Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Winner's Dignity
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Same time.
"No, Proud... sir! Just die already!"
The team fight had already ended in a decisive victory for Plook's side, but Proud kept interfering with their recalls using the hit-and-run skills of his champion.
Right then, a ping from Phillydog.
"...Should we push too? Tsk. Kinda meh."
As a top laner, Plook knew all too well how quickly a fed Fiora could demolish towers.
But with the pro keep pinging—especially from someone who'd beaten Proud at least once from the highest spot—he had no choice but to start the tower demo game.
And they lost.
"I told you it wasn't gonna work!"
While they were pushing just one twin, Fiora was hitting the Nexus. It was a matchup they couldn't win in tower demo from the start.
"Haa..."
Losing a hard-fought game was one thing, but getting backdoored and losing a game you'd already won against a laner you'd dominated from lane phase? Nothing hit quite like that.
Of course, most viewers—as usual—cared more about the result than the laning phase.
"Okay, blocking support recall? Fine. But I was channeling recall in the bush to go home, how did Proud hyung know?"
In the replay they checked, True's ping had landed exactly on the bush where Plook was recalling during the tower demo.
No vision whatsoever, so only one conclusion.
"This is an intel leak!"
As he bantered back and forth with viewers, chewing over the loss...
"Suddenly?"
No sooner had he spoken than someone knocked on the dorm door.
"No one's coming at this hour."
Plook instinctively said the classic "turning off Rock for a sec" and got up, sadly missing the chat.
"Stop knocking already if you're out there."
He opened the door saying that, and there was True.
"......Huh."
He'd never noticed in uniform during scrims or matches, but casual clothes? Way more impactful.
Of course, the thought didn't last long.
"Noob."
"...What?"
"Top laner picks counter into Hecarim, then loses hard to someone not even your usual matchup?"
Plook had a gut feeling.
At least until this season ended—maybe forever.
He was doomed to be teased.
I stated the plain facts the moment the door opened, and Plook oxidized.
"This place is True Resort from now on."
I ignored the guy half-collapsed on the bed and took over his stream.
VR device was a bit big, but being off-the-shelf, a quick adjustment made it usable.
"Alright, Plook viewers—anyone hate seeing me?"
"Heard 'noob' at the door, loved it, collapsed on bed?"
If it was mental training, they'd buy it maybe.
I giggled at the chat reactions.
These viewers roast Plook masterfully, probably from familiarity.
Or my roast-loving viewers migrated.
"Move, for real."
"Viewers increased tho. Have a drink."
Pro gamer room had multiple VR devices, so he shook off the shock and logged into Rock on another.
"Your lobby taste is trash."
Lobbies—solo or invite friends—could be customized.
Like decorating houses/shops in tycoons.
But Plook's was blood red everywhere.
Not ST colors, but savage hunter den vibes.
Top laner lobby, basically.
"Wasn't like this before?"
PC bang first Rock together was default room.
Top laning ruined not just personality, but aesthetics too?
"Only yours?"
"Huh?"
"ST furniture crammed full, glitches sometimes."
"Rock vessel too small for ST."
"......"
I'm shameless.
One basic furniture for pros.
Trophy display.
Past life, cool objet for rich players at home.
Now, devs placed one per pro lobby, more violent/straightforward.
Note: Electronic figures—real ones—or merch can't go in; pure trophies.
Especially brutal: Retire trophyless? Auto-delete.
Many trophies? Extras spawn.
Joke: Steal loser displays for winners.
"Hm... why's yours so empty?"
Plook glared like "what?" at my question.
"You got none either."
"I got tons."
Well, had tons.
None now, but mentally infinite size.
"...Master League first season, what wins?"
"Think we can't win?"
My words made Plook sigh.
"Your ping on my recall spot dropped our win odds by like 3%."
"Nah, tops not that bad. Settle at 1%."
And I didn't ping randomly.
Coach An Jae-hoon and staff analyze opponents and us harshly.
Plook's predictable recall spots flagged, so just reminded him to fix.
'He'll learn finals drop.'
Solo kill me from bad recall last set? Habits fixed instantly.
Teammate now, harder tho.
"Fill empty trophy case this year. Right?"
Master League no cups/internationals, but Grand League (div 2) like LOCK.
Win clean this year, more next.
"All-tourney winner trophies? Cool."
Proud's massive LOC better, but something beats nothing.
"LOCK trophy would be nice."
"Guy dreams small."
"Sexist."
"Said I'd win you Worlds."
"Not 'win for you', together."
"Then try harder."
Big trophy mandatory.
"Solo queue? Out."
Kicked from room.
Stingy treatment.