[TS] The Return of The Gamer - Chapter 166

“How did you even manage to catch BOQ? I don't think they'd scrim with us, even in the second division….”

“I told you, their scrim schedule happened to fall through.”

“No, but still, they’re a first division team. They're going to scrim with a team like us?”

“Of course they will. It's us, after all. Don't underestimate our team so much.”

Baek Seong-an sat down with his characteristic, sly smile.

His overconfidence was a little, just a little, off-putting, but considering his past, it was forgiven.

“Is everyone ready?”

“Ah, not yet. It'll be over soon.”

“Me neither.”

Because Agalyu Beoseyo and SosimhanSaram190 were still in the middle of solo queue, Baek Seong-an asked for the opposing team's understanding.

[Get Back Again: Just a moment, our other teammates are in solo queue right now, so it'll be over soon. I'm really sorry. It'll be over in 5 minutes.]

No sooner had he typed the message than Baek Seong-an, in a cold voice, commanded the AD carry and support.

“Finish it in 5 minutes.”

“…I don't think that'll be easy.”

“I'll try.”

Kim Jae-min and Kim Ji-hoon gave negative and positive responses, respectively.

“I already told them we’d finish in 5 minutes.”

“……I’ll surrender.”

And so, Kim Jae-min's game ended even faster than Kim Ji-hoon, who had been so confident.

The scrim was to be held on the live server.

Because they were a team that hadn't even been promoted to the second division yet, they didn't have a tournament server ID, let alone a client.

In other words, since they were scrimming on the current live server patch version, it could be seen as slightly advantageous for them.

That was the only way it could be, since it was currently the playoffs period, and naturally, the teams that had made it to the playoffs were practicing based on the tournament server.

‘Well, the difference in versions won't be that big….’

That was the main reason BOQ had accepted this scrim in the first place.

BOQ (Boys of Question).

What kind of team is this?

A perennial mid-tier team.

That's the common perception of BOQ held by everyone.

However, breaking everyone's expectations, BOQ, along with SY and SCV, was the quickest to secure their spot in the playoffs this season.

Thanks to this, BOQ not only broke free from the perception of being a perennial mid-tier team but also gave people hope that they might show even more this season.

BOQ is an exceptionally unique team, almost unique in the history of League of Legends.

That's because they are a very, very unique team comprised of the unusual background of all their members having completed their military service.

This is very rare, not only in countries with a conscription system, but also in South Korea, which has a mandatory military service system.

Pro gamers have short lifespans.

The time a player can remain at their peak is limited, and that short time is fatal for pro gamers who have to sacrifice their youth in the military.

Therefore, pro gamers in South Korea, a country with a conscription system, usually consider the time of their enlistment as the time of their retirement.

There are almost no players who continue to be pro gamers after completing their military service, except for a few exceptions.

Nevertheless, BOQ has the unique characteristic of having all its members having completed their military service, not just one or two.

The background of BOQ's creation was simple.

By chance, people with a strong interest in League of Legends gathered in the same unit,

And by chance, their tiers were Diamond or higher,

And by chance, they dreamed of becoming pros.

BOQ was a team created under such a background.

Comrades, seniors, and juniors united by the common interests of League of Legends and the dream of being pro gamers.

In fact, the ridiculous team name BOQ (Boys of Question) also has a story, that it was taken from the initials of BOQ (Bachelor Officer Quarters), which refers to a single officer's lodging in the military, and then it was appropriately matched.

Since the members of BOQ had mentioned this a few times, it was likely not just a rumor.

Anyway, that’s that…….

As a team created under such a background, BOQ is not a team with outstanding individual skills.

However, they had teamwork that made up for those individual shortcomings.

BOQ’s anecdotes are famous.

After being discharged from the military, they created a team and practiced, wandering around internet cafes without proper lodging, and succeeded in the promotion match to the second division, our current goal.

Did they show outstanding performance in the second division? That’s not the case either.

They continued the fierce battle in the second division, slowly, very slowly growing, and finally, after one year of being promoted to the second division, they succeeded in being promoted in the first division promotion match.

And as everyone knows, they were in the mid-tier, and as if they had been waiting, they came out on top this season, and they have reached where they are now.

It’s like a movie story.

In a way, it could be considered a kind of role model for our team.

However, a role model is a role model, and that doesn't mean they're someone we should look up to.

Because now we have to face BOQ.

‘They're a good opponent to get a feel for team play.’

I examined the opposing team’s IDs.

───────────────

BOQ Sergeant - Diamond 1

BOQ Private - Master

BOQ Captain - Grandmaster

BOQ Recruit - Challenger

BOQ Corporal - Grandmaster

───────────────

A comprehensive company set, consisting of a sergeant, a private, a captain, a recruit, and a corporal, greeted us.

‘Hmm.’

I have often encountered BOQ players in solo queue.

Therefore, I know.

Perhaps, excluding Get Back and Agalyu Beoseyo, our team’s individual skills are better than those of the current first division BOQ players.

‘But their teamwork will be far superior.’

Of course, in the top solo queue environment, precise movements like team play come out depending on individual skills, but it’s not comparable to real team play.

Even if patches are continuously made to reduce the gap between solo queue and team play compared to the past, that difference still exists.

“It’s over.”

SosimhanSaram190, who really finished the game in 4 minutes, entered the lobby.

[Get Back Again: We’re all ready.]

[BOQ Captain: Yes]

[BOQ Captain: Then, let’s start]

Along with that, the ban-pick phase immediately began.

Our team's side is the blue team.

It's the bottom side and the first pick.

[“……Huh? Ah, uh. So… what should we ban?”]

3bunTapGyomyeongyesindo Seo Yeon-woo seemed quite flustered by the sudden start of the bans.

Even though he had gone through the process several times in AD carry tests, he seemed to be very nervous about this scrim, seeing how flustered he was.

‘Well, the opponent is a first division team.’

I had scrimmed countless times with first division teams when I was at YSG, so it was nothing new to me.

‘I was quite nervous when I first started, too.’

I know that feeling too.

“Don't be nervous. It's just a scrim anyway.”

[“…Yes.”]

At my encouragement, Seo Yeon-woo twisted and wriggled his body, embarrassed to the point that it was embarrassing to watch.

Ah, I shouldn't have said anything.

[“I think it's a good idea to ban TF. What do you think?”]

While I was getting tired of Seo Yeon-woo's behavior, Baek Seong-an suggested an opinion. He was our team's coach, after all.

“Hmm… not bad. The mid laner on their side uses it well, too.”

Above all, it didn't seem like a wise choice to give Twisted Fate, a tier-one operation champion in the current meta, to a team in the first division.

Our team is still inexperienced, and if an opponent like BOQ decides to fight with operations, it won’t be easy.

[“Then, let's ban TF first.”]

[“Yep”]

[Twisted Fate]

As soon as our team's bans were over, the opponent made a quick ban.

[Lucian]

There was nothing special about this so far.

Because Lucian was one of the very good picks, along with Nami.

However…….

[Vayne]

[Kalista]

And when all the bans were completed, the opponent's intentions couldn't have been clearer.

[Ban List]

Twisted Fate / Lucian

Miss Fortune / Vayne

Zoe / Kalista

Our team's weakness, no matter who you ask, is obviously the AD carry.

Beyond the fact that their tier is low, even objectively speaking, the AD carry has the talent, but they are not yet ready to unleash that talent.

The opponent dug into that weakness as if it were only natural.

[“……Three bans for AD carry.”]

Kim Jae-min couldn't hide his embarrassment, as this situation was new to him.

But only for a moment.

[“I guess… even pros feel threatened by me. Right?”]

Kim Jae-min's nose went up.