No Pain, No Gain
Somebody save me...
After I died, I could watch the rest of the match in spectator mode.
In the end, we won the game.
Although our team had lost its shield, it wasn't as if the enemy team had any sharp spears left either.
If anything, we were the ones who still had a proper spear.
Two tanks and one bruiser.
They stood no chance against a Hunter backed by a whopping four supports.
They lacked the attack power to break the Chain Master's chains in one go, and they weren't fast enough to keep up with the Hunter's pace.
The game played out like a brutal chase.
Honestly, it felt less like a game and more like a form of bullying.
Slow. Snare. Slow. Snare. Slow. Snare.
The brave warriors collapsed without even getting to swing their swords properly.
Watching them wither away under the battlefield's poison and shotgun blasts was... how should I put it?
As a fellow bruiser, it struck a chord in me.
It was a painful sight to behold.
Regardless, our team leader was jumping up and down with joy.
"I told you! I told you I'd bury an axe in Hanul's head! Ahahahaha!"
The battle between the two streamers, with their heads on the line, ended in Na Jia's victory.
Hanul, who seemed to be holding it together, rage-quit his stream in the heat of the moment.
When that news reached Na Jia, she burst into a fit of giggles, completing an infinite cycle of pure bliss.
Well, it wasn't like I was in a position to worry about Hanul.
The sudden flood of attention left me utterly bewildered.
"Nabi, how on earth did you pull that off?"
"Y-Yes...?"
"When we looked over, Hanul was already dead, and the Priest was casually walking up to buff us."
"Exactly. I seriously thought it was all over at first."
Our strategy had been a massive gamble.
If I had been caught midway, we would have lost the game right then and there.
It seemed they had assumed the game was already lost the moment the plan went awry.
They said they had been fighting with the mindset of defeated soldiers until I started racking up kills on the log.
They mentioned it was quite a spectacle to see the game's atmosphere flip in an instant.
Flooded with questions, I couldn't think of a proper response.
So, the answer I barely managed to squeeze out was incredibly pathetic and narrow-minded.
"I just... somehow made it work."
Was that really the best I could do?
Well, it was just between us. It should be fine.
(Attached Photo: Challengers Cup, Team Na Jia)
Recently, the Challengers Cup has been taking the community by storm. While it always generates buzz every year, this year is on another level.
It is all because of a single user: DoNotTalkToMe.
This user first made a name for themselves as the pioneer of the beautiful avatar, full-strength Berserker build.
Perhaps due to the connection forged during their first encounter, they ended up participating in the Streamer Cup through Hanul's recommendation.
The start was far from smooth.
...
However, the moment the group stage began, the momentum completely shifted.
The true value of this user lies in their playstyle, which radiates pure, unadulterated masculinity.
It breaks all conventional wisdom.
They captivated the audience with an aggressiveness that was not just unconventional, but bordered on reckless.
In the group stage, they used Frenzy at the absolute frontlines of the battlefield. In this tournament, they brought out Blood Covenant.
As you can see from the screenshot, the battlefield for the tournament was none other than the Cursed Mangrove.
(Attached Video: Yu Nabi cutting her own body to reduce her health)
(Attached Photo: 'DoNotTalkToMe' health recovery during combat)
- Footnote: The recovery statistics through life steal are substantial.
Of course, the situation demanded a quick, decisive battle. However, it is also true that it is hard to find someone with the nerves of steel required to pull out Blood Covenant in such a pressing situation.
In particular, the scene where she used the very weapon that inflicted a fatal wound on her to attack is symbolic of DoNotTalkToMe's sheer combativeness.
The player's actual personality does not seem much different.
Although she showed a quiet demeanor on stream, her thoughts were revealed in a team interview.
Q. We really thought we were going to lose the game. How on earth did you do it?
A. I just made it work.
An attitude that needs no long explanations. This alignment of words and actions has struck a chord in the hearts of many men.
Her playstyle is the very romance that all Berserkers have dreamed of.
Meanwhile, her next opponent is the former pro gamer, Havoc...
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
The astronaut who first landed on the moon in human history.
Those were the words of Neil Armstrong.
The moon is a place completely different from Earth.
In a way, the moon might be the closest "other world" to us.
Though it hasn't fully realized yet, starting with his step, humanity could have entered an entirely new era.
I don't know what he was thinking before he stepped out of the spacecraft.
I probably never will.
Because in my life, there will never be an opportunity for such a dangerous and grand adventure.
However, I felt like I could understand a little of what it felt like to step into a new world.
I'm scared. Incredibly scared!
Isn't a new world ultimately just terror?
I thought with absolute certainty.
Otherwise, this trembling fear made no sense.
My dizzy gaze drifted toward the transparent glass door.
- No Pain, No Gain.
- No pain, no gain!
- Metapia Fitness Center
Indeed.
Today was the day I faced a new world.
In short, it was the day I registered at the gym.
It all started yesterday.
Right before I went out for my morning exercise.
My parents, who had been watching me closely, suggested I try going to a gym.
Naturally, I knew absolutely nothing about working out.
In fact, my workout routine consisted of nothing more than running aimlessly.
As a complete novice, I couldn't think of anything beyond "it's better than doing nothing."
And it did help build my stamina, but...
Wouldn't it improve much faster if a professional advised you from the side?
Even if you don't keep going forever, you can at least learn how to exercise properly.
Shouldn't you learn from a professional at least once to avoid injuries?
Since we're talking about it, go register tomorrow. We'll cover all the PT costs.
I couldn't bring myself to argue with my parents.
Because I had mindlessly nodded, there was no turning back.
I didn't dare step inside, but I couldn't just run back home either.
That was the background behind my deep contemplation of this "new world" in front of the gym.
And my contemplation came to an end in an incredibly anticlimactic way.
The ambush wasn't inside the gym, but outside.
A healthy-looking staff member, who seemed to have just stepped out for a moment, spoke to me.
The gym's logo was printed on her athletic wear.
"Are you here to register, or just looking around?"
"Y-Yes...?"
"Don't just stand outside. Why don't you take a look inside?"
I'm not mentally prepared yet.
Though I don't know when I ever will be.
Regardless of my inner thoughts, it was true that I had come to register.
Besides, I didn't have the courage to reject the staff member.
The moment I barely managed a nod, she began her tour.
"This is the cardio zone. As you can see, the treadmills are all here, and we also have the Stairway to Heaven."
What's with the name of that equipment?
Stairway to Heaven?
Are they trying to send me to the afterlife?
Still, it wasn't a completely unfamiliar sight.
I was well-acquainted with treadmills, at least.
It was the first thing that came to mind when thinking of a gym, after all.
The problem was what came next.
A place filled with dumbbells and weight plates that looked heavy just by glance.
The guide's words threw my mind into chaos.
"This is the weight zone. Lots of machines, right? You can do free weights over at the racks. I'm sure you won't, but please don't throw the barbells around."
Someone... throws those?
They have to warn people in advance not to throw them?
They look incredibly heavy. If you get hit by one of those, you'll die.
A wild imagination briefly flashed through my mind.
A muscular man throwing a 20kg iron plate.
When I collapse after getting hit by the plate, the surrounding customers mock me for being weak.
My life seems to be in danger.
Is a gym actually an extremely dangerous place?
Fortunately, my foolish imagination didn't last long.
"Some people just drop them on the floor when they lose strength. Since our gym is inside a building, we can't have that."
"A-Ah... yes!"
"If you're new to working out, it's best to stick to the machines. If you register, we offer one free hour of PT, so the trainer will guide you through it."
I was actually here to get PT anyway.
The moment I squeezed out a response, the staff member's face lit up.
I was terrified of signing the membership form.
The PT schedule was three times a week, one hour per session.
I did it because I was told to, but... anxiety still got the best of me.
Putting everything else aside, the trainer was the real problem.
They were a stranger.
Exercising one-on-one with someone I've never seen in my life?
I'm seriously going to lose my mind.
I didn't even have the luxury of losing my mind over awkwardness.
They clearly said the PT would start tomorrow.
Yet, I was currently undergoing unexpected exercise torture.
"Just one more rep!"
"B-But you said the last one was..."
"It's because you're doing so well! You can do it. Fighting!"
"Heeeeegh!"
"You're doing amazing! Let's do just one more!"
"Hyaaaaak!"
"This is really the last one. Just one more!"
Somebody... somebody save me.
How on earth did it come to this?