Returnee's S-Rank Management Guide

Game Broadcast (2)

"You, you're going on a game broadcast?"

"Yes, I've already finished the meeting."

Sung-hwan, the President of Unique, had a dumbfounded look in response to my brief report.

Of course he would; after all, I had chosen a game broadcast, not just any show, as my first appearance since returning.

'Was his name PD Oh Jung-jin?'

I let out a quiet chuckle, recalling the meeting from a few hours ago.

'If you're going to look down on someone, you might at least try to hide it.'

He seemed like a PD with a decent amount of experience.

He didn't put on airs like a major broadcaster, but he couldn't hide the fact that he looked down on managers.

Well, I guess that's a normal reaction.

The only weapon Ah-yeon had now was at best being a former Great Mage.

They were probably laughing plenty at the fact that she'd chosen a cable show—especially a game broadcast—as her comeback.

"Are you crazy?! It's Great Mage Shin Ah-yeon's return after three years! And you're telling me her first broadcast will be a game show?"

"Yes, considering Ah-yeon's personality, I thought that would be the optimal choice."

"Cancel it immediately! Didn't you say she can still use magic? Then of course she should go on a show that proves a Hunter's ability, so why a game show even regular people can appear on?"

"President."

As Sung-hwan rattled off words like a machine gun, I gave a soft smile.

At my smile, Sung-hwan flinched and shrank back a little.

"Hah, if I'd known this would happen, I wouldn't have jumped at the chance. What kind of crazy stunt are you planning?"

"You'll see. You do know I was once the manager for Grand Nova, right?"

My business card stating I had once managed Grand Nova still carried some weight.

As expected, I could feel Sung-hwan's spirit deflate a bit.

"I know, that's why I've tried to recruit you for ages..."

He still looked unconvinced, but he wouldn't think I was doing this without a plan. After looking at me in silence for a while, he finally heaved a sigh.

"Hey, did you hear that Lee Sung-yun is leaving our company?"

"No."

"He's apparently really pissed about the fight with Ah-yeon-ssi the other day."

"Well, that figures."

Getting beaten like a dog in front of his peers—of course he'd feel embarrassed.

"So he came to me directly and made threats."

"What?"

"He said if we don't terminate the contract with Ah-yeon-ssi, he'll go work somewhere else."

"Does he even know the person who hit him is Great Mage Shin Ah-yeon?"

"Of course not. I didn't even tell him our names."

That was true.

He was passed out during the conversation with Director Song, and the other team members weren't in any condition to listen in on our conversation.

"But from the way you're talking, you didn't give in to his demand?"

"You think I'm an idiot? No matter how desperate I am, I wouldn't agree to something that ridiculous."

Sung-hwan leaned back in his chair and shook his head.

For a moment, even regret flickered across his face, twisted as it was by annoyance.

"But that means there'll be a gap in revenue."

"I know, man. Honestly, we're screwed."

If it had been before, Sung-hwan might have put up with all this.

But now, he had sided with us.

In other words, he meant to put everything on the line for me and Ah-yeon and see what happens.

"It's actually for the best."

"What? For the best? Are you rubbing salt in the wound?"

"Wasn't he someone we needed to cut off anyway?"

"... That's not wrong."

They'd been keeping him around for revenue, but leaving him be would only hurt Unique's growth.

It was better to cut him loose now.

"But what now? We won't even be able to enter C-rank dungeons anymore."

To enter a C-rank dungeon, you need at least a B-rank Hunter as leader, but with Lee Sung-yun and his group gone, that would be a problem.

If we wanted to earn revenue from D-rank or lower dungeons, we'd have to rely on numbers, but Unique couldn't even do that now.

"Our finances aren't at immediate risk, as far as I know."

"Not right now. But at most, we've got half a year."

"That's more than enough time."

"For what?"

"To train a B-rank Hunter."

I replied as if it were no big deal, and Sung-hwan stared at me in disbelief.

It seemed he thought I was joking. But of course, I was dead serious.

'Half a year is plenty of time.'

If the lack of B-rank Hunters was the problem, then we'd just start training some now.

With half a year, there was even enough time to train not just B-rank, but A-rank Hunters, too.

***

Pro gamer Yun Doha felt a headache coming on the moment he arrived at the filming set.

'It wasn't so bad until I got the call from 'To the King Once You Log In'.'

Doha was a mid-laner for the pro team Tales, which played League of Nova.

His nickname was 'SwordRiver'.

In Tales, a team that maintained a mid-tier rank, Doha's role was to hold the center steady as the mid laner.

His skills were enough to compete with top-tier mid laners, but his popularity wasn't great.

That's why he readily accepted the offer to appear on 'To the King Once You Log In'.

He thought that even appearing on a show like this could help increase his lackluster popularity.

'But of all people... I never thought I'd be paired with a washed-up Hunter.'

Great Mage Shin Ah-yeon.

That's what she used to be called, and she'd once been among the Hunters Doha admired.

But that was three years ago, and now, to Doha, she was just a 'has-been'.

No, in fact, as a co-guest, she was even less than that.

"What am I, dreaming of popularity at this point—seriously."

It's actually pretty common for washed-up Hunters to appear on cable broadcasts.

There were Hunters who had appeared on game shows like this before, but most failed to make any impact and the shows bombed.

'What if she tries to sabotage things?'

Judging by what his senior colleagues had said about shows with Hunters, not a single one had a good word to say.

Especially those called 'awakened' often had a superiority complex toward ordinary people.

Other guests were often made uncomfortable by them, and the retired ones were even more sensitive and prickly.

Even low-ranked Hunters behaved like that—so what would Shin Ah-yeon be like?

"Are you really SwordRiver? Wow, I can't believe I'm seeing you in person."

While lost in such thoughts, a woman with sparkling eyes appeared before Doha.

Unkempt hair, petite. Her looks weren't immediately apparent thanks to her hair, but once noticed, her beauty was stunning.

"Uh, um... may I ask who you are...?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm Shin Ah-yeon. We're filming together today, right?"

Shin Ah-yeon.

As soon as he heard the name, Doha felt as if he'd been struck on the back of the head.

Now that he looked more closely, the face did look familiar.

She looked just like Shin Ah-yeon as she'd appeared on TV three years ago.

'What is this?'

Doha assumed Shin Ah-yeon was appearing on cable out of necessity—maybe as a specific concept, or because she couldn't get on a major network.

He'd expected bitterness or even to be ignored, but Shin Ah-yeon's attitude was nothing like he imagined.

'Why does she look so happy?'

With her eyes shining, she looked just like a fan.

Was S-rank Hunter Shin Ah-yeon, once called the Great Mage, really a fan of a mere pro gamer?

Even his own teammates would never believe it.

"Are you really the Hunter Shin Ah-yeon?"

"Of course! Wow, this is my first time meeting a pro gamer—can I get your autograph?"

"What?"

Autograph? Did she just ask him to sign something?

As a pro gamer who wasn't even that popular, even hearing that from a regular person would have been startling.

But an ex-S-rank Hunter asking for his autograph?

'Shouldn't I be the one asking for hers?'

No matter how she'd been away for three years, the title of S-rank Hunter didn't just vanish.

If he got Shin Ah-yeon's autograph, even his teammates would be jealous.

"Uh—I mean, I can do that, but..."

Just as he timidly began to speak, there was a brisk clapping sound.

When he turned his gaze, PD Oh Jung-jin was busily directing the staff.

"We'll begin filming in 10 minutes. Please get inside the booth to prepare!"

No sooner had he finished talking to Jung-woo than PD Oh called out loudly.

He shot a brief glance at Jung-woo, but just gave him a nod and didn't properly greet him.

He acted as if Jung-woo was no longer of any consequence.

PD Oh walked slowly over to the booth and gestured lightly for the two of them to come.

"You both know today's concept, right?"

Today's "To the King Once You Log In" was about winning five games in a row duoing with a pro gamer.

It sounded easy, but it would take place in challenger-tier ranked games, so it was anything but.

It was 'five wins in a row', but if they lost even once, they'd have to start all over.

"Um, but isn't this too difficult? I could bring a sub-account and lower the tier..."

It seemed Doha also thought going on a win streak in challenger with a handicap was difficult, so he tentatively suggested it.

Naturally, PD Oh shook his head and dismissed the suggestion.

"No way, that wouldn't be any fun. If it was a lower-tier game, SwordRiver could easily carry alone, and nobody would be interested."

"Well, that's true..."

Doha glanced sidelong at Ah-yeon, who stood silently.

Her quiet posture made it hard to tell whether she actually understood the current situation.

'Still, from earlier, she seems at least interested in League of Nova.'

Shin Ah-yeon's manager should have been handling this situation, but he just stood by with his arms crossed watching.

In the end, Doha had no choice but to log in with his main account as PD Oh insisted.

The booth was decorated with League of Nova characters, and two PCs were set in the center.

'Will I even get to go home today?'

Seeing a bed also in the booth, it seemed they were expecting a long filming session.

With his mind going blank, Doha turned to Ah-yeon.

"So, we'll be starting soon—Ah-yeon-ssi, what's your main position... huh?"

"Yes, what's up?"

Ah-yeon, her eyes fixed on the computer, replied as she held her own keyboard and mouse.

Those were obviously not the ones originally connected to the computer.

"Uh, that keyboard and mouse—?"

"Oh, I brought them from home! I can't play well with random gear."

Even at a glance, they were top-shelf equipment.

Pro gamers often bring their own keyboards and mice to matches.

Doha usually did as well, but since this wasn't an actual game and didn't require seriousness, he just left his at home.

'What is this? Is she actually taking this seriously?'

The way she adjusted the mouse sensitivity wasn't the first time she'd done it.

PD Oh, too, looked at Ah-yeon with a strange expression.

Then, standing beside Jung-woo, he spoke.

"Wow, Unique is really going all out. Even prepared a custom keyboard and mouse for Hunter Shin Ah-yeon."

"No, those are all Hunter Shin Ah-yeon's personal keyboards."

"Pardon? Ah, yes... I guess Hunter Shin Ah-yeon must really like games, then."

He seemed a little confused, but decided it was possible.

'Just because the equipment is good doesn't mean you're good at games.'

He figured she must have bought expensive gear just to try a little harder for the broadcast.

"All right, let's begin filming."

"First, please log in and form a party. PD Kim, link up the screen over here."

"Yes, sir!"

As soon as the preparations seemed mostly finished, the staff began bustling about.

Doha and Ah-yeon logged in to their accounts and created a party, ready to start the game.

"Wha?!"

Suddenly noticing something, Doha let out an involuntary gasp.

"SwordRiver, what's wrong? Is something not working?"

"N-no, it's just..."

At PD Oh's question, Doha stammered, glancing rapidly between his own screen and Ah-yeon.

"Uh, PD-nim—is this a prank show or something?"

"What?"

"No, I mean... if it's like this, the broadcast is going to end way too early."

What was he suddenly talking about?

Worried there was a problem, PD Oh checked the shared screen and his jaw dropped.

"What... Manager Park!"

"Yes."

"Is that really Hunter Shin Ah-yeon's account?"

"Of course."

Jung-woo responded nonchalantly.

PD Oh stared at him in disbelief.

"Don't mess with me. You expect me to believe this? That account is Challenger rank!"

As he snapped, other staff gathered round.

All they could do was widen their eyes.

As PD Oh said, right next to Shin Ah-yeon's ID, the 'Challenger' badge was gleaming.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
As expected of a mid-tier cable network, they don't even do a proper research.
No wonder people are getting less interested.
Tsk, tsk.
【( ⩌_⩌)】