Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Dealing with Haters
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The cheers of the audience filling the stadium.
And the ST players marching forward.
"It's over."
"Can they close it out?"
"If they don't pull aggro from the side minions."
And, as expected, players of that caliber weren't about to make such a mistake.
The players rose from their seats and left the stage, while the crowd headed out for a short break.
"Isn't this too much?"
In the midst of it all, Eun-chae was fuming at something on her phone.
"What are you looking at?"
"Rock Gallery."
"...How'd you even find that place?"
"Viewers kept spamming it in chat during streams, so I checked it out once."
Fortunately, the gallery on her phone wasn't logged in, and it wasn't a fixed nickname either.
Though it looked like she'd visited more than just once.
In truth, players subtly pretended otherwise, but it was standard these days to scour the internet after matches for highlights of their own performances.
Even traditional sports did it—what more for esports, deeply intertwined with the online world?
I'd checked it out occasionally myself.
But on big match days like this, those sites were just overrun with trolls looking to stir trouble.
"Look at this. Does this even make sense?"
I closed the browser tab without even clicking the next post.
"Alright, Eun-chae. Memorize this?"
"What?"
"Almost ninety percent of those people are bronze-silver trash."
"...Ah."
Her quick understanding was befitting a top student.
"They don't know Rock better than you do, Eun-seol?"
"That too, but the posters are just trolls looking for reactions."
No one could truly believe that play was meaningless and ST won solely on the others' efforts.
But writing like that draws eyes and pulls aggro.
"I thought it was a good place since they praise you so much..."
"If I have an off set, I'd be prime bait for them to tear into."
Middle schooler, streamer, already debuting in third division, with everyone hyping my skills.
Flip side?
Perfect target for the wolves the moment I slip once.
"Eek. Then I won't look anymore."
"Only check when I win the championship."
Rock is a sport too—results are absolute.
Skill narratives can be twisted if not overwhelmingly dominant, but trophies and records last forever, even if Rock dies.
Trolls can't stand tall right after a win.
Counting her visits, she was probably blacklisted anyway.
Better to guide her to healthier habits.
They had prep done—ban-pick flew by.
No full timers used; they finished in under half the time.
Unlike set one, no early grouping—just laning standoff.
No hot early skirmishes expected.
And there I was on screen.
I waved naturally, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Some shook jerseys—plenty must've gotten signatures earlier.
Eun-chae beside me shook a sign with a support message—hiding her face naturally too. Wonder when she brought that.
I smiled lightly, flashing a V with one hand and a fist pump forward with the other.
For the record.
I don't lie.
The match ended.
Score: 2-0, as I predicted.
Set two was a stomp in-game too.
"You look zero worried."
"Knew we'd win."
Bit arrogant, but ST starts slipping late this season.
Until Worlds finals runner-up curse—ST's power and macro stay dominant.
Rival wildcard was the worry; beating Milky Way isn't shocking.
Worlds? Can't control that.
Not Proud's issue, nor others'.
Who'd believe a bottom-table LOCK team surges to playoffs and wins?
This year, the universe bends to hand them the cup.
'Win Master League first.'
Good results this year change everything—worry later.
Late evening back from stadium.
"Everyone watch the match today?"
I'd cut stream on-site due to time, so restarted at home to wrap up.
"I'll let it slide today. Manager said all jerseys sold out."
"So, what'd you think of today's match?"
"My friend told me someone was mocking Proud's initiate today?"
Her close-up moment exposed Eun-chae's face too.
I calmly dropped my prepared line.
"First, that draw was truly random."
"Viewers, if you'd prettied up chat a bit, competition wouldn't be 15:1."
Average viewers? This ratio's tame.
"If you really can't believe it, think I brought her for my hurt friend."
Last shield for the rigged callers, even in death.
"That friend's big bro is Milky Way's NV."
Chat pacified—suppressed—I queued today's VOD.
"Starting from Proud's initiate, I'll breakdown today's match. Spread it properly on Rock Gal and other communities, got it?"
Viewers adapted now—no pleas to stop.
Quick on the uptake.
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