Chapter 44
To be honest.
Retreating into the cyber world was something I'd secretly been hoping to do.
Modeling is nice, but isn't lounging around at home the best?
After enjoying a leisurely break last year, I'd secretly been hoping for one this year too.
“So you're really not taking any more work?”
“Yes. I'm turning it all down.”
The moment the opportunity presented itself, I went for it.
Still, I would have to attend official events, but I decided to take a short break from advertisements and photo shoots.
“Coffee.”
“...Aren't you going to work, Sis?”
“Nope. I'm taking a break for the time being, so work hard as my shuttle.”
Thanks to that, I lounged around comfortably at home.
I might be entering a Rell tournament, but isn't that still basically playing games at home?
I briefly thought back to yesterday, when I made my major announcement.
-What tournament all of a sudden??
-Are you really entering??
When I told my viewers, they were surprised, as expected.
Well, it wasn't as if I'd ever entered a tournament before.
However, since I was taking a long break this time and still had the Rell-tournament high in my system, I decided to give it a try.
Anyway, since I'd announced it so suddenly, there was also some backlash.
-We welcome Wayo, seeker of the mainstream..
-Mainstream Garland (2x years old)
-The undisputed god of bats
“What are you talking about the moment I turn on my broadcast?”
The chat was already a mess the moment I started streaming.
It hadn't even been that long since the big-server event, and now I was saying I was entering a tournament too.
They were thoroughly annoyed that I might go mainstream.
-Are you dumping us now too??
-We're deeply disappointed..
-You're not suddenly going to add more broadcast rules, are you??
“Hmm.”
Still, it wasn't a situation I couldn't understand.
Don't people naturally dislike losing the unique feeling that something belongs only to them?
More importantly, our broadcast had a very high proportion of long-time viewers.
Granted, they'd only been around for a year, but that still meant they'd shared more than fifty percent of the broadcast's entire run with me.
That was why they subconsciously feared that the neighborhood restaurant only they knew and cherished would become a franchise's first branch and change its flavor.
-We're deeply disappointed..
-Please don't leave us
“The tournament hasn't even started yet. Why are you already acting like this?”
-Fuckㅋㅋ We're going to get abandoned ㅡㅠㅠㅠ
-Please don't ban us
-??: Hmm.. You all know you're crossing the line lately, right?
And more importantly.
Our broadcast had a few stray dogs.
“Stop making such a fuss, or I'll really turn into ‘Haebin’ or ‘Yeonguk-noona,’ okay?”
-Aaaaaaagh
-Please don't do that..
-You fucking bastardㅋㅋ
-Not three times..
Why did Wayo become a 200-average-viewer super-rookie after just one year-
The truth was, it could be called a Spirit Bomb formed from the power of three tiny streamers.
Two of them had gone from the underground to the mainstream, suddenly becoming boundary-crossing viewers or toxic turrets, and the abandoned dogs they'd left behind had gathered in Wayo's broadcast.
Was that why they were so sensitive about tournaments and big servers?
“Don't worry, everyone. Even if I go mainstream, I'll only be a tenant.”
-Fuckㅋㅋ
-Isn't that basically the same thing??
-I'll never forgive you, Haeganㅋㅋ
Still, it wasn't as if the viewers here hated those two.
It was also closer to them fleeing the sunlight than being kicked out.
“Anyway, I'm definitely participating, so take care of yourselves. You know the draft is next week, right?”
-Yeah, sure
-I'll never go easy on you, fuck
-But wouldn't it be better if you didn't watch either?
“Why?”
-Well..
-I'd be kind of hurt if you got sold as clearance stockㅇㅇ..
-The tournament of doom is cold..
“Uh, what?”
I'd wondered what these people were talking about, only to find out they were worried Wayo wouldn't get picked?
“Guys.”
-Yeah?
-Why?
“You do know all the captains in this tournament are Grandmaster or Challenger, right?”
Unlike my viewers, who were in the mineral tiers.
The captains were all genuine high-elo players, mostly Grandmaster or Challenger.
Some of them were even former pros, so they were certain to have a good eye for talent.
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-What's with this confidence??
-Have you considered that they might not pick you because they're Grandmaster and Challenger?
“You can look forward to it.”
More importantly, I had sent over only the mad movie clips that even I thought were incredible.
The results would tell us who would be laughing when dusk fell.
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Wanna bet??
-If you're not picked within the third seed, I'll stake my hand on it
“Uh, sure. Go ahead.”
I was overflowing with confidence, which was why I beat my chest and boasted so boldly.
**
A few days later.
At last, the long-awaited draft time arrived.
“Ahem, everyone's seated, right?”
-Did this bastard just wake up?
-Listen to how hoarse his voice isㅋㅋㅋ
“No—why are they holding this so early in the morning?”
As I said that, I watched the Myeolmangjeon opening on the official CHZZK channel.
[The moment you've all been waiting for….]
Kangseok himself was there explaining the tournament.
Its official name was the CHZZK Streamer Tournament of Doom.
The platform was sponsoring it directly, while big-name streamer Kangseok had personally gathered the applicants.
Broadcasters of all tiers, from former pros onward, were participating.
For balance, they had divided everyone into exactly five grades according to skill.
S (captain), A, B, C, and D.
The S-grade captains would take turns choosing people from each grade.
[Now, let's reveal the players for each lane!]
-Why is this bastard so fat?
-What's with your expression?
“What do you mean? I'm B grade.”
For reference, Wayo had been placed in B grade, right in the middle.
If I'd only won my promotion series, I could have reached Diamond and received an A grade.
-Still, you're the snake's head, so have a drink
-You'd be screwed if you went to A gradeㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Just be satisfied with being the snake's head
“Haa.”
Still, was a snake's head better than a dragon's tail?
No, if possible, I wanted to be the dragon's head.
Having such terrible team luck was my lifelong regret.
In another worldline, I might have been a team captain.
Anyway....
[Now, let's introduce each of the captains!]
The opening of the Tournament of Doom proceeded smoothly.
The captains were introduced first, followed by the game rules, the prize pool, and so on.
-Wow, that prize poolㄷㄷㄷ
-Whoa, it's huge??
-You could hold a UFC match with this
The prize money was larger than I'd expected, which surprised me.
Man, how many double-chocolate cookies could you buy with that?
[Now, starting with A grade….]
Anyway, after the captains' introductions came the player introductions.
Since there were so many streamers, they started with the A-tier players, who would be picked first.
-Whoa, that person is appearing too
-They're better than I expected
-Are you going to be okay?
“What's the problem? They're pretty ordinary.”
A tier ranged from Diamond to Master.
Honestly, they did look pretty good.
Still, I didn't think I'd fall far behind in lane.
I wasn't sure about their late-game macro, though.
[First, Captain Jeonghyeon's team….]
After the captains spent some time choosing their A-grade teammates.
At last, it was time to introduce the B-grade heroes.
[This is your first tournament, isn't it? It's streamer Wayo.]
Since Wayo was one of the higher-tier players in B grade, he was introduced relatively early.
“Kyaa.”
Seeing Wayo's avatar appear on the official broadcast gave me a strangely grand feeling.
-Is that video actually this bastard?
-They told him to send gameplay footage, and he submitted a scam
-That's supposed to be you??
Then came a series of flashy plays.
They mostly showed him toying with two or three enemies on the side.
“This is a Diamond top laner.”
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Diamond (not really)
"Tsk."
I would have been Diamond if I hadn't lost my promotion series.
[B grade is important, you know. These are the people at the dividing point between those who can shake the log and those who can't.]
[Ah, that's right, haha!]
On-screen, the tournament's official commentator was talking with Old Man Kangseok.
Since Kangseok had climbed to Emerald, he'd been placed in the same B grade as me.
But still... wasn't he someone who had climbed up from Silver?
He'd probably be picked last, or close to it.
It was unfortunate, but that was unavoidable in a competitive society.
If you had a complaint, the only thing you could do was hone your skills further and prove yourself.
“Where will I end up? Team 3 looks pretty good, though.”
-??
-Why?
“Their jungler is Challenger.”
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-If they have a Challenger jungler, he's not going to gank your lane, you idiot
More importantly, the captains of the first two teams were top laners.
So was Team 3 my team after all?
That wouldn't be bad.
After listening carefully to the introductions, I was thinking it might work out fairly well when—
[We'll take Sihyeon!]
“Huh.”
Team 3 passed me over.
Huh?
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-? Of course they didn't pick you
-Sihyeon's fucking good;
“No….”
I didn't bother saying, “But my tier is higher,”
because it could have sounded like I was insulting the streamer chosen instead of me.
-What's with the “no”ㅋㅋㅋ
-That person won the last Tournament of Doom
-They obviously wouldn't use a B-grade pick on a top laner
“Hmm, uh.”
Was that it...?
But how important was top lane in Rell?
Seoul had been a strong top-lane team and had ridden that strength all the way to the championship, hadn't they?
-That's because Seoul's top laner..
-Are streamer matches and pro matches the same??
Unlike my confusion, the viewers seemed to have anticipated this to some extent.
Was this the ecosystem of the Tournament of Doom?
-Team 4 probably won't pick you either. They look dead set on getting an ADC
-Assume you're at least the fifth seed
“Ah.”
I might receive a much lower seed than I'd expected.
Still, it was fine. As long as I beat the man who came from Silver.
I still remembered it.
He'd abandoned top completely and just farmed the jungle.
I couldn't possibly lose to someone like that.
How could a jungler use only half of the Rift?
“Next, I....”
So I desperately denied it and watched the draft, but—
[We... will select Kangseok. Phew, thank goodness he was still available.]
In the end, the seventh team picked Kangseok.
[Ah, then Wayo... is automatically assigned to Jeongin's team.]
Just as Old Man Kangseok said, seemingly holding back laughter, I was automatically placed on the last team.
“....?”
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-<<Toxic assetㅋㅋㅋ
-It'd be a waste to spend money picking this bastardㅋㅋ
-The undisputed king of the eighth seedㅋㅋㅋ
Fuck.
“.....”
How dare they not pick me?
Even if I was a tiny streamer.
Even if top was its own independent lane.
And even if this was my first tournament, with no tournament experience whatsoever.
I was still the highest-tier player in B grade, and they passed me over....
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-What's with his eyes??ㅋㅋㅋ
From my days as an on-site ace through my reincarnation, I had never once failed to be chosen.
"...Just you wait."
So I watched the draft with fury in my heart, determined to show them exactly who I was this time—but
[Now, Jeongin's team's choice is... Ah, it's Haebin.]
“Oh.”
-Oh?
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
My fury, hot enough to burn down a volcano, cooled completely with the next pick.
[Oh, I understand that Wayo and Haebin, who was just picked, are close. We can look forward to their synergy….]
Unable to bear seeing this situation with my own two eyes, I closed them.
“Fuck….”
I'd held it in as long as I could, but I couldn't stop myself from swearing.
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Haebin the Disaster has enteredㅋㅋㅋ
-Wayo is fuckedㅋㅋ
For reference, Haebin was a jungler.