The Divine Genius’s Game Broadcasting Chapter 334

Episode 334 – Full Metal Punch (5)

Shoulder has been into fighting games since the console market was booming.

But he wasn't always into fighting games. Like any other student, he enjoyed playing various games with his friends.

“Hey, let’s kill some time at the arcade.”

His first encounter with Metal Punch was at a movie theater arcade. It was a poorly maintained place, with only a few games and higher prices than a typical arcade.

“Want to play a game of fighting?”

“I’ve never done it before?”

“Hey, I’m a beginner too.”

Shoulders had a strong competitive spirit, even at a young age. He didn't want to appear weak in front of his friends.

And my first fighting game experience.

“Wow, you’re really bad at it.”

“What is this crazy thousand won scam?”

It was an overwhelming defeat.

His shoulders were hunched over.

“Hey! Get out there again!”

The money I had intended to buy popcorn and cola disappeared, but that didn't change the outcome.

But the process has changed.

“Oh? Can you hold on a bit?”

“If I do this well, I think I can win?”

The reactions of the friends who were watching also changed.

And finally.

[KO]

The shoulder won the victory.

“Eww! Did you see it!? Did you see it?!”

The joy of overcoming defeat was intense. After that, his shoulder never touched the metal punch again.

‘…Something is not fun.’

That experience was unforgettable. No other game gave me the same level of enjoyment.

Shoulder soon realized the reason.

'Even if I try hard, it's the character who ends up getting stronger, right?'

The games we played with friends at the time usually had stronger 'characters' the more time and effort we put into them.

But fighting games are different. The more you try, the more you grow, the more you become a player.

After high school, when he had to spend time with his friends, he became a college student and began to visit arcades in earnest.

“Wow… what is it?”

“How many wins in a row are you on now?”

From then on, Shoulder dedicated himself to metal punching. It was fun, and he had talent for it.

Having conquered the local arcades, he embarked on expeditions to other regions. His activities expanded nationwide, and then to the entire world.

“You can do a metal punch with your own body?”

Even with the advent of the virtual reality era, his path hasn't changed. In fact, he's become more immersed than before, as he can experience "growth" more directly.

The result of such endless fighting and victory.

“The World Champion is… ‘Shoulder’ from Korea!”

Before I knew it, I was at the top of the world. Shoulder smiled at him.

His past days were not in vain.

'Is there anyone who is good at it?'

But the joy was short-lived.

The top spot was lonely. I couldn't find anyone better than me. The joy of growth, which had been the driving force, disappeared.

And what took its place was.

“Are you preparing well for the World Championships?”

“I only trust you, hyung.”

[-This time too, isn't the shoulder the winning angle?]

[-I'm really glad my shoulders were born in Korea lol]

It was the duty and responsibility of other fighting gamers to stand at the pinnacle of expectations. He stepped onto the stage again.

[-The barrier to entry to fighting games is really high]

[-f*ck, this is a fucking game that just keeps getting beat up]

[-Newbie rejection is really happening lol]

However, despite these efforts, the fighting game genre has declined.

<Oh, this time there is no sponsor…>

<There are no competitions scheduled this year.>

<We also want to hold a competition, but this is actually a negative.>

As the user base dwindled, the stages where I could stand out disappeared one by one. Even my colleagues who had been working with me left.

But the shoulder remained in place.

'I can do it.'

It was a game he had dedicated his youth to. He had to somehow keep the genre alive.

Not only in Korea, but also gamers from all over the world were looking at him.

‘…If not me, who will?’

So Metal Punch became his life.

“Purple, Metal Punch?”

For him, the appearance of Lee Gyeong-bok was a definite opportunity.

They wanted to leverage his popularity and name recognition. They set out to do so with that intention from the beginning.

But that thought gradually changed.

'You're really good, aren't you?'

While co-hosting the show, I witnessed his talent firsthand. The skills he displayed were enough to unearth his buried competitive spirit.

'I can win with this.'

After discovering the Mimicry method, I was confident of victory. But I had to reconsider.

“The point is that we have to compete only with Metal Punch original characters.”

This is what Lee Kyung-bok said while choosing a collaboration character through ban pick.

“I chose that because I thought it was a courtesy to those who enjoy this game.”

Lee Kyung-bok paid Metal Punch a respectful tribute. And to his shoulders, those words felt like a tribute to his past efforts.

'I almost caused Purple a big embarrassment.'

It was a complacent thought.

Perhaps I'd been at the top for too long. My shoulders tensed as I entered the first round.

And as a result, the shoulder recalled its original intention.

'This could be a loser.'

To most people, this would be an expression of anxiety, but the shoulders were different.

The position at the top was no longer secure. After a long wait, a rival had appeared.

That alone makes me happy.

[Full Burst!]

My shoulders trembled at the last card Lee Kyung-bok pulled out.

“Very, very good choice.”

“Right?”

Lee Kyung-bok's reply to his words was concise. His face was bright, like a child who had discovered a fun game.

The shoulder that saw that expression was certain.

“Purple, thank you so much for coming to this competition.”

He expressed his gratitude again.

“No, I should say thank you for enjoying Metal Punch.”

Many streamers have tried Metal Punch so far. However, most have simply consumed it as a form of content and then left it at that.

I thought Lee Kyung-bok was of that type, too. But that was a misjudgment.

“With all due respect, I will give it my all.”

The popularity of the tournament was now irrelevant. The title of world number one was meaningless in the face of this competition.

Only victory ruled his mind.

'Again, one step up.'

Lee Kyung-bok was someone who could give me the driving force and joy of growth that I had forgotten about.

“Yes, that would be really fun.”

Lee Kyung-bok, upon hearing that determination, smiled and answered.

His shoulders also smiled.

The nickname given to him, 'The Tyrant'.

The name was only valuable if it had something to conquer.

And so the final round began.

* * *

Jeong So-yoon and the commentators couldn't close their mouths.

"The final round started off with a bang! The fight is even more intense than I imagined! Wow! I thought things wouldn't be any more surprising than the first round!? But no! This is even more overwhelming!"

"It's true! With Super Armor removing the stiffness, even the minimal delay that was systematically imposed has disappeared! Thanks to this, both attacks and defenses are faster than a single round!"

"Yes, that's right! At this rate, the match will be decided faster than in the first round!? With the system's shackles gone, both sides are getting clean hits! In fact, skill moves with set speeds aren't working as well!"

From the very beginning, a tangle of ash and purple auras swept through the air. The intense battle had the eyes of the three men, as well as the 200,000 viewers, revolving around them.

"In that sense, the situation seems more favorable for Shoulder! I'm not saying this to be biased! Unlike Izanami, Reiji has many 'instant attacks' with short casting times!"

“Ah! Then, I guess Purple players will face crises more often!?”

Genome nodded at him.

"This isn't something I should be commentating, but I feel like commentary is pointless in this round. Even if it's a quick attack, it won't be as fast as the current exchange between these two! For this match, I think it's better to focus on watching and feeling it for yourself rather than worrying about our commentary!"

-Mamjalchu

-Really lol I don't think I'd be able to do it on a mobile phone unless I watch it on a computer or chat with someone.

-I can't even take a second offㅋㅋㅋ

-Is the commentary actually a hindrance?

Viewers also sympathized.

Typos were often seen in the chat window, as if people were typing without looking.

Jeong So-yoon nodded unconsciously and grabbed the microphone. But she couldn't just blank the audio, could she?

"That's right! Perhaps you could think of our voices as a kind of white noise! Surprisingly, even in this fierce battle, both sides are smiling? Is that a sign of composure?"

So, she shifted her comments from the game situation to the psychology of the two people.

Genome answers him with a smile.

"Isn't Purple Player famous for enjoying difficult things? And right now, Shoulder Player seems to be on fire! Both players are geniuses at enjoying things!"

"Ah! That's right, it's truly dizzying to us, but that's what makes it fun! It's something that even ordinary people, or even geniuses, have a hard time understanding… Huh? Right now! Right now! The balance is suddenly shaken!?"

Doekka agreed with him, but suddenly raised his voice.

The balance that seemed to be maintained was broken.

* * *

Lee Gyeong-bok narrowly avoided the sharp, incoming fist.

'You are truly amazing.'

The perceived threat level from the shoulder facing the enemy was certainly intense. Surprisingly, however, it intensified as the second round began.

'It feels like I'm pouring everything out, just like you said.'

It wasn't just because of the Silk Burst buff. The momentum was extraordinary.

At that sight, Lee Gyeong-bok had no choice but to change his mind.

'I used to think that people couldn't be more threatening than monsters.'

A monster that doesn't exist in reality is bound to be more threatening than a human. In fact, the threat level of the shoulder was lower than that of boss monsters in other games.

But the important thing wasn't that level.

‘Like this again…!’

As this was a close fight where he couldn't let his guard down for even a moment, Lee Kyung-bok was completely focused. His spirits were pulsing, gathering information and mentally mapping out his shoulder's next move.

But surprisingly, the afterimage seen from the shoulder was not fixed but changed from moment to moment.

'The world's best is truly different.'

Although it was the first time he had experienced this phenomenon, Lee Gyeong-bok could guess the reason.

Unlike programmed AI, Shoulder could change its judgment at any moment. The speed of change was also on a different level, as if it were altering its response based on the effects of a Mimic Cry.

This was something only possible against an opponent with the physical strength and judgment of a shoulder.

'If I can't keep up, I might lose.'

That fact didn't bother him. In fact, Lee Kyung-bok found the situation enjoyable.

He also knew that the more difficult it was, the more valuable the victory became.

'I want to win. At least in this match…!'

The competitive spirit of his pro-gamer trainee days was rekindled. Along with it, Lee Kyung-bok's aspirations also intensified.

And in response, the divine power also exploded.

'What is this?'

In a time that seemed to have stopped, Lee Gyeong-bok was able to experience a new phenomenon.

It was familiar to sense the opponent's response ahead of time, but this time the number was different.

It was clear that he was mentally drawing up all the possible responses his shoulder could make.

'Compressed into one!'

As the moment of clash drew closer, the various afterimages that were visible began to merge into one.

The best thing a shoulder can do, Lee Kyung-bok knew ahead of time.

'then…!'

The answer was revealed.

As time flowed again, Lee Kyung-bok guarded a low kick to the shoulder. He then countered with a straight hand strike, but his shoulder countered with a counter hit.

Since both were in super armor, there was no stiffness. He immediately added another hit to his shoulder, but then noticed Lee Kyung-bok raising his guard.

'It's open!'

He immediately input the provocation command, releasing Lee Kyung-bok's guard. He then unleashed his signature move, the "provocation knee kick," which has secured countless victories.

But Lee Kyung-bok, as if he had been waiting, took a deflecting stance. His shoulders were prepared for the release command.

“Huh!?”

But surprisingly, Lee Kyung-bok ducked down to avoid the kick.

With him, my shoulders felt delicate.

Mimicry!

What Lee Kyung-bok demonstrated in that fleeting moment wasn't a parry, but a mimic. Parrying, unlike striking, isn't a pre-generated effect, as it's a "counterattack."

Lee Kyung-bok took advantage of that blind spot.

For a moment, I thought, "Oh no," and quickly raised my guard, but there was no way someone of Lee Kyung-bok's caliber would miss that opportunity.

‘I got hit…!’

Lee Kyung-bok's palm-up strike hit, and his shoulder rose into the air.

“Wow!”

“It’s here!”

At that moment, a roar of excitement erupted throughout the stadium. The commentators also raised their voices in excitement.

“I lifted it! I lifted Purple Player!”

“This is the first time I’ve seen a float in two rounds!”

“If this happens! If this happens, then ugh!”

The balance was collapsing at an uncontrollable rate, just as it had been so tense.

“Purple Player! Let’s go right into the air combo!”

“Exactly! Not a single blow is wasted!”

"It's dangerous! Shoulder player! This is seriously dangerous!"

As the stamina bar on his shoulder rapidly dwindled, the Serengeti crowd took on a despairing expression. Their sighs were drowned out by the roar of the Tri-City crowd.

“Let’s go!”

“Please! Please!”

Genome raised his voice as if to reassure the desperate fans.

"In a normal game, even if it was fatal, it would've just cost me stamina and ended! There's no infinite combo, right? But things are different now!"

“Ah! That’s right! Last resort! There’s a burst, burst move!”

A burst state activated by a Chance Card. Normally, a burst move aimed at a comeback, but this time it was different.

“Your destiny ends here.”

A purple silhouette appeared behind the character along with Izanami's voice.

Izanami then caught the falling Reiji and threw him to the ground. A purple silhouette solidified above the effect that exploded with a loud bang.

Then, with a loud cracking sound, all the stamina in my shoulder was completely depleted.

[KO]

Then, golden words appeared all over the electronic screen.

Along with that, a sound surged in, as if filling the void that had disappeared for a moment.

“Waaaaaaaaaaaa!”

“I won!”

“This is it!”

The commentators also raised their voices in response to the cheers of the crowd.

“Keio! Keiooooooooo!”

“Wow…! I can’t believe it!”

But neither of them could provide a normal explanation. Jeong So-yoon summarized the situation, albeit in a trembling voice.

"Like this! And so, the Purple player takes the second round victory! And with that, the final result! Try, Try Team wins!"

The chat window, which had been exploding at her declaration of victory, erupted once again.

The peak of the metal punch, which seemed solid, has changed.

-Try, complete victory! Try, complete victory! Try, complete victory!

-God decides fate, isn't that common sense? God decides fate, isn't that common sense?

-Put it on! Put it on! Put it on! Put it on! Put it on!

-Awful! Awful! Awful! Awful!

-So who's the tyrant now? So who's the tyrant now? So who's the tyrant now?

-Uppercut! (Meaning Purple cut his shoulder)

-I saw the live! Did I gain half my life? I saw the live! Did I gain half my life?

It was the emergence of a new overlord.