A Basement-Dwelling Loser, the Inquisitor – Chapter 58

[Rene]

[It’s been a while]

[New Dimension | 681 viewers online | 00:57:21]

[Hey, I have a suggestion… How about becoming a pro gamer on our team?]

─Whoa, this is insane!

─Ga-eun is personally making a pro gamer offer, wow!

─Rene, what are you doing? Accept it quickly!

─It’s the family’s honor, for real!

“Uh, no, I’m not gonna do that…?”

[…What?]

I was taken aback.

What kind of strange nonsense is this person saying…?

★

Current New Dimension PVP and AOS ranking: 1st place.

Winner of PVP Korean and World Championships.

Winner of AOS Korean and World Championships.

Final MVP and total season MVP in AOS Korean and World Championships.

There was no need to explain that the pinnacle of New Dimension was none other than pro gamer ‘Ga-eun.’

But does that mean Ga-eun ignores New Dimension as an RPG?

Not at all.

Ga-eun participated in the first clear team for the Tagirion Raid and is still trying to clear the Albion Hunt.

Thus, Ga-eun’s reputation and position were literally absolute within New Dimension.

Even players who disliked PVP and AOS for various reasons and those who enjoyed New Dimension purely as an open-world RPG acknowledged her.

Ga-eun could objectively assess herself quite well.

‘What… surely she’ll accept it, right?’

The top player, recognized by everyone except for the haters, shows up on her stream and offers to join her team?

Ga-eun was already convinced in her heart that no one would be able to turn her down.

‘Of course there are additional conditions, but… this person wouldn’t care about that.’

Anyway, Ga-eun believed the entry of ‘Rene’ was a done deal, and that judgment was nothing short of correct under normal circumstances.

“Hey, I have a suggestion… How about becoming a pro gamer on our team?”

─Whoa, this is it!

─Ga-eun is personally making a pro gamer offer, wow!

─Rene, what are you doing? Accept it quickly!

─It’s the family’s honor, for real!

Of course, the chat window was filled with suggestions for Rene to accept immediately.

…But.

[Uh, no, I’m not gonna do that…?]

This time, the opponent was definitely not the average person.

The opponent was Rene, a player you could never call ordinary in New Dimension.

“…What?”

Ga-eun’s empty voice echoed.

★

[Rene]

[It’s been a while]

[New Dimension | 691 viewers online | 00:58:16]

─Is the leader really out of their mind???

─Isn’t it normal to at least say you’ll take an entrance test?

─It’s Ga-eun herself coming to invite you, like, what the heck?

“No, everyone… just because that person, Ga-eun, is great doesn’t mean I’m obligated to accept the offer…?”

─Why is that so logical…?

─Don’t bring common sense into this, Tenyun!

─Please stop doing weird things if you have brains that make such judgments!!!

Something… something is happening…

Why are the Rebongi making such a fuss when I’m clearly saying I want to reject it…?

[Um… can you tell me why you’re rejecting it? I heard from watching Rene’s stream that you need money… If it’s you, you could earn quite a bit by joining our team… And, how should I put this? Our team’s welfare is really good! You’d definitely be satisfied if you joined…]

“But I still absolutely won’t do it…”

─Damn, what a stubborn guy…

─??? : Can’t you be satisfied with just that much money?

─Seriously, I really don’t get why you’re rejecting it.

─Is everything about needing money just a lie?

─Is she rejecting it because it breaks her concept?

[Can you share a bit of the reason…? Do you have another team lined up already?]

─Whoa

─For real? Was that it?

─Is that true, Rene?!

“Uh, um… not really, though…”

[Then why…? No other team would offer such good conditions…?]

“Uh, well, the thing is…”

There’s really no other reason.

It’s not even about them finding out that I’m a girl or anything like that.

“Being a pro gamer means you have to present yourself a lot, right…?”

[That’s true! There are fan meetings and when you participate in competitions, you play in front of fans.]

─Oh snap

─Wait, what?!

─Is that really not the reason, Rene…?

The veteran Rebongi seemed to understand what I was trying to say.

“I’m sorry, but I’m a hikikomori… so going out in front of people is a bit….”

[Ah…]

─So it’s not that you don’t want to, but you can’t, huh? Haha!

─If that’s the case, then you should’ve said so from the start!

─I’m honestly embarrassed for you, Rene…

─Why is the reason for rejection like this…?

The vibe in the chat window suddenly grew somber.

Why?

What’s wrong with being a hikikomori?

You all already know that I’m a hikikomori… I’ve said it several times on stream.

It’s not about eye contact or anything.

So even if I got better, I still wouldn’t do it.

Because I’m a hikikomori!

[Uh, well… I also have a shy personality, so I understand what you mean, but based on my experience, even people like that can…]

“Uh, should I call you teacher? Or should I just call you Ga-eun?”

[Oh, you can call me however you feel comfortable.]

“I’m s-sorry, but really shy and hikikomori people just can’t go out in front of others….”

[No, but… even someone with a personality like mine could do it, I think…]

“From the start, how can a shy person go to someone like Ga-eun and talk like that? Real shy people can’t do that at all….”

─I support that.

─That makes sense…

─I’m ‘real’ too, I feel you.

─Is it just me or is this getting sad?

In fact, even I struggled when I first approached Tuni.

Just chatting in a game was something that gave me a lot to think about.

Even when I’d already spoken to them once.

But this person said from the beginning that they wanted to talk through Miscode.

How is that being shy…? That’s complete deception…

If I hadn’t gotten used to it through streaming, I would just be talking through chat right now…

─Ga-eun messed up this time.

─Ga-eun/Controversy.

─You all are just doing this for concept, right? Just tell me it’s a concept!

The chat window soon shifted to a supportive atmosphere for me.

They are indeed my Rebongi.

You all are just like me.

[So, does that mean you’re rejecting it…?]

“Yup….”

[…Well, it’s a shame, but it can’t be helped. We can’t force someone who doesn’t want to do it. Um, then… can I ask for one more favor?]

“I-I’ll hear you out…?”

[Can you just play one match of PVP with me?]

─Wow, lol!

─Free event just popped up!

─Me too, me too, me too, me too, me too!

─Honestly, I’m curious who’d win.

─No matter what, it’s gotta be Ga-eun!

─Is the ranking 1st really gonna lose to a rank-E player?

─Even though the leader is an E-rank, calling it heaven-tier is a bit… hehe.

─You guys always say ‘E-rank’ like it’s nothing, huh?

─The leader is in the top 0.5 percent, you fools!

─Ga-eun is in the top 0.0001 percent!

─PVP peak vs PK peak, wow!

With this atmosphere, I wondered what would happen if I rejected it.

Honestly, I’m quite curious about that.

Well, I don’t really think of rejecting it, though.

Anyway, today I was planning to do some PVP.

“Alright, I’ll do it….”

[Great! I’ll create the room.]

★

From the very beginning, what Ga-eun awaited the most was neither of those things but the PVP with Rene.

If she had to choose between Rene’s entry and PVP, she would definitely choose the latter.

Someone hearing this would likely wonder why?

But for a gamer, pride and competitiveness are feelings they can’t toss aside.

And among those gamers, the top-level ones.

Those who call themselves professionals have a pride and thirst for competition that is naturally multiples higher than that of ordinary gamers.

“Phew…”

Ga-eun quietly steadied her breath and looked at the dark figure before her.

The pressure she felt was slow yet strong and felt like it might suffocate her.

‘Even if I win, I won’t really gain anything.’

But if she loses, countless skeptical gazes would surely fall upon her.

That’s the pressure one has to endure when standing at the pinnacle.

The weight of a crown that is no light matter, enough to crush an ordinary person.

But the desire to win as a gamer allowed Ga-eun to withstand it all.

She doesn’t want to lose. She wants to win. No, she will win.

In retrospect, it’s nothing but a trivial pride, yet that pride is so vast that it could risk all the honor she has built.

A gambler taking up such ridiculous stakes.

That is the identity of pro gamer ‘Ga-eun.’

“The terms will be best out of five. Weapon swaps are forbidden during the match. The field is random. Does that sound good?”

[I’m good with that. You can set it up however you’d like, Ga-eun…]

As if it didn’t matter either way.

Her friendly yet soft and clear voice brushed against Ga-eun’s ears.

Could it be the confidence that she believes she’ll win no matter what?

Or is it the proof of resignation, thinking that it doesn’t matter since she’ll lose anyway?

Ga-eun personally hoped it was the former.

Nothing is more boring than an opponent who does nothing.

But perhaps to mock Ga-eun’s thoughts like that.

[Ga-eun ●●○ | ○○○ Inquisition Officer]

Rene could barely do anything as she fell twice in a row.

It was so pitiful it hardly felt like a defeat.

[Umm…]

Only emotionless breaths echoed through the headphones.