Chapter 266: Proof of Strength
Thanks to that, the viewer count began climbing like mad from the very start of the broadcast, ultimately shattering DH Empire channel's previous all-ti record with ease.
It was a genuinely encouraging result, especially considering that the main content hadn't even properly begun—they were still just talking.
In response, the invisible staff mbers who had made themselves transparent so as not to appear on cara were grinning from ear to ear, and soone who had already left the room rekindled their absolute determination to sign him no matter what.
"···So then, shall we slowly get into the actual content, hyungs?"
"Sure."
"Let's go."
—Let's gooooo
—Gajua
—Ah, just talk a little longer
—Can't you just switch to a talk show?
Unlike Baek Woohyun and Kim Hyeonjun, who nodded along readily to Lee Yeonwoo's suggestion, the viewers were split down the middle—those who wanted to keep talking, and those who wanted to start.
Because so many rare tips had been flying out of the three's conversation, that many more people had grown even more curious about that side of things.
You could say they had chosen guaranteed entertainnt over so unknown content. Or perhaps it was the price of having baited the audience with a teaser for a teaser.
"Now, now, everyone. Let's settle down. How about we hear the content details first? It's not too late to decide which is better after you've heard it."
—Sure, let's hear it first
—What can you even do with Hackphysical as a guest
—Running PVP with all three would be too much of a stomp, so probably not that
—The viewer penalty match was done not long ago anyway
Lee Yeonwoo deftly handled what could have easily escalated into a fight among the viewers. A true showing worthy of DH Empire's top broadcaster by airti.
Even Baek Woohyun and Kim Hyeonjun couldn't help but nod at the skill of stepping in before things ignited, calming everyone down, and then building up anticipation for the content.
Still, this was only ergency treatnt. Depending on what the content actually was, the viewers could just as easily split in two and start fighting again.
In the end, the content ahead would need to satisfy all viewers—or at least be compelling enough to win over the other side.
'That'll be enough.'
Lee Yeonwoo judged that the pre-prepared content would be more than sufficient to have viewers enjoying it instead of splitting and fighting. In a sense, the content prepared for this occasion was a continuation from the flood-of-tips talk show that had just wrapped up.
"The na of the content we'll be doing today is 'Proof of Strength.'"
—Proof of Strength?
—Instant certification run
—What
—Just from the title alone you can sll how fun it'll be
—Just from the title alone you can sll how fun it'll be
"Just as you've already guessed from the word 'proof'—"
DH Empire's ambitiously produced original content, 'Proof of Strength,' led by Battler Kim Hyeonjun and Nikki Lee Yeonwoo.
DH Empire had put in considerable effort across the board to make it happen. Just look at the fact that they were using two World Class players as hosts.
On top of that, they had brought in Hackphysical Baek Woohyun as the very first guest, and had even pulled out a program used exclusively within the team for the content.
In any case, 'Proof of Strength'—crafted with such care—was planned to proceed in one of two ways depending on the guest's skill level.
If the guest was strong, it would beco a record competition through the asurent program; if weak, feedback from the host players would be added to showcase the guest's growth.
Naturally, with today's guest being Baek Woohyun, the forr—a record competition—was what was planned. Or it might even go beyond that, with the guest and host roles fully reversed.
"—so that's the idea. What do you think? Those of you who said there were so many tips in our conversation that we should just do a talk show—do you still want a talk show?"
—Nononononono
—Instant turnaround
—Now this is content ㅋㅋ
—World Class players and true-master Hackphysical's feedback? There's absolutely no way I'm passing that up
To Lee Yeonwoo's casually posed question, the viewers responded with a flood of chats. It was the clearest possible proof that the opinion split had recombined into one.
After all, the physical asurent using a program exclusive to a pro team was intriguing in itself, and on top of that, the subsequent feedback had a high chance of producing far better advice than simple conversation—so the reaction made sense.
Just what would feedback between World Class pro players and the one currently considered the world's strongest even feel like? Quite a few viewers were already squirming in anticipation.
'Oh ho.'
Baek Woohyun nodded at Lee Yeonwoo's polished hosting. He understood the confidence—no need to worry about the hosting side at all, even as a guest.
In that case, he could focus on his reason for being here: charming the World Class players and laying the groundwork for enlisting their cooperation when needed.
Whether it was a raid party or anything else—if Kim Hyeonjun and Lee Yeonwoo were by his side, a great deal of the pressure placed on him would be lifted.
'I'm not sure about Kim Hyeonjun, but Lee Yeonwoo seems like the type who'd volunteer on his own if you phrase it right.'
"Alright! Now that everyone understands, let's get started for real!"
—Oh
—Let's go
—First ti seeing a pro team's program
—ㄹㅇㅋㅋ Sa, first ti for too
DH Empire's internal asurent program offered a truly wide variety of asurent modes—from finely segnted tests that primarily asured just one ability at a ti, to combined tests that asured multiple abilities at once.
For this 'Proof of Strength' content, the plan was to proceed using the three-category combined asurent thod: dynamic visual acuity, reaction speed, and situational response. This also happened to be a asurent format that was reasonably entertaining to observe from the outside.
In the order determination that followed, Baek Woohyun was naturally pushed to the back. It was only natural—there was no way they could put him first when he didn't even know what the format was yet. Though his reaction suggested he couldn't care less.
Of the two—Kim Hyeonjun and Lee Yeonwoo—exchanging glances over who should go first, the one who stepped forward was Lee Yeonwoo. There was no other choice. After all, in a demonstration by a seasoned instructor, the seasoned instructor is always the youngest.
"Let show you what the asurent format is like first! Oh, of course, this isn't a serious attempt—it's a light warm-up, okay? Don't get the wrong idea."
—Already setting up an excuse?
—Such a weakling, Nikki ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
—You have to yell 'Challenge!' for it to count as a real challenge
—Nihada chukhiya!
"Alright, here I go!"
Turning away from the chat as if he hadn't seen it, Lee Yeonwoo finished setting the level and shouted. The countdown began. Numbers appeared in a size impossible to ignore, rapidly ticking down.
3, 2, 1—Start! Along with the start signal, a gray disc appeared near Lee Yeonwoo's left side, and a hand shot out to touch it—beep!—turning it blue and vanishing at once.
Naturally, that wasn't the end of it. Gray discs began sprouting up one after another. They appeared in all manner of directions and heights, enough to make your head spin just watching.
"Hff!"
Beep beep beep beep!
—What the—
—He's not missing a single one ㄷㄷ
—Do pro players have eyes in the back of their heads?
—World Class players apparently do
But for Lee Yeonwoo—regarded as World Class—this speed posed no real obstacle. He displayed the skill to knock out every last disc without missing one.
Even the discs appearing above his head, below his feet, and even behind his back were dispatched without difficulty, rendering even his earlier excuse utterly aningless. Naturally, the viewers couldn't help but be impressed.
No matter how casually he carried himself, he was one of the two pillars of DH Empire—Korea's prestigious Division 1 League team.
"—!"
Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep!
—The speed just keeps getting faster ㄷㄷ
—He's not human
—FYI: even this monster loses to Hackphysical
—Just how much more amazing are Hackphysical and Battler
Back when Kim Hyeonjun had established himself as DH Empire's ace and a fair amount of ti had passed, DH Empire's front office had been desperately searching for soone who could beco his successor.
No matter how dominant a player, the decline in form that cos with ti cannot be stopped. It was necessary to find soone early who could carry on the ace lineage and keep the dynasty solid.
Fortunately, DH Empire was backed by a well-known major corporation as its parent company, and the investnt capital was enormous—so it wasn't difficult to seek out successors by scratching the prospect lottery and scouting all manner of players.
But as is true of most sports, no amount of money can simply manufacture a team's ace-caliber player out of thin air. Even more so when youth was a prerequisite.
On top of that, this wasn't even an ordinary ace—this was finding a successor to a monster who, from debut, had claid Rookie of the Year and League MVP, stayed with one team throughout, and turned that team into an invincible empire. There was no way that would co easy.
DH Empire's desperate struggle to find an heir to the emperor seed, regrettably, to be going nowhere.
'Passionate Imperial Citizen' donated '10,000 won'!
[As expected, our Crown Prince!]
—Emperor and Crown Prince are seriously reassuring ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
—The ones who called it an excuse—co out and bow down
—That reaction speed is unreal
—ㅋㅋ This is exactly why I cheer for Nikki ㅋㅋ
Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep!
"Slow! Slow! Slow!"
That was right around when Nikki Lee Yeonwoo appeared.
The year after DH Empire had experienced a heartbreaking defeat in the World Championship finals—the year Kim Hyeonjun shed tears in his pro career for the first ti—he appeared before the team.
Declaring with bold confidence that he would beco the second Kim Hyeonjun—the Crown Prince of DH Empire—he joined DH Academy, promptly dismantled it, trampled the second-string team, and rocketed up to the first string at incredible speed.
Back then, he was the very embodint of the word genius. Even if that radiance had sowhat faded now before the monster known as Baek Woohyun.
In any case, a prospect who declared on his own that he would beco the successor to Battler Kim Hyeonjun—the heir to DH Empire's imperial line—instantly captured the hearts of both the front office and the fans.
He was given absolute protection even after stirring up controversy multiple tis with relentless trash talk and his eccentric behavior. Whatever else could be said, his devotion to the team was ironclad.
······The only flaw was that the empire's emperor, Kim Hyeonjun—whom everyone had expected would soon experience age-related decline—was still performing just fine, leaving him stuck as Crown Prince rather than Emperor for years running.
'Well, they say that doesn't matter much since he's still so young.'
"Hmm."
Having recalled the information Jeong Nayeon had briefed him ahead of filming the 'Proof of Strength' content, Baek Woohyun's eyes lit up as he watched Lee Yeonwoo take on the asurent.
If those who had trained under him 'on that side' had seen that look in his eyes, they would have imdiately scread at whoever was being targeted to run—fast.
Or else advised them to sohow just hold on. Bear through the Demon Instructor's tornt with eyes shut tight, because enduring it guaranteed they would co out stronger.
[LV.50 = PERFECT CLEAR]
"Phew, how was that?!"
—Insane ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
—Looked like he had six arms and four legs toward the end
—I found the octopus I was looking for
—Ten limbs combined makes a squid—our Prince is no squid!
'DH Imperial Family Forever' donated '10,000 won'!
[Lee Yeonwoo! Lee Yeonwoo! Lee Yeonwoo! Lee Yeonwoo! Lee Yeonwoo!]
Lee Yeonwoo, having cleared the level he'd set with a perfect score, broke into a grin—and the viewers showered him in absurd comnts and all manner of praise.
As befitting original content produced on DH Empire's channel, the vast majority of viewers were DH Empire fans, which ant they were all people Lee Yeonwoo had already won over.
Naturally, a spectacular performance could only earn him an enormous flood of praise in return.
"Then I'll go next."
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