A Pro Gamer's Morning Starts Late
I'd arrived at the dorm early in the morning, so everyone else was still asleep, and I heard Kim Hanseo wouldn't show up until evening. I quietly slipped into the room I'd been assigned, unpacked my stuff without waking anyone.
Official schedules wouldn't kick off until tomorrow, so today was my first day back in pro life—and my last day of true freedom. Come tomorrow, my return announcement would drop, and the day after that, it'd be all scrims, interviews, streaming gigs, and the works.
Like it was part of my daily routine now, I scrolled through the community sites again. Still nothing major. Interest in E Revolution Gaming wasn't all that high either.
Soon enough, this place might be flooded with talk about me and our team.
But for that to happen, I'd have to go toe-to-toe with Proud again—not that it was real competition. Tonight was the opening match of the MSC, the Mid-Season Championship.
The MSC brought together the spring season winners from each league for the year's first international showdown. The big four—Korea, China, Europe, North America—were a given, plus champs from all sorts of minor leagues.
In the League of Eternity's premier international tourney, the Eld Cup, Korea had dominated with four straight wins lately. But the MSC was a different story.
Our Korean league rep—Starforce Gaming, who'd made it to MSC four years running—was actually pretty weak there. Relatively speaking, of course, compared to Worlds. And now it was five straight years.
Starforce, with their three Worlds titles, had only snagged one MSC win in those four years—and that was back in their second year, when they bombed out of Worlds.
Their debut year? Some underdog from the Taiwan league pulled off the upset. Years three and four went to a Chinese powerhouse contender.
A true Grand Slam—sweeping every international and league title in a year, aka the Golden Road—was an achievement even Proud hadn't pulled off yet, thanks to Worlds and MSC winners never lining up in the same season.
So naturally, all eyes would be on Proud and Starforce Gaming for this MSC. It might be their shot at starting that Golden Road legacy.
I couldn't help but wonder which would blow up bigger: my debut or the MSC hype.
Though the opener wasn't Starforce, so my story would probably steal the spotlight anyway.
"Nghcha!"
I stretched out on the bed and hopped up. Luggage done—nothing left to do here.
Time to hit the practice room.
Last day of freedom.
And I was more than happy to spend it grinding practice.
"No, we won't reveal it right away."
"Really?"
Our front office views differed from mine a bit, it seemed. This was my chat with Manager Yu in the practice room, after grinding games all morning.
"We'll prep in advance, handle the details, but no announcement tomorrow. Thinking live interview reveal for the surprise drop. Drip the info slow."
"Sounds kinda malicious."
"Doesn't that pull way more aggro?"
"You think a second-division 8th-place mid reveal draws that much heat?"
"We're looping in Idiot Games too. Dice comeback news? Crowd's gonna swarm."
Idiot Games collab too?
"They don't even know about... this yet."
"We're keeping it under wraps for now. But Dice? Not lightweight. They'll bite."
Official broadcast spot on their channel? That'd be clutch.
"Morning grind, huh? Not wiped?"
"Pro stuff. Gotta."
"Still, eat while you play. Lunch runs late here—till 2. Food's killer. Pumped yet?"
"Good to know."
True to word, lunch started at noon and stretched to 2—pro gamer hours. I was mid-bite, marveling at the cafeteria auntie's skills, when Yuseung and Jang Seonho strolled in.
"Why you here?"
"Why not? Rolled in at 8, unpacked, grinding since. Lazy asses."
"Your sleep schedule normalizes soon anyway."
Pro life normal meant late nights, late mornings. Fair.
Jang Seonho was yawning nonstop, still half-dead.
"Seohee?"
"She ain't up. Sleeps till she feels like it. Pro for the naps, swear."
Made sense—Crisu streams were always "skipping school again."
We three grabbed chow, chat naturally drifting to MSC. Opener tonight—obvious kickoff. But the flow? Not so much.
"Starforce sweeps this time? Proud's in god form."
"Internationals ain't solo carry easy-mode."
"Slice, Wolfdog, Cruiser, Steak—all beasts. Not a one-man show."
"Proud's still the best."
"Sis lowkey simps for Proud."
"The fuck?"
Not totally wrong, but a tiny—tiny—bit true didn't mean I wanted it clocked by this newbie.
Proud is the best. Fact.
"Most hated team? Starforce. Then Tundra."
"No Proud mention?"
"Still dream of him costing me three Worlds."
"Dreams 'cause you stan?"
"Yah, shit, you trolling me?"
"Took you long? Slow on uptake."
"Shut up and eat, both."
Tch. Midway I clocked Jang Seonho roasting me, but couldn't drop it. Felt like losing—to Proud, not him.
"Why hate Tundra? Two years there. Bad breakup?"
"Know too much, hurts."
No way I'd admit "quit 'cause clown show." Not to a guy who knew I'd be the circus act here.
"Who ya picking winner?"
"Starforce Gaming."
"Lao Hu Shield Primary."
Split: me on Starforce, Yuseung on China's spring champs.
Lao Hu—last Worlds quarters exit. Sharpness's old squad. Dumped him for an aggressive Korean top, Zkan.
Winning post-Sharpness? Kim Hanseo might taste bitterness watching this MSC.
Hard to cheer a team thriving without you. I knew from experience.
"Why Lao Hu?"
"Finals matchup? Matchup favors 'em. Zkan's smoked Starforce before."
Zkan, the journeyman top they grabbed post-Sharpness. Killer record vs. Starforce specifically.
League win with AOD once, Starforce's big rival tag. Worlds clash? Choked the decider.
"Still betting Starforce. Lao Hu mid Shanghai? Birdchest in internationals."
"Could be."
Real talk: lid off to know.
We wrapped eats debating picks when Seo Seohee shuffled in, eyes sleepy, face dead—but hair and skin? Immaculate. Girly.
"Y'all having fun without me?"
"One PM. Pros sleep reasonable. Cut back."
Even pros—1 PM wake-up? Overkill. Weekend matches started at 3, sleep cycle wrecked already? No.
"Not my mom, sis. Look babyface, talk boomer."
"Ain't your mom or baby."
"Tits ain't baby tho."
Seohee stared lasers at my chest. Absurd—I knuckle-flicked her forehead.
"Ow!"
"Sexual harassment."
"Gals now, fair game~"
"Gals don't make it okay."
"Does tho? Never been girl. How you know?"
Total bullshit logic, but zero girl XP left me... unconfident. Glanced at Jang and Yuseung—dudes clueless too.
"Dunno. Pisses me off? Harassment."
"Full woman mode."
She muttered something nasty, shuffled off.
Zombie to human mid-plate-load—hilarious evolution. We bailed, leaving her solo.
"Now what?"
"Game."
Pros, duh.
Obvious: all pros. Maybe lighter than me, but no slacking practice.
Our spot? Couldn't afford lazy—second div 8th, scrutiny max.
Coach said hit Challenger ASAP. Yuseung already was; Hanseo could bounce back quick.
Jang? Debut hype as physical freak—Challenger doable.
Issues: me and Seohee.
Arang? Grandmaster, no ops smarts for Challenger yet. Sub/prac anyway—no rush.
But me, team face? And Seohee, first girl main support? Both Grandmaster. Specs.
My mechanics returning—sharper, wilder, fickler than before. Hard control. Shonen manga vibes, but real.
Solo queue spam lately? Stuck mid-Grandmaster. Climbing from bottom quick was win; Challenger? Hell tier harder.
Crisu similar—touched Challenger door once on god RNG, wouldn't stick.
Cold take: her the hole on paper. Tourney might flip, but specs said so.
She grinded too—stagnant vs. my gains. But grinding? Good fire.
Solo queues rolling, 8 PM hit. All paused, gathered. MSC time.
Hooked the big practice room TV to broadcast.
No must-watch together, but fatigue hitting, Hanseo arrived—perfect breather excuse.
"Solo queue nonstop?"
"Me? Eight hours-ish."
Hanseo, fresh from dorm drop-off, eyed us weary. What? Your turn soon.
"MSC watch break now."
Yuseung summed. Hanseo meh on tourney—PC on, sat.
We yapped openers—minor teams—then mains. Coach joined.
Not tight-knit yet. Future foggy AF.
No Arang. Hanseo scowled nonstop. Yuseung quiet. Coach yapped wild. Jang analyzed cold. Seohee listened rapt.
Market chaos.
Ragged mess. Motley crew.
O-hap-ji-jol. Perfect us.
But damn, I loved it.
Pro day one. Freedom's end.
Fun as hell anyway.
Ah, miss Arang.
The time of a new revolution is coming.
The dice never stops rolling.