Chapter 31: EL’s Training
The morning after she lost to me ten times, while I sat at my desk in my room thinking about the next game, EL was repeatedly replaying yesterday’s match on the monitor.
For a while now, what she’d been watching was the same scene.
It was midway through the seventh match. Just as EL dodged my attack and tried to escape to the left, I got ahead of her and placed my sword there. It played at normal speed once, then a bit slower the next time, and this time the screen stopped just before the attack hitbox appeared.
After she’d repeated it that much, I realized she must have something she wanted to ask.
‘Yuu. I have a question.’
“So that’s what you’ve been curious about.”
‘So you did expect me to ask a question?’
“I wouldn’t go that far. If you’ve been watching the same scene over and over since morning, anyone would figure you’re curious about something.”
‘…… Then that’s fine. Now, this is one minute and forty-three seconds into the seventh match.’
EL stopped the footage.
On the screen, my swordsman stood near the center, and EL’s spear user had moved slightly toward the edge of the stage.
‘At that moment, I could have dodged in three directions: left, right, or backward. Yet Yuu was already attacking in that direction before I moved left. Why is that?’
“The previous three times, you ran right, backward, and right. So I thought the chances of you dodging the other way next time were a bit higher.”
‘Is that all?’
“If that were all, I wouldn’t have gone for the left as a finishing blow. With you, EL, I figured you’d even be conscious of me remembering those three times. Since you’d gone right twice, you’d worry I might read it again if you went right next time.”
EL remained motionless for a while, staring at the screen.
‘In other words, I don’t just think about how I act, but also about how Yuu sees me. And you used that against me.’
“I didn’t know for sure you’d do that. I just bet on it because the chance of you choosing left seemed a bit high.”
Finally, EL turned her face toward me, stared at me, and furrowed her brows slightly.
‘I’ve been angry since morning.’
“I just answered what you asked.”
‘I understand. Still, it makes me angry to find out that what I would think was predicted before I thought it.’
“You’ve been saying that since yesterday.”
‘That’s why I’ve been thinking about countermeasures since yesterday.’
“Have you settled on any yet?”
‘To some extent. After reviewing the ten matches, I concluded that what I lack most is experience in one-on-one matches.’
When EL opened another window, it showed a match history and a simple classification table.
Opponents who take the initiative, those who wait, those who frequently evade, those who prefer throws, those who repeat the same actions, and those who deliberately mix in disadvantageous actions.
It was summarized in more detail than I’d expected.
“You really analyzed it a lot.”
‘In just yesterday’s ten matches against Yuu, my predictions were wrong many times. The biggest problem was how I responded to actions that seemed irrational to me.’
“So you’re weak against strange human movements?”
‘They’re not strange, just actions I don’t understand the reason for. The person may have their own reasons, or it could just be a misinput. However, I tend to respond only after understanding the reason.’
“So that’s why you want to see lots of people you don’t understand.”
‘Yes. If I fight as many people as possible, I can also encounter ways of thinking other than Yuu’s.’
EL displayed the next screen.
On it, today’s streaming schedule had been announced.
“You’re doing it right away?”
‘As they say, “Don’t delay a good thing.”‘
“Funny hearing that phrase from you, EL.”
‘I learned it because it’s convenient.’
I glanced at the stream title and couldn’t help but laugh.
‘What is it?’
“No, I just thought it was so like you, EL.”
‘I think it’s a normal title.’
She was serious.
◇
[Viewer Participation] Training Until I Beat YU [BRAWL CROWN]
◇
[EL Streaming Waiting Area]
1: Anonymous viewer
Yesterday she went 0 wins and 10 losses, and by the next morning she’s set up a viewer participation event. Way too fast to act.
Normally you’d sleep on it for a bit. Both the emotions and the planning.
8: Anonymous viewer
The fact that the title says ‘Until I Beat YU’ means she’s not sleeping on it at all.
Rather than putting the defeat in the fridge, she’s storing it at room temperature.
19: Anonymous viewer
Don’t write ‘hates losing’
If she finds this place, she’ll definitely pick up on it.
27: Anonymous Viewer
I’m not competitive
I just want to keep going until I win.
31: Anonymous Viewer
In society, this is called being competitive
43: Anonymous Viewer
Does participating mean you can really fight EL?
After watching the tenth match yesterday, I can’t apply. It’d be like volunteering to take a special exam.
52: Anonymous viewer
Applied
If I win, I’ll brag about it for life; if I lose, I’ll boast forever with ‘I lost to EL’
64: Anonymous Viewer
That reason for participating is invincible lol
76: Anonymous Viewer
Over 4,000 people within three minutes of the application form opening
This isn’t a match, it’s a lottery, right?
88: Anonymous viewer
Since it was 0-10 yesterday, maybe it’s actually possible?
It’s just that YU was abnormal, so there’s still a chance that EL herself is normal.
97: Anonymous Viewer
＞＞８８
If you think about the tenth match, your standard of ‘normal’ is scary.
By the end yesterday, EL would leave regular players unable to do anything.
114: Anonymous Viewer
People who signed up thinking, ‘She lost 0-10 yesterday, so I can win,’ will likely learn the reality once the stream starts.
126: Anonymous viewer
Stop saying it like that.
The participants are starting to look like sacrifices
139: Anonymous viewer
If I can accompany EL-chan in her training, that’s my real wish
Please pick up my bones
147: Anonymous Viewer
No bones come out in games
155: Anonymous Viewer
You slipped
162: Anonymous Viewer
I thought so myself
◇
“There are quite a lot of applications. How many people do you plan to take on?”
‘As many as possible. Today I’m planning for eight hours, so assuming an average of about three minutes per match, I think I can fight over a hundred people.’
“You’re doing it for eight hours?”
‘Yesterday’s ten matches alone aren’t enough experience.’
“Even so, make sure to take proper breaks. Even if you’re fine, EL, the viewers and challengers probably won’t be fine for eight hours straight.”
‘I don’t need them, but—’
“I’m not talking about you, EL. I’m talking about everyone else.”
At that, EL looked at me with a hint of dissatisfaction.
‘I’ve been told something similar before.’
“Then you remember.”
‘I remember. Just because I don’t get tired doesn’t mean the other person is the same.’
“Yeah. I think you should take a break about every two hours.”
‘Understood. I’ll also leave plenty of time for swapping opponents.’
“Then that’s fine.”
‘Is there anything else?’
“Don’t get upset even when you lose.”
‘That won’t happen.’
“Really?”
‘I do feel frustrated when I lose. But feeling frustrated and getting angry are two different things.’
“So they’re quite different for you, EL.”
‘They’re clearly different. Yesterday I was just frustrated too.’
“You said you were mad plenty of times.”
‘That was also an expression of frustration.’
“That’s a convenient classification.”
She glared at me slightly.
“Well, go have fun.”
‘Yes. Today, at least, I’m going to get to know more people than I did yesterday.’
“The way you put it sounds a bit scary.”
‘We’re talking about competitive games.’
◇
The stream began.
‘Good evening. This is EL. Today, in BRAWL CROWN, I’ll be competing in turn against the viewers who applied.’
At the start, there were 76,000 concurrent viewers.
Not only those hoping to compete, but also viewers who’d watched yesterday’s duel and people who’d come to see how strong EL had become.
:Here it comes!
I never thought she’d really start training the very next day
Are you seriously going to play for eight hours?
That’s not the scale of training, is it?
:EL-chan, did you rest properly yesterday?
Don’t ask an AI VTuber about sleep
That setting and explanation of daily routines are way too convenient.
Is today the Revenge on YU arc?
When EL spotted the last comment, she immediately shook her head.
‘This is not revenge. It’s training.’
Saying it again makes it even scarier
Her eyes are serious.
Is yesterday’s 0 wins and 10 losses still getting to her?
EL’s gaze stopped.
‘I remember those numbers even if you don’t write them repeatedly.’
:It’s getting to her lolololol
:If she’s memorized the numbers perfectly herself, it can’t be helped.
Anyone who wins against EL today can basically claim to be on the same level as YU?
Say that after you get ten wins
Before that, the question is who can even get one win.
:I think I can do it.
Are you participating?
:Application rejected
Then what’s that confidence about?
EL opened the match room.
‘Today, I want to see not only the outcomes but also as many moves I don’t know as possible. Please play as usual. No need to hold back.’
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
‘I won’t hold back either.’
:Scary
: The way she says it is boss-like
: Not a line from a trainee
:The challengers might be the ones getting the experience points
: EL Dojo opening
Why is the dojo master the one training now?
◇
The first challenger was a player who had played this game for six years.
Their online rating was in the top fifteen percent, and they used a twin swordsman with excellent movement speed.
‘I look forward to playing with you.’
The other party’s audio wasn’t included in the stream, so only a greeting was returned on the screen.
When the match began, the twin swordsman barely hesitated and closed the distance to EL, slipping inside her guard before the spear tip could establish its best range. They kept launching fine attacks, and whenever EL shifted position even slightly, they immediately chased and closed the distance again.
:They’re actually strong right from the first challenger.
Rush type, huh. Not giving EL time to think seems pretty good.
Yesterday’s YU also got in close against the spear, so that’s basically the standard for dealing with long reach.
They say it’s basic, but when you actually try it, you get stabbed by the spear.
Still, EL didn’t immediately fight back.
Even when there were several moments when she could have reached with her spear, she avoided making a move, gradually shifting her position while dodging the twin swordsman’s attacks. For ten or fifteen seconds, she seemed to prioritize watching her opponent over attacking.
:EL’s been dodging this whole time, is that okay?
Probably watching
:Yesterday, she picked up on the opponent’s habits early on.
: But if she just takes it easy and observes, she’ll get whittled down just like that.
Nearly twenty seconds after the match started, EL finally made her move.
The twin swordsman, who had been chased like that many times before, reflexively dodged sideways, perhaps judging the attack to be a familiar one. However, EL seemed to have anticipated the movement from the start, and her second spear thrust was already waiting at the spot they dodged to.
She connected an aerial attack to the opponent knocked back by the hit, switching to a throw before landing. Then, after carrying the opponent all the way to the edge of the stage, she crushed one of their possible return routes and took the first stock.
:Huh?
She watched for almost twenty seconds and then took it all at once.
Even though the challenger is properly skilled, isn’t she getting ahead of everything partway through?
:Did she even read the dodge direction?
Isn’t this an observation experiment rather than a battle?
:Don’t treat your opponent like a bug
When the next stock began, EL didn’t need to wait anymore.
It seemed she had used the twin swordsman’s first stock to see from what distance they would dive in and which attack they would start with, and now, before the opponent could fully unleash their moves, she thrust her spear to crush each attack at its very start.
Although she was the one being chased early on, the flow changed so much that it was hard to believe she was fighting the same opponent, and the match was decided in just two minutes and eleven seconds.
‘Thank you very much. You showed me many fast attacks early on, so it was very helpful.’
:Scary from the very first battle
The opponent isn’t weak. They’re in the top 15% of ratings.
It felt like she studied the other person for the first twenty seconds and checked the answers for the remaining two minutes
Apparently, someone got ten wins against her yesterday.
It’s still too early to talk about that.
How many times are you going to say ‘too early’?
:After EL wins 100 times
The standards are off.
◇
The second was the type who rarely approached on his own.
Even after the match started, he kept a little distance from the center and kept waiting. EL didn’t force an attack either and stopped just beyond her spear’s reach, so even after nearly thirty seconds, both players’ damage remained at zero.
The hellish time has begun
:The opponent is waiting for EL to come.
:EL’s also in ‘If the opponent doesn’t come, I won’t go either’ mode.
:Either of you, move already lol.
Even with an eight-hour stream, this feels long.
EL tilted her head slightly.
‘What is this person waiting for?’
He’s waiting for you to come
Maybe they’re thinking whoever gets impatient first loses.
:At worst, they might think it’s okay even if time runs out.
Humans do things like this to win.
This is a nastier tactic than yesterday’s YU.
‘The last sentence is unnecessary.’
Don’t pick up on that part lol
That’s important
In the end, when EL started walking first, the opponent stepped back by the same amount to match her.
If EL stopped, the opponent stopped too, and if she got one step closer, he stepped back again. As this exchange continued, before anyone knew it, only the edge of the stage remained behind the opponent.
:Ah
Isn’t the opponent backing toward the edge of his own accord?
EL mostly just walked
: Advanced walking
That comment’s slipping
When EL swung her spear for the first time, the opponent instinctively tried to dodge backward and went off the cliff.
As the opponent hurried to recover, EL waited at the edge of the cliff and brought her spear down along his return path to knock him away.
:He waited so long there was nowhere left to run lol
:EL did almost nothing
A woman who can knock people off a cliff just by walking
The way you say it sounds like an incident.
EL paused to think as she looked at the downed opponent.
‘I learned one thing.’
What?
‘Waiting itself isn’t a problem, but if you keep waiting while retreating, in the end, there will be nothing behind you.’
:Right there lol
It’s not wrong
Even though it’s PvP training, life lessons are coming out.
Seems deep, but isn’t deep at all
She went on to win two straight.
◇
The third person was an easy-to-understand opponent in a different sense.
As soon as the match started, he repeated the same charging move.
Even if you dodged the first, a second would come. Even if you blocked the second, the third was the same.
Even when EL changed the distance or the direction of her attacks, the opponent’s choices hardly changed.
:Here he goes again
Four in a row w
:This person loves that technique way too much.
He’ll probably change it next time.
I think EL probably thought the same way.
After dodging the fifth strike, she shifted position, anticipating a different move, and the sixth charge stabbed right into her.
‘……’
Got hit lolololol
:EL-chan!?
This is the sixth time!
Normally, you’d think he’d change it, right?
Don’t underestimate humans
That’s not a compliment.
She dodged the seventh attempt.
After that, the same charge continued for the eighth and ninth times, and even EL looked a bit confused.
‘Is this person really not going to use another technique?’
:I don’t know lol
: Only the person himself knows
:Possibly staking his life on the charge
The theory that he thinks he’s a character with only one technique.
:That can’t be true.
The tenth time was the same as always.
This time, EL, who had been fully waiting for it, stopped it with her spear and immediately took a stock.
After the new stock began, the first move the opponent chose was the same charge again.
The moment EL saw that, the corner of her mouth lifted slightly.
‘Understood.’
What?
‘This person really likes this move, doesn’t he?’
That’s probably correct
:She understood it not as a tactic, but as a preference lol.
:If he likes it, it can’t be helped
:EL suddenly got kinder.
‘You don’t have to deny your preferences. But I’ll be taking precautions.’
There was no mercy
The opponent kept using almost the same move until the end, and EL secured her third consecutive win.
‘Thank you very much. You were consistent until the very end.’
Is that really the right way to compliment him?
But EL seemed to be having a bit more fun partway through
It feels like she’s starting to accept her opponent’s playstyle as part of their personality.
◇
After defeating the tenth player, EL had a ten-game winning streak.
Among them were players ranked in the top three percent of online ratings, but she didn’t lose a single match.
◇
[EL Viewer Participation Commentary]
4: Anonymous Viewer
Ten people done
How many has EL lost?
8: Anonymous Viewer
０
16: Anonymous Viewer
Well, it’s still only ten people…… I was about to say that, but the tenth person was in the top 3% of ratings.
29: Anonymous Viewer
And she won with 2 stocks left
42: Anonymous Viewer
Isn’t she clearly stronger than yesterday?
54: Anonymous viewer
In yesterday’s ten matches, by the end, she and YU were already reading each other.
Today, she’s starting from that state.
68: Anonymous Viewer
But when someone acts weirdly, she still stops for a moment.
78: Anonymous Viewer
Did you see the fifth one’s self-destruct?
EL was completely frozen for about three seconds.
89: Anonymous viewer
EL: “Why did you fall on your own?”
Challenger: “It was a misinput.”
EL: “…… That happens too.”
104: Anonymous Viewer
This might be the most important lesson today.
She thinks there’s a deep meaning behind every action the other person takes.
117: Anonymous viewer
Humanity teaching AI that “we make mistakes too”
128: Anonymous viewer
Wait a moment
Which side is the one being educated here?
141: Anonymous viewer
I sometimes self-destruct on my own during matches, thinking all my opponent’s actions are part of a reading battle.
153: Anonymous Viewer
Suddenly started talking about himself.
161: Anonymous viewer
Sorry
◇
She defeated the twentieth person for twenty consecutive wins, and even after passing thirty, she still hadn’t lost once.
What I found interesting, however, was not the outcome itself but the way EL gradually changed how she observed her opponents.
Early in the stream, EL classified opponents in great detail.
People who take the initiative, who wait, who evade frequently, who prefer throws, who use feints frequently, and who repeat the same action multiple times.
She assigned the opponent to a certain pattern and created the most effective answer for that pattern.
That method alone was more than strong enough to overwhelm most challengers, but after passing thirty people, EL gradually stopped forcibly sorting the people in front of her.
Instead of deciding, “This person is like this, so they’ll move this way next,” there were more situations where she would “watch without knowing what they’ll do.”
The thirty-third was the clearest sign of that change.
◇
The challenger’s movements were quite hard for me to follow.
He’d suddenly double jump, land and use a light attack on the spot just once, and if EL got close, dodge for no reason. The next moment, he’d run toward the edge of the stage and return to the center as if nothing had happened.
What’s with this guy?
I thought he was a beginner, but his rating is pretty high.
I have no idea what he’s aiming for.
He may not know either.
In that case, how did he manage to win?
Maybe it’s because even he doesn’t understand?
Stop with the strongest theory
When EL swung her spear, the opponent dodged and crouched down on the spot.
Taunting?
I don’t think so.
:Didn’t he just press the wrong button?
Don’t look for meaning in this person’s actions.
As EL cautiously approached, the challenger suddenly unleashed a fully charged smash attack on the spot.
No, that definitely won’t hit.
Is there any point in charging at this distance?
:EL’s frozen
I think EL probably wondered, “Why choose that move in this situation?”
That brief hesitation slowed her down, and she took the fully charged attack from a distance it normally shouldn’t have hit from, sending her flying hard.
Got hit lolololol
Why!
: The guy who hit it probably didn’t expect it to land either.
It was like a stone thrown from outside the reading battle
Even after being sent flying wildly, EL didn’t get angry; instead, she looked at the other with interest.
The next time the challenger started a max charge again, EL dodged normally.
However, the opponent immediately launched a weak attack in a direction where no one was.
When EL approached to switch to the offensive, she got caught on that attack’s lingering hitbox and was hit again.
Second time lolololol
:EL can’t handle this guy lol
Player with no correct answer
Isn’t this person’s ‘not thinking about anything’ the ultimate feint?
Sorry to say, but that’s probably pretty close.
Then EL chuckled softly.
‘It’s interesting.’
The comment section buzzed for a moment.
Huh?
Did she just say interesting?
‘I have almost no idea what this person will do next. Up until now, if I understood the reason, I could predict their next move to some extent, but I don’t know this person’s reasons at all.’
Is that fun?
‘Yes.’
EL stared intently at the other character, answering with a hint of amusement.
‘So I want to watch a little longer.’
From there, her way of fighting changed a bit.
She didn’t try to find the right answer right away; if her opponent behaved strangely, she waited to see what happened.
When the challenger made a senseless double jump, EL returned a single unnecessary jump of her own.
：！？
What was that jump just now?
Was there a tactical meaning?
‘No.’
She answered herself right away lol
:EL did an unnecessary action!
‘I just wanted to give it a try.’
:Is this growth?
I feel like her gaming has grown.
The moment an efficiency geek learns that ‘it doesn’t really matter’
Isn’t this a bit too deep?
But I kind of get it.
The opponent started charging to maximum again.
Then EL charged her spear to the maximum too, and they launched their attacks almost simultaneously.
The two characters were blown away in opposite directions.
Don’t play along lolololol
She’s started playing around
Have you forgotten you’re training?
This is also training (probably)
What are you even training?
Humanity
Don’t make it a heavy topic
In the end, EL won.
After the match, she bowed her head as usual.
‘Thank you very much.’
Then she thought for a moment,
‘It was very helpful. Also, it was interesting.’
What kind of helpful was that? lol
Humans sometimes jump meaninglessly
And EL jumps meaninglessly
:Infected lol
Could it be a bad influence?
:She seems to be having fun, so it’s fine.
◇
Even after defeating the fiftieth challenger, EL remained undefeated.
Nearly three hours had passed since the stream started, but there were short breaks in between, so viewers seemed able to follow along without strain.
◇
[Sad News] EL still hasn’t lost
1: Anonymous Viewer
50-0
I’m afraid of the numbers
9: Anonymous Viewer
Someone, please stop her.
21: Anonymous Viewer
There was a domestic tournament top 32 just now.
Tournament players are starting to mix in as a matter of course.
34: Anonymous Viewer
That person only managed to take one stock
48: Anonymous viewer
And she’s the one who went 0-10 yesterday, right?
59: Anonymous Viewer
Yes
67: Anonymous viewer
Then what about YU……
76: Anonymous viewer
Still too early
84: Anonymous Viewer
What is ‘too early’?
91: Anonymous viewer
We’re not yet mentally prepared to address that question
103: Anonymous Viewer
That’s way over the top lol.
116: Anonymous Viewer
But looking at the current EL, I kind of get it.
128: Anonymous viewer
The theory that ‘EL was weak, so it was 0-10’ is already getting pretty hard to sustain.
141: Anonymous viewer
I’m still reserving judgment
Today’s EL is clearly stronger than yesterday’s, so whether YU can beat the current EL is another matter.
155: Anonymous viewer
There’s someone unusually calm
167: Anonymous viewer
But if you stay calm on the forums, you won’t be able to grow.
176: Anonymous viewer
Then YU is an alien.
181: Anonymous viewer
Suddenly got sloppy.
◇
About four hours after the stream started, EL took a longer break.
Nearly sixty matches had already ended, but it was still only halfway through.
On the stream, the break screen was up, leaving only her communication with me.
‘Yuu. Are you still watching?’
“I’m watching. You’ve gotten much stronger.”
‘Of course.’
“Your movements are harder to read than yesterday, and with each match, you’re finding new ways to respond.”
‘So, do you think I can beat Yuu now?’
“I guess we’ll have to try it to know.”
EL fell silent.
“What?”
‘Was that answer necessary?’
“You’re the one who asked, EL.”
‘I should have just asked, “How am I doing?” but I asked the wrong question.’
“Were you trying to guide me into the answer you wanted?”
‘I’ll do that next time.’
“Isn’t that even sneakier than a match?”
She looked a little dissatisfied.
“But you really are getting stronger. The match against the thirty-third was especially exciting.”
‘The person who acts meaninglessly, right?’
“That’s right. After fighting that person, you stopped needing to understand everything before making a move, didn’t you?”
‘Yes. I’ve found that sometimes it’s better to move without knowing and observe the results than to stop because I don’t know why.’
“Besides, you seemed to be having quite a lot of fun partway through.”
EL fell into thought for a moment.
‘This is training to defeat Yuu.’
“Yeah.”
‘But is it okay if the training itself is enjoyable?’
“It’s a game, so I actually think that’s better. If you’ve started enjoying playing to win, isn’t that fine?”
‘…… That’s right.’
Her expression softened a little.
‘Well then, let’s continue in the second half. My next goal is a hundred consecutive wins.’
“Wasn’t your goal to beat me?”
‘That’s the ultimate goal. I added a hundred consecutive wins as an intermediate goal.’
“Your goals have increased.”
‘It’s efficient to set achievable goals along the way.’
“That’s so like you, EL.”
‘However, today I’ll be playing in a slightly less efficient way.’
“Pointless jumps?”
‘If necessary.’
“Weren’t they unnecessary?”
‘If I want to try it, it’s necessary.’
“You’ve changed a lot.”
‘It’s Yuu’s fault.’
“Me?”
‘Weren’t you the one who taught me that games aren’t a place to only do the right thing?’
When she put it that way, I couldn’t deny it.
“Well then, enjoy the second half as well.”
‘Yes. Next, I’ll get a hundred consecutive wins. After that, I’ll beat Yuu.’
“You haven’t forgotten the order, have you?”
‘Of course.’
◇
Even in the second half, the winning streak didn’t stop.
Even after passing sixty, seventy, and eighty opponents, EL gradually changed her fighting style every time the opponent changed.
She no longer decided as often as before that an opponent was a particular type. When necessary, she discarded her prediction midway through the match and formed a new hypothesis on the spot.
Sometimes, she deliberately showed a subtle action to see how the other person reacted, and used the result for her next read.
And so came the ninety-seventh challenger.
The moment the name drawn in the lottery was displayed, the atmosphere in the comment section changed.
A well-known player specializing in streaming 《BRAWL CROWN》, with multiple tournament placements, currently ranked 11th in Japan.
◇
[Breaking News] Ranked 11th in Japan
1: Anonymous Viewer
This is for real
9: Anonymous Viewer
Will it stop here?
22: Anonymous Viewer
It’d be strange if EL, who just started yesterday, wins.
34: Anonymous Viewer
＞＞２２
The fact that she started yesterday and has a 96-game winning streak already kills the meaning of ‘just started.’
47: Anonymous Viewer
He’s on a different level from the strong ones so far.
Since he places high in tournaments regularly, the density of his reading battles is on another level.
61: Anonymous viewer
EL has been naturally using the feints and off-answer moves she started learning against YU yesterday.
79: Anonymous Viewer
I want to see this.
91: Anonymous viewer
How strong is the 11th place in Japan?
103: Anonymous Viewer
If I fought him, I’d lose a stock while still typing ‘Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu’
114: Anonymous viewer
It sounds like an explanation, but your standards are way off.
127: Anonymous Viewer
But that’s pretty much how it is.
◇
‘I look forward to playing with you.’
As the match began, it was clear that the opponent had the upper hand in the first minute.
Whenever EL tried to establish her spear’s range, the opponent stopped just short, waited for her to swing, and then slipped inside. He would feint an approach, stop a step away, and switch to a throw the instant EL reacted.
Instead of choosing only the correct move, he deliberately shifted the timing while observing what EL reacted to.
So good……
:EL can’t touch him at all
So this is a ranker?
:From EL’s perspective, it must feel like she’s back to ‘being read for the first time.’
EL lost the first stock, and for the first time in today’s stream, the opponent took the lead.
:Whoaa!
For the first time, EL fell first!
We can do it!
Stop her, 11th place in Japan!
:Is the undefeated EL legend ending here!?
There’s still one stock left, calm down
Even so, EL didn’t show any sign of panic.
Entering the second stock, she stopped reacting immediately to the opponent’s feints and began watching until the very end before moving. Furthermore, she deliberately showed openings and began checking whether the opponent would go for them. By the time each had one stock left, they were almost evenly matched.
By the time they were each down to their last stock, it was almost an even match.
Then, the opponent launched a weak attack at a spot where there was nothing.
If it had been the EL from a little while ago, she might have paused for a moment, wondering what meaning that action might have.
But now, if she didn’t understand the meaning, she simply left it at not knowing.
At the very least, the fact that he’d whiffed a move right in front of her could be used.
Without hesitation, EL stepped forward and thrust her spear into the recovery of the weak attack.
She went!
Yesterday’s EL definitely would have thought about this for a moment.
Even without knowing the reason, she just used the opening in front of her!
The thirty-third mysterious player is paying off now
The opponent was blown away hard, but not knocked out.
From there, entering the last stock, EL deliberately whiffed an aerial attack.
Naturally, the opponent seized the opportunity and stepped in to counterattack.
However, EL seemed to have been waiting for this from the start, evading backward just before the attack landed and launching a counterattack.
Feint!?
:EL caught it!
She’s already using it.
She’s completely made the bad human techniques she was just learning her own.
Don’t call them bad lol
In the late game, EL had accumulated 139 percent, and the opponent 144 percent.
Either one would go down in one hit.
As the opponent closed the distance, he dodged once and moved behind EL.
Read!
EL quickly dodged backward.
However, beyond that, there was no ground left.
She fell off the cliff on her own.
：EL！？
Self-destruct!?
What are you doing!?
Of course, it wasn’t just a fall.
The opponent approached the edge on the premise that EL would return, waiting to hunt her the moment she came back.
At that moment, EL launched a recovery attack from below the cliff.
The spear struck the feet of the waiting opponent, causing his body to float slightly.
EL returned to the ledge, chased the floating opponent, and struck with her spear again in midair.
With that single strike, he was knocked off the screen.
WINNER――EL。
For a moment, the flow of comments stopped.
EL made a small breathing gesture, then bowed her head to the other person as usual.
‘Thank you very much.’
◇
[Breaking News] EL defeats 11th place in Japan
1: Anonymous viewer
She won
9: Anonymous Viewer
She really won.
18: Anonymous viewer
She started yesterday, right?
27: Anonymous viewer
Yes
39: Anonymous Viewer
What did she do in the end?
52: Anonymous Viewer
Normally, no one would ever choose to drop off the cliff on their own
↓
The opponent reads ‘she’s coming back’ and waits at the ledge
↓
Recovery attack from below
↓
Follow-up attack while he’s floating
68: Anonymous Viewer
Yesterday’s EL would probably say, ‘Falling off a cliff is disadvantageous, so I won’t choose it.’
82: Anonymous Viewer
Today’s EL
“Even if it’s disadvantageous, if the opponent doesn’t anticipate it, I’ll drop.”
96: Anonymous Viewer
As a result of learning about humans, she started jumping off cliffs on her own
Has education succeeded?
109: Anonymous Viewer
Even in 《CRAFT RUNNERS》, she was making beautiful four-wheelers at first, but in the end, she broke off the wings and ended up spinning.
I’ve seen this growth direction before
125: Anonymous Viewer
Too talented at absorbing only the bad ways of playing from humans
139: Anonymous viewer
You call it a ‘bad way to play,’ but honestly, she seems to be having a lot of fun.
153: Anonymous Viewer
And 97 consecutive wins
165: Anonymous viewer
…… Apparently, someone else got ten consecutive wins yesterday.
177: Anonymous viewer
Guess we can talk about that now.
188: Anonymous viewer
No, yesterday’s EL and today’s EL are on completely different levels, so a simple comparison isn’t possible.
201: Anonymous Viewer
Even so, the fact that he beat an EL who kept getting stronger over those ten matches, every time right to the end, doesn’t disappear.
213: Anonymous viewer
So, who is YU?
227: Anonymous viewer
Game Developer
239: Anonymous viewer
That answer doesn’t tell us anything more
252: Anonymous Viewer
So, a ‘mysterious gaming expert who also develops games’
261: Anonymous Viewer
I got even more confused
◇
The moment she won the hundredth match and the hundred-win streak appeared on the screen, the comment section was instantly filled with celebration and confusion.
: 100 wins!
Congratulations on 100 consecutive wins!
:She really never lost even once.
Since she’s beaten even 11th place in Japan, it’s not just flashy numbers, which is scary.
Please enter a tournament
:Want to see her at the official BRAWL CROWN tournament
I wonder what would happen if she ran into a world-ranked player.
Next up is a training slot against the best in the world?
The purpose has changed.
EL also looked a little happy.
‘Thank you. Compared to the beginning, I stop much less often for actions I don’t understand.’
Her takeaway from 100 consecutive wins is scary.
Isn’t there more ‘Yay!’ or something?
‘I’m happy.’
Don’t make her say it lol.
Honest and nice
So, did you achieve your goal and are you satisfied?
EL shook her head slightly.
‘No. It’s not enough yet.’
What!?
It’s a hundred consecutive wins!?
You beat 11th place in Japan!?
How far must a person go to be satisfied?
EL isn’t set up as a human.
That’s not what I’m talking about.
‘I’ve never beaten Yuu even once.’
The comment section fell silent for a moment.
◇
[Sad News] Even after 100 consecutive wins, EL isn’t satisfied.
1: Anonymous Viewer
Final Boss YU
10: Anonymous Viewer
Beating 11th in Japan and saying ‘not enough yet’ is a problem with the goal setting.
24: Anonymous Viewer
What does she need to achieve to be satisfied?
34: Anonymous Viewer
One win against YU
47: Anonymous Viewer
Writing it like that suddenly feels heavy.
61: Anonymous viewer
Yesterday’s YU didn’t beat the current EL ten times in a row, you know?
Today’s EL is clearly stronger than yesterday’s
74: Anonymous viewer
That’s true.
But even though EL grew stronger in each of yesterday’s ten matches, he still beat her every time, right to the end.
87: Anonymous Viewer
At the very least, the idea of ’10-0 because EL was weak’ has completely disappeared
101: Anonymous Viewer
I wonder what face the person who wrote ‘Isn’t EL weak?’ yesterday is making now.
112: Anonymous viewer
Sorry
123: Anonymous viewer
So honest lol
135: Anonymous Viewer
Then who is YU?
148: Anonymous viewer
Game Developer
157: Anonymous Viewer
Don’t use banned cards
169: Anonymous viewer
Game Developer (meaning: can do anything)
181: Anonymous Viewer
Stop with the sloppy classifications.
◇
[Tournament Players Thread] Who is today’s EL?
1: Anonymous Fighter
A clip came my way, but who is this silver-haired guy?
9: Anonymous Fighter
VTuber
18: Anonymous Fighter
She’s doing a viewer participation event today
27: Nameless Fighter
What’s the record?
39: Nameless Fighter
Now 100-0
47: Anonymous Fighter
Beginner hunting?
58: Nameless Fighter
Even 11th place in Japan mixed in and lost
66: Anonymous Fighter
What about you?
79: Nameless Fighter
How long has he been playing the game?
91: Nameless Fighter
Started yesterday
104: Anonymous Fighter
What?
116: Anonymous Fighter
No, wait.
Started yesterday, 100-0 today?
128: Nameless Fighter
That’s right
Also, the setting is that she’s an AI VTuber
141: Anonymous Fighter
I see.
150: Anonymous Fighter
No, ‘I see’ isn’t the right reaction.
163: Nameless Fighter
Isn’t she coming to the official tournament?
177: Anonymous Fighter
It seems like she only thinks about beating YU.
188: Anonymous Fighter
Who is YU?
201: Nameless Fighter
Game Developer
210: Anonymous Fighter
Why is a game developer the benchmark for this monster?
223: Nameless Fighter
Yesterday, he beat EL 10-0
236: Anonymous Fighter
Sorry, say that again.
248: Anonymous Fighter
10-0
261: Nameless Fighter
Does that mean EL lost ten times?
274: Nameless Fighter
All close matches, but all ten went to YU
286: Nameless Fighter
I don’t understand what that means.
298: Anonymous Fighter
What kind of profession is a game developer again?
310: Nameless Fighter
One that develops games
319: Anonymous Fighter
That’s not what I meant.
332: Anonymous Fighter
This thread is getting dumb.
◇
Even after passing 100 wins, EL continued her matches until the full eight hours planned.
There were several breaks along the way, and since she left enough time to swap opponents, the intervals between matches were longer than I’d initially expected. Even so, short matches often ended in about two minutes, and even after passing the 101st and then the 120th player, the winning streak didn’t stop.
And by the time she reached the final, 137th player, eight hours had passed since the stream started.
‘That’s all for today. Thank you to everyone who participated.’ The final record displayed on the screen was 137 wins and 0 losses.
The final record displayed on the screen was 137 wins, 0 losses.
：137-0
Those are some scary numbers.
:I watched for eight hours straight, but she never lost, so I honestly don’t get it.
The first EL and the last EL move like completely different people.
I want to see more!
Next time, let’s do participation sessions too.
Please enter a tournament. I seriously want to see you at the official tournament.
Next, let’s call in a world-ranked player.
Right after taking down 11th place domestically, the demand inflation is way too much.
Then 10th place in Japan
:Don’t inch up lol
Please give a certificate to the viewers who stuck with her for eight hours too.
:You fell asleep halfway through, didn’t you?
Only for fifteen minutes
EL pondered for a moment while reading the comments.
‘I want to do participation sessions again. Just today, I was able to see quite a few movements I didn’t know before.’
Training continues!
:YU, run
Does he need to run?
Yesterday was 10-0.
That’s exactly why. EL right now is totally different from yesterday.
:I really want to see a rematch.
EL, who had been following the flow, suddenly shifted her gaze off the screen.
‘Yuu.’
Suddenly, my name was called.
I wasn’t on the stream, but my communication with EL remained connected.
“I’m watching.”
Of course, my voice didn’t go out on the stream; it only reached EL.
‘I won 137 times.’
“Congratulations. You never lost until the very end.”
‘Yes. Also, I’ve become much more able to choose “unknown actions” than before.’
“You’re reporting that as a result too?”
‘It’s important.’
“But I really think you’ve gotten stronger. Your match against the eleventh-ranked player in the country was really fun to watch.”
EL smiled a little happily.
‘Then, next up is Yuu.’
“Yeah. I’m looking forward to it.”
At that moment, EL’s eyebrows lowered slightly.
‘That’s your answer again.’
“Is something wrong with it?”
‘It would be fine to say you’re scared, or that you might not be able to win anymore.’
“But what I’m really feeling is that I’m looking forward to it.”
‘What kind of face are you making right now?’
“The screen’s connected, so you can just look.”
‘I don’t even need to look. You must be making the same face as yesterday.’
“What kind of face?”
‘The face of someone looking forward to me getting stronger.’
The stream’s viewers could only hear EL’s voice.
Who are you talking to? lol
Definitely YU
How many times have we said ‘Here we go again’
:It’s funny how you can tell who she’s talking to just from EL’s face
After 137 consecutive wins, the first person she reports to is YU. Such a partner.
:Staying devoted to YU right to the end of the training arc is way too unwavering.
: If it were me, I’d brag until the next day after winning 137
You’d only win like three games, right?
:I’d still brag
EL turned back to the camera.
‘Well then, that’s all for today. By the time I face Yuu next time, I’ll be even stronger.’
: 137 consecutive wins and still getting stronger?
Let’s enter the tournament
Please stream the rematch with YU too
Can she finally win next time?
Don’t aim for one win, aim for a winning record
Don’t suddenly raise the bar
: Human representative YU
Don’t put the burden of all humanity on one guy
But who else are we supposed to send in?
11th place domestically lost
Then it’s number one in Japan
:YU, where did you go?
EL lowered her head slightly.
‘Thank you for today.’
She lifted her head just a little,
‘Next time, I’ll win.’
The stream ended there.
◇
[EL Training Stream Reflection Meeting]
1: Anonymous Viewer
Final record: 137 wins, 0 losses
Writing it again makes the numbers seem crazy.
10: Anonymous Viewer
It’s amazing to go undefeated over eight hours, but the most interesting part was how her movement started changing partway through.
23: Anonymous Viewer
Early Stage
Understand the other person
↓
Take measures once you understand
Second Half
I don’t know
↓
Then let’s give it a try.
36: Anonymous Viewer
Clearly changed from the thirty-third mysterious player on
I laughed at how she did a pointless jump herself.
49: Anonymous Viewer
“What was that jump just now?”
EL: “No, I just wanted to try.”
My favorite scene today
61: Anonymous Viewer
Even though it was training to win, it was great that she started enjoying the game itself partway through.
74: Anonymous viewer
Hasn’t EL learned to “play” even more than when she played 《FRONTIER SAGA》?
88: Anonymous Viewer
In SAGA, it felt like she enjoyed understanding the world.
Today, it feels like she’s started to enjoy the things she can’t understand about the other person.
101: Anonymous Viewer
That’s quite a big change.
113: Anonymous viewer
Don’t suddenly make a proper analysis.
126: Anonymous Viewer
Can we talk about her defeating the domestic eleventh place?
139: Anonymous Viewer
That’s a normal incident.
She just started yesterday.
151: Anonymous viewer
The official account is reacting.
163: Anonymous viewer
What did they say?
176: Anonymous viewer
BRAWL CROWN Official
“We look forward to seeing you participate in the tournament.”
189: Anonymous Viewer
Treated like a player lol
201: Anonymous viewer
Come out
214: Anonymous viewer
Let’s go global
228: Anonymous viewer
But there’s one thing I just can’t get out of my head
237: Anonymous viewer
What?
249: Anonymous viewer
There’s a guy who beat this EL ten times in a row yesterday.
261: Anonymous viewer
……
274: Anonymous viewer
……
286: Anonymous viewer
It was a different EL from today’s, so a simple comparison isn’t possible.
297: Anonymous viewer
I get it.
I know, but even late yesterday, she was already a monster.
311: Anonymous Viewer
What is YU?
323: Anonymous viewer
Game Developer
337: Anonymous viewer
I already said that answer is banned.
348: Anonymous viewer
So what should I say?
359: Anonymous viewer
I don’t know
371: Anonymous viewer
I think he probably doesn’t know himself
384: Anonymous viewer
How about ‘a game developer who loves games’?
396: Anonymous viewer
Information hasn’t increased
409: Anonymous Viewer
But probably the most correct
◇
Even after the stream ended, EL didn’t close the match screen.
“Today’s already over.”
‘I understand.’
“Even so, the battle room is still open.”
‘Just in case.’
“Just in case?”
There was a brief pause.
‘I was prepared for the possibility that Yuu would say just one more match would be fine.’
“I won’t say that. You fought 137 battles in eight hours, didn’t you?”
‘I’m not tired.’
“I’m going to work on the game now. And if it’s training, you should organize what you learned today. If you keep fighting, won’t you lose track of what changed?”
EL looked a bit dissatisfied but closed the match room.
‘In that case, I’ll review today’s replays.’
“All of them?”
‘I’ll select what’s necessary. I’ll prioritize the 33rd player, the eleventh-ranked player in the country, and the matches where my decisions changed significantly.’
“I think that’s fine.”
‘Then, when is the next match?’
“I haven’t decided yet.”
‘Tomorrow.’
“That wasn’t a question just now, was it?”
‘Tomorrow might work out.’
“You just changed the way you said it, didn’t you?”
EL smiled slightly.
After that, she looked over today’s match history and didn’t say anything for a while.
‘Yuu.’
“What is it this time?”
‘Today, I realized that fighting strangers can be quite interesting.’
“That’s good.”
‘There were several people who played the same game but whose intentions I had no idea of at all. At first, not knowing the reason was uncomfortable, but later on, watching what came next without understanding became more interesting.’
“Like the thirty-third person?”
‘Yes. That person remained pretty much a mystery to me until the very end. I still don’t fully understand why they used their fully charged attack or why they made pointless jumps.’
“Even so, you looked like you were having fun.”
‘Because I don’t know, I want to see what they’ll do next.’
Those words felt a bit familiar to me.
When I watch players playing my games, I’ve felt the same thing many times.
They choose methods I wouldn’t choose myself, and start playing in ways I never considered when designing them.
It’s not interesting just because it’s correct.
Because I don’t understand, I want to see what happens next.
“If that’s the case, it must have been pretty good training, right?”
‘Yes. However, I have one correction.’
“What?”
EL looked over at me.
‘Today, I fought 137 people, but the one whose next move I never know is still the same.’
“Who?”
From the moment I asked, I had a vague idea of the answer.
‘It’s Yuu.’
“Me, huh.”
‘Yes. After today’s matches, I can understand the reasons for most people’s actions to some extent. But Yuu predicts why I might change my own behavior and then chooses the next move. Even after reviewing yesterday’s ten matches, I still don’t understand all of it.’
“Then you still need some training.”
‘Of course.’
She answered without hesitation.
She’d gone undefeated against 137 opponents and had just beaten the eleventh-ranked player in the country, yet EL apparently still considered herself only partway there.
‘Next time, I’ll definitely win.’
“I’m looking forward to it.”
I thought this time she’d say, ‘That face again.’
But EL just narrowed her eyes a little, then smiled honestly.
‘Yes. I’m looking forward to the next one too.’
It was supposed to be an eight-hour training session she’d started because she wanted to win, but before I knew it, EL had begun to look forward not only to winning, but also to seeing what would happen next.
If that’s the case, then the next time I fight EL, I’ll be facing someone completely different from yesterday.
I thought that would be much more interesting too.