Chapter 74: Group Stage Triumph and Unexpected Turns

We finished the group stage undefeated.

With a victory in the first-place decider match, we advanced to the tournament.

Our opponent in the decider match was Rojon’s team, Invincible Rampaging Potato.

Their journey was a tumultuous one.

The team had to engage in a rematch due to three teams tying with 1 win and 2 losses.

This led Rojon to fight fiercely, eventually securing second place in the group and earning a spot in the first-place decider match.

Perhaps because of the exciting process, they attracted many viewers, and we even streamed their matches while waiting for our game.

With all eyes on them, Rojon reached the decider match, only to lose anticlimactically against us.

It was almost ironic how their fiercely contested matches earlier paled in comparison to their loss to us.

Viewers speculated that the defeat was due to Rojon’s sudden pick of a melee damage dealer, a departure from their usual long-range strategy.

But I had a different perspective.

In Eternal World, the advantageous team gains an overwhelming edge, while the disadvantaged team is often pushed further into a corner.

For a struggling team to win, they must take risks and make bold plays.

In fact, Rojon’s gamble nearly paid off.

Had they not fallen behind in the city phase, they could have turned things around during the Tier 3 objective timing.

It was evident that the lessons they’d learned from a mysterious expert were showing results.

Ordinarily, their understanding of the game wouldn’t have allowed for such a melee pick, but they had grown remarkably.

I’ll end my analysis here.

Slide.

On the monitor, the data for our next opponent in the round of 16 popped up.

“Hmm… Hmm… Hmmmm?”

While diligently analyzing our next opponent, I suddenly picked up a familiar scent.

I got up from my seat and headed straight to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, a beast-like creature was eating budae jjigae (army stew).

I asked calmly, “Chaebeast, why are you eating budae jjigae?”

“…It’s a rest day for the tournament today,” he replied.

“The tournament starts tomorrow. If you eat such stimulating food now, it’ll throw off the dopamine receptors I’ve worked so hard to stabilize. You can’t eat that.”

I confiscated the budae jjigae he’d ordered and polished it off myself.

Then, I gave him a healthy meal of oatmeal, chicken breast, and Greek yogurt.

“…Can I at least watch MiTube?” he asked hesitantly.

“Of course not. When did you even sneak out your smartphone? Put it back in the box.”

“…Hmph.”

Hmph? What’s with that?

Do you think you can get away with it just because you’re cute?

That said, staying cooped up indoors could be its own form of stress.

At this point, even practicing more wouldn’t make much difference.

A single day isn’t enough time to change someone fundamentally.

Managing condition was more beneficial now.

Ah, except for Bbangbbang. He’s still practicing character control even at this moment.

But not Chaebeast.

For this beast, resting was more helpful for the tournament.

“Hm. How about we go hiking?”

“Unnie, you sounded just like the manager just now.”

“…Hiking?”

If hiking wasn’t appealing, a simple walk would suffice.

It was better to step outside and soak up some sunlight to generate Vitamin D, serotonin, cortisol, and healthy dopamine rather than stay indoors.

Wow, managing all this is such a chore.

I’m not sure if I’ll participate in another tournament, but next time, I’ll make sure to join an overpowered, broken-cheat team.

“Unnie, can we do something else instead of hiking?”

“Anything physical works.”

“Then how about we go to the swimming pool? There’s one nearby.”

Bunnyrun’s voice suddenly lit up with excitement.

She must really like swimming.

But no.

I shook my head and replied, “No.”

“Why not?”

“If we go to the pool now, it’ll dilute the emotional impact of me making a game after winning the tournament, traveling with the team to Okinawa, and dramatically shouting ‘It’s the sea!’ while showing off our swimsuits.”

Bunnyrun tilted her head in confusion. “What are you even saying, unnie?”

Maybe she wasn’t convinced. Oh well.

“We already did a dramatic ‘It’s the sea!’ moment in Donghae, so there’s no compromise. You’ll have to hold off on swimming.”

“Sometimes, I really don’t understand you.”

“Don’t worry. Most people don’t.”

“…Uh.”

Our conversation was interrupted by Chaebeast, who timidly raised his hand.

I turned to him with a kind voice. “What’s the matter?”

“…Do we have to do something physical?”

“Well, technically, the key is to get some sunlight. Physical activity is a bonus. Going to the library to read books is not allowed.”

“…Hmph.”

I knew it. You’re the spawn of Satan, aren’t you?

Trying to laze around at the library? Nice try.

I scanned Bunnyrun and Chaebeast before asking, “Any other ideas?”

“…How about a tour of our university?”

“A campus tour? Isn’t your school infamous for having boring festivals?”

“…I just need to return a book.”

Well, that couldn’t be helped.

We headed to Korean University with Bunnyrun’s luxury German sedan.

Seeing the university’s iconic H-shaped entrance gate, I instinctively nodded.

“When someone asks about the future of this country, they should look at Gwanak. Truly fitting for a university producing the brightest minds.”

“…Sorry. I forgot to bring the book I need to return.”

“Bunnyrun, let’s U-turn.”

So, we went back home to fetch the book before returning to Korean University.

For some reason, the H-shaped gate now looked more like a blurry, half-hearted H.

Perhaps someone had swapped it out while we were gone.

“Unnie.”

Bunnyrun handed me a hat and sunglasses, which she always did when we went out together.

Adjusting the sunglasses, I turned to Chaebeast.

“What book did you borrow?”

“…The Philosophy of Social Media.”

“Are you in the Philosophy Department?”

“…No, I’m an Economics major.”

If it were Philosophy, I’d have told him to quit and focus solely on streaming. But Economics? That was a different story.

An Economics degree from Korean University? Even for a humanities student, that promised good job prospects.

“Why is someone majoring in Economics at Korea University doing a broadcast?”

“…Are you just now asking that?”

“There were so many shocking things happening that I missed the timing.”

Specifically, it was Iron’s team fight skills and his beast-like intensity that threw off the timing.

Chae Narin hesitated before speaking.

“…I’ve been watching a lot of VTubers for a while now.”

“Really?”

“But a few months ago, I stumbled upon a VTuber highlight reel, and I found someone incredibly entertaining. I thought to myself, ‘I want to be like that,’ and that’s how I started broadcasting.”

“Starting something like that is pretty common. So, who was it that inspired you?” I asked curiously.

“…Someone who randomly started streaming in a stranger’s house and did crazy things using someone else’s avatar. It looked incredibly fun.”

Streaming from a stranger’s house and even using someone else’s avatar to do crazy things?

“My gosh. Whoever that is, they’re not sane.”

“She’s talking about you, sis.”

Bunnyrun replied in a tone full of disbelief.

What?

“I’ve never done anything crazy.”

“Sis. Have some conscience.”

“This is so unfair.”

Anyway, this sprouting little blue-green seedling, Chae Narin. Was she a Han Yurim kid?

No wonder her Yurim-ification skills have been improving at a remarkable pace. If she chose the right role model, that’s only natural.

I straightened my back proudly and declared, “If you’re curious about anything, feel free to ask.”

“…Since meeting Yurim unnie in person, a lot of those feelings have faded away.”

“otot.”

We headed to the library at Korea University.

Even though it was vacation, I was surprised to see so many people.

“…There are a lot of students taking summer classes and others who stay in the dorms.”

“Don’t they get kicked out of the dorms during vacation?”

“…You can stay if you pay an additional fee. Many students choose to stay because it’s convenient for using the library.”

I didn’t completely understand, but if that’s how Korea University students are, so be it.

As we stepped into the library, the cold blast of air conditioning enveloped us.

The coolness seeped into our bodies.

We quickly returned the book. However, we didn’t leave the library immediately.

To be honest, the air conditioning was too comfortable.

I rested my chin on my hand and watched Chae Narin.

She was carefully browsing the bookshelves, contemplating her next loan.

Well, with no smartphone, no internet, daily exercise, and a diet centered around oats and chicken breast, borrowing a book should be fine.

As long as she didn’t actually read it.

It might sound pointless, but it was like a miser’s trick. Borrowing a book gave the illusion of having read it.

Chae Narin’s dopamine needed to be preserved.

“Unnie,” Bunnyrun whispered.

Still resting my chin, I replied, “Speak.”

“This makes us feel like actual college students.”

College students or not, the two of us are technically college-age. Everywhere we go, people assume we’re college students, so it’s nothing new―.

“Honestly, Yurim noona and Bunnyrun noona both look like fresh college freshmen.”

“???”

Suddenly, someone joined the conversation, and I turned my head.

The voice came from someone whose face I recognized from the webcam but wasn’t familiar with in real life.

Who’s this guy?

Meeting my gaze, the man—Choco Fullbread—smiled brightly and explained, “I came to return a book and saw Yurim noona, so I came to say hi.”

“This is the first time we’re meeting in real life. Also, I’m wearing sunglasses. What if I’d been someone else?”

Sure, my avatar is modeled after my real-life appearance, but to confidently join the conversation like this? Seriously?

Are all Korea University students like this?

Totally unreasonable.

“Sis, that’s rich coming from you.”

“Let me clarify: I’m a perfectly reasonable person.”

“Ahem.”

I heard a deliberate clearing of the throat.

Who now?

I turned again, and this time, a librarian greeted us with a smile.

“Hello?”

“Hello.”

In the library, please keep quiet.

Let’s all follow common sense.

If not, we’ll end up being kicked out, just like us.

Stretching, I thought, people really should get out and about.

“This timing is perfect. It’s time for some photosynthesis anyway.”

“…Yurim unnie, I haven’t picked a book yet.”

“You can pick one later.”

Chae Narin pouted but soon straightened up and asked, “…So, Yurim unnie. Who is this frog-faced clumsy guy?”

“Noona, and who is this gloomy, distracted-looking girl?”

“Let’s stop pretending we don’t know who each other is, shall we?” I said, cutting through their roundabout talk.

Just to clarify, Fullbread doesn’t look like a frog. If anything, he resembles the male lead from The Executioner—handsome and stylish.

Completely different from Kim Inho, who played the creepy supporting role of a serial killer.

And as for Chae Narin, she isn’t gloomy—she’s more like a literary girl.

Modern literary girls are all clear-skinned, pretty, and trendy. Chae Narin, being from Gen Z, follows the trends perfectly.

Fullbread gave Chae Literary Girl a suspicious look and asked, “Yurim noona, is Chae Narin’s training going well?”

“I’m managing her thoroughly, so she’s doing fine. How’s your training, Fullbread?”

“Bbangbbang hyung said he felt like a proud father seeing his child get married.”

“Bbangbbang is always a bit emotional.”

If Bbangbbang’s reaction means anything, it’s that Fullbread has grown significantly and even moved him.

But still, Bbangbbang is a former porter. As emotional as he is, his evaluation can’t be trusted.

Alright, then.

“Choco Fullbread.”

“Yes.”

“If you’re free, tag along. Since we’re meeting in real life, I might as well give you a detailed evaluation.”

“Understood!”