Almond rarely did.
I didn’t pay much attention to the Blue Zone and simply focused on eliminating the players around me.
But this time was different.
‘Almost dead center.’
I constantly checked the Blue Zone and confirmed that I was positioned almost exactly in its center.
Being at the center point usually meant safety even when the Blue Zone shifted next.
“This should be safe even when the Blue Zone moves next. I’ll just head to the rooftop, secure a position, and fortify it.”
Despite this being my first time with operational play, I was explaining everything in detail to the viewers.
It meant I had internalized it completely.
-Wow. He really did practice.
I’m reclaimed land… ㅠㅠ
-Gandhi-style play can actually look cool…
-Brain sex appeal
-A man whose brain is even sexy—Almond.
[Forbes Selection! ‘Forbes Chosen’ has donated 100,000 won!]
[The coolest Gandhi play!]
[‘Brain Opinion’ has donated 50,000 won!]
[My Opinion Selection—the coolest play!]
The viewers’ hearts seemed to be moved by this change in me, as a wave of unexpectedly large donations came pouring in.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t properly respond to those donors.
I needed to maintain absolute focus right now.
Because I was moving in an unfamiliar manner.
I couldn’t even read the chat. I could only provide one-way explanations.
My mind was in complete chaos.
‘Next is…’
I pressed my ear to the floor and listened for sounds.
I checked below through the window with the widest field of view.
Peering down between the stairwells, I searched for any sign of an enemy’s head.
‘Nothing.’
There was no one.
I was alone in this entire hospital.
Ordinarily, such a thing would be difficult to occur.
Hospitals contained quite a few medicines, so there were usually people coming and going.
Even if medicines proved useless early on, there was no harm in having them.
“There’s no one here.”
The reason no one was in the hospital this round.
It was simple.
“They must have all gone to the Armory.”
Half of these hundred players—those who came to snipe me—had all headed to the Armory.
Thanks to that, this hospital was mine alone.
I had transformed a dangerous situation with so many snipers into an opportunity instead.
-Lmao serves them right
-Almond: Alright, you got it? Kill each other
-A textbook example of IQ difference.
-Ah so that’s why lol so funny
-Even though the hospital’s unpopular early on, this seems excessive, but they all went to the Armory lol
If I just went to the rooftop and hid well while waiting, at least thirty would be dead.
Actually, I didn’t even need to go straight to the rooftop.
‘I could farm slowly on the third floor and make my way up.’
I began farming slowly while walking through the corridors.
By that time, sixteen players were already dead.
* * *
At that very moment.
The Armory was overflowing with snipers on one side and ordinary players on the other.
“Damn it! Where the hell is Almond!?”
“Insane! Don’t throw the blade! I said don’t throw it!”
“Hey you bastard! This is a ranked match—are you just trying to die!?”
“Who the hell is Almond? These lunatics.”
Snipers crowded densely throughout the Armory.
They had begun pointing their gun barrels at each other. Well, since they hadn’t even made it into the Underground Warehouse yet, it was more accurate to say they were pointing blade tips at one another.
Players who had no idea who Almond was simply started hurling blades at anyone in sight.
Thwack!
Splat!
As several snipers fell dead.
The snipers ultimately descended into a chaotic melee amongst themselves.
“Damn it!”
“Die, you bastaaaard!”
Clang! Clang!
A spectacular scene unfolded as more players than ever before engaged in blade combat in front of the Underground Armory.
“Where did Almond goooo!?”
How many times this desperate cry erupted, there was no way to count.
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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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