2-Tier Chaos

2-Tier. Final kill count: 38 kills. Out of those, Lee Jua racked up 11, Odin 14, and Zeus 13. All three had surpassed 2,000 damage each. They'd wiped out Hansquad early on, showing godlike physicals, but no matter what, they couldn't quite match the top pros vying for world supremacy.

"Work's done, fuckers! Good job, everyone!"

"Kuh, the squad leader's orders were spot on."

"Nah, our tempo never once fell behind. Even with average male streamers, I feel suffocated..."

Zeus paused for a moment before driving the nail in like a wedge.

"Jua, you could go pro anytime."

Zeus, who had grumbled at first about no time to carry Hyeji, had done a complete 180.

Thousands of viewers migrating from Odin's stream, hundreds from Zeus's, and Jua's original dozens were all dumbfounded watching this short-haired girl cam command two ex-pros to a 38-kill chicken dinner.

And viewer awe always translated to the most reliable material reward.

"Heck."

Donations poured in nonstop, the messages filling in for Jua's audio. Off-cam, Jua's lips were grinning ear to ear.

Insane, fucking insane. Money's multiplying...

Back in her Lee Jinsu days, a single gombang haul netted 300,000 won. Now? One Battlelands chicken dinner brought in 200,000. And that wasn't even the end—smaller donations kept trickling in.

"Jua, we've got a big spender called BigShow in our room. He set a 'JuaSurviveChicken' mission: 10k per kill per room if you survive to chicken. He's about to drop 110k."

"Huh? F-for real?"

BigShow, one of Odin's whales, had tasked him with the mission. JuaSurviveChicken. Keep Jua alive to chicken, 10k per kill in each room.

"Oh? You did JuaSurvive too? I did too. 200k per room split."

Zeus's whale hadn't forgotten either. From the two whales alone: a whopping 310,000 won. Simple math: over 510,000 won slammed in.

Of course... Prism took a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠brutal 40% cut.

Jua felt her throat tighten and cleared it loudly.

"Ahem! Thanks for the donations, bosses. Our day laborers did such a bang-up job today—couldn't have yarikiri'd solo. Thanks, Odin, Zeus. I'll settle your daily wages later. Broke right now..."

"Hahaha, wages are fine. We followed your calls, gamed easy, cleared all missions. Feels bad we're taking more."

At Odin's humility, Jua replied in a pitying tone.

"Aigoo... You can't survive society with that mindset."

"...Pardon?"

Odin shut his mouth. Jua pounced.

"Shoulda threatened to file a complaint with Labor if no same-day pay."

"Wanna report now?"

"Not to me! I'm your boss, Odin!"

Jua raised her voice in disbelief. Odin laughed in absurdity.

...What the hell?

8-year nogada concept, insane physicals, heavenly voice. The mismatched character felt unhinged. But streamers thrived on unique quirks. Jua would explode in growth soon, Odin was sure.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Oh, Jua. Next kill bet when we squad up—wanna join?"

"M-me? Call me, I'm there!"

Odin's kill bet recruitment flipped the chat again. Kill bets: Battlelands' biggest stakes, hottest content. A day-3 short-hair girl cam getting Odin's pick? Intern jumping straight to exec.

"Jua recruitment? Hell yes, but... tricky. Too good for 2-Tier push to 1, too good for 2-Tier."

Not quite 1-Tier to rival Odin/Zeus. But way above 2-Tier scrubs. 1.5-Tier Jua. Tricky for Zeus.

"Tricky my ass? She's 1-Tier easy. Physicals aside, her brain's pro-level. Weren't you gaming comfy under her calls?"

Odin countered Zeus, hyping Jua.

Chat erupted in tier placement debates. 1-Tier: burden on teammates. 2-Tier: ecosystem destroyer. Awkward limbo. Odin and Zeus argued 1 vs 2. Chat piled on.

Sensing the weird flow, Jua yanked her 29k mic close.

Clink—Roll—

"Uh... bosses, hold up. Stop."

Her firm voice halted Odin, Zeus, and chat mid-debate.

"In nogada, night shifts give 1.5 pay—but nobody treats people as 1.5 humans."

She had to prove her worth here to crash the golden kill bet table.

"It's '2-Tier fake pro' or '1-Tier get smashed by real pros'—right?"

Snake head or dragon tail? Farming 2-Tier a month might lag behind learning via 1-Tier beatdowns in a week. Jua raising her voice? To swim with big fish, they thought. Nodding, Odin/Zeus prepped 1-Tier recruitment despite backlash.

"I'm no pro, not even support—straight to 2-Tier scrub zone. Scrubs got their turf. No dreams of pro or support."

"...?"

"Huh?"

Jua smirked, chin up, proud of her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠perfect analogy.

But amid the laughs, a heavy chat crushed bone.

"...Huh?"

Jua froze at the chat. Right. Gombang aces haul 2-3 men's share, pocket extra pay.

...True.

Excitement blinded her to her gombang pricing expertise.

Chat mocked Jua, flooding lmaos. Beyond death screen, Odin/Zeus stifled laughs. Crisis to opportunity. Streamer skill: flip it. Jua had to prove.

"Ahem, Squad Leader bro who said 1.5—you're spot on. Gombang aces get 1.5 treatment, pocket 30 sheets. True."

She doubled down boldly.

"But think, bro. Do site pros treat gombang aces like pros? Waterproofing and tiling pros? Hell no. Gombang ace is still scrub."

Rapped out, quick breath, no interruptions.

"In Battlelands kill bets, 1-Tier pros, 2/3/4-Tier scrubs—for 1-Tiers. 1.5-Tier into 1? Shatter pride, eat shit. Who joins that squad leader? So 2-Tier scrub fits. If I ace 2-Tier, it's 'cause I'm 2-Tier ace material. 2-Tier has standouts too—promote 'em all? Then who's 2, 3, 4?"

"...Makes sense?"

"Uh... kinda?"

Jua's wild sophistry ignited chat hotter. Fake logic pokes, blatant 2-Tier disruption cash-grab. Odin burst laughing.

"Hahahaha, Jua, you talk so well. Kinda convincing."

"I yield. Bro, recruit to 2-Tier, run games? If no fit, bump to 1 later."

"Jua joins 2-Tier then? Cool?"

"Love it!"

Viewers still bickered: 1-Tier Jua or 2? But 2-Tier locked, Jua sighed relief inwardly. Game talent skyrocketed post-TS, but no confidence vs 1-Tier rankers. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Odin/Zeus monsters? 1-Tier title would expose her fast, crash hard.

Wise choice.

Jua praised herself, beaming.

Odin/Zeus locked Jua at 2-Tier. Word spread via carrier pigeons to kill bet streamers.

"New 2-Tier? Sick! Who's Jua...? Day-3 shorty? Huh?"

"Pro-level joined 2-Tier? But he bitches we lose teaming..."

"Tempo held vs Odin/Zeus? Why 2-Tier? Bullfrog what?"