Chapter 87
A post appeared on the Players community forum.
▶ Day 1 of Lee Suhyuk’s Climb ◀
『Started at Bronze 3, currently at Silver 1 in just one day, lol』
It was a short post. However, players familiar with the 4th floor trial found it hard to believe.
– Really??
– No way, lol, how do you get to Silver 1 in one day?
– Lies. It’s impossible to win that many matches in a row.
Initially, everyone thought it was a lie.
The gap from Bronze 3 to Silver 1 was six tiers.
Considering you earn roughly 20 points per win and need 100 points to advance a tier, you’d have to win about 30 consecutive matches.
Skill aside, it seemed physically impossible.
– If that’s true, he didn’t lose a single match for at least 15 hours.
– He’s only been streaming for 5 hours.
– Lies, lol.
However,
– But he really is at Silver 1?
– ????? What? You said it’s been 5 hours?
– Yeah, but he’s really at Silver 1.
– What nonsense is this?
What seemed physically impossible actually happened.
– Looks like he’s getting 80-100 points per match.
– ??? Is that a bug?
– Then matching a Silver with a Diamond must be a bug too, lol.
– Maybe the large rank difference gives massive points?
Unbelievable events were occurring on Lee Suhyuk’s stream.
And he wasn’t the only one experiencing such oddities.
Though it wasn’t shown on stream,
– Schneider is also getting matched with Platinum and Diamond ranks.
– Really?
– Yeah, a friend of mine who’s a Diamond on the 4th floor faced him.
Schneider was facing similar circumstances. And as these unprecedented events unfolded, users of the community turned their attention to the streamer named Lee Suhyuk.
– His name is really buzzing lately.
– Is he any good?
– He’s been quite popular in the lower floors.
– Yeah, he even won the tournament hosted by Blue Zone.
– But isn’t he just a loser from the lower floors?
The community generally focused on Rankers, and especially High Rankers within the top 100. It’s hard for even the most famous streamers or rising players to get mentioned in the community.
Despite this,
– It’s Lee Suhyuk.
– Lol, when will his name disappear?
– He definitely knows how to attract attention, lol.
The reason Lee Suhyuk was being mentioned in the community was his name.
– But didn’t he start his climb recently?
– Yeah?
– He’s already at the 4th floor, damn; that’s fast.
And a few who noticed his progress commented:
– This guy has started a mission to reach Challenger without losing a single match for 15 days, lol.
They began to realize how quickly he was climbing the ranks.
– At this rate, his climb is record-breaking.
– He’s definitely fast.
– Falcon Eye said: “In terms of talent, he’s better than Lee Suhyuk.”
– What? That actually turned out to be true?
Falcon Eye’s statement caught attention amidst the chatter. Falcon Eye was a reviewer known for analyzing the gameplay of High Rankers or emerging Rankers. This often made him a topic of discussion in the community.
Known for his critical reviews, he was referred to not just as “Hawk Eyes” but “Spicy Eyes” for his harsh critiques.
Slowly but surely, the name Lee Suhyuk was spreading.
*
15 hours.
During that time, Suhyuk had reached Platinum 3.
He had climbed from Bronze to Platinum in just one day. Notably, about half of that time was spent going from Gold to Platinum.
‘The points I’m earning are starting to slow down.’
The points from the last match were 40. As the matches progressed and his rank increased, the awarded points started to decrease.
‘Even the match queue times are getting longer.’
Slower points accumulation and longer queue times were both anticipated issues. Fortunately, the points never dipped below 40. That was enough.
Reaching Platinum 3 in a single day was an impressive feat.
“Let’s stop here for today.”
– Platinum 3 in a day, wow.
– He seriously didn’t lose a single match.
– At this pace, he’ll reach his goal in a few days, not a month.
15 hours. It wasn’t a brief period. For Suhyuk, who preferred taking trials in perfect condition, this was unusual. Yet, the reasons for his extended streaming session were twofold.
First, the 4th floor trials weren’t as tough as other trials, match by match.
Second.
『Mission completed.』
『You have received 2,100 points from ‘IloveLeeSuhyuk’.』
It was all because of this mission.
– 21 kills, lol.
– Sweet mission rewards for kills.
– Money-grubber mode on…
– How much did he earn today?
Missions were the primary income source for streamers streaming from the 4th floor. Every match featured various missions. Winning, kills, farming records, and more. Revenue from these missions was substantial.
Just today alone, Suhyuk earned over 40,000 points from them.
‘It’s almost a shame to move on to the next floor.’
The missions were sweet enough to make him wish his points weren’t increasing so rapidly.
Of course, that didn’t mean he could go on streaming without any sleep. By now, having completed trials nonstop for about 15 hours, Suhyuk was starting to get tired.
– Coming back tomorrow?
– Probably.
– Usually, he takes a day off after moving to a new floor.
Suhyuk nodded at his viewers’ questions.
“Yes. I’ll be on. I’ll keep streaming without breaks for a while.”
– Whoa!
– “For a while” = Until he gets to the 5th floor.
– At this pace, he’ll be there in a few days.
Comments hitting the mark. It seemed many viewers had learned Suhyuk’s patterns as the stream went on.
With short farewells,
『’Lee Suhyuk’ has ended the stream.』
The long stream came to an end. Streaming from morning until dawn. The streets were quiet. Suhyuk felt hunger as he returned to his dorm.
Realizing he hadn’t eaten a single meal and had only been taking trials. Thinking he should eat something and get some sleep, he opened the door to his dorm.
Right then, “You’re back?”
From inside. Un Hyang greeted him warmly with her black hair fluttering in the breeze that came through the open door.
“Did you stay up waiting for me?”
“Of course. I’m your manager. I have to say good job.”
She shrugged as if it was the most natural thing and asked,
“Aren’t you hungry?”
A perfectly timed question.
*
Alcohol and food. Suhyuk chose the former as a nightcap. He didn’t want to drink too much because of the next day’s stream, but he thought a little alcohol might help him sleep better.
Moreover, finding food at this late hour without alcohol would be challenging.
Slurp-.
This time, they went to a tented street food stall run by a player from Earth. He poured himself a drink and ordered some noodles and a few simple dishes. As Un Hyang sipped some soup made from chicken bones, she nodded.
“Oh, this is good.”
“Right? Everything’s nice here.”
“Even in rough places, there are always little gems like this.”
Her expression changed as she thought of Cheon Ryang. Suhyuk noticed and asked, “Is something wrong?”
“No. I was just thinking about the stream.”
She dodged the question. Although Suhyuk sensed that she was hiding something, he didn’t press further. Forcing someone to speak against their will wasn’t his style.
“There were thirteen thousand viewers at the end.”
Perhaps to divert the conversation, Un Hyang brought up the stream. Thirteen thousand viewers. It was similar to the number from the previous stream.
The number of viewers hadn’t significantly increased or decreased. Suhyuk nodded.
“Not many people are interested in the 4th-floor trials.”
This stream felt different from the last one. Suhyuk’s streams typically showcased his ascent up the tower.
It combined his name, Lee Suhyuk, his concept, lightning, and exceptional gameplay—all contributing factors to his streams.
However, this trial didn’t fully allow for his usual streaming style. To grow his channel and quickly regain his former strength, he had to move up rapidly.
But then,
“You’re talking as if your stream is small.”
“Not really, but…”
With nothing more to say, Suhyuk took a bite of stir-fried meat and drank some alcohol. Regardless, Un Hyang continued with her point.
“Many streamers disappear without even making a name for themselves. They fail to gather even a thousand viewers, stuck in place while chasing impossible dreams.”
That was something Un Hyang had long observed as a manager. Like many professions, only a few survive. And Suhyuk had quickly become part of that ‘few’.
Despite this, “For some reason, I always feel uneasy looking at you.”
Suhyuk stopped eating.
“Like you’re being chased by something… or chasing something.”
She had hit the mark. Chasing something. She was right.
‘I have to.’
He lowered his head slightly, a bitter smile forming. Twenty years had passed in the blink of an eye. No one knew his face under the mask. Or even if he took off the mask.
Could he even say the face beneath it was his?
Either way, it was just another mask for him. Friends who once knew his true face were mostly dead. The remaining few, he wasn’t sure if they were alive or dead.
Moreover, the person he sought revenge against was once his friend. He was chasing them. His urgency, driven by the need to catch up, was evident in her eyes.
“I’ve always been curious. Do you have something you’re dealing with?”
It was an amusing situation. Suhyuk could only give the same evasive answer Un Hyang had given him earlier.
“No. Nothing.”
It was a secret he couldn’t share with anyone. Telling someone, “Actually, I’m a reincarnated Lee Suhyuk.” wouldn’t get him anything but a crazy label.
Un Hyang, too, sensed his answer wasn’t the truth.
“Really?”
Feeling a bit dejected, she took another sip of her drink.
Time passed, and although they had grown close enough to share a drink at night, this conversation introduced a peculiar distance.
Each had a secret. And they didn’t trust each other enough to share it. This meeting subtly confirmed that fact.
‘I have my faults too.’
Would there ever be a time when this invisible wall would crumble?
That thought turned their simple meal into a deep drinking session. Both Suhyuk and Un Hyang. They drank together until the early morning.
TL’s Corner:
Drunk Stream incoming. There’s nothing better for curing a hangover than a good workout. Sweat of that alchohol.