Chapter 239
Chapter 239
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 239
Chapter Title: Let's Open Our Hearts and Talk!
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The scrims continued the very next day after their first match victory.
With the tournament schedule so tight—matches every other day—they had no choice but to crack the whip as hard as possible.
The finals were just two days away, forcing them into a grueling pace.
『Good work out there...』
『Yep, good work.』
『Great job, everyone.』
『You all did great!』
"E-Everyone, good work."
But the results weren't pretty.
Official scrims maxed out at five games a day, and after dropping all five, the thrill of yesterday's win faded completely, crushing the team's morale.
If asked why a team that performed well in the tournament had suddenly tanked, there were a few reasons.
First and foremost, their team synergy was a bit off.
Almost no one on the team had real experience in team games like this.
Even their one high-tier player, Bandit, was more of a solo queue warrior.
Miscommunications happened often, and they made plenty of poor macro decisions.
Second, their mechanics were a notch below average.
Tournaments like this often placed high-tier players in jungle to control the game's tempo or as the main carry ADC to dominate late game.
That meant their jungler, Jung Jin-nam, got outplayed early more often than not.
But above all, their bot lane faced constant pressure.
Even when Lulu and Bandit, who faced less ganks, tried to carry, they couldn't handle the enemy's scaled-up ADC and got wiped out.
Of course, that didn't mean it was all jungle or bot's fault.
If mid—me—had played better, none of this would've happened.
Mid is called the royal lane for a reason.
These were just the main culprits behind their current losses.
『Haa...』
『Hoo...』
A Discord voice chat filled only with sighs like this was a first.
Everyone wanted to do well.
Me included.
『Sorry, Bandit. I should've covered that top dive...』
『Nah. I messed up lane like a scrub and botched my recall timing, dying solo. Don't sweat it.』
『Sorry, Lulu. If I'd just called out that support roam, you wouldn't have died.』
"I-It's fine. I didn't check the map either."
『Ugh, why is the enemy team so good? Bot lane felt like hell.』
The team tried to console each other.
But as the scrim results worsened, the chat turned toxic, just as expected.
Random viewers with unfamiliar nicks popped in, spammed, and left constantly.
That much was tolerable.
Those types were just hyenas prowling for scraps—ignore them, focus on their game, and it was fine.
But with results this brutal and no clear path forward, even forced positivity felt impossible.
If only some sharp solution would emerge...
『Anyway, great effort today, everyone. Don't be too down. I screwed up bans and picks too.』
Glow stepped up as coach to offer comfort.
But the mood was so dour, replies were half-hearted.
The sting of a full scrim sweep had etched deep scars.
『See you all for scrims tomorrow. Let's call it.』
Glow left, and normally they'd disband right away.
But lingering regret kept everyone in the voice chat, unmoving.
They all sensed this couldn't continue as is.
I had no idea how to break the silence, words stuck in my throat.
But my mind raced for solutions—not generic "just play better," but something dramatic and definitive to turn it around.
"F-First, Cherries. I'm heading out too. It's late, and we gotta log in early for scrims tomorrow."
Streaming while brooding would just sour the mood more.
So I ended the stream, lay on my bed, and pondered deeply.
Like dominoes toppling after one falls, my logout triggered the others to follow one by one.
Thud—
"Huaa..."
Five straight games of intense focus had drained my mental energy.
I collapsed into bed and let out a deep sigh on reflex.
What to do?
The finals pitted them against the team that just handed them three losses today.
Already, fear crept in.
Ding—
Still wide awake, hugging my pillow and rolling around.
A sudden notification made me check my phone: a message in the '900s and the Rejects' team group chat.
Oh, it's Bandit.
We just disbanded—what's up?
Starting with me, everyone chimed in that they were free.
Bandit's reply came quick.
A brief back-and-forth with NyanTa sis aside.
In short: let's have a heart-to-heart and air our true feelings.
It made total sense.
I nodded without realizing it.
Bandit was right—everyone's kindness might be their blind spot.
They hesitated to criticize each other.
Feedback sessions became self-blame: "I could've done better."
In-game, they played overly sacrificial, leading to messy results.
Games aren't won by self-sacrifice alone.
Sure, some roles require it.
But if everyone sacrifices regardless of pick or comp, it's just chaos.
And just like that, an unplanned session formed.
Strange as it was, I booted up my PC with excitement.
This could spark the team's turnaround—a small hope.
Ding-ding-ding—
I joined Discord first, followed by the others piling in.
『Haha, back together already? Team bond's strong.』
『Sure is.』
『I'm turning cam on and drinking for real. Hold on, grabbing booze.』
『Wanna crack whiskey but beer it is.』
"I-I'll have cola. Sorry."
『Psh, no apologies for that, Lulu! Your mere presence shines!』
『Quit yapping nonsense at the kid!』
The channel buzzed lively in no time.
Cam regulars like Bandit, NyanTa sis, and Kkombbang turned theirs on too.
Soon after...
Hiss—
Beer cans cracking open echoed everywhere.
Even for a drunken heart-to-heart, they wisely picked low-ABV beer to avoid overdoing it.
Ugh... I'm not a kid, but cola feels lame.
『Anyway, watching scrims today, I knew we were doomed as is. So I set this up. Here, let's spill everything—no holds barred.』
『Ooh, Bandit scrub, you can do that?』
『As if. Use your brain, huh?』
『Copy.』
Some static midway, but Bandit explained the purpose.
Everyone exchanged glances, silence hanging heavy.
People hesitate when you lay out the mat.
Especially this team—too nice for tough love.
Except NyanTa sis and Bandit, of course.
The awkward standoff dragged on indefinitely.
『Hoo, screw it. As the eldest, I'll take point. Casual talk, casual words. First, Jin-nam?』
『Yes, sis. Fire away.』
This might be rude, but NyanTa sis called Jung Jin-nam in a delinquent gal manga vibe, rough around the edges.
He replied tensely...
『Listen up, jungler—think with your head! Quit fidgeting like you gotta poop every time a lane looks shaky!』
『Gasp...!』
NyanTa sis's opening salvo flipped the mood instantly.
Th-That had to hurt...
J-Jung Jin-nam... you okay?