[TS] The Return of The Gamer - Chapter 93

Perhaps because of the team atmosphere, which had been filled with silence, lightened up with the victory.

Or, did the opposing team's members lose their mental fortitude due to the first game's loss?

[Victory]

We easily secured victory in the next game as well.

It wasn't a bloodbath that exceeded 50 minutes like the first game, and it was a relatively clean game that ended in the 30-minute range.

'We won.'

Against that SCV.

As many as two games.

Of course, since our side also consisted entirely of pro gamers, it's not an unprecedented event.

But nevertheless, the fact that we won against a strong team like SCV in the inaugural scrim was more special than anything to me.

'We... won.'

[Victory]

Even though the words were right in front of my eyes, I was still dumbfounded.

I, really, won?

Against the complete SCV?

The situation was very different from when I met SY in a regular game before.

SY at that time wasn't in his main position, nor was he taking the game seriously.

"Noona!"

At that moment, I involuntarily flinched at the shout that came from the seat next to me.

"Seriously, what is it? Why are you so good!?"

The protagonist of the fuss was none other than Mid, GoGoSing Go Jeonghwan.

"Um... I got lucky."

"Speak casually, Noona. I'll do it casually too!"

No, I don't want you to speak casually...

As I turned my gaze, the other teammates also cautiously approached.

"Um... thanks for the carry."

"How many points is your main account?"

"We won this."

The atmosphere in the team was disappearing as if the previous silence and hostility had never existed.

"I know you're all happy, but follow along, we still have things to do."

At Coach Park Taehyeong's words, everyone started to gather in one place, dragging their chairs.

It was feedback time.

Coach Park Taehyeong operated the laptop connected to the giant monitor for feedback and displayed the game screen in order.

"You got caught up a lot in the early game. There's nothing you could do, but why did you make that trade here?"

"...Because it was a Jason and Ornn situation, I thought I should put pressure in the early game."

"But it didn't go well, right?"

"...Yes."

"Knowing your skills is also skill. As a result, you traded poorly and Ornn was baited in return, but you know this was purely luck, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay, and next..."

Watching the feedback, I felt something was out of place.

'Hmm, I heard the feedback time for the first team is harsh from the trainees... it doesn't seem to be like that. It's more ordinary than I thought.'

Is it because we won?

Hmm, I don't know.

Good is good.

.

.

.

"This judgment here seemed risky... who ordered it?"

At Coach Park Taehyeong's words, I involuntarily flinched and quietly raised my hand.

"...Me."

He was referring to the scene in the first game where I stole the Elder Dragon in the Baron and Elder trade situation.

"...Really? But you did well. Ultimately, it's also true that we won thanks to this scene. The pine cone was the basis, right?"

"That was the plan, but I would have done it even if it wasn't there. If I avoided a few CCs with Jhin, I could have gotten away. Even if I died, if I stole the Elder, I could have held out until I revived."

"...That means, you were confident you could steal it no matter what?"

"Um, it was going to be a difficult game if I didn't steal it anyway."

Coach Park Taehyeong seemed momentarily stunned and then nodded.

"...Yes, it was a good judgment. You also need to know how to throw the dice when you're at a disadvantage. Okay, let's continue the feedback."

After the first game feedback, the second game feedback followed immediately.

"You played the lane well this time."

"Yes, Jungler... helped me out."

"See, because you made the lane solid, the other lanes' feet are also loosened."

"...Haha."

"Okay, then next..."

Eventually, after all the feedback ended, Coach Park Taehyeong spoke to DieHard, Choi Woojin, who was in the corner.

"Okay, now let's have Woojin try."

YSG DieHard, Choi Woojin.

YSG's starting jungler and ace.

"..."

The expression of DieHard, who had been watching the games and feedback from the corner, was not very good.

It was a natural thing to say.

The jungler is the ace who has been called the boy wonder in YSG along with the mid.

But the newly called-up trainee is not in the top or bottom lane, which needs reinforcement, but the jungler?

It couldn't have been possible for Choi Woojin to feel good.

'I knew something felt off... this was it.'

Even though I knew the identity of the stinging gaze on the back of my head, I was more uncomfortable instead of feeling relieved.

A pro speaks with skills.

In other words, me becoming a pro meant taking someone else's spot.

'It's only natural... but it still feels uncomfortable.'

Especially since the process of me becoming the starting player isn't honestly that honorable, it was even more so.

After about 30 minutes of rest and feedback, the scrim with SCV began again.

This time, it was a scrim in which DieHard participated as YSG's jungler, not me.

And...

[Defeat]

Complete defeat.

It wasn't just losing, but it was a miserable disaster.

"..."

The atmosphere in the team was again filled with silence, as if the cheerful atmosphere that had been there a moment ago was meaningless.

They were holding back their dissatisfaction with each other, but were trying not to speak out.

"Don't be discouraged, everyone. If this was a game, we would have already won from the point of winning the second set. Consider it a bonus game. Let's just look at the important parts."

After a brief feedback session led by Coach Park Taehyeong, the fourth scrim began.

And... the result did not change.

[Defeat]

24 minutes 42 seconds.

Considering that SCV is a team with a slow tempo, with a relatively long average game time for a strong team, it was absolutely disastrous.

"Good work, everyone."

The scrim with SCV.

I won all the games I played as jungler, and DieHard, who was originally the ace, lost all the games he played.

And the feedback for games 3 and 4 was not led by Coach Park Taehyeong.

To be precise, no matter how much Coach Park Taehyeong tried to mediate, he couldn't stop the team members from going wild.

"Why the hell are you trying to dive here? It's not even a cannon line, and our teammates' backup is much slower?"

"If we don't do this, we're screwed! Because you guys are getting destroyed on the bottom side!"

"Getting destroyed, I heard your self-introduction. Diamond tier top."

Seeing it in person, the YSG first team's feedback time was beyond the rumors.

'...It's not that I can't understand.'

Legend of League is a very stressful game.

Even if you are close friends, if you lose games in a row, the firm friendship will crack.

But if it's a relationship that can't even be close friends, just a relationship formed by work?

'Ugh.'

It was at the level where it felt like a miracle that they didn't grab each other by the collar and fight during the game.

As they were exchanging aggressive feedback with each other, someone said.

"We won when we played with Noona..."

I don't know who said it.

However, the voice and message were clearly delivered within the practice room.

"Ah."

And with that, DieHard's expression hardened.

The other teammates also glanced at DieHard's expression with a look of "Oh, no."

No matter how much they were pouring out hostile language to each other, there are things you should and shouldn't say.

The statement a moment ago was a clear overstep of the line.

"..."

To be honest, DieHard did his part in both games 3 and 4.

Even while the teammates were constantly falling behind, he made the best judgments he could and tried to maintain his center as the jungler of the losing game.

It just wasn't special.

"Ha..."

DieHard let out a deep sigh and left the practice room as it was.

"Woojin! Wait a minute!"

Coach Park Taehyeong chased after DieHard belatedly, but DieHard had already locked his door.

"...Hey, how could you say something like that?"

"It's true, though. We won every time with Noona, and we lost every time with that guy."

"No... even so."

Coach Park Taehyeong, who had returned belatedly, said with a bitter voice.

"...Everyone, do your individual practice. Today's schedule is up to here."

Silence fell in the practice room.

In the suffocating silence, I forgot about the practice and stared blankly at the door.

"..."

For a while, I couldn't take my eyes off the spot where DieHard had left.

* * *

After watching the practice room turn into a mess, Coach Park Taehyeong went to see the director.

"...Is this the right thing to do?"

The selection of players for the scrim with SCV was Director Choi Taedal's instruction.

Coach Park Taehyeong also knew the purpose for which Director Choi Taedal had done so, so he had come to question it.

"What's the problem? A pro speaks with skills. You have to pick based on skill. Park Taehyeong, that's what you always say, isn't it? How many players did you chase away because of your stubbornness?"

"That's..."

In fact, there were quite a few players who were actively recommended by Director Choi Taedal but were chased away by Coach Park Taehyeong.

"Stars, and skilled, which you like so much. What's the reason for not making him the starting player? And the contract was made like that in the first place."

"...If you were going to do this, you should have just said you were going to replace us unfairly. This is too cowardly. If you had given us a little more time, we could have resolved everything nicely."

Time.

Coach Park Taehyeong needed that damn time.

Time to let Outlaw permeate the team, and time for the teammates as well as DieHard to purely acknowledge Outlaw's skills.

But what is this now?

"Taehyeong. Didn't I tell you? I trust you. I also trust your eyes. That's why I've chased away the players you wanted until now. Look now. It all went well, didn't it? I heard the news of the scrim this time. You caught SCV, didn't you? At this rate, our team can go to the playoffs this time, no, even the finals, can't we?"

Coach Park Taehyeong was at a loss for words at Director Choi Taedal's words, which were spoken while puffing out thick cigarette smoke.

Is this method right?

No, it would be a lie to say it was wrong. Perhaps DieHard, who had his starting position taken by Outlaw, could be more determined with this as a trigger.

But...

Is it really right to bury DieHard, the existing ace, to avoid controversy even though the result is already determined?

What would you do if Outlaw lost and DieHard won?

Of course, even if he had to endure controversy then, he would have forcibly put Outlaw as the starting player, but at least that wouldn't happen.

As Director Choi Taedal wished, and as Coach Park Taehyeong saw, Outlaw's skills were far superior to DieHard's.

"Don't you have anything to say? Get out now."

"...Director!"

"Get out."

Coach Park Taehyeong had no choice but to leave the director's office with the orders of Director Choi Taedal.

Coach Park Taehyeong, who took the elevator to the rooftop of the building, stroked the cigarette case that he had started smoking again recently.

'It didn't have to be like this.'

Coach Park Taehyeong still had DieHard's resentful gaze lingering in front of his eyes.

That gaze was not only directed at Coach Park Taehyeong.

DieHard's gaze was also directed at Outlaw.

Why do adults make young players hate and envy each other in a game they have set up?

Coach Park Taehyeong didn't know.

"Damn it."

Coach Park Taehyeong inhaled the cigarette deeply.

It was hard to tell if what was coming out of his mouth was cigarette smoke or a sigh.