Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Tiger Living in the Arena
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Team Proud's practice room.
Despite their solid results, Wild—who'd been all but forgotten by everyone because they hadn't lifted the championship trophy—was throwing himself into practice as diligently as ever today.
That was when he sensed something off.
"The rank levels have been weird lately, right?"
Something was strange about solo rank.
Lots of people pulling weird stunts.
Was he getting bad queues? He checked the record site—no, these were legit top Challenger games.
"That's 'cause of your buddy's friend."
"Who? Victory?"
"Nah, not the guy side. Female Victory."
"Jeon Jeonseol isn't female Victory. Victory's the male Jeon Jeonseol."
The practice room had already been overtaken by Jeon Jeonseol's streams.
Wild felt a complicated mix of emotions hearing his teammates spit out stream memes.
It felt like she'd stolen his spot as Victory's closest rival.
He'd never once been her equal.
He'd always been the challenger looking up from below.
But now some bird had popped up flying even higher right beside him.
Was a tiger that couldn't fly doomed to just stand atop the mountain and gawk?
No way. He absolutely couldn't give up.
"So, what'd she do to mess up the ranks like this?"
"People used to give game feedback mostly on mechanics, yeah? 'Cause that's super visible. But after watching Jeon Jeonseol's analysis streams, they realized ops matter too."
"Wasn't the conclusion that it's impossible in solo rank?"
Random starting points.
Way too many variables.
Even teammates are random.
Can't even decide who calls shots.
In the end, solo rank's just about doing your best in your role. Nothing more. That's why it's always lower level than tournaments.
That was the accepted wisdom.
"What kinda stream did she even do?"
"One where a supercomputer runs sims?"
"Zhuge Liang's strategies plus Lü Bu's brute force!"
"It was simpler than you'd think. Instead of splitting into 'what enemies do' and 'what team does,' you just calculate every single one of the ten players individually."
"Jeon Jeonseol is a god!"
One of them had already turned full devotee.
Wild turned to the one who seemed relatively sane.
"So, the rankers are overthinking themselves into breaking?"
"Some are even messing up ops on purpose. Standard play gets all read now."
"Countering standard's already tough. Can you even pull off twists in solo rank?"
"See for yourself. That's why it's all weird."
"Jeon Jeonseol poisoned the ranked games!"
Only then did it click for Wild what was up with ranked.
Stuffing half-baked vessels full of demonic arts had sent them all into mass qi deviation.
'Her influence is insane.'
To get famous enough to reshape the entire ranked meta.
'If they pick up what they ditched before, the overall level's gonna rise.'
Matching Jeon Jeonseol's ops was insanely tough for anyone.
But now everyone was striving together to grab what they'd previously abandoned.
In that case...
The game meta might flatline upward soon, Wild thought.
"Turn on Jeon Jeonseol's stream!"
'Dongwoo's a lost cause.'
What was he supposed to do with a pro gamer turning into a streamer fanatic?
Well, there was plenty to learn from it.
But it didn't seem like that was why the guy was into it?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ [Victory] As the victory message popped up, I voiced my thoughts aloud.
"Kicking out the analysis room made the games even easier."
People who'd been playing rock-solid fundamentals were now so fixated on "If you can't stop Jeon Jeonseol, you lose!" that they pulled all sorts of weird plays.
"They say a tiger's growl alone can freeze a human stiff? Have I reached that level already?"
💬 Comments — Viewer Tiger Living in the Arena lol — Viewer What kinda degen concept lol — Viewer Is it really just a concept tho? How long had it been since I'd declared my #1 run and started streaming eight hours a day?
Before I knew it, my score had blown past 2500.
— Viewer Breaking) Jeon Jeonseol hits single digits — Viewer 9th already? — Viewer No way she's already that high??? — Viewer No one can stop this woman's rampage ⭐ Top Comment — Viewer Jeon Jeonseol is god — Viewer Shouldn't goddess be "goddess"? — Viewer Nooo if she hits #1 the double stream time event ends — Viewer All good things must come to an end... — Viewer I'll handle your health, Legend—just focus on streaming — Viewer What good's you handling health lol — Viewer Viewer health matters too — Viewer Sick leave squad protect Jeon Jeonseol ㅠㅠ — Viewer Streaming 8 hrs straight and still fine? Maybe tougher than she looks? "I'm not that fragile, guys. Pretty healthy..., healthy..."
— Viewer Why'd you trail off like that — Viewer Legend detected with irregular sleep schedule — Viewer 8 hrs nonstop is brutal — Viewer Probably crashes after stream and spends the rest in bed No exercise, barely goes out, hardly leaves the bed.
All hits way too close to home. Straight to the heart.
— Viewer donated 10,000 won. "You ain't putting weights on your desk 'cause they're heavy for gaming, right? That'd wreck your back." — Viewer Gasp! — Viewer Sexual harassment? Kinda borderline — Viewer Just health concern no? — Viewer If streamer feels bad it's all harassment — Viewer Straight posture gaming wrecks shoulders instead no? — Viewer Big moments mean something's gotta snap... Looks good but cursed af... — Viewer How many would kill for that curse — Viewer Fr full tummy talk lol — Viewer Hornybirds sound off and shut up — Viewer Zero tact Sorry, guys.
Nothing like what you're imagining.
All lies.
Just chaos tactics to dodge IRL doxxing.
No way I'd envy huge boobs.
A pure male soul like mine wouldn't covet mana orbs that just entrance dudes.
Except Venus's. Hers embrace all the world's hate and sin in massive maternal love—no, agape itself.
"Suddenly Venus feels so lovable."
— Viewer ??? — Viewer What context?? — Viewer Serial confessor strikes again — Viewer Haver solidarity ㄷㄷㄷ — Viewer Suddenly Jeon Jeonseol feels so lovable too — Viewer J.J.S.L. (Jeon Jeonseol Saranghae) — Viewer donated 10,000 won. "You going to Kuroichi's signing event then?" "Huh? What's that about?"
Kuroichi was the scenario writer for Magical Girls Chronicle, the work starring my beloved Venus.
Lives in Japan, so no way I could make a signing event.
— Viewer Kuroichi in Korea Why's he suddenly in Korea?
— Viewer Theater greeting and signing apparently? — Viewer Magical Girls Chronicle mobile game dropping soon? Promo ramping up Lately, the Japanese anime and degen game scene had this weird meta of digging up old forgotten stiffies from the grave and remaking them.
Magical Girls Chronicle movie probably part of that.
Mobile game incoming.
Not one gacha using degen IP had turned out decent.
Please, just don't ruin it!
'Signing event. Signing event...'
I love Venus.
And Kuroichi's the one who created Venus and her story.
If you ask how I feel? Mad respect.
Would love to meet once if possible.
Not big on autographs, but it'd be nice.
But gotta say I'm not going, right?
If I really don't, that's that.
If I do end up going, lower chance of getting caught, so win-win?
"Dunno if I can make it. Probably not."
— Viewer Go and get caught instantly lol — Viewer Too easy to pinpoint — Viewer Tiny XX doesn't add up — Viewer Why can't you just say "huge boobs" -deleted message- — Viewer One gone already... — Viewer Illegal fanmeet participation go brrr — Viewer Do you really need to hide your identity that hard? Hmm... — Viewer Easy for you to say when it's not you — Viewer Female streamers gotta be careful fr — Viewer Acting like you know her = stalking, got it? Pretend not to notice even if you see Jeon Jeonseol IRL — Viewer Especially sketchy ttabak—restrain urself — Viewer UwU... stream got depressing suddenly... A sudden wave of gloom hit one ttabu, but overall, the chat made me feel a bit better.
Most people are decent, after all.
It's the few weirdos that're the issue.
But even if odds are low, to the victim it's 100%.
No matter how I think about it, the day I reveal myself ain't coming anytime soon.