Chapter 50: Not a Small-Timer Anymore (3)

Chapter 50: Not a Small-Timer Anymore (3)

Sang-Hyeon only briefly stayed at the athlete village during his days as a pro because of the accident. At the time, everyone praised him as the youngest record holder in national history. He also had what it took to be a star and would rise even higher if he performed well in the Olympics.

Was it because of that? Or was it because of Sang-Hyeon's personality? His seniors often called for him.

"Hey, Sang-Hyeon! Let’s play some soccer during lunch?"

The toxic culture of seniority had already died around ten years ago due to the conflicts it caused, but seniors were still difficult to deal with.

However, these seniors adored Sang-Hyeon even though their way of showing affection as athletes was quite aggressive.

'A national soccer player asking me to play during lunch... crazy. Just crazy.'

Soccer players and basketball players alike always asked for him.

"Hey Sang-Hyeon, how about basketball during lunch today? You have talent as a shooting guard judging from last time. Maybe it's because you're an archer?"

Sang-Hyeon was about to say, 'It's because you guys go easy on me.'?Instead, he thought he wouldn’t have such opportunities again and replied, "Sure."

Playing with his seniors always exhausted all his energy and strength.

"Hey, Sang-Hyeon! Are you tired already? Your shot was so close! You gotta defend. Get up!"

"Another three-pointer? Try getting one when the screen isn't up."

Sang-Hyeon hung his head, full of sweat.

"Huff... puff... Is this really possible?"

He didn’t know whether the seniors enjoyed his growth or pain as they kept pushing him.

"Ah, come on! Try it again!"

"Get up!!!"

Playing with them always exhausted him. His coach even told him to rest during lunchtime. However, their affection for him had some upsides.

Tadadadak.

'Huff... puff... Four defenders?'

Sang-Hyeon looked for somewhere to pass the ball as he dribbled inside the penalty box. Four defenders stood in front and he had no confidence in breaking through them. Not to mention, they were all national players as well.

"Hey! Sang-Hyeon! There's nowhere to pass! Just go through them!"

"Huh!? How!?"

"Just twist your body, man! Trick the enemy. Don't you know how to fake? Fake them out!"

'Just... fake them out?'

Feints were a new concept to Sang-Hyeon, who only knew archery. Archery didn’t require any feints. Only then did he realize that his seniors constantly did that against him.

"Are you going to attempt a pass without even trying!? Just get through them and strike it!"

Sang-Hyeon still hesitated as his senior shouted from behind. He recalled their movements and the professional soccer he watched in the past. How players feinted to trick the opponents.

"!"

Swoosh—?

His body tilted at a strange angle, but his lower half was still in position to kick the ball.

"?!"

The two defenders fell for it and slipped because it was the first time they saw Sang-Hyeon perform such a move.

'Holy shit.'?

Even the senior who shouted from behind felt surprised. For a moment, Sang-Hyeon seemed like a professional soccer player from Europe as he performed a perfect feint. Was it a mere coincidence?

"Fuck!"

"What the?"

The other two slipped as well and an opening formed.

It didn't seem like a coincidence. The opponents’ jaws dropped in surprise as a wide smile formed on Sang-Hyeon's face.

"It worked?"

Finally, he saw an opportunity to shoot the ball.

As he lifted his foot to kick, the goalkeeper unexpectedly appeared from behind a defender and dived for the ball. Just like that, the keeper took the ball away from him.

"Ah..."

Sang-Hyeon felt empty when his senior approached and patted him on the shoulder.

"Hey, you did well. It was worth a try, right?"

"I was so close."

"You were crazy. Remember, we're also pro players."

"Haha..."

‘Ah, right. They were.’

Sang-Hyeon awkwardly smiled and scratched his head. The same situation occurred when he played basketball.

"Just now, our teammate didn't have a chance to screen you, right? You have to dribble through them on your own at that moment."

"I'm not really good at dribbling..."

"Of course, your dribbling won’t be as good as us, but anyone can do it for a moment. Watch."

The senior basketball player readied himself for a three-point shot. It seemed as if he would release the ball at any moment. His form looked perfect, but...

Bounce!

The basketball suddenly fell to the ground.

"?"

He transitioned from shooting to dribbling in an instant.

"Feint the opponent like this and you can find an opening even if they're blocking."

The senior pointed at his head.

"You don't have to physically dribble through them if you trick them."

"Wow..."

"But the opponent is a pro too. You have to fully commit to the move if you want to fool them. Use your body motion, the direction of your eyes, and everything you can to trick them."

'Wow... but why are you telling me all this?'

It would’ve been helpful if he was an up-and-coming basketball player, but he had no use for that as an archer.

Maybe he would use that information to throw an ashtray at Manager Park when the time came.

***

'Who would've thought I'd use it at a time like this.' Sang-Hyeon recalled the past and smiled.

Four players ran towards him with guns. Almond only had a bow and arrows. They were also in the blue zone, which meant everyone would die if this dragged on.

Almond had to go through four defenders and defeat them simultaneously.

— Shiet! How's he going to get out of this?

— Wow, those trolls.

— Do they all want to die together?

— This is too much.

Creak...?

Almond drew his bowstring and aimed at an enemy. He sharpened his gaze and stood straight, ready to release the fully drawn bow.

'He's shooting at me!'

'We have to eliminate him!'

'Now!'

Click—?

Almond lowered his bow and crouched as they pressed their gun triggers.

Tududududung!!!

The four guns all fired, but Almond already crouched beneath the sand. They only struck an empty spot.

"Kugh!"

"Damn!"

They ended up surrounding themselves and fired toward the middle, hitting each other.

— LOL What are those guys doing?

— Hahaha

— That's hilarious. I'm going to fall off my bed laughing.

They seemed like fools from the viewer's perspective. Bronze rank had such foolish players and they all fell for Almond’s feint.

— Wow, that was a good fake.

— You fools. This was only possible because of Almond.

— Where did you learn to do that? It's only your second round.

Only world-class players possessed such talent. A legendary soccer player could easily brush past defenders and cause them to slip. What the audience had just seen was similar to such dribbling.

— Pure talent.

— That's crazy.

— He's like Messi.

— Insane.

Almond learned this play that overlapped with soccer during his time at the athlete village.

'As expected, this works on them.'

The seniors who taught him these skills went on to the national level or played for European leagues now. Almond had unintentionally learned from such great athletes. Of course, these bronze players would fall for it.

They busily insulted each other instead of acknowledging Almond's feint because they weren't a team to begin with.

"Fuck! Why are we shooting each other!"

"Shut up bro!"

Two of the four had already died and the remaining two continued to shout at each other, though not for long.

"You troll..."

Thwack!

Almond fired an arrow into his forehead.

Thud.

The enemy shook and fell to the ground.

'Next...'

Almond nocked the arrow he gritted between his teeth and fired another shot.

Swoosh—?

Another arrow instantly pierced the remaining enemy’s forehead.

"Kugh!!!"

The enemy fell as if a heavy weapon had struck him.

[Almond → Hoochihoochi]

[Eliminated!]

[Almond → akd01]

[Double Kill!]

[74/100]

Scuff, scuff.

Almond brushed off the sand on him.

"Sigh... Damn trolls..." he muttered as he ran out of the blue zone.

— Damn.

— He's so cool... it's like a wild west film.

— How can a bow be faster than a gun?!?

— The way he clenched the arrow in his mouth...

— Hello, hello. This is HQ. There's no escape from Almond's charm! We're all screwed!

Bzzt...

Almond finally entered the safe zone and checked his health as he caught his breath. He remained calm, but found it difficult to keep a straight face.

"Sigh, I have to use the med kit already. What was the point of farming?"

— Who knew there would be four trolls? LOL

— Hahahaha

— You're back to square one.

— For real.

— This is bronze. n0velUsB.C0m

The first-aid kit couldn’t completely heal him from all the health he lost in the blue zone. All the time he spent farming became meaningless.

Almond used the kit and headed to the next location with the bow on his back.

"This round isn't easy..."

Despite his words, the game felt much easier this time.

***

"Wow..."

Kim Ju-Hyeok was so focused on the computer screen that he forgot to turn on the light. He kept staring at the screen in awe like a ghost as the monitor’s light reflected against his pale face.

“...”

Of course, the gameplay surprised him as Almond moved from location to location and luckily avoided enemies. However, Ju-Hyeok also focused on the chat, specifically on a number in the bottom right corner.

[Current Viewers: 5205]

The 5000 viewer wall was hard to overcome, but they had achieved it. From now on, they could be self-sufficient with streaming alone. They could even pay their editor and have some left to spare.

'Wow... now our only job is to go higher!'

Ju-Hyeok held in his tears and clenched his fists. The image of his father flashed across his mind.