It’s not that kind of malicious broadcast

End of the World.

A time when a season was coming to an end.

Someone was struggling desperately to achieve the highest rank before the season ended, someone was looking forward to the next season approaching swiftly, and someone else was charging in with the mindset that if their life was ruined, everyone else’s should be too… These were days filled with chaos in ranked games.

Perhaps, in a post-apocalyptic scenario, the atmosphere would be like this.

Amid such confusion, if there was a common thought everyone shared, it would be, “This world is already over.”

Therefore, it felt extremely, extremely familiar to me.

From Season 7 onwards, every day felt like the end of an era of the previous season. People treated it as a game already ruined, while some still dedicated their lives to victory, others played for the opportunity to teabag, and some made it their goal to cunningly throw games at critical moments.

With memories surfacing like a panorama, I felt a slight sense of nostalgia as if I had returned to my hometown… just a bit.

Three days before the World Series finals.

In other words, one week before the season ended.

『Osori (Holy Knight): Yeah~ this is my alt~ Just lose~』

『Osori (Holy Knight): None of you will reach Master~』

『Bbalchopa (Priest): Did you self-study manners seriously』

『Watch (Mage): Ah, seriously』

『Watch (Mage): Please stop %*@ing around and let’s play the game』

『Osori (Holy Knight): Maybe I’ll consider it if the potion apologizes for pretending to be human』

『Watch (Mage): I’ll apologize instead』

『Watch (Mage): Sorry, let’s just play』

『Bbalchopa (Priest): Fuck off, you @$!#1 b**ch』

『Bbalchopa (Priest): How much did you pay for boosting?』

『Bbalchopa (Priest): Your parents broke their backs to earn money, and you spent it on a boosting service just to act cocky in a game?』

『Osori (Holy Knight): (Chatting unavailable for non-Masters)』

『Osori (Holy Knight): (Chatting unavailable for non-Masters)』

The rank game I had resumed after a long time reeked of a familiar stench.

… Now that I thought about it, maybe I didn’t miss the chatting that much after all. Back then, everyone at least tried to be careful with their words.

In those days, in higher tiers, we often only faced the same people repeatedly, so it was rare to see extreme insults thrown around. You couldn’t throw unspeakable curses at someone and then be matched with them the next day as a teammate without consequences happening often.

As much as KoK had grown in popularity, far more than that ruined game, the number of toxic users had exploded proportionally. The population had grown sufficiently, so anonymity was also reinforced.

Maybe this wild state we were in now was a more natural end-of-the-world scenario.

Who would use polite and kind words right before the world ended?

I checked the minimap and score, then stepped back. From now on, if everyone worked together, we might somehow pull off a win… but it was unlikely.

The Holy Knight and Priest, who had turned the game into a back-and-forth of colorful insults, were one thing, but even the two Archers had long been holed up inside our fortress.

Once in a while, a team kill message popped up, indicating they were likely shooting arrows at each other for fun.

The Mage, who couldn’t give up until the end, was trying desperately to appease the trolls and turn the tide, but… of course, it wasn’t going to work.

『Watch (Mage) has been slain!』

『Watch (Mage): You f**king bastards』

『Watch (Mage): Why do I always end up with these @$*!s on my team』

『Watch (Mage): F this trash game seriously』

『Watch (Mage): Just quitting, dammit』

『Watch (Mage) has left the game』

It was a common ending.

So, now there was nobody left trying to win the game… I guess I could give up too. My principle was to do my best as long as there was at least one person determined to win, but there was nothing I could do alone. This wasn’t a game where one could do everything alone.

– Hoooookay…

I put down the mouse and stretched my shoulders in circles. They were stiff.

Even in the midst of the fight, thanks to a few who consistently opposed surrendering, the game still had some time before it truly ended. This would be the perfect time to play some Go.

When the enemy broke through the gates and entered, quietly playing Go was my own charming way to end things. There was also the fun of seeing the enemy’s brief moments of hesitation.

『Got Devoured (Rogue): Looking for someone to play Go』

『Got Devoured (Rogue): I’ll even let you go first』

I shouted in front of the grid-patterned bricks of the fortress walls – but unfortunately, there was no response.

People who didn’t understand romance.

“What a pity.”

『End of the world ranked game really LOLOLOL LOLOLOL LOLOLOL』

『The knight was just utter trash』

『Should we do an in-game match?』

『Seeing this, I just dodged the queue right away』

『This completely kills my appetite』

『This game is absolute garbage』

『Mage’s 6-game losing streak, so pathetic ㄹㅇ』

『Deleting KoK and going to live my real life』

Indeed, it wasn’t a good time for ranked games. The fun of KoK fighting games came from colliding skills with each other to determine superiority.

Winning and losing depending on whether someone who wanted to raise their tier got into the team, or if a troll who just wanted to play gatekeeper got in, wasn’t really my taste.

I wasn’t greedy for points either.

“… Should I call it quits for solo queue here?”

With a quick glance, the chat was overwhelming with positive responses. I couldn’t remember a time my suggestion was welcomed this much.

Watching the flood of chats with a slightly happy heart, opinions on the next content started pouring in. Some recommended new games, others suggested audience participation… Well, they could handle audience participation themselves.

True audience participation was something to achieve directly, after all. I wasn’t particularly running secret queues myself.

But still, it wasn’t incomprehensible. There would be people who wanted to participate even if their tiers didn’t match. How many viewers would have Master to Challenger queues?

“I’ll prepare audience participation next time. It’s a bit much to run ranked games now.”

-ㅇㅇ donated 10,000 KRW!-

【Will you be streaming the Worlds finals? Please… it’s the last one】

… The finals, huh?

I had checked out the results of the semifinals that took place a while ago. GP had managed to reach the finals. I watched the game highlights with a thrilling heart… unsurprisingly, among the 12 players, there wasn’t a single Rogue.

I wanted to send a word to Orthodox, but I restrained myself.

I wasn’t the kind of senseless person who would interrogate a player right before the finals. Maybe they were saving it as a secret weapon.

Right. No matter what, it’s hard to believe they wouldn’t bring it up even after practicing so hard.

Thinking about it that way… I do want to watch the final match live. I’ve never been interested in professional games before, but this one’s special. It might feature a strategy I personally devised and fine-tuned.

And if I’m going to watch it, it might be more fun to chat with everyone together.

It could be a pleasant surprise for the viewers too.

“Um… Live commentary, sounds good. Shall we do it?”

– ‘Wow’

– ‘Really??’

– ‘Great’

– ‘Nice’

– ‘Seriously?’

– ‘I didn’t even expect this’

– ‘Really?’

For some reason today, everyone seemed so delighted at every suggestion I made, feeling a bit proud.

Could this be a sign that I’ve grown as a broadcaster?

So, I decided to watch the World Series final with the viewers on broadcast—

“I’ll look into how to do this. I think I might need to apply for something.”

– ‘??’

– ‘Wait, you haven’t even applied yet?’

– ‘Don’t misunderstand~ It’s because they’re a rogue broadcaster~’

– ‘Why are you looking into it now’

– ‘The finals are the day after tomorrow’

-ㅇㅇ donated 10,000 won!-

【Teacher, the commentary application period ended 3 weeks ago】

-ㅇㅇ donated 10,000 won!-

【Come on, I’ve been spamming the forums since last month, begging you to apply】

–‘Why spam the forums though’

– ‘Seems like they check the forums more than email’

– ‘This is the broadcaster you guys chose…’

– ‘Is this a joke? Really didn’t apply?’

– ‘What kind of broadcaster is this…?’

There was a minor issue. Upon searching, it turned out the viewers were right. For live streaming commentary on Tw*tch, you need to apply for approval in advance… It seems like that.

The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. The amiable atmosphere in the chat quickly turned grim. It seemed like if I hadn’t brought up live commentary, they wouldn’t have thought much of it.

Hmm… There must be a way…

Oh.

Turns out, the approval is for the broadcast, not the person.

‘Wouldn’t it be possible if we collaborate on a broadcast with someone who has approval?’

* * * *

『CravingWarmAmericano: Hello everyone』

『CravingWarmAmericano: Our first camping trip is just two weeks away』

『CravingWarmAmericano: Is everyone getting ready well?』

『CravingWarmAmericano: Especially Revan, you need to prepare well since you’ll be using the tent alone』

『Revan: I’m not going』

『Revan: What kind of rumors do you think I’ll have to face going camping with three women?』

『CravingWarmAmericano: 😟』

『CravingWarmAmericano: Did you actually see your colleagues as women?』

『CravingWarmAmericano: I’m very disappointed』

『Revan: No』

『Revan: That’s not what I meant』

『StarPork: Yes, yes, yes!! I bought a marshmallow roasting stick!!』

『StarPork: (photo)』

『StarPork: Isn’t this super cuteLOLOLOL』

『StarPork: The stick changes color when the marshmallow is fully roasted』

(CravingWarmAmericano is typing a message……)

『CravingWarmAmericano: That’s interesting』

『CravingWarmAmericano: Anyway』

『CravingWarmAmericano: If you have any questions while preparing, feel free to ask……』

『CravingWarmAmericano: By the way, is anyone broadcasting the World Series final this time?』

『StarPork: Me!』

『StarPork: Well, it’s not really broadcastingㅎㅎㅎ Just watching with the viewers』

『Ark: Yeah, yeah, I’m planning to broadcast too! I think Shihoon oppa will do it as well?』

『CravingWarmAmericano: Ah』

『CravingWarmAmericano: Then maybe』

『CravingWarmAmericano: Is there anyone who wants to watch it together……?』

『CravingWarmAmericano: I saw today that the broadcast application period is about to end』

『StarPork: Me!!』

『Ark: ?? About to end……?』

『Ark: Then how about we all watch together? It would be fun if we do the broadcast with Gorabox and Guntak as well』

『Ark: But if there are many people, we’ll have to turn on the cam…which is a bit risky』

『CravingWarmAmericano: Oh turning on the cam is fine』

『CravingWarmAmericano: (photo)』

『CravingWarmAmericano: I’m getting this』

『StarPork: ……? What is that?』

『Revan: Please cover your face in a normal way』

『Revan: Don’t cosplay as a bank robber』

『CravingWarmAmericano: A robber? It’s a ski mask』

『CravingWarmAmericano: Isn’t it efficient and nice?』

『CravingWarmAmericano: It’s also great for warmth』