I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers

Chapter 36

The winner's interview wouldn’t begin until all matches in Group E were completed. It would be conducted during the break between matches.

Since my match was over, I could do whatever I wanted during the downtime. I could take a break, but either Reaper or Fury would have to face me next. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to get a preview of what was to come.

With that thought, I headed to the viewing room. But it seemed like I’d made a poor choice. As soon as I entered, I felt the hostile stares aimed in my direction. I wasn’t oblivious; I could tell I wasn’t exactly popular here.

Maybe I should’ve waited in the lobby instead? No one was openly badmouthing me, but this was still a game environment. With voice options adjusted, people could talk without anyone overhearing.

Just as I was about to turn back, someone tapped my shoulder from behind.

“What are you doing here instead of going in?”

“Huh? What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean? I’m here to watch too.”

It was Traveler, a tall character, though not as tall as Rime. Group D’s matches ended yesterday, so there was no need for him to be here today. After all, he could watch the matches from outside.

“You came... all the way here?”

“I like having people around when I watch matches. Better than being alone.”

The tall spear knight casually took a seat in the corner, patting the seat next to him as if inviting me to sit. Following his lead, I sat down, which blocked the view of the other players behind him.

Was this... consideration? It seemed he had something on his mind, and I felt the need to probe.

“What? You’re not expecting me to swoon over this, are you?”

“Are you crazy? Don’t get any weird ideas. I have a girlfriend.”

“Oh... good. That’s a relief.”

Great. I felt at ease again, especially when he waved his hands as if to brush off the idea. I wasn’t quite used to accepting people’s kindness without suspicion.

“My team doesn’t care much about the Arena. Luce is preparing for her match, so by process of elimination, you’re the only one left.”

“Seems like you’re not too happy with your team.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, but... Tsk. If you ever go pro, make sure you get a good contract. Don’t get too attached to people.”

It felt like I’d cheapened something sacred, a shameful reminder of when my life was at its brightest.

To me, using a sword—specifically, the weapon from my professional days—carried a weight beyond words.

《 Fury blocks the first ambush with a perfect parry! 》

《 That’s a solid start. While the Mist Assassin isn’t a traditional assassin, it’s not a class that easily loses the initiative. 》

《 But we’ll have to wait and see. Reaper rarely gives up after a single attempt, and Fury remains vigilant. 》

《 Just as I say that, here comes Reaper’s second attack! 》

Mist suddenly filled the field, reducing visibility to almost zero. Just as five blades lunged toward Fury, he parried them and swiftly countered, his clean downward strike achieving nothing but cutting through mist droplets.

As Reaper emerged from the mist, his claws struck Fury’s foot, forcing him to lower his sword, only for Reaper to shift his target mid-teleport.

《 Reaper targets the upper body with Snake Fang... canceled halfway. 》

《 Reaper successfully lands his follow-up! 》

There it was. The reason Reaper was so challenging.

《 Did you see that brilliant mind game by Reaper? 》

《 He abandoned a well-angled attack to provoke a defense. Fury had to block the seemingly lethal move. 》

《 But that quick reaction turned into a trap. Reaper canceled, and Fury’s parry left him wide open. As you can see in the replay, the delay from Fury’s parry leaves him unable to defend, allowing Reaper to strike precisely. It was a perfectly set-up ambush. 》

Reaper had a way of drawing out his opponent’s defense, exploiting the place they thought was safe. His attacks seemed a beat slower, leaving gaps that built frustration as they repeatedly attacked from outside their field of vision.

It created the feeling that, if you didn’t react quickly, you’d expose your vulnerabilities. I doubt it felt any different in reality.

However, in a state of urgency, one’s rhythm tends to falter. Reaper would wear down his opponents slowly, calmly accumulating damage before disappearing. The result, from an outside perspective, was a disastrous performance.

《 Fury is bleeding badly now, as Reaper unleashes the Blood Mist. 》

《 Fury must stay calm. The Blood Mist is more about sensory disruption than direct damage. 》

《 Oh... is Fury losing his composure? His attacks seem too frantic! 》

Fury couldn’t block a single attack, flailing as if he were self-destructing. Reaper’s claws tore him apart—body and mind alike.

Fury’s performance was unanimously deemed a disgrace.