[TS] The Return of The Gamer - Chapter 86

Coach Park Tae-hyeong protested.

“…Even if we consider the contract, a call-up to the first team all of a sudden? Starting position?”

“It’s already decided.”

“By whom?”

“Me, the director, and the CEO. And the front office, too.”

If the discussion had reached that point, there was nothing Coach Park Tae-hyeong could do.

“…I haven't agreed yet. I thought I was in charge of the players.”

“Why, isn’t she good? Then what's the problem? Professionals speak with their skills, right? Isn’t that what you always say?”

Just because of that, you’re putting her in the starting lineup?

That’s ridiculous.

Initially, Director Choi Tae-dal didn't even know what kind of skills Outlaw possessed.

“……”

However, even though Coach Park Tae-hyeong clearly knew what Director Choi Tae-dal’s intentions were, he couldn't openly defy him.

Because there was no justification.

That’s why all that came out was a feeble protest, lacking any force.

Coach Park Tae-hyeong's assessment of Outlaw's skills was simply that she was "good," but the actual performance of Outlaw had far surpassed that.

Even if Director Choi Tae-dal didn't know that fact right now, he couldn't overturn the clear facts.

“…Certainly, I did say that, but it needs further verification. There are also practical issues like team training sessions.”

“How did you do it until now?”

“…We did it on a commuting basis for now.”

“You can keep doing that.”

Like an old fox.

Director Choi Tae-dal didn't get to that position for nothing. He doesn’t have much insight in the game like the League of Legends legends, but his political sense and ability as a coach were quite excellent.

However, the problem was that the excellence of his abilities and the direction in which those abilities would be used were completely different matters.

‘Damn it.’

In other words, the direction in which Director Choi Tae-dal poured out his abilities was the type that Coach Park Tae-hyeong despised.

“Tae-hyeong.”

Director Choi Tae-dal lit his cigarette.

Smoking was prohibited inside the building, but there was no one to point that out to Director Choi Tae-dal, who ruled like a king within the team's accommodations.

“…Yes.”

“Do you know why our team isn’t popular?”

“It’s because our results aren’t good─”

“No.”

Director Choi Tae-dal cut off Coach Park Tae-hyeong's words in a single stroke and said with a bitter smile.

“It's because we don't have any stars.”

Franchise star.

One of the important elements in constructing a team for a sports organization, and in a way, a very outstanding player that can be seen as the team's symbol.

Unfortunately, YSG doesn't have such a franchise star at the moment.

Of course, since YSG's history isn't that short, it's not that there haven’t been players with the potential to become franchise stars.

However, the problem is that those players all transferred to other teams before they reached a certain number of years.

‘Whose fault is that.’

Of course, Coach Park Tae-hyeong hadn't joined the team back then, but Director Choi Tae-dal's management was notorious among both the players and the fans.

“You know it, too, right? Lee Yu-jin, that friend has the potential to become a star.”

The first female professional gamer in the domestic league.

Not just a female professional gamer, but she even possessed a look that made celebrities seem insignificant.

The topic she would generate is beyond imagination.

And, what if she has the skills, as Coach Park Tae-hyeong mentioned?

The only star surpassing even Rainbow and Moby Dick, who are called the best stars in League of Legends history, would be born in YSG.

“…The existing players will rebel.”

Coach Park Tae-hyeong also knows.

That Outlaw is an exceptional talent who can not only be promoted to the first team in a short amount of time but also claim a starting position, even if she were left as is.

But that’s only after going through proper procedures and processes.

If Outlaw is called up to the first team and even put in the starting lineup like Director Choi Tae-dal said, it would completely ruin the already messed-up atmosphere within the team.

‘They’ll definitely think they unfairly lost their starting position because of her looks and star quality.’

No matter how bad the relationship between the existing teammates is, if such an unfair situation arises, they will surely band together.

‘I doubt he’s calculating that much…….’

It was a natural sequence for the existing forces to unite when an enemy appeared from the outside, but Coach Park Tae-hyeong couldn’t figure out how far Director Choi Tae-dal was seeing.

In some ways, he seemed like a greedy weasel, and in other ways, it was impossible to read his thoughts.

“What’s the problem?”

Even though Coach Park Tae-hyeong's head was getting complicated with all sorts of thoughts, Director Choi Tae-dal just chuckled and stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.

“If you saw it correctly, she'll prove it with her skills. I trust your eye. That’s what you’ve done so far, right?”

How wonderfully awful.

“…I’ll be going now.”

“Yes. Take care of the contract yourself.”

“Yes.”

A director who doesn’t even participate in the contract… You'd wonder if he really is a director, but unfortunately, Director Choi Tae-dal was a more than capable person when it came to protecting his position.

Coach Park Tae-hyeong would be fired first or leave the team, but Director Choi Tae-dal would never be the first to be in that situation.

‘…My head hurts.’

He desperately craved a cigarette, which he had quit.

* * *

Day 6 of the tryout.

Coach Park Tae-hyeong suddenly came to see me at the accommodations, as usual.

“The contract?”

“Yes. You passed the test. Well, you probably expected that. Haha.”

Leaving aside Coach Park Tae-hyeong's awkward smile, I thought, finally, it has come.

My win rate while conducting the tryout was 100%.

I literally won every game, so there was no way I could fail the tryout.

“Here's the contract. Shall I explain it?”

“Um… yes.”

It was strange.

Despite this being something I desperately wanted, I didn’t feel that happy.

Is it just a feeling?

Or…….

“First of all, the player referred to in the contract is of course you, and the company is the team side. It doesn't mean anything, and it's just for convenience, so keep that in mind.”

“Ah, yes, yes.”

“Well, the game type, the rules, and the league, I'll explain those down below. Take a quick look.”

“Yes. Just a moment.”

Um, I don’t know what it means.

“First of all, the most important thing is your salary, which is 65 million won, a little higher than the standard, and it will be paid in monthly installments. And also important, there are separate performance bonuses depending on your results. Look here.”

Perhaps because I had received so many offers in the hundreds of millions of won until now, I wasn’t particularly attracted to the amount, even though it was a decent condition for a new recruit.

“Yes, yes.”

“The contract period is initially 1 year, and if you want, it can be extended for an additional 3 years, and you have the right to request contract renewal every year depending on your performance. So, depending on how you do, you can renegotiate your salary at the end of each year. Well, you might not get a raise if you don't do well.”

“Haha…….”

It seemed like the contract didn’t have anything particularly bad for me.

But I knew very well that I didn't know much about the world objectively, and above all, I didn't forget my mother's advice.

“Do you have any more questions?”

“Um… Can I take this contract home? I don’t really know much about these things.”

“Of course you should. Show it to your parents and tell me after you’ve thought about it carefully.”

I wondered what would happen if I couldn’t, but Coach Park Tae-hyeong nodded without hesitation, as expected.

“Yes.”

“Okay, then go home for today. You'll need time to think about it.”

“Yes. I'll talk to my parents and let you know.”

“Okay. Go home safely.”

And so, my YSG tryout ended without needing to complete the whole week.

‘Did I… do it?’

My professional debut, which I had been longing for, was now within my reach, but I was more bewildered than happy.

‘Let’s go home for now.’

I'll show the contract to my parents, and then I'll think about the rest later.

I started walking.

* * *

Coach Park Tae-hyeong felt very strange after giving the contract to Outlaw.

He hopes that Outlaw will sign the contract without hesitation.

And at the same time, he also hopes she wouldn’t.

It wasn’t for any other reason.

‘…Outlaw’s skills are too good to just play an idol role in this team.’

It was the 6th day of the tryout.

During those 6 days, Outlaw achieved a perfect record in the internal scrims, and she also reached the Grandmaster tier in solo rank.

Of course, since she was originally a skilled player, leveling up was only a matter of time, but there was one more thing that that fact brought about.

It was about time to start getting offers from other teams in earnest.

‘If Outlaw were here…….’

Coach Park Tae-hyeong might be able to step onto the stage of the Red Cup, which he had dreamed of.

The dream stage that he had only been able to step on once during his active player days.

Coach Park Tae-hyeong still felt as if he was an active player when he thought of that day.

‘But, it’s a waste.’

In Coach Park Tae-hyeong's opinion, Outlaw is a talent who could aim for the Red Cup championship if she went to another team.

That kind of talent, spending her prime years as a son, no, daughter, of a team like YSG?

‘…I'm going crazy.’

In a way, he would rather have Outlaw not sign the contract of her own accord.

Then, he wouldn’t have to have these ethical concerns in the first place.

Profit or conscience.

“Ha…… I’m really craving a cigarette.”

In a situation where he couldn’t do this, and couldn’t do that, Coach Park Tae-hyeong eventually put a cigarette back in his mouth.

* * *

“Yes, did you go home?”

“Yes.”

“You should.”

Director Choi Tae-dal, after receiving the report from Coach Baek Su-ho, another coach of YSG, took a deep drag of his cigarette smoke and smiled with satisfaction.

Even if she took the contract home, that contract was nothing special, just an ordinary contract.

There were no harmful clauses to worry about, like before, and even if there were, it would be hard to feel a sense of incongruity to the general public.

‘Her salary is 500,000 won higher than other new recruits.’

Director Choi Tae-dal didn’t lose his composure.

It was a natural thing, in a way.

For an amateur gamer, making a professional debut is literally a dream.

There is no amateur who can easily refuse when a professional organization is finally going to make that dream come true.

That should be the case…….

‘What? Why isn’t there any news yet?’

It had been three days since Outlaw took the contract home.

The review should have been done by now.

But for some reason, there was no contact from Outlaw.

‘Did she go to another team?’

Park Tae-hyeong, you incompetent bastard! What did you do while she was subtly turning her gaze to another team?!

Director Choi Tae-dal urgently looked for Coach Park Tae-hyeong.

“Park Tae-hyeong! Lee Yu-jin, where’s her contract?”

“…Not yet.”

“You still haven’t signed it?! What will you do if another team takes her away!”

“The player’s side said they needed enough time to review it……”

“Hey! Are you defying me now? You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

“…No. The player’s side said they needed time to think about it.”

“Forget it. I’ll contact her myself.”

At that moment.

-Click!

Coach Park Tae-hyeong’s smartphone rang.

“Who is it?”

“…Outlaw, Lee Yu-jin.”

Only then, the expression on Director Choi Tae-dal's face, which had been flushed with anger, relaxed a little.

“Ha… Then that's right. How could she not sign the contract? She made me worry for nothing. So, when is she coming to sign it?”

Unlike Director Choi Tae-dal, who let out a sigh of relief and lit a cigarette, Coach Park Tae-hyeong's expression was somehow strange.

“She… says she can’t sign it.”

“…What?! Why!”

Director Choi Tae-dal's voice rose at the unexpected answer.

“How should I say this……”

Coach Park Tae-hyeong’s expression was strange.

It seemed like he was suffering, and on the other hand, it also seemed like he was barely holding back his laughter.

As if he was mocking him, Director Choi Tae-dal’s face flushed red again.

“Speak quickly!”

“Her mother told her not to.”

“……What?”

The cigarette that was in Director Choi Tae-dal's mouth fell.