Your Commander-in-Chief – Chapter 52

“Arena Tournament?”

I was seriously crunching numbers in the middle of solving some math problems when Harang suddenly brought up the odd topic.

“Yeah, it’s been going around.”

“But there’s nothing on the website?”

He definitely mentioned an Arena Tournament. I hurried to check the website, but I couldn’t find any announcements related to it anywhere.

“That’s why it’s just a rumor! They say VRS pros are streaming Deron right now.”

“Isn’t that just a homework stream?”

“Yeah, it is. Looks like everyone’s just leveling up a bit and jumping into the arena.”

Starting from 10 PM, the one-on-one tutoring with Harang. As I began to catch up with the studies, Harang had nothing left to teach and occasionally browsed internet streams on his phone.

It seemed he got the idea of an Arena Tournament from the chat of the stream.

In this context, VRS is short for Virtual Reality Swordsman, a game that’s definitely more well-known than Deron.

At least, that’s how it was in this world.

It’s a game that didn’t exist in other worlds. I didn’t pay it any mind. No, saying I had zero interest would be more accurate.

Most of the game chatter among the students revolved around VRS. Thus, I’d checked out videos of the game a few times. They weren’t pro-level plays, but I did find content from a broadcaster who was at a decent rank.

Yet, I was so disappointed that I’d quickly switched it off.

Watching some guy flail around with a sword at such a sluggish pace looked more like a joke than anything.

Sometimes they showed sharp skills, but from the perspective of someone playing Deron, I just couldn’t grasp why they’d bother with such a slow game.

“So, they’re all playing Deron without a single exception?”

“Yep. They won’t go into details if you ask why, but they’re all just on the Arena, right? So that’s where the talk of the tournament is coming from.”

“Is that so?”

This was definitely some advertising from Deron’s side. It was clearly a scheme to attract more new users in time for the global launch.

“So, are they any good?”

“They died a lot at first trying to adjust, but they’ve probably settled in now.”

“Hmm… I see.”

*

The school was, of course, a place where I could feel the popularity of VRS.

Kids who usually didn’t give me the time of day started coming up to me and asking questions as soon as they found out I played Deron.

“Hey, Hayun. Is that you?”

“Is Hayun the Blood Demon?”

“Can you do what you did in the video?”

“Wow, so you like martial arts novels, Hayun…”

“Can you meet pros in the Arena?”

Maybe it was because every VRS pro and broadcaster was playing Deron that my classmates found my video while browsing.

I awkwardly smiled and ducked behind Sohee.

“Everyone, step aside.”

Sohee cleared the curious kids away on my behalf.

She always wore a bright smile, but when she opened her mouth with a firm expression, the kids quickly accepted it and backed off.

If they’d asked normal questions, I could have gladly answered.

But that Absolute Blood Demon Declaration plastered at the top of the Deron event page was my embarrassing dark history.

There was no way I could laugh it off and act it out in reality.

[I am the Blood Demon.]

In that moment, I heard the sound of a video playing from afar.

It seemed they cranked up the volume for everyone to hear, trying to see how I’d react.

“Wow, it’s the Blood Demon Hayun!”

“That’s so cool…”

I felt like I might choke.

Glaring at the kids who were huddled behind Sohee, watching the video, they only grinned playfully and shouted louder.

“Hey, Hayun, you okay?”

My face turned bright red, and breathing became difficult.

Nodding cautiously at Sohee’s question, she took my arm and led me out of the classroom.

Of course, not every student recognized me. Even if they had seen my video, the impression from the game and in real life were pretty different, so it was rare for someone to recognize me at a glance.

“What about… class?”

“I’ll tell them you’re going to the Health Room.”

What would I have done without Sohee?

I would’ve been harassed by the kids until the end of the school day.

Holding onto the hem of Sohee’s clothes tightly, I followed her into the Health Room.

The Health Room we arrived at was empty.

“The nurse isn’t here, huh?”

“Usually, it’s locked.”

Creak—

Sohee answered my question quietly while shutting the Health Room door.

“Should we go to the Bed and rest?”

“Yeah.”

Following Sohee’s suggestion, I approached the Bed and sat down.

As I brushed the blanket aside with my hand, I felt a cozy and fluffy sensation.

Sohee, who was watching me sitting on the bed, seemed to hesitate for a moment.

It looked like she was struggling with something internally.

As she kept staring at me, she gulped and turned away.

“Um, wait until you feel better and come up. I’ll head up first.”

“Is that okay, though?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll keep everything quiet.”

Sohee said that and quickly exited the Health Room.

Left alone, the Health Room fell into silence.

Lying on the cozy blanket, I closed my eyes blankly.

Maybe because there weren’t any people around, my previously boiling and messy insides gradually calmed down.

Indeed, the attention in reality wasn’t as pleasant as in the game.

Why did Deron decide to advertise to VRS broadcasters?

The player demographics are clearly divided.

Deron was a game usually enjoyed by older guys. It’s not a type that younger users would prefer.

The new users brought in through advertising would easily drop out.

While lying on the bed, a sudden curiosity struck me.

What kind of fighting style would users who were good at VRS show in the world of Deron?

I was extremely curious.

Propping myself up on my stomach, I turned on my phone and started hunting for streams.

As I squirmed on the bed, my skirt rode up, but there was no one around to see.

I decided to ignore that and focused on the stream.

*

The broadcaster, Bingulbingul.

He was a popular streamer with 300,000 subscribers on his personal broadcast channel.

His main content revolved around the game VRS, in which he had excellent skills, enough to have been offered a spot on a pro team in the past.

Perhaps that’s why he had many fans who enjoyed his streams, so it was no surprise that he received an advertising offer from Deron.

– Iceberg. [Not that cold iceberg]

– Homework again today?

– Aren’t you playing VRS? Everyone else is doing it lately.

– Is Deron fun?

“Hey, everyone! Is Deron fun? I think it’s quite enjoyable.”

Bingulbingul started chatting with the viewers while queuing for an Arena match.

Surprisingly, Deron was decent. It would be hard to say whether I’d play it regularly, but at least my first impression of the game wasn’t bad.

– Aren’t you leveling up? Show us some Dungeons.

– What Dungeon? Just stick to the Arena, haha.

– VRS, VRS, VRS, VRS, VRS, VRS.

– Can’t run a Dungeon with this character; this one’s just for the Arena.

Bingulbingul didn’t hide that this was a homework stream.

Other broadcasters were the same; whenever asked how much they were being paid, they’d only smile mischievously.

Bingulbingul himself was getting a hefty amount as support. Other broadcasters with more viewers likely received even more.

At that moment, the Arena match got set up.

For the purpose of this homework broadcast, the character he was playing could choose any profession at any time.

Bingulbingul chose a warrior type, selecting Highlander and Pouncer for the lower and upper ranks.

He pulled out a thin rapier and pointed it at his opponent.

Based on his experience so far, the opponent’s job must definitely be a Paladin, fully decked out in armor.

While more precise job information could only be confirmed through actual engagement, it was already an annoying profession.

“Oh, it’s a Paladin.”

– It’s really tough against Paladins.

– But won’t Bingul win?

– Pros are in the Arena right now, so it’s hard to tell who’s who.

Bingulbingul began to focus on the game, ignoring the viewers’ chat.

The pace of the Arena in this game was different from what he was used to playing.

Faster, stronger, sharper.

The game’s stats allowing for movements that were previously impossible caused confusion in his sharpened senses.

It was a battle against a Paladin. Extending the battle time would definitely be disadvantageous for him.

As soon as the waiting time ended, Bingulbingul started running.

His movements were incredibly swift. The moment the Paladin user started to react, Bingulbingul seized the opportunity.

He abruptly halted his previously fast-moving body and changed directions. Though it put immense strain on his ankles, Deron characters handled that movement without any issue.

Immediately, he activated the Highlander’s skill, Charge.

His body, which was approaching from the left, suddenly shot straight.

The opponent didn’t panic. With calm eyes, they brandished a Large Shield at him.

[Flash]

Without missing a beat, Bingulbingul triggered the next skill. The body that was charging slightly lifted into the Air, and as it rotated, he twisted in the opposite direction.

Left to right, back to left.

At the moment when the opponent hurriedly turned, he made three directional changes.

[Evade]

Bingulbingul didn’t stop there. The instant his body froze in the Air, he left a faint afterimage and once again dashed to the right.

He had circled around to the opponent’s side.

In that instant, the next skill was set to activate.

[Tondo]

Swoosh!

The slash that cut a line through the air grazed the Paladin’s solid armor.

There was no need for him to move his body directly; in a sensation utterly different from VRS, Bingulbingul used the skill, and the game mechanics corrected his movements as he swung the rapier.

At that moment, the opposing Paladin began swinging their sword, trusting in their defense.

Bingulbingul immediately activated the next skill.

The thin rapier was thrust forward and its tip glimmered brightly.

[Repost]

The preparation for counterattack, the response stance.

The moment the opponent’s blade brushed against the fine rapier, a counterattack like rays of light erupted forth.

Clang!

The brilliant effect of the attack caused the opposing Paladin to be immobilized for a certain period.

Right after that, Bingulbingul unleashed the strongest skill of the Pouncer.

[Settettuara]

The moment he triggered the skill, his body began moving with overwhelming speed.

Eight stabbing attacks were rapidly unleashed.

Swoosh!

The strikes penetrated the tough full plate and swiftly drained the opponent’s health.

The Pouncer’s passive skill allowed attacks to ignore the opponent’s defense.

This meant he could exhibit particularly powerful performance against a Paladin dressed in such tough armor.

After the eight rapid stabs, blood erupted from inside the opponent’s armor.

It was additional damage from the stacked bleeding effect.

Right after that, Bingulbingul spun his body slightly and delivered a huge slash at the opponent.

The additional finishing strike from the skill had a powerful damage effect that activated all the stacked bleeding effects, causing significant damage to the Paladin’s health.

He won.

At least, that’s what he thought.

[hayeon337 donated 10,000 won!]

“That’s not how you do it.”

The sudden donation message made Bingulbingul raise his eyebrows in surprise.

“Not how I do it? But I’m definitely winning right now?”

But in the next moment, the skills from the stunned Paladin began pouring out.

Having exhausted all his counter and charging skills, Bingulbingul kept getting hit until his health ran out.

Just as the Paladin’s sword pierced Bingulbingul’s chest, another donation message appeared.

[hayeon337 donated 10,000 won!]

“You really shouldn’t be doing that. What happens when you use all your charging skills?”

“Wait, Hayun? Thank you for the donation! What should I do then…?”

Bingulbingul checked the chat information for hayeon337 in hopes of discovering more.

However, there were no chat records in that account.

This meant they were a first-time visitor to his room.

In that instant, other viewers’ chats began to pop up.

– Oh, that kid’s here too.

– Wasn’t he in another room?

– Yeah, this kid just gives unsolicited advice, lol.

As other viewers began sharing their observations, the next donation came through.

[hayeon337 donated 10,000 won!]

“I’m not that kid.”

In that brief moment, the kid donated a total of 30,000 won.

Bingulbingul smiled. He was starting to grasp the situation a bit.

– He’s using his mom’s credit card to donate, lol.

– You should refund him and ban him right away.

[hayeon337 donated 10,000 won!]

“Please don’t! Don’t do it!”

Without hesitation, Bingulbingul adjusted his broadcast settings.

He refunded all the recently received donations and banned the viewer named hayeon337 from his chat.

“That was close! Should I keep queuing for matches?”