[TS] The Return of The Gamer - Chapter 192

After registering for the promotion/relegation match qualifiers.

Days of intense practice, unlike anything we've experienced before, continued.

"I have to go to the gym today..."

"No. You have a schedule until tonight."

"..."

Following the All Day interview, even though it was time for most teams to take a short break, requests for scrimmages didn't stop.

Although the spring season was over, there was still a promotion/relegation match more important than the season for some teams.

Our competitors,

Or those who will compete in the future.

Perhaps it's surprising, but there were also a few overseas teams among them.

There were teams participating in the promotion/relegation match, and furthermore, scrimmage requests came from the main teams of each league that occasionally participate in the MSL.

At first, I was taken aback when scrimmage requests came from foreign teams, but thankfully, there were Korean coaching staffs on the overseas teams' sides, so there were no problems with communication.

Well, most of the time, due to ping differences, the opposing team's performance didn't come out properly.

That's how the practice continued.

Not all practices went smoothly.

We won sometimes, and we lost sometimes.

In particular, a strange creak started to be felt from the top lane at some point.

"...I'm sorry. I made a mistake."

"It's okay, but let's address this."

One of the biggest reasons our team didn't fall behind in scrimmages against BOQ and tier 1 league teams was that Seo Yeon-woo, in the top lane, didn't fall behind tier 1 leaguers and even sometimes dominated the lane, leading the game.

But recently, it was different.

Seo Yeon-woo couldn't display the same aggression in lane as before, or he showed plays close to throwing because he overdid it.

"Why did you go in there?"

"...I made a mistake. I'm sorry."

"No, I don't want to hear you're sorry..."

"Stop. It's too heated right now. Let's continue next time."

Perhaps, because he'd done so well until now, we didn't pay attention to him.

Despite how he looks, Seo Yeon-woo is still young, and until recently, he was just an amateur who only played solo rank.

‘I thought time would solve it… It's definitely been strange recently.’

I consulted with Baek Seong-an about this, but Baek Seong-an only said that it seemed to be due to his recent poor condition.

‘Should I talk to him separately?’

But what should I say?

"Do you have any worries?" Should I ask something like that?

‘...Strange.’

I, who struggled to even talk to others until recently, let alone counsel anyone about their worries.

That wouldn't be easy.

‘…I don’t know.’

It'll work out somehow.

Even though the situation isn't good, our team's average scrimmage win rate is good enough to be unbelievable for a team participating in the promotion/relegation match.

Even though there were difficulties, our team's chances of falling in the qualifiers are low unless there's a significant variable.

‘Still, I'll do as much as I can.’

There's no complacency.

I'll do my best.

Practice, practice, and more practice.

Meanwhile, Kim Jae-min finally achieved the Master tier in solo rank.

It felt like he had just suppressed it with the number of games, but if that were really the case, he would be demoted to Diamond soon.

However, that didn't mean there was only good news.

Seo Yeon-woo's tier, who had been in the top ranks of Challenger, was demoted to Grand Master.

I knew his form wasn't good recently, but… I didn't know it would affect his solo rank.

"Is something wrong?"

"...Yes. I'll try harder."

"Okay."

I couldn't tell whether it was simply a decline in form or if something was wrong.

I tentatively asked the surrounding teammates about this, but they only said that it seemed like his form had temporarily dropped.

‘Umm.’

In worries I couldn't find the answer to…

Towards the day of the promotion/relegation match qualifiers,

Time passes little by little.

* * *

Promotion/Relegation Match.

Currently, there are the Legends of League Tier 1 League and Tier 2 League in Korea.

Among them, the league we will immediately participate in is, of course, the Tier 2 League.

We have to get into the Tier 2 League to get a chance to get into the Tier 1 League.

Legends of League Challengers Korea.

In short, CKR.

The Tier 2 League we are aiming for.

The Legends of League Challengers Korea promotion/relegation match is conducted in a tournament format unless there are any special variables.

The two teams that pass the qualifiers and advance to the finals will compete in the promotion/relegation match with the bottom two teams of Challengers Korea, staking the fate of the team.

"Is everyone ready?"

"...Yes."

"Kind of."

"Umm… I think so."

"Yes."

There was no clear answer from anyone.

‘Anyway….’

It would be a lie if I wasn’t a little dissatisfied, but it was natural that the team members' responses were lacking.

I thought they might not have slept well since yesterday because of the hard practice schedule and the tension.

‘Well… me too.’

I tried to pretend I was okay, but in fact, I hadn’t been able to sleep properly since last night.

My heart was beating wildly, and I couldn't fall asleep even when I lay in bed.

As I tossed and turned, unable to sleep, the morning came, and when I arrived at the dormitory, the rest of the team members except Kim Ji-hoon were also in a state of exhaustion.

‘…Will it be okay?’

It would be a lie if I wasn’t worried, but there was nothing I could do.

I just hope the team members will do well.

"Then, let's go."

Towards the promotion/relegation match qualifiers.

*

The car was prepared with multiple seats in advance, so there were no particular inconveniences in going to the qualifier venue.

"We've arrived."

"Yes, thank you."

"When you're done, you can contact me at my number. I'll come here right away to pick you up."

"Okay."

The venue was the YellowTV PC Bang in Sindorim.

It was just a qualifier, so there wasn't a fancy stage or anything, but that didn't mean I wasn't nervous.

"Hoo…"

"What are you doing? Aren't you going in?"

"Ah, yes."

"Don't worry. It's us."

Baek Seong-an made his usual jokes, but his eyes looked a little hollow.

"You have dark circles."

"Khmm."

"Let's go."

Maybe because I realized I wasn't the only one nervous, or maybe because someone was with me, I felt strangely relieved.

The moment I entered the PC Bang.

"Oh?"

"Hey, they're here."

"Who?"

"Outlaw."

"What?"

I feel the gaze.

The gaze towards us, and towards me.

"Wow…"

"...They're really here."

"Uh, um…"

"Hey, over there."

"Yes?"

"...That's right. Getback is there too."

"We shouldn't be in the same group…"

"Scared?"

"Who's scared…"

It's burdensome.

It's not just burdensome, it's so, so burdensome.

‘What, what, so what if they're staring.’

I tried to retort inside my heart, but unfortunately, in reality, I was a coward who couldn’t withstand the gaze.

"Ugh…"

I felt like I had gotten used to dealing with others to some extent after the not-so-short training time… but it seems I'm still not strong enough to withstand the gaze of an unspecified number of people.

‘I feel like I'm going to throw up.’

Then, just as I was hesitating, I suddenly felt the gaze towards me slowly move away.

It was as if they were scared of something.

‘Ah.’

I realized who was next to me.

190cm.

120kg.

It was 3 sets of 620, but recently, he said that it was slightly reduced to 610, complaining about it, not matching his size.

SoSimHanSaram190.

But now, Kim Ji-hoon, who has become OLZ Protein, was standing firmly by my side like a real-life Malphite or Sett.

‘…He's a little useful in this case.’

There's no private security guard on our team, but somehow, from the moment he entered here, it seemed like Kim Ji-hoon was playing that role without me knowing.

"Wow, what a height…"

"He looks like a bodyguard."

"Wow…"

In many ways, our team couldn't help but stand out, and the gazes of the people in the PC Bang turned towards us.

However, maybe because of Kim Ji-hoon's presence, the gazes that were looking at us soon avoided our eyes quietly, so they weren't particularly burdensome.

"Are you OLZ?"

"Ah, yes, yes."

"Did the team members all come?"

"Yes."

"Yes. Then, please wait a moment."

How long did we wait?

The YellowTV staff explained the schedule for the promotion/relegation match qualifiers.

"First of all, there are a total of 12 teams participating. Usually, not so many teams participate like this... Anyway, so the qualifiers will be conducted in a different way than the existing tournament format, so please understand beforehand."

"12 teams?"

"Yes."

"Hoo…"

Baek Seong-an shook his head.

"Why? Is that a lot?"

"Yes. In the past, there were only a few teams... I guess we picked the wrong day."

"...Umm, it's okay."

Regardless of how many teams are participating, and how many competitors there are, what does it matter?

Anyway, we will win.

At least, I believe so.

I believe in the practices we've done so far and our team members.

"If you say so, then it is."

Baek Seong-an also regained his composure and joked with his hollow eyes.

"Now, I will explain the changed promotion/relegation match qualifier format. Please gather around."

Umm…

It felt a little off, but it seemed that the YellowTV side couldn't help it because the schedule was tight.

"First of all, the 12 teams are divided into two groups. And we'll draw lots to assign 6 teams to each group. Then, within each group, they're divided into two groups of three teams each, and only one team from each group of three teams will advance to the group final."

What is that supposed to mean?

Why divide into groups and teams? Shouldn't it just be a simple tournament?

While I was just blinking my eyes, hearing the staff's explanation, Baek Seong-an's hollow complexion turned pale.

"...This is not good."

Kim Jae-min, who was next to him, asked.

"Why?"

"Did you understand what that means?"

"No?"

Baek Seong-an let out a small sigh.

"In short... it means that if you lose just one game, you could be eliminated from the qualifiers if you're unlucky."

"…Yes?"

Kim Jae-min's face turned paler than Baek Seong-an's.