Newbie's Quest: Awaiting Challenge
Chapter 38: Spirited and Vigorous!

"Is that Ethan!"

"Ethan, you legend!"

"My dear Ethan."

"Enough from upstairs, we're all brothers here. No need for such flattery."

A few bystanders in the Emerald Tempest Guild's live stream, who were somewhat fans of Ethan Walker, erupted in excitement upon seeing him appear. However, this being the domain of Emerald Tempest, it wasn't long before the loyal guild fans stirred up trouble.

"How dare you show your face after stealing from others?!"

"Such audacity!"

"Thief! Thief!"

"Captain Henrik, please kick him out!"

Though Ethan's supporters were outnumbered in the chat, their tenacity and fighting spirit were remarkable.

"Ah, so this is the caliber of the elite guild fans. Quite an eye-opener."

"What's the matter, does Emerald Tempest think they rule the universe? Why don't you claim you built the White Tower too?"

"Stop your nonsense. If you're so capable, go and steal from him!"

This sparked a fiery exchange between the fans of the guild and Ethan's followers. Despite being outnumbered, Ethan's supporters valiantly held their ground, engaging in a battle of words within the limits of the live stream's chat regulations. The situation escalated until the moderator intervened, silencing a few users to restore some semblance of order.

Inside the White Tower, Ethan stood alone, facing five opponents. Their surprise was evident when he revealed his identity as an accompanying reporter.

Brandon Scott whispered to Sophia Carter, "What's an accompanying reporter?"

Sophia, struggling with her new brand of contact lenses, which made everyone seem like they were rolling their eyes, patiently explained, "An accompanying reporter is a type of staff member from the General Association. They follow various guilds into dungeons to report and occasionally commentate."

"Why haven't we seen one before?"

"Too dangerous. Most people at the Association are more scholarly and not suited for risking their lives with us brutes," Sophia said, humbly referring to herself as a 'brute' despite her high education, "Moreover, with live streaming now, the position is almost redundant."

Sophia's explanation was apt. The role of an accompanying reporter was impulsively created by the Association's leaders. However, they hadn't anticipated the lack of interest, leading to the position remaining vacant for years and on the brink of being abolished.

Alex Johnson, well-informed as always, thought of this position and immediately called his friend at the Association to confirm if the role was still available. Upon receiving an affirmative answer, he jovially said, "I know a rookie who'd be perfect for the job as an accompanying reporter. He doesn't ask for much, just a spot whenever the Association sends people to major events."

His friend, delighted at the prospect since the position had been vacant and unnoticed at major events, inquired about the identity of this benevolent individual. Hearing Ethan's name almost made him jump with excitement. "Is this for real? Fantastic, Alex, you must ensure Ethan joins!"

It seemed this friend was also a covert fan of Ethan.

Alex's friend, as reliable as he himself, promptly delivered Ethan's work ID and the Association's specialized recording equipment overnight.

"Just have Ethan wear the badge for now, we can sort the paperwork later. We've set up a dedicated live stream channel for him; he just needs to turn on the camera." Ethan was surprised at how quickly everything was arranged. He woke up to replace an exquisite sky-blue gift box at his bedside.

"What's this?"

"A gift from the Association," Alex explained, conveniently appearing at the doorway.

"Already?" Ethan unwrapped the gift in his usual rough manner, tearing the wrapping paper into odd shapes, "I thought it would take at least five or six days."

"I contacted a friend who's a fan of yours. He worked through the night to get it done."

"I still have fans, huh," Ethan smiled, his eyes twinkling as he held up his reporter ID, "It's nice to have fans. No wonder you all work so hard to maintain your image."

"That's just the beginning. As your fame grows, you might attract wealthy supporters who'll pour money into your guild and assist in its management." "Really?"

"It all depends on your talents and capabilities."

Thus, Ethan effortlessly assumed the role of an accompanying reporter, a process much easier than he had anticipated.

However, one shortfall was that Ethan didn't have time to simulate today's dungeon beforehand. Traditionally, he would use his sleep time to mentally prepare and simulate the dungeon's course. In the past, for S-level dungeons, Ethan only needed a few simulations to grasp their general layout. After eight or nine runs, he could almost predict every twist and turn.

Except for the occasional overly challenging boss or an excessively large map, Ethan no longer needed to expend much effort on these simulations. This time, however, the circumstances were different. He had messaged Captain Henrik to go to Area 547 as a feint, with his real aim elsewhere. But upon receiving his reporter ID, he decided to head to Area 547 after all.

So there Ethan was, in the midst of it all. The General Association had provided him with top-quality equipment since he had offered to provide live commentary. Fitted with the gear, Ethan reached out and tapped the floating camera orb. "Hello everyone, can you hear me clearly? Can you see my face?" he asked, as the General Association's live stream synchronized the sound and image. "Ethan!"

"Ethan's made it big, joining the Association?"

"Typical Ethan, haha, this will surely rile up Emerald Tempest!"

"Ethan commentating a dungeon? Someone actually took up the job of a disposable accompanying reporter?"

"Well, it's Ethan after all. Who knows who the real disposable one is?"

Instantly, the Association's live stream channel was flooded with over three hundred thousand viewers, surpassing the usual viewer count and almost crashing due to technical limitations. Ethan's fans found a sense of belonging, and many bystanders were curious to see how this top player would perform and commentate in the dungeon. As an accompanying reporter, his role didn't require him to engage in combat; his primary task was to ensure his own safety. This raised questions about his potential involvement in the dungeon. Being somewhat of a nemesis to Emerald Tempest, would he stand by idly in the face of danger or perhaps even sabotage their efforts? Driven by intense curiosity, more and more viewers flocked to the stream, delighting the typically cash-strapped General Association. Popularity meant sponsorship, and sponsorship meant money, a much-needed lifeline for the Association. Ethan, a newcomer to the world of reporting, seemed to take to it quite naturally.

"Good day, dear viewers. I'm Ethan, the new accompanying reporter. Welcome to the live stream of Emerald Tempest Guild tackling the sixth tower of Area 547, brought to you by the General Association. I'll be with you throughout this journey. Let's start by introducing the members of Emerald Tempest's first team. First up, Sophia Carter."

Ethan curled his right hand, mimicking a microphone, and extended it towards Sophia. She opened her mouth but said nothing.

"Ah, very insightful, Sophia. What about you, Brandon Scott?" he continued.

Brandon glared at him, as if he wanted to bite off a piece of Ethan.

"Absolutely, Brandon's comments are spot on. How about you, Maxwell Ford?" Ethan turned to the only team member playing along with his impromptu interview.

"I agree with Brandon's views," Maxwell replied, smiling.

"Excellent! Let's hear from the vice-captain now. Isabella Martínez, are you confident about this dungeon?"

Isabella forced a diplomatic smile. "Of course, I trust my team, as long as outsiders don't interfere."

"Very well said. Finally, let's hear from Emerald Tempest's ace, Captain Henrik Jensen. Do you believe all five of you will survive this time?"

Henrik, unprovoked by Ethan's question, calmly asked, "Are you challenging me?"

"Ahaha, how could that be?" Ethan's demeanor shifted from casual to more serious, his smile cold and distant, making him seem like a merciless NPC within the White Tower, a finely-tuned, bloodthirsty machine. The expression was fleeting. Before anyone could react, Ethan turned back to the camera.

"Great! Everyone's in high spirits! Let's dive into the dungeon. Good luck to all!"

With that, he punched the blue start button.