“A king’s order.”

That fierce single line showed just how firm Barad’s will was right now.

Hyunsoo observed proper etiquette.

“......I accept the king’s order.”

The most shocked person here was Hyunsoo.

The Ares player population was over 2.5 billion.

Once you looked beyond Korea and out into the world, there were already quite a few who had reached the rank of count.

‘I’m not the only one growing.’

As Hyunsoo grew, their growth was happening too.

Because of that, recently, there were even those who had risen to marquis.

[This is the first time the king’s successor has been designated.]

[You acquire 100 Charisma.]

[You acquire 500 Fame.]

But among all of them, not a single one had received a successor designation.

It hit him fresh.

He checked the title he’d received—The One Who Will Become King.

(The One Who Will Become King)

Unique Title

Grade: S

Special Abilities:

·All stats increase by 1%.

·Charisma stat increases by 10%.

·Charisma stat acquisition increases by 40%.

·You are the one and only successor designated by the king. No one in the kingdom will be able to easily ignore you.

·You will walk the king’s path. The king’s path will be long and harsh.

·Quests regarding the conditions to become king will be generated continuously, and at times you may receive them from Sword King Barad.

The title was special.

It guided the way to become king through quests.

Ding!

[Kingdom Quest: The Kingdom’s Star]

Grade: SS

Restriction: The One Who Will Become King

Reward: The King’s Path

Penalty on failure: Cannot become king.

Description: You are The One Who Will Become King. However, you must remember that this can change at any time. Within an appropriate amount of time, become one of the Kingdom of Goyard’s Three Stars. If you do, you will take one more step toward the path that allows you to become king.

Hyunsoo understood what “the kingdom’s star” meant.

‘Constinu, Lukburk, Vallo.’

It meant he had to climb all the way up to marquis—standing shoulder to shoulder with them.

“Looks like there’s something to sort out.”

It was something Barad said while looking at Hyun’s Forge.

Before stepping forward, Barad drew a small smile for Hyunsoo.

“......Thank you.”

Hyunsoo answered with a small smile.

They flowed out, like a receding tide.

“We’ll get going too.”

Weariness was plain on the faces of Hyun’s Forge guild members.

But Hyunsoo stayed behind alone until the very end.

Because of the viewers who would be waiting.

‘If I just disappear like this, it could stir up resentment.’

He intended to give them a proper goodbye.

[The broadcast resumes.]

The broadcast began.

*****

Viewers waiting for the broadcast to resume were making a ruckus in the Ares community.

-This is more suspenseful than checking my college entrance exam score lol

-For real

-What the hell did he get?

-He won’t tell us, will he?

-If it were you, would you tell?

-Not a chance!

-lmaooo for real

-Crazy Rookie was seriously insane this time, wasn’t he.

-Yeah, it was sick as hell. I came to watch Blacksmith Hyun and ended up falling for Crazy Rookie.

-The guy above didn’t go “who the hell is that, you nerd” though?

-sry sry, I know now.

-Hyun’s Forge is wild lol the guild master is Blacksmith Hyun and the deputy guild master is Crazy Rookie, holy shit

-Daaaamn!

-Humans are fast lol, there’s already a Crazy Rookie fan café?

-Hyun vs Crazy Rookie. Who’s gonna get more popular going forward.

-But Hyun is a middle-aged dude with a belly, and Crazy Rookie is a total pretty-boy.

-......Yeah. But now I’m suddenly depressed.

-You too? Me too.

-Depression-inducing user, fuck lololol

Then.

[The broadcast resumes.]

-Oh, he turned it back on lol

-Alright, let’s GOOOOOO-!

-LET’S GOOOO!

And the viewers who came back flipped instantly.

-Ha...... seeing his face made me depressed again.

-Look at that physique lol

-Sword King Barad’s physique is on another level, but this guy doesn’t look like he loses to Barad.

Hyunsoo had thought a lot of viewers would’ve left because the broadcast ended.

[Current viewer count 1,607,001.]

It was down a lot from the peak, but he figured it was still pretty good.

‘Were they that curious what I got?’

Hyunsoo was pretty used to viewers by now.

And he had a kind of easygoing charm around strangers, too.

“I logged in to say thank you for watching.”

-Teacher, uh... are you not gonna tell us what you got?

“Yes.”

-So firm.

-Then if it’s not rude, could I get your phone number at least.......

“???”

-That flustered expression is cute.

-That looks flustered to you? That’s a “what the hell” face lol

-What is this guy? That expression lol

“Anyway, it was a lacking broadcast......”

-He’s trying to run away lololol

-To the god, it’s a phone number more precious than my life......

Then.

-Before you go, do a reaction and go. If the reaction’s good, I’ll donate.

“A reaction donation?”

Hyunsoo thought of JoyTube streamers, or Lewitch, and the like.

A lot of people who did internet broadcasts would do reactions when they got donations.

Of course, Hyunsoo wasn’t a streamer.

-You’re not gonna do business for a day or two and quit, right?

-For real

-Ah, you gotta lock in your regular fans before you go~

That was true. Crazy Rookie was going to show up in public often from here on.

And on top of that—

-If I like the reaction, I’ll donate too.

-I couldn’t donate earlier ‘cause I was focused lol

-Me too.

-If the reaction’s good, I’ll donate.

-I’ll do it too.

-Me too.

A lot of well-known users were there, too.

Of course, those well-known users were talking about reactions, but it looked like they also thought it was a chance to get into Hyunsoo’s good graces.

For Hyunsoo, having more funds was only a good thing.

‘Let’s do this.’

Hyunsoo came up with a reaction they’d like.

For a moment, Hyunsoo’s expression turned cold again.

A strong heat haze rippled from him, with that lofty look.

-Oh, ooooh......!

-Reaction, let’s GOOOO!

With blood-soaked hair, he took a stance like he was about to draw his sword. That sight seized the viewers.

At last, he opened his mouth in a low voice.

“Sword King swordsmanship.”

-KYAAAAAA!

-Sword King swordsmanship reaction!

And then he suddenly fainted.

THUD-

-......?

-What?

-Huh?

-???

The viewers panicked.

Hyunsoo’s sudden faint, right after flaring up tremendous power as if he were about to unleash Sword King swordsmanship, was more than enough to throw them off.

-Is he a damn guppy?

-This is a joke, right?

-He’s pretending to collapse, isn’t he?

Then the viewers were stunned.

Because of the notification.

[You fainted.]

LMAO

-Yo, he actually fainted? lololololol

-Wait what? World’s first fainting reaction lololol

-This is absurd lolololololololol

Beyond his fading consciousness, Hyunsoo thought.

‘No.......’

It was his first reaction in front of the public, in its own way.

And the public had said they’d donate extra if the reaction was good.

‘Ugh...... I can’t get more donations.......’

Hyunsoo made a miserable face.

He realized his first reaction of his life had completely crashed and burned.

[The broadcast ends.]

*****

Hyunsoo fainted while worrying.

That his donation reaction might go down as the worst reaction in history.

And Hyunsoo had received an incredible amount of donations during the main broadcast, too.

So much that a notice had popped up saying donations would be totaled after the broadcast ended.

And in that situation, that kind of reaction!

But there was something Hyunsoo didn’t know, because he wasn’t a JoyTuber.

That fainting was becoming a blessing in disguise.

Internet broadcasting took off around the 2010s.

Thirty years had passed since then, and by now, BJ reactions had been done in every possible way.

When every reaction had become stale, it came as a fresh shock.

-I laughed my ass off, seriously lololol

-Me too lololol

-Fainting, but stylishly!

The ways to draw in viewers watching a broadcast were many.

Among them, novelty had real power.

And when viewers immersed themselves in the BJ they were watching, the response grew bigger.

-If he fainted, he must’ve really gone all-out. Even while fighting, he probably had a lot on his mind. “If I lose, Goyard is done.”

-Yeah...... damn, so he drove his mind to the limit, all the way to fainting.

-Probably...... one of the reasons you get a fainting status ailment is massive psychological pressure and stuff. And he was tense the whole time, right.......

-I laughed because of it, then my nose stung, so I donated.

-I donated too lol

-Donations were pouring in ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) after that reaction lololol

-Crazy Rookie is so cute.......

-I want to hug him.

A lot of the viewers were skilled creators, too.

-Made a fainting clip.

-Oh? lol

-Fuck, that was fast.

-That fainting clip is hilarious lol

The fainting clip was a short clip where Hyunsoo scattered heat haze with a lofty expression, then fainted on the spot.

And a video got posted to JoyTube’s Today’s Video.

The title was perfect clickbait.

[The hero who saved the nation, after the battle ends......]

The viewers didn’t know it, but the video had been hurriedly edited and uploaded by Ian, the editor and archer.

-My nose stings.......

-Our hero......!

-But he’s kind of a flimsy hero lol

-My chest feels huge.

-Those views are insane.......

[Total views 3,031,013]

People who couldn’t watch the live broadcast soothed their frustration with it before the official recording opened.

And the key to those huge views was the people who had quit Ares.

Or even people who didn’t play Ares at all—just JoyTube viewers—getting scooped up too.

-Is it true that clip is going worldwide?

-lol my American friend said from now on, whenever they’re too lazy to answer, they’re gonna use that clip and go “Faint!”

Twelve hours after the broadcast ended.

Director Lee at AJ Internet Broadcasting Station and Producer Kim were looking at the total donations.

“What is this.......”

“It was high even after the Helenya hunt, but the amount that came in after the reaction is also on a ridiculous level.......”

They blinked.

“This is the highest amount since AJ Internet Broadcasting Station was established......?”

“At this level, it’ll be a donation total that ranks in the top ten across the entire broadcast industry this year.”

And they contacted Hyein to announce the donations.

*****

If you faint inside an Ares capsule, it has the same effect as actually sleeping.

Hyunsoo, who had been out cold for twelve hours, came out of the capsule clutching his head.

HISSSSS-

“......My god.”

In front of millions of people, Hyunsoo had fainted again.

And especially now, donations were extremely important for Hyun’s Forge.

Hyun’s Forge had been brought into the public eye, so now it had to get stronger and secure more money.

‘To fail like this.......’

Hyunsoo sat in front of his computer.

Then he shook his head.

‘Still, it’ll be a lot.’

Even if he didn’t get much from the donation reaction, it would still be pretty thick.

Then Hyunsoo, checking the group chat, panicked.

[Kim Hyein: (clip) Our guild master, fainting again😭.]

[Jin Hobum: Guild master, I told you not to sleep just anywhere😭.]

[Kang Hyuksoo: Want me to tuck you in?]

[Kang Hyunsoo: ......?]

Soon, Hyunsoo heard the whole story from Nell.

[Kim Hyein: The viewers actually loved it, haha. They said they want to protect you.]

Hyunsoo forced his trembling chest to settle.

[Nell: I got the full donation settlement sheet and sent it to you. Also, check Hyun’s Forge’s subscribers.]

Hyunsoo urgently turned on his computer.

Last time, it had been in second place.

Hyun’s Forge, which had only been about 200,000 behind Black Anvil Forge.

And recently, it had narrowed to 100,000.

‘Even so, more subscribers is always better.’

It had to be.

That way, Hyun’s Forge could have influence not just in Korea, but across the world.

And Black Anvil Forge had 3 million subscribers, while Hyun’s Forge had climbed to 2.9 million.

[Hyun’s Forge subscriber count 3,706,013.]

[Congratulations.]

[You have recorded the #1 forge rank in our country.]

[You have an overwhelming gap over #2.] 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Hyunsoo froze.

‘It goes up by 800,000 in a single day?’

And now Hyun’s Forge had become, unquestionably, the #1 forge in the country.

‘How does it increase by 800,000?’

Right then, Nell sent a KkakkaoTalk message.

[Kim Hyein: Also, Hobum edited and uploaded the video of you fainting yesterday, and it has 9 million views right now.]

“......!?”

Hyunsoo tensed up.

His hands started sweating.

In this Helenya raid, Hyun’s Forge subscribers were only a side effect.

Being #1 in Hyun’s Forge subscribers gave long-term leverage, but not immediately.

But donations were different.

Donations became a huge source of power for Hyunsoo and Hyun’s Forge right now.

Hyunsoo opened the donation breakdown Hyein had sent.

The moment he saw it, he almost stopped breathing.

‘What the......?’

A completely absurd number was written there.

[Total donations 841,017,011 won.]

841 million won. The amount he’d earned from a three-hour broadcast.