Chapter 46: A Super Rookie from the Start (Part 1)

While Shihyun was lost in the battle against the demon army…

[Physical: 19402 points]
[Technique: 22386 points]
[Synchronization Rate: 100%]

Outside, Ji-eun, watching the broadcast with Assistant Manager Kim, clenched her fists as she saw the numbers rising.

‘Yes!’

It was done.

These soaring scores were enough to prove Shihyun’s innocence. Numbers that not only rivaled, but surpassed, those of professional gamers would put an end to all the controversy.

‘This is undeniable. No one can argue with this.’

This was a verification guaranteed by Arfellium Corporation HQ.

No one in the world could dispute it.

Ji-eun glanced at the chat.

The viewers were also in a state of shock, watching the scores climb endlessly.

[What?]
[Those numbers lol]
[They’re rising like a rocket]
[What were the pro players’ scores? Was anyone higher than this?]
[I don’t think so]
[A beautiful girl sword master with the highest score ]

The tide of the chat was turning.

[If this is true, then she’s really skilled]
[Crazy lol, this is real skill]
[Where are all the people who called her a hacker?]
[They’re hiding in their holes lol]
[Oh lol, aren’t they embarrassed lol]

The chat, previously dominated by negativity, was now shifting. Opinions supporting and acknowledging Shihyun were emerging.

‘This is the end of the hacking accusations.’

Ji-eun concluded.

Then, she looked up and checked the viewer count.

‘Let’s see…’

Total viewers: 81,473.

Ji-eun gasped at the staggering number.

‘80,000 viewers…’

It was an incredible number.

Ji-eun had never even reached tens of thousands herself.

It was a dream come true.

And Shihyun had achieved it on her first stream, a mere explanatory broadcast. Even considering the massive amount of attention drawn to it, this number was astounding.

Ji-eun gulped.

Shihyun had proven to this massive audience that her achievements were the result of pure skill, not hacks.

This was it.

Public opinion would definitely shift.

Those who had accused Shihyun of hacking would be silenced, and anyone who continued to spout nonsense would be ridiculed in every community.

Ji-eun’s eyes shone as she watched the chat scrolling frantically.

‘This opportunity was the best chance, after all.’

This broadcast had firmly cemented Shihyun’s name in the streaming industry. She was practically established now. How many of these 80,000 viewers would become Shihyun’s fans?

‘She might not capture them all…’

But even a quarter of them would remain as fans.

A quarter wasn’t a small number. That was still 20,000 viewers.

More than enough to be considered a major streamer.

“You did it, Shihyun.”

Ji-eun smiled proudly, watching Shihyun still relentlessly swinging her sword on screen. She was genuinely happy for Shihyun’s success, even though it wasn’t her own.

‘Just in case…’

Ji-eun continued to monitor Shihyun’s broadcast. She wanted to be ready to alert Shihyun via chat if any problems arose.

However, Ji-eun soon muttered with a perplexed expression, “…But…”

Shihyun, how long are you going to keep swinging that sword?

‘What about interacting?’

…What about the broadcast?

The waves of demon soldiers grew stronger.

Ogres, trolls, and now even elite monsters directly under the Demon King’s command began to appear. Shihyun sliced a tentacled monster that tried to grab her and wiped the sweat from her brow.

“Ha…”

Her breathing became ragged. She had been fighting so intensely that she was slightly out of breath.

‘Well, it can’t be helped.’

The only other time she had faced this many enemies was when she fought an entire legion of the Demon King’s army. It wasn’t something she experienced often, so her pacing was a bit off.

Still…

‘It’s almost over.’

Shihyun quickly surveyed her surroundings and came to that conclusion.

She had already dealt with most of the demon army.

Only the larger monsters remained.

‘Once I take care of them…’

This assault on the plains would be over.

She adjusted her grip on the sword.

Then, she locked eyes with a giant looking down at her. She could feel its chilling gaze.

‘Sever the leg tendons to cripple its mobility, then blind it. Finally, sever the carotid artery in its neck for a quick kill.’

The strategy came to her instinctively the moment she recognized the giant as an enemy. A skill honed through countless battles in ‘that world’.

Rooooar!

As if sensing her killing intent, the giant shuddered.

Then, it roared loudly. Its pride seemed wounded by the fact that it was intimidated by her.

It reached out towards her, its fingers as thick as tree trunks. Shihyun quickly kicked off the ground, preparing to dodge.

Just then…

Beep beep beep!

A deafening alarm blared, and the demon army before her dissolved into dust, vanishing in an instant.

For a moment, Shihyun was confused and scanned her surroundings cautiously.

Then, she remembered she was in the middle of a test.

“Ah…”

That’s right.

She had been so focused and tense that she forgot she was taking a test to prove her innocence in Arfellium Saga.

The tension drained from her body.

She plunged her two-handed sword into the ground and leaned against it. A translucent window appeared before her.

[Physical: 30089 points]
[Technique: 37145 points]
[Synchronization Rate: 100%]
[Test Ranking: 1st]

A window with just four entries.

Such simple, concise information.

Yet, her heart pounded as she looked at it.

‘First place.’

She had taken first place.

That meant she had scored higher than that impressive player with the intense gaze.

Higher than the best professional player.

“Wow.”

A sense of pride swelled in her chest.

A wide smile spread across her face.

She grinned at the notification window for a while.

Then, another notification popped up.

[Shihyun! Talk! You need to talk!]

Seeing that message, it hit her.

“Ah, right.”

She was in the middle of a broadcast.

The broadcast interface came into view.

And she saw the chaotic chat.

[Shihyun Punch! ]

[Mommy, I want to be Shihyun when I grow up! Mommy, I want to be Shihyun when I grow up! Mommy, I want to be Shihyun when I grow up!]
[Does becoming Shihyun mean gender swapping? lol]
[Oh lol, of course they would, with a super pretty girl like that lol]
[For real lol]
[A beautiful girl sword master slaughtering monsters ]

A chat filled with frenzy.

“Uh…”

[This puts an end to the hacking accusations]
[Oh lol, I knew it all along lol]
[I saw you say ‘hacker hi’ earlier, don’t lie]
[Which heretic dared spread rumors about our Shihyun being a hacker? From now on, Shihyun is a certified god-tier hacker]
[Our Shihyun can do whatever she wants]

Shihyun stared blankly at the chat, then slowly chose her words. This was her first broadcast. Ji-eun had emphasized its importance.

‘And I even abruptly ended the stream on Ji-eun’s channel last time…’

She had to do this right to make up for that mistake.

Shihyun calmly composed herself and spoke.

“Well, first of all. I think this proves my innocence.”

[Completely pure and white]
[This is undeniable lol]
[If anyone still argues after this, they’re an idiot]
[Agreed]
[What are you going to do now? You’ll keep streaming, right? Say yes]

“Of course, I’ll continue streaming. Probably on this channel.”

[Woohoo wwwwwwwwwwww]
[Subscribing right now lol]
[Turn on donations, I’m dying here]
[There’s no donation option lol]

“Donations?”

Donations? How did she turn them on?

Shihyun had no idea how to use the broadcast interface. Ji-eun had always handled everything.

But, she wasn’t completely clueless about the internet. Surely, she could figure out how to enable donations.

“Just a moment. I’ll turn on donations.”

She replied and started fiddling with the interface.

‘Is it this? No. Not this either…’

Suddenly, the broadcast ended.

“Huh…?”

The screen went black.

The chat exploded. What? What did she do? Shihyun frantically checked the interface, but she couldn’t figure out what she had touched. She was completely lost.

“Ah…”

She had ruined her first broadcast! As Shihyun stared at the interface in despair, a message popped up.

[Shihyun!! You can’t just end the broadcast like that!]

Well, that…

It wasn’t intentional…