Thumbs Up, Level Up

Chapter 242

?We are ready to go live, Master. We already have over a million viewers right now.?

‘We already have a million people waiting even though it’s a livestream? Damn, I feel so popular now. Let’s take a peek at the chat.’

-Umji!! When are you going live??

-I am waiting. When is Umji coming?

-Three minutes until the livestream starts… That gives me just enough time to boil some water for my cup ramen.

-While I’m waiting, I’m just gonna re-run the last episode of him swinging his swords at the enemy.

?Dude, that episode is awesome! Umji goes on a rampage!

-Umji Umji Umji. Gumji Gumji Gumji. Umji Umji Umji. Gumji Gumji Gumji.

-The last video was amazing, I can’t wait for this one…

The viewers ranged from people who were curious about today’s livestream all the way to the not-so-slightly insane hardcore Gumji.

‘One million viewers… I’m actually a world star. But I can’t stop here. I am the [GodTube_superstar], so I need more popularity and followers. So, let’s start the livestream! Ready, cue!’

“Hello, everyone! Umji, Gumji! This is Ji-Cheok!”

This time, he was wearing glasses, a casual suit, and sneakers. He sort of looked like a modern intellectual.

-UMJI!!!!

-Gumji fandom! Unite!

-I waited. Ji-Cheok. Hello. Good. Ji-Cheok, handsome.

?Use your translation skill! What the hell are you saying?

?I think he’s doing that on purpose.

-Where are you Umji?

-...space? Is he in space?

“Wow! Someone already guessed it! You’re right, I am currently floating on a geostationary orbit!

He spun the camera around slowly.

“I am right above New Jersey, USA!”

-Holy shit. I had no idea a human could walk in space without a spacesuit! Awesome!

-How did he get there?

-If he starts a ride service, he could make a fortune.

?He already makes a lot of money from GodTube.

“First of all, I have to reveal the new skill that I recently got. I don’t know if you guys know this, but it’s called [Steps of Hermes], and it’s a spatial movement skill! You can go to the other side of the world, but you can also come out into space like this! It’s awesome!”

-Umji! You’re crazy! Who would go up in space just because they can?! Like, how are you still alive?

-I think that shield is protecting Umji.

-He says it’s spatial movement. He can go to the other side of the world! I’m at a loss for words.

-Umji’s face is so interesting. I realized it before, but every time he goes live, he looks different. This time, he looks very intelligent with those glasses.

?He’s just always good-looking.

-What is he doing there anyway?

“I’m here because, well, you know… My heart aches when I think about what’s going on in the United States.”

-Huh? Why would you be sad about what’s happening in another country?

-Hero. Umji.

“So I am going to take care of the Cyclops, and of course, I’ve already talked with the U.S. government. Everyone! Please wish me luck!”

Ji-Cheok unleashed his shadow skills. His shadow was visible even though he was in outer space, giving him a surreal look.

He started to pull things out from the shadow and into open space.

He took out helix-shaped poles, each made from five tons of tungsten and other magical metals. There were one hundred of them. He used Alchemy to give the poles [Enhanced Strength], [Enhanced Hardness], [Enhanced Durability], and [Enhanced Heat Resistance], and fashioned them into long spears.

‘It sure took some effort to make these… Alright, then.’

“Activate [Fixed Trajectory], [Magic Immunity], [Increase Weight], [Increase Speed], [Magic Weapon].”

He cast the buffs on all of the spears. The five buffs stacked, and the black tungsten helix spears began to glow with an iridescent light.

-That… That’s…!

-What? What is it? Spiral skewers? Why are they so big?

-That’s a Staff of God!

?What the hell is a Staff of God?

?You’ll know when you see it.

?22222

?Just freaking tell me!!

?Just watch! You’ll know soon enough.

The viewers were in a frenzy.

Ji-Cheok grasped each spiral spear with the power of his Soul Telekinesis.

‘Now… Aim… and shoot!’

A rain of destruction fell upon Earth.

? ? ?

The first spear fell toward the ground. It quickly overheated and blazed as if lit up by the sun. Since it was made of tungsten and other such metals, however, it was too tough to melt just like that due to friction. In addition, the [Enhanced Heat Resistance] prevented it from burning. However, the heat and destructive power of the spear’s high-speed plummet were anything but ordinary.

Sensing the destructive force approaching, Warlord Kikkul fired a devastating ray of light from his eye, but it only destroyed the first spear. There were still ninety-nine more, and even the pieces of the one that had just been destroyed spun a few times before reorienting themselves and falling once more toward their target.

Ji-Cheok was using Soul Telekinesis from his geostationary orbit to guide the spears as if they were homing missiles. There was nothing that could be done about it—after all, Warlord Kikkul could not see that Ji-Cheok was manipulating the spears with perfect control.

Immediately, the other Cyclops of the Warrior class started firing their own destructive beams.

Though they numbered fifty, their destructive rays were not as powerful as Kikkul’s, nor did they have the same accuracy. Hundreds of spear shards and dozens of intact helix spears destroyed fell to the ground.

KRAAAAAAAA!!!

The sound of explosions was hard to describe. Their trajectory reversal magic spells and Ji-Chcheok’s [Fixed Trajectory] spell collided with each other, warping space and creating such devastating sound. It was like some kind of psychic sound. Right after the explosion, a shockwave ripped through the air and shredded everything around it.

In a split second, the power of [Magic Immunity] infused in the spiral spears neutralized the Cyclops’ shields, magic, and trajectory reversal spells, and it pierced right through.

Boom! Pow!

The spears slammed into the ground with more power than meteors. They pierced through the nameless Cyclops like butter and broke through the ground. The terrifying pressure and heat turned the ground into molten lava, causing yet another explosion each time a spear hit the ground.

Blazing shrapnel flew everywhere. Ruinous destruction had descended upon the Cyclops. The shockwaves from the collisions seemed to grind the surroundings like a blender, creating something akin to a chain earthquake.

When the destruction was all over, amidst the hot molten lava, only five Cyclops stood in their place, wounded. They were the only ones protected by holy light and powerful magic.

[HOW DARE YOU!!! YOU SHALL NOT BE FORGIVEN!]

Blood dripped from the single eye of Warlord Kikkul. His entire body was horribly burned, his clothing long since reduced to ash.

Only the massive sword he held was intact. As for the hands holding it, they looked grotesque and macabre, twisted and deformed.

However, it was not the tremendous pain that enraged him. No…he was roaring in rage at the annihilation of his people.

Oddly enough, the four remaining Cyclops didn’t seem to be damaged at all. They were the Bishop and Craftsman Cyclops!

That was another ability of Warlor Kikkul—the power to take the damage of his allies instead of them!

He shouted in anger, and the heat around him instantly dropped. The lave quickly cooled down and hardened, and frost settled over it. The temperature on a large radius around him instantly dropped below freezing.

It was the power of the Frost Giants!

Warlord Kikkul’s distant ancestors were cold-blooded mythical beings called Frost Giants, and he had inherited their power.

He shouted once more at the empty sky.

[You will pay! All of you! I will make you pay! I will freeze you all and crush you!! AHHH!!]

Kikkul’s appearance, screaming in rage, was agonizing to witness. However, the humans who watched him were rather puzzled by his anger. After all, what had the invaders expected?

With that, the United States began to move its forces into action.

? ? ?

?The Titan, GOF, ABM, and GH are all in motion. The forces at the ready add up to about one thousand.?

“Well, it’s about time they joined forces. By the way, I’m glad my attack worked, even though it was merely an imitation of the Staff of God.”

?It was possible according to my calculation. It cost about two hundred million Likes, but the number of Likes collected during the livestream has already surpassed four hundred million, so it was well worth it. And it is only going up from here. There are already videos being posted about it, and the Clippers are also in action.?

‘Clippers… You mean the guys who cut out a little bit of the original video and post it on their own channel?’?

?Yes, Master. They are GodTubers who pay a portion of the copyright fee to upload. That part is transparent, and I also found something interesting.?

‘What is it?’

?We receive fifty percent of the Likes from the Clippers’ videos.?

‘Oh… so we get our copyright fees as Likes?’

?Yes, Master. You could say that it is a system that has been in place from the beginning.?

‘That’s nice.’

?There are many Clippers’ videos on GodTube. Take a look.?

Cheok-Liang showed him the videos.

?The world is stunned!!! The Gods are stunned!!! Ji-Cheok’s orbital destruction!!!?

?There is someone who can single-handedly pull off the Staff of God plan? Check it out!!!?

?Why can’t my apostle do this~ Ji-Cheok’s orbital destruction, coveted by the Gods!!!?

?How did Um Ji-Cheok get the [Steps of Hermes]? Let’s try to find out!!!?

?Watch the breathtaking explosion of the orbital bombardment!!!?

The embarrassing amount of exclamation marks on these titles was their trademark.

?Wow, these guys are pros.?

“Yeah, I guess it is not easy to make money off other people.”

?And some of these GodTubers are streaming right now, sandwiched between the Hunters charging at the Cyclops.?

“That sounds about right. But for now, we need to get back to our own livestream.”

The previous conversation with Cheok-Liang was only about two or three seconds long, so it didn’t disrupt their livestream. He was talking to Cheok-Liang telepathically anyway, and he was the only one who could see the videos Cheok-Liang showed him.

“Oh no, the Cyclops are already trying to go home~ I heard there are only five left. Who knew hunting down Cylcops could be this easy?”

In the chat window, comments expressing disgust at his cheesy lines were flooding in.

‘But there’s more! Watch this!’

“At this rate, I’m sure the Hunters down below can take care of the rest of the Cyclops, but I am going to go down there anyway. Just to make sure.”

The chat went crazy. The viewers were fired up.

“Well then, I’m off! I’m afraid I will not be able to respond to the comments from now on~”

He used the Steps of Hermes, instantly crossing through space and appearing directly at the disaster scene.

Woong!

Tsss.

“Wow.”

Ji-Cheok was immediately struck with wonder.

‘Maybe they didn’t need my help after all.’

A powerful web of mana stretched out from the hundreds of Mage and Wizard Hunters that were in the middle of attacking the Cyclops. Hundreds of energy strings wrapped around the one-eyed giants, stifling their movement. At the same time, melee Hunters entered the fray, taking out their weapons and charging at the Cyclops.

The giants resisted with all their strength, but there were too many Hunters and they were already wounded.