I Have Reasons to Hate Streamers

After devouring the food as if possessed, the meal was suddenly over.

A little in front, there was a sound of slicing. Slice. Slice.

The knife in the master’s hand was peeling an apple.

Judging by the few disposable plastic bags in front, it seemed he was cutting them in advance to make them easier to eat.

I couldn’t resist and put one of the cut pieces in my mouth.

Just a moment ago, I thought nothing more could fit in my stomach.

But thinking about the sweet and sour taste of the apple made it irresistible.

The juice moistening my mouth. It’s delicious. Is this happiness?

As the corners of my mouth turned up slightly, the master asked quietly.

“So, how have you been these days?”

“The same. Earning money, going to the hospital. Just living like that.”

“Is it getting a bit better?”

“Well… At least it doesn’t seem to be getting worse, they say.”

It was about my left foot.

He must be concerned, knowing how much money I’m pouring into the hospital.

How much would it be if I added up everything I’ve spent so far?

I couldn’t know exactly, but it was certainly a substantial amount.

This leg that seems to be rotting alive. If I had just amputated this trash-like extremity, I wouldn’t be living on the floor of this studio apartment.

But… I just couldn’t let go of my attachment.

It felt like if I cut this off, I would never be able to return to my original self.

“I know it sounds like nagging again, but take care of your health. Everything in the body is connected. If you keep trying… Surely something good will happen someday.”

The master’s voice trailed off a bit at the end.

Now I knew the reason for that hesitation.

He must have been afraid of giving false hope.

Isn’t the world of sports as cold and cruel as it is passionate?

There’s no middle ground in competition. You’re either a winner or a loser.

Sometimes cruelly trampled by talent.

Having been in that industry for a long time, and living as an educator.

How much frustration must he have seen? How many hopes turned into poison and consumed his students?

Unlike what people think, hope isn’t always such a beautiful word.

Nevertheless, the master chose words to comfort me.

I nodded not to his words, but to that great courage.

“I’m going on a business trip to Japan soon, so I’ll look around their hospitals too. I’ll contact you if there’s any good news.”

“I’m grateful. Please do. Is it for training camp in Japan?”

“Yeah. They say there’s going to be some kind of friendly competition too, but it’s not that big.”

“If you’re doing it, you should win. Have a good trip.”

“Alright. I’ll make sure to win and come back.”

Even if I’m no longer an athlete, the master was still my teacher.

So I’d like to at least watch if possible.

If it’s a small-scale event, it probably won’t be broadcast, so I should ask him to record a video.

A competition… It always had a good ring to it.

Still, it would be difficult for me to return to the kendo world.

It wasn’t just because of the TS disease.

There are no weight classes in kendo.

As it deals with weapon techniques, weight differences can be sufficiently overcome, and I’ve actually faced quite a few opponents taller than me.

I heard it’s considered for practical combat… but this part, well, I’m not sure.

The problem was still my leg.

Even if my left leg heals, rehabilitation would take a considerable amount of time.

It would take even longer to become fit enough to compete as an athlete.

So much so that it feels unrealistic right now.

“Don’t you have anything? I heard you’re good at games. They say it’s about fighting too, with your skills, couldn’t you win something?”

“Well, most official competitions require physical participation too. I’d have to use the connection devices they provide.”

“I know that. But still, I thought there might be some small competitions. Something you could participate in from home.”

“So far, nothing has been satisfactory…”

I don’t want to participate in excessively small competitions.

Winning in such places would be like drinking seawater when thirsty.

Actually, I’ve received invitations from competitions run by streamers a few times, but I declined them all.

It felt like it would tarnish my honor instead.

Right. Should I call this honor?

The current me had a thirst for things like winning, or being the best in the world.

The dream I couldn’t achieve. The dream I can no longer achieve.

It must be the desire to reclaim what I lost in a moment of natural disaster.

Even if it’s not kendo anymore, I wanted to be ‘properly’ recognized for something.

Right before the international competition. The determination I had has twisted grotesquely into a monster.

“There was a competition notice that came up recently, but there’s one I haven’t read yet.”

“Really? Then you should read it. Let me take a look too.”

While I waved my hands saying it probably wouldn’t work, I still felt a strange sense of anticipation.

The title of the notice that the client sent me recently caught my eye.

[Notice: Find the Strongest Adventurer! The 1st Infinity Arena Opens!]

I scrolled down quickly, absorbing the important details in my head.

Unlimited participants. No participation conditions. No spec limitations.

Divided into 5 grades according to specs or levels… matched with random opponents for one-on-one duels.

In the first preliminary, advance to the second preliminary by winning at least three out of five matches.

In other words, it meant they would determine the one-on-one champion among all users playing this game.

As it’s just an event, the prize money is nowhere near the pro scene.

But what was important to me wasn’t this.

No matter what the competition content is, it’s meaningless if I can’t participate, right?

And at the bottom of the competition notice, there was inevitably content like ‘invitation including airfare upon advancing to the main tournament’.

Tsk. I shouldn’t have looked at it, it just ruined my mood.

Still, the master is here now, so I should manage my expression.

“It won’t work for me. It’s okay. There will be good days someday.”

Thump. Thump. My heart is pounding for no reason.

Calm down. It’s not like this is the first time.

Clench your right fist tightly, and channel all your strength into it.

Then your face won’t tense up.

It should loosen up the stiff and awkward expression a bit.

Fortunately, the master was still looking at the monitor screen.

Just as I was about to close the event page that I no longer wanted to see, his thick finger pointed to a corner of the screen.

“Hey, Da-h… Da-eun. What’s this?”

“Which one?”

It seems my vision had narrowed quite a bit.

Probably because I haven’t slept for too long.

It’s not because I’m emotionally shaken.

Where the master pointed, there was a notice that had been posted just an hour or two ago, marked as ‘Next Post’.

And with a title that I could never overlook.

[Notice: Infinity Arena Schedule Change Announcement]

– Recently, a volcano in Iceland erupted, halting most air traffic across Europe.

– According to experts, the volcanic ash emission is expected to continue for a long time…

– There are concerns about additional eruptions in some quarters…

– In conclusion, even if air travel is restored, it has become difficult to hold the event in Reykjavik, which was to be the venue for the main tournament.

Was it when I was looking at the community in the convenience store?

It was news that I had briefly passed by in some post.

A volcanic eruption.

While it was unfortunate, I thought it had nothing to do with me.

So I didn’t even read it, but human affairs are truly unpredictable.

Just as misfortune came to me without warning, it seems luck also comes without any sign.

I continued scrolling down as if entranced.

– The Infinity Arena is an event for all users worldwide.

– We should not have a situation where finalists cannot come to the venue due to our lack of preparation.

– Therefore, this Infinity Arena will be conducted and broadcast online on a dedicated server.

I checked the notice several times in case I had misread it.

Scrolling up what had been scrolled down, and scrolling down what had been scrolled up.

I read with my eyes wide open to make sure I didn’t miss a single letter.

I rubbed my blinking eyes, and even searched through the community just in case.

For such an announcement, there should be at least one or two articles.

I just hoped I had understood it correctly.

[To be held online only! Infinity Inc. changes Arena schedule]

[Changed Arena schedule, what impacts will it have?]

[Infinity Arena! We’ve compiled a list of pro gamers who’ve declared participation!]

The results all told the same story.

This competition. I can participate too.

Will such an opportunity come again?

I’m not sure. It felt so unreal that my head wasn’t working properly.

I think the master said something, but I wasn’t sure if I had answered properly.

What’s clear is that my hand moved as if possessed.

At the bottom of the event page I returned to.

When was it? I remember opening the participation page wanting to press the participate button, only to press ‘cancel’ with gut-wrenching pain.

Ironically, this participation button looked exactly the same as back then.

[Adventurer Gawol’s Infinity Arena grade is ‘Black’.]

[Are you sure you want to participate? Participate/Cancel]

I pressed the ‘Participate’ button with heightened excitement.

[Your Infinity Arena participation application has been completed.]

[We support your challenge.]