Chapter 22
Chapter 22
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: From Now On, I'm Taking Over This Place
-----------------------------------------------------------------
For pro gamers, boot camps were practically mandatory.
With scrims, solo queue, and sometimes even match schedules to grind through every day until the season ended, commuting from home each day just wasn't feasible.
Plus, if internet issues cropped up at home, the whole day was basically ruined.
So, starting from Master League—where you could legitimately call yourself a "pro" after passing Academy—it wasn't a choice; boot camps were required.
And that was exactly what my parents had worried about most in my pro career.
'Private rooms, right?'
'Each with door locks, and laundry handled by hired staff. Women, of course. Personal time is guaranteed.'
I'd heard that in 2nd or 3rd Division leagues, or overseas, there were occasional female pros, so teams had their own rules.
But to my parents, ST had never once signed a female pro, so they were extra cautious.
"How can a girl's luggage be this sparse?"
"Shouldn't you at least pack some merch from your room?"
"What? The clubhouse is full of that stuff anyway."
In fact, the team had handed over piles of jackets and uniforms worth tens of thousands of won each, telling us to use them freely or gift them.
If you really wanted, you could rotate the same outfits all season.
Of course, if I tried that, Mrs. Jang would show up within a week to check on things and drag me back home.
Anyway, with our super minimal luggage, we headed to ST's headquarters.
The dorm right next to headquarters was massively upgraded, matching LOC's rising status.
Honestly, if no one said anything, I'd have mistaken it for luxury officetels.
"You must be Eun-seol! Just like they said—such a sweet girl."
The ST3 manager, who looked mid-forties, welcomed me with a warm smile.
"Here's your room card key for now. Best not to lose it, but if you do, just come to the lobby for a replacement. No biggie. Got it?"
"Thank you."
"No problem. Let's drop your stuff first. You're busy starting today, right?"
We didn't even have time to unpack before heading to our first scrim.
At least I could drop my things in the room—small mercies.
'No time to even greet the teammates...'
With Master League opening soon and our team pegged as the weakest, we couldn't dictate scrim times. That was the issue.
If we racked up wins later, I wanted to schedule scrims on our terms for petty revenge.
Anyway.
We checked the room number on the card key and waited for the elevator.
The wall directory showed ST3 on 5th floor, ST2 on 6th, ST1 on 7th.
Lower floors had a cafe, Academy classrooms, practice rooms, and more.
"I was worried when I heard a girl was coming. You know, all guys, and hormonal teens..."
"That's just that age."
"But you give off a good vibe, Eun-seol. Mature enough—no issues."
By my standards, no one was hard to deal with except Proud.
And even he was only tough in official settings; privately, he was always casual.
"If the guys bully you, tell me."
"Bully me?"
I looked up at the manager with a smile, and she quickly backpedaled.
"Oops. Scratch 'bully.' It'll be a miracle if they don't fight over you."
"Right?"
Definitely a useful face to have.
"You know dating within the team is banned by regs, right, Eun-seol...?"
The manager eyed me anxiously, but I waved it off.
"Nah, not my type."
Besides, reasons why that worry didn't apply were endless.
"If there's fighting, I'll squash it."
In a team, the best gamer rules—guy or girl.
I wasn't handing initiative to Master League scrubs; that was for 1st team maybe.
"That's how it works here anyway."
In any sports team, competition was key.
Competing internally might seem pointless, but one call could change everything. I had to dominate the team.
'...Team's in bad shape too.'
From scrim vods Coach An Jae-hoon sent, only Plook showed up; even he was overloaded with solo inits.
"To keep my championship promise, gotta work hard."
I'd won LOCK with a 2nd-division squad full of scrubs during a rebuild—minus me.
ST3's stink wasn't irredeemable.
"I think you'll do great, Eun-seol. Same age as the others, but you think different. How'd they pair you with those wild kids..."
No need to worry about that.
Anyway, the elevator reached my floor.
My room was a simple studio: one room, one bathroom.
"Drop your stuff and head to practice. We can greet and scrim if we go now."
"Got it."
"Want me to help unpack?"
"I'm good. I'll do it slowly tonight."
"Knowing your personality, I'm worried you'll half-ass it and live like that."
Mrs. Jang kept fussing despite my chill vibe, repeating her advice before goodbye.
"It's not like weekends only. Come home whenever. Don't worry."
"When did our girl get so independent?"
"Pro getting paid. Gotta earn it."
Coach An Jae-hoon's favorite line; it stuck with me.
'Don't do fan service for that salary? GTFO, bastards.'
'We're throwing because you suck.'
'Go die.'
Maybe I'd picked up more from ST than just Rock.
Anyway.
After dropping bags, I wanted to explore the huge dorm, but schedule said no.
"You're here? Let's prep scrim."
Not the ST3 coach I'd seen online—Coach An Jae-hoon greeted me.
"Coach?"
"Yeah, Eun-seol. No need to delay scrim."
The quiet practice room meant everyone was logged in; just him standing.
"Why're you here, though?"
I recalled he wasn't that idle for 3rd Division scrims.
"'Cause I'm ST3's official coach this season."
"Huh?"
"Problem?"
"No. Perfect."
His ban/pick was legendary.
Best possible, fallback if not, least bad in worst case.
No issues even in 1st team; 3rd would be fine.
'Champ odds just went up?'
Ban/pick mattered less than ingame play.
But it set foundation for performance, gave second/third chances via champ strength.
In sloppy Grand League, coach impact was ironically huge—assuming you punish mistakes.
No worries there.
I was here.
"No time—scrim first, intros after."
"Yes. I'll win first."
Of course.
Victory first.
No gloomy, awkward greetings after a loss.
"Our mid's really a girl?"
"Official YouTube vid's up. Fake?"
"Ji-hwan, say something. Same class?"
Old mid was gone, barely half-season together, different lanes anyway. Focus shifted to new mid.
With Eun-seol not here yet, they hounded Ji-hwan—the connection.
Interest snapped to her when she arrived.
"First scrim—do well."
The rowdy room went silent.
"That's not a custom skin?"
"Idiot. Practice PCs don't have that."
Relay features stripped from practice gear.
True's look was real-life identical.
While staring blankly at new teammate...
"Raise your hand if you've won LOC Worlds."
"......?"
"There she goes again..."
Everyone but Ji-hwan—used to her bursts—panicked.
"No one? Shut up and follow my lead. Got it?"
"What? You haven't either."
"Backtalk... from trash?"
Outrage.
Too aggressive for words, but scrim imminent—they swallowed retorts.
Not distracted by looks, missing timing.
Scrim started with prepped ban/pick.
True opened with laning solo kill.
"Hunter, gank here and snag the kill."
Securing kills for others.
"Back off there. Out in three seconds or you die."
WD Londo -> ST Strike
Death prophecy.
"We can end it—follow."
Even game-ending calls.
WD, realizing they couldn't stop True, hit surrender quick for next scrim.
Screen confirmed win.
But ST3 hadn't even surrendered opponents lately, let alone won. They were baffled.
Except True.
"Told you. Listen to me."
"......"
Less than thirty minutes ago, same context.
No one to argue now.