Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: My World Collapsed
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Life is unpredictable.
It's been a while since I confirmed in every way possible that this wasn't some dream or life-flashing-before-my-eyes nonsense. I had to accept what needed accepting.
My memories were gradually blending together, but I didn't particularly mind.
Because both were me.
'...This might not be so bad?'
My health, which had been wrecked from my pro gamer days, hadn't just recovered—it felt rejuvenated. Little by little, trivial memories were surfacing in my mind, and they didn't seem all that different from my middle school days.
Sure, my gender had changed, but there wasn't much I could do about it here, so I'd let that slide.
Actually, maybe I'd always been a girl, and these were just memories from when I thought I was a guy.
Anyway.
That wasn't the most important thing right now.
'My limited-edition merch...'
My room, once packed with all sorts of game merchandise, felt a bit empty now.
Figures and goodies I'd painstakingly collected by hounding pro players and game company staff—about three shelves' worth—were gone.
"......Huh?"
But as I recalled what had vanished, something felt off.
Most of the stuff from before my Grand League debut—the Korean LOC second division—were still there. Only the items from debut to retirement had disappeared.
I glanced at my phone screen again.
Not the home screen with the date, but the calendar app to check the year.
One thing was clear: the first two digits from the end were different.
Right after that.
I rushed to the desk and booted up the computer.
The desk was cluttered with some unknown gear, but I just cleared enough space to move the mouse. I quickly punched in the password at the login screen and clicked anxiously.
For some reason, I had to check right now.
While frantically digging through the slowly loading desktop...
+LOC+
Found it.
"...Haa."
The tension drained away.
Nothing else mattered anymore.
Sunday morning.
The perfect time for LOC.
Unlike my previous life where I'd been obsessed with games even as a middle schooler, in this current life, I'd only played as a hobby, so my rank wasn't that high.
Even holding back a bit, the skill gap was so wide it was embarrassing to call it a stomp.
But one thing hadn't changed.
[Victory]
This.
The joy of seizing victory and the growing hunger it sparked—fundamentally different from scraping by in dying games.
LOC, which had died on me, was back.
Average game time: 20 minutes.
Five wins in a row, and my mind felt crystal clear.
Well, that's that.
Since this was the past—or rather, a past past—I needed to check something from the game I'd just played.
Fast-forwarding the replay to mid-game in the last match.
'Isn't this a bug?'
A projectile that should've hit clearly whiffed for some reason.
Patch version difference? No, it was definitely within range.
I rewound and replayed it countless times—something I'd never seen in thousands of practice reps—but couldn't figure anything out.
Just as I was typing a bug report email to the game company with generous understanding now that I'd returned to the past...
—Knock knock.
A knock at the door, followed by a familiar voice.
"Honey, time for lunch!"
I dropped what I was doing and opened the door.
"Why's she suddenly hugging me when she never does?"
"Why do you think? We're going to watch that league game together today."
My father, familiar but much younger-looking, said that as he watched Mom hug me tight.
"...What game?"
"Still half-asleep? Who are you? You were singing about wanting to see that Proud guy or whatever. Always going on about how great it is when he wins."
"Ah."
No wonder there was so much merch despite only playing casually.
Apparently hooked on LOC in a different way.
Wish these memories had surfaced quicker.
With over 30 years crammed in, my brain still felt disorganized.
"You two, eat first. Cheering takes energy—those ant squeaks won't hype the players."
I knew indoor arenas were tiny, so fan cheers carried perfectly, but I just smiled it off.
Sitting around the table as a family of three for the first time in ages was joy enough.
"Dad, here?"
"Yep."
"Here?"
"That's what I said."
"No, really? The arena?"
"Nav's spot-on, don't worry. Look around—everyone's wearing the same jacket as you. Relax, she's fine."
Thirty minutes by car from home, the arena was nothing like I remembered.
Instead of awe at the massive LOC dedicated stadium smack in central Seoul, I could only voice doubts.
'No way that existed.'
Not just from the old days—nothing like that building had ever existed in my lifetime.
LOC World Cup finals, maybe. Even then, quarterfinals at best for that size. League and group stages were always in arenas holding under 500, rented out at that.
Yet the first arena for my first game as a middle school girl was that?
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
"Sweetie, eyes front. Hold Dad's hand tight."
"...I'm not a kid."
"You're still little."
Come to think of it, regardless of Dad's standards, I was a kid.
I quietly took his hand and scurried to the entrance.
"......Wow."
The arena inside was so massive it demanded an exclamation.
Where was the little echoey venue? This was a colossal space where even echoes would fade.
Giant screens ringed the center octagonally. The arena rivaled any pro sports venue.
The difference: instead of a field, a huge platform with ten massive egg-shaped chairs.
"Where are the computers?"
My blurted question had Dad eyeing me like I'd spotted something amazing.
"Pros begged for custom gear instead of PCs, and now computers?"
"......"
I silently opened a search tab.
Luckily, the wiki delivered.
'...Full Immersion Device?'
Commonly known as VR—even full-body, brain-direct, no-movement-needed gear.
Suddenly, I recalled something headphone-like amid the desk clutter.
'...Gotta see it myself.'
Mesmerized, I took my seat and eagerly awaited the start.
Time passed, seats filled, flashing lights, and the caster's voice boomed.
[ST versus Daewon Gaming! Players entering now!]
Familiar faces.
Most retired by my active days, but esports being what it is, I'd crossed paths with all.
'...Wear that on your head, huh.'
As players prepped, memories of the device surfaced.
Then the caster called the most familiar yet distant name—I looked back at the entrance.
[ST's Mid Laner, ST's Legend! Proud!]
The playstyle might've evolved, but he hadn't changed.
Cheers beyond what others got.
Even in past-or-future memories, rare adulation enveloped Proud as he strode out confidently.
"......Proud."
I'd changed, but he was still my goal.
No intention of wasting this second chance.
I watched every moment without missing a beat.
'...Third-person to first-person?'
Explained all those screens.
Players controlled characters third-person like on PC when needed, switching to first-person for precision.
The morning game's projectile "bug" came to mind.
"...Not a bug."
Good thing the report wasn't finished—would've been a joke if it logged.
Opponent might've heard "pro World Cup champ calls this a bug? Skill issue."
Didn't happen, so whatever.
"Fun, Eun-seol?"
"...Yeah. A ton."
Crowd and cheers like LOC World Cup.
Once a trauma, eventually enjoyed by retirement—that heat reignited me.
Like asking if I still wouldn't return.
'Even leagues are like this.'
Decided the moment I took this body, but now crystal clear.
"Our girl's gonna wanna be a pro now."
"Yeah. I am."
"...For real? Because of Proud? Fan heart's scary."
"Not just him."
Life or death.
LOC was my life.
"I'm going pro."
Always.