[IKL Regular League - Match 102]
[Sigma eSports vs Q Prime]
[Score: 1:0]
[Battlefield: Bamboo Grove]
[Rules: Annihilation]
ãWhat on earth is happening here, Sigma eSports!ã
ãFor a long time, the domestic league has been dominated by two giants: Sigma and Q Prime. Thereâs been consistent criticism that this dual dominance has brought a sense of stagnation to the league.ã
ãBut today, I can confidently say that this duopoly is over. Sigmaâs dominance has begun, and Q Prime has taken a step back.ã
ãTraveler is putting up a fight, but... this isnât going to be easy.ã
Luce and Traveler clashed.
The gunlance spewed fire at point-blank range, and a brilliant radiance swept away the explosion.
Their heavy weapons and shields collided repeatedly, exchanging a heavy, metallic conversation.
Paladin vs. Lancer.
In a one-on-one scenario, the lancer is usually favored.
In fact, Traveler had a better one-on-one win rate overall.
However, Infinity Blackâs pro league was centered around team battles.
When looking at the teamâs overall win rate, Luce held the advantage.
The nature of the two teams was revealed right from the class choices of their captains.
Knight classes had more flexibility in terms of class changes.
Despite this, Luce had chosen the paladin, a class that supported her teammates, while Traveler chose the lancer, a class known for its raw combat power.
ãWho wouldâve thought the matchup between these two teams would be so one-sided?ã
ãSigmaâs skills have skyrocketed. Camellia is tearing through the enemy base!ã
ãI have to tread carefully here, but... in the past, Camellia relied heavily on her physical abilities. She received a lot of criticism for lacking finesse.ã
ãBut now, sheâs different. Thereâs a stability to her play. An unshakable Camellia. Fans who know her understand just how frightening this statement is.ã
Sigmaâs Luce was the teamâs shield, a leader who supported her teammates.
She was a tank who raised the performance of her team based on her own consistent reliability.
She stood at the forefront, protecting her allies.
On the other hand, Traveler was a leader who led his team from the front.
The lancerâs brutal combat power and his excellent judgment in battle formations made him a spearhead.
He pushed forward with his own strength.
"If you canât block the warrior, Swallow, youâd better flank them! Are you just going to let their ADC get free hits?"
"What about our ADC�"
"Iâm not even asking for good damage, just donât die! Fall back behind me, please!"
Traveler shouted in desperation.
The battle had already tipped heavily in Sigmaâs favor.
Still, Travelerâs lance didnât stop as he continued his fierce onslaught.
Recently, the balance between the two teams had collapsed dramatically.
It was true that Sigmaâs players had improved significantly.
It was as if they had been hit by something, and their combat abilities had skyrocketed.
It felt like the entire team was growing based on the influence of some monstrous figure.
It wasnât hard to guess whose influence it was.
Who else in this country could cause such a sudden shift?
An amateur who had never appeared in the pro league before.
But a woman who could create a storm just by showing up.
It wasnât a mere coincidence that Sigmaâs growth had begun at the same time as her break.
Although it was still being kept secret, the truth would come out sooner or later.
But that wasnât the important part right now.
"This is frustrating. This season⦠I really wanted to win."
"I know. You did your best."
"No. We didnât work as hard as Sigma did."
Traveler clenched his teeth, barely holding back his frustration.
His opponent was Luce, a worthy rival.
Showing too much emotion here wouldnât be professional.
While Sigma was growing, Q Prime wasnât.
Or rather, couldnât.
Traveler couldnât help but wonder if this team had any real desire to improve.
It wasnât that the individual players were bad.
If they had been lacking in skill, they wouldnât have been able to compete against Sigma for so long.
But the fact that they seemed satisfiedâthat was what Traveler hated more than anything.
Being second place is still an achievement. Itâs a valid point.
A runner-up finish is not a failed career by any means.
There are many pro players who retire without ever reaching the finals.
But knowing that doesnât make it any less frustrating, does it?
The anger comes from the fact that they could have won.
"Weâll see you again in the playoffs. Weâll be better prepared next time."
"Yes."
Camelliaâs spear tore through the body of our priest.
Our assassin failed to kill their ADC, and no matter how skilled Traveler was, he couldnât defeat both Luce and Camellia at the same time.
As he collapsed on the battlefield alone, Traveler closed his eyes.
There was no need to check the obvious.
The eSports reporters would write about how Traveler had fought valiantly today.
That was just a polite way of saying he hadnât been able to win.
But nothing would change.
Ah, I canât take this anymore.
I want to win, too.
I hadnât originally planned on appearing on any broadcasts for a while.
I thought Iâd be busy practicing with Sigma, whether it was with the first or second team.
At least, that was the case until Luce came to see me after reviewing my play logs.
"Da-eun? Didnât I tell you not to overdo it?"
"I wasnât overdoing it. This is just⦠what I normally do."
"Do you know why thereâs a four-hour death penalty in Infinity Black?"
"â¦"
"Itâs a safeguard left over from the old days, to prevent players from dying repeatedly. Itâs a relic of that time."
I was thoroughly scolded.
What if something really went wrong from pushing too hard? She warned me that it could backfire, and the thought made me shudder.
The grueling pace from the first day wouldnât be allowed again.
I was told to rest for at least a day, and it just so happened that I received a broadcast invitation from Elderen.
Luce told me that as long as I kept the specifics of the contract confidential, it would be fine.
In fact, she encouraged me to get more involved.
The more influence I had, the more careful the game company would be.
I even had permission to drop a few hints here and there.
In a way, this was just another part of the ongoing battle.
Riding in the car, I quickly arrived at Elderenâs studio.
"Welcome! Is it hot outside? Was the trip here difficult?"
"It was fine. It was a little hot, though."
"Yeah, itâs getting warmer quickly. I donât know how it happens so fast. Want some water?"
"Oh, yes please."
Summer was approaching.
Soon, the playoffs would begin in the pro league, and the spring season champion would be decided.
This time, the title would probably go to Sigma.
After drinking the cool water, I felt a bit refreshed.
Elderen seemed to be adjusting the settings for the broadcast, while I watched and let one of the staff members brush my hair.
"So, what are we doing today?"@@novelbin@@
"Hmm, I was planning to just have a casual chat and then play some games, but since youâre here, I thought maybe weâd do a food broadcast."
"A food broadcast is still just chatting, isnât it?"
"Yeah, Iâve already prepared a few topics. Pro league news and⦠romance talkâ"
"Letâs stick to pro league news."
Good. I blocked that one before things got dangerous.
Looks like my reaction speed hasnât dulled yet.
But casual chatting⦠I still didnât really know what I should do to please the viewers.
Last time⦠I think I ended up showing my armpit or something.
I still didnât understand why people liked that.
"Just so you know, Iâm going to ignore any requests for me to show something this time. Even if you ask, itâs not happening."
"â¦I didnât ask for that last time, did I? I actually tried to stop you."
"Oh."
That incident had been caused by alcohol.
At the time, I needed something to numb my fear, and alcohol just happened to be in sight.
The human brain is prone to irrational decisions when alcohol is involved.
So, I wasnât to blame.
It was the fault of the people who took advantage of my drunken state to make me do something embarrassing.
After the staff finished preparing, I sat in my chair.
I didnât want the camera to catch my left leg, so I adjusted my angle carefully.
The air conditioner wasnât cooling enough, so I fanned myself with my hand.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Thereâs ice cream in the freezer. Want one?"
"Oh, yes please."
"What flavor?"
"Do you have vanilla?"
"Iâll get it for you."
What I received was a pure white candy bar.
But when I put it in my mouth, it was so cold that I couldnât bite it or even suck on it.
It was frozen so solid that it stuck to my tongue.
Well, itâll melt if I wait a bit.
"Should we wait until you finish before starting the stream?"
"Hmm? No, you can start now. Itâs fine."
"Alright."
As the stream started, the viewer count quickly climbed.
While Elderen cheerfully opened with the usual greetings, I browsed the chat.
People were occasionally talking about me, so it was interesting to watch.
As time passed, the ice cream bar began to melt.
I tested it with my tongue.
It seemed ready to eat now.
To keep it from dripping, I licked it a few times.
Tasting the vanilla ice cream, I pressed it against my lips.
It was still a bit hard to bite, but at least I could keep it in my mouth now.
A personâs body temperature is around 36.5 degrees Celsius.
As I gently swirled the ice around with my tongue, the ice cream quickly melted.
When the bar was soft enough to bite, I took a small piece.
Elderen was staring at me with a blank expression.
"Huh? Whatâs wrong?"
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