Chapter 93

### Chapter 93: First Scrim (5)

* * *

Perhaps it was because the team's atmosphere, which had been shrouded in silence and tension, had finally relaxed thanks to the victory.

Or maybe it was because the opposing team had lost their mental edge after losing the first game.

[Victory]

We secured a relatively easy victory in the next game as well.

It wasn't a grueling 50-minute battle like the first game; it was a relatively clean game that ended in the 30-minute mark.

'I won.'

That SCV.

In two consecutive games.

Of course, since our team was also composed of professional players, it wasn't an impossible upset.

But winning against a strong team like SCV in a historic first scrim was especially significant to me.

'I won... really.'

[Victory]

Even though the words were right in front of me, I was still in disbelief.

Did I, really, win?

Against the full lineup of SCV?

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

At that time, SY wasn't even the main position, and he didn't take the game seriously.

"Sis!"

At that moment, a shout from the next seat made me involuntarily flinch.

"What's going on? Why are you playing so well!?"

The one causing the commotion was none other than the mid-laner, Go Go Sing, Go Fixed Hwan.

"It... was just luck."

"Talk casually, sis. I'll be casual too!"

No, I don't like it when you're casual...

When I turned my gaze, the other team members also approached hesitantly.

"It... thanks for carrying."

"What's your main character's score?"

"To win against them."

The team's atmosphere, which had been tense and silent until now, was gradually dissipating.

"I know everyone is in a good mood, but let's get back to it. We have work to do."

At Coach Park Tae-hyung's words, everyone started to gather in one place, pulling their chairs.

It was feedback time.

Coach Park Tae-hyung operated the laptop connected to the large feedback monitor, displaying the game footage in sequence.

"You were held back a lot in the early game. Why did you exchange damage here when you had no choice?"

"...I thought I needed to put pressure on because of the Jason Ornn matchup."

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

"...Yes."

"Knowing your own skills is also a part of your ability. Ultimately, you made a strange damage exchange, which led to Ornn being caught, but this was more due to luck, right?"

"Yes."

"Good, and next..."

While watching the feedback, I felt a sense of strangeness.

'Hmm, I heard from the trainees that the feedback sessions for the first team are intense, but it doesn't seem that way. It's more ordinary than I thought.'

Is it because we won?

Hmm, I don't know.

Good is good, I guess.

...

...

"Here, this judgment seems risky... Who ordered it?"

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

"...It was me."

I was referring to the scene in the first game where I stole the Elder Dragon during the Baron and Elder Dragon exchange.

"Is that so? But you did well. Ultimately, we won because of this scene. The evidence was the Sol Seed Tan, right?"

"Initially, yes, but I would have done it even without it. If I dodged a few CCs with Junya, I could have escaped. Even if I died, I could have held out until I respawned after taking the Elder Dragon."

"...So, you were confident you could take it?"

"Well, if I didn't take it, the game would have become difficult anyway."

Coach Park Tae-hyung looked dazed for a moment before nodding.

"...Good, it was a good judgment. You also know when to take a risk when things are unfavorable. Let's continue the feedback."

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

"You did well in the lane battles this time."

"Yes, the jungler... did a good job."

"See, when you stabilize the lane battles, the other lanes also get more freedom."

"...Haha."

"Good, then let's move on to the next..."

After all the feedback was over, Coach Park Tae-hyung spoke to Daehard, Choi Woo-jin, who was in the corner.

"Good, then let's have Woo-jin try it now."

YSG DieHard, Choi Woo-jin.

The main jungler and ace of YSG.

"..."

Daehard, who had been watching the game and feedback from the corner, did not look good.

It was understandable.

The jungler has been one of the aces of YSG, alongside the mid-laner.

But a newly called-up trainee was reinforcing the jungler, not a position that needed strengthening like top or bottom.

Choi Woo-jin couldn't be happy.

'I had a bad feeling... was this it?'

Even knowing the source of the prickling gaze from behind, I felt even more uncomfortable.

Pros speak through their skills.

In other words, becoming a pro means taking someone else's place.

'It's natural, but... it still feels bad.'

Especially since the process of me becoming the main player wasn't exactly straightforward.

After a 30-minute break and feedback session, the scrim against SCV started again.

This time, Daehard, not me, participated as YSG's jungler.

And...

[Defeat]

A complete defeat.

We didn't just lose; we exploded in a catastrophic manner.

"..."

The team's atmosphere, which had been friendly just a moment ago, was once again shrouded in silence.

There was a buildup of frustration, but everyone was trying not to voice it.

"Don't get discouraged, everyone. If this were a match, we would have already won the second set. Think of this as a bonus game. Let's focus on the important parts."

After a brief feedback session led by Coach Park Tae-hyung, the fourth scrim began.

And... the result didn't change.

[Defeat]

24 minutes and 42 seconds.

Considering that SCV, a strong team, usually has a longer average game time and a slower tempo, this was a catastrophic defeat.

"Good job, everyone."

The scrim against SCV.

I won all the games I played as the jungler, and the games Daehard, the original ace, played all ended in defeat.

The feedback for the 3rd and 4th games was not led by Coach Park Tae-hyung.

To be precise, no matter how much Coach Park Tae-hyung tried to mediate, he couldn't stop the team members from lashing out.

"Why did you dive here? It's not a cannon lane, and your allies' backup is much slower?"

"If we didn't do this, we would have lost! You guys were getting pushed from below!"

"Getting pushed, I heard your introduction. Daedak, top."

Watching it firsthand, the feedback session for YSG's first team was even more intense than the rumors.

'...I can understand it, but...'

League of Legends is a game that causes a lot of stress.

Even close friends can have their strong bond strained if they lose games in a row.

What if they are just colleagues who met through work?

'Sigh.'

It was almost a miracle that no one grabbed each other's collars and started a physical fight during the game.

While aggressive feedback was being exchanged, someone said:

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

I don't know who said it, but the voice and message were clearly conveyed in the practice room.

"Ah."

Daehard's expression hardened.

The other team members also looked at Daehard with a "uh-oh" expression.

No matter how much hostile language was being exchanged, there were things that should be said and things that shouldn't.

The previous statement clearly crossed the line.

"..."

Objectively, Daehard performed his part in the 3rd and 4th games.

While the team was constantly being pushed, he made the best judgments he could and tried to maintain the center as a jungler in a losing game.

It just wasn't special.

"Ha..."

Daehard let out a deep sigh and left the practice room.

"Woo-jin! Wait!"

Coach Park Tae-hyung chased after Daehard, but Daehard had already locked his door.

"...Hey, how can you say that?"

"It's the truth. We won when we played with sis, and we lost when we played with that guy."

"No... even if that's true."

Coach Park Tae-hyung, who returned late, said with a bitter voice.

"...Everyone, do your individual practice. That's it for today's schedule."

Silence filled the practice room.

In the suffocating silence, I stared blankly at the door, forgetting to practice.

"..."

I couldn't take my eyes off the spot where Daehard had left for a while.

* * *

After witnessing the chaos in the practice room, Coach Park Tae-hyung went to the manager's office.

"Is this right?"

The selection of players for the scrim against SCV was based on Manager Choi Tae-dal's instructions.

Coach Park Tae-hyung, who didn't know the purpose behind Manager Choi Tae-dal's decision, came to question it.

"What's the problem? Pros speak through their skills. Players should be selected based on their skills. Isn't that what you always say, Park Tae-hyung? How many players have you chased away because of your stubbornness?"

"That's..."

In fact, there were several players who were actively recommended by Manager Choi Tae-dal but were chased away by Coach Park Tae-hyung.

"Star quality, and the skills you love so much. What reason do you have not to make them the main player? Besides, the contract was set up that way."

"...If you were going to do this, you should have said it was an unreasonable substitution. This is too cowardly. If you had given me a little more time, everything could have been resolved well."

Time.

Coach Park Tae-hyung needed that damn time.

Time to integrate Outrow into the team, to make the team members, including Daehard, genuinely recognize Outrow's skills.

But what is this now?

"Taehyung. Didn't I tell you? I trust you. I trust your judgment. That's why I've let you chase away players as you wished. Look now. Everything is going well, right? I heard about the scrim against SCV. You beat them, right? With this, our team can make it to the playoffs, or even the finals, this time, right?"

As Manager Choi Tae-dal spoke, puffing out cigarette smoke, Coach Park Tae-hyung was at a loss for words.

Is this method right?

No, it would be a lie to say it's wrong. Perhaps Daehard, who lost his main position to Outrow, might use this as a motivation to work even harder.

But...

Is it really right to crush the existing ace, Daehard, to avoid controversy when the result is already determined?

What if Outrow loses and Daehard wins?

Of course, if that happened, he would have to push Outrow as the main player despite the controversy, but at least that didn't happen.

As Manager Choi Tae-dal wished and as Coach Park Tae-hyung saw, Outrow's skills were far superior to Daehard's.

"Nothing to say? Get out."

"...Manager!"

"Get out."

Under Manager Choi Tae-dal's stern warning, Coach Park Tae-hyung had no choice but to shuffle out of the manager's office.

Riding the elevator to the building's rooftop, Coach Park Tae-hyung caressed the cigarette pack he had started smoking again recently.

'This wasn't necessary.'

Coach Park Tae-hyung still saw Daehard's resentful gaze in front of his eyes.

That gaze wasn't directed only at Coach Park Tae-hyung.

Daehard's gaze was also directed at Outrow.

Why do adult plans make young players hate and envy each other?

Coach Park Tae-hyung couldn't understand.

"Damn."

Coach Park Tae-hyung deeply inhaled the cigarette.

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