Genius Archer’s Streaming

Skill-based live streaming.

Although Sanghyun had never really watched it, he knew that there was no shortage of such markets. 

In fact, there were more streamers with good skills than not. 

He realized that the streamer he enjoyed watching, 'Bubblegum,' was surprisingly bad at playing games.

'Bubblegum's streams are for people who don't play games.'

Only then did Sanghyun realize that the algorithm recommended the stream because he was not a person who played games. 

The main viewers of skill-based live streams were generally players who enjoyed games. They watched the streams to learn and improve their own skills.

'To study this hard for a game.'

Sanghyun realized that he had been unintentionally neglecting games. It was the same in the sports industry. 

Improve your skills, compete, and prove yourself. 

Luck played almost no part in it. 

It was a battle of skill versus skill.

A true test of one's ability.

Competition!

"... I like it."

Glug.

As he swallowed a sip of water, Sanghyun mumbled. 

It was a way of life that he had liked since he was a child. Compete with skill and improve yourself step by step. 

On the other hand, society was completely different from these rules. Luck played almost a third of the role, and connections were often more important than ability. Even if Sanghyun was good at his job, he could still be left behind. 

If you add academic and social connections, it was questionable whether work ability was really measured. 

It seemed better to be good-looking rather than being good at the job.

In summary, society's mechanism was too complex and had too many variables. 

Sanghyun preferred simplicity.

"... Let's give it a try."

He thought that the world of games might fit well with him.

Two days after quitting his job. 

A colleague he met at the company cafe shouted at Sanghyun.

"Are you crazy!?"

The colleague, Kim Joohyuk, was almost the only person at the company that Sanghyun could confide in.

Joohyuk had lived a life completely opposite to Sanghyun's. 

He grew up in a wealthy household, attended a good university, graduated from a prestigious graduate school in the United States, and was an elite among elites who landed a job at a major corporation.

"...do you think this is crazy?"

If someone like him opposes it so strongly, it was a problem that Sanghyun should consider at least once.

"Then, you don't think this is crazy?"

"No, why? I'm really good at it."

"But you said you've never played the game before."

"Yeah."

"What?"

Joohyuk exclaimed as he made the most ridiculous facial expression he could come up with.

"Hey, you idiot! But you're going to use the deposit money you've been saving up to buy capsules?!"

He shouted so loudly that the surrounding employees turned to look at them.

"Um... but there's severance pay, you know? So lower your voice a bit."

"No way! How much severance pay does someone who just became an assistant manager get!?"

"It's different for those who got laid off due to restructuring, dude."

"Ugh."

Joohyuk held his head with his hands. 

Sanghyun was a friend who sometimes spoke in an annoying tone, but he was a clever and decent guy who was smarter than most well-educated people.

'Sometimes, he causes problems with his nonsense.'

But there were also moments when his cleverness turned into foolishness. 

For example, moments like now when he said he would eat only at the company cafeteria during weekdays and only instant noodles on weekends, and that he would put all the deposit money he had saved into capsules.

"Hey. Let's just go to Kangwon Land instead. That would be better."

"...But I can't play card games."

"Just a metaphor, metaphorrrrr!"

Ugh, this guy is so frustrating.

Joohyuk thought to himself. As expected, geniuses always have a screw loose somewhere.

"How long has it been since you took a break from archery?"

"Um..."

"You don't even remember?!"

"Uh..."

"Why is this guy suddenly shooting arrows again? And in a game? Stealing the deposit too? Hey, just live a normal life."

"Uuh..."

Sanghyun's expression didn't change at all.

'Is this guy not listening?!'

As usual, he doesn't listen to anything that doesn't interest him. Especially nagging, he's a guy who can let it go in one ear and out the other.

"Sigh. How much is it?"

"$4,000!"

'He's quick to respond.'

Joohyuk was about to say something, but he barely held back. He's going to ignore it anyway.

"Just the capsule alone costs $4,000, not to mention the electricity bill to run it, and what other strange equipment... Is it really necessary?"

"Um... I don't know yet. But wouldn't just one capsule solve everything? It costs $4,000."

"You spend money on options when you buy a car worth $150,000. This guy."

"Ugh, I see."

Sanghyun thought to himself.

'Elite people are different, after all.'

He gains a lot from talking to Kim Joohyuk.

"Just wait until I finish work. Got it? Don't buy it until then. I'll contact someone I know and find a cheaper place to buy it."

"Oh... Thank you!"

"Stay here. I'm leaving early today."

With those words, Kim Joohyuk quickly headed towards the elevator. 

It was just the other day that he had ridden the same elevator with a cup of coffee. As he watched his back, Sanghyun's heart ached a little.

'Forget it.'

This discomfort would be an unavoidable process for a new beginning.

5:00 PM.

Sanghyun was looking up the stock prices on his laptop and studying stock charts to figure out how to spend his severance pay at the café.

"How come I feel like I'm more nervous than you?"

"Oh, you're here?"

Sanghyun looked up at Joohyuk with his head tilted back like a bat.

"...don't people usually turn their heads to the side?"

"Oh, really?"

Sanghyun turned his head to the side again, becoming a bat that turned its head to the side.

"Anyway, you're a really interesting guy. Let's go."

"Where? Did you find it?"

"Just follow me."

Joohyuk put on his suit jacket with a confident attitude and led the way.

Sanghyun was curious about what kind of connection Joohyuk was using to get the capsules cheap.

'Maybe he'll cut me a deal for about $500 off.'

"Huh?"

"What's with the huh?"

"This is a capsule room, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Just come with me for now and stop talking nonsense."

"But... I'm here to buy capsules, not use them."

As he followed behind Joohyuk's lead, a cheerful voice greeted them.

"Hey, Joohyuk's here! Who's this friend of yours?"

"Oh, it's been a while, hyung."

"...Oh, hello there."

Sanghyun quickly assessed the situation and greeted the man who Joohyuk knew.

"Did you say your name was Sanghyun?"

A man who gave the impression that he might be running a truth-telling room instead of a capsule room approached them while extending his hand.

Sanghyun shook the man's thick hand and nodded his head.

"Yes, I'm Yoo Sanghyun."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Lee Kangsuk, the owner here."

"Oh...okay."

"Follow me. You said this is your first time buying capsules, right?"

"Yes."

"But it's not possible to purchase them right now."

'Is he trying to convince me of something?'

Sanghyun turned around and glared at Joohyuk. Joohyuk just smiled and waved back. 

In the end, Sanghyun followed the owner out of concern for Joohyuk's pride.

"Here, please go in."

"......?"

"This is where we register your personal information, Mr. Sanghyun."

"Oh."

"I heard it's your first time registering here."

"Yes."

"We're going to close the door soon, so just wait here in your underwear and follow the instructions on the computer."

Thud.

Suddenly, Sanghyun found himself trapped in a space that looked like a huge emergency escape pod in outer space.

The two of them talked while Sanghyun was getting scanned.

"Hyung, you said you have some spare parts, right?"

"Yeah. The parts used in capsule rooms are very high-performance, so even if I sell them for $1,500, they will be worth it. However, If you really want to save money, there are some that can be sold for around $1,000."

"Wow, thank you."

"It's nothing. That's just the original price. Hmm... I'd rather not deal with these kinds of people if I can help it."

"You too?"

"Yeah. There are some people who act like they're possessed and want to buy used capsule parts. They think gaming can make them rich these days. If they do well in a popular game or get popular on a stream, they think they can strike it rich."

"Ah, there are people who think so simply besides that guy?"

"Not everyone in the world is as smart as you. There are plenty of idiots out there. Ah... Of course, I'm not saying your friend is one of them."

"He's a complete idiot."

The boss laughed heartily and stood up again. Sanghyun's body scan must have been finished by now. 

He walked towards the scan room and spoke.

"Oh, and there's one more thing people misunderstand."

"What is it...?"

"They think they can do well in games if they are good at it in real life. But that's not always the case. In games, there are no physical limitations. It's all about mental toughness. Being good at soccer in real life doesn't mean you'll be good at it in games."

"Even in full dive games?"

"Yeah. In real life, you can cover or overpower your opponents with your physical abilities, but you can't do that in games. There's no physical discernment. "

"Ah...."

"Maybe that guy will give up right away if I make him play a light game called 'Real Olympics' as a test today. Give him some comfort. His story isn't that great."

"....Okay, I understand."

Joohyuk was worried.

'Are games really that different from reality?'

He had also played virtual reality games before. However, from the perspective of someone with a normal body, he did not feel that there were many things that felt significantly different between the game and reality.

In general, he didn't feel like there were many things in the game that felt very different from reality, unlike cases where people are good at something physically in reality but not in the game.

However, perhaps professionals might feel the difference more. Since they cannot utilize their excellent physical abilities in the game.

'Rather, it's a good thing. We can save on the deposit as well.'

He had prepared some comforting words for Sanghyun. He believed that it was better not to buy the capsule.

-Scan complete.

After a moment, Sanghyun entered the capsule located at the very front after coming out of the scan room.

"Okay. Now, let's try a test."

The boss began to explain to Sanghyun.

"Since you mainly do archery, the test should be easy for you. It's a game called 'Real Olympics.' I have set it up for archery."

"Ah... thank you."

"Now, I'll close the door. Please try to score here. And..."

'Think again about buying the capsule.'

The boss didn't say these words. Anyway, it was going to happen automatically.

Thump.

The capsule door closed, and the boss and Joohyuk turned on the monitor in spectator mode.

"Wow..."

The excited atmosphere unique to the Olympics appeared on the screen.

And there was Sanghyun, who looked perfect in a white uniform for some reason.

Kiri-rik.

He pulled the bowstring without any hesitation, as if he had been doing it every day for years.