Genius’s Godlike Game Broadcast-Chapter 81 : Revealed Witch's True Identity (1)

Revealed Witch's True Identity (1)
For ordinary people, it isn't easy to grasp just how large the number "one quintillion" is. That's eighteen zeros following the one.
That's why the excitement of the viewers hadn't easily settled down.
Unprecedented.
No one else could possibly replicate what Lee Gyeongbok had achieved. It wasn't just the unique-grade weapon—it was a unique event.
This realization wasn't exclusive to the viewers.
['Genome said' has donated '100,000' won.]
[???: See? Stuff like this is worth paying to watch!]
['Wallet Warrior' has donated '50,000' won.]
[Donations are open! What are you Purple viewers waiting for?!]
As Lee Gyeongbok smiled, donations popped up in front of him. He hadn't changed any settings.
'This guy's nose for money is uncanny.'
Choi Byeonghun realized it was time to collect. Right now, viewers were hyped, and it was the perfect chance to cash in without breaking immersion.
Just as expected, donations poured in like a collapsed dam.
['Godple Kkebinaida' has donated '50,000' won.]
[Help me get a good job, please!]
['Pilgrim to Sacred Sites' has donated '30,000' won.]
[Ah lol, now this is a miracle]
['TakeItAll' has donated '300,000' won.]
[All-in, not giving a thing to other streamers, lolol]
['TryMore' has donated '200,000' won.]
[It's fine if I just throw all my deposit money at this!]
With a faint smile, Lee Gyeongbok thanked each donation as they came in.
"Ah, thank you for your support. It's not like I did anything that amazing, really."
-?????
― Double-absurdity ON!
― And he's using the absurdity breath at a time like this?
― Paying money to take a whiff of his absurdity? Everyone would!
― From a god's perspective, maybe it's not so great, lol
― Isn't that a bit too high of a standard though?!
Thanks to the shift in attention to donations, the excitement of the viewers began to calm. As Lee Gyeongbok kept thanking everyone—
['Eclipse' has donated '1,000,000' won.]
[Powerful arms are the wind of knights! Sir Purple, would you share your secret?!]
At the familiar donor's name, both Lee Gyeongbok and the viewers were surprised.
― Huh? Is it really him?
― Is Eclipse streaming right now?
― Nope, he's not
― You can tell, just from the way he talks, it's the real deal, lol
― Is Elden's Top Sword making an appearance or what?
-lol what even is Elden's Top Sword
Amidst the half-doubting reactions in the chat, a new message popped up.
[〉Hey, it's legit. It's Eclipse's actual ID.]
In a private message, Choi Byeonghun confirmed the truth. With that, Lee Gyeongbok smiled and spoke up.
"Ah, sir Eclipse! Thank you for the donation. Well, since it's my first time crafting, I can't be sure, but there was something that stood out to me."
-???????
― He really noticed something when he did it?
― So it's not just random chance?
― It's not a staged act?
― Did Godple finally learn the rigged show trick, huh?
The viewers were skeptical. Lee Gyeongbok gave a faint smile at their reactions.
"I noticed as I played, from Studio really pays attention to a lot of details. Like Gravekeeper's animations or the Drake Knight insignia that came up recently."
He gave a compliment to the developers before getting to the point. Most of the newly tuned-in viewers were fans of the Elden series, so they appreciated this.
"So, I thought there might be some hint hidden in equipment crafting, too. That's why I held off on doing the hammer swing right away."
― You mean there was something to see even during crafting?
― But even when I did a ton of grind, I never noticed!
-lol As if Elden newbs' eyes and Godple's eyes are the same
― When you're grinding, you just mash for speed!
― If this is real, it's an insane tip!
The viewers waited for Lee Gyeongbok's explanation with anticipation. Soon, he spoke again.
"If you try it yourself, you'll see, but sometimes the sword trembles ever so slightly. It kept repeating while I watched. So I tried swinging at that timing—and it was a critical success."
The chat window was filled with question marks as he explained.
"Ah, that's the hint the developers left, I realized. As weapon grade goes up, the tremble shortens in interval. But after a few tries, it was doable. Anyone who tried would've noticed, right?"
― I don't know! I don't get it!
-lol Never had a clue! I just tried NOT understanding it!
― Swear on everything, I never felt anything like that while forging, lol
― Fromsoft: I have no idea, that's scary...
-??? : Did... did I put in that system...?
― Nuts, lol, did not even the developers know about this?
Lee Gyeongbok paid no mind and continued explaining with a bright smile.
"Now, since I've told you, try it after the stream's over. But for now, let's focus on the broadcast, all right?"
-lol This is correct
-rg, rG
― I'm satisfied just watching the stream!
― I mean, who could copy this anyway
― Get the tip and grind endlessly vs just watching Godple's stream
― Game balance is so busted, lol!
― So this is the skill of a unique-grade streamer?
― When did streamer grades become a thing, lol
As the viewers showed their satisfaction, Eclipse's reply arrived.
['Eclipse' has donated '1,000,000' won.]
[Thank you for the detailed explanation! Upon reflection, depending on equipment goes against chivalry! I'll commit myself to training!]
-lolololol
― Eclipse is shaking his head too, lol
― Elden's Top Sword is shocked!
― Even a 12-year veteran is shocked by this crafting difficulty, lol
― Wisdom gained from spending 2 million—stick to what you know
― You... are so evil, lol
― This is hilarious
Lee Gyeongbok laughed as he switched his settings again. With the donations and Eclipse's appearance, the heated mood cooled down.
"Thank you again for the support. I'll resume now."
He restarted the game, which had paused for the donations. Immediately, the blacksmith approached with an excited voice.
"I've lived a long life, but never have I seen such a fine sword. I'd love to see how it works with my own eyes. Care to give it a test?"
He gestured to the training dummy on display.
-lol No way you can pass that up
― You gotta test drive a new car, right, lol
― The blacksmith is so kind now, lol
― He was shaking his head before crafting though
There was no reason to refuse. Lee Gyeongbok easily drew the sword. The black blade seemed to swallow even the forge's light.
― Wow... just look at that shine
― Kind of like obsidian
― Definitely, the detail is incredible
― When I made a Dragon Scale weapon, it was covered in scratches
― Show us, quick!
Lee Gyeongbok chuckled at the viewers' urging and swung the sword lightly.
"Oh."
A sharp exclamation left him.
Usually, when you strike with a sword, you feel a slight resistance, but there was none.
With a thud, the dummy was cleanly sliced off and hit the floor. The cut surface was as smooth as if it had always been that way.
"Ohh...! For a dummy made of hardwood, that was just too easy!"
― Wow, so clean lol
― That's what unique-grade means
― If you can't cut a dummy, it's meaningless anyway
The blacksmith exclaimed, and the viewers were also pleased, though most seemed to find this outcome obvious.
The blacksmith brought out another dummy, this time clad in steel armor.
"Would you try cutting this one as well?"
Lee Gyeongbok swung again. With a crack, the armor tore like paper, and the blade came to a stop.
― Incredible, lol
― This is what unique-grade means!
― Is that really steel armor? Not aluminum or something?
― Aluminum wouldn't exist in this era, lol
― With this kind of power, no wonder it's so hard to make
The viewers were amazed by its power. But that wasn't the end.
"Hm, I'm starting to get a feel for things."
As Lee Gyeongbok drew back the sword and made a comment, the chat filled with question marks.
Rather than explain, he swung the sword down vertically. Strikingly, the sword fell with no resistance at all.
"Oh, not even a scratch. It really is sturdy."
As he examined the blade in satisfaction, the armored dummy split cleanly in half.
-??????
― How did that even cut through?
― What is this? Is this a rigged show?
― Is he a wizard or something?
― Elden's Top Sword + unique-grade weapon = endgame
― This is like an Elden Soul musou move, lol
― Musou, lol
― The sound of Elden noobs coughing up blood, lol
― Elden noobs: This is a game where you learn by dying!
-??? : Why are you dying? Don't you want to live?
― But I do! Even if I want to live, I still die!
― Say you want to live!
Amidst the viewers' passion, Lee Gyeongbok sheathed his sword.
"Well then, shall we head to the Cathedral?"
* * *
The Cathedral looked unchanged as always. As Lee Gyeongbok approached, a cutscene began.
"Broken One, be careful. Who knows what could happen once the truth of the imposter is revealed."
The protagonist gently set the witch down on the stairs. Because of her brand, she could not enter the Cathedral.
"I'll be back."
The protagonist walked calmly forward. After passing the hallway the high priest had previously shown him, the chapel doors appeared.
― What excuse will the fake nuna try?
― Even though she's a fake, she's still nuna, lol
― Don't know, don't care!
― Lol, no one knows how this'll play out
― Until it's confirmed, she's nuna! Anyway, she's nuna!
Amidst viewers' anticipation, the chapel doors opened. Sophia slowly turned to him.
"You've returned safely."
"As you can see."
The protagonist drew the Dragon Scale Sword. She nodded slowly.
"I knew you'd do it. Thank you, truly. Now I can rest easy."
Sophia bowed in thanks, then produced the fake holy orb. The protagonist silently took it.
― What? Why even take that thing?
― I really have no idea what's going to happen now, lol
― What's going on, what's going on!
Amid viewers' questions, the protagonist moved. He drew another fake holy orb from his pocket.
It was dust-stained and bloodied, found in the snow mountains.
"Why are there two holy orbs?"
At his question, sophia's pupils widened dramatically. She looked utterly confused and stammered.
"Two holy orbs? How could that...?"
"You're going to pretend you don't know?"
He hurled the holy orb the saint had given him hard against the floor. With a crash, the orb shattered.
"If this was real, why would the barrier still remain?"
He pointed at the window. Even with the holy orb broken, the sanctuary's barrier still held.
That was further proof the orb he'd smashed was a fake.
― Wow, what a chad
― As soon as he knew it was fake, he smashed it
― Just proved it right in front of her?
― Now that's what I call fact-violence, lol
― Fact + violence, ouch!
Sophia's jaw trembled. Her gaze darted between the broken orb and the still-active barrier.
Then, she suddenly spasmed, her body writhing and her pupils darting erratically, as if she'd fallen into a fit.
"What the...?"
The protagonist warily stepped back, and she collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
― Was that just now?
― For a second I thought it was a horror game
― Yep, she really was a fake
― Is she still church nuna after this?
― But is that all?
― What, she just dropped without resistance
The protagonist seemed to feel the same as the viewers.
"Did she take her own life?"
He checked over Sophia's corpse, still unable to understand.
Just then.
With a thud, the chapel doors swung open.
― Oh shit!
― I was startled!
― Spilled my ramen
― Is it an enemy!?
Amid viewers' outcry, the protagonist spun around in surprise.
"It's terrible! Terrible!"
Rolling over was a tiny witch golem.
-lol It's mini nuna
― So cute, I'll allow it!
― That rolling motion is adorable
― But how did she get in?
― Wasn't the barrier supposed to come down after the fake saint died?
The protagonist quickly caught her in his arms, the witch shaking her head rapidly and speaking in a rush.
"Outside! The dead people outside are walking around!"
"The dead?"
The protagonist repeated, but soon dashed outside. As the viewers were still puzzled, noises sounded from the corridor exit ahead.
"Aaaargh!"
"Run! Run away!"
"Why is this happening?!"
Screams and desperate cries.
The scene outside was utterly changed from before. Pale-skinned monsters were swarming the people.
― What are those, wtf
― Don't their skins look kind of like Sophia's?
― True!
― Knew something was up
― New enemies?
But something was strange.
"Honey!"
"Pull yourself together! It's me, it's me!"
"But—how? I saw you die with my own eyes..."
Some villagers, rather than fleeing, approached the monsters.
Lee Gyeongbok sized up the situation immediately.
"Ah... Looks like they used to be family or friends."
― Agreed
― Witch nuna was right
― So the dead villagers' families and friends came back
― But they're not zombies, so what are they?
― Doesn't feel like the undead, either
― I bet the Evil Faction made some kind of jiangshi!
-lol What's with the Cathedral and jiangshi combo
Without hesitation, the monsters killed the villagers who approached. Priests shouted, trying to protect the people.
"Run! These are not the ones you once knew!"
"Elden Knights, protect us!"
They fought the monsters with their weapons but—
"Argh...!"
"What the...!"
Regular weapons wouldn't even sink into the monsters' bodies. With no change of expression, they slaughtered priests and villagers alike.
The terror spread like wildfire.
"Waah!"
"Run away!"
"Get out! Hurry, get out!"
"The barrier! The barrier won't open!"
"It's over, it's all over...!"
The villagers who reached the edge of the sanctuary couldn't go any further. The barrier, meant to protect them, now served as a prison.
Just then.
"Stand back!"
Over the cries and screams, a shout rang out. The villagers' eyes snapped open wide at the edge.
"The knights! The knight order is here!"
"The knight order has arrived!"
Responding to the crisis, the knight order that had been waiting nearby rushed in. At their head was knight order commander, blondo.
"Break through the barrier! Protect the citizens!"
He raised his voice for all to hear.
"Knights! Fulfill your duty!"
None here were cowards; armored in duty and faith, the knights charged forward without hesitation.
― That's what being a knight is about!
― Knight order alliance route? Actually, I like it better
― Perfect timing
― This is such a good cliché (goosebumps)
― Of course, knights are the foundation of the Elden series
― You can hear Elden noobs attaining enlightenment, lol
― Knight hero moment? It's the real route!
But things still didn't look good. Even with the knights' charge, the barrier didn't easily break.
"Broken One!"
Blondo raised his voice again. The monsters and villagers drew ever closer. Urgency was obvious in his every move.
"We need time! Please, lend us your strength!"
Until the barrier was broken, only one could protect the people.
The protagonist.
The cutscene ended there.
Lee Gyeongbok felt a chilling sense of threat. The monsters near the Cathedral were converging on him.
"It's a time attack, I see."
He had to eliminate the monsters targeting the player and save the villagers. Time was tight, but the viewers weren't worried.
― Dragon Scale Sword ON!
― Elden's Top Sword ON!
― Chastening those pale ones, let's go!
― Ah, this cold and heavy feeling. It's been a while!
― How could it have been that long, lol
― He'll finish before the knight order even breaks through the barrier, lol
― Ah, spoiler ban please, lol
They trusted Lee Gyeongbok's skills.
He lived up to that trust.
"For now, I'll carve a path and defend from there."
With one swing, one gone.
Wherever Lee Gyeongbok drew a line with his sword, the monsters' bodies split along it.
It was unstoppable momentum.
Even those who blocked his way only made him rush faster.
― Wow, so satisfying
― That's truly Elden's Top Sword! The monsters fall like autumn leaves!
― What's with the ghost parade, lol
― This is becoming a classic wuxia game, elden Soul
― Playing a different game, huh?
― Is Elden Musou out yet?
― Can't believe he's really doing a musou run, lol
― FromSoft, watching this? Make your next game a musou!
The viewers showered him with exclamations. Lee Gyeongbok quickly broke through and protected the villagers.
"Is this what you call a super save? Either way, I'll go for a perfect run."
He made light-hearted comments. He was confident of not letting a single villager die.
― Oh! Super save incoming!
― What's with the perfect save, lol
― Not a single one dies. That's perfect (nods)
-(PerStamp emote)(PerStamp emote)(PerStamp emote)
― Spoiler: He really will save everyone
-lol GodPako, why no spoiler enforcement?
― I know this! It's the Zhangban Slope, right?
― You, get out!
― FromSoft, must be suffering, lol
-lol They tried making it tense but it's too chill now
The viewers were elated. Lee Gyeongbok met every expectation.
Dozens of monsters swarmed, but not one crossed the line he defended.
Astonishingly, the situation was resolved in no time.
"Ah, cutscene again."
Before Lee Gyeongbok could even catch his breath, the controls were taken away.
"We survived...!"
"We're alive! We really made it!"
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Villagers cheered, falling to their knees. Behind them, blondo and the knights looked on with awe.
"Truly a remarkable feat...! I never expected anything this overwhelming!"
-lol, blondo was blown away, huh?
-???: We only lived thanks to the knight order alliance route...
― Sounds right, lol
― Godple is so strong, the knight order never even gets to shine
― The scenario writer must be sobbing, lol
― That line probably reflects the writer's true feelings, right? lol
As viewers shared their satisfaction at Blondo's words, the mood changed with the next line.
"But this barrier simply won't break. Not even I can put a single crack in it..."
-?????
― What? Was it really up to the player alone to break it?
― Nuts;;; Who else could beat this except Godple?
― I guess almost all villagers normally die, huh
― FromSoft, are you crazy?
― Sounds right, this is for multiple playthrough content
― So overwhelming difficulty, right?
While viewers were in shock at the difficulty, the protagonist frowned.
"That can't be right. Even the Corrupted Knights cracked the barrier. How could you not?"
He remembered what happened when he first approached the sanctuary—the barrier had almost broken under the Corrupted Knight's attack.
There was no way Blondo, as knight order commander, was weaker than them.
― Huh? Now that he says it
― Is this a setup for a twist?
― What's going on now!
― I give up thinking, fromSoft!
The viewers realized this belatedly.
At that moment, the witch cautiously spoke up.
"Could it be... that the barrier was deliberately weakened?"
"Deliberately?"
"Maybe that fake saint weakened the barrier to let the Corrupted Knights attack—on purpose, to permit the breach."
She stared grimly at the bodies of the monsters.
"The dead have returned. Maybe... her aim was to have the sanctuary's residents die and become like this."
"You may be right. If so, maybe there are clues where the bodies were moved."
He nodded at the witch's explanation. And Lee Gyeongbok recalled something.
"Ah, didn't they show bodies being moved when we first arrived at the sanctuary?"
There was a cutscene with villagers carrying off priests killed by Corrupted Knights.
― Yeah, that happened!
― I didn't even notice?
― If Godple says so, it's true, lol
― Wow, was that foreshadowing?
― FromSoft's attention to detail, as expected
― So the point of the sanctuary wasn't just depression, huh?
― In the original route, it was probably just meant to feel bleak
― Where'd they take the bodies?
― There's a crematorium in the cathedral basement
The viewers were impressed.
"Seems like we'll have to deal with it from the inside. We'll keep working from here, so please try to find a way."
With Blondo's line, the cutscene ended. Regaining control, Lee Gyeongbok headed to the crematorium entrance beside the Cathedral.
"Ah, a secret passage."
Inside, the crematorium wall was open. Apparently, the monsters had emerged from here.
― What's going on?
― So it really was hidden, lol
― I had no idea, lol
― Wonder what's in there
-lol, another Q-tube highlight
― Fact: every moment is a highlight
― Godple's stream must be watched live, lol
The viewers couldn't hide their shock and anticipation. Lee Gyeongbok promptly entered the passageway.
The incense candles seen in the chapel flickered in the dark.
"It's kind of steep—a passage leading deeper underground."
― Secrets in the basement are an ironclad fantasy rule
-lol Classic cliché (love it)
― It's FromSoft, so it's going to be rough
-lol, you'll find nothing valuable
Stepping in, Lee Gyeongbok felt a threat.
'This thing's stronger than a drake.'
The deeper he moved, the stronger the threat felt. Fortunately, there were no traps or weak monsters along the way. As he reached the end, a cutscene began.
"What is this place...?"
"Looks like an altar."
The corridor led to an enormous chamber. In its center stood a massive altar, seemingly carved from the earth itself.
Countless incense candles burned around it.
"What is that?"
"I... I don't know."
All eyes, protagonist and witch alike, turned to the top of the altar. There sat a sphere as large as a house.
Strangely, the sphere was wrapped in white cloth, embroidered with golden thread like a priest's robe.
― What is this, omg
― Just looking at it, you know it's a big deal
― Something is happening
― The atmosphere is nuts, wow
― A sense of holiness and grotesqueness colliding, lol
― That's what FromSoft does best, lol
― They must all be perverts at FromSoft, for this kind of detail, lol
The viewers' expectations soared higher.
Then—
"How long has it been, I wonder."
A voice called from behind the altar. It was a somewhat weary but kind-sounding elderly woman.
At once, the protagonist turned toward the sound. An old woman, smiling, stepped out from behind the altar.
― Oh? An old lady!
― Is this the real saint?
― What's going to happen now!?
― Quiet, let's just watch!
"Sophia..."
The witch quietly called the old woman by name. Sophia smiled softly and bowed deeply.
"Yes... you haven't forgotten. It's truly been so long."
The mood in the chat shifted once more.
― What's going on? Why is the saint acting like this?
― That's not how you treat a subordinate
― Wait, is it?
― Already revealed?
Before the chat could react, sophia spoke again.
"We were so worried after you were exiled from the royal castle. Your Highness, Princess."
At this, the protagonist turned his gaze.
"Princess?"
"... Yes. I can finally say it now. My contract only restricts me from those who don't know my true identity."
The witch did not deny it.
"I am Alicia, daughter and heir of Decider Aiden."
The Vague Witch.
Her true identity was finally revealed.
---
**New Names/Locations/Skills/Techniques Introduced**