An Unexpected Duo
In the midst of everyone falling a bit quiet, I figured we were all thinking pretty much the same thing. Amazement, shock—something like that.
"This doesn't make any sense. She's really a girl?"
Even so, Jang Seonho's words were enough to earn glares from me and Seo Seohui. We might've been thinking the same, but there was no need to point out the girl part specifically.
"No..., I mean, that's just how it is. More importantly, sis, don't you think you're the last one who should be staring like that?"
Jang Seonho muttered something about her being the girl who'd gotten disciplined for sucking at the game, and it was seriously annoying. Not that he was wrong, so I didn't bother arguing—just gave his arm a solid flick for being a jerk.
"Why are you so violent?" "Deal with it."
Anyway, the phrasing was a bit much, but we were all on the same page about Arang's performance. Even Yuseung, who'd acknowledged her physical talent, and me.
"...Her mechanics are just on another level."
Even Jang Seonho, who'd been against Arang, said it. At that, Seo Seohui poked him lightly.
"You getting shaken up a bit?"
Her tone was pure teasing, and Jang Seonho wasn't about to take it lying down.
"Yeah, seems better than you." "Wanna die?"
They seemed on bad terms, but their bickering wasn't half bad. While those two kept at it, the lobby for the second game opened, and both sides started pondering their picks.
"Sword versus shield this time, huh." "But shields are inherently at a disadvantage, right?" "It's less about solo kills and more about laning execution, how well you eat damage without dying, and CS intake."
Shields varied—some had strong laning that could snag solo kills depending on the matchup—but generally, they lacked the solo kill potential of swords.
This round, Arang picked sword, and Sharpness took shield.
Game one had been a shocking win for Arang, but this was a different story.
Sharpness was a shield expert. Unless it was sword-on-sword where you had to force kills, breaking him down was no easy feat.
The game started, and their picks were revealed.
"...Did she just pick Spearman?"
We all went quiet for a moment.
Sharpness's choice was Watchman—an unusually strong laner among shield characters. It could even go for damage in some cases, though inefficiently.
But Arang picked Spearman. Not a weird pick on its own, but against Watchman? Problematic.
Watchman restricted movement and blocked paths, hard-countering the mobile Spearman. Whether first or counter-pick, picking it after dominating her Kunoichi last game screamed intent.
"Manipulation on that's tough too—think she can handle it?" "Kunoichi's tough too." "Ranged and melee feel different. Anyway, she's young, but her raw power's insane." "You're young too." "We're the same age."
Ignoring their endless squabbling, Yuseung and I focused on the game.
Wondering how Arang would navigate this mess, but it unfolded one-sidedly.
Another Arang win.
Sharpness hadn't played poorly. It was a nail-biter—they traded constantly, but Arang always came out ahead.
She kited melee with the Spearman's polearm, which had a subtle range edge over Watchman's hammer. Rare sight.
Even by the "first to 100 CS wins" rule, the gap was tiny, but Arang was on track to hit it first.
Shields trading even wasn't bad for Sharpness positioning-wise, but to avoid loss, he had to go for broke. He pushed up decisively—and Lady Victory sided with Arang.
"...Is she actually gonna win this?" "How's this even happening.... Her youth?" "You guys are young too."
You're only two years older....
Anyway, the vibe had shifted big time. Even those two opponents of hers were starting to look like, well, maybe...
And me? If the gap was this wide, adding Arang to the team didn't sound half bad.
Up to that point, anyway.
"...That's the same girl who played Spearman earlier, right?"
Arang, who'd been dominating, suffered two straight losses—like, utter demolitions.
It was shield picks for her both times. Shield vs. sword, shield vs. shield.
Shield vs. sword: She got pounded all lane, couldn't CS properly, overextended, got punished hard, lost by a massive CS gap.
Shield vs. shield: Straight-up solo killed.
Paladin and Guardian picks—and her item builds were a spectacle.
"...Paladin and Guardian going full damage items."
Not impossible builds, but she rushed them like sword characters. Extreme—no pro would. Terrible for a matchup-testing 1v1.
What to even call this....
"Hey." "Y-yeah." "She new to those?"
Seemed like first-timers. Like Yuseung said.
"Checked her history—pure sword for a year and a half."
At Jang Seonho's words, I pulled up the stats site and searched Arang's ID right away.
Why hadn't I checked basics like that? Sure, even knowing yesterday, couldn't master shields overnight....
Maybe better this way. Losing to total noobs? Excuse city.
Experienced picks losing? No excuses.
Score tied 2-2. One game left.
Blind pick 1v1 with comfort picks. Pure physical test, no champ restrictions—unlike before.
Arang's best? Butcher or Swordsman?
Butcher had strong slow but no hard CC. Swordsman countered stuns with riposte, but conditional, matchup-dependent.
Both physical-heavy, but 1v1 monsters.
As expected, Arang picked one: Swordsman.
But her pick barely registered. We were floored by Sharpness's.
"This... for top?" "Back when top meta had that one carry season, yeah."
Sharpness picked Lighthouse Keeper.
No damage, vision/laning/ macro win condition—support or jungler pick.
Pulling it here meant: No fights. CS victory.
High-risk: One approach slip against Swordsman, and you're dead.
"Can she win?" "Lighthouse Keeper's strong in lane harass, but can't secure kills.... Bleed 'em out from range, no breathing room after. Zero mistakes allowed."
How to read this?
Coward dodging fights? Or sage dragging to favorable terrain?
Couldn't call it either way. But one thing clear.
Sharpness was pro.
Pro game from start to finish.
And he made zero mistakes. Hit 100 CS first.
Loss, loss, win, win, win.
Sharpness's 3-2 victory.
~
The room went silent as a knock came from outside. Arang's mom.
She entered, and we froze, unsure what to say.
"Did... Arang lose?"
Eyes turned. No one bold enough to say "Your daughter failed." But the mood told her everything.
"Ah...." "It's not finalized yet...."
Arang's mom looked heartbroken. I blurted comfort on reflex, but she waved it off.
"It's fine. Can't be helped."
Bitter, but relieved too. Disappointing loss, but pro dreams worried her—maybe this was better.
Door opened: Coach and some front-office guy, Yu Manager. No Arang or Sharpness.
"Ah, ma'am." "It's okay. I heard."
Not official, but Arang cut? Unlikely.
Despite sets 1-2 godlike physicals, 3-4 were disasters, and 5 showed pro-amateur wall starkly.
Even high potential? Unless coach forcing it, Sharpness was the pick.
"Can't be helped. Thanks for the test. Where's Arang...?" "No, I called you for a word." "Pardon?"
Coach's reaction was off. Not "failed," but "have something to say." What now? No way.
"Could you come with us? You guys scrim."
Coach, Yu Manager, Arang's mom left. We buzzed.
"No way she got it? Or just farewell?" "Weird vibe. Taking mom means locked, right? Bro, hear anything?" "Been here whole time." "Coach mention before?" "Dunno."
Yuseung denied despite knowing. I had nothing to add.
After all five? Low odds for Arang.
Sets 3-4-5 fallout huge. Set 2? Sharpness traded even CS—hard to call crushed overall.
True stomp? Only set 1.
But low odds ≠ zero.
Coach could force it. Sharpness untrusted.
Cold calc: 8-2 Sharpness. Coach bias? 50-50.
Scrim? No way. We four replayed 1v1s, chatted hour away.
Door opened.
Arang, tear-streaked.
"Arang?" "Pudge!"
Worried at first, but she beamed, tackled me. Passed. Guessed when mom taken.
"You passed?" "Yeah! Signed contract. Teammates from today!"
Jang Seonho's sigh, Seo Seohui's cheer, Yuseung's frown. Turned—saw him outside.
Eye contact. Arang yelled.
"Sub position, though!"
Sub....
Right.
Arang sub.
Main Sharpness Kim Hanseo. Sub Kang Arang.
Team had two top laners.
Not easy to predict.