Chapter 53: Chapter 53

[Posted by: Anonymous (341.223)] [Title: Gawol’s Current Situation]

(Attached Image: Edited image of Gawol looking excited)

Gawol! Gawol! Gawol! Gawol! Show us your armpits! Please beat Kelberos!

(Attached Image: Edited image of Gawol sweating nervously)

How did it come to this? This is scary. It's terrifying! The expectations are way too high! I mean, the opponent is last year’s mid-season champion. But I just joined for fun while doing PK in the field!

(Attached Image: Edited image of Gawol trembling in fear)

What’s this about being the last hope of Korea? Are you crazy? Leave that kind of stuff to the pros!

[Comments]

lmao ????

But can we really call her a regular player after beating Reaper? └ You laughed too, didn’t you?

This whole situation is hilarious. └ All our pro team aces are out, and Gawol’s the only one left ????

[Posted by: BelievedInYouDammit] [Title: Current Situation on the Domestic Infi Arena Community]

(Attached Image: Community search results for Gawol from a month ago)

These guys who said "What skill does a sniper have?"

(Attached Image: Recent community search results for Gawol)

Now they’re seriously saying she could win. Trashy hypocrites.

[Comments]

You’re our hero, Gawol!

I always believed in you!

Welcome! Good job!

[Posted by: PeroPero] [Title: Kelberos’s Semifinal Winner Interview Translation]

Q. Congratulations on the victory. Could you share your thoughts? A. Winning is always a joy. However, I faced an unexpected blow. I think my opponent prepared well, but there’s still room for improvement.

Q. This is the first time your clean record was broken. A. I’m disappointed by the record, but I’m not too upset. I’ll prepare well for the next match and show a better performance.

Q. Luce mentioned she’s looking forward to a rematch in future international matches. A. That’s a delightful prospect. I look forward to it as well.

...

Q. Coincidentally, you’ll be facing Gawol in the finals. Is your initial impression from the group draw ceremony still the same? A. Absolutely not. At the time, she hadn’t proven anything, but now she’s clearly shown her skills.

Q. Can you assess her weaknesses? A. I won’t comment for strategic reasons.

Q. Can you tell us about Gawol’s strengths or what you find particularly concerning? A. Sure. She’s exceptionally strong physically. I’d give her high marks in psychological and tactical areas. She’s meticulous and cunning. However, there’s something I find hard to understand.

Q. That’s quite a lengthy response for you. What’s hard to understand exactly? A. This may sound cautious, but her playstyle doesn’t match her raw power. It’s like a lion acting like a fox. Usually, that’s characteristic of someone who’s faced stronger opponents. But who could that have been?

Q. Interesting analysis. Do you have a guess on who it might be? A. I checked pro players from other games, but I couldn’t figure it out. I’m curious about her background.

...

Q. Any final words? A. No. The one leaving final words should be the challenger, not me.

Waking up, the room was steeped in darkness. The color of night itself. I checked the time, seeing that it was almost midnight—slightly earlier than the alarm I had set.

Well, I’d catch up on sleep later. I only needed to be alert when it mattered, so it was a good thing. It meant my body had rested enough.

The original venue of the tournament was in Iceland, nine hours behind Korea. While it was dark night here, it would be broad daylight for the Europeans. I’d better prepare and manage my condition in advance.

[Chat with Lee Ga-yoon]

Thanks for the encouragement!

I couldn’t make it to the end this time, but I hope something good will happen eventually.

I’ll work hard and do my best next season! :)

The message I had read yesterday still lingered on my phone. I had received it a few days ago, but as a fan, small gestures like this could lift my spirits quickly.

If I could use my legs properly, I might be in better shape than most people. Proof of that was how I was always a morning person, no matter how much I exerted myself. Splashing cold water on my face and drinking cool water brought clarity back in an instant.

It was my ritual to start the day. I decided to avoid instant ramen since it was an important day. For most, it might be nighttime, but for me, it was breakfast.

“Hah, it’s been ages since I’ve had salmon. I couldn’t afford it before, but I finally got some.”@@novelbin@@

I pulled out the salmon I’d carefully kept in the fridge, ordered specially for today. It was a perfect start to the morning of the finals.

Before big exams or matches, Mom would always prepare salmon the night before. She must have seen something about the benefits of salmon on a TV program.

She’d tell me it’s good for strength and focus. So, salmon was a staple for breakfast before competitions. I didn’t particularly like it, but I didn’t dislike it either—I was always a good eater.

Unfortunately, there’s no one to cook salmon for me anymore. So there’s no reason for me to struggle with a recipe I’d never tried before, especially not this early. Still, I really wanted to eat this salmon.

“Always cook the skin side first. That way, the flesh won’t curl and tear.”

“Don’t overcook it, or it’ll get dry.”

I must have stared at the pan for too long. My legs, which had been supporting my weight, began to complain. I had to sit on my desk chair, which didn’t allow a good view of the fish, so I relied on my phone’s camera.

This is harder than I thought. I figured I’d just oil it up and fry it, but there’s so much more to consider.

Greasy food before a match isn’t ideal. I wondered how Mom used to do it. I’d seen her sprinkle something over it while cooking. Salt? Pepper? Or was it something else? I couldn’t remember, so I just followed the advice of a famous chef I found online.

It’s nice living in a world where you can learn to cook from a chef while sitting at home.

[Message from Elderlin]

Good luck today! ꉂ(ˊᗜˋ*)

If you win, I’ll treat you to Korean beef! The expensive kind!

I’ll buy you anything delicious, so make sure to come back a winner~

Crush that Kelberos, whether he’s a Cerberus or just some local stray!

With some time to spare, I checked my in-game messages. I had a lot waiting for me.

From Elderlin, Sulbbang, and even Traveler and Agent from Dongjak Station—they all left messages wishing me good luck in their own ways. I didn’t reply, as it felt strange to express gratitude. Saying it aloud felt like it would make my emotions harder to control.

At last, the arduous cooking session was over. I carried my meal, which turned out better than expected, alongside a bowl of steaming rice. There was still some kimchi from my master’s house in the fridge.

Good. Everything was set. I’d eat well, make sure I was full, then run my final checks before the match. The rich smell of salmon stimulated my appetite.

Sitting at the table, I took a bite. It was pretty good—probably because I followed the recipe closely. Tasty as it was, though, something felt missing.

A pang of nostalgia hit me.

“You should eat more. Aren’t you going to be hungry?”

“It’s better to be a little hungry, Mom.”

“But... are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. This is enough.”

No, Mom. I’m not okay anymore.

The food I’m eating now isn’t very good. It’s oilier and a bit overcooked. I want that salmon I used to eat.

I miss not only the encouragement but also the nagging. I know it’s selfish. I used to find it annoying. I barely remember that voice that would worry about me being late, even though we had plenty of time.

“Agh, dammit... now the rice is ruined.”

My melancholy thoughts had soaked into my meal. I was too reluctant to waste it, so I ate it anyway. I didn’t realize tears were so bitter.

I put on some music to dispel the silence. I usually disliked loud music, but our house was always bustling before a match. It was the quiet I feared more than the noise.

When I finished eating, I’d take a warm shower. Feeling the warmth might help a little.

An hour later, I was inside the game pod, preparing for the match.