[TS] Malicious Sniper

Leori’s solo rank being number one was always a hot topic for many people.

Whether it was the end of the season or the start of a new one didn’t matter.

Because of that, Barcode’s declaration of becoming the solo rank king made many worry and excited at the same time.

After all, from the viewers’ perspective, there would be no loss.

If Barcode failed to become the king, it would be a gain to see her Zero Two.

And even if she succeeded, well… this isn’t really a gain, but still.

Barcode’s return commemoration for attempting to become the solo rank king was a festival for viewers seeking pure entertainment.

As the festival kicked off, the toxic fandom spread this news to other streamers’ broadcasts.

From streamers who were directly or indirectly related to Barcode to those who had nothing to do with her at all.

Jericho, who is considered the top amateur jungler, had risen to the top 20 ranks while Barcode was on break.

This made him the most attractive target for the toxic fandom’s mindless harassment.

“Didn’t Barcode say she’d hit rank one in solo queue? I wonder…”

Reading the parrot-like chat from the toxic fandom, Jericho fell into thought.

Could Barcode really achieve rank one in solo queue? After a brief contemplation, he slowly spoke up.

“I don’t really know. Maybe? If Barcode goes all out, that is.”

As soon as Jericho spoke, question marks flooded the chatroom.

Jericho quickly realized that his statement might be misunderstood, so he hurriedly added.

“Barcode, you know what? She plays not to climb the ranks but purely for enjoyment. So if she really tries, she might be able to do it. But that’s just my personal opinion; it doesn’t mean I’m right.”

As Jericho said, Barcode was playing not to rank up, but purely for the joy of it.

This was evident from her past broadcasts, and most viewers agreed with Jericho.

If she really set her mind to it, there was no reason someone who had entered Challenger for the first time couldn’t achieve rank one.

As such, an unexpected survey trend began among streamers related to Leori in the heavenly realm.

The survey content was, of course, about whether Barcode would succeed in becoming the solo rank king.

Streamers from team ‘Curry Breaker,’ which Barcode once played with, and even the Wandering Swordsman, who had achieved the milestone of reaching Challenger, were surveyed.

“Is there any way Barcode can’t do what I did?”

When asked by the viewers, the Wandering Swordsman replied with a hint of self-mockery.

His unreserved high praise, following Barcode’s footsteps and sitting at the Challenger 1000-point mark while being solo rank one for a week, was enough to captivate even those who still doubted Barcode, leading to immense anticipation.

As various streamers continued their surveys, one person waited with bated breath for Barcode’s reign.

“Is she really going to get rank one?”

That person was none other than Curry, who mistakenly made a ridiculous bet with Barcode after teasing her about donations yesterday.

Since yesterday, Curry had been waiting for Barcode’s broadcast, as restless as a death row inmate.

The manager, who had been watching this unfold, whispered in Curry’s ear.

“Uh, it doesn’t look good. Let’s just practice Zero Two in advance.”

“Damn it.”

Curry subconsciously swore at the manager’s words declaring despair and shot him a look with a face full of disgust before feeling the vibration from a phone in their pocket.

Pulling out the phone, Curry saw an alert that Barcode had started broadcasting, prompting a hurried entrance to her stream while listening to the opening song and reminding themselves of the rules for her reign.

Barcode’s solo rank king attempt.

If Barcode declares giving up, it’s a failure.

The time limit is one month (30 days).

Sleep and meals are allowed, but ending the stream is prohibited.

For an average person, the chances of giving up would be high.

But the one attempting this challenge was none other than Barcode.

The one who was utterly ‘serious’ about tormenting Curry.

That was Barcode, and that’s why Curry was anxious.

Because in the near future, they might be forced to dance like Zero Two.

“No way, I mean, salt one rank isn’t like a dog’s name or something…”

“Wandering Swordsman, who’s said to be a downgrade from Barcode, also hit rank one, didn’t he?”

“That was still the beginning of the season, but now there are pros in the higher ranks and…”

“Boss, let’s just admit it. Giving up means relief.”

Ignoring the manager’s words, Curry focused intently on Barcode’s stream.

As the song ended and the screen transitioned, Barcode’s cam popped up, wearing a thick smile, which left Curry with an inexplicable sense of dread.

– Shall we begin the ascent to rank 1?

*

Barcode’s solo rank king attempt had begun.

Before the start, Barcode’s account score was Challenger 500P.

The current rank one score was nearing 1500P.

She needed to climb over a thousand points to reach number one.

Assuming a victory earns 15-20 points, she would need to achieve more than 60 consecutive wins without losing even a single game to reclaim such a number.

It was a challenge close to impossible, but most believed that Barcode could pull it off.

“I won the first game easily.”

Barcode, who achieved a staggering 21/1/7 K/D/A against users in the Grandmaster and Challenger tiers, casually moved on to the next match without a care.

As the second game matched, Barcode checked the nicknames of her teammates and let out a breath of disbelief.

[BarcodeZeroTwoLet’sGo]

The name of the allied jungler was strikingly present.

It was clear that they had purposefully targeted her to hinder her attempt at the king title, and the viewers flooded the chat with enthusiastic responses.

[Hahaha, this is so funny!]

[Challenger counter-pick, LOL!]

[It means they really want to see Zero Two~]

[Honestly, I do want to see it, yep!]

[Anyone would struggle to resist this, haha!]

[I won’t forget BarcodeZerotwo!]

Seeing the viewers’ hot reactions while alternating glances at the pick screen, Barcode let out a breath that mixed laughter and sighs before quietly stating.

“Are you listening? Please don’t intentionally troll.”

[BarcodeZeroTwoLet’sGo: Yup! I’ll do my best!]

Despite Barcode’s warning, the reply from BaZed was swift, but the main target of the trolling couldn’t shake off the lingering unease.

Would this Challenger sniper really follow along when they were watching their stream?

It felt akin to leaving a fish with a cat.

However, dodging this felt wasteful with the ticking clock.

Having successfully picked Yone, Barcode intently observed what pick BaZed would choose.

Of course, beside the screen was BaZed’s stats window.

If he didn’t pick his most popular champion…

– Shall I show you a magic trick?

[Korean’s champion Sako, LOL!]

[Did a traditional champion come up?]

[BaZed’s Sako stats? ‘No Record.’]

[LOL!]

[This is pure evil!]

[??? : I’ll destroy Barcode, who tormented Curry.]

[What goes around comes around.]

…and indeed, BaZed picked an unconventional champion.

I couldn’t say anything about it.

If I went off on BaZed now, it would only be a sermon to my past self.

Little did I know that my ill-fated connection with BaZed was only just beginning.

*

BarcodeZeroTwoLet’sGo.

BaZed was relentlessly counter-picking Barcode who was trying to climb to rank one.

Like the days when Nayun Queen ceaselessly harassed Curry.

Haunting Barcode like a ghost, BaZed’s intrusion was complicating her ascent.

Her win rate remained decent at over 80%, but as time passed, the pace at which points increased began to slow.

The reason was BaZed.

While trolling their allies, he would fiercely dominate if they faced off as opponents, expertly using top-tier champions.

Three days had passed since Barcode began her reign, and Barcode’s score rose to 800P.

While that constituted gaining 100P each day, from Barcode’s perspective, who was dying to see Curry’s Zero Two, this wasn’t a satisfying outcome.

If it continued this way, she wouldn’t hit rank one even after more than a week.

How could she navigate through BaZed’s sabotage and reach the top swiftly?

As I pondered while matchmaking, the game had already begun.

Now, my instincts were drawn to the enemy jungler.

As expected, the enemy jungler’s nickname was ‘BarcodeZeroTwoLet’sGo.’

In a situation where it felt too familiar to even sigh, I entered the stats site to check the opponent Yasuo’s stats and rubbed my eyes in disbelief.

Was this a mistake?

Rubbing my eyes and reopening them, I verified the stats yet again.

[Victim of counter-pick, Wandering Swordsman appears! LOL!]

[A gentleman’s revenge never comes too late!]

[Eye for an eye! Counter-pick for counter-pick!]

[Wandering Swordsman, stream on!!!]

[But isn’t it better for Barcode against Wandering Swordsman?]

[Seriously, LOL!]

[So that’s why it’s hard to see if this ‘starfish’ can win or not.]

[‘Human compatibility.’]

The enemy Yasuo was none other than the Wandering Swordsman.

“Ha…”

While I had indeed counter-picked the Wandering Swordsman before, it was always under mutual agreement, and typically, he had counter-picked me more often in the past.

…Of course, it was me who had instigated him whenever I was bored.

[Global] Wandering Swordsman (Yasuo): haha

[Ah, poor Wandering Swordsman…]

[-Flawed-]

[What era are you stuck at now?]

[Seriously, Wandering Swordsman is so cute, LOL!]

[Isn’t that a bit of a character?]

[Info: Wandering Swordsman is 26 years old.]

[So what! My ego is in my thirties!]

Feeling a creeping sense of anxiety that I might really have to dance like Zero Two hung over me.

I firmly resolved that I wouldn’t succumb to such an embarrassing dance, regardless of the outcome, and concentrated solely on the game.

Barcode’s Yone against the Wandering Swordsman’s Yasuo.

In terms of champions, the matchup favored Yasuo.

Yasuo could block Yone’s airbone Q with his Wind Wall, allowing for a much more active playstyle using minions to maneuver.

However, even with all of that, Barcode had always beaten Wandering Swordsman’s Yasuo.

Yet, while Barcode was occupied with her activities, Wandering Swordsman solely focused on Yasuo.

If previously, his Yasuo had seemed like a blade honed to its absolute limit, now it felt like a skilled swordsman wielding that blade effortlessly.

The analogy sounds odd, but in simple terms, the Wandering Swordsman’s Yasuo was no longer a foe to be underestimated.

‘But it’s still doable.’

The Wandering Swordsman’s growth.

The difference in matchup between Yasuo and Yone.

With everything considered, my pure League of Legends skills were a cut above.

In reality, I was leading the lane, with Yasuo allowing me to pull slightly ahead.

However, there was one factor I overlooked.

An unexpected ‘variable’ came into play.

[First Blood]

I stared blankly at the gray screen.

[Where did Eles come from?]

[Wow! LOL, what a legendary flash!]

[He popped up as if waiting for that airborne combo!]

[Is this the demeanor of the former rank one…?]

[Are you awake? Are you awake? Were you awake at all?]

[They are the monsters you’ve raised. Endure with wickedness and guts.]

[LOL! Looks like Zombie Zero Two is on the way!]

At an unexpected moment, an unexpected gank from Eles occurred.

I thought I had prevented any angles for that to happen.

BaZed’s Eles perfectly seized on that split-second vulnerability.

The result was Yone’s cold death.

“Interesting.”

Experiencing an uncompromising death for the first time in a while, I rediscovered the feeling of relentless ‘competitive spirit’ that is different from mere fun.

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