Chapter 59: The Strongest Unranked in History (Part 1)

Just as the saying goes, strike while the iron is hot.

I immediately made plans with my new manager, Kang Ara.

“The location is…”

“How about here?”

The meeting place was a barbecue restaurant. And not just any pork barbecue, but beef. Specifically, Hanwoo (Korean beef).

Naturally, Hanwoo boasts a hefty price tag. Enough to make one hesitate before indulging.

Of course, that was a story of the past. Now that my wallet is comfortably full, I can eat Hanwoo without a second thought.

It’s just that I questioned the need to spend so much on beef, so I hadn’t eaten it.

“This is my first time eating Hanwoo outside of home.”

“Really? That’s great. Please eat a lot this time, Shihyun. Fortunately, the company card limit is sufficient.”

However, if it’s a free meal, it’s a different story.

I was confident I could get my money’s worth.

“I’ll enjoy it.”

Sizzle!

The red beef sizzled as it cooked. I dipped it in sesame oil and salt, then popped it into my mouth. The Hanwoo melted the moment it touched my tongue. It was utterly delicious.

Just like that, five servings of Hanwoo vanished.

Manager Kang Ara, who initially watched me eat with a pleased expression, started to look a little flustered as I went past six servings.

She gave an awkward smile and muttered,

“Shihyun, you eat… a lot more than I expected.”

“I guess so. A lot is going in.”

A total of seven servings of Hanwoo were decimated. It was a truly satisfying meal. As I sipped the sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch) served as dessert, Manager Kang Ara cleared her throat and spoke.

“Did you enjoy the meal?”

“Yes, it was delicious.”

“Then, I’ll explain my scope of work.”

Manager Kang Ara took out a tablet from her bag. She turned it on and handed it to me. As I accepted the tablet, she slowly began to explain.

“First, I will be managing and assisting you, Shihyun.”

“Assisting?”

“For example, I’ll manage and coordinate your future streaming schedule. If there’s a collaboration offer, I’ll let you know, and if the collaboration is confirmed, I’ll coordinate the schedule with the other streamer.”

“Like a secretary?”

“Similar. I will also be in charge of advertisements that come your way. Of course, I’ll collaborate with other departments at the headquarters for this part.”

“Advertisements?”

Advertisements, out of the blue? As I widened my eyes, Kang Ara tapped the tablet I was holding. Pictures of another streamer’s broadcast screen appeared.

She pointed at various parts of the picture and said,

“You see the banners displayed here and here?”

The places she pointed to had banners advertising a custom PC company and a VR device purchasing agency. I finally understood the kind of advertisements she was referring to.

“Ah, these kinds of things.”

“Yes. These are banner ads. There are also PPLs (product placements) using products provided by the company, and there are also the advertisements you typically think of.”

“Like, cosmetics commercials?”

That was the only thing that came to mind, so I asked, and Kang Ara snapped her fingers with a smile.

“Yes, exactly.”

“I’d be filming those?”

Isn’t that something only celebrities do? When I asked with that question in mind, Kang Ara looked at me with a slightly perplexed expression, then murmured awkwardly.

“Shihyun, your visuals are absolutely perfect, aren’t they? Your physique too. If you were to stand next to celebrities and compare appearances, most of them would be completely overshadowed.”

“…”

Isn’t she overselling it a bit?

Still, it wasn’t unpleasant to be praised. Though I wouldn’t say I loved it either.

“And from now on, I will also manage your stream chat. I’ll give you my ID later, and you can give me chat moderator permissions.”

I was a bit shocked by those words.

More work here? Is that even possible?

“Isn’t that too much work?”

I asked with a worried expression, but Kang Ara simply replied,

“I’m being compensated accordingly by Five Star. My position within the company is quite high.”

Hearing that, I realized that Kang Ara was a more promising and influential figure within Five Star than I thought. How much effort must she have put in to receive such good treatment at such a young age?

‘Well, it seems Five Star has provided me with the best talent.’

I smiled lightly and joked.

“I should call CEO Park Gitae and thank him for assigning such a competent person to me.”

“Hoho.”

Kang Ara gave a light smile at my words. However, she quickly erased her expression and looked at me with serious eyes.

What’s this? Why the sudden seriousness?

Just as I felt puzzled, Kang Ara spoke.

“Then, as your manager, I’ll begin my first task. Shihyun, we’ve received a collaboration offer.”

“A collaboration offer?”

A collaboration, suddenly? More importantly, who made the offer?

The number of streamers I’m acquainted with in the industry is extremely limited. Or rather, I’ve only really interacted with Ji-eun, also known as Euning.

But a collaboration offer?

‘It can’t be from Ji-eun, can it?’

As I expected, the collaboration offer wasn’t from Ji-eun.

“It’s not related to Euning. It’s a different offer.”

“Then, who made the offer?”

At my question, Kang Ara tapped the tablet a few times and handed it to me. There was a picture of a man with a playful smile on his face.

‘Who is this?’

As I tilted my head, Kang Ara said,

“This is Kim Kuma.”

“Kim Kuma?”

“Yes. He’s one of the faces of Five Star, you could say.”

Kang Ara smiled and tapped the picture on the tablet.

“And the one who offered you the collaboration, Shihyun, is Kim Kuma.”

Tap, tap, tap!

The sound of someone tapping their foot echoed through the office. Gentry, sitting in his office chair, restlessly tapping his foot, suddenly turned his head and looked towards the sofa.

There, Kim Kuma was sprawled out, leisurely reading a comic book. Gentry glared at Kim Kuma with an exasperated look and grumbled.

“Aren’t you a bit too carefree? I’m worried sick.”

“Relax, relax.”

Kim Kuma said this and slightly turned his head.

Gentry was still nervously shaking his leg.

Kim Kuma looked at him with disapproval.

“And stop shaking your leg. It’s noisy.”

“It’s a habit. I can’t help it when I’m anxious.”

“I told you to relax.”

Gentry yelled at those words.

“How can I relax in this situation? I’m already anxious enough because you recklessly proposed a collaboration.”

“It’ll all work out.”

“Ha, anyone would think Shihyun’s coming is a given.”

Gentry scoffed. At those words, Range Shot, leaning against the office wall in the distance, muttered.

“Will she really come?”

“She probably will.”

“Probably…”

Gentry looked at Kim Kuma with displeasure. However, ignoring his gaze, Kim Kuma assured Range Shot.

“It’d be strange if she didn’t accept this collaboration.”

“That’s true. It’s about time she started building relationships with other streamers. She can’t keep copying up with Ji-eun forever, can she?”

“Right. In that sense, the collaboration is a constant. The most important variable isn’t the collaboration itself, but the offer that comes after.”

“Ha, I wonder if Shihyun will really want to join our team…”

As Gentry sighed anxiously, Kim Kuma looked at him with annoyance and chided.

“Just pray she doesn’t come, then.”

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it? There’s no reason for her to join our team.”

“There’s no reason for her to go to another team either. Besides, there’s no one else competing from Five Star except our team, right? Then wouldn’t she naturally join ours?”

“She could also just not participate in the tournament at all…”

Range Shot made a sharp point.

“About that…”

Kim Kuma mumbled in an uncertain voice.

“Wouldn’t we have to try our best to persuade her?”

“This guy’s seriously clueless.”

“A collaboration…”

I lightly brushed my lips.

Collaboration, a joint broadcast.

‘Well, it is about time.’

Until now, I’ve been constantly broadcasting with Ji-eun, but now it’s time to refrain from those kinds of collaborative broadcasts. It created a dynamic where I was taking away Ji-eun’s fandom.

We’ve already had a thorough discussion about this and reached a conclusion. Primarily, I’ll focus on solo broadcasts, and if a collaboration is necessary, I’ll do it with other streamers instead of Ji-eun.

“When did the offer come in?”

“A few days ago. I believe it was the day you took the Korean Swordsmanship Center’s nameplate.”

“Ah, so they watched my broadcast.”

“Of course. I’m your manager.”

Oh… It’s a natural thing to say, but I’m slightly touched.

I nodded and pondered for a moment.

‘Kim Kuma…’

Kim Kuma.

I don’t know much about him as a streamer. Well, I don’t know many streamers in the first place. Still, these days, I’ve been studying broadcasting and watching other streamers in my spare time.

However, Kim Kuma wasn’t among them.

I thought for a moment and asked Kang Ara,

“What’s Kim Kuma’s reputation like?”

“He’s known to be a good person with a good reputation. There are no issues in the area you’re concerned about.”

So, there are no problems.

‘Then, I don’t have to worry too much, right?’

I scratched my cheek and asked Kang Ara,

“But why does he want to collaborate with me, of all people?”

“Because you’re the hottest topic right now.”

“Is that really all?”

“I don’t think there’s any other particular reason.”

Hmm.

Then, it seems okay to accept.

Just as my thoughts leaned towards acceptance, Kang Ara suddenly exclaimed as if she remembered something.

“Ah! That’s right.”

“Is there a problem?”

“No, not that. I think I know why Kim Kuma wants to collaborate with you.”

“He has an ulterior motive?”

As I furrowed my brows, Kang Ara hummed.

“Well, it’s not quite an ulterior motive… It’s more like he wants something.”

“Wants something? What is it?”

Although I wasn’t familiar with him, Kim Kuma was a bigger streamer than I thought. For such a person to want something from a rookie streamer, even if she is trending?

“It’s probably because of the TSC (Tricky Streamer Cup).”

“TSC?”

What is that?

As I tilted my head, Kang Ara briefly explained.

“Simply put, it’s an invitational tournament. A tournament exclusively for streamers, hosted by Tricky.”

“A… tournament?”

“Yes.”

I closed my lips tightly and clenched and unclenched my fists.

A tournament…

“I’d like to hear more about that.”