Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Different Footwork Videos
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Footwork That's Different, Videos
Embargo.
I was pretty sure there was a word like that.
An agreement to delay the release of certain content, something like that?
[Mass Email Sent (25 Recipients)]
[We'll all release at midnight on the 17th, haha]
I'd made that embargo deal with all the review Mitubers.
We're competitors, after all, so we need a baseline of fairness, right?
Just like how the regional heads had made their vow to die together in the Dowan Gate, we'd all promised to start at the same time.
They had about a week.
Long enough that anyone with real skills could've scouted an A+ gate.
I wondered just how far they'd go for views.
In the Mitube world, aggro was lifeblood.
With a true battle of skills underway, someone was bound to pull off something insane.
Ding!
[A new video has been uploaded.]
Sure enough, one Mituber had jumped the gun.
There were still over 20 minutes until midnight.
Tsk tsk tsk.
I'd clearly said false starts were disqualifying.
What the hell was he thinking?
Did he think his chances of teaming up with me in the future were slim, so he might as well grab the first-mover advantage?
Impressive guts. Fine, I'd watch his video as a special treat.
Perfect timing too—20 minutes long.
Watch his first, then everyone else's? What a thorough bastard.
[Molangmol's New Product? I Tried Lava Diving in Molrangtex!]
"...This guy's nuts?"
I couldn't help but gasp at the thumbnail alone.
Molrangtex... the custom armor I'd invented. A guy wearing it was lying atop pitch-black flowing lava.
...This dude. He's a pro. A total pro.
The title with "Molangmol" was plenty clickbaity on its own, but that unhinged thumbnail made it look tame by comparison.
I mean, I wouldn't trust Molrangtex *that* much myself...
Not clicking play would be a crime.
Squeeze.
[Hey everyone! Welcome! So today, get this— Molrangmol, the creators of Molrangtori, have dropped a new product!]
A start with some forced energy, but nothing too distinctive.
Splash!
But that background was utterly destructive.
Splash!
[Can you see? Swimming in lava wearing Molrangtex like this... Is this swimming? Anyway, something like it. Oh, and everyone—do NOT try this at home!]
...Who the hell would? You maniac.
[Whoops. The surface of the Molrangtex is starting to break down. Yep, looks like about 5 minutes is the limit in lava. Still insanely good, though.]
Five minutes put its heat resistance just a hair above standard A-rank gear.
It would've lasted longer with just golem hide, but mixing in the slime ball had shaved off a bit.
Slime balls topped out at 200 degrees, baseline.
'Still plenty satisfying.'
I was ready to give this test a pass already.
...Shouldn't get ahead of myself.
Was this calculated too? Like, 'Any minor backlash, I'll bury it with skill.'?
A chill ran down my spine, so I peeked at the Mituber's past videos.
[I Went Inside a Devil Nepender's Camouflage.]
[I Headbutted a Torunicorn and Got a Hole Blown in Me.]
.
.
.
[If I Eat Molrangtori, Will It Steal All My Food? Testing It Myself.]
[I Went Inside a Molrangtori Once.]
...Clap clap clap!
I burst into applause without thinking.
I'd pegged him as just another aggro-pulling Mituber from the channel description.
'This guy's on another level.'
This wasn't obsession with views—this was pure insanity.
A deranged A-rank hunter shaking up the Mitube ecosystem.
Twenty million subscribers, no less.
Even in this hunter-supremacist era, hitting that with pure Korean content? Wild.
Ding!
Ding!
Other Mitubers—the obedient, fairness-loving ones—were starting to upload.
'...Not feeling it.'
My standards had shot up.
[Alright everyone! I'm at the Baekya Gate this time. You all know this A+ gate, right? See, right in front of me is an A-rank monster, the Heldrake.]
Kuuuwaaaah!
[The Heldrake's bite force is... about 2,000 kg? Five times that of a sea crocodile. I'm gonna stick my hand right in that terrifying maw. I've layered the Molrangtex as thick as possible... Think it'll hold?]
Wince. That looks rough.
2,000 kg could crumple decent steel plating like paper.
Sure, I'd designed Molrangtex assuming A-rank monsters, but a Heldrake? Basically an A+ high-tier.
Crunch!
[...Huh? Holding up better than expected? Biting a few more times.]
Crunch!
Crunch!
Crunch!
Crunch!
[Ah... Cracked on the fifth. Note this, everyone: If you're in Molrangtex, escape before the fifth chomp from a Heldrake.]
Crackle!
[Wait, no—turns out Molrangtex self-repairs when you infuse mana. Total capacity drops, of course. Kinda like those nano suits from movies? Probably thanks to the pudding slime's regen.]
Crunch!
[Guess we gotta test the regen limit then? Time for merciless chomping.]
The Mituber spread thick layers of Molrangtex over his whole body and sat right on the Heldrake's tongue.
[One more time: Do NOT try this.]
Crunch!
...Damn, this guy's video production is top-notch.
Top of the industry really does have different footwork.
**
[Molangtex <<<< This Thing's Kinda Sick?][Poster: I'mJustAnIndividual]
(Review Mitubers' test videos)
Watched 'em all.
Defense on par with top A-ranks is solid, whatever, but the regen? Straight fire.
Armor regenerating with mana? Wtf lmao
-Drop it already. Molrang whatever's going viral af
└Lmao viral my ass. Molrangmol got that kinda pull?
└Bet my hunter license this guy's a washed-up porter
-A-rank defense for real? Held up like a champ lol
└Agreed
-How much are A-rank sets usually?
└Quantum's latest full set is 8.88 mil won.
└Holy shit then it'd be over 10 mil...
└That's a steal lol
[Molangtex's Real Strength Is][Poster: MooHooHoo]
(Video of changing Molrangtex shape)
Customizability.
Defense whatever, but customizing? God tier fr
-Really? Reviewers just threw on basic fits.
└(OP): Think about it. Dress it up however... Moo hoo hoo...
└Get a room!!!
-Baekya demo'd a design-maxed one. Check it if interested.
└Wasn't that co-developed with Baekya?
└Nah? Just saw a rez vid on Baekya's official Mitube.
**
"...This is driving me crazy."
Baekya Castle, 89th floor. In the center of the training ground built solely for the S-rank hunter Haneul.
"...Hoo."
Haneul let out a deep sigh.
A heavy weight had lifted from her body, but her chest stayed tight, her head throbbed.
Her face burned so hot it had turned her cheeks and ears bright red.
All because of the live stream about to start.
[Time Until Stream: 00:05:53]
The broadcast itself was no issue.
S-rank hunters were like top idols.
Beyond that, she led one of the Five Great Guilds.
With her face known worldwide, what was one more video to get tense about?
'Why this getup, of all things...'
What embarrassed Haneul was the Molrangtex clinging to her entire body.
A new product from the Molrangtori maker, Baekya's business partner.
Wondering how it came to this, Haneul replayed her chats with the creator.
[DragonWantToRaise: Could the Guild Master test it personally?]
[Baekya: Of course. Durability test?]
[DragonWantToRaise: That's good too, but... could you really push the design testing?]
[Baekya: Design?]
The creator had said:
Molrangtex's killer feature wasn't defense—it was design.
Full customization to the user's taste.
[Baekya: I'll do my best! Haha]
Haneul had accepted, and since design wasn't her forte, she'd handed it to the merch team...
'And this is the result...'
After five days of waiting, the Molrangtex had transformed into an intricate bodysuit.
The exact kind you'd see in a cyberpunk world.
Of course, she got the merch team's intent.
Like CPU makers hawking peak performance, they wanted to show off max design potential.
Hence the unnecessary paint job, turning it into a real bodysuit.
Even sensibly emblazoned with Baekya's mark on the chest.
As guild master, she ought to praise their competence...
'...They made whatever since they weren't wearing it.'
Haneul resented how *well* they'd done.
A plain suit of armor would've been fine. Still sleek and cool, right?
Did they go this route to flex the high-tech vibe?
"......"
Useless thoughts piled up, sapping her motivation.
Should she just pass it to the vice guild master? She'd pull it off way better.
Ding!
[DragonWantToRaise: Guild Master, stream's scheduled? Looking forward to it haha]
Trapped with no escape.
Creator was hyped—no backing out.
"...Whatever."
Haneul half-gave up and ran a mental sim.
Stream slotted for 30 minutes.
10 on design features, 20 on combat tests.
Compress it all into 15 minutes max.
Quality over quantity.
Short-form meta these days—smarter play.
"Guild Master, ready?"
"...Yeah. Let's start now."
"Got it. Sending the countdown video."
Ding!