Division 3 Winter Season (3)
Dolphin Esports, the bottom-feeders of Division 3, took a brutal hit from us and seemed completely dazed even after the game ended. They lingered in the in-game lobby for a good while, unable to leave.
Meanwhile, our players—smiling brightly for the first time since entering Division 3—came over to the player lounge and gave me high-fives.
"We won!"
"Uha, we finally got a win."
"That top-lane teamfight was insane. You must've practiced a ton."
"Hmph, just watch! Me and Hayoung are gonna get even better and blow your minds!"
"We did good, right?"
Sera's question brought a wide grin to my face as I nodded. Victory was sweet, no matter the stage or moment.
"You guys were amazing. You three, all that practice is finally paying off. Must've been tough sticking with my training all this time—good job. But winning makes it all worth it, right?"
"Yeah! Feels like ten years of stress just melted away!"
"Once Hayoung and Seona get their champion mastery up a bit more, we'll switch back to full five-player comps and drill skill and item synergies. Keep pushing. We'll do winner interviews, then head back for game review."
The players' faces lit up with pure joy after tasting a win for the first time in ages.
"Alright, right after Eunjae ulted up top and flew in, you as support were left alone, so you fell back way too far, Hayoung. That'd be fine for most supports, but not Holy Knight. You can trade surprisingly well early thanks to the heals.
See? The moment you backed off, their offlaner poked out and farmed CS easy. If you'd held an aggressive position, he couldn't do shit. Trading with Holy Knight early would've drained his health while yours stayed full—he'd be in deep trouble.
From now on, in similar spots with Holy Knight, don't hesitate. Play it like a carry in lane."
"Seona, your mid MIA call there needed to be faster. We won out, but it could've gone bad—Eunjae and Sera might not have made it in time, leaving Yuna dead alone. Rewatch the minute leading up: both enemy supports stayed visible on lane the whole time? Means no jungle management.
No reason for their mid to farm jungle camps unless they're stacked—lane CS is always better. And no reason to base with no sight, so MIA means roam. Keep that in mind for laning phase."
I kept going, giving Yuna, Eunjae, and Sera targeted feedback on what went well and what to fix, holding nothing back to sharpen our edge.
The players, despite the win, knew our record still sucked—they stayed focused, ears perked, typing key notes from my capsule to theirs.
"And Hayoung. In that teamfight, if you'd had your practice champ ready, when and what skill would've been the play?"
"Yeah. Mightback and Light Spirit lack hard CC, so I'd sync with Sera's hard CC. Her ult rush and afterimage pull—hit stun right as she afterimages for easy land. Then silence immediately after to stop their counter on her."
"Perfect. Looks like all that practice is clicking. Great job, Hayoung. Ready for live games next match."
"Hehehe..."
Hayoung scratched her cheek, beaming happily.
Next, I turned to Seona.
"Seona, if it was a mid-join teamfight, where would you dash, how would you skill, and who to target?"
"Hm, assuming mana, I'd arc over their frontline for damage. Then flat on clustered frontliners to zone Yuna-unnie's escape. Afterimage there, then flat on backline supports.
Dash to supports, pull the hard CC one first. Mix flats and afterimage cooldowns—they'd melt quick."
"Spot on. You two are seeing angles way better with your champs. Seona, let's slot you in live next game too."
Seona grinned ear-to-ear, unable to hide her thrill. They'd basically been carried this match, so even in victory, some regret lingered.
But nailing redemption for those four losses? They were pumped.
"Awesome! Next game, Kim Seona's name echoes through! Who's our next matchup?"
"Peacemaker."
The room went dead silent.
Peacemaker.
The team that handed us our first-ever loss. The ones who shoved us to the final promotion match.
Peacemaker was now riding high at third place, like their promotion stint was a lie.
We'd crumbled pathetically before carry Jeong Yujin's Bloodbath and Tide, first support Chae Minji's Gran Magnus.
Yuna's eyes twitched, remembering that day of humiliations, bawling her eyes out back at the dorm.
"Ha, Peacemaker? Peacemaker? Perfect. I'm killing them. Still can't sleep thinking about it—rage keeps me up."
Yuna cracked her knuckles with a pop, firing up.
Everyone held grudges—they all lit up with revenge in their eyes.
"Good thing we hadn't faced 'em yet. Losing again would've buried us."
"First humiliation like that. Time for payback."
"Saw so much 'support carry' trash talk—hurt bad. We're winning for sure."
"Their carry... my turn to crush."
Resolutions set, Seona yanked my arm.
"Coach, no time to slack! Feedback done—practice time! You said five-man links once me and Hayoung sync up!"
Can't disappoint—not as their coach and ex-world-top pro.
I grinned and stood.
"Alright. Time's tight—no full new champ masters, but main skills at least two to master by next game."
"Yes!"
"And for your quick growth? No AI bots—you're facing me."
"Eh..."
"Eh what? Mad I'm subbing in?"
"N-no, but you don't hold back..."
"Hold back? Pros don't 'hold back' to build skill. Dreaming of growth on easy mode? First up, Seona."
"Nooo!!!"
The other four sighed in relief at Seona's unlucky draw. Everyone loved Coach, but training mode? Tooth-grinding hell. Their future, though.
Knock knock knock.
That night, mid-Peacemaker analysis, someone knocked on the meeting room door.
"Come in."
The door opened, revealing a girl with wavy brown long hair cascading to her chest and an killer figure.
"Seona? What's up?"
"Yeah."
"What?"
"I... wanted to say thanks."
"Thanks at midnight? Making it awkward."
Seona twirled her hair around her finger.
"After... that thing with me and Hayoung, the team hit a skid, we fought... but you held back on yelling till then.
And when Dad showed up causing chaos, you took my side... First time someone's protected my dream like that. Made me so happy."
"Coach protecting players is basic."
Not buttering her up—this was real.
Coaches shield their players—can't just bow and break contracts. Sure, her dad's arrogance pissed me off too.
Ding dong.
"Truth? I kinda resented you inside. Sorry. Had preconceptions."
"What'd I do to earn hate?"
"You groped my boobs."
"Fair. I get it."
Damn. Blackout drunk, no memory of feel or anything—unfair, but crime's a crime...
"Anyway! Forgot that. Just wanted to say thanks. That's it. Done—I'm out!"
She bolted from the room.
Too bad I missed her face erupting like a volcano, beet red.