Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Resuming the Broadcast
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With that message, the tension drained from his body.
The heat seared into his back like a branding iron glowing red-hot. Instead of formations and ink, the condensed elixirs etched there now infused his body with vitality.
Fatigue had piled up from the procedure lasting well over two days, but strangely, his energy overflowed.
It was thanks to his body, strengthened by the procedure.
Lee Soo-hyuk's lips curled upward as he checked his stats.
Above all else, what jumped out was his Stamina.
70.
On top of the stats he'd secured from the fourth-floor trial, the procedure had boosted it by nearly 20 points.
And then there was...
'Stamina recovery rate of 32 percent.'
The recovery provided by the formation tattooed across his back like ink was invaluable.
Regenerating spent stamina and shortening wound recovery time meant prolonged combat endurance.
Moreover, this procedure wasn't even perfect yet.
'This much for 200,000 points... then a million-point one would be...'
Soo-hyuk marveled anew at Jin-un's handiwork.
'His skills have grown even more.'
"Satisfied?"
Jin-un asked from behind, as if he already knew the answer.
Soo-hyuk nodded.
Satisfied? Absolutely.
Fatigue lingered, but he could distinctly feel his heightened stamina. He was itching to recover fully and put his body to the test.
With this...
'Not for long durations, but I can use Master of Lightning now.'
Body reinforcement via procedure. He'd achieved his goal.
Even if the dead Jung Yu-han came back to life, he wouldn't need Unhyang's help anymore.
Afterward, Soo-hyuk slept for over half a day.
Eat, sleep. Wake up, eat again.
Nothing beat it for recovery.
Clink-.
Silently finishing his meal, Soo-hyuk set down his chopsticks.
A simple, meatless table spread, elegantly prepared.
Having eaten cleanly, he rose from his seat.
"I'll head out after resting well."
"Fatigue all cleared?"
"Yes. Completely."
His body felt light enough to float away. High stamina coursed vitality through him. Recovery rate had soared thanks to the procedure.
Peak condition.
Ready for a trial at any moment.
"Good. Next time, bring more generous offerings. Sheesh, left me with nothing..."
Jin-un grumbled deliberately, loud enough for Soo-hyuk to hear.
To Soo-hyuk, it sounded like: Come back again for sure.
"Yes. Understood."
Remaining balance: 800,000 points.
Returning with that would secure an even more solid procedure.
The spot where streamer Lee Soo-hyuk had departed.
Jin-un gazed at the door, hands clasped behind his back.
"Off he goes, ever the busy one."
He'd figured he'd linger another day at least.
That impatient streak was just like the Soo-hyuk he knew.
"Odd fellow."
Just a little over three days.
Actual conversation? Barely a few hours.
Most of the time spent wordlessly on the procedure—no chance to bond.
Yet why did it feel like...
In that brief span, they'd grown oddly close, as if by some unspoken pact?
"Did I smile?"
Grinning unwittingly, oblivious to it.
Absurd enough, but the follow-up question was even more ridiculous.
"...Do you miss him that much?"
What kind of nonsense was that?
He wasn't the real Lee Soo-hyuk.
So he'd answered accordingly.
That guy wasn't the kid he knew—just a streamer mimicking him.
But...
The fellow's words and expression upon hearing he did miss him... they lingered, unforgettable.
"I'm glad, then."
"Heh."
Glad?
"Found Lee Soo-hyuk, and he's the one rejoicing."
Muttering to himself, Jin-un let out a hollow chuckle.
Laughter born of sheer bafflement. But oddly, his mood wasn't sour.
No.
Rather, a sliver of that aching longing eased, warming a corner of his chest.
Perhaps that's why.
After staring at Soo-hyuk's empty spot for a long while, Jin-un turned and muttered.
"Time to prepare."
Jin-un's footsteps led back to his workshop.
800,000 points.
No small sum, but the kid would scrape it together soon and return.
And when he did, Jin-un would deliver—as promised—the finest procedure tailored just for him.
Mask back on, Soo-hyuk returned to the lodging and spotted Unhyang waiting on the first floor, as always.
He considered heading straight to the trial, but she was his partner, after all.
The least he owed her was an explanation for his absence and lack of contact.
"A procedure?"
Unhyang tilted her head, as if hearing it for the first time after Soo-hyuk's rundown.
"There's such a thing, huh..."
"Not many know about it. The old man doesn't take just anyone as a client to begin with."
"Who's this old man?"
Tough to answer.
Jin-un hated his whereabouts getting out.
Even as Soo-hyuk's manager, casually dropping the name of the man who'd gone out of his way for the procedure felt wrong.
In the end, Soo-hyuk offered his other title instead.
"The... Master...?"
"Master?"
Degrees of shock varied, but both women were stunned.
Cheongryang, caught off guard, blurted a curse before clapping a hand over her mouth.
"Whoa, damn. Ah, sorry. Just too shocked."
He got it.
Even as an Earth player, Soo-hyuk knew the weight "Master" carried for those from the Murim World.
"A hidden expert in the top three for formations? Second to none in magic circles."
Master.
Another name Jin-un went by.
Not one he'd claimed himself, of course. Just the byproduct of side gigs piled up to earn his keep.
Murim once dispatched a hundred rankers to recruit the Master. All got trapped in his formations—a famous tale.
"How'd you even meet someone like that...?"
"Luck. Turns out the Master had ties to Lee Soo-hyuk."
"The Master and Lee Soo-hyuk?"
Unhyang clapped a hand over her gaping mouth.
Hardcore fan through and through. Manager now, sure—but originally a Blue Eyes Lee Soo-hyuk stan.
Fresh Lee Soo-hyuk news straight from Soo-hyuk's mouth.
Unhyang's eyes sparkled like stars.
"How was the procedure? Satisfied?"
"Exceeded expectations. Pricey, though."
Naturally, talk shifted to settlements.
"So, how much from the video payouts? Got another procedure lined up."
"Was gonna settle up the moment you got back."
Unhyang extended her hand.
Time for joyful payouts.
Soo-hyuk clasped it.
Then...
A far bigger sum than expected filled his pockets.
"First payout. Yesterday's video went up too—settles in a few days."
"Bigger than I thought..."
"Your videos are racking up views lately. Community's buzzing nonstop."
Welcoming news.
Tons to spend points on. Time to tighten the belt and grind again.
"Great news."
"Right?"
"You two hold up okay without me? This being your hometown and all."
A question prompted by their Murim origins.
But Unhyang and Cheongryang exchanged glances.
Silence fell. Over her ever-bright face floated a familiar expression.
Again.
That same look from before.
Lifeless, as if her soul had fled.
"We were fine."
Cheongryang spoke up.
"Anyway, diving right in? No rest?"
Topic change too blatant. Soo-hyuk eyed them both.
Something happen the moment they returned home?
They were clearly hiding something unspeakable.
One thing stood out.
He'd glimpsed what Unhyang was concealing.
'Tied to her hometown.'
No use pressing; answers wouldn't come.
Besides, Soo-hyuk thought practically.
He lacked Unhyang's power yet. Most issues beyond her were beyond him too.
Anyway, time to grow stronger.
That trip to Jin-un had been for exactly that.
And now, the obvious next step was...
"Yeah. Rested plenty over there."
Clear the trial. Head upward again.
Hawk's Eye scoured broadcasts for his next bit of content.
Streamers, rankers. Even recent viral highlight reels.
Nothing clicked.
'Had higher hopes...'
He stared dully at his kit screen.
Golden Lion Reinhardt's stream.
His recent demon skirmish had blown up everywhere.
But...
'This is bare minimum for him.'
Reinhardt was a high ranker.
The kind with a moniker like Golden Lion—heavy hitter. Fought by overwhelming foes with raw magical firepower.
Strong.
That's it.
Not content-worthy.
"Tsk-."
Lips smacking in disappointment, Hawk's Eye revisited Lee Soo-hyuk's vids.
"No one measures up to Soo-hyuk."
Holding back on reviews lately to avoid overkill.
But his streams always brimmed with review bait.
Not just the lightning gimmick.
Consistently astonishing feats. Stellar control, relentless drive to tackle brutal challenges, star power to pull them off.
Prime star timber.
The more he watched, the more convinced.
Fourth floor's repfest had quieted things lately, but the next trial? Already tingling with anticipation.
Yet here it was, day three.
No stream.
"Tsk."
Dry on content.
Or rather, no captivating players fit for it.
Just cherry-picking popular randos felt meh.
"If only Soo-hyuk fired up a stream right now."
Right then.
Bzzz-.
Perfect timing—an alert chimed from his kit.
As if his words were magic.
Lee Soo-hyuk's broadcast had begun.
Reincarnator's Streaming