Chapter 5: “A dead game that became a masterpiece in another timeline.”

The experiment was successful. Among the many builds I had created in pursuit of possibilities, one of them—Zombie Camilla MK.1—fulfilled its role flawlessly.

It was a build that maximized Camilla’s innate survivability. I had to sacrifice some damage, but in return, I designed it to last longer through passive shields and lifesteal.

This build was something I meticulously crafted, even down to the items, after spending considerable time thinking it through.

It brought back memories. I used to pour so much effort into polishing builds and testing them in practice, but back then, it was only possible when the game was still new and had a player base.

Later, matchmaking became so difficult that continuing my research was out of the question.

“But that’s not the case now.”

In this timeline, where Abyss, our game, has become a masterpiece, such problems no longer exist.

I hurriedly pushed those past memories from my mind. While the process of refining a build is fun, the most exhilarating moment is when the fruits of your labour bear results.

Behold—right before my eyes, the result of my research was manifesting.

Squirming.

The enemy ADC carry, Miriam, was in a near-death state, waiting for the end.

Crying, raging, despairing… Even though she was crawling around like a worm, she kept showing her emotions, perhaps feeling unfair about how things turned out.

It’s understandable—her character was originally much better suited for this matchup, and this bizarre build I used must have been something she’d never seen before.

She must’ve been quite thrown off. That, too, is part of the joy of crafting builds.

Unfamiliar builds can be devastating. If caught off-guard, even a high-level player wouldn’t be able to respond effectively.

I couldn’t help but marvel at the result of my obsessive research and deep understanding of Camilla.

Miriam. The hero who was released during the three years I had stepped away—a hero currently shining as an OP dealer in the meta.

Known for her mobility, survivability, and firepower that melts diving bruisers, she’s a hero that a normal Camilla couldn’t take down one-on-one.

Yet here we are.

The one still standing on the battlefield was me.

It was Miriam lying on the ground.

“I can’t dance like this… I need a break.”

“You’re not in great shape yourself, huh…”

In truth, I wasn’t in great condition either.

Blood was flowing from various parts of my body, and I only had about 20% of my health remaining.

Even my teammates, thinking I was in danger, had spammed “fall back” pings during my engage.

Now, though, they were responding with wide-eyed amazement.

[Nixon (Home Security Guard 1): How did you take her down??]

[Haven (Dongwon Mineral Water): He was dancing alone, and his HP kept recovering or something?]

[Jerome (TK110): Whoa, that was a close one.]

A close one. That’s exactly right.

But the important thing is that I got the kill.

From the beginning, if Camilla wants to take down key enemy heroes, she has to endure this level of risk.

She’s a hero designed to constantly walk a tightrope.

In the end, I successfully balanced that tightrope, eliminated the intended target, and survived.

Good, I’m satisfied.

My adaptation to the new body was also progressing smoothly.

Though I still felt a slight awkwardness—like my fingers were shorter than usual when pressing the keyboard—that, too, would disappear after a few more matches.

I expected to fully adapt after a few more matches.

I thought to myself, “The build research and the rehab training are going well,” as I finished off Miriam, who had stopped sending any more emotional signals.

“It’s like getting hit by a truck. Seriously, guys.”

[Hmm… looking at the stats, it wasn’t that bad.]

[You’re being pathetic, Nicang.]

[Where did that bold declaration of smashing your way to the top go…]

[Is this the end for Nicang?]

[Even with all the praise, you’re only at Platinum rank.]

[Has the ‘talent frame’ finally cracked?]

“Wow, they’re really harsh over one loss,” Nicang muttered discontentedly, but it didn’t matter.

Her past arrogance and accumulated karma weren’t going to let her off the hook easily.

The current situation was also a product of the friendly, casual image she had intentionally cultivated.

Unlike other female streamers, Nicang’s broadcasts involved a lot of playful banter, where they teased and poked fun at each other—a way to set herself apart.

But at times like these, it was annoying how viewers latched onto every little thing.

Nicang herself had a hard time letting things go, so when she saw the chat mentioning her inevitable descent to Platinum, she yelled out.

“If you guys were up against that Camilla, you’d have lost too! That person’s insanely good!”

[Hmm… is that really the case?]

[What’s Camilla anyway? LOL, never even seen her in Abyss.]

[Wow! You know Camilla? She’s the 33rd hero released in Abyss-]

[You lost to a dancing, gun-toting character, and you’re still talking?]

[LOL, she just started dancing mid-fight.]

[If you hadn’t panicked and just fought her head-on, you would’ve won, seriously.]

[It’s understandable to be thrown off, especially if it’s your first time encountering her.]

The Platinum tier, where Nicang was currently stationed, wasn’t actually that low.

Only hardcore viewers would downplay it, but even Platinum 4 falls in the top 25% of players.

Like most ranking structures, the lower you go, the more players there are.

Chances were, the majority of backseat gamers criticizing her were ranked lower than Nicang.

“If you’re going to give advice, at least write your rank next to your comment. You’re probably all Bronze, Silver, or Gold anyway.”

[Dia 4) If you lose a duel to Camilla, you shouldn’t be playing ADC carry.]

[Plat 2) My dog plays Abyss better than you.]

[Master 1) You could’ve dodged her W with side-stepping and countered her Q with E. One auto and you would’ve won easily.]

[Why does everyone seem to be ranked higher than Nicang? LOL]

[Strangely, there are no Bronze or Silver players in this chat…]

“Ugh.”

Nicang, unable to contain her frustration, was about to turn off her webcam as a small, petty form of revenge against the viewers when a donation came in, diverting everyone’s attention.

<From NicangNacang: 1000 won donation!>

-That Camilla player was a Challenger until Season 5 LOL, it makes sense you lost.

“Challenger? They were a Challenger?”

Nicang couldn’t hide her shock.

Challenger—a rank reserved for the best of the best.

What on earth was a player of that caliber doing here?

Nicang couldn’t resist her curiosity and quickly searched for the username of the player she had just faced on a stats tracking site.

“Oh, they really were a Challenger… but why are they unranked now?”

There was something strange about the player’s history. From Season 1, which seemed to be right after the game’s release, until Season 5, three years ago, they had been a consistent Challenger.

But after that, there were no game records at all. It looked like they had only recently returned to the game, with fresh matches starting just a few days ago.

The viewers, intrigued by this mysterious top-tier player, began spamming the chat.

[Maybe they just finished their military service?]

[Who spends three years in the military?]

[That was right when people were saying the game was dying, so maybe they just quit.]

[Wow, this person’s an old-school pro.]

[You lost to a hardcore Challenger, so it’s understandable.]

[It’s actually impressive you held your ground against them.]

[A hidden master who disappeared for three years ᄃᄃ]

[Challenger with Camilla as their main LOL, it’s Kayak, right?]

[Kayak’s still alive?]

[Still holding onto that sense of romance, Kayak…]

[Even though the romantic era is over, he still carries that vibe…]

[Ugh, one-trick freak, please just disappear.]

“Kayak? Who’s Kayak? Is this person Kayak?”

The name “Kayak” kept popping up in the chat, as if referring to someone, and Nicang was about to ask the viewers more about it.

“Ah.”

Suddenly, there was a loud “thud” sound as her queue popped, and both Nicang and her viewers turned their attention back to the game.

“Should I play ADC carry again?”

Nicang carefully checked her team’s composition and hovered over Miriam’s face, just like in the last match.

The chat exploded with activity.

[Isn’t that the same Camilla from last game?]

[It’s Camilla, LOL!]

[Kayak’s back, LOL.]

[Why is a Challenger playing in Platinum?]

[They’re probably still in placement matches.]

“Oh.”

Nicang couldn’t help but let out a small gasp of admiration.

On her team’s portraits, a beautiful female character appeared in a pose that looked as if she was dancing, before quickly shifting into a ready stance.

It was a familiar face and username. Instant pick, too—a sign of supreme confidence in their skills.

“Hmm… maybe I’ll just quietly hitch a ride on this bus…”

Nicang, being both a streamer who knew how to set up content and a gamer with a hunger for rank, felt a grin spread across her face.

This match seemed like it was going to be a comfortable ride.

[There she goes again, catching the bus.]

[Challenger bus, so sweet~]

[Nicang/Controversy/Boosting in Ranked Games.]

“Hey, you still need to pull your weight to catch a bus. You all know that.”

With that, she continued chatting with her viewers as the game began.

Perhaps because they had a Challenger-level player on their team, Nicang was more relaxed than usual, lowering her guard as she played.

“Huh…?”

Contrary to her expectations, they somehow lost, just like that.

[CamillaIsWeak (Camilla): Ah, sorry guys, I didn’t play that well ᄌᄉ;]

Unlike the fierce performance in the previous match, this time, the Camilla was surprisingly underwhelming.