Unexpected Regression
Le Duc Pullman in Paris, France.
The Winter Major finals for Eternal Combat, the VR AOS game that enjoyed massive international popularity, were in full swing here.
Game 4 of the grand finals.
In the teamfight, my Elementalist unleashed its full firepower, sweeping the enemy team aside. Europe's Rattlesnake Esports, drained of any power to resist, began crumbling helplessly.
Their nexus shattered not long after, and as the match ended, dazzling fireworks exploded in the arena, accompanied by grand music announcing our victory.
"BlackWings! BlackWings! BlackWings!"
The local European fans expressed regret over their home team Rattlesnake's loss but soon shifted to celebrating our win with fervent chants.
Just a few years ago, the Korean team BlackWings from the backwater nation had been utterly ignored.
This was the moment when midlaner Na Kang Yuseong—debuting seven years prior, with 11 domestic pro league titles, 2 season majors, and 3 TIC championships—added his third season major trophy to his career.
At 28 years old. Far past retirement age for a gamer, well into my eighties in career terms, yet I was still at the pinnacle of the world.
We lifted the trophy before tens of thousands of spectators, basking in the cheers.
We soaked up the barrage of camera shutters from the organizers and press, putting on a full ceremony and popping champagne.
And then I made my declaration.
"Today... marks the final match of pro gamer Kang Yuseong. Given my age and having achieved everything there is to achieve, I'm retiring here."
It was something already discussed with the team. After this season major, I would retire.
My teammates all knew, but this was the first public announcement.
I made my retirement declaration before the stunned arena crowd, popped one last champagne, and returned to the team hotel.
By then, night had fallen, the sun nearly set.
Tomorrow, we'd leave this place and head back to Korea. No more free trips abroad like this, no more matches before tens of thousands.
From the moment we arrived in Paris, I hadn't explored at all—stuck practicing in a hotel room converted into a training space. Now with the tournament over and my retirement announced publicly, I wanted to at least take in the Paris nightlife. Who knew if I'd ever return.
"Hey, I'm gonna step out for a walk. Anyone wanna come?"
I checked with the other team members room by room, but true to form as gaming nerds, they all found going outside a hassle.
No choice—I headed out alone into the Paris night streets.
Our coach had warned us nonstop before arrival: "Backpacks make you a pickpocket target in Paris." So I only had some cash stuffed in my coat's front pocket.
The first thing I noticed walking Place de Paris was how shockingly smelly and filthy the streets were.
This wasn't the Paris I'd imagined.
When gypsies kept following me, babbling in unintelligible words, it even got a bit scary.
'Shouldn't have come out...'
On the way, I decided to at least see the Seine River once before heading back. I pulled up the map on my phone and arrived to be greeted by the stench of raw sewage.
My last illusions shattered completely, and I inwardly regretted my stupid decision.
'Fuck this shit, why's everything so gross? Dog crap everywhere, public pissers, gypsies yapping, the stink of sweat and shit... Ugh, damn it, shouldn't have come out.'
Should've just seen the Eiffel Tower night view. Should've gone home remembering only the amazing bread and cakes.
For my pro gamer retirement declaration day, the final foreign cityscape etched in my eyes was this filthy, reeking mess. Should've retired in Seattle during TIC instead.
Thoroughly disillusioned, I turned back toward the hotel when I spotted a homeless man slumped against the bridge railing, groaning. No one spared him a glance—as if he didn't exist.
I was about to pass by too when he looked right at me and spoke.
"À l'aide…"
"?"
I had no clue what that meant. As I kept walking, he switched to English.
"Help me…"
I wasn't great at English, but I knew that much.
The homeless man's eyes locked on mine, pleading for help.
'Help? He begging?'
Normally I'd ignore it, but he looked pathetically ragged, and he was asking me specifically. Felt wrong to just walk away.
Not as cold as Korea, but still midwinter—sleeping on the street like this could kill you.
I had a few bills and some coins left in my pocket.
Coins weren't even exchangeable, and the bills wouldn't make 30,000 won back home.
'Eh, call it skipping a chicken dinner. We just won anyway.'
I pulled out the money and handed it to him.
"Uh… this is… money… all… uh… help you? For you? Anyway, that money… uh…"
Mangling English and Korean, I babbled incoherently, but he took the cash and bowed his head repeatedly.
"Merci pour votre aide… Merci pour votre aide… Thank you."
I caught the "thank you" and replied "You're welcome," turning to leave.
But he grabbed me again.
More money?
"No more cash, man!"
"Tu piges."
With that, he handed me a small, clear crystal orb. Impossibly pristine for something owned by a wretched homeless man.
Why not sell this and eat?
"For me?"
He nodded vigorously, as if understanding nothing I'd said.
"Uh… thanks?"
Felt sketchy taking something from a street bum, but it was pretty, so I pocketed it. Hopefully not some cursed magic item?
Thankfully, the next day I didn't wake up as a girl or get isekai'd.
We boarded the flight home to Korea. After the long haul, I bragged about the win to my parents and treated them to a luxury buffet for a family meal.
"Aigoo, this is the life~"
Post-victory vacation, finally unburdened from pro gaming—how sweet it was.
After showering, I sprawled on the bed and examined the crystal orb from the Paris homeless man. Just an ordinary glass ball.
I tossed it onto the display shelf by the desk and headed back to bed.
"Gotta hit up the guys starting tomorrow."
I messaged my friends to meet up. Scheduling with them, a sudden wave of self-loathing hit.
"So many people to hang with, but they're all dudes. Not a single pretty girl."
I turned off my phone screen and pulled up the covers.
"Sigh, what's the point of all this money? Only guys to chill with, never met a cute girl. Now that I'm retired, time to find a girlfriend."
And with that, I fell asleep.
Moments later, the crystal orb on the shelf began to glow.
"Yuseong! It's 11:30—get up already!"
A voice. And with it, the blanket yanked off me.
"Gah!"
Only then did I snap awake. Blinking, I saw my bedroom.
We were meeting the guys for lunch soon!
But why's it so hot…
Groaning, I sat up. Rubbing my eyes, I peered out the window—lush green leaves swaying in the breeze, cicadas buzzing loudly outside.
…Green leaves in midwinter? Cicadas?
Sensing something off, I bolted to the window. No mistake. People everywhere in short sleeves and shorts, the air thick and humid—definitely midsummer.
"Wh-what? Mom, was I in a coma? Why's it summer?"
"Sun's about to set and you're still half-asleep with nonsense? It's summer now, not winter."
"No, how… It was midwinter when I went to bed…"
"Winter, summer—whatever, get up, wash, eat. You have that pro gaming team tryout today, right?"
Was she the one not awake?
With years of experience and my career, what tryout now? And at retirement age? What the hell?
"Tryout?"
"You said you wanna be a pro gamer! Quit slacking and get ready."
She shut the door and left.
Stunned, I grabbed my phone by the pillow.
Peering at the screen, I froze in shock.
'Th-this is the phone I used ages ago! Why's it here?'
The date showed August. I unlocked it hastily and checked the calendar—and lost all words.
2051.
Just yesterday, it had been 2058.
Somehow, I'd regressed seven years.
The summer of 2051 was when my pro gamer life began.
I remembered exactly where the tryout was.
BlackWings.
A team famous in other esports, just entering Eternal Combat right around now.
I'd applied to their open tryouts, passed, and started my pro path.
Facing this unbelievable reality, any lingering sense of it faded as a final blow appeared above my head in the mirror.
Kang Yuseong (21)
Physical: S++
Mental: S+
Judgment: S+
Competitive Spirit: S++
Teamwork: S
You possess the qualities to become the best player. However, a brighter future might await in other paths...