I Was the Supporter of a Popular Dungeon Streamer, but the Power Harassment Was Too Much, so I Quit. I’m Useless Anyway, so It Shouldn’t Be a Problem, Right? Huh? The Views Are Dropping Like Crazy? - 8

Chapter 8: The Strength of an S-Rank Supporter

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I knew about him just two months ago when I happened to glance at a female Supporter’s smartphone. On the screen, a video featuring him was playing. Watching his movements, I was stunned. Every action he took perfectly embodied my ideal image of a supporter. From that moment, I began watching all his videos.

His situational awareness was precise, his risk management was impeccable. He used four-character spells—equivalent to advanced magic in RPGs—like it was second nature to him and his body enhancement techniques were honed to a remarkable degree.

I couldn’t help but think… If he had an OOPArt, a power that allowed him to fight alone… It would be like giving a demon a steel club. With that potential, he could very well reach S-Rank Seeker status easily.

This mock battle was, in a way, the final test. A last trial to determine if he truly possessed the strength worthy of wielding that.

“…Now then, come at me.”

I eagerly awaited his strategy.

SWISH!!

Without any warning, a tornado formed between us. This was the two-character spell 【Whirlwind】! So he could use two-character spells without incantation?! In his videos, he always spoke the spell names aloud, but that must have been just a trick to make it easier for viewers to understand.

Wait, hold on… I only know about three people who can use magic without incantation. Is this kid for real?

“This is amazing…!”

He used the tornado to lift desert sand into the air, covering the entire area in a thick sandstorm.

“Blinding my vision, huh? So, what will you do next?”

It was a rather conventional move. I could disperse the sandstorm with magic, but if he took advantage of the moment I cleared it, I’d be in trouble.

“-!!”

His presence had completely vanished. Did he use 【Presence Concealment】? I quickly moved sideways. The sandstorm covered an area of roughly fifty meters. That meant even though he had been ten meters away, his own visibility was now at zero as well. He shouldn’t be able to track my movements, but…

Damn it.

I noticed my mistake when I saw my own footprints glowing green.

“【Insight】, huh…!”

Even within the sandstorm, the glow stood out clearly.

“【Soaring Swallow Explosion】!”

A wave of heat brushed against my skin from the front. Blinding me with the sandstorm → Using 【Insight】 to pinpoint my location → Launching a four-character spell for an ambush. It was a flawless setup. A massive crimson bird rushed toward me, closing the distance to just two meters. It was large enough to engulf a person.

The only four-character spell I could use was 【Luminous Path Shield】. But if I cast 【Luminous Path Shield】 without proper preparation, it wouldn’t be able to stop 【Soaring Swallow Explosion】. He had made one mistake. His choice of finishing move, an attack that radiated intense heat and a deafening explosion. Thanks to that, I was able to sense the magic’s direction and approach just in time, giving me a chance to dodge.

If I simply ran, my footprints would be tracked again. In that case, I just had to take one large leap and get out of range. I kicked off the sandy ground with full force, jumping high into the air.

—Thunk!!!

“Huh…?”

My leap was abruptly stopped by a ceiling of light just above me.

【Luminous Path Shield】. He had used a defensive spell to create a ceiling and block my jump?!

“The glowing footprints were just a lure to make me jump…!!”

【Luminous Path Shield】 was a spell that created walls directly in front of the caster. But to deploy it at a long range like this… How impressive.

He had chosen 【Soaring Swallow Explosion】 as his finisher to mask the sound of his 【Luminous Path Shield】 incantation with its explosion. A perfectly orchestrated strategy. What a phenomenal combat sense…!

“I concede.”

I could have used an OOPArt to nullify 【Soaring Swallow Explosion】, but that would have been petty of me, so I refrained. The searing flames mercilessly drained my HP. In the blink of an eye, my gauge was empty, confirming my defeat.

Congratulations, Shibuki Hamura-kun. You win and…. You pass.

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“I won…!”

As the sand cloud cleared, I saw Abisu’s HP gauge at zero and felt the certainty of my victory.

“Yeah. It’s your win.”

Even if it was a match with a handicap from her side, I had beaten that Abisu Yuiga! This was incredible. I was seriously happy!

“I’m surprised… Your skill far exceeded my expectations.”

Abisu, who always looked so composed, showed a hint of agitation on her face for the first time. To be acknowledged by Abisu… That made me really happy…

“Well, I only barely won against you without your OOPArts.”

I said that as a bit of a cover-up for my embarrassment.

“I think it would have been a good match even if I had used them. Now then, shall I give you your reward for beating me? Follow me.”

“Hm?”

Following Abisu, we got into the elevator again. This time, we went to the third basement floor. When the elevator doors opened, we stepped into what looked like a laboratory. There were various instruments and devices along with incubation tanks, capsules, and many more. Several dozen people in lab coats, likely employees, were inside. Among them, Abisu approached a certain tall, bespectacled woman.

“Yun-san. I’ve brought him. The one we talked about.”

The woman, called Yun, was tall and beautiful, but her sharp gaze was striking.

“Hmm. So this is the guy, huh?”

Yun-san stood up from her chair and said, “Follow me.” She then led us into a back room.

The room was dimly lit, with only a transparent case in the center glowing green.

“This is… An arm?”

Inside the case was a mechanical right arm.

“The length and thickness adjustments aren’t finished yet, but functionality-wise, it’s already complete.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Abisu turned to me with a smile and said—

“Hamura-kun. This is for you.”

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T/N: I see. MC becomes a cyborg, huh?