Chapter 26: VLL final (8)

TEAM – Arts Majors
TOP: Mordekaiser
JG: Wukong
MID: Irelia
AD: Ashe
SUP: Alistar
VS
TEAM – Retired But Still Good at LOL
TOP: Gwen
JG: Nidalee
MID: Lucian
AD: Zigs
SUP: Leona

‘Irelia?’

Choi Eunseo felt a sense of bewilderment as she looked at the champion that appeared as the third pick on red.

Since Mordekaiser was the first pick, he was likely going top, and Wukong, the second pick, was jungle.

Considering the current meta, Irelia’s position was naturally determined to be mid.

It would make sense if she was picked to counter Lucian, who was likely chosen to fill the AD role.

‘Does Seo-ha know how to play Irel?’

After seeing Para on Hanbyeol’s stream, Choi Eunseo had watched every YouTube video and tournament match featuring Para.

But Irelia had never been played, not even once.

‘Irel? I’m not very confident with Irel, she’s a difficult champion.’

Para herself had said she wasn’t confident with the champion when asked in passing.

However.

[Para is insane!]

[Such a clean solo kill!]

The commentary coming from the speakers on either side was filled with endless praise for Para.

“Wow…I don’t know much about the game, but that was pretty cool.”

Even the bodyguard, Kim Minseo, who had always kept his distance from games, was overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the venue.

To that extent, the fifth set proceeded in a typical fashion.

‘It’s a favorable matchup, but.’

Irelia, as a later pick, had the advantage against a ranged champion, but the solo kill happened when the lane was pushed to the enemy turret.

After that, it was Para’s show of massacre.

The level 6 timing, and the fight near the herald.

Irelia, once on track, had enough power in skirmishes to dominate the game.

[The Arts Majors team, they picked a team fight composition, but they ended the game in the mid lane!]

[Of course, player Seong-ho also picked Lucian to fill the AD role, but maybe it was too high a difficulty pick for the fifth set.]

The kill score was 11 to 2 just over 20 minutes.

The Arts Majors team had unilaterally secured 3 dragon stacks.

“Since this is the fifth set, your friend will win if they win this one, right?”

“That’s right.”

“But can a game really be won with just one person doing well? From the commentary, it seems like the other four are a bit lacking.”

“Normally, it’s hard. It’s impressive that they even made it this far.”

“Is that so?”

Kim Minseo, already on his third bag of popcorn, asked with a puzzled look.

Choi Eunseo took a water bottle from beside her, took a sip, and replied.

“There’s no game with a bigger skill gap between pros and amateurs than LOL.”

“Then…how is your friend doing so well every game?”

“I’m curious about that too, how much skill are they hiding?”

Choi Eunseo looked up at the scoreboard for a moment, then turned to Kim Minseo and spoke briefly.

“That’s enough, let’s go.”

“Huh? Aren’t you going to watch until the end?”

“If we’ve seen this much, we’ve seen it all. I don’t think there’s any way to come back from that.”

Saying so, Choi Eunseo stood up and left the arena, with Kim Minseo hurriedly following behind.

****

“Should we take Baron and end it?”

“That works.”

“How is the game ending when top just farmed?”

“That’s top lane for you.”

With a 12,000 gold lead at 25 minutes, everyone seemed to think they had already won.

“Zigs used his ult, so let’s bait them at Baron.”

On my order, Pressure and Fpot turned on their lenses and cleared all vision around Baron.

With such a gold difference, giving up Baron would mean the end of the game.
Naturally, the opponents would have to come out to check the vision.

“They’re not coming?”

“Are they just giving it up?”

“They’re probably just looking for a steal angle, let’s find Nidalee and burst her down.”

If the opponents weren’t coming, we could just start hitting Baron to draw them out.

To do that, we needed to find the enemy jungler’s location.

“Top tri-bush!”

Fpot’s urgent shout was heard as he found Nidalee after circling the Baron pit.

And even before I heard those words, as soon as Nidalee appeared on the map, Yujin’s Ashe fired her ultimate.

[You have slain an enemy.]

With the enemy jungler dead, they had no power to stop us from taking Baron, and we secured it without any issues.

“It’s over.”

“We can just push top and end it.”

“Can Irelia bring the mid lane minions?”

“The bottom inhibitor is down, so let’s push that in slowly and then go in.”

The enemy team already had their bottom inhibitor destroyed, and their mid lane only had an inhibitor remaining, with no tier 3 turret.

After confirming that the enemy team was gathered in mid and bot to clear the lanes, my teammates, except for me, rushed top.

Just as I thought the game would end.

“Teleport behind us!”

“They’re going for a fight?”

“Irel, teleport to the minions!”

“I have my ult, I can tank!”

The enemy team started to teleport to a ward hidden near the tier 2 turret as a last-ditch effort.

They were probably trying to force a fight before we could back and buy items, but my teleport was also off cooldown.

[Finish]

****

As soon as the game ended and I took off my headset, the sound of cheers hit my ears.

As I stared blankly at the monitor.

“Seo-ha.”

The Shen cosplayer, still in costume, came up and tapped me on the shoulder.

“Go and lift the trophy. They said to hurry up because there’s no time.”

Following his words, I headed to the trophy in the center of the arena.

My teammates, who were already there, were embracing each other and enjoying the victory.

‘Would I be in there if I were a guy?’

Standing in front of the trophy with such thoughts.

“Seo-ha, are you crazy? You might actually debut in the LCK.”

“It’s a matter of preference between Count and Yujin, everyone has to admit that now.”

“Unlike someone who got carried by Para in the last game, who was the one who made insane plays with Alistar?”

Seeing my teammates so happy made me feel good too.

In my past life, I wouldn’t have cared about a tournament like this, but now that I’ve won, it felt like I had overcome a mountain.

“Alright, everyone, please stand in front of the trophy.”

The commentators, who had come down to the center, started the proceedings.

Following their instructions, the team members all took their places.

“Then, let’s announce it! The winning team of this VLL tournament is, Arts Majors!!”

With those words, fireworks exploded in front of us, and the sound of applause filled the arena.

“And now, we can’t miss the interview with the winning team.”

A staff member quickly approached and handed a microphone to the Shen cosplayer.

“But since we also have a fan meeting today, let’s hear a few quick words from everyone.”

“You were really cool today!”

“Are you really going to debut in the LCK?”

“Do you have any tips for playing Yone well?”

It was time for the fan meeting, the last event of the day.
Despite the late hour, many people had stayed to see our team and the opposing team.

After about an hour, when the end of the line was in sight.

“Hello!”

“Hello…huh?”

I wondered who it was, and it turned out to be the woman who had asked me to take a picture earlier in the day.

“I really enjoyed the match today! From the middle, I honestly just watched without cheering for anyone!”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“If you debut in the LCK, I’ll definitely come to watch!”

“Okay, it’s a promise.”

After signing for all the spectators, the fan meeting finally ended.

Looking around, unlike the opposing team who were pro players, most of my teammates were exhausted.

“Wow…pros do this several times a week?”

“But the league runs because of the fans.”

“Did we say we’re having a team dinner?”

“Of course. Hanbyeol noona is here too.”

It seemed like there was going to be a team dinner, but since it was late and my parents had come with me, I had already asked for their understanding in advance.

My teammates knew I was a student, so they said we could get together next time, expressing their disappointment as they let me go.

‘They said to come to the parking lot.’

Leaving the now quiet arena, I was reviewing today’s match in my head in front of the elevator when.

“Do you have a moment?”

The question from behind broke my concentration.

The fan meeting was over, so I wondered who it could be and turned around.

“I heard you’re interested in going pro.”

A neat suit, slicked-back hair, and a badge with a red logo on his chest.

It was an outfit I had seen countless times in my past life.

“I’m Kim Hanseong, the coach of the second division team, Ark.”

The business card he handed me had a name I was familiar with.

“If you could spare a moment, could we have a chat?”

“What is this about?”

“I’ll get straight to the point.”
In the second division, Ark was not a team with a lot of money, and at this point in time, it wasn’t the best option for me.
The past life was the past life, and this life is this life.
I put the business card into the pocket of my hoodie and asked indifferently.

“We would like you to join our team as our mid laner. We can offer you conditions comparable to the top of the second division, or even the lower end of the first division.”

The conditions he offered were beyond my expectations, far too excessive for an amateur rookie.