I Became a Malicious Streamer

It’s an obvious statement, but team games and 1v1 games are different.

The same goes for EOW, which promotes the Hyper FPS genre.

A battlefield where strategic movement and team tactics are important can’t possibly be the same as one where you carry out a solo mission.

Sure, blasting away with guns is the same, but the way you adapt changes dramatically depending on whether it’s 1v1, 1vN, or NvN.

Ah, in this case, maybe it’s not even about blasting.

My character was wielding a sword, after all.

Unlike the person I battled against in that broadcast called Jimin, this time I unleashed my full strength without a hint of hesitation.

Well, it was clear just by looking that these people were really good.

Even though they were in the second division, I knew all too well that their skills couldn’t be dismissed.

If I showed any relaxation like last time, I’d be the one getting wrecked.

So, I charged hard from the start, not letting my guard down.

“Ugh, uh…”

A flustered voice slipped out from my opponent.

It made sense.

His character was getting sliced up by my swordsman without even managing a proper counterattack.

Maybe he didn’t expect such an aggressive assault from me right off the bat, or maybe he was just careless.

Or perhaps he underestimated me. After all, it’s not something people usually expect from such a pretty girl to be good at gaming.

Whatever the reason, having gained the upper hand, I maintained my control and clinched the first round victory while keeping my HP bar well above half.

“Jihoon lost without even making a dent?”

“Totally in the level of a rookie…”

“Was he careless?”

The murmurs from the audience reminded me of the bustling atmosphere of a PC Bang.

Still, the fact that they didn’t offer any kind of advice to my defeated opponent Jihoon showed they respected each other as players.

“Jihoon, hold on a second.”

Apart from that, Director Kim Gwang-cheol whispered something to him.

For a moment, I thought it was unfair for him to receive real-time feedback, but it seemed he just told Jihoon to take it seriously without dragging it out too long.

The game continued on.

Round 2. Neither of us could change our characters.

The opponent was a retired soldier equipped with a shield, pistol, and dagger.

I was still a swordsman.

The only difference from the last round was that I started with around 70% HP.

The match goes straight into it without recovery, just like a death match.

Bang!

Jihoon’s suppressive fire shattered the peace again.

With precise aim, he followed my movements and chipped away at my HP.

Every time I tried to counter with ricochet shots, he’d immediately raise his shield or widen the distance, not giving me any openings.

“Far better than last round.”

“This is how you should play against a swordsman.”

“Looks like he’s warmed up.”

He clearly showed far better skills than the previous match.

The pressure on me wasn’t insignificant.

In EOW, there’s something called agent matchups.

Some might argue that it’s not like AOS or fighting games where matchups matter, but really, they do.

When you jump into a team game and start a brawl, it may not be obvious, but in 1v1 situations, specific agents often gain advantages over others.

Initially dismissed as mere jokes by some users, those agent advantages became almost official as the game matured.

The swordsman versus the retired soldier was one such case.

The swordsman, boasting unique mobility and unpredictable attacks, frequently gets outmatched by special agents with stable and competent defensive capabilities.

It’s not completely unwinnable, but in terms of winning rates, it’s about 70-30?

Of course, in 1v1 matchups, that influence is intensified.

I thrust my sword.

Blocked by the shield.

He opened distance and began shooting.

Using a dash to evade, I closed in.

Then I got hit by his shield charge and went momentarily stunned.

I dodged the incoming dagger by the skin of my teeth.

However, I couldn’t avoid the follow-up from his pistol.

“He’s really good…”

“The swordsman only taking the first round was already impressive.”

“Wow, look at that dodging.”

Jihoon’s gameplay as a special agent was masterful, showcasing his professionalism to the utmost.

By playing so defensively and gradually gaining advantages, eventually, it was my side that would crumble.

But the retired soldier was designed as a seasoned military concept.

He irritated opponents while efficiently using his weapon to gradually wear down their HP, making him one of the top three most hated agents among users.

Users who were somewhat skilled with the retired soldier often heard the phrase “plays like a gay.”

And it was true.

Jihoon really did play like a gay.

It was high praise, but it couldn’t end there.

If I called him trash for his gameplay, all I’d be doing is praising the enemy and losing, so…

In the first place, this was a disadvantageous battleground for me.

The opponent selected the retired soldier presumably knowing I’d pick the swordsman, leading to a match started with risks.

I needed something to turn the tables.

“Ha.”

A chuckle slipped out unexpectedly.

Ah, I shouldn’t be doing this. It would look strange if everyone else is serious and I’m laughing.

But honestly, this situation was so enjoyable that I couldn’t help it.

It had been so long since I strategized like this in-game.

It felt like I was back to those days when I enjoyed pure strategic fights without worrying about physical skill.

Alright, let’s go for it.

Why bother over who’s at a disadvantage or not? If it’s disadvantageous, am I just going to surrender?

I was always at a disadvantage, and I had always overcome it.

This time was no different.

Proving it through results was enough as it always had been.

*

“How many is that now?”

“Where did someone like that come from?”

“Are streamers these days all that good? I’m scared.”

“At this point, she’d just dominate in the women’s league.”

“They say she got bored of the women’s league and stopped going?”

“…I can see why.”

A group of people clamoring close to the ongoing match without being disruptive.

After Jihoon, the first contestant, lost, two more had followed in quick succession.

Women and men are different.

From hormones to genetic makeups, there’s inherently a physical difference.

It’s no coincidence there are separate leagues.

However, players no longer viewed Mollru simply as a pretty female gamer.

No, it would be more accurate to say they couldn’t view her that way.

To them, Mollru had become a gamer.

“She’s genuinely good, I rarely lose to swordsmen when I play the retired soldier, but she’s different.”

“What makes her different?”

“To start, her playstyle contrasts highly with other swordsmen, her psychological warfare is on point, and she’s aggressive yet delicate with damage exchanges…”

“Basically, she’s just good.”

“Yes, I thought maybe I lost because I was careless, but it was really because she was better. It felt like she planned everything from the onset.”

You could feel that wall.

Jihoon, calmly expressing himself, held a tangled mix of emotions—frustration, defeat, and disbelief.

“…”

Minhyeok, who hadn’t played against Mollru yet, directed his gaze toward her.

While most of the others were amazed by Mollru’s outstanding skills, Minhyeok focused on something else about her.

‘She’s smiling.’

Rather than feeling pressure, she was smiling.

Minhyeok let out a slightly awkward laugh.

Mollru wasn’t the type to show her emotions clearly on her face.

He noticed that her default expression was usually a blank one, having spent about an hour in the same place observing her.

However, perhaps because he had watched closely or because of his keen eye, he caught subtle changes in Mollru’s expression.

The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, and her eyes became a touch softer.

Although she reverted back to her neutral expression now that the game ended, she had certainly been smiling just moments ago.

If the next game started again, the atmosphere would shift just like that.

As if the current game was exceedingly enjoyable to her.

Minhyeok couldn’t help but admire that aspect.

‘She’s a real gamer.’

Someone who is genuinely passionate about gaming after a long time.

While her excelled skill was commendable, what amazed Minhyeok more was how she purely enjoyed the game.

Like most pro gamers, no one sets out to be a pro from the very beginning.

Usually, they play as a hobby, find their talent, and end up turning pro.

When a hobby becomes a job, enjoying it can be tricky.

Yet now, look at the person in front of him.

In Minhyeok’s view, Mollru stood at a starting point where her hobby was transitioning into a role.

Despite being a pro and enduring significant stress, Minhyeok could no longer say that gaming brought him joy.

For him, Mollru’s smile came close to the ideal he had hoped for and yearned towards.

Minhyeok suddenly became curious.

Would she still love and enjoy gaming even after becoming a pro?

“Alright then, the next match will begin.”

With Minhyeok’s question lingering, Mollru’s next match commenced.

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