Streamer Crazy About Slaughter - Chapter 1
***
‘Defeating the Desert Drake’
(4859/5000)
Step.
Stopping in my tracks, I stare blankly at the hologram positioned to one side.
Out of 5000, only about 150 remain for quest completion, so there isn’t much time left.
The woman looking at the blue hologram let out a small sigh.
“Ha…”
Clang.
As I swing my right arm, the heavy metal object shivers slightly, showcasing its presence.
Attached to the metal object is a long red cord, and at the end of the cord is a uniquely shaped metal weight with a blade, known as the `Crescent Moon Blade`.
It was a weapon that, for an ordinary person, might sound unfamiliar compared to the familiar names of swords, spears, axes, bows, and crossbows.
Yet, it was her main weapon at this time.
……
I had become a character in the game without even realizing it.
Moreover, it was a game I used to enjoy… or rather, one I had enjoyed quite a bit years ago.
Now, those memories were so faint that it felt like just another game to me.
To be precise, it wasn’t just any game to me.
I had spent a significant amount of time in it, sacrificing my sleep and even giving up credits, so in a way, it was my ‘life game’.
But it was not in a good sense of the term ‘life game’.
The game was indeed where I had devoted years of my life… which had a much different meaning.
The game I played had many problems.
The grueling grind demanded of players, the insurmountable gap between seasoned and new players.
This led to a never-ending polarization.
The game I played lacked any concept akin to fatigue, found in other games.
In that game, the more time you ‘poured in,’ the more honestly you were compensated.
While it seemed like a game at a glance, in retrospect, it was not something I could simply categorize as a game.
With all sorts of filthy and petty administration, daily bugs, and a brutal enhancement system relying on sheer luck.
The more I thought about it, the more I was left with unbearable and disgusting memories I did not wish to recall.
“Kwaaaak!”
As I was lost in thought, a Drake seemed to have spotted me, letting out a ghastly cry and lunging at me with its massive body.
*
– – – –
Desert Drake.
Once a glorious existence as a dragon in a long-gone ancient era, it has greatly declined due to a curse from an absolute being, leaving only traces of its species’ degradation.
– – – –
*
As I stared blankly at the Drake, a small hologram popped up above its appearance, listing various details about the monster.
“Surely… this wasn’t here.”
As I barely parted my lips, a voice emerged that felt beautiful enough to sound youthful even to my ears.
My character.
A beautiful oriental female character wielding the Crescent Moon Blade, my long-time favorite character. Someone I cherished and had invested a lot of time in.
‘Lin.’
I distinctly recalled leveling her up to what should be considered a ‘high level’ in the game’s context.
‘Was she level 65?’
As the Drake approached within arm’s reach, I waved my hand gently, feeling the familiar weight of the weapon being tugged by the cord, and aimed it quickly at the Drake.
Whoosh!
The sharp end of the weight pierced precisely between the Drake’s eyes.
Whoosh.
As I lightly waved my hand to retrieve the Crescent Moon Blade, it slipped out from the Drake’s forehead and returned to me.
– Whoosh!
Crimson bl**d gushed out from the newly made hole as the Drake staggered, collapsing with its massive body.
Boom!
‘Defeating the Desert Drake’
(4860/5000)
Immediately afterward, accompanied by a light notification sound, the number of holograms displayed on one side was updated.
In this game world. No, now I began to question if this was really a game, as everything around brimmed with unique characteristics.
They wouldn’t understand this act.
The Drake was undoubtedly a high-tier monster with considerable difficulty among the monsters.
Even skilled players could catch only about 10 of them in a day.
But catching 5000 of such high-tier monsters?
This was one of the few elements that reminded me of the grueling game I knew.
Just tapping the keyboard alone to defeat 5000 of the same monster would deter most due to the harsh grind.
For anyone with a sense of common logic, who would find enjoyment in such repeat grinding, it was a game that would likely turn players away… Ironically, I used to enjoy it.
At the end of the repetitive grind, witnessing the gradual growth of my character was something I poured years of my life into.
The game I played wasn’t one with 2D-like flat quality; it was a 3D game with graphics so advanced, there wasn’t a game at the time that could even compete with it, making the grind feel several times more exhausting compared to others.
However, actually doing it with my body, rather than just pressing keys, felt entirely different.
Whoosh!
Instead of wiping the monster bl**d off the Crescent Moon Blade, I lightly shook it to dust it off.
Gulp.
I took a water canister from my equipment and quenched my thirst, quickening my pace.
The thick and heavy fatigue that had long since weighed down my entire body was unbearable. Still, I had to keep moving.
If I could, I wanted to just plop down right here and take a short break, but to do so…
‘Defeating the Desert Drake’
(4860/5000)
Gazing intensely at the hologram on one side, hidden sections appeared.
(Remaining Time: 2 days, 1 hour, 35 minutes)
Time was running short for quest completion.
This quest, which I could only take once a year, offered a reward that was difficult to refuse.
While it did not specify what the reward was in advance—another aspect differing from the game I knew—I was certain, having completed this quest a few times before, that the reward would be beyond my imagination.
Days, weeks, months, even half a year—no, a full year of time invested.
So in a way, it was akin to harvesting a year’s worth of crops.
Thus, I had to complete the quest before time ran out.
Step.
Step.
One step.
Two steps.
The woman’s footsteps were familiar and rhythmic.
The pace gradually quickened, heading towards a terrain akin to steep cliffs.
From the outside, it looked like a reckless act, as if she were about to throw her life away against the cliff.
Thud!
The moment her foot touched the edge of the cliff, she kicked off fiercely from the ground and soared into the air.
Like a spinning figure riding the fierce wind blowing through the canyon.
Her body turned crimson as she spun, and as she halted, she spread her arms wide.
The red energy settled on her arms, emitting a gentle glow.
Then, phenomena began to unfold that could not be comprehended by the eyes of an ordinary person.
Like a noble bird soaring through the sky, she began to fly with grace.
Lin, flying as if she were destined for the sky, fixed her sights on the terrain occupied by the group of Drakes.
As her body descended towards the ground, she somersaulted in the air, pushing off the empty space to leap once more into flight.
Then, suddenly approaching a gathering of about 6 Drakes.
Lin swung the Crescent Moon Blade connected to her right arm vigorously while aiming it toward the ground.
The cord stretched to its limit, as if it could not touch the ground.
Squeal!!
The blade, extended in an arc, turned a deep crimson and emitted a strange sound as it rushed downward with great force.
Boom!!!
“Kwaaaak!”
“Griiiiik!”
Startled by the tremendous sound that seemed to twist the ground, the cries of the Drakes echoed as Lin appeared like a small meteor descending upon them.
—-!
Whoosh.
Slash.
Swish.
Like a crimson line gliding effortlessly among the startled Drakes, she appeared like a beautiful dancer.
Before a minute had passed, not a single Drake remained on the ground.
‘Defeating the Desert Drake’
(4866/5000)
Lin, wiping the bl**d clinging stubbornly to the end of the Crescent Moon Blade with a sturdy cloth, started moving again.