'Duo?' 'Yeah, Duo.'

"Huh? Duo?"

"Yeah, duo."

"Um, you're not talking about duoing in a real match or something, right? You mean solo queue duo?"

"Yeah."

"I'll get you to Grandmaster today, Crisu. That proves it, right?"

"Uh... wait, aren't you Master, Pudge?"

"Yeah, I am."

"You can't even hit Grandmaster yourself—how are you gonna get me there...?"

Crisu's voice dripped with disbelief. It was beyond absurd, edging into outright bewilderment. But I was confident.

"I get that you don't trust me, but just believe me once. I'll get you there for sure."

"...Kinda awkward to say this, but you're lower tier than me, and that last game was, uh, yeah..."

"That's exactly what I'm proving."

As expected, Crisu hesitated, clearly finding me utterly untrustworthy. If some random Master I'd never met pulled this on me, I'd tell them to fuck off too. I got it. Like I'd said before, Crisu's personality wasn't bad at all. Actually, she was pretty decent.

The chat in Crisu's stream was turning sour fast, and mine wasn't much better. At this point, even I was getting a little nervous.

I was confident I could get Crisu to Grandmaster if we duoed. My physical skills might've rusted, but my game sense and judgment were as sharp as ever. Duo queue let me leverage that at 200—no, 300 percent.

I couldn't guarantee 100% win rate, but sending her off before bed? Piece of cake.

But if she didn't bite? Pointless. I'd just look like a clueless Master begging for carries.

I waited tensely for her decision, my hand trembling slightly.

Finally, Crisu spoke.

"Okay! Let's do it!"

"For real?"

"But there's a condition."

"What is it?"

"Can't just duo for free, right?"

...Ugh. Normally, I'd be the one offering. No choice now. I'd have to accept.

"If you don't get me to Grandmaster, call me unnie from now on."

"Huh?"

What the fuck did this crazy bitch just say?

The chat exploded instantly. I was too stunned to respond.

Of course I was older. Did Crisu not know? Nah, she had to. This was her play—humiliate the older girl by making her call the younger one "unnie," grabbing stream angles and dishing shame.

Problem was, I used to be a guy.

A normal girl might feel a twinge of shame at calling a younger one unnie. But me? Double humiliation—girl calling unnie plus guy having to say it. Crisu didn't know, of course.

"Don't like it? Then no duo, hehe."

That creepy laugh grated. No way I wanted to call her unnie. But back out now? No escape.

"Nah, it's fine. Deal. Let's duo."

Whatever—as long as I won, it didn't matter.

It was getting late. Factoring Crisu's MMR, even without losses, we needed at least six straight wins. Even rushing, it'd be super late.

Fail, and I'd call her unnie. But I wasn't worried.

Assuming she listened, I had zero doubt I'd lose this bet.

None.

...Probably.

"Pick based on the situation, but follow my calls?"

"Yeah, just listen to me."

Duo was on. Crisu didn't seem to trust me at all, but she agreed to follow my lead.

"Oh, and switch your position to support."

"Support? Kinda disappointing. Didn't trust my ADC?"

"No no no, it's not that. Support's easier for snowballing the game."

Duo meta was jungle-support, mid-jungle, or ADC-support—but ours couldn't do those. Best was mid-support: her on support.

And honestly, I trusted her support more than ADC.

She wasn't wrong earlier, even if I hated admitting it.

Good thing I kept it inside this time.

"Don't hit GM, and you're done for."

"Won't happen, so don't get your hopes up."

First game started.

Then a chat spam hit.

Arang, fuck, shut up. I closed chat and told Crisu before ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠queuing.

"Sorry, can we hide our queue timing...?"

"Huh? Scared of snipers?"

"Nah. Got one mega toxic sniper. Like, really toxic—playing with her sucks."

"Pfft, got it. But you gotta get used to snipers streaming. Even Masters get 'em."

She wasn't toxic like that.

Arang wasn't bad, but duoing was exhausting. Win/loss hinged on her, not me.

Anyway, we hid timing, queued, dodged her sniper, and started clean.

First game: She picked Frost Sorceress support, so I grabbed Flame Sorceress. Rare pick lately—pure firepower mage, DPS junkie.

Not great for macro or my rusty state, but matchup was too good. One needs dive potential to snowball; couldn't pass free food.

"Buckle up tight—carry us?"

"Trust me."

Finally, a chance to show real skill.

Rusted or not, I could handle this.

Game started.

30 minutes later: Enemy nexus exploded.

"Wooo! Holy shit! We won! Broke the loss streak!! Insane!!!"

Just one win, but Crisu celebrated like she'd hit GM.

"Told you—listen to me."

I'd been a bit anxious too, but easy win restored confidence. Played it cool.

"Wow, unreal. How? Macro wizard—knew where they were without vision."

"Ways and means."

Basic stuff. I wasn't Tundra's main caller, but I always planned big plays.

Duo limited info sources to us two, but that was enough for solo queue flow.

"Believe me now?"

"One game tho?"

...Fuck, why you.

"One game my ass."

"Fluke possible? Hehe, need more games."

"Queue now then."

"Already did. Popped."

Knew she was teasing, almost pissed me off—but she'd queued quietly. Missed the sound talking.

"...Nice."

"Right? Streaming experience ain't fake."

"Less than a year?"

"A year's still experience."

Second game: She picked Forest Warden. Long range, lane bully, vision skill, minor heal/buff/survivability—versatile support.

Squishy, weak CC, hard to protect ADC—but perfect for macro games.

Last game, I forced macro wins despite picks. Gold lead carried fights; without it, tougher.

Couldn't bully lanes like old days, so macro picks. She felt it too, picking Warden.

I took Psychokinetic. Strong laner, global ult for macro, creates chaos.

No weak laners this run. Her MMR queued us; weak pick = stable fights but lost lanes, macro stalls.

Must bully lanes.

Second game: Go.

Over an hour later: Four wins straight.

"Chat, who is this?"

"Time for Pudge worship. Pudge~men."

What to say? Even I aimed for this, but the flip was jarring. After two wins, skepticism lingered. She was happy, trust budding—but wary.

Three wins: Glowing praise. Four: Full simp mode. Made sense.

Games two-three: Macro crushed. Three was luck, but Astrologer carried hard.

Four: I lost lane, macro saved it.

"Real talk, wow—I got eye for talent? Knew why I duoed. Predicted this. PudgeGodice! Believed from start, right? Told you—Blitzter sucked, not Guardian."

"Didn't you call me trash earlier?"

"Who said that? Banning now."

"No more opinions from me. Just follow orders. Pudge calls = wins even sleeping. Said I'd hit GM and log off—promise-keeping Crisu does what?"

"Win and done. Just points left."

"Two more?"

"Sucking LP well—one might do it if we clutch."

"This one's the one then."

"Hehehe, trust on this too."

"Anytime."

Weird vibe, but all per plan. Four wins—not easy, but flipped opinion.

Lying if I said it wasn't fun. Chat flipping was hilarious; games with her were solid.

Her ADC? Meh. Support? Perfect synergy. Listened too. Unlike Seong Yujin that asshole.

But no slacking—one game left, RNG unknown.

Hid queue again, popped clean. No ally sniper. Their Rev first-pick; I countered Ronin.

Ronin crushes melees, Rev ult risky in fights—but lane counter hard.

Thought we'd cruise final game.

One oversight.

Top [Aranggaiger (Kunoichi)] Mid [InMyPride (Revolutionary)]

Sniper could hit enemy too. Aranggaiger enemy top.

But that wasn't the issue.

Worst matchup final game.

Arang all-chatting aggro already, but she wasn't worst. Ignored her completely.

Only one mattered: Enemy mid InMyPride.

Because that ID...

Was Proud's smurf—the one that crushed me yesterday.