Chapter 48: A Super Rookie from the Start (Part 3)

After the test, Shihyun and Ji-eun left the testing room.

Although their scheduled activity was over, they didn’t leave the Arfellium Corporation Korean branch immediately.

Ji-eun suggested filming a vlog of their tour of the building. Fortunately, Assistant Manager Kim granted them permission. He said he assumed they would want a tour anyway.

But…

There was something else to do first.

“So, what do you mean by deciding on a concept?”

They sat at a table in the lobby.

Shihyun sat on the sofa, asking Ji-eun, who was busy taking pictures. Ji-eun placed her phone on the table and replied, “It means deciding what kind of streamer you want to be, Shihyun.”

“For example?”

Ji-eun tilted her head and frowned.

“It’s a bit complicated to explain like that. For example, my main content is Arfellium group matches, right?”

“Right.”

Ji-eun mainly streamed ranked group matches. She rarely streamed anything else. While her content had become more diverse since meeting Shihyun, that was her core content.

“I’m reasonably skilled, so I focused on that, but usually, the streaming concept depends on the streamer’s style. For example, some people aren’t good at the game, while others dominate with skill. The concept changes accordingly, right?”

Ji-eun shrugged.

“That’s true.”

“Of course, objectively, I’m not that good. There are many streamers better than me. But you can still have a skill-based stream even if you’re not at a professional level. That’s the concept.”

Shihyun understood what Ji-eun meant. The concept was essentially what kind of streamer she wanted to be.

She scratched her cheek and muttered, “Then mine would be…skilled group matches? With Arfellium as the main content?”

Objectively, she was best at Arfellium Saga. Her skill was proven by her first-place ranking in a test with professional players.

So, wouldn’t it make sense to stream Arfellium and showcase her skills?

‘Besides, from what I’ve heard, other VR games aren’t as polished yet.’

Ji-eun clicked her tongue and shook her head at Shihyun’s suggestion.

“Hmm, you’re partially right. But I have a slightly different opinion.”

“Why? What’s different?”

“Because you’re too good, Shihyun.”

“Huh?”

Too good?

What did that even mean?

Ji-eun continued when she saw Shihyun’s puzzled expression.

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure until now, but the test confirmed it.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Look. Shihyun, how’s your game record so far?”

“Record?”

Shihyun searched her memory. Her record was…

“Good, right?”

“Not just good. You haven’t played many ranked matches, but you won them all, didn’t you?”

“That’s…right?”

“Yes. Shihyun, you have a perfect win rate. And without dying once.”

That was true. She had played around 20 matches, and she had won every single one, all with zero deaths.

But what was the problem?

Ji-eun provided the answer.

“The outcome is too predictable.”

“Predictable?”

“Yes. Predictable. Boring. Considering your skill, you’ll win most matches, right? You’re currently in Grandmaster in group matches, aren’t you?”

“No, Master tier.”

“Right, Master. Anyway, that’s not important.”

Ji-eun narrowed her eyes.

“Was it difficult? Playing against Master tier players?”

“Hmm…no. Not really.”

Even in Master tier, Shihyun hadn’t faced any significant challenges. While the opponents were getting stronger and more cunning, none of them posed a real threat.

She could still single-handedly dominate the enemy team.

“I felt like I could win alone, without any help from my teammates. I actually played with that assumption.”

She couldn’t help but play that way.

After slaying the Demon King in ‘that world’, she was always alone. She had no companions, only her trusty two-handed sword.

She had fought the demon army alone for years.

So, she was used to being alone. She lived a life where she didn’t rely on anyone.

And it was the same in this world.

She always played with the mindset of fighting solo.

Ji-eun pondered Shihyun’s answer for a moment, then said, “Initially, when you first showed interest in streaming, I was going to suggest a quiet, skill-focused Arfellium stream. I knew how skilled you were, and you didn’t seem like a talkative person.”

The word “initially” meant she had changed her mind.

“So, what now?”

“Of course, I’ve changed my mind. Do you know why?”

Ji-eun’s eyes shone as Shihyun tilted her head.

“Because you’re too good.”

“…?”

“Seriously. You saw the test results, right? Your score was much higher than Choi Sangcheol’s.”

That’s right. Choi Sangcheol’s test scores were as follows:

[Physical: 28237 points]
[Technique: 31809 points]
[Synchronization Rate: 99%]

Compared to Shihyun’s final score:

[Physical: 30089 points]
[Technique: 37145 points]
[Synchronization Rate: 100%]

None of his scores were higher than hers. The only one that came close was the synchronization rate.

“But what about the other players’ scores?”

“Uh…most were in the low 20,000s, right?”

“Yes. That’s the problem. What are pro players? The best players, right? But your physical and technique scores are higher than theirs. By a significant margin. That means you could debut as a pro player right now, instead of a streamer.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. So, what about other players? Whether they’re Master, Grandmaster, or ranked, they’re all worse than you, right?”

“…”

“Of course, Arfellium Saga is a physically demanding game, but it’s not without strategy. Even if you debuted as a pro, you’d probably lose sometimes unless you learned the strategies and tactics. But we’re talking about streaming.”

“So, solo play, not team games?”

“Exactly. You understand quickly. But you always win. You’re going to win every time. Then viewers won’t have any expectations or feel any tension. Because the outcome is predetermined.”

“Hmm.”

“That won’t last long. You either have to improve your communication skills or diversify your content. To keep viewers interested.”

“I see.”

Shihyun nodded.

She couldn’t deny it. If every game was a guaranteed, overwhelming victory, who would find it entertaining?

“So!”

Ji-eun clenched her fists.

“I think focusing on World Play as your main content would be good. What about centering your streams around the World mode?”

“The World…”

“As you know, World mode is more like an RPG, right? So, no matter how good your control skills are, you can’t ignore the difference in stats and levels. Items matter too. So, I think it’ll be more exciting than group matches.”

Ji-eun winked.

“Focus on the World, sprinkle in some group and individual matches. And add other games or content as needed.”

“Hmm…”

Shihyun hummed thoughtfully.

She wasn’t sure. She had always been a viewer, not a streamer. She had never thought about streaming from this perspective, so it was confusing.

But Ji-eun’s explanation seemed reasonable. Even Shihyun felt that focusing solely on group matches would lead to a lack of content eventually.

“Of course, the choice is yours, Shihyun. My advice might be wrong, or you might not like it. But that’s what I think.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Okay. For now, let’s film the vlog. I even dressed up for it today.”

Ji-eun grinned.

They spent a considerable amount of time touring the Arfellium Corporation Korean branch. Thankfully, Assistant Manager Kim assigned an employee to guide them, making the tour smooth and easy.

Ji-eun said, “I’ll have to check the footage later when I edit, but I think the video turned out well. This is enough for at least one YouTube video.”

“That’s good.”

“Hehe, I also bought a lot of souvenirs, so I can make a review video too. Great, this is great! I’m satisfied with today.”

Ji-eun muttered with a smile.

Shihyun was slightly impressed. A souvenir review video. Was this the kind of thinking required for streaming? She suddenly felt a surge of respect for Ji-eun.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I respect you.”

“…You’ve never looked at me like that before. So, you’ve been looking down on me!”

“N-No, that’s not it…”

Ji-eun giggled as Shihyun waved her hands in a panic.

“Just kidding. Why are you so surprised? As if it were true.”

“….”

Shihyun averted her gaze. It wasn’t entirely untrue, since she hadn’t looked at Ji-eun with respect very often.

“Huh? Why are you looking away? Shihyun, are you…”

Just as Ji-eun narrowed her eyes, about to interrogate her, her smartphone rang.

“Saved by the bell.”

Ji-eun checked the screen.

Her expression hardened slightly. Shihyun glanced at her curiously, and Ji-eun answered the call. It seemed like a serious conversation, so Shihyun moved away slightly. She shouldn’t eavesdrop on a private call.

“We’re together right now, but… Me? …Understood.”

But then, Ji-eun approached her.

And that wasn’t all.

“Um, Shihyun?”

She held out her phone with a strange expression. Shihyun looked at her, wondering what was going on. Ji-eun said with a hesitant look, “I mentioned before that I’m part of an MCN called Five Star, right?”

“Yes, something like a talent agency.”

“Our CEO wants to talk to you.”

“…Huh?”

Suddenly?

Shihyun blinked, then took the phone from Ji-eun. She cautiously brought it to her ear.

“Hello?”

A middle-aged man’s voice came from the speaker.

“Is this Creator Sung Shihyun? I’m Park Gitae, CEO of Five Star Creative. Is this a good time to talk?”

“Uh, yes. What is this regarding?”

“I watched your broadcast. It was a perfect explanatory broadcast, putting an end to all the controversy. And congratulations on achieving first place in the test.”

“…Thank you?”

“I was wondering if you might have some time later? I’d like to treat you to a meal to celebrate your successful broadcast.”

And I have a proposition for you.