Chapter 33
Internet streamers generally avoid discussing community-related topics.
Especially mentioning the ‘Gallery’ was like a double-edged sword, so it was better to be cautious.
However, during Suzuka’s stream, I blatantly mentioned the current controversy along with the InGameGal.
It wasn’t something done with any specific intent or meticulous plan.
It was impulsive, and I thought it would be more fun that way.
Anyway, I wasn’t a streamer.
In other words, ‘I didn’t care.’
“Enjoying it, aren’t you?”
Was it because Suzuka was a natural-born streamer?
Suzuka seemed to be enjoying it immensely.
To the point where the most important part of a VTuber’s expression acting faltered.
“Uh… This wasn’t agreed upon in advance…”
Feigning embarrassment, Suzuka resumed acting.
“Everyone, the statement made by Fera earlier has nothing to do with Suzuka. Please don’t misunderstand!”
The way she immediately distanced herself was so realistic.
Was that really acting?
Seeing Suzuka’s declaration of disassociation, a mischievous smile crept onto my face.
“Huh? But Suzuka, you told me to do this.”
“What? When did I say that?”
“You definitely said it would boost views…”
―――
LOL
Suzuka Gate (Shocked)
Wow
Obsessed with views
I knew it
Explain yourself
―――
Shake shake shake
Suzuka’s head turned wildly as she saw the viewers’ reactions.
Suzuka, trying to show the strongest denial through her actions, clapped her hands.
“Okay, okay. So, the reason we invited our esteemed… priest today!”
Esteemed… what?
“I heard there’s talk of you solo-clearing the Cradle as a priest. Is that true?”
“Yes, that’s correct. And I was recorded in the gallery…”
“Oh no, I also tried solo-clearing the Cradle once, but it was too difficult for me.”
Is that really something to be surprised about?
With that in mind, I raised both hands and shrugged my shoulders.
“Tremendous confidence! A look of disdain!”
“I think you’re overinterpreting it.”
“Shall we go right away?”
We were already in a party with Suzuka.
Since we had started the stream in front of the Cradle’s entrance, we could enter right away.
‘The one who sniped and then ran away mid-fight.’
The reason I collaborated with Suzuka was simpler than I thought.
The controversy over using hacks that erupted because I took down two ghouls at the entrance of the Cradle was absurd.
Since the hacking accusations were already out there, I wanted to show them for real.
“I heard from an anonymous tip that you can clear the Cradle in three minutes.”
―――
Is it true?
Told you they’re a hacker
Solo-clearing in three minutes is too much
Aurora, they’re here LOL
Let’s get them arrested live~
―――
Because the chat window was shared, I could also see the chat messages popping up.
Glancing through them, it was clear a bunch of troublemaking anonymous users had gathered, trying to stir things up.
“Is there a secret method or something? If so, could you share just a little bit?”
“A secret method… It’s not that grand.”
I checked the mini-map for the location of the boss room first.
Quickly calculating the shortest route, I sprang into action.
After explaining it briefly, I pointed to the two ghouls blocking the corridor.
“I’m not great with words, so I’ll show you with my actions.”
The biggest spark for the hacking controversy had been ghoul hunting.
I took down the ghouls as swiftly as usual.
“Wow. Seeing it in person, you look even faster.”
“Of course. My agility is at 10.”
“What?”
Suzuka visibly showed signs of surprise.
Showing the arm that the ghoul had bitten, I continued explaining.
“I also maxed out endurance to 10. Thanks to that, I don’t take much damage even when bitten by ghouls.”
“What in the world…”
There was no reason to overthink a priest’s stat distribution.
Since all skills scaled with divine power, maxing out divine power was standard.
It was the conventional, appropriate, and correct method of character development.
“Of course, this method strays far from convention.”
From the director’s standpoint, encouraging standard play was preferable, and I wanted to do so as well.
But what choice did I have? The image of the ‘money-farming priest’ was too deeply ingrained, making party recruitment difficult.
“After sharing a tip I only knew during Suzuka’s previous stream… I haven’t been able to find a party since.”
“Ah. That’s…”
―――
Wow
Suzuka was in the wrong
Boo Suzuka, you trash
Miserable InGameGals
―――
In reality, Suzuka hadn’t done anything wrong.
I was the one who had shared the tip, knowing it was during a broadcast.
The problem was with the rice-corn farmers and bot accounts that, after hearing it, had triggered a farming boom.
It wasn’t Suzuka’s fault as she fidgeted nervously, curling and uncurling her fingers while glancing at me for reassurance.
“It’s okay. It wasn’t Suzuka’s fault.”
pat pat
As I spoke kindly and comforted her, Suzuka looked at me with tearful eyes.
“The saint is so kind.”
“…”
“Can I call you saint?”
“…Yes.”
“What do you mean by ‘acting first, reporting later’?”
I’m not even a high school girl who’s completed military service.
Still, it was better than nicknames like “money-farming priest” or “hacker,” so I allowed it.
After that, I proceeded while explaining appropriate strategies and skill usage as I passed through each room.
Each time, I could visibly see the chatroom’s atmosphere, which had been suspicious of me, becoming more favourable.
In the midst of that, a donation popped up in front of Suzuka and me.
―――
Anonymous user ㅇㅇ donated 10,000 won
- No matter how I look at it, there’s no way someone with agility 10 could move that fast. Are you not going to explain this?
―――
A sharp jab from the anonymous ‘ㅇㅇ,’ who seemed unusually angry.
―――
Wow
Be quiet
True, though
If she’s pretty, she’s innocent
No baseless accusations
―――
More and more viewers started agreeing with that pointed comment.
Suzuka looked uneasy, and I felt sorry for her.
‘I guess I have no choice.’
Even I knew that it wasn’t a speed that could be reached with agility 10.
Before the collaboration, I saw Daehyeop Kim enter the “Training Episode.”
As much as I wanted to watch Daehyeop Kim endure the Imperial Knights’ Captain’s tempering training live,
I felt the need to suppress the hack-related buzz before it got even more heated, so I prioritized the collaboration.
In the end, what I wanted was just one thing.
I wanted the information about the tempering to be revealed for the first time on Daehyeop Kim’s stream.
Not by me, who was disguised as an ordinary player but was actually the Director.
But looking at how things were unfolding, even that wish felt like a luxury.
For now, I could only think of putting out the immediate fire.
‘The future me will handle whatever comes next.’
I was so engrossed in playing Akare with my alternate character that I even went through the tempering without realizing it.
Regretting it now wouldn’t change anything.
All I could do was pay for past mistakes and hope nothing came of it.
“Actually, there’s a real tip I’ve been keeping secret.”
“Another tip?”
After taking a breath, I explained the tempering.
Of course, I didn’t use the official term “tempering.”
I explained it as a system I discovered by chance.
When I finished the explanation, Suzuka, who had been listening quietly, asked me a question.
“How did you know that such a mechanism existed?”
“Well, I kept letting a zombie bite my hand…”
I knew it. I sounded like a crazy person.
What kind of woman would keep letting an ugly zombie bite her hand?
Of course, I kept showing that kind of crazy behaviour on Suzuka’s last stream.
What could I do? It was the easiest and laziest method.
‘They clearly don’t believe me.’
I wondered how I could prove this tempering mechanism.
After thinking for a moment, I came up with an intuitive method and immediately put it into action.
“Watch closely.”
I scratched my finger with the pointed part of the cross, inflicting a wound.
I quickly used Heal and wrapped my fist in divine power.
With that state, I punched the wall next to me with all my might.
Bang!
A rough explosion sounded, and simultaneously, a fist-sized hole appeared in the wall I punched.
“Is this a bug?”
―――
???
Didn’t you say your attack power was 1?
I’m scared
What is this?
―――
Judging by their reactions, which were different from what I expected, I probably messed up.
I sighed inwardly and silently guided Suzuka to tackle the boss.
***
Currently, Daehyeop Kim was among the top-tier vanguard.
He had forged ahead based on his beta test experience.
He had reached a level where he could confidently claim to know quite a lot about Akare.
At least, that was how Daehyeop Kim evaluated himself.
Even objectively, his growth rate was overwhelmingly fast compared to others.
In that situation, Daehyeop Kim was the first to reach level 50 in Akare.
It was only natural for him to feel proud.
The main story that unfolded upon reaching level 50 was simple.
He had to purge the heretics trying to incite a civil war in the Empire.
And he earned the emperor’s trust and gained an opportunity.
An opportunity.
A chance to save Raven, who had chosen sacrifice even in his second life.
The ‘Teaching’ event that occurred upon reaching level 50 was the first step to seizing that opportunity.
Step, step.
In the middle of the empty training ground,
Daehyeop Kim stood alone, looking straight ahead.
A knight wearing armour engraved with the imperial insignia.
The knight stood in front of Daehyeop Kim and broke the silence.
“I am Jasper, Captain of the Black Mane Knights. Are you the outsider, Daehyeop Kim, who has received His Majesty’s favour?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
―――
Imperial power-level (Shocked)
Info) The Black Mane Knights are the emperor’s direct order.
That lion helmet is epic.
The aura is insane.
―――
Gulp
Unconsciously, I swallowed the saliva gathered in my mouth.
Jasper’s fierce aura alone was enough to make my body tense up.
“His Majesty seems to value your potential highly. Enough to entrust you with ‘Tempering.'”
“What… what is Tempering?”
“Ah, I forgot you are an outsider. What Tempering is…”
Jasper moved, stopping his explanation midway.
At that moment, the world stopped, and a choice appeared before Daehyeop Kim’s eyes.
[ Knight Captain’s Teaching – Defense ]
[ Knight Captain’s Teaching – Counterattack ]
[ Knight Captain’s Teaching – Evasion ]
“…”
Daehyeop Kim looked at the blade visible beyond the translucent choices.
He noticed only that Jasper moved, and suddenly, Jasper’s sword was right in front of his nose.
It was impossible to understand when he had drawn it.
―――
Did he move frame by frame?
Wow, damn, that’s insane.
What just happened?
Couldn’t even comprehend it, lol.
―――
The viewers reacted similarly to Daehyeop Kim’s astonishment.
“Guys, counterattacking or evading seems absolutely crazy.”
―――
LOL, true.
Agreed.
Heads would fly off instantly.
Run with Forward Leap, lol.
―――
Humbled, Daehyeop Kim chose evasion and used Forward Leap at the right moment.
“Where do you think you’re going, leaving someone in front of you?”
But Jasper quickly caught up, grabbed Daehyeop Kim by the hair, and threw him to the ground.
“Let me show you what Tempering is.”
Through the dust-laden smoke, a figure approached the blood-soaked Daehyeop Kim.
“Please, Priest Antrio.”
At Jasper’s request, a warm light cut through the smoke and reached Daehyeop Kim.
“This is…”
“Celestial Healing. A miracle that only a high-ranking priest can use.”
Know it as an honour.
Before Jasper even finished his words, Daehyeop Kim’s health was fully restored.
“Thank you.”
“Heh… A young one who knows what manners are. I like people like that.”
Having said his piece, High Priest Antrio stepped back.
“Yet you don’t seem to be in much pain.”
“I haven’t felt much pain since birth.”
“Ho. A talent for pain resistance? You have a blessed body.”
Jasper, who expressed slight admiration, sheathed his sword again.
“So, what is Tempering?”
“Didn’t you feel it? What I just did was Tempering.”
Seeing Daehyeop Kim’s clueless expression, Jasper added an explanation.
“It’s the process of repeatedly applying shock to the body and recovering from it to create a stronger physique. Think of it as changing the subject of tempering from a weapon to a person, and you’ll get the idea.”
With the continuous explanation, Daehyeop Kim, who vaguely understood what ‘Tempering’ meant, wore a weary expression.
“I assume, Sir Jasper, you have also undergone this Tempering… My apologies for being short-sighted.”
“You still have a long way to go. Let’s continue.”
Jasper gripped the hilt of his sword and raised his momentum.
At that moment, red eyes gleamed from beyond the lion helmet.
***
[Indie Minor Game Gallery]
Today, many different rumours swirled in InGameGal.
Topics like priest balance being overpowered, the rice-farming priest’s hack allegations, and the first level 50 achievement in Akare.
There were numerous topics, but one in particular became the biggest sensation.
―――
[Title] Three Reasons Why Fera Is an Akare Developer [1921]
- Fera knew that praying at the church grants a daily buff.
- Fera knew how to use Heal offensively against undead-type monsters.
- Fera knew about the ‘Tempering’ event that occurs at level 50.
(Video evidence for reason 1)
(Video evidence for reason 2)
(Video evidence for reason 3)
The important point here is that Fera is, first of all, a woman.
By default, Akare characters follow the player’s real-life gender.
Therefore, Fera is a woman and, simultaneously, an Akare developer.
Suddenly, a certain woman comes to mind.
(A pixelated image of Aurora’s face)
If you think it’s this woman, give a thumbs up, lol.
Likes 3,215 Dislikes 1
―――
The most Liked post in InGameGal history.
The post was completed with a single transparent downvote from someone.
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