GAVS 15 🔒

GAVS

Posted by faan, Released on July 6, 2025

[Chapter 15] Lost Land (4)

VirtueKing.
He was one of the top-ranked variety game streamers on the SwitchTV platform. His witty commentary—never over the top—and his unique approach to games had won the hearts of countless viewers.

What made VirtueKing truly iconic, though, was that his name wasn’t just a moniker: he really was the “king” of virtual streamers, leading a small army of them to collaborate on streams under his brand.

Despite his busy schedule filled with joint streams, even VirtueKing couldn’t ignore the current sensation: Lost Land.

So he issued a rallying cry to his virtual streamer team:

“Alright everyone—let’s conquer Lost Land together!”

VirtueKing and the other virtual streamers all knew:
Whoever cleared Lost Land first would see their popularity skyrocket.

Even as everyone poured their efforts into the game, rumors about one player, Phantom, were spreading like wildfire.

★ ‘PhantomKingSupport’ has donated 1,000 won. ★
[Did you see Phantom’s Lost Land video? Looks like he figured out the opening mechanics.]

Naturally, this message reached VirtueKing live on his stream.

“What? He found the gimmick?”

He immediately searched for Phantom and found a single video uploaded. But the view count was shocking.

“It’s only been up for an hour and it’s already past 500,000 views?”

A new phenomenon had arrived: Phantom.

VirtueKing, ever sharp, clicked on the video right away. After all, he was also chasing the prize money, so he was desperate to understand the early mechanics.

He closely observed Phantom’s gameplay and tried to replicate it himself—but the results were disastrous.

“Wow… there’s just no way. I can’t pull this off with Phantom’s method.”

He sighed, half in awe, half in frustration. VirtueKing considered himself a skilled gamer, but none of the steps looked remotely easy.

Chat scrolled with teasing comments:

Maybe you just suck, bro?
Our old VirtueKing’s slowing down…

“No, listen, I’m serious! Let me explain—watch carefully.”

He began comparing his own attempts with Phantom’s video frame by frame.

“Timing when you steal the horse is crucial. If you jump in too early, you’ll draw aggro from the orcs first. But if you wait too long, the encirclement completes and you can’t reach the forest. You need perfect timing based on how the battle unfolds—and that requires excellent horse riding skills to even get this far.”

Chat exploded again:

Damn… he’s right.
Are you telling me a newbie, on his first day, read the entire battle perfectly and moved accordingly? And he can ride the horse like that? And he’s a high school senior? Does a kid like that even exist?
- Maybe he’s not really a newbie?
- Nope, he is. His total playtime is under six hours—he’s brand new.

VirtueKing felt exasperated that his viewers wouldn’t believe him.

“Guys, seriously—try it yourselves. It looks easy, but it’s not. And even if you make it this far, fighting four orcs alone at level 1 is impossible unless you have, like, top-tier physical skills—what I’d call ‘Physical Class 10.’”

More teasing:

Then you should be fine, King, since you’re a Class 10, right?
LOL.
Is this you bragging about your skills?

“No! I’m saying that only someone at that level can even attempt this. I did manage to fight the four orcs, but after that? It’s hopeless. A level 3 ‘Powerful Orc Warrior’ is unbeatable at this stage.”

Chat reacted with disbelief:

So how did the newbie do it?
If you can’t, who possibly can?
Can’t you just grind levels by killing orcs in the forest first?

VirtueKing’s viewers were baffled. He was known for his skills, yet he had to admit defeat.

“Honestly, it seems you’d have to either grind up levels first or find a completely different strategy. I’m betting most people are trying other routes right now—this method is only possible for Phantom.”

Indeed, other players had already abandoned Phantom’s path after multiple failed attempts, seeking alternative strategies. In the non-hardcore game mode, survival rates were naturally higher. Gamers chasing the prize money were scrambling to find new ways to defeat the Powerful Orc Warrior—but none dared to use a dagger.

A dagger? Its range is ridiculously short—who would even try?

VirtueKing shook his head.

There’s no way this was luck. Phantom purely relied on skill to take down that warrior.

As a streamer with over a decade of experience, he could say it with certainty: Phantom was the real deal.

A monster has appeared. This kid is destined for greatness.

The thought struck him suddenly:

Maybe I should reach out before he blows up completely. He doesn’t even have a camera yet—there’s a chance I could bring him into our Virtual Family.

Lost Land was guaranteed to keep drawing massive attention until someone cleared it. Even a huge streamer like VirtueKing constantly struggled to find fresh, engaging content—riding the latest trends was critical for success.

VirtueKing was good at reading the flow—and he decided to act.

I should plan a joint stream.

He felt the electric thrill of opportunity coursing through him.

*

The next day.

Do-jun, usually an early riser, didn’t wake up until well past lunchtime—it was a relief it was a weekend with no school. He’d been up all night editing videos and working on his virtual avatar for the next broadcast, only getting to bed around dawn.

My avatar still needs some tweaking. It’s not polished enough.

He checked his work from the night before, then stretched and moved around to see how he felt.

I fell asleep late, but at least I’m well-rested.

Leaving his bedroom, Do-jun walked into the living room. The house was completely silent. As he went to the fridge for water, he noticed a note left on the table.

[I’m off to work. Don’t overdo it—take it easy. I left some stew in the fridge, heat it up and eat.]

The blunt handwriting belonged to his father, Kim Soo-cheol.

At this hour, Ji-yeon must be at her part-time job too.

Seeing his family working hard even on weekends strengthened Do-jun’s resolve.

He grabbed a quick meal and tidied up the house, though it was already mostly spotless. After some chores, he glanced at the clock.

[5:00 PM]

Yesterday, he’d started streaming at 8 PM. A consistent schedule would be better, but he was still an unknown newbie.

Since it’s the weekend, I’ll probably get even more viewers no matter when I start.

Besides, he felt he needed to widen the gap; just a day after his last stream, many players had already caught up to the Powerful Orc Warrior.

Growing the stream is important—but I really don’t want to miss out on that 100 million won.

Even just building his channel would be a massive success—but Do-jun was determined to go beyond that. And when he checked his donations from last night, he felt an even stronger surge of motivation: he’d made over 1 million won in a single day—more than two weeks’ worth of hard labor at his part-time job.

I get why people obsess over streaming now.

If he succeeded, he could earn far more easily than most traditional jobs. He felt the momentum rising—and he knew he had to seize it.

Let’s do it right now.

He climbed into his capsule and logged into Lost Land.

[Broadcast mode is set. Would you like to start streaming?]

“Yeah. Stream it to both SwitchTV and AllTube like before. Title it…”

He knew he had to grab attention. He announced his clickbait title:

“[Lost Land]: The 100 Million Won Champion—Day 2 Prodigy Newbie.”

[Broadcast title set. Phantom’s stream has started.]

As soon as the broadcast went live, viewers poured in at an incredible rate. Word had spread—numbers spiked instantly.

【Phantom’s Game Stream】
▶▶ [Lost Land]: The 100 Million Won Champion—Day 2 Prodigy Newbie ◀◀
Current viewers: 1,247

Hey Phantom!
He’s here!
The absolute king Phantom!
Already over a thousand viewers right at the start lol

“Hello everyone, I’m Phantom, the prodigy newbie. I’m honestly shocked—over a thousand viewers already?”

His chat was chaotic, messages flooding in at a dizzying pace. With no moderator, it fell on Do-jun alone to keep things under control.

“Sorry everyone, but there are too many people right now—chat will be limited to subscribers only.”

Chat reactions:

Can’t believe there are still freeloaders who haven’t subscribed.
Holy… we’re past 2,000 live viewers already.
Dude, start the game!
Phantom, hurry! Other players are already clearing secret paths in real-time!

“Don’t worry. They’re just my copies.”

Chat teased:

Confidence! This kid’s got swagger.
He’s not just any kid—they say he’s a top student with perfect exam scores.
He’s right: Phantom did it in one try; everyone else is just copying him and still failing, lol.

“Still, I want to widen the gap today so no one can catch up. I’m going to push ahead as much as I can.”

His bold declaration fired up the audience.

This is the difference between you and us, Phantom.
God, his charisma is unreal.
You don’t realize how impossible it is until you try—this isn’t something normal players can keep up with.
Please, sir… don’t rush the content…

“Alright, let’s get started.”

Do-jun picked up right where he’d left off the night before: in front of the warehouse leading upstairs. He quietly approached the corridor, and as he climbed, voices grew clearer:

“The time has come.”
“Volos. Volos.”
“The first step of our great plan is about to begin. All believers must be perfectly prepared—no mistakes.”
“Volos. Volos.”

It sounded like some cult ritual, but the unfamiliar word caught Do-jun’s attention.

“Hmm… anyone know what ‘Volos’ is?”

Chat erupted:

Could it be the final boss demon, Diabolos?
Then these guys are demon worshippers!
Huge twist incoming right at the start!
So all the clues at Altheon Castle were red herrings, lmao.

Before Phantom’s video, most players hunting the prize money had been stuck at Altheon Castle, assuming that was the key to progressing.

“I’ll deliver this to Him once preparations are complete tonight.”
“Volos. Volos.”
“It’s too risky right now with so many eyes watching. Scatter and act normal before your assigned tasks.”

The cultists moved quickly, but none came his way. Do-jun waited, listening carefully—safe for now.

Chat buzzed:

Looks like they’ve all cleared out.
Phantom, go wipe them out!
- Don’t troll, do you realize how many people are watching?
- For real, the viewer count is insane.

Current viewers: 5,745.

For a second-day newbie streamer, these numbers were absurd. It showed the entire gaming world’s eyes were on him. Among his viewers were not just fans, but rival players hoping to steal his strategies—or sabotage him.

Constant donation messages poured in:

★ ‘That 100 Million’s Mine’ donated 1,000 won. ★
[Just rush in—let’s go!]

★ ‘Hyena’ donated 1,000 won. ★
[If you go back through the secret passage, something pops up.]

★ ‘Leech’ donated 1,000 won. ★
[This area feels off—head left instead.]

With constant notifications, it was impossible to concentrate. Even viewers began complaining: