[TS] The Return of The Gamer - Chapter 63

Rainbow

It was a day like any other.

A day that, at first glance, seemed unremarkable.

It must have been…

[Defeat]

That day, a legend was born.

A legend in a different sense from the legend Ryu Jinhyuk had achieved as Rainbow.

[Prisoner]

Rank 1

Solo Rank

- Challenger

- 2000 LP / 271 Wins 172 Losses

- Win Rate 61%

[Prisoner : Mr. Rainbow]

[Prisoner : I have something to tell you]

The memory of that day was, in many ways, a day Ryu Jinhyuk could never forget.

[Prisoner : Um... I think it's going to be a little difficult for me to play games from now on.]

Yes, really.

[Me : Yes?]

[Prisoner : I had fun with you so far ㅎㅎ]

[Me : What... What's going on?]

[Prisoner : I have personal circumstances.]

[Prisoner : Oh, I think I have to go now. Then, take care!]

That was the last time.

A short, short greeting, neither grand nor long.

[The user does not exist.]

That was how Prisoner disappeared.

Having etched an absurd footprint that no one could surpass into history.

“……”

After Prisoner suddenly disappeared, Ryu Jinhyuk sat on the chair, dazed and losing his sense of reality for a long time.

“Hyung? What are you doing?”

“Oh, huh?”

“You've been spacing out since earlier.”

“…Nothing.”

“Hyung, do you know where Prisoner went? He suddenly disappeared from the rankings. You’re close, right?”

Ryu Jinhyuk unconsciously flinched, as he hadn't expected that name to come from Yu Sanghyun's mouth.

“…I don't know.”

“You really don't know anything?”

“I said I don't!”

Ryu Jinhyuk is usually gentle.

When Ryu Jinhyuk's voice rose, Yu Sanghyun, who usually playfully clung to him, didn't know what to do.

“Oh… I'll go now. Sorry for bothering you, Hyung.”

“…Sorry. I haven't been sleeping well lately, so I was sensitive, I guess. I really don't know about Prisoner.”

“Yes. Rest well.”

Why am I like this?

My emotions are not well controlled.

I know the reason.

It's because of Prisoner.

But, why?

“……”

For Ryu Jinhyuk, or rather, Rainbow, Prisoner was an old friend.

Someone might say he's just a friend on the web whom they've never even seen the face of, but at least Ryu Jinhyuk truly considered Prisoner as a friend.

Such a friend disappeared.

And Ryu Jinhyuk already had an inkling as to the reason.

‘…It wouldn't be.’

Prisoner might die.

Or, life might be in danger.

To the point where he couldn't play games again.

‘No.’

It can't be.

No… right?

‘It must not be.’

It has to be.

Time kept passing even amid the unknown anxiety.

Prisoner never appeared.

Yes, never again.

[Defeat]

Perhaps because of that, Ryu Jinhyuk discovered at some point that he couldn't fully concentrate on the game.

“Why can't you concentrate today?”

“…I’ll try to concentrate.”

[Defeat]

A losing streak of scrims for three days.

It was the first time since Rainbow joined SY.

The game doesn't go well.

It feels as if it's not me.

Perhaps,

It can't be,

but if,

‘Because of me… Is it because I'm not good enough that Prisoner left? Because I couldn't stop Prisoner?’

Ryu Jinhyuk felt himself being slowly pushed to the limit, even to the point of having such absurd thoughts.

Whether he realized this or judged that the fact that Prisoner had disappeared might affect Ryu Jinhyuk, the coach said.

“Jinhyuk, I think you're not in good shape, so why don't you go home and rest for a few days?”

“But the season is just around the corner.”

“You won't achieve anything as you are. Don't worry, and go.”

Ryu Jinhyuk soon agreed.

“Yes.”

Objectively speaking, his current condition was not one where he could fully handle the team's schedule.

‘…Pathetic.’

What's the world's best mid laner,

and what is the model for pro gamers?

I can't even control myself with just this one thing.

Ryu Jinhyuk went home with a stumbling gait.

[SY Palace]

Ryu Jinhyuk's home was SY Palace, famous for being one of the top-class apartments in the country.

A place that you can't easily come to even if you have money.

The fact that a person like Ryu Jinhyuk, who came from a humble background, could set foot there was purely thanks to the team's consideration, or rather, the contract.

Of course, no matter how good the house was, Ryu Jinhyuk had no family to welcome him.

Having become accustomed to living in the dorm, the solitude he tasted after a long time brought a strange feeling.

A feeling as if he was immersed in the darkness.

Ryu Jinhyuk's life after returning home was simple.

1. Buy a lunchbox at the convenience store.

2. Eat it at home.

That day was just one of the many days of lethargy.

“Excuse me.”

“…Me?”

“Yes, you.”

Silver hair and reddish-brown eyes.

An exotic appearance and beauty and mystery that makes it impossible to take your eyes off.

“Drink this.”

“Yes?”

“I thought you looked dehydrated.”

She, who had an unforgettable unique appearance and atmosphere, abruptly handed Ryu Jinhyuk a bottle of mineral water as if she was throwing it and then ran away.

Of course, for Ryu Jinhyuk, who is making a name for himself as a successful pro gamer, a gift from a fan was nothing new.

However, even so, he couldn't understand what she meant by giving him water because of the words she threw.

Was she his fan?

Or was it simply the kindness of a resident who lived here?

Or…

‘Was I that pathetic?’

He couldn't know the answer, but what was certain was that Ryu Jinhyuk gained the courage to stand up again after that day.

‘…Yes, let's go back.’

To where I was.

To the place where I should be.

How long had he rested?

Ryu Jinhyuk finished his forced long vacation and came to the dorm.

“Oh, he's going in there.”

“Aaaaaah!!!”

The dorm was as noisy as ever.

With a somewhat nostalgic scene, Ryu Jinhyuk smiled faintly and went behind SY's proud top laner, who was still working hard on the keyboard.

“Hey, are you trading there?”

“Ah, you surprised me!”

TheOne Choi Won, the top laner of SY, was startled because he didn't expect to hear Ryu Jinhyuk's voice right next to him, who had suddenly gone on vacation.

“When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

“Look at your face? I'm so jealous. I want a vacation too. I want to rest for a few days.”

If someone asked Ryu Jinhyuk if he had been that comfortable, he would have answered that he wasn't at all.

In that sense, Ryu Jinhyuk said with a little personal emotion.

“Shall I tell the coach?”

“Ugh, you're trying to abuse your power again. Never mind.”

“Then, never mind.”

Choi Won and Ryu Jinhyuk laughed at each other.

Choi Won, who is the same age as Ryu Jinhyuk, was one of the few people in the team Ryu Jinhyuk could open up to and feel comfortable with.

Of course, it's true that the team members are all friendly with each other, but even at this age, there's a sense of camaraderie that only friends of the same age can share.

“Oh? Hyung Jinhyuk is here.”

As Ryu Jinhyuk and Choi Won were having a conversation like this, the people in the team started to greet Ryu Jinhyuk one by one.

“Oh, Jinhyuk is here.”

“Yes.”

“Yes, get ready for the season soon. I believe you'll do well.”

“Yes, Coach.”

Ryu Jinhyuk, who finished the homecoming ceremony, which was noisy, sat down in his seat.

He hadn't played games much while he was at home, so in a way, it had been a long time.

“I see you haven't played much solo queue either. Are you in good form?”

Ryu Jinhyuk lightly nodded at the coach's question.

“Yes, I've watched a lot of replays, so I'll be fine.”

He didn't add whose replays he watched.

The coach also nodded as if he understood without asking further and lightly clapped.

“Alright, now that Jinhyuk is here, let's work hard again. Fighting! Oh, you're not following?”

“…Fighting.”

“Ugh, those guys are so unmotivated. It's over, it's over.”

The moment the coach clicked his tongue and turned his head.

“Fighting!”

The team members were dumbfounded by the loud voice that suddenly came.

“…Huh?”

“Hyung Jinhyuk?”

“Why is he doing that?”

Because the protagonist of the voice was Ryu Jinhyuk.

The team members couldn't hide their surprise as Ryu Jinhyuk, who was usually passive in this area, stepped up.

“What are you doing? Follow along.”

“Ah… Fighting.”

“Louder.”

“Fighting!”

For a while, the sound of the team members and the staff of the team echoed in the dorm.

“There's no schedule for today. For now, do some individual practice.”

As the coach’s words fell, the players soon dispersed and headed to their own seats.

“Hyung Jinhyuk.”

At that time, Yu Sanghyun approached.

The relationship between the two had become a bit awkward due to the series of events that had occurred before Ryu Jinhyuk went on vacation.

“Huh? Why?”

But Ryu Jinhyuk treated Yu Sanghyun as if nothing had happened.

Yu Sanghyun, relieved by the sight, spoke as if he had been waiting.

“Shall we play a 5-man queue after a long time?”

“Free rank?”

“No, let's just do a normal game.”

If it's a normal game, not a free rank, it means they want to have fun rather than win.

It was a proposal from Yu Sanghyun, who usually values harmony among team members.

“Yeah, sure.”

“I'll invite you.”

Although the season is just around the corner, this kind of friendship isn't bad after a long time.

[SY TheOne]

[SY YunGi]

[SY Rainbow]

[SY Longbow]

[SY GuineaPig]

The SY full team gathered after a very long time.

It was a sight that made the heart swell just by looking at it, but the place they are heading now was not a big stage like the Red Cup.

[SY TheOne : gg]

The world's best team.

The only team that suits that modifier headed to a normal game.