Master Swordsman’s Stream - Chapter 80

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

Chapter 80

The matchmaking window continued spinning.
After confirming it, Seo Jun glanced at the time.
8:40 PM.
Roughly an hour and twenty minutes until the end.
Even if things ended as they were, he’d already beaten six of the highest-ranked hardcore players, and among them were users in the top ten, so his skill was sufficiently proven.
But something felt incomplete.
“Everyone, doesn’t it feel a bit awkward to end like this?”

-He really wants an 8-streak lol
-The Rankers are scared!
-You guys forgot that the Master is under the curse. Widening the gap when you can is the right call
-Even though he’s in first place, better safe than sorry lol This is desperate

He was being fabricated again, not because of the curse.
Once the rankings were made public and he confirmed first place, any worry about the penalty had vanished.
“What is Bang Ju doing right now?”
Bang Ju, who had been streaming him, was curious what he’d do during this period when the game wouldn’t connect.

-Just rewatching all the previous matches and then watching your stream again
-Basically Bang Ju is done with games for today
-Who’s gonna challenge him now
-Even second place got destroyed lol

The Rankers probably weren’t avoiding fights out of fear of losing.
When second place had already fallen, losing one more match wouldn’t cost them much more pride, and refusing to fight wouldn’t buy them any dignity either.
Though Seo Jun knew this, he said something different.
“Right? They really are scared.”
He wanted more fights.

-lol that won’t work
-Your true feelings are showing lol
-Just do your usual thing, release the sword lol Why are you trying to hurt those poor Rankers more lolol

“Why do you want to keep playing?”
The speed limit was undeniably a shackle.
And when Seo Jun was in his position, he learned to actually enjoy such shackles.
“The Heavenly Demon Divine Art is more fun than I expected. Why didn’t I try another characteristic earlier?”

-He barely uses internal energy but says the Heavenly Demon Divine Art is fun lol
-Are you seriously a pervert?
-Is this how a true hardcore player plays????

Even as they chatted, the matchmaking continued spinning.
Smack.
Seo Jun worked his mouth.
“Well, there’s always tomorrow.”
Ding.
A message arrived.

[Seo Jun, I’m logging in now.]

Bang Ju must have thought it was over too.
He returned to the place he’d left.
“Seo Jun, great performance.”
He’d entered not long after the message came.
Quite fast.
“Especially just now, rewatching those previous matches from the opponents’ perspective—it was absolutely insane. Ah, hold on. Let me adjust the broadcast settings.”
Bang Ju transferred his stream from the computer to the capsule.
“Heh. Seo Jun, your physical prowess is really in a league of its own, isn’t it? Don’t you agree, everyone? You admit it, right? I’d say within the Sect at least, you’re the best. You think the same way, don’t you, Seo Jun?”
“Well, I think there might be people who are better than me.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. So if they exist, they should come in soon.”
Bang Ju took a moment to interpret before letting out an exclamation.
“Wow. Rankers, did you hear that? If you don’t fight now, you’ll have no comeback later. You’re the ones avoiding.”

-lol
-They’re giving up their streak! What else can they do!
-Honestly it’s over now
-Sad lol

“Still, nothing’s coming in. You’re still running the queue, right?”
“Yes.”
“I suppose we can’t help it. If you get an 8-streak, your Fame Points would be double compared to second place.”
“Hmm. So you haven’t given up on Contribution ranking first place yet?”
“Right. Plus, even if you weren’t aiming for first, fighting now would avoid looking weak to your fellow faction members competing for first. Don’t you think?”
“I see.”
“8-streaks haven’t been unheard of before, but most were caught through sniping. Who openly invites them? Especially when you’ve already shown your peak ability.”
Bang Ju spoke with conviction.
This much was enough.

-His physical prowess is ridiculous lol
-The ‘true’ strongest in the realm
-If he loses a fight here, he’s a traitor to the nation
-You mean the faction

Seo Jun agreed.
But there was one dissent he couldn’t dismiss.
Which is why he kept the queue running.
If anyone thought they could do better, they should stop making excuses and try.
Though for various other reasons, they weren’t matching.
“But you look excited, Bang Ju.”
“Heh heh. Well, my impression today is really shining through. The Blunt Sword—wow. I’d like to experience it myself.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Then, right now?”
“No.”
Quick answer.
“For me, just watching is enough. But I think others might want to experience your Blunt Sword.”
“Should I give them a reason then?”
“A reason?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
He didn’t want to fight outside the main battlefield just for the sake of it.
Proving himself without gaining anything wasn’t what Seo Jun wanted.
Better to just leave them believing he was superior.
So then?
Seo Jun answered Bang Ju’s question.
“If things end like this, my chances of taking first place are high, right?”
“Yes, that’s true. You’ve already built a considerable gap in contribution, and the 6-streak Fame Points are nothing to sneeze at. Actually, I’d say it’s nearly impossible to catch up through conventional means, unless you stop playing.”
Seo Jun nodded with satisfaction.
The bait was ready.
“Then, I should give them a chance to eliminate the competition, shouldn’t I?”
“What kind of chance…”
“If I lose even once in any additional games today, I’ll change factions.”
Seo Jun cast his prepared bait.
“What? No…”
“When you change factions, everything resets, right? Just once. Not one match—one time. I’ll change factions if I lose even one round. So…”
Seo Jun looked directly at Bang Ju and smiled.
Most viewers would be watching through Bang Ju anyway.
“Come in. I’ll keep the Heavenly Demon Divine Art as my fixed characteristic going forward. Snipe whoever you want to snipe. If you’re going to make it this far, you wouldn’t avoid fighting, right? Even if we’ve fought before.”
Ha.
Seo Jun laughed bitterly.
Anyone watching would have itchy fingers right now.
He’d given them plenty of reason and touched their pride.
So come in.

-Can they seriously resist this? lolololol
-If they avoid fighting after this, they’re not Orthodox
-Not Heterodox either lol
-I couldn’t resist watching the Master and ran a game in his region. Of course, getting under 1,000 Fame Points is secret
-You’re out of pride, Rankers!
-Let’s go!

“Uh…”
And then, the moment Bang Ju lost his words.
A game matched.
3.
2.
1.
Seo Jun vanished with a satisfied smile of a successful catch.
“Ah, I’ll step out and restart the broadcast right away.”
Bang Ju stared blankly into the air, scratched his head in disbelief, and exited the capsule.

* * *

11-streak.
A full 11-streak.
Given that there had never been a record of 8 or more streaks until now, the streamer’s provocation was undeniably effective.
It made the fights uncontrollable.
Other Rankers who wanted to fight this streamer but had held back found themselves unable to openly criticize those who did match, even as they sacrificed wins and Fame Points.
Because the image of a true man was already being formed.
Sapha’s Pride, who had been controlling public opinion at all costs, quickly wrote posts under multiple IDs.

[Can’t believe anyone fell for this trap, right?]
[Wait, they actually accepted? lol Is this real?]
[The IQ of guys who let him rank first while losing lol]
[Just win and be done with it!]

His posts were bombarded with downvotes.
And this had already happened an hour before.
He had tried to block the 8-streak with multiple IDs.

[He’s ridiculous, so stop fighting]
[Fighting more here is admitting you’re an idiot]
[Fame Points gained at 8-streak]
[Why only the Demonic Sect is happy]

Those too were bombarded with downvotes.
Checking the list of downvoters, Sapha’s Pride screamed.
“Those bastards from before!”
The same people were downvoting both at the 8-streak and now.
Whenever he created posts with 10+ upvotes under his multiple IDs, those bastards appeared like ghosts and downvoted them into oblivion.
“It’s done. Damn it.”
To be precise, it was half-done the moment the 8-streak was achieved.
But now, with a 10-streak earning an additional 12,800 Fame Points, compared to his 4,900, it was a gap that could never be closed.
And the problematic streamer, unsatisfied, queued for the next game.
A 12-streak cannot happen.
Not for the faction’s victory.
The moment that streamer achieves a 12-streak, he alone becomes the equivalent of 14 Rankers.
Fourteen of the top-tier Rankers.
No one understood this danger better than Sapha’s Pride.
“Should I fight?”
He was in conflict.
The last remaining way for him to take first was to beat that streamer and force him to change factions.
“But.”
There was no guarantee he’d win.
Meanwhile, those who had downvoted were shifting public opinion with new posts offering upvotes.

[If you lose but aren’t scared, you’re a true man! Upvote if you agree lol]
[Even though he lost, I think he showed the spirit of a true warrior lol]
[Impressive!]
[This is how we save the honor of the game!]
[This is what the Orthodox Faction’s true spirit looks like]

Damn it.
“Are these bastards manipulating opinion too?”
Either way, it seems like challenging is the right move.
But he ultimately gave up.
“Can’t help it. I’ll give up on first place in this championship.”
Thinking that all of this happened because he wrote an inflammatory post made him even more bitter.
On top of that, hadn’t he been treated like an idiot in the game where he tried to stop the winning streak right from the second match?
“The more I think about it, the angrier I get.”
Still, for the faction’s victory, he endured.
However.
“Huh? Why is that game matched? Don’t they know how many Fame Points come from a 12-streak? What kind of stupid bastard is that!”
With only minutes left until the end.
Why now of all times!
“Damn it. That stupid Orthodox Faction bastard!”

* * *

“Wow…”
With about twenty minutes left until the end.
Seo Jun thought.
They actually matched me for this.

-?? 12-streak possible???? wtf
-How many Fame Points if you win
-Who’s the opponent
-This might get backlash lolllllll

Seo Jun stepped out and faced his opponent.

[Cheon Salseong]

“Hello. I thought last time I lost due to bad luck.”
I see.
“But do you know how many Fame Points I’ll get if I win here?”
“Of course. You just have to win then, don’t you? Heh heh.”
His voice seemed to tremble a little, but it was probably just his imagination.

-True warrior lolololololololololol
-You’re amazing, Salseong!
-I’m so hyped right now, Salseong
-Orthodox and Heterodox leadership in real-time meltdown lolololololololololol
-Critical alert!
-Disaster happening lol
-Does he know he’s the villain if he loses lollllllol

As expected.
“Very well. Let’s see if you can win.”
Cheon Salseong’s loss wasn’t due to luck.

[Fame Points Acquired: + 49,600]

Before Seo Jun’s eyes, who had achieved the 12-streak, the acquired Fame Points appeared.

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