Ah, I Should've Just Called the Coach.
“Student, what’s hurting that you need to go to the hospital? You look perfectly fine to me!”
I never imagined this. It had been so long since I last took a taxi that I couldn’t have pictured a driver striking up a conversation like this.
“You’re so pretty—can’t have you feeling sick~ Uncle here’ll get you to the hospital in a flash.”
“Ah, yeah…”
“And why’re you wearing such a huge puffer jacket? Heh.”
“…”
At least, once I started radiating blatant discomfort, the driver seemed to pick up on it and shut up.
With the taxi finally quiet, I dove right back into what I’d been doing. Watching replays. I hadn’t saved any myself, but my games were already preserved and floating around everywhere.
But, hmm…
These YouTubers are slow. A search turned up tons of highlight clips from LoE, but no full VODs. I never thought the guys who archive everything within a day would drag their feet like this. Or do they never bother with full matches?
In the end, I had no choice but to track down that support’s stream—the one I’d fought yesterday. She said she’d uploaded the replay, so that should do it.
It wasn’t ideal having to watch her and her viewers’ reactions too, but even if it was just a girl—not some Elgal troll—if she was at least Master tier, seeing what she thought of my play yesterday wasn’t a bad idea.
At least up until the third game, she didn’t think it was intentional trolling.
Her channel was live when I got there. Some deformed anime-girl avatar hung above, but she was face-camming. She was a minor, huh? Yeah, she looked young.
Not as young as me right now, though?
Anyway, I wasn’t here for the live stream, so I skipped straight to the replay. Usually, if something controversial happens, streamers delete these, but she’d left it up—guess she was that pissed.
Alright then… let’s watch.
~
“Ah, fuck. Support again. Why does it keep giving me support?”
“What support hate or misogyny bullshit! One more and you’re banned. It’s my fate, what can I do… Huh? Whoa, jackpot! Dice in mid! Whoa, this game’s a total free ride?”
“What do you mean go easy? He’s on our team! Whoa, top’s a Chinese pro too! This game’s a straight-up bus ride. Support’s the best! I’m good at support!”
“Ehehe, feeling the hype? But what can they do? Our mid’s Dice! Our mid Dice picked Astrologer—what now? Kekekeke.”
“Keep teasing all you want—no damage’s landing. Hmm, enemy bot’s Ranger and Priest? That’s basically begging to get wrecked. Too much. Do they still think Ranger’s a lane bully? Our ADC instant-picked Hunter. That’s a real ADC. I’ll just grab Forest Keeper and smash lane from the jump. Forest Keeper’s broken, right? Nah, Forest Keeper’s lane phase slaps—you guys just don’t know.”
“Wait, what? Why are they so good? Fuck, no, it’s not me sucking—it’s them being too good. And if I was ADC, they wouldn’t breathe. Blaming the ADC? No no no, Hunter’s doing great. It’s me—support’s not my main role. Yeah yeah, all my fault. I’m the sinner, everyone.”
“Anyway, we just gotta survive with Hunter. Hunter poking build means late-game we poke from range and CC, and that’s a full carry. With Astrologer, we poke from afar too—Ranger can’t do shit at range. Teamfights Ranger dives, but if we don’t engage and just poke? Irrelevant.”
“...Huh? What? Dice solo-killed? What? Enemy mid’s Master, right? And he got a solo kill? Doesn’t that flip the matchup completely?”
“Well, yeah, it happens. Pros are human too. They slip sometimes. All pro-bashing gets banned~ Top’s basically done anyway, bot’s even—so just don’t die more.”
“...Died again. Nah, it’s fine. Still winnable. Totally fine.”
“Ah.”
“I said no chatting, but I couldn’t help it…”
“I’m a total manners player—what’s with the accusations? Ah, Ninja roaming. Shit.”
“...We’ll throw this one away. Dice? Y-you’re sick and hospitalized, right? Must be off-form. Can’t be helped. It’s okay, it’s okay. Two more wins for GrM. Or three…? It’s fine, fine. Pro-bashing ban.”
“Bad luck today, I guess. But whatever! Win the next! Win again! No biggie, right? Fine, fine.”
“One loss and my mental’s gone? I wouldn’t have made it this far. I prove it every time. I’ll hit GrM today. Don’t talk shit. Ban incoming.”
“Right? I could troll and ban you all here, and you’re powerless. Hehe. Ah, queue’s taking forever this time.”
“Ah, fuck, support again. Driving me insane.”
“Huh? Ah… it’s Dice…”
“Right? Last game was just a fluke. He’ll crush this one? Whoa, picking Esper. Dice mages are top-tier. Last game’s Astro was a mage too? Shut up. Esper’s unkillable for real. Enemy Rifleman too—dodge skills and he’s useless. Rifleman skills are hard to land anyway. Can’t die. I’ll grab Heretic.”
“What kinda nonsense? Why use Heretic rev on Esper? We got ADC. Alright, full Dice bus this game!”
“Dice must be… really… really sick. Haha, better rest today.”
“Not crying. What the hell. Don’t make weird assumptions. Freezing chat for a break.”
“...Hoo.”
“Ah, it’s fine. Still four games… wait, five. Five more wins for GrM. Queue up, queue…”
“Stop being dramatic. No, I’m not mad. Not mad, okay? Ah, queue popped.”
“...I already dodged twice today—can’t anymore. One more’s 12-hour queue ban.”
“Whoa, picking Revolutionary this time. Dice Rev is godlike. Took a game at finals with it.”
“Yeah… Let’s go.”
35 minutes later,
“...”
“...”
“You’re banned, fucker.”
“This makes no fucking sense? Does this make sense? You think this does?”
“Do I look calm right now? No, this is fucking insane… Huh?”
“What the fuck is this crazy bastard.”
~
“We’re here, student~ 32,400 won.”
“Card.”
The taxi pulled up to the hospital just as I finished the replay. Paid with card and hopped out.
Cold air rushed into my lungs. It slipped through the oversized puffer jacket around my frame.
The hospital loomed right there.
I wanted tests now.
ASAP.