Chapter 40 : What i kneeled… …

Drugman.

Despite the name that makes you think of someone speeding on a motorcycle in Harlem with a submachine gun and a blunt, Drugman is a support character with strong utility.

This game is based on the hero genre.

There’s no way a drug-addicted gang member would appear.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Drugman doesn’t do drugs. He just takes drugs that slightly consume stamina in exchange for improved movement, reaction speed, and strength!

[Let’s go, Tonic Man!]

[Of course, of course, it’s tonic!]

[Lol it’s definitely not drugs!]

[Hahahahahaha!]

…Anyway, it’s good medicine!

It’s not drugs, not drugs!

I shook my head slightly.

‘Me, using drugs? There’s no way.’

Even if it’s just a game, I never touch drugs. After experiencing that damn evil god’s bullshit, how could I get involved with drugs?

Of course, of course.

This is just Tonic Man.

“Well, then, before I become Tonic Man…”

Before queuing up for a ranked game, I first opened my rating screen and showed it to the viewers.

My current rating is at the very edge of the high-rankers.

I’ve reached what’s commonly called the zone of despair.

[But when are you going to Hundred?]

[I don’t know, we need to compare with the whole world.]

[It’s definitely a zone of despair right now.]

[Don’t worry, she’ll get up there automatically if you wait.]

[She’ll get up there and then ask to subscribe, like, and set notifications.]

[Hahahahahahaha!]

Going from a high-ranker to the Hundred, that is, the top 100 of Soul Frame, is extremely difficult.

The fundamental reason is the rank system of this game.

Soul Frame divides servers by country. In the Korean server, only Koreans are matched, and in the Japanese server, only Japanese. It’s a typical and normal system.

But it’s different from the Hundred.

The Hundred is a global server integrated ranking.

In other words, to reach the Hundred tier, you have to be the number one high-ranker in the world, and your points must be higher than the 100th place in the Hundred.

‘They said it’s not far off now.’

I already confirmed it with TS Media’s index report.

If I win three consecutive times from now on, I’ll be the number one high-ranker in the world.

If I win one more game there… I’ll be in the world’s top 100.

‘I need to start diversifying.’

The reason I chose Drugman today is also related to the Hundred. From now on, I’m going to practice matching combinations while using various heroes.

I can’t say it’s unrelated to the recent incident.

There are many support heroes besides Drugman.

But, well, this level of teasing.

It’s normal.

“Then shall we begin?”

[Gogogogogogo!]

[Nice punch! SeongWon punch! Nice punch!]

[Let’s go, let’s go, let’s goooo!]

[Let’s get to the Hundred!!!!!!]

[But isn’t this the first time you’re using a support?]

[SeongWon can do it.]

[Hey! Are you looking down on AI? These days, even chickens are delivered by AI, so they can support too.]

[That’s a drone, you idiot;]

Of course, that’s true.

This is the first time I’m using a support-type hero.

But, do you really think I’ll mess up?

‘Me, who even used that Minder?’

I confidently started the queue.

-Clang!

And I was utterly destroyed.

*

“You were eliminated in last place three times in a row? The chairman? Playing a game?”

Representative Cha’s face stiffened. His expression was as if he’d just heard a novel-like story about a gate opening above the National Assembly building and monsters falling out and killing the members of the National Assembly.

I quietly nodded, avoiding his gaze.

“…I know, right?”

Representative Cha looked at me with a confused face, then grabbed the wall as if dizzy and muttered.

“No, I don’t even understand how you were eliminated in last place three times in a row after choosing a support hero…”

“…”

“But why is your current rating number one in the world among high-rankers?”

“That, I got pissed off and grabbed Minder and wiped everyone out.”

Thanks to that, I sweated again. Fortunately, it wasn’t enough to soak my clothes. If my clothes were wet, Representative Cha would have had to listen to the story with his back turned again.

“Ha, haha. I see. You won five times in a row.”

Representative Cha looked at me with a slightly shocked face, then narrowed his brow and examined the tablet, muttering.

“Hmm, this might actually be a better result.”

“Why?”

As I tilted my head, Representative Cha opened his mouth.

“I’ll explain it to you slowly. The current image built for the chairman is a crazy b*tch.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Miley stood up from her chair.

“How dare you…”

Miley, with sparks of murderous intent radiating from her eyes, approached with big strides, causing Representative Cha to flinch and step back. Oh, oh, my precious. No, my good Miley.

I raised my hand to stop Miley.

“Shh. No. You can’t hit company employees.”

“Wha, what? Hi, hit?”

At that, Representative Cha was startled and hid behind me.

Fortunately, my command worked.

“…Understood, Master.”

My precious Miley quietly returned to the chair she was sitting in earlier instead of beating up Representative Cha, so it’s okay.

Of course, I can’t do anything about the murderous glare. That’s the price you pay for not watching your mouth, Representative Cha.

“Ch, Chairman.”

“Yes?”

“C, can you tell Butler Mackie to leave when I report? Sometimes it gives me chills.”

“Hmm.”

“H, honestly, even just now, it’s uncomfortable that she reacts like this when I didn’t mean to insult you, Chairman.”

Then Miley’s gaze began to change to something akin to a murder ray. If Miley had the power of the Saintess days, Representative Cha would probably be burned to a crisp right now.

Of course, I don’t understand Representative Cha’s thoughts. That’s probably a bit abnormal in this world.

But, is that any of my business?

I shook my head.

“That’s not going to happen.”

“B, but…”

“Can’t Representative Cha just watch his mouth? Honestly, I don’t think that crazy b*tch comment was something you should say to me. You wouldn’t have said that if I were the chairman of Seosung, would you?”

“…!”

Only then did Representative Cha flinch and become surprised. His heart was pounding much harder than before, so he must have been properly frightened.

‘I did let him off easy lately.’

I lightly snapped my fingers and said.

“I’ll let this one slide, so be careful from now on.”

“Ah, understood.”

Representative Cha, once again with discipline instilled. If he was Sergeant Cha before, now he seems to have become Private Cha.

“Report.”

“Yes, yes sir.”

Hurriedly turning on the tablet, Representative Cha searched for something diligently, then handed it to me and stuttered.

“The chairman’s current image is, ah, um. Uh…”

It seems that he can’t think of a word to replace ‘crazy b*tch’. Maybe his brain is rebooting due to fear. Probably the latter. After all, my image isn’t entirely encompassed by just being a crazy b*tch.

Then I have no choice but to express it for him.

“A viral maniac full of madness, a gaming genius who appeared like a comet, a Soviet-made AI. Something like that?”

“Yes, yes. That’s right.”

Quickly nodding, Representative Cha slowly regained his composure. His elevated heart rate was also returning to normal, so he seems to be calming down.

“Soviet-made AI is practically a meme. The viral related is like… an identity of the chairman. But this time, the gaming genius concept was shaken a little, wasn’t it?”

I gritted my teeth.

It’s really shitty. A blemish on my great journey. This can’t be called the Royal Road.

“Tsk, that’s right.”

But Representative Cha smiled with a glint in his eyes.

“But, if you really think about it. Those three characteristics, none of them have anything to do with humanity.”

“Hmm?”

I tilted my head.

“Humanity, you mean?”

Then Representative Cha nodded.

“Yes. Humanity. It means not like a human. Ah, this is not a derogatory term, it means it feels mechanical. It means it doesn’t feel familiar and close.”

Even so, perhaps because of what he just experienced, Representative Cha hastily added a remark. I scratched my chin and asked back.

“But, don’t people originally like perfection?”

Perfection, completeness, flawlessness. Like the noble heroes in epic poems, and myths. And the Idea.

People want an unattainable idol.

I knew that.

“That’s right. It’s like worshiping a god. But you see, if it’s too perfect, it feels alien.”

“Ah.”

Certainly, that’s true.

I knew that it was correct from experience.

A being that is too perfect is alien.

The foreign god I chased away… was like that.

A being with flaws is, on the contrary, familiar.

Isn’t the main god who kidnapped me like that? He has a strange sexual preference and is a bit of a perverted old man, so didn’t I feel some familiarity with him?

‘…No, shit. Did I really get gaslighted?’

While I was self-diagnosing internally, Representative Cha started talking on his own.

“It would be fine if it were a god in a real religious sense. But the chairman is human, isn’t she? A broadcaster. We’re not trying to write a myth in the literal sense, are we?”

“Hmm.”

“That’s why it’s better to have a bit of humanity, failure, and flaws. It’s easier for people to empathize. It feels human, like someone living in the same world as me…”

I could understand it a little by listening to Representative Cha’s explanation.

“So, you’re saying I need to show humanity?”

“Of course, even now, the chairman is showing some human aspects. Abusing other users under the pretext of broadcast viral is such a part.”

“That’s not a pretext. Representative Cha told me to do that.”

“…Ahem. But the one created this time is a bit big. A genius gamer who can’t support. A genius who only knows how to attack, attack, attack! A genius who doesn’t know how to help his allies! How interesting and exciting is this concept? Hahaha!”

“This feels a bit like you’re making fun of me? Miley, is it just me who feels this way?”

“I feel the same way, Master.”

Even though Miley was quietly clenching and unclenching her fists, Representative Cha just burst into a crazed laughter.

“The next, the next broadcast is important. I’ll come up with a fantastic plan by tomorrow. Trust me.”

“Yes, well. Come up with one.”

If it’s not fantastic, we’ll see about it then.

*

“From today, we’ve introduced a new roulette.”

[Hahahahahahahaha!]

[I’m going crazy hahahahaha!]

[Is this right? Is this right? Is this right? Is this right?]

[No, shit, I’m really dizzy lolololol!]

[SeongWon, this is not it, don’t you know after yesterday?]

I clenched my fist tightly as I watched the rapidly rising chat window. Representative Cha, if this roulette doesn’t work, you’re finished. I’ll definitely make you wear those *ttubang ttubang ppyok ppyok* shoes.

“The roulette is, as you can see, simple. It’s divided according to the role classification of heroes. Mage, ranged dealer, melee dealer, bruiser, assassin, tank… well, various things.”

[She’s desperately not mentioning support.]

[It doesn’t matter anyway lolololol!]

[How many roles are there, but who came up with the idea of 25% support?]

[I don’t know, there must be a malicious person in SeongWon’s agency.]