I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers

Chapter 54

The finals were definitely unlike anything before. There were a variety of events before the match itself began. A few days prior, they called us in for trash-talking sessions, took video clips, and captured photos from multiple angles.

For me, it seemed like ground techniques were especially popular. They showed footage of me holding a camera orb between my thighs, stabbing with a dagger while covering my eyes. I’d never acted before, so I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. My tense expression, frozen with anxiety, actually came across as cool and composed.

But looking at it now, it felt a bit suggestive, almost awkward to hear my own voice overlaid. Ah, well. It’ll be fine.

"Kelberos... anyone who plays this game has probably heard that name at least once.""But I’ve taken down my fair share of famous players before.""He doesn’t seem all that different to me.""Just wait. I’ll drag him down into the depths."

I thought these things were scripted, but they made me do it on the spot, which was tough since Kendo doesn’t have a trash-talk culture.

Still, it was a fun experience. I didn’t want to come off as too weak, so I went all out, and the staff seemed to love it. When the guest performer’s show finally ended, I heard the announcer’s voice.

《Hello, everyone! At last, the Infinity Arena Finals are here! Broadcasting live from our special stage, I’m caster Hoeun.》

The pre-match polls were pretty clear—about 80% predicted my loss. Understandable. Even though I had beaten Reaper, Kelberos was a whole other level. He was a player everyone respected, and just in terms of class matchup, I was at a disadvantage.

But considering that, 20% betting on me wasn’t bad. An underdog upset is always exciting in sports.

Next was the player introduction with highlight reels, much like during the group draw ceremony. My reel included that archer getting dunked in the ocean and even Haruka caught in my traps—how they found that, I have no idea. And they brought up that “Korean Tea-bagging Girl” nickname again. I guess they don’t plan on letting it go anytime soon.

The English-speaking crowd still seemed to find that meme hilarious. I probably only reignited interest by fighting Muse when people were starting to lose interest. I know I brought it on myself, but could we just... not?

Luckily, this was the finals. There were far more highlight-worthy moments this time.

The first round against Rime, where I baited his weapon break with my decoy. The opening skirmish with Reaper, exchanging daggers mid-fight. The ground game against Muse, and then the recent undead bombardment in the snow.

The video ended with Crow’s perspective, showing me approaching to finish him off. After a beat of silence, I walked onto the stage.

《Yes, who would have guessed this! An unknown assassin from the Far East has made it this far—welcome, Gawol!》 《She’s toppled North America’s spear, scattered England’s nightmare, conquered South America’s rising star, and hasn’t lost a single set along the way.》 《Can anyone still call her a mere trickster or dark horse? She’s clearly established herself as a formidable player. Let’s see what strategies Gawol has in store for us.》 《And next up...》

Then came Kelberos, the frontrunner, who calmly walked onto the stage. He looked as if he were merely retrieving what was already his, with unwavering steps.

Last year’s mid-season international champion, a multi-time European league winner, and an MVP contender whose name was never missed in discussions. Traveler and Luce had both fallen to his feet.

Thinking about that was enough to make me furious.

It wasn’t like I was the biggest fan of Luce. But as a fan, it was only natural that a sense of vengeance would well up within me. The right amount of anger is fuel. With determination in my heart, I took the stage and faced Kelberos.

Kelberos, the cause of it all, smirked and asked, “I recently did an interview again. I wonder if you saw it.”

“I did. Why?”

“Just wondering if you think I finally understand your skills now.”

[‘Arterial Cut: Enhanced Damage’ effect triggered.] [The target is affected by enhanced bleeding poison.]

Every attack was tricky. Up close, his superior reach threatened me with kicks and blade strikes; at a distance, he’d rain down spells. A single slip could shatter my footing, making things unbearably tense.

Kelberos was excellent at locking in his advantageous positions. I absolutely couldn’t let him push me into a corner.

Still... I seemed to be gaining the upper hand, at least for now.

Using my cloak, I shielded myself as I blocked his longsword. He couldn’t see me from his angle. I switched to my throwing weapon and aimed at his foot.

He dodged smoothly, but it was clear he hadn’t seen me yet—meaning it was a matter of prediction rather than reaction.

“Quite the lower body strikes you’ve got there.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“It’s curious, though. The form is polished, but your lower attacks are especially vicious.”

“Hmph.”

He retaliated with an ice spike that flew towards me. I leaped up, expending some of my guard to block his strike. I hurled a couple more projectiles, and Kelberos blinked away to gain distance.

That was a perceptive remark. In sports kendo, lower strikes weren’t utilized.

They called it the “one-step kill zone.” When you step into striking range, lowering your stance exposes your head, the most critical target, to your opponent’s blade.

But this was still a game. Sticking strictly to kendo’s style only hindered my growth. I’d developed my unique lower stance technique out of necessity since an injury to my left leg would put me at a disadvantage.

So while lower strikes consumed less time than upper or middle strikes, it didn’t mean they were weaknesses—far from it.

“So? If you’re confident, prove it.”

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TL note:

Hey, fellow Gawol fans and translation enthusiasts! ????✨

If you’re loving the twists and intense battles as much as I am, consider supporting the translation journey with a donation ❤️ /satabog ❤️! Just like Gawol needs every ounce of strategy and skill to face off against fierce opponents like Kelberos, your donations help me bring these epic showdowns to life. ????

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