Chapter 61: Placement Finished (1)

Posts about Almond and BubbleSniper filled Bubblegum's fan page thanks to Ju-Hyeok.

[Breaking News!!! BubbleSniper is about to get owned!]

[LIVE Archer vs. BubbleSniper!]

[BubbleSniper is one minute away from being toyed with by a bronze ranked newbie!]

Bubblegum's fans all knew BubbleSniper. The username itself ignited their hatred.

— For real?

— Archer? Do you mean Almond? Lolol

— I think the archer will lose...

— Yeah, the archer is only bronze rank. You're thinking too lightly of BubbleSniper...

— Wow, this is exciting!

— Ooh.

— This will be fun to watch.

Most fans hated BubbleSniper, but still didn't believe Almond would win. They couldn’t deny BubbleSniper’s skills despite their hatred.

It didn't matter who would win. Ju-Hyeok only wanted to increase the excitement for their faceoff.

'They're starting to reel in.'

His post gained more views and comments by the minute.

— Did BubbleSniper stream snipe him to get revenge?

└ Yeah, it's going to be humiliating if BubbleSniper loses.?

└ I think he intentionally queued up to face him.

— That's pathetic... as expected of BubbleSniper.

— Stop trying to bring Bubblegum down and die.?

— I'm going to cheer for the archer.

— Regardless, this will be fun to watch.

Anyone would be eager to watch this match because of the exciting outcome. It was like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The combination couldn’t fail. A rising star versus an evil veteran player guaranteed attraction.

— Hihi, I'm here because I heard Almond met BubbleSniper.

— BubbleHa!

— GumHa!

— So this person is Almond.

— Hi archer!

Around a thousand more viewers came to watch Almond's stream. Just as the viewership began to peak…

Thwack!

Almond stabbed BubbleSniper's forehead with his knife.

Kim Ju-Hyeok slammed his table and stood up as he watched it unfold.

"Oh! Shit!" he shouted as he spread his arms in the air.

The excitement only lasted for a moment. He put his arms back down in embarrassment.

"Ahem."

An awkward silence followed and Ju-Hyeok could only hear the white noise from the capsule's engine.

That's when he noticed.

'Was I shouting this much?'

He realized how immersed he had been in Almond's stream. Someone would've come to scold or spank him if he were this noisy at home when he was still a kid.

It was no coincidence that people often called him a good and quiet kid. Adults liked that, but Ju-Hyeok hated it. He had to act as if someone constantly monitored him.

'But... not here?'

However, Sang-Hyeon's house was different. There truly was no one else other than Sang-Hyeon and Ju-Hyeok.

They had their own house despite being in a poor neighborhood. Another floor above or a basement below didn’t exist. No one would come to interfere with them.

"!"

A sense of liberation came over Ju-Hyeok as he realized that. Some would’ve mocked him because he was already past his thirties, but he had never felt such freedom before.

Ju-Hyeok lived as an elite all his life and finally felt free for the first time.

'I guess it's true.'

It was a bittersweet realization. A feeling he felt for the first time after living for 31 years.

'So this is freedom.'

He had forgotten it a long time ago and this sense of liberation now overflowed in him. Was it because of that?

[1st]

Almond killed the last player and won first place.

Ju-Hyeok screamed at the top of his lungs, "OOOOOKAAY!!!"

Thump!

He even surprised himself at how loud he sounded and slightly flinched. He had definitely been too loud this time.

"Ahem..."

Thankfully, it was only 5 P.M. and everyone was still out working.

"I think I need to practice being free a little more."

He raised his glasses and nodded.

***

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

[Did you watch BubbleSniper vs. Almond???]

[This guy is the real deal. I think he can actually do it.]

[What is BubbleSniper’s original rank?]

Bubblegum's fan page wasn't the only excited community. Almond became a hot topic on Battle31 as well.

They knew about BubbleSniper from Almond's previous YouTube video and understood the significance of beating him.

Naturally, posts about the two appeared.

[Fresh Almond vs. BubbleSniper's pride]

The post showed Almond and BubbleSniper's knife fight.

— Wow...

— Now, THIS is a battle of pride.

— It's been so long since I saw a fight like this.

— Who would've thought we would witness this in bronze rank?!

— It really is a battle between two geniuses.

— The genius devil BubbleSniper vs. the devilish genius Almond.

└ Haha, that's so true.

└ I thought that guy was only good with bows. His close combat is insane!!!

└ It's true his best weapon is the bow. He went on a rampage after he got the bow and won first.

└ Wait, so he killed someone like that without even using his main weapon? How good is he?

Almond hadn't simply defeated BubbleSniper, but did so in spectacular fashion. Their fight had been incredible. It overlapped with JeonJaPa's famous mirror matchup.

— Almond definitely has what it takes to be a star.

└ That's true.

└ JeonJaPa became big from one video too.

└ You're right.

└ I'm excited to see how he'll turn out.?

They naturally compared Almond with JeonJaPa. Everyone could see Almond becoming a star now.

— The fact that his last placement was this spectacular shows that he has what it takes.

└ Yeah, facing off against a vengeful diamond one stream sniper in his last match. I'd kill myself from the stress.

└ Not just a stream sniper. He had it all planned out to meet Almond at the Arsenal.?

Becoming a star required several factors. The most important one in sports and video games was decision-making. A star had to be able to perform in the most critical moments. All star athletes proved themselves when it mattered most. They shined brightest when the pressure intimidated and crushed everyone else.

Almond could do that and always delivered when it counted.

Anyone would be nervous in their last placement round, especially with a diamond one stream sniper aiming for you.

He also stated that he would reach diamond in two weeks. All the pressure was on him, yet he pulled off a fantastic play and showed the world what he could do. That made him a star.

— The reason Almond is a star: his looks.

└ Facts, that's true.

└ Makes me mad that you're right.

└ The girls are going to love him.

└ It's game over if he comes out on a major tv show.

└ That's the true reason...

Of course, his looks would only boost his popularity.

***

"Phew."

[1st.]

Almond felt relieved after finally seeing that number on his screen.

"This round was a little tiring because of that pesky mosquito early on."

The viewers found it amusing that he admitted to being tired, but his face said otherwise.

— Mosquito LOL

— BubbleSniper is a mosquito now.

— So satisfying.

— Oppa, you're so cool! ><

— BubbleSniper, that loser!

— Guys, stop it... he's already dead...

Smirk.

Almond smiled as he read the comments. Then he glanced at his missions full of big numbers.

[Win all placement matches: 210,000 won]

[Win all placement matches without using a gun: 390,000 won]

[Reach gold today: 410,000 won]

[Reach platinum today: 770,000 won]

[Kill BubbleSniper without using a gun: 200,000 won]

He had secured at least 800,000 won from his missions.

"Kill BubbleSniper without a gun... win all placement matches, win placement matches without using a gun. I'm going to claim the mission rewards, thank you."

Ding—?

A list of donors came up and the money was automatically deposited.

— Ahhh. No!

— I didn't think he could kill BubbleSniper without a gun.

— Win all placement matches without using a gun?! How is that even possible?

— We're all taking a cut today, everyone...

The viewers acted all rowdy because they thought the missions were impossible.

"I should get my new rank pretty soon, right?"

Almond checked his profile as he waited in the lobby.

[Your placement has been calculated.]

[Check Rank]

He could check his rank by clicking on the button. This would determine if his uncolored badge turned gold or white.

"There's no way that I’m getting silver, right?"

— Yeah, no way. Not silver.

— It's at LEAST gold if you win all of them.

— I've seen gold before, but never plat...

— Even JeonJaPa was only gold.

"

Ah!

I can't get platinum?" Almond frowned.

— The plat mission was just bait.

— The gold mission donors are about to be screwed...

— LOL Poor guys. Just give him the money already.

— We're just kids... we don't know how to bait...

— Were you hoping for plat? You're crazy.

According to his viewers, he would rank at least gold. Platinum seemed impossible in one placement attempt.

'Then what?'

His viewers had baited him with the platinum mission. Almond wanted petty revenge against them.

"How about I end my stream now?"

— ????

— ???

— Sorry?!

— Wow.

— This guy only thinks about the content!

— Content mania Almond!

— That's crazy.

— You're crazy.

— No!!!

— Don't you want to get the mission reward? Dammit!

— There's a time limit to the missions!

— You could get plat!

The missions had a time limit. Now they also mentioned the possibility of him getting platinum.

"I'll just skip out on the platinum mission reward if I get gold. Whatever."

He could receive the mission reward now if he reached gold, but he would miss out on the platinum one if he checked and stopped playing for today.

— Wait, wait a minute!

— Wow, Almond is insane.

— Hahaha.

— Almond, you're crazy! Almond, you're crazy! Almond, you're crazy!

— You're not going to get away with this...

— We're all going to die until tomorrow's stream!

— Everyone, Almond's never gone back on his words.

— Show us what gold you get!!

Babababam!

A loud trumpet suddenly rang out, followed by a donation message.

[Miho has donated a whopping 500,000 won!]

[Almond! Please show us before you go!]

— Miho!?

— Noona...

— Noona, I'm dying! The money is crushing me!

— Hero! Miho!

— Miho suddenly appeared!

— Are they dating!?

— Stop trying to make everyone a couple.

— Wow, is it really Miho?

— Is it really her?

'500,000 won?'

Almond became dumbfounded. The platinum mission was a whopping 770,000 won, but that was from multiple users. It also seemed impossible to get.

A single 500,000 won donation was a different story. Also, that person was...

'Isn't she also a streamer?'

Miho was another

Battle Large?

streamer who previously asked him to join her clan. Did she have other intentions?

He felt dizzy as he thought about what to do.

"Ah..."

Almond scratched his head.

"It's too much to decline your offer…

Haha.

”

Almond tried to play it off as cool as possible and clicked the button to check his rank. It was the only way to change the subject.

— LOL! He changed his mind in an instant.

— Hahaha

— Almond, you're embarrassing us!

— Almond... come on...

— This freaking nut.

— Omg, this guy.

Bang!

A loud sound effect rang out as his badge flared up. The bright light began to fade and his badge sparkled like a jewel.

[Platinum III]

It was a bright, white gold.