Countermeasure (2)
For a second, I was at a complete loss for words.
How dare anyone try to lecture this body—the strongest ADC in the entire universe.
—tok-to-to-to-tok.
…I said that, but I already knew the truth.
DeepSeaCleaner was never the kind of player who belonged in the abyss in the first place.
A player who dropped on purpose.
There were two kinds of users who lived down in the deep sea. One was the pure-blooded abyss native—people who simply lacked the skill and fell there for real. The other was the type who dropped entirely of their own free will. DeepSeaCleaner was a hundred percent the latter.
Yeah, the plays he showed every once in a while were definitely out of the ordinary.
So what was his original rank, then?
I was still turning that over when the next message came.
…At least Gold, then. Minimum.
But still.
I'd just die, thanks.
That was the last message. The chat went quiet. I propped my chin on my hand and muttered, thoroughly annoyed.
"A support, of all people…. If I log in tonight, I'm going to give that guy the most chaotic lesson of his life."
"Eheheheheh."
"What are you grinning about?"
SolidHeavy was wearing a weirdly contented smile that made zero sense.
"Nothing, nothing. I just think it's nice how carefully DeepSeaCleaner looks after you, ADC-nim. He must have seen what happened yesterday and gotten worried."
"…Looking after me, my ass. He only messaged me to pick a fight."
"Come on. Would someone like that donate every stream and watch every single broadcast just to mess with you?"
All of a sudden SolidHeavy clasped both hands together in a way completely at odds with his bulk and twisted his body shyly. Murderous intent flared up for a second, but I held it down.
"I've actually been curious for a while. You two are always hanging around each other… Are the two of you, perhaps, in a rather intimate relationship?"
—Pffft…!
I almost sprayed whatever was in my mouth, but somehow managed to hold it in. Then I barked at SolidHeavy at full volume.
"Have you lost your mind?"
"Ah, so my guess was right. Looking at how flustered you are."
"I'm just shocked by how inventively stupid that was, you idiot! Me? Dating that pig-broth netkama bastard? Me?"
"Hmm. Have you ever met him?"
"No? I don't need to. It's obvious."
Do I seriously have to see him in person to know that?
"Then what exactly is the relationship between you two that makes you seem so attached?"
…Was that really how it looked to other people?
Well, we are LAN sex partners, I guess!
Looking back now, my life really had twisted itself into the most spectacular knot imaginable!
"Attached, my ass. We're just a creditor and a debtor."
When I answered flatly, SolidHeavy shoved his face in close, eyes wide with shock. That aggressively angular face was so oppressive I instinctively leaned back.
"A-a creditor?! Don't tell me… that debt you mentioned before was money you owe DeepSeaCleaner?!"
"Yeah."
"Hooo…!"
Once I confirmed it so readily, SolidHeavy pulled back to his original position and started muttering to himself.
"I understand. An old friend who is also the creditor of a massive debt…"
…It wasn't exactly massive, though.
Ten o'clock at night.
I logged into Asgard quietly, without turning the stream on.
SolidHeavy has sent you a friend request.
The moment I entered Asgard, a notification was waiting for me—SolidHeavy's friend request. Come to think of it, the two of us still weren't registered as friends.
But what the hell was this guy even doing before?
Honestly, I still knew almost nothing about SolidHeavy. Why he had been following me around… he never said a word about that part.
Still, I could tell he wasn't a bad guy. He had treated my wounds, given solid advice on game strategy, and even put up with all my whining.
He's probably not a bad guy, at least.
Yeah. He just worked out so much that his brain cells started glitching. That was the story I decided to go with.
SolidHeavy has been added as a friend.
After accepting, I opened the friends window. Both DeepSeaCleaner and SolidHeavy showed as online. I created a custom game and invited DeepSeaCleaner.
HungADC
DeepSeaCleaner
Our two IDs popped up in the custom lobby.
And at the same time—
SolidHeavy is requesting to spectate.
What was this bastard doing all of a sudden?
I had no idea, but I accepted for now. SolidHeavy's ID appeared right after.
Spectator: SolidHeavy
He already knew about the 10 p.m. meeting because I had told him. But nobody had ever agreed that he would join in.
Don't tell me he just had nothing better to do.
"Diligent bastard."
Well, as long as he didn't get in the way, it was fine.
Right as SolidHeavy sent a beaming emoji, DeepSeaCleaner—who had been silent the whole time—finally typed something.
"Hmm."
Right. DeepSeaCleaner only knew about the part where SolidHeavy and I had met in real life. He had no idea about anything that came after. Seeing us trade messages this casually must have looked weird. Probably looked like sworn enemies casually hanging out like nothing happened.
Sharp, aren't you?
What. Guys who work out together can get close, can't they?
DeepSeaCleaner had definitely said he would teach me about ADC play.
But before I answered, there was one thing I needed to ask.
How many crushing defeats had I tasted so far? Every single time, DeepSeaCleaner had only ever laughed at me. This was the first time he had ever offered to teach me out of nowhere.
Master?
"What kind of bullshit is that!"
My only master was Yuri0921 and no one else.
Fuck, that was bringing back the night I soaked my pillow with tears!
"Don't make me remember that again!"
KRAAAAAAH!!!!
My character was Nike, of course.
DeepSeaCleaner picked Tiaris, the support, just like always.
A sharp-eyed little gothic lolita lady raised black flames in both hands and settled into her combat stance.
"…."
The match didn't last long at all.
Tiaris… DeepSeaCleaner's movement was so elegant and sharp that even I let out an involuntary gasp of admiration. Dress fluttering as she slipped past every single arrow, Tiaris flattened my Nike against the ground in the blink of an eye.
"What the fuck!"
I already knew DeepSeaCleaner was skilled. But this skilled?
"Maybe everything he's shown me so far wasn't even half of his real ability…"
I had heard somewhere that pig-broth netkama bastards were always insanely good at games. DeepSeaCleaner fit the formula so perfectly that I suddenly felt a wall slam down in front of me.
—Sssk.
A shadow fell across Nike, who was lying flat on the ground.
Tiaris, black gothic lolita dress billowing, climbed onto Nike's back, settled her hips gently on top, and crossed her legs.
A defeat so total I couldn't even lift a finger.
I had no choice but to admit it. This netkama bastard was far better than I had ever expected.
SolidHeavy clearly felt it just as keenly.
He had gone past admiration and into something closer to awe. Even at a glance he must have realized it—this was a human being on a completely different level from Pororo.
And me…
Staring at Nike pinned under Tiaris's ass, I typed a message with complete indifference.
….
I was in no mood to play Asgard today.
I hit the quit button immediately.