I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers

Heat radiated throughout my body.

Thanks to the grueling workout, my blood was racing through my circulatory system like it was on a wild ride, and I was exuding a steamy aroma.

The good news was that even though my body was soaked in sweat, I wouldn’t have to worry about smelling bad.

I splashed my face with water that reached up to my lower body, almost like washing up.

Then, I grabbed the support frame again and waddled forward.

I wasn’t sure if this could even be called walking.

It was a level of movement that would be embarrassing to show anyone else.

When a person walks, their ankles should move properly. But for me, moving even a single toe was a huge struggle.

If I strolled around like this, my feet would drag on the ground.

I’m pretty sure it would look extremely ridiculous.

There was this classic game where you could die by a snail, and I felt like I would end up walking just like the zombies in that game.

“Hah, ugh! Hahhh…”

“Patient! Are you okay? Should I move you right away?”

“No! I just made a little mistake. It’s fine.”

“Alright. Then… I’ll support you from behind.”

“Thanks a lot.”

This was the rehab center of the Sigma Medical Group.

It was the Korean branch of a world-class medical corporation where I spent most of the money I earned.

This place was the only one that showed progress out of all my attempts so far.

The cutting-edge equipment here carefully manages every detail of my body, even adjusting the flow of water with precision.

Even now, fine currents were collecting data while I floated, my lower body submerged.

Yeah. Here, I could try rehab.

Compared to when I first heard the doctor’s prognosis, this was amazing progress.

I could actually do something!

– Miss Da-eun? I have something to tell you regarding your detailed examination results.

– It’s hard to give an accurate medical diagnosis regarding your condition, but looking at the symptoms, you have left hemiplegia…

– The test results suggest there are issues with your tissues and circulatory system. Incomplete blood circulation could lead to discoloration or necrosis.

– We couldn’t draw a reliable conclusion regarding pain or functional impairment.

The conversation was complex, so I couldn’t remember everything.

I couldn’t understand it all anyway; my mind wasn’t calm enough to comprehend medical terms at that moment.

So, it was the doctor’s despairing and helpless expression that stuck with me more than his words.

To summarize, my left foot was practically in a state that resembled a comprehensive hospital ward.

They said I exhibited symptoms like I was constantly under some sort of toxin, making this an unprecedented case.

The doctors didn’t suggest amputation for no reason.

But today, I received one piece of hopeful news.

– The detailed examination results from last week have come in.

– How is it? Has it improved?

– It has improved, albeit very slightly. First, take a look at this data, the current state of your nervous system…

The doctor said it wasn’t a significant number yet, but the fact that there was even a tiny improvement was important.

With that alone, I could cling onto this tough life a bit longer.

It was like pouring water into a bottomless pit.

If I could reclaim my legs…

If I could stand on my own, even in this state, I wouldn’t want for anything more.

So, I would endure this training, no matter what.

…That’s how I felt, though I really couldn’t do it for hours.

My rehab sessions were allocated three hours at a time.

As soon as the training ended, I turned into a complete wreck and headed straight to the break room to collapse.

It felt like all the strength had drained from my body. I felt like a piece of marine debris floating on the sea.

I couldn’t even lift a finger, so I closed my eyes in a daze.

What woke me up was a chill I felt on my cheek.

“Good to see you again?”

“Uh… Huh?”

I thought I had just closed my eyes for a moment.

Turns out I had fallen asleep completely.

As I opened my eyes, a silhouette of a woman emerged from my blurry vision.

Unlike me in patient garb, she was dressed in formal attire, with a friendly demeanor and a bright smile.

She was a beautiful woman with light brown hair cascading down.

The woman unscrewed the cap of a cold bottle of water and handed it to me.

“Th-thank you?”

“Looks like you’ve been working hard. You’ve had a tough week, too.”

“Well… I have to do this at least.”

“It’s not an easy task, you know? Both physically and mentally. I understand that well.”

Ah, I shouldn’t be grinning like this.

I couldn’t help but let my lips curl upwards.

What she handed me was clearly plain bottled water with no additives.

Just the kind you’d find at a convenience store.

Yet, the water going down my throat tasted incredibly sweet.

And why wouldn’t it—this woman was the person I admired the most.

“Thank you. This really helps.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I’m sure you’ll see good results. By the way, did you come alone today? Should I help you back?”

“No, it’s fine. A frie… I mean, someone is picking me up. They’ll be here soon.”

Her name was Lee Ga-yoon. Her nickname was Luce.

A professional gamer affiliated with Sigma e-Sports, she was a Paladin player who was truly at the pinnacle of the domestic league.

As expected of someone at the top of a league, she had a significant following of fans.

Of course, I was included among her many admirers.

I didn’t become a fan of Luce just because of her skills.

Infinity Black’s standing in Korea wasn’t that high.

Being labeled as the best domestically didn’t equate to a high reputation in international leagues.

However, Luce had a story that resonated with me.

If I was cursed with my legs, Luce was cursed with her arms.

It took her two years to go from barely moving a single finger to being able to move her wrist.

They say it took another two years just to lift a shield in the game.

She started as a scorned streamer.

Even without being able to properly hold a shield, she stubbornly battled through rank games.

At one point, she was infamous as “the streamer with no skill but plenty of matches.”

But Luce never gave up.

Her skills that fluctuated at the depths soon surpassed those of average players, and by the time she could handle a shield well, she had moved up to the second league.

At this point, she didn’t need further introduction. Luce became a beacon for the Korean league.

Literally, a victory of the human spirit.

It was only natural that she became my role model.

“Well then, I’ll be off now. I have something to attend to.”

“Sure! I’ll drink the water well. Thanks again.”

She frequently visited this rehab center for good reason.

She reportedly did volunteer work regularly and had probably just run into me while taking care of other patients nearby.

Could I… shine like Luce someday?

I wanted to game with her at least once.

While I had received several requests to take her down, I never accepted them.

Even if I were to steal other streamers’ viewers, I didn’t want to take hers.

But if I ever got a chance, I wanted to face her at least once.

It was all about a pure battle of skills.

The thought of a one-on-one duel with someone I admired made my heart race.

Yet revealing my username seemed unappealing since Gawol’s infamy was quite well-known.

As I pondered, an idea suddenly popped into my head.

“Ah, um! So… will you be participating in the upcoming event too? The Infinity Arena?”

“Hmm? Da-eun, you’re participating as well? Yes, I will.”

“Is that so…? I’ll cheer for you. I’ll definitely catch the stream!”

“Thank you! I’ll do my best!”

Wait, I could participate in this tournament too.

With Luce’s skills, she would undoubtedly climb to the top.

In competitions, the chances of encountering someone increase as you rise higher.

If fortune smiled upon me… I might just get to compete against Luce.

My heart raced. I felt a familiar rush of adrenaline after a long time.

I stared at the path Luce had taken, gripping my heart tightly.

Should I gently nudge my coach a bit?

I needed to return and wrap up the preliminaries quickly.

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