Black Dragon's Streaming Debut
“Hyung, seriously, what’s wrong?”
Juyeonu shook Kang Hanbit’s frozen shoulder. But Hanbit had no room to react.
That damn Goddess—what the hell is she up to?
The moment suspicion turned to certainty, heat rushed to his head. Just like that day two years ago when he’d returned to reality. Even now, with his teeth gritted, a sliver of doubt lingered in his chest. The timing and reason the Goddess had released him were far too murky.
And her final words still burned fresh in his memory.
‘I’ll be expecting great things from you there too.’
Expecting great things. That’s what she’d always said when sending him off to that cursed world. He’d never dreamed that irresponsible line would follow him to Earth—in this twisted form, no less.
“Hyung……”
At the voice calling again, Hanbit lifted his head. The guidebook clutched in his hand was already crumpled to hell. He quickly composed himself and asked his worried dongsaeng,
“The devs who made this game—Team Zero, right?”
“Yeah. But they’ve never shown their faces publicly.”
“Not even once?”
“The CEO of Record Project handles all the external stuff. Michael Welton’s youngest daughter, I think?”
Juyeonu added that even the size of Team Zero was a mystery. It was a structure that naturally bred suspicion. Hanbit was dead certain it had some connection to that damn Goddess. The founder, Michael Welton, and his daughter, the current CEO—they were hiding something too.
But why a game?
Hanbit sank into the fundamental question. The world she’d sent him to wasn’t some game. All the physical and mental torment, the emotional storms he’d endured—they couldn’t have been virtual. The nauseating sensation of killing his first person. The horrific agony of his own first death. The hot blood trickling down his cheek, the rage, the despair—it was all still vivid.
So why had it suddenly manifested on Earth as a game? The release timing lined up sickeningly well with right after his army discharge.
I need to see it for myself first.
Decision made, Hanbit pulled out the card from Juyeonu.
“You said this gets me the gear? How long?”
“Less than two hours these days. Instant shipping.”
“Nice. Where do I do it?”
“Just download one app. Mind showing me your phone?”
He took Hanbit’s smartphone and breezed through the process in under a minute.
“Should be waiting for you when you get home.”
“Fast is good. You’re already playing, right?”
“Started, but nothing impressive yet. If you’re heading in right away, wanna grab that first?”
“Oh.”
Juyeonu pointed at the crumpled guidebook. Hanbit sheepishly smoothed the cover and paid at the counter.
“Hit me up once you make an account. I’ll be waiting.”
The moment they stepped out, Juyeonu bolted home. Hanbit headed straight for the subway.
***
“…It’s really here.”
Arriving home, Hanbit spotted the box by the front door. Was it cool just to leave a 5-million-won item out like this?
“Light.”
The box wasn’t too big or small, but lighter than expected. He opened the gate, went inside, and tore off the tape.
“Hm.”
Simple contents aside from the charger: a headgear to wear and four white rings. The manual said they went on wrists and ankles.
“Five mil for this.”
Sighing at the price tag, Hanbit took the gear to his room. Plenty of time before Mom got back, but he didn’t want her catching him like this. Click. He locked the door and plugged in the charger.
Slipping on the rings and headgear blanked his vision to black. Hanbit eased onto the bed very slowly.
Bzzz.
After a few seconds, the device hummed to life, light flooding his view.
[Scanning biometric data.]
The brief message upfront was familiar—like the hologram that tallied his regression/possession/reincarnation count.
[Scanning brainwaves.]
…Brain? Isn’t this dangerous?
Not knowing much about the gear, Hanbit got uneasy. He hadn’t heard anything about probing his skull.
Ding.
The worry proved unfounded; the scan ended quick. The next message popped right up.
[Initiating link.]
Whoosh.
The text vanished in a swirl, a strange sensation wrapping his body. When Hanbit opened his eyes, he stood in a blank white space.
“Whoa.”
Looking down, he wiggled his hands and feet. Felt just like moving his real body. Mannequin avatar for now, but fully mobile. The slight heaviness must be gear limits.
[Creating character.]
[Moving to customization screen.]
A huge mirror and message appeared ahead. Juyeonu had said looks were fully customizable. The scan data made for good corrections, apparently. High freedom aside from human-only race.
“…Why isn’t it loading?”
Waiting for the screen, Hanbit frowned. Five minutes since the message.
“Bug?”
Machines glitch; nothing new. Sighing, he reached for the quit button in the corner.
But then.
[Character creation failed.]
[Applying existing character.]
The screen rippled with the weird alert.
“Existing character? What the……”
He’d never played this game. But he could guess the reason.
“This your doing too?”
He muttered incredulously at the Goddess. Wanted to storm off and confront her, but no choice now.
Whoosh.
Vision blacked out, screen shifting. Light returned: Hanbit stood in a port gazing at blue seas.
Edlen…
The half-moon harbor city was too familiar. First stop when isekai’d. Hundreds of times across 55 regressions, possessions, reincarnations.
“Whoa, sick.”
“Where do we go, guys?”
“No tutorial?”
Newbies milled around confused.
Empty-handed.
He’d hoped “existing character” meant progress and items. Zilch. Sighing, Hanbit approached the nearby mirror.
“…Huh?”
His reflection was spot-on: his real body. From the last regression cycle, no less.
“Haa.”
Plenty to curse, but he held back. The damn Goddess always defied expectations.
Sighing, he focused his mind.
Juyeonu’s nick was Roper, right?
The nickname from messages. Add as friend on login, he’d begged ten times.
“Hyung?”
Searching controls, a voice came from behind. Turning, a sharp-looking human stood there.
“…You Juyeonu?”
“Yup! But hyung, why’d you customize like that? Nobody uses their real face.”
Roper floated over the character. Speech and mannerisms screamed Juyeonu.
“Just happened.”
“Kinda suits you…… But your naming sense is next-level.”
“Naming sense?”
“Your nick, hyung. Check the top-right character window.”
At the odd reaction, Hanbit opened the info as directed. Seeing the name above, he couldn’t hold back.
“What the fuck.”
[Black Dragon-Lv.1]
[Title: None]
Strength: 4 Agility: 4 Intelligence: 4 Vitality: 4
No regression link, just some random-ass nickname. Cursing was inevitable.
“Can’t change this?”
“Why? It’s hilarious. Unforgettable.”
Juyeonu was already cracking up. Hanbit grabbed his head and twisted.
“Can it be changed or not?”
“Obviously not. Warning at start, right? Nick’s permanently etched to biometrics.”
“Ha.”
The despair hit hard. Playing with this name? Dizzying.
“Gonna lose my mind.”
Ding.
As deep sighs continued, an alarm rang.
[Player screen will be simulcast to Roper’s stream.]
[Agree? (Yes/No)]
“What’s this now?”
Hanbit eyed Juyeonu. Fiddling in the air, he grinned.
“Streaming too. Still noobish, but it’s fun.”
“Streaming? Like internet broadcasts?”
“Yup. Recorder, RP’s built-in platform. Oh, looks good.”
Stepping back, Juyeonu sidled up and adjusted angle to a floating dot.
“Hyung, going live now. Hit yes for me?”
“Hell no. Why would I stream?”
“I stream, you just play. Revenue split 5-5. Guess who gets which?”
“…5-5?”
The pun got buried in the split. Just play? No reason to refuse. 500 won or 1,000—it was near-free money.
“Deal? If it blows up, I’ll bump your cut.”
“Your stream, half’s plenty. You gave the pricey gear too.”
“Means I expect big things. I’ll handle it. Now hit it?”
“…Fine.”
Tick.
Decision made, Hanbit tapped yes. Message vanished; Juyeonu’s voice boomed.
“Hey everyone! Roper here!”
“Shit, startled me.”
Higher energy than usual. Top-right screen showed their faces and chat small.
-Why two?
-Who’s that?
-Slow chat rolling in. Juyeonu pressed on undeterred.
“The guy next to me? My hyung, joining today. See the nick?”
-Black Dragon?
-Chuuni alert?
-Noob energy maxed lol.
“…What?”
Harsh chat flew; Hanbit’s fist clenched. As expected, Juyeonu whispered,
“Hyung, rage and they’ll troll harder. Goal’s money, right?”
“They’re just haters. That make cash?”
“Show results, they shut up. Focus on game for now.”
-Daddy don’t sleep, punks.
-Noob filtering hate?
-Gotta hit 1-sub to wise up?
-Show real hate?
Chat sharpened like it heard. Hanbit sighed at Juyeonu’s gleaming eyes.
“So, what now?”
“Starting city, so clear quests first. Best skills and rewards here. Then main quest.”
“Starting? More than this?”
“One other. Lucky you picked Edlen—forgot to tell ya.”
“Brag.”
Hanbit got the gist. 55 cycles’ skills—if replicated as game skills, he knew everything.
“How many skill types?”
“Tons. Pros dig one skill tree deep.”
“One?”
“Guide has recs. From brainwave scan or whatever. Shows 3 icons max?”
“Hold up.”
Hanbit hit the top guide button.
“This?”
Blinking rec skill in list. Scan-derived? Intriguing.
Tick.
New window popped.
Shhh!
The ‘recommended’ list just kept scrolling nonstop.