Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Blue Zone Tournament Review
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The next day around lunchtime.
Hawk's Eye had started his stream.
The broadcast title was 'Blue Zone Tournament Review'.
The screen was frozen on an eagle photo. Viewers began trickling in one by one.
The wait time was just over five minutes.
In that time, about 8,000 viewers had joined.
About the same as Hawk's Eye's usual numbers. Considering his upward trend, he could easily double that here.
Pop-.
"Maeha! How's it going, bros?"
The broadcast began. The eagle photo vanished, replaced by Hawk's Eye on screen.
It had been a while since his last stream, but the chit-chat didn't last long.
Hawk's Eye's streams were review-focused. Some tuned in because they liked the streamer himself, but today was an exception.
Viewership shot past 10,000 in no time.
Most were there for the breakdown of Lee Soo-hyuk vs. Schneider.
"Man, you guys are breaking my heart."
"...You guys are the only ones who get me, right?"
Before diving into the main review.
Hawk's Eye pulled up a post that had been lighting up the community forums.
"Alright, first up. Let's check public opinion up to the day before yesterday."
The post had over 50,000 views and 800 recommendations.
It was an analysis thread on Fake-hyuk and Schneider.
Hawk's Eye grinned as he scrolled through the post with the viewers.
"Holy post here. Best comment."
A comment meant as "premature" had accidentally predicted the tournament outcome.
"Spot on. It was a one-shot. But not premature."
Click-.
Hawk's Eye played the prepared clip.
Kaboom-!
A thunderclap rang out as a lightning spear formed in Lee Soo-hyuk's hand.
Schneider's shocked expression.
"See this face? Schneider realized he was in trouble. He thought he'd win easy, but the opponent was stronger than expected."
And the next moment.
Soo-hyuk's taunt followed.
"Then one more thing. You gonna run?"
Pause-.
Hawk's Eye froze the frame there.
"Could call it dirty, but I say taunting's a skill too."
"True, I like Soo-hyuk. Not like that. Anyway, I keep bias out of reviews. You know that, right bros?"
Hawk's Eye's streams were notoriously spicy. Even promising guild-backed players rarely got praise from him, let alone average streamers.
Streamer Roi-mon was one who'd gone collab with him long ago.
The next day, Hawk's Eye tore him apart soul and all in a review.
"No mentioning other streamers. Manager, sanction boundary-pushers. Anyway, back to it."
He quickly moderated chat and returned to the review.
"Schneider took the bait. Dumb move. Obvious it was no joke, right? Should've dodged somehow."
Yet Hawk's tone wasn't too scolding.
"Still, that's the romance of it."
No one mocked Schneider, no matter how reckless.
If anything, it boosted his likability.
Everyone loves an honest fool.
But.
Kaboom-!
"Romance don't pay bills. Clashing with that? Here's the result."
Ding-.
The video froze. Schneider down, Soo-hyuk standing.
"Key point here: Soo-hyuk's spear."
He rewound to when Soo-hyuk first formed it.
"Look familiar?"
Snap-!
Hawk's Eye snapped his fingers at one chat.
"Yes! Exactly! The Lightning Spear!"
With the answer he'd been waiting for, he revealed a prepared photo.
"Remember this? Newbies might not. It's the Legendary-grade item Soo-hyuk got from his trial: Lightning Spear."
Legendary.
Short of ultra-rare Mythics, top tier.
At Legendary, level restrictions are meaningless.
Plus, Lightning Spear was one-use.
Limited-use items pack more punch than same-grade reusables. Power was unquestionable.
"But look close. Doesn't it resemble something?"
His dedicated viewers loved analysis.
They caught on and freaked out.
Soo-hyuk's skill was Lightning. The Legendary from Lightning Trial? 'Lightning Spear'.
Same essence. Theoretically, Lightning could form a Lightning Spear.
But.
"That's what I'm saying!"
Only theoretically.
"Not as strong as the one he threw back then. This is just a copycat imitation. Stats too low yet."
Give Soo-hyuk more time, levels, stats.
He'd hurl the real deal that slayed the giant.
The donation popped up.
Like the name, it tried trashing Soo-hyuk, but timely question.
"A big deal?"
Hawk's Eye shot back incredulously.
"Taught him to walk, now he's flying. Not impressive?"
Jingle-.
The door opened with a pleasant bell. Inside, Schneider sat alone at the bar counter, like he'd rented the place out.
"You're here. Sit."
"What's with the brooding alone?"
"You buy the drinks. Got expensive prizes too."
"More shameless than you look."
How pricey was he planning? Soo-hyuk eyed the menu worriedly.
Thankfully, not too upscale. He sat next to Schneider.
"Same as his."
"Coming up."
The bearded owner soon brought cheap vodka.
100 points a bottle. Cheapest on the menu.
"Might as well go cheap on freebies?"
To Soo-hyuk's question why this, Schneider chuckled and chugged from the bottle.
"Used to have guys buying for me."
His gaze swept the empty seats.
"Couldn't afford fancy. Too many mouths... wallet emptied buying for all."
"Wasn't just you buying."
"I bought alone. Back then."
Staring at his reflection in the bottle, Schneider continued wistfully.
"They challenged Thunder Cave 'cause of my stubbornness."
Soo-hyuk paused uncorking his vodka.
He was talking about his own first Thunder Cave run.
"What? Drink while we talk."
"Not big on booze."
"Just enough not to get smashed. If you really can't, magic it away. Wasteful, but."
Clink-.
Schneider clinked bottles without warning.
Empty ones around—he was pretty drunk.
'Story needs booze, huh.'
To match the mood, Soo-hyuk drank as urged.
Like he'd been waiting, Schneider spoke.
"We were all broke back then. Me too. No big guild backing like now, no hunting confidence."
Not just them.
Most players were.
Soo-hyuk now earned thousands casually via streams.
But Floor 3 players scraped for points.
"Need points for trials. Die in one? Lose more."
He downed the rest, mumbling on.
"Bent our backs bad... You can't imagine."
"Probably."
He wanted Thunder Cave details ASAP over old tales.
But vibe wasn't for rushing.
"Player point sources? Hunting. That day too. Routine hunt for trial fees, levels."
"That day?"
"Yeah."
Sadness flashed in Schneider's eyes.
"We met a Sky Serpent."
"Sky..."
Just days ago.
The monster Soo-hyuk hunted and sold scales from.
When he'd first met Schneider too.
"Way beyond us then. Seven green players? Couldn't touch it."
Current Schneider maybe.
20 years ago? Just another Floor 3 climber.
To him and his crew, the Sky Serpent was...
"Know what happened?"
Like giving up.
He bitter-smiled, head down.
"Four died. My comrades... no, friends."