[Knight Arc] is undeniably a game for hardcore players.
It’s been out for quite a while, and the expensive equipment narrows the player pool.
On top of that, the competition is cutthroat.

How can a game with a small player base be so competitive?
Simple.
It’s more a game to watch than to play.

Tons of people get their thrills vicariously through streams.
They can’t play themselves but marvel at skilled players’ performances.
Even the boys at the orphanage were like that.

So, everyone confident in their skills dives into this game.
Those who wield swords masterfully. Those with exceptional physical prowess. Those with a knack for magic.
People like that.
And they dominate the top ranks.

That’s the rough background of [Knight Arc].
It’s my first day logging in, and four hours have passed.
My thoughts after wrapping up my debut stream? Not much to it.

“Kinda lame.”

Sure, it’s the beginner bracket, but it’s still a hardcore game, right?
I expected opponents who could at least trade a few blows.
But they all dropped like flies in seconds, leaving no room for excitement.

“Would’ve been nice if there were some skilled players.”

I took first place seven times in a row.
My rank points shot up quickly, and the opponents’ skill levels rose too, but I still couldn’t find a decent rival.

“Boring.”

Should I find meaning in finally unleashing my swordsmanship properly?
Back at the orphanage, I had to hold back to avoid the teachers’ scrutiny.
I racked up plenty of points today, so maybe I’ll face some real opponents next time.

For now, I can’t stay in virtual reality any longer.
The device’s mana is completely drained.
I need to connect a mana cartridge to recharge, which takes about twelve hours.

So, that’s it for today’s gaming.
I was about to disconnect and rest.

– ?
– Yo, you didn’t turn off the stream!
– Hello?
– Turn it off! Turn it off! Turn it off!

“…?”

A chat window popped up above my one-room apartment.
In front of me, a small cube floated in the air.

The Satellite. High-end equipment for streaming.
It syncs with virtual reality games to enable streaming but is primarily a real-world device.

I quickly realized what happened.

“I should’ve turned that off first.”

Disconnecting from virtual reality and assuming the stream ended automatically.
A classic newbie streamer mistake.
Who knew I’d fall for it on my first broadcast?

– Isn’t it bad if your place gets exposed?
– What if someone tracks you down?
– You should delete the VOD.
– So you live in a one-room, huh?
– Why not do a casual chat stream like this?
– Dude, your address is leaking!

In post-apocalyptic Korea, the outskirts of Seoul aren’t exactly safe.
I get why the viewers are worried.

Of course, in my case, I’ve got more than enough strength to protect myself.
Swordsmanship genius, you know.
Still, I don’t want trouble, so it’s better to play it safe.

“Alright, that’s it for today’s stream.”
I fiddled with the Satellite and ended the broadcast.
The final viewer count was twenty, and I got one donation.
Not bad for a first stream.

As my rank climbs and I face tougher opponents, I’ll probably get some impressive moments.
That could lead to success as a skill-based streamer.

My goal is at least to reach the top tier, “Challenger.”
Aiming for rank one comes after that.

First, a shower.
Four hours of swinging a sword and rolling on grass left me sweaty.

Shaaa—

Honestly, showering doesn’t stir much emotion.
I’ve long gotten used to this body.
All I can do is guess that the past-life me would’ve loved this scene.

After a quick rinse, I flopped onto the bed.
One great thing about this life?
Thanks to some degree of restored civilization, even the poorest can lie on a soft mattress.

A dim spring evening.
I hugged my pillow tightly, rolled around in my blanket.
The cool sheets clinging to my body felt nice.

The past-life me might’ve found this embarrassing, but that’s not an issue now.
I know better than anyone how others see me.

I’m definitely pretty.
Separate from my refusal to cater to guys, being pretty is just useful on its own.
It’s like getting bonus points just for existing.

During my crowded orphanage life, I could sketch out a rough outline for this new life.
That’s why I jumped into streaming with confidence.

A skill-based stream with looks as a bonus?

The stream seems to be off to a smooth start.
I just checked, and I gained 89 followers, with tons of comments on the default community board.

– Oh, my heart…
– When’s your next stream?
– Did you learn to game somewhere else? You’re too good.

Not a bad feeling.
Getting positive attention is a basic human desire.

Still, it’s kind of cringey.
Not just kind of—super cringey.
I might not be able to handle it.

Sure, I was a guy in my past life, but I can’t get used to these kinds of comments no matter how many I hear.
Lines clearly crafted to flirt with a girl.

On the other hand, it makes my neck tingle.
I probably did the same thing in my past life, didn’t I?
Thinking about hitting on someone like my master…
Somehow, the dark history doesn’t fade even after reincarnation.

– So hot.
– Kinda wish the midriff was tighter, but that makes it better somehow.
– Big sis, please roast me!

These kinds of reactions feel easier to handle.
At least they’re straightforward.

– You live in a one-room? Hit me up if you need a place in Gangnam.
– Hey, I’m 188cm, 81kg, gym bro from Songpa-gu. You seem to live on the outskirts—wanna check out the city? (Pic in profile!)

“Get lost.”

I blocked those kinds of comments.
My apartment was only shown for a few seconds.
To think someone saw that and sent messages like this—it’s ridiculous.

Well, I expected this to some extent.
Growing a stream inevitably attracts people like that.
The only way to deal with it is to block them without hesitation.

I noticed something off the next morning.
A loud noise woke me up, and I found a pile of delivery packages stacked at my door.

All addressed to me.
But there was no information about the senders.

[Sender: A gift from your oppa, so accept it.]
[Sender: Don’t block me lol.]

If I could glean anything, it’s that these weren’t normal deliveries.
The sender names were filled with creepy messages.

In short, stalking.

They figured out my address from the stream and sent packages here.
Calling them “gifts” for me.

No matter how I look at it, this is a messed-up situation.
They pinpointed my location from a few seconds of footage?

I thought for a moment.
It’s impossible to track an exact address just from the view of my one-room apartment.

I haven’t been followed in real life either.
I haven’t left the apartment since moving in.

Then I considered another possibility.
In this world, Awakened exist, each manifesting their own miracles.

The ability to track a target is fairly common.
Even with a small clue, they can pinpoint someone’s location.

Useful for tracking prey, evacuating from powerful monsters,
or securing precise coordinates for sniping or bombing.

I found a device inside one of the packages.
A surveillance device powered by an Awakened’s ability.
In simple terms, a hidden camera for spying.

…They’ll regret this.

From the way the ability was used, I could tell right away.
It’s definitely a magic-based ability.

This is why I hate mages.

Do shady people become mages, or does learning magic turn them shady?
Recalling the bad blood from my past life, my fists clenched instinctively.

I know how to trace tracking magic back to its source.
I can find out where this creep lives in no time.

Reporting to the police is an option, but this is post-apocalyptic Korea.
Security is lax, the police are weak, and the law is practically powerless.
Outside parts of Gangnam, fists speak louder than laws.
In a world like this, personal justice is more effective.

There’s also an element of setting an example.
Cyberstalking on the internet thrives on anonymity and one-sidedness.
Breaking that dynamic can prevent more trouble.

It took just thirty minutes of wandering Seoul’s outskirts.
On a chilly spring morning, I tracked down the creep’s hideout.