PD Yang Jia (4): Elves of Unyielding Focus
Us elves often dive deep into something over our long lives.
Sometimes, an elf lost in research forgets to even sleep or eat.
There's even an old saying from Yggdrasil: Pulling an elf's head out of one spot is harder than moving a boulder with brute force.
Thanks to this unbelievable focus and our long lifespans, elves achieved greater feats than other races.
But why? Even we elves didn't fully understand.
Elder elves spent ages trying to uncover our roots and seeds, but all they came up with were a few plausible guesses.
One theory claimed we originated from the fruits of the World Tree Yggdrasil, which first created nutrients for the soil and life itself.
Thus, elves are Yggdrasil's rightful children—and that's the only way to explain why we're superior to other soil-born races.
Hmm. Is that really true?
Like other elves, I devoted my life to exploring and mastering magic, ultimately claiming spatial mana—the power of the gods—as my own.
In the field of magic, I've reached the absolute pinnacle.
Immodest as it sounds coming from me, I believe I've even transcended the realm of 'mage.'
That's why I wasn't all that scared of gates, Korea, or Baek Seol-yeon.
Yet even someone as exceptional as me doesn't think I'm inherently superior to other elves or races.
No matter how outstanding you are, there are always shortcomings, and everyone has something to teach you.
Just like right now.
"Ah, there, it's better to position Jia in the mid-line. Our team's ADC is strong—if they don't mess up, we win for sure... Looking at the enemy comp, they have to dive. So hold that mid-line solid..."
I was learning about games from Lee Ga-eun. How to actually get good.
She hadn't just played a ton—she'd studied it. How to navigate teamfights, how to move to pressure the enemy carry... It showed.
"Right. In that spot, swing wide to open up the angle..."
No situation escaped her mind. She had an understanding of nearly every role and scenario locked in her head.
I finally got how she'd climbed to the top 'Eternal' tier.
Truth be told, watching her play up close, it wasn't insane mechanics.
Her champs were all low-skill-floor picks—no carries in sight.
She mained tanks, and in her words:
"I just love that sturdy feel. Not mechanically demanding, and best of all, you can dictate the fight's shape."
Tank role plus overwhelming game sense—that was her strength.
And when teaching me, she made a real effort to use simple terms.
They were a bit rough around the edges from internet slang, sure, but solid.
What can I say? Less pro player, more coach vibes.
"Ooh... oooh..."
Applying her coaching in-game felt different.
Ga-eun lit up brighter than ever while coaching me—total dedication.
Games.
Just as I'd obsessed over magic, she'd thrown herself into games since arriving in this world.
"I review replays dozens of times a day, studying fight setups and macro. Champ matchups? All memorized. It's just fun."
She showed me her custom Excel sheet. Timings for weak/strong phases, macro strategies, win rates by approach—everything.
"That's some insane devotion."
"Ahaha... Thanks for the kind words. But it's nothing to brag about. The guys who crossed over with me are living large with magic... And here I am, just gaming."
She bowed her head, looking glum, and moved to close the Excel.
"Yeah, this is kinda lame, right?"
Forcing a smile. I grabbed her hand mid-mouse-move.
"J-Jia?"
She stared at me, flustered. I gripped tight and scanned her sheet.
"What's lame about it? This is amazing in my book. Way better than those punks flexing tiny spells."
And it was. Her work was shockingly detailed—even pro tournament strats traced back to her.
"Wait, was this your macro? I saw it in that tourney."
"Oh, yeah. Told a streamer about it, they loved it and begged for details, so I shared the data."
Everyone watching was stunned. It perfectly countered the meta tactics, patching their flaws.
That team crushed the tourney for first place.
Problem was, it was hard to grasp. No wonder solo queue pros frustrated her.
"Ga-eun."
I shifted gears. She was made for more than getting chat-flamed as a VTuber for pennies.
"Try a feedback stream. Title it something like 'Pro Team Macro Creator.' My brain's still buzzing from your tips."
Her gloom lifted, color returning. She asked, incredulous:
"M-Me, really?"
"Yeah, absolutely. I guarantee it."
Shining effort deserves recognition, no matter the path.
Ga-eun smiled brighter than ever—like this dim PC bang didn't deserve it.
"Thanks, Jia."
For a split second, some unknown woman's face overlapped hers. I zoned out, staring at her beaming grin.
Focus shattered.
— 30 minutes remaining.
We'd been here a while. Time was up.
Ga-eun, hyped from my words, was fleshing out her Excel.
"Thanks, Jia. Hearing it from a powerhouse mage like you? Feels like I've made it."
You have. Watching her lose track of time, I reflected on my past.
Us elves often dive deep into something over our long lives.
And sadly, not every elf finds their fit.
Long lives mean long wanderings—but eventually, they find it. Something to obsess over.
I got lucky early with magic, but some only discover it after crossing dimensions.
Like Ga-eun, right here.
Honestly? She seems way more impressive than magic-obsessed elves right now...
"......"
For a moment, I imagined a world-line where I never learned spatial magic. But I dropped it.
Unlike space, time is a power mortals aren't allowed. 'What if' fantasies are pointless.
"Ah."
Time up—PC shut down. Outside was dusk. 7 PM. Perfect for dinner.
"Know a killer sandwich spot nearby. Let's go."
I led dinner. She followed with a grin.
On the way, she spoke up.
"Jia."
"Yeah?"
"Can I drop the formal speech?"
My words must've hit home. I smiled faintly.
"Duh. Of course."
"Thanks."
Scored a local friend today. A badass one, too.
Not long after meeting Ga-eun.
Sorting "Eternal Survival" streams by viewer count, a new face topped the charts.
Called a dark horse, pros swarmed to steal her macros. Eventually, a pro team snagged her as coach.
"What the fuck..."
I kept streaming. Viewers dipped, though. Nowhere near her.
Dark horse: Ria Ga-eun. Helia + Ga-eun, her spirit and name.
Her viewers hovered 800-1000.
Top 10 for Eternal Survival streamers.
Me? Barely scraping 200.
I vented to chat.
"You punks know nothing! I ate with Ria Ga-eun, PC banged with her—everything! Right?!"
They didn't buy it.
All I could do was eat chat beatings for pickle scraps.
Tried her macros? Solo queue egos ignored me.
"I outrank you—why listen?"
But I don't quit. Me, the guy who wrote 4001 posts in a month. If I say I will, I will.
"Today, we promote."
Solemn resolve. Fired up a game.
That day, I dropped 150 points.