Chapter 30: This Is Truly Top-tier Judgment (Champion Name Edited)

The Irelia, Yuumi, and Sivir composition I came up with was, in theory, close to having no counters.

Occasionally, there were teams that tried to pick me off first with champions loaded with CC, but even that could be neutralized with Cleanse or Quicksilver Sash.

The fact that our sub-dealer, Erica, also faithfully played her role was a big factor.

In other words, if I just played well, we had a real shot at winning.

But on the day of the main event.

The opposing team, Team 3, came out with a very blatant strategy.

Centered around the tank, Malphite, they brought two assassin champions who could oppress the ADC no matter what.

“Um… Erica-nim. It looks like they’re going to target you first.”

“Y-yes, it seems so… I’ll try my best to kite them!”

“…Yep, please do.”

[-Ooh la la]
[-Kite? Uhehehe]
[-But that looks like a complete counter.]
[–_-]
[-Shouldn’t we change our picks?]
[-We’ve only practiced this composition, do you think it’s possible to change picks now lol?]
[-Hmm]

It was too late to change our picks now.

For a moment, I thought about just changing the ADC pick, but I figured that would not only ruin the overall balance of the composition but also make our lane clear ambiguous.

A situation where we could only pray that Erica wouldn’t die… or rather, that she would hold out for as long as possible.

And so, the game began.

In the early game, we pushed hard with Sivir’s lane clear, but the problem was after level 6.

Two assassin champions who had learned their ultimates.
These two champions were nothing short of a disaster from an ADC’s perspective.

No matter how well Erica maintained her distance, there was no stopping those insane, oppressive assassin champions from diving in.

Even worse, after the enemy tank Malphite got his tank items, he started to exclusively mark me, freeing up his two assassin teammates and creating an environment where they could assassinate Sivir even more easily.

The moment Sivir was deleted by an assassin champion, a 2v3 situation was created.

Of course, an Irelia with Yuumi might be able to win a 2v3, but the enemy team’s champions were also specialized in kiting and disengaging, so it was difficult to focus down and kill any one of them.

Simple and obvious.

But we just couldn’t win a team fight.
There was no way to break through this.

The main event was a best-of-three, but this hopeless situation continued for two consecutive games.

In other words, our team….

“Ah…….”

“Ahaha…….”

“I’m sorry… I-I died too much… I’m sorry! Ugh….”

Was eliminated.

We finished this tournament in joint 4th place.

[-Water rocket, pssshhhhh lolol]
(TL Note: “Water rocket” is slang for something that starts strong but fizzles out quickly.)
[-Fastest elimination ever lolol]
[-Who told you to insist on being a one-trick lol? Who told you to insist on being a one-trick lol? Who told you to insist on being a one-trick lol?]
[-Nice try~ let’s take it slow next time~ (there is no next time)]
[-Shame]
[-Ugh, Gang-boongies, just type ‘ㅠㅠ’ at times like this]
[-Shouldn’t we ban all the b*stards who can’t read the room?]
[-ㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[-So sad-yo… ㅜ]

For a moment, a complex emotion that couldn’t be described in words flashed through my mind.

But I can’t just remain silent now.

“Close one… heheh! Erica-nim, what are you sorry for! Their composition was an Erica-oppression comp from the start, so it couldn’t be helped.”

“B-but… I feel like I really couldn’t do anything….”

It seemed the defeat had hit Erica hard.
With two assassin champions constantly killing only her, her mental state must have been shattered.

But the cause of the defeat was not Erica.

Rather, my responsibility… is the greatest.

“Sigh… I couldn’t do anything either. Rather, it’s my responsibility for receiving all the support and not being able to do anything! What? ‘You lost because of you, so you’re paying for the team dinner, yep, yep’? You get out! Heheh.”

[-? Where was that chat lol?]
[-Dae-nani trying to set the mood even in this situation]
[-As expected of Gang-pyeong, the clown lol]
[-Yep, you were the worst lol]
[-You’re paying for the team dinner-yo lolol]

I said it in a slightly WWE tone.
Because I also hate it when a gloomy atmosphere continues.

Thankfully, the quick-witted Daengyul picked up my WWE baton.

“That’s right, Nani-nim was the worst! You’re really paying for the entire team dinner!”

[-Ugh, the team dinner excuse lol]
[-Daengyul is a notorious after-party demon]
[-Please turn on the stream during the after-party-dao… please turn on the stream during the after-party-dao… please turn on the stream during the after-party-dao…]
[-Yep~ there’s a VTuber, so it’s definitely off-stream lol]

“I-I’ll pay! I’ll pay for the entire team dinner!”

Somehow, I ended up declaring that I would pay for the team dinner.

Well, it should be fine.
Even though we were eliminated right away in the main event, we still got a huge sum of 35 million won.

It’s money I can FLEX on food and drinks several times over, so it really doesn’t matter.

“Puhuh…”

Erica finally let out a laugh at my and Daengyul’s WWE.

It seems her mood has improved.

The little one is finally smiling.
Mmm, mmm, then that’s good.

“Ahaha!”

Just then, Daengyul laughed and said.

“Just kidding. I’ll pay for the after-party! Let’s set a date in our group chat sometime, us.”

“Oops… I was really going to pay.”

“No, it’s okay. I seem to be the oldest here, so I should pay. Heehee.”

Daengyul said, as if it were a matter of course.
Judging by her nuance, it seemed she had been planning to pay from the moment the after-party was first mentioned.

Well, for me, it’s a great deal.
It would be unnatural for me to stubbornly insist on paying here.

“Heheh… then I won’t refuse, and I’ll eat well!”

“Yep, yep, everyone, you worked hard during the tournament period. I’ll contact you first, so don’t ghost me, okay? You too, Erica-nim.”

“Ah… oops, okay. You all worked really hard-seumda!”

I also said, “Good work!” with appropriate energy and left the voice chat room.

“Uwaaaaaaaah….”

I leaned back and stretched.

Now that I’ve left the chat room, it feels like the tournament is really over.
To be precise, it’s not over, but just our team has been eliminated.

“…….”

Just like when we lost, a complex emotion washed over me.

What in the world is this feeling?
Is it just because it feels a bit empty?

[-What now?]
[-Alright, solo queue, let’s go lol]
[-Upvote if you honestly played like sht lol]
[-UV lol]
[-You only did well in the preliminaries lol]
[-Now that the tournament is over, does that mean we don’t have to watch f*cking League for a few days?]
[-What do you mean, quit League, your form is at its peak right now, Nani-ya, you can really go to Challenger]
[-‘Peak’ sounds a bit lewd-yo… yep]

As expected, not a single word of comfort could be found in my chat room.

Still, I have to say what I have to say.

“Ugh, Gang-pyeong, f*ck… heheh. Anyway, thanks for cheering me on, guys.”

[-You worked hard-yo]
[-For real, you played so well in the tournament, what an oppressive comp]
[-The entertainment value was the best among all the participating teams-yo]
[-Cheer?ing]
[-I didn’t?]
[-Honestly, if you had practiced other champions instead of replay-wanking, you would have advanced, acknowledge it?]
[-I acknowledge lol]

“What? You didn’t cheer? Hah… these b*stards must have forgotten my personality. Well, I haven’t been able to pay much attention to the chat lately because of the tournament. Let’s die today-yo!”

Just as I was about to establish some discipline in the chat for the first time in a while.

[ㅇㅇ has donated 200,000 won!]
[You worked hard-yo, in my heart, you were the GOAT of this tournament-yo]

“Oh my…! IEung-IEung-nim!”

I shot up from my seat.
And I bowed my head repeatedly and said.

“To think I was the GOAT… I’m so, so touched! Thank you! I’ll work hard… ppuccappuccappucca! Uheheh!”

[-Financial therapy ON]
[-Right, right, work hard]
[-What do you mean, GOAT lol, you were the JOAT-yo lol]
[-Ugh, get rid of the sycophant, f*ck lol]

My troubled heart immediately began to heal.

As expected, the world is all about money….

And after this, the financial therapy continued.

After ending the stream, I immediately lay down on the bed.

It felt like all my energy had been drained.
Is this the price for pulling forward my talent to reach Challenger?

Like in a wuxia novel, where your innate qi is depleted, something like that!?

“…….”

I tried being dramatic for no reason.

More than that, it’s very regrettable.
The complex feeling I felt when I lost was probably close to ‘regret’.

Because even after receiving so much financial therapy just now, this feeling doesn’t easily go away and just lingers in my head.

Should I have just had Erica play a champion with good survivability like Ezreal?

Or what if I had swallowed my pride and practiced other champions?

It’s all meaningless now, but I’m reviewing it myself.

‘Right, what’s the use? I should just take a shower.’

Just as I was about to get up from the bed.

Drip.

I heard the sound of liquid hitting fabric.

“……Huh?”

When I came to my senses, tears were dripping onto the pillow.

In other words, tears had welled up and were flowing down my cheeks.

I was confused.

Why… why am I crying?
I was just grumbling to myself out of regret just now, wasn’t I?

There shouldn’t be any reason to cry like this….

‘Perhaps… is that the reason?’

It suddenly came to me.
If that’s the reason, if the tears are coming from the regret I felt while reviewing just now….

“I-it’s annoying… sniff.”

Now I could understand for sure.

I’m frustrated.
That complex feeling I had when I lost was just frustration.

So much that it brings me to tears.

“I wanted to win… I wanted to win….”

Here.

A woman was here, lying on her bed and sobbing because she lost a game.

…That was me.

Truly a f*cking top laner’s average.

The next day.

I woke up with swollen eyes.
I habitually turned on my phone and checked it, and there was a text message.

[Participants: 3]
[Daengyul]: Hello, this is the after-party group chat ㅎㅎ
[Daengyul]: When should we meet, by any chance?

It was Daengyul, who had asked for our phone numbers after we left the voice chat room yesterday.

She must have invited me and Erica to this group chat with those numbers.

‘Hmm… but.’

I never thought she would contact me so soon.

Isn’t she acting too fast?
Honestly, I thought a lot of teams’ after-parties just fizzled out and didn’t happen.

Anyway.

“I’m… free anytime….”

Kang Bom: Hello! I’m free anytime!

I sent a message like that.

I can just take a day off from streaming on the day of the after-party.
I don’t have any particular schedule now.

Ding-dong!

“Whoa!”

[Daengyul]: Yep, yep, how about you, Erica-nim?

A reply came as soon as I sent the message.
Isn’t she way too fast?

Erica: Hello
Just then, Erica… no, Serin, replied as if she had read the message at the same time as me.

Erica: Um, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can make it.

“Huh?”

Serin’s answer was a refusal.
I didn’t expect this.

[Daengyul]: Why ㅜㅜ?
[Erica]: I’m a VTuber, so my face can’t be known ㅎㅎ you two have fun!
[Daengyul]: Ah, if that’s the case, it’s okay! We can do it off-stream!
[Erica]: It’s not the off-stream part that’s the problem, uh… um
[Daengyul]: Yes?
[Erica]: W-well, you see

Erica seemed to hesitate for a moment, then continued to send a message.

[Erica]: Since you two are so pretty… should I say you’re bound to stand out wherever you go… ㅎㅎ so it can’t be helped ㅠ

“Ah.”

I understood.
Serin’s words meant that since Daengyul and I are so pretty, we’re bound to stand out whether we’re off-stream or not.

Besides, even if I’m not known, quite a few people probably know Daengyul’s face.

In other words, at this point where we’ve openly declared that we’re having an after-party on stream.
There’s a risk that someone might happen to see Daengyul’s face during the after-party and recognize Erica’s real face.

Also, Serin is also an incredible beauty.
On top of that, with me, a school-life S-rank beauty, included, if the three of us were drinking outside, even I would naturally be drawn to look.

Yep, even me.
Heheh.
I felt a little good for some reason.

[Daengyul]: Ah, then, by any chance, you two
[Daengyul]: Want to have it at my place?