Chapter 202
Spoon wasn’t the only one who gave a standing ovation, moved by Seo Jun’s provocation.
Team Rain Bull.
Where anyone could see it was an extreme sports video with 0% injury rate and 100% death rate, instead of the red bull that inevitably appears, the team leader, Rain, replaced just one letter, and the A-rank ace is Bull.
In that team’s lobby, a somewhat slow, steady clapping could now be heard.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Just like Spoon, it was a standing ovation. The moved expression was the same too.
Except the reason for the applause and the gender were different from Spoon’s.
“It went well. It went well. Wow!”
Rain.
Team leader.
Position: royal mid laner.
That’s right.
She, who had called in a pro player just to survive the group stage and learned only how to stay alive and hold on, was cheering.
To be precise:
[Today, let’s learn how to distinguish minions you can afford to miss.]
[This time, we’ll learn how to actually miss the minions we distinguished yesterday.]
[How to not respond no matter where the jungler fights during the laning phase, Rain-nim.]
[How to never step beyond right in front of the turret.]
[Let me teach you mental management techniques to engrave the mindset that it’s okay as long as you stay alive.]
[You do also need to learn how to hide completely behind the turret.]
In short, Rain had been intensively taught only “how not to be greedy.”
They went through the trouble of calling in a pro, and this is what happened!
For reference, that pro was the same Taker who lost to Seo Jun on the first day and was forced to tag along to the gym every morning during the training period.
So she was taught even more diligently. How not to die.
Having experienced it firsthand, that was probably why.
But while Rain was grateful that Taker taught her thoroughly, all the methods were solely for self-preservation, so she couldn’t help but have complaints.
Of course, since Wind Sword’s main position was mid, they did consider Seo Jun going top.
But even in that case, Rain had to play safe.
Then why is she cheering like this now?
“Really! Nice! It turned out well!”
Because compared to Seo Jun, it was better. Whether the opponent was a former Challenger or whatever, Seo Jun was an exception.
Taker had vouched for it.
That the only person who could stop him was Bull.
Rain’s gaze shifted to Bull.
The ultimate manly man of Travel.
A man who doesn’t back down, with the boldness to provoke in interviews yet still compliment the opponent as a handsome man.
“Bull-nim, you secretly wanted it too, right? For Seo Jun-nim to come top.”
She believed in him.
A top laner who had learned and practiced tips for dueling or marking Taker.
“If Seo Jun-nim goes top, all lanes except top become easier and his influence decreases, and if Bull-nim stops him from the laning phase, his mid-to-late game influence also drops.”
The viewers were skeptical, but Rain shrugged it off with a smile.
“It’s a good thing. A good thing.”
-You think it’ll be that easy?
-Even after seeing what happened to Spoon, you still haven’t come to your senses lol
-The top inhibitor will get bulldozed like a highway in no time lol
-But if he gets a kill, that’s at least ten million won lol. For Bull, that alone is a gain.
The team members were thinking the same as Rain.
Humans are animals who always run their hope circuits and happiness circuits at full power, after all.
“If we win here, it’s really going to be easy, right?”
“Of course, but since Seo Jun-nim could come mid, be careful, Rain-nim.”
“Yes! Still, I won’t die easily.”
“Of course. You learned a lot. Haha. But when that guy provokes, he usually always keeps his word, doesn’t he?”
-A man’s got his pride lol
-He truly is a real man.
-It’s because he has the skill, so he’s confident.
-Not because of his looks?
-That might be true too, ugh damn it.
“Right. He always keeps what he says. Bull-nim, what should we do for the upcoming ban/pick phase? Bull-nim? Bull-nim?”
“He’s doing his concept again. Hehe. Bull bro?”
Caterpillar called Bull with a giggle.
Everyone was in a cheerful mood. With a boon like this, there was no way the atmosphere could be bad.
Except for just one person, who couldn’t relate and was screaming SOS inside.
That identity was, from just a moment ago, the one silently maintaining his image: Travel’s greatest concept guy.
‘Save me.’
* * *
Of course, he had been prepared to face off in lane.
He had even subtly floated the idea of lane swaps.
But back then, Seo Jun had spoken in a tone that implied he trusted Wind Sword.
So why was he provoking directly this time?
Bull pondered and pondered again.
“Wow. He’s cultivating his mind seriously, without even blinking.”
“I think he literally can’t hear us at all?”
“Let’s leave him alone. We might disturb Ace-nim. Let’s go over there.”
Was he that upset about the provocation last time?
Was he coming to personally school him?
Even though he called him handsome?
-Men. Top difficult. Popular.
-Bull that bastard lol, you scared?
-Why do these slandering forces keep appearing? Our Bull is a clean manly man himself.
-Because he’s that damn bastard going “Come at me, handsome” lol
-Ah lol, it’s too much if a guy better-looking than me is also better at the game.
-But that handsome guy is coming top to see Bull, he says. Bull is popular!
-He’s coming to wreck him, you know lol
‘Bluff. Possibility. Exists.’
Bluffing.
‘If you get a kill, you get money. Truth.’
But. There was no direct mention of coming top.
So.
Judge while watching the ban/pick.
‘Ban/pick. Wait. Possible?’
Possible.
Perhaps, he had found a way to win the game while not having to face that guy in lane.
Bull’s eyes flashed open.
Honestly, he felt pressured, but Bull thought the chances of losing the lane were high.
‘This is legal.’
Having found a way, Bull raised his head. Suddenly, the world became bright.
It couldn’t be helped.
And because Bull was tender-hearted.
He couldn’t let Rain’s hard-prepped plans go to waste just because Seo Jun came top.
If she had prepared that thoroughly, she deserved a chance to show it.
‘Jin Seo Jun. Mid. Success.’
Let’s guide him there.
Even if not, to the best possible result.
[Alright, then the B Group match begins!]
* * *
Seo Jun had come out to reality and was sitting at his desk.
On one side of his monitor, he was on a video call with his team, and on the other side, he had the official broadcast up.
The second match, the first game of Group B, was Heavy Mental vs. Bat.
The next match was Rain Bull vs. Wealth Gap, their team.
But the reason he was outside watching,
[Alpaca-nim ordered chicken. Ah, should I have ordered chicken too?]
[Hehe. No, Yoonho-nim. You only brought snacks? You should’ve brought something tasty.]
[Wow. Everyone ordered delivery food. Even Seo Jun-nim with chicken.]
It wasn’t to film a mukbang...
Just that they had originally agreed to do this.
And because of the sudden Wealth Gap mukbang news, a lot of people had gathered.
-Ah lol, I’m watching Travel while eating too lol
-No, you’re supposed to be pro players lol
-If these bastards lost and did this, they would’ve gotten cursed to hell, but they won, so it’s acceptable!
“What? Even if we lost, we still would’ve eaten, you know?”
Seo Jun tore into a chicken drumstick as he chatted.
-As a shareholder who invested points in Wealth Gap, I cannot accept such a negligent attitude from a player.
“But we won, right? And since major shareholder Joam-nim says it’s okay, what can you do about it?”
It is okay, right?
Probably.
Even if Seo Jun drank alcohol here, he might actually donate more and tell him to drink up.
Seo Jun smiled and gulped down a piece of breast meat.
-For real lol
-A streamer who fights with his viewers lol
“Ahem. It’s not fighting, it’s communication.”
-That’s not communication, that’s just one-sided personality trash talk lol
-But I might actually like this kind of streamer communication?
-He beats up the viewers better than anyone.
-Because sometimes the viewers get too annoying and you really want to hit them.
As he communicated with the viewers and chatted with his team, the roughly 40-minute break quickly passed.
He might feel bloated, but it was fine. They were going into virtual reality anyway.
[Since we won! But if we lost, Seo Jun-nim really might’ve been the only one out here.]
[It’s the winner’s special meal.]
[Even having just one win makes us feel this secure.]
The tension was bound to ease.
After all, there were only two matches, and only one team got eliminated.
[Bat is losing this one.]
[Wave-nim is totally carrying, though?]
[He was bragging that he learned from a champion and his understanding of team games had increased tremendously. He’s amazing, huh?]
-Wave carry!
-The game is ruled by mid!!!
-R.o.y.a.l. .m.i.d. .l.a.n.e.r.
-Because they’re the main character of the game.
-Streamer, are you still going top after this?
You’re asking if I’m going top even though my rival (not) mid laner did well?
“I wonder.”
Seo Jun gave a meaningful smile and logged into the capsule.
* * *
The ban/pick phase began.
“You’re curious why we didn’t turn off our audio, right?”
-Yes
-e
-For real lol
-Yeah, we can hear your voices, but the streamer can’t see chat.
-Then what’s the point, he reads everything.
“From what I saw, during ban/pick, teams mute to talk freely so that strategies for the next game don’t get leaked. But we didn’t have anything like that.”
“That’s right.”
“Agreed.”
Everyone’s completely relaxed now.
The leisure of a team with one win.
“So we just decided to stream. With that in mind, let’s go with the first ban on Garuan.”
At Seo Jun’s words, Wind Sword banned a hero without hesitation.
-???
-Suddenly why Garuan ban???
-Garuan is a trash hero and no one plays him though?
“You’ll see.”
[Banned Hero - Shadow Artist Zen]
The opponent also banned.
“Our turn. Wind Sword-nim?”
“Ah. That will. I’ve inherited it.”
“Oh, really?”
Wind Sword sent a look that said ‘trust me,’ and this time he banned without instruction.
-Why Galan too lol
-Is there even anyone who plays Galan?
-No, could this be????
The legendary Ga-Gal-Gaeng ban.
The interface in the pick screen is sorted by name without the title.
Ga-Gal-Gaeng are.
The first three heroes in order.
That’s right.
A legendary troll ban/pick descended from the PC days.
“This is it, right?”
Wind Sword smirked.
“That’s right.”
-Ga-Gal-Gaeng! Ga-Gal-Gaeng! Ga-Gal-Gaeng!
-These crazy bastards lol
[Banned Hero - Prison Break Eric]
-Gotta ban Eric.
-For real lol.
-It’s just mandatory.
-Is the last one Kael?
-If so, we might see him shown in a game for the first time.
Wind Sword finished banning the third hero.
There was no need to think. It was Ga-Gal-Gaeng, after all.
“What do you think the opponent will ban third?”
I don’t know. But somehow, Seo Jun had a hunch the opponent would make another strange move.
The ban/pick was similarly delayed.
[Banned Hero – Abandoned Automaton Id]
As expected.
“They’re leaving Kael up?”
“Huh?”
“They can’t stop Seo Jun-nim’s Kael.”
Seo Jun immediately read the opponent’s intention.
“Wind Sword-nim, lock it in right away.”
“Kael?”
“Yes.”
They were on the blue team, so they had first pick.
And Seo Jun immediately grabbed Kael.
Next, it was the opponent team’s turn to pick 1 and 2.
“Hmm. Seo Jun-nim? Of course, Bull-nim is picking a hard counter to Kael, though?”
“That much was expected.”
“Still, if you go top like this, it’ll be pretty tough.”
Of course it’s tough.
Kael is already unfavorable top, and the opponent is a hard counter.
Then you could just not go top and go mid instead. They all expected a counter pick anyway.
But.
“What? Why would I have a hard time?”
“Huh?”
-???
-What does that mean?
-Of course it’s damn hard, there’s a matchup.
“No, Wind Sword-nim is going to play Kael. I’m going to play a different hero in top.”
“Ah... Ah!”
Everyone had thought Seo Jun would play Kael because his Kael was so OP, but
Wind Sword was also one of the representative Kael enthusiasts, so it was fine for Wind Sword to take Kael mid.
Wind Sword understood immediately and muttered to himself.
“Ah... This chilling, weighty sensation...”
-Time to return to being a Kael enthusiast! lol
-This could actually work.
-Is Bull a dumbass? lol
-In the first place, thinking the streamer would definitely play Kael is natural. Because sometimes it’s just so broken.
-So what’s the streamer playing?
“By the way, Seo Jun-nim, what are you planning to play?”
Lumi also asked just at that moment, curious, and Seo Jun, having thought it out beforehand, answered right away.
“Ah. I heard ranged DPS is really good at beating up top. And looking at Bull-nim’s pick, it fits perfectly.”
In truth, this was why he said not to mute. The viewers would definitely love this.
-Ah... an ADC... ADC in top...
-^^Don’t you dare bring a ranged carry to the sacred top lane, you asshole lol
-Ah, PTSD is coming... Ah...
-Lol, did all you top lane bastards remember getting beaten up by ranged carries?
-A mosquito that pecks from far away while blood and sweat flow on the battlefield of men?
-But doesn’t that mosquito drain all your blood? lol