Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: The Winning Side is Our Side?
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On game day, there weren't even any teams left for scrims.
The KTT and Milky Way teams had to play in the finals qualification round, so there was no way they could join us. And the vast majority of Master League teams had already wrapped up their season, with players scattering off to find their own paths.
In the end, on the day of the finals qualification match, aside from my Solo Queue stream, there wasn't much else I could do.
So it wasn't just me going to watch today's game—our whole team showed up in a big group.
By the way, the arena building where playoff games are held—excluding the finals—has various facilities inside, including a PC bang.
Like a sparrow that can't pass by a mill, we got lured in and ended up playing some Rock.
"Oh, taking them all down."
With a skillful combo, four enemy champions came tumbling over.
And since we'd been syncing up for nearly a whole season, the other four quickly cleaned up the fallen champs.
"Yeah, that's it. Still got it. Experience doesn't lie."
I'd taken off my VR Device for once and was spectating on a PC bang screen with just a headset on. Today, and only today, the ST3 Mid laner was Coach An Jae-hoon.
"But isn't this Free Rank, so they just let you win?"
"Honestly, at Platinum Solo Queue level, they'd have reacted and all used Flash."
"Hey, even that means four Flashes for one Ultimate. That's a huge win. These guys are hopeless. Should we start with the basics again?"
"No..."
Strike showered praise on the coach's brilliant play—admittedly, he had a point—rejecting it eight ways to Sunday.
Anyway, setting aside the flattery, seeing him toss four enemies with Azir just now proved his mastery hadn't faded one bit.
"But why are you still in Master?"
"...Try being a coach yourselves later. Where's the time to play?"
"Oh yeah, Coach, you never actually taught Eun-seol Azir?"
Suddenly remembering, Plook asked the coach that.
"Teach her? I was terrified when she suddenly picked Azir mid-season after seeing the enemy comp."
"It was really good though."
Charge in with a poke-heavy ADC and poke-heavy Mid mage, and you have to eat at least one Azir combo.
Though they'd eaten more than one, of course.
"It's not about it being good. It's that she's at an age where 'promising talent' wouldn't sound off, and yet her skill seems better than my prime."
"I learned a lot from your videos, Coach."
"If watching videos was enough, Proud wouldn't have begged me to teach him..."
He laughed hollowly, subtly prodding me about any other hidden champs, but it got buried under the other team members' voices.
"Coach, you taught Proud too?"
"All the LOCK Mids' Azir skills trace back to me, you punks."
As we reminisced about the coach's glory days, people started gathering around.
"Looks like we've been spotted."
"Already?"
"Honestly, hoping we wouldn't stand out in a group like this would be even more shameless."
We'd taken over a whole row of seats. Anyone glancing over would notice, especially since we were all wearing ST windbreaker jackets, with me in the middle doing spectator commentary.
For anyone invested enough in Master League to come all the way to this arena, it would be weirder if they didn't recognize at least one of the six of us.
"Shall we head out then? Didn't you guys say you wanted stuff from the merch shop?"
"Do they do discounts for pros?"
"I'll hook you up with our team's merch, but other game stuff? No clue."
"Kabib."
The bottom duo, who got along so well, chuckled as they ended their game and stood up together.
"What the—why are there so many people?"
And just like that, they plopped right back down into the egg-shaped ergonomic chairs.
Of course, that didn't change the fact that we'd been spotted.
"That's Strike and Bell, right?"
"Then the one in the middle..."
"True form is insane."
Sure enough, people started crowding in.
"Okay, everyone, please keep order!"
Luckily, this wasn't some neighborhood PC bang—it was a competition venue, so the security staff handled crowd control like pros, clearing a path for us.
"I suddenly feel like a star."
"Get real. See that? They're all here for True."
"...When I make 1st team, I bet I can get at least half that, right?"
"Win the season first."
I scribbled signatures on the papers shoved my way while listening to the bottom duo's banter.
"Come cheer for us at our matches too!"
Compared to the packed LOC World Cup finals back in the day—my debut—this level of attention was totally manageable.
Inside the arena.
"This little coupon stub costs 150,000 won."
Whether in my past life or now, one thing that never changed was game companies' greed for cash.
I sat staring holes into the coupon from the merch shop for registering the 'Dual Blades' electronic figurine.
Enter the code on this coupon, and I could place a figurine of a silver sword crossed with a crimson one in my lobby room.
It meant something to me, but honestly, it was overpriced for a regular person.
"Why buy merch for a champ whose lore is barely out?"
"You'll get it someday."
Despite Plook's jab, I staunchly defended my coupon.
People go nuts for limited-edition merch, after all.
Plus, the red blade matched perfectly with my lobby full of ST decorations.
"Alright, everyone relax and watch. Don't sweat it too much if one team seems way better. We'll prep our own way. Got it?"
"...Isn't it kinda hard to take serious worries seriously with that hat on?"
Ox said that, wearing a team logo cap that didn't suit his massive build.
Visually, it looked like he'd ground up thirty of those caps for protein.
"But this lets me cosplay as a neutral fan instantly."
"We are neutral."
"When? Not me."
"......"
Neutral fan my ass.
Milky Way dropping out before finals was just perfect.
"And objectively, KTT advancing is easier for us."
Forget everything else—if we're in the LOC World Cup finals and the other semifinal has a North American team vs. LOCK or China's top league 1st place, everyone knows who'd root for the NA team.
"...Why do you talk like you'll smash anyone anytime, and actually do it, but stay so cold here?"
"I'm always rational. And when did I ever smash anyone?"
"......"
"Ji-hwan, victims are supposed to forget, right?"
For some reason, Ox patted Plook's shoulder consolingly.
No sooner had the caster and commentator finished than spotlights hit our seats.
"No heads-up on this event?"
"Good vibes are good vibes."
Thankfully, the applause drowned out any spy jabs.
Even if most of the crowd were fans of other teams, watching us all season must've left an impression, hence the reaction.
I took the mic from the staffer who'd appeared beside me.
"Isn't this usually the coach's job?"
"Nah, captain's duty."
"......"
Setting aside when I became captain...
Handing the mic to Strike or Ox next to me would've been a mess.
In the end, I just started chatting with the caster without passing it.
I knew the question was coming, but the caster said "bold," so whatever I said next wasn't on me.
"Personally, I'd love Milky Way to drop, but they'll probably full-combo their way up somehow. Feels like loss-win-win-loss-win?"
KTT prepped set 1 perfectly.
No mishaps, and it'd be a great dagger into Milky Way.
Then Milky Way pulls ahead consistently, only for KTT to awaken mid-way and snag one more from the relaxed Milky Way.
The caster and commentator prettied up my words, but today wasn't my match day.
Whatever I said, post-game chatter would be flooded with KTT and Milky Way's 5-0 stomp.
Meaning...
My words today were pure, consequence-free fun until the finals.
"Whoever advances, we're winning anyway. Just nicer watching a rival crash out first."
Surrounded by ST—my personal—fans, I was an army incarnate.
"So fight hard today. Whoever comes up, we'll smash 'em."
My bright smile drew boos from all over this time.
"...What a unique personality."
"You'll live forever."
"Actually, I already heard all the hate in my past life, so yeah."
"......"
My life was guaranteed longer than anyone from that LOC World Cup finals—my debut.
At least another 10-20 years, conservatively.
Sure, one tiny life change as a side effect, but my Rock skills stayed the same, so fine.
"We'll just spectate here and munch popcorn."
I tore open a popcorn bag from the arena entrance, eyes on the players entering the venue.