Chapter 171
Before the team members arrived, Seojun sat down on a chair in the gym for a moment and took out his phone.
Since the scrim was over, it was to gauge public opinion about the team.
He entered Riven through a search. Then his fingers moved to the free board and the 30-upvote posts.
The screen changed.
Seojun’s eyes took in the conversations that had taken place over the past night.
[Judging roughly, who do you think will win?]
==
Need to see the group stage to be sure, but seeing the practice matches, it looks like teams of similar difficulty went up against each other, what do you guys think?
==
\- Bangmangi
└Why? (poster)
└Because they’re the only team that beat Bangjang. First place is Binbugyeokcha.
└Crazy Magic Cult indeed lol (poster)
\- For now, the only team with 3 wins is Hanipman.
└Their challenger AD carry is strong.
└Spoon that even Dokkaebi couldn’t stop shiver shiver
└But Spoon has a history of getting wrecked before the tournament. So Binbugyeokcha.
└That’s the Crazy Magic Cult from above, isn’t it? lololol That time it was a mid fight, so they got wrecked, dumbass.
\- What about Heavy Mental?
└Since they lost, they’re out of the discussion.
As the post says, not everyone has faced each other once.
The results are only half.
But even before, we’ve been gauging, so can we say it’s only half?
[Is it a fight between Bangmangi, Hanipman, and Binbugyeokcha?]
==
So it’s just a fight over who carries the best by position?
==
\- Let’s exclude Binbugyeokcha lol They got rekt by Bangmangi.
└fr lol
└Bangjang was hiding his power.
└Bangjang is a bastard! Our room’s bangjang is also a bangjang! Only your room’s bangjang is a bangjang?
└fr lol
└Those bastards are just the Bangjang Squad lololol Bangjang Squad lololol
[If we win, from now on in Travel, the title of Bangjang belongs to Bangjang.]
==
Any complaints?
==
\- Bangjang Squad-
==
\- Go ahead lolololol
\- Even here they call him Bangjang lolololol not like “Seojun will take it” lololol
\- Frankly, Bangjang is better than things like Heavenly Demon or Sword God.
Seojun, talk about him also came up a lot.
Because he was no longer lacking in viewer numbers.
‘Was the last broadcast 30,000 people?’
Lately, there was a sense that a lot had gathered.
Starting today, it would probably drop back to the 20,000 range.
Because viewers from other streams wouldn’t need to come to Seojun’s room to watch the match.
It wasn’t something to particularly care about.
[But Dokkaebi lost to Spoon too.]
==
Why is Dokkaebi included?
Let’s just go with Hanipman winning!
==
\- But Spoon lost to Bangjang, right?
└Rock paper scissors shiver shiver shiver shiver shiver
\- Here they go again overhyping Spoon.
As expected.
This place is the wild.
A wild where they bite and tear at each other.
But even in the wild, there are bound to be intellectuals.
\- Yeah. Actually, the ones who lost now will prepare harder and win in the main tournament lol.
└So then the strong candidate for champion is the 3-loss Jipaljikkon?
└That’s not it lol.
└lololololololololololololololol
It was a reasonable statement.
In the end, how much you prepare is what matters.
The matches that took place over the past 5 days.
[What meaning is there in fighting when the teams haven’t been formed long? lololol]
[They’ve never gone like the practice matches so far.]
[The team that uses the next 10 days well is guaranteed to win. For real.]
[The special trait of these tournaments) early results mean nothing.]
After all, it was because proper teamwork had not yet been formed.
“It seems past tournaments also flowed similarly to my thoughts.”
At least since it wasn’t a pro tournament, not everyone would prepare to death.
It meant they weren’t doing inefficient training just to take even one more step.
Also, the starting point was low.
The state where everyone was a mess was the default and the starting point.
So the more you practiced, the greater the rise and the efficiency of that practice couldn’t help but be high.
“The team that finds and executes a more proper path faster would have taken the championship.”
In that sense, their room for growth was probably the highest.
Weren’t they said to be the most messy and the weakest team?
“We’ll have to see, but.”
Anyway, Seojun had no intention of being inferior to the opponents.
He had a way with teaching as well.
He thought he had no lack of ability to find what was insufficient.
“I’ll do it a bit my way though.”
As Seojun was mumbling to himself, a robustly built man in short sleeves and shorts approached.
“You’re doing it your way, hyungnim? Won’t they all leave?”
It was the new member who had been beaten by Seojun when Lee Dongsu first came.
Age twenty-six.
Although older than Seojun, anyway Seojun was stronger, so he was hyungnim.
In that sense, except for the gym owner, there was no one who spoke down to Seojun in this gym.
Because everyone had at least once exchanged fists.
“That’s why I asked the hyungnims for a favor.”
Of course, Seojun always treated them with a kind smile and polite speech.
But they just knew that Seojun’s smile was simply the composure of the strong.
If you messed up even a little, you’d be dragged onto the ring of truth. Even the owner couldn’t stop it.
“Ah. Seojun hyungnim. So that’s why you told us to line up and greet them? To seize the initiative?”
“Appropriate carrot and stick are necessary.”
Originally, exercise was a tough thing.
Training even more so.
Tae-woo was watching the scene from behind, and he had to suppress the urge to hit Seojun on the back of the head. For some reason, he just wanted to hit him.
Seojun turned his gaze back to his phone.
[30 million points lololol If Joseon’s Assassin explodes by 6 or 7 times, what happens? lolololololol]
==
It’d become a total difference from 2nd place lolololololol
For reference, 2nd place showed crazy betting skills to beat Joam and went from 10 million to 14 million.
But while this bastard was making 4 million points, Joam had made 5 million points and then bet it again lololololololololololol
==
\- Wasn’t 2nd place originally a really famous guy? They say he’s a betting god, just appears anywhere and wins and goes.
\- That’s also a skill, but lolololololololol The guy who earned 25 million points in one go seems more amazing.
\- More than that, Joam seems more insane at multiplying points? Since it’s 5 million.
\- This seems like luck vs skill lololololol
Because there was an interesting topic.
It was truly amazing that even casual people knew and talked about Travel for things like this.
Well, if there was a ranking and you were around 1st or 2nd place, you couldn’t help but be famous.
\- Joam is just a crazy bastard lololololololol It seems like he’s aiming for another big score just like before, but this time it’s tough.
└Honestly, the probability of Binbugyeokcha winning? I think it exists. But is it at an all-in level? Absolutely not. That’s really just gambling. What the hell is his heart made of?
└Point betting is originally pseudo-gambling, isn’t it? lolololol
└Come to think of it lolololol Maybe 30 million points isn’t all of it?
\- A crazy streamer and crazy viewer duo; if they win here, it’s not history but the level of writing a new myth lolololol
\- Hmm... Is it really at an all-in level?
\- Whatever happens, 2nd place will have to go all-in too. They were making a fuss about catching up and whatnot.
└Still, 2nd place is advantageous. They can watch practice and choose.
\- And honestly, I think it’ll be hard for Binbugyeokcha to win. Their ace carry power doesn’t seem enough to overcome everything like Spoon, and their ability to unfold the game is non-existent.
└Just a physical one-tool lol
So they say.
For some reason, seeing the community users babble, Seojun became curious about the choice of that point 2nd place viewer.
‘In the end, if they also choose Binbugyeokcha, they won’t be able to close the gap with Joam no matter what. Though they could go down together.’
Seojun gradually felt like he was being incorporated into the mainstream of this Travel and streaming, and it made him feel good.
And.
[5 seconds (gym): Seojun hyungnim, we gathered in the underground parking lot and now we’re leaving.]
The athlete he had planted in the underground parking lot sent a message.
For reference, 5 seconds was Seojun’s own classification method.
It meant they had the skill to at least last about 5 seconds, and that’s how Seojun remembered their faces and names.
“Hello!”
* * *
The team members flinched.
Regardless, the athletes dispersed. Because Seojun had asked them to do only up to that point.
They also didn’t forget the fierce faces Seojun had requested.
It was to give an oppressive feeling. To create a slightly difficult atmosphere.
“Hello.”
Seojun approached them and led them to a corner.
Only then did the team members’ expressions relax a little, but the tension from what had just happened didn’t ease.
Seojun immediately introduced Lee Dongsu.
“He’ll appear on the broadcast later, but this is Lee Dongsu, who will work out with us. Nice to meet you.”
“Oh.”
“Woah.”
Unable to shake off their daze, they responded hesitantly but with a somewhat loosened voice.
Still, they seemed to find it intriguing.
“I met Seojun hyung here, we worked out together and got close, and that led to meeting you all like this. Please take good care of me, hyungnims and noonims!”
“We should ask the same of you.”
“Waah!”
“I’m going to try working out hard from now on. Have to take care of my health.”
“You’re the streamer Alpaca hyung, right? I heard you’re not far away, so you could keep coming here.”
“Heh.”
Alpaca made a dumbfounded expression, and Lee Dongsu drew a friendly smile.
Seojun had never ordered it.
That kid was just happy because his comrades had increased.
Then now, it was time for another fishing.
“Do you all know why I called you?”
“There was a reason?”
“No.”
“Didn’t you just create an opportunity for us to work out with athlete Lee Dongsu?”
That’s right.
Seojun had called them saying they could meet and work out with Lee Dongsu, not lured them with training.
Therefore, now he had to make them accept it. Because training was a tough thing.
“Of course there’s that reason. But this is also part of the training.”
Of course, everyone was aware that he had called them aiming for training and team synergy improvement and such.
Would Seojun have called them for nothing?
But from the greeting just shown and Seojun’s face, they sensed danger with their DNA-embedded warning sensor.
“Haha. Well then, shall we go for a run after a long time?”
“Me, me too! Trying to walk in reality after a long time is a bit tough!”
“Lumi-nim. That’s a bit… Please come outside!”
“Everyone is already late. hehehe.”
Ha Yunho laughed like Lee Dongsu had when he first came here.
It was time to give the carrot.
“Everyone.”
“Yes?”
“You know that moving is much easier in virtual reality than reality, right?”
“That talk about how a person with some weight needs to expend a lot of energy to move and requires muscle strength, but in virtual reality that doesn’t matter at all, right?”
Alpaca answered, and Seojun nodded.
This talk wasn’t necessarily limited to weight; it was common sense everyone knew.
Simply, in virtual reality, most physical limitations disappeared. Even lost limbs.
“That’s right. A move easily done there can be difficult in reality.”
The reason could be flexibility. It could be endurance, or muscle strength.
Or it could be physical awkwardness.
Meaning poor motor skills.
“Of course, the opposite isn’t established. If you can do it in reality, you’ll fly in virtual reality. People with good motor skills even imagine better.”
“That’s certainly true…”
“In that sense, real-world athletic ability is fundamental. Improved movements here are reflected directly. So I think if you want to improve your skills, you should come outside and enhance this inherent athletic ability.”
To be precise, it was something necessary to improve basic movements.
In other words, it was training suited for those lacking fundamentals, his team members.
“It seems like it.”
“So that’s why you called us.”
Everyone was nodding before they knew it.
They had recognized the necessity.
“For reference.”
Also, it was a natural fact that the harder and tougher it was, the better the effect. And reality was harder and tougher than virtual reality.
“Athlete Lee Dongsu also improved a lot thanks to this. He solidified his fundamentals a bit more.”
He threw the carrot.
Even Lee Dongsu? So that’s why he comes here every morning to work out?
Then maybe we can do it too?
They’d think like that.
And Lee Dongsu thought.
‘That’s not it… I just got hit more, didn’t I?’
However, Lee Dongsu wisely didn’t spoil it, and Seojun continued speaking.
“It’s also good for health. So let’s work out together.”
“Hmm… Yes.”
“I don’t know what it is, but let’s give it a try.”
“It was necessary.”
“Why didn’t you give me this kind of explanation…”
Ha Yunho muttered quietly, but Seojun ignored it and moved next to the sandbag.
“You clearly said you would, right?”
And he grinned, preparing to hit the sandbag with all his might.
“Let me show you what happens if you follow my training.”
“He’s probably trying to show what happens if you run away.”
Tae-woo, who was on the opposite side from the team members, muttered quietly as well, but Seojun ignored it again and swung his fist.
Bang!
The moment his fist met the sandbag, the upper ring supporting it broke. The surface also caved in the size of a fist, and the contents spilled out.
“Hey! You son of a—!”
And the gym owner who had been watching from afar was summoned too.
* * *
‘There’s logic to it.’
Tae-woo thought from behind.
Certainly, Seojun was an excellent coach.
Plus, if Lee Dongsu enlivened the baiting aspect of the broadcast, the viewers would come out well too.
But.
‘We prepared too.’
Hehehe.
He had contacted Keril, and there was a pro player who wanted to appear on Rios himself.
Thanks to that, he didn’t feel inferior in viewer count, joint broadcast fun, or coaching skill.
‘Athlete Kim Harang!’
For reference, it wasn’t Baek Doyul.
* * *
Meanwhile.
“Everyone, we too, like Binbugyeokcha, have gotten a chance to be coached by a pro player!”
Bangmangi.
Here too, a pro had popped out.
“It’s athlete Lee Chaerin!”
Likewise, it wasn’t Baek Doyul.
It was a ball that Lee Dongsu and Seojun had thrown up, a bit too big.