Chapter 4 – The Black Crow’s Awakening

Karasu’s stream grew more prominent with each passing day. His channel name, “Black Crow,” was now being whispered about in the dungeon streaming community, and his follower count was steadily climbing. He didn’t have Rouga’s flashiness. His voice was low and his expression was flat. But his streams had a unique charm that captivated viewers and wouldn’t let them go.

“Alright, regarding the monster placement on this floor, based on the intel from my last stream, I predict a swarm of ‘Ghouls’ is concentrated right here.” 

Karasu spoke calmly to his viewers. On his screen, a meticulously detailed dungeon map was displayed. He never charged in recklessly. Every single action had a purpose, a rationale. He conquered the dungeon as if he were solving an intricate puzzle.

‘Whoa, he’s totally right!’ 

‘Is this guy analyzing the dungeon itself or something?’ 

‘King Wolf is all about brute force, but Black Crow fights with his wits!’ 

Every time one of his predictions came true, the comment section exploded with shock and excitement. Just as Sui had said, his “thinking” style of play stimulated the curiosity of many viewers. They could experience his thought process firsthand, as if they themselves were challenging the dungeon. That was the true appeal of Karasu’s stream.

Sui watched Karasu’s growth from behind a monitor, nodding in satisfaction.

“Interesting, Karasu Kurosu. It seems you have more talent than I thought.” 

Sui had been providing Karasu with a wide variety of “secret techniques”—information on hidden passages within the dungeon that Karasu didn’t know about, items for luring out specific monsters, and more. It was all priceless intel that no ordinary streamer could ever hope to obtain. Karasu integrated this information into his strategies perfectly, clearing the dungeon in ways that astonished everyone.

One day, Karasu was responding to a comment from a viewer.

“The path leading to the boss room up ahead… there’s a high probability of a trap here. On one of King Wolf’s past streams, there was a moment where he acted unnaturally. He must have been caught in some kind of trap back then.” 

A stir went through the comment section at Karasu’s words. He was analyzing Rouga’s past streams and even pointing out the cause of his failures. That must have been a painful truth for Rouga to hear.

Meanwhile, Rouga’s irritation with Karasu’s rise to prominence was mounting. Every time he received a report that Karasu’s follower count was closing in on his own, a look of impatience flickered across Rouga’s face.

“Black Crow? Some punk with a stupid name thinks he can get in my way?” 

Rouga peeked at Karasu’s stream on his smartphone. There was Karasu, conquering the dungeon with calm composure. He wasn’t flashy, but he was definitely capturing the hearts of his viewers. It was a stark contrast to Rouga’s own brute-force playstyle.

“Tch, how stupid.” 

Rouga clicked his tongue, but inwardly, he was panicking. The absolute brand he had built as “King Wolf” was being threatened by a newcomer.

And Suzuran, too, couldn’t hide her bewilderment at Karasu’s transformation.

“Hey, Rouga-kun. That Black Crow… could he be…?” 

Next to Rouga, Suzuran had been secretly peeking at Karasu’s stream. On the screen was Karasu, filled with a newfound confidence that made him almost unrecognizable. His calm voice and precise instructions… he was like a completely different person from the plain, unreliable Karasu she once knew.

Looking displeased, Rouga snatched the smartphone from Suzuran’s hand.

“No need to worry about a scrub like that. He’s not even in my league.” 

Rouga said as much, but his words were tinged with a hint of desperation. Suzuran noticed that, contrary to his bravado, his gaze kept flicking back to Karasu’s stream.

Memories of her time with the old Karasu began to surface in Suzuran’s mind. His profile as he lost himself in a game strategy. His gentle smile. Those peaceful days now felt like a distant dream. Life with Rouga was certainly exciting and glamorous. But an unfulfilled emptiness had begun to eat away at Suzuran’s heart.

Karasu was steadily growing stronger, pushing deeper and deeper into the dungeon. His objective wasn’t merely to conquer it. It was to show Rouga and Suzuran how much he had grown, and then, to flip their “special” world on its head.

“Next up is that floor.” 

Karasu stared at the dungeon’s deep zone displayed on his screen, which radiated a sinister aura. It was an uncharted territory where not even Rouga had yet set foot.

The signal fire of revenge was now blazing.