Chapter 47: Provocation

“Ni-kang, Ni-kang, is she finally caught?! Ni-kang!”

“Oh, Ni-kang has finally fallen! She fought bravely against Kayak’s Alec! But still, she lasted longer than expected!”

“It was impressive to see her struggling in the tower while her teammates were all down! Especially against Kayak, the master of Camila!”

“For a Platinum player who hasn’t been playing Abyss for long, it was the best performance she could have done. Kayak seemed to recognize that and gave her a thumbs up with a gesture of respect before taking over the tower.”

“The relationship between these two players is quite interesting. Surprisingly, Kayak, the opponent, was the one who taught Ni-kang how to play Camilla.”

“Ah, they had a master-apprentice relationship. It wasn’t exactly a case of the student surpassing the teacher… but Kayak raised a tiger cub, it seems.”

“Yes, when Kayak was teaching Ni-kang, he never imagined she would steal Camila from him.”

“That’s true. But what about Kayak’s Alec? This player, wasn’t he supposed to be someone who only knew how to play Camila?”

“There’s a lot of surprise in the chat. Kayak, who was known as the so-called ‘one-trick pony,’ has completely shaken off that image with this game.”

“Maybe he’s showing us that real skill is eternal? Kayak is handling Alec quite impressively. Though his playstyle is more reminiscent of Camila than Alec…”

“He’s not a paladin, but a berserker! Where can you find a paladin like that? Covered in blood, walking around in that state, it wouldn’t be strange if he got kicked out of the order!”

“Anyway, since Kayak’s Alec is performing better than expected, the strategy of stealing Camila from him seems to have been pointless.”

“Now the main base is also being pushed back. The momentum they had is now being lost to Kayak’s super play.”

“This is a crisis! How will Yuhye overcome this situation?”

“Streamer Yuhye, real name Woo Haegwang.”

“Unlike other gamers, he firmly believed that he was the best.”

“But what set Yuhye apart from other ordinary gamers was the fact that he possessed a real talent that others did not.”

“He could see something different in the same situation and adapt his gameplay accordingly.”

“Those who performed extraordinary actions in ways that ordinary people, the common folks, couldn’t, we called geniuses, and Yuhye had always lived under the belief that he was one.”

“And in reality, he was a genius. He confidently joined a prestigious club that most aspiring professionals only dreamed of, and he was even selected as a candidate player in the end.”

“But that was it. Yuhye couldn’t progress beyond that point.”

“In the pro scene, that level of talent was overflowing. Everyone there had dominated their local leagues, just like Yuhye had.”

“It was at the candidate player level where he started hitting a wall.”

“He became the club’s troublemaker, the benchwarmer, and the washed-up player from the previous generation, unable to let go of past glory.”

“Even those he had subtly looked down upon were now in higher positions than he was. It was a daily struggle that he could no longer bear.”

“In the end, what choice did he make?”

“He ran away. From a place full of true geniuses, away from being a fake genius like Yuhye.”

“Though it was described as running away, it was actually a rational choice.”

“Yuhye believed that the pro scene wasn’t the place where he would shine.”

“A step back to move two steps forward.”

“He decided that it would be better to be the head of a snake than the tail of a dragon. With that mindset, he became a professional streamer specializing in Abyss. At least here, he could be the protagonist.”

“Indeed, thanks to the success of the Abyss broadcasts, Yuhye gained a decent following and was able to establish himself as a well-known streamer.”

“He was a former pro player, skilled at playing Renok.”

“One of the labels given to Yuhye, and this reputation would only solidify more after this tournament. That was also the reason why he participated in a tournament that was somewhat below his skill level.”

Winning was a foregone conclusion.

Among all the participants in this tournament, no one had the skill to match Yu Hye.

After all, how easy was it to step into the world of professionals?

In that sense, he had at least dipped his toes in, and there was no way ordinary people could compete with him.

Anyway, Yu Hye’s viewership numbers would rise in an upward curve.

His broadcast presence would grow day by day.

Naturally, his income would follow.

Yes, a smooth road awaited him.

This tournament was merely the starting point.

It was like a signal flare, a way to announce Yu Hye’s grand entrance.

At least, that’s what it should have been, it was supposed to be.

But, something wasn’t going as planned.

“I got killed…! Alec is taking the tower!”

“Ah, Alec is too tough. Is this alright?”

“Respawn in 10, 9, 8, 7…….”

Why had things turned out this way?

The frantic briefings from his teammates.

Hearing the clear signs of an unfavorable situation, Yu Hye felt a slight dizziness.

The gears weren’t turning as they should.

Something was wrong.

What was the cause?

What was the variable?

Why had his predictions failed?

• Silongti has been slain!
• Camilla is weak (Alec) // Silongti (Randa)

“Ah, shit! Why is this guy here… Ah, sorry. I got killed. Alec is in our swamp area.”

A teammate who was respawning had been killed.

Hearing her curse-filled call, Yu Hye realized.

Yes, that was it.

That was the problem.

The enemy team’s carry role.

That user, Camilla is weak.

Maybe it’s Kayak or something like that.

It was that player who was taking out his teammates one after another.

Now defeat was becoming inevitable.

Yu Hye clenched his teeth slightly, out of view of the camera.

“f*ck, why is this noob acting like this?”

His anger was towards the opponent, someone not even a professional but still blocking him.

He also felt mild frustration at his teammates, who were falling without putting up any resistance.

But he couldn’t show those feelings.

What was Yu Hye’s broadcast motto?

A gentlemanly, mannered skill broadcast.

That was the image he was pushing outwardly.

He had kept his composure through the semifinals and practices.

If he showed any frustration now, all the effort he had put into building his image would collapse.

Moreover, most of his teammates were much bigger streamers than Yu Hye.

There was no point in creating unnecessary trouble.

“Okay. As long as we don’t lose, it’ll be fine.”

Yu Hye decided to give himself a bit more mental space.

The match with Kayak’s team was the finals.

Since it was a 5-game series, he could afford to lose a few rounds.

“I originally planned to win the championship without a loss from the semifinals…”

But that seemed impossible now.

The opponent wasn’t someone whose playstyle could be underestimated.

This round was simply unlucky.

The reasons for the loss could be summarized in two major points.

First, Kayak could handle not only Camilla but other heroes at a high level as well.

Second, his teammates were too vulnerable, getting taken down by Kayak without any resistance.

“I should tell them to just avoid him in the next round.”

He thought that if they all rushed at him together, they’d have a chance.

But he didn’t expect it to end up like this.

In a way, it was the team’s fault.

In a way, it was Yu Hye’s fault for overestimating his teammates.

From the next round, Yu Hye would personally mark Kayak.

If he could gain the upper hand in direct combat with Kayak, everything would be resolved.

“Mid lane! We’re losing mid!”

“Yu Hye, what do we do? What should we do?”

“Ah, damn! Alec keeps turning back to kill me! Someone cover me!”

“This round is a loss.”

There was no helping it.

The battlefield was already tilting toward defeat.

Rather than wasting energy, it was better to focus on maintaining morale.

“Everyone, don’t be too discouraged. Let’s prepare for the next game.”

Amidst his slightly dejected teammates, Yu Hye spoke with a cheerful tone to encourage them.

“And that’s how Round 1 goes to Team Kayak.”

“Wow, Kayak’s super play really stood out in this match, didn’t it?”

“His 3v1 maneuver at the tower was critical.

To take out two players and escape in a surrounded situation, only to then finish off the third—

It felt like watching a highlight reel.”

“I didn’t expect such moments in a tournament, but—

That’s what makes competitions fun, seeing plays like this emerge.”

“The MVP for this game naturally goes to Kayak.”

“Game 2. We’re seeing some differences in the picks and bans this time.”

“The biggest change is that Team Yu Hye has given up on Camilla.

It seems they’ve learned a lot from the last match.

They thought picking Camilla would shut down Kayak, but they’ve realized that’s not the case.”

“So instead, it feels like they’re saying, ‘Go ahead, take Camilla!’ and letting him have her.”

“Camilla gets pushed to a later pick.

Since Team Yu Hye won’t pick her anyway, they’re saving her for the final pick.”

“Wait… is that Lenok?

Is Team Kayak going for Lenok?

Ah, they immediately locked Lenok in as soon as the opposing picks ended!”

“We’re not sure who will use it yet, but this pick has symbolic meaning.

It feels like they’re stealing Yu Hye’s signature pick, Lenok.”

“It’s almost like the picks and bans have flipped from the last game.

Earlier, Team Kayak lost out on Camilla, but now Team Yu Hye has lost Lenok.

Yu Hye seems caught off guard; his face has stiffened slightly.

He needs to pull himself together!”

“Um… Team Kayak.

Aren’t they going to pick Camilla?

If they don’t, they won’t have an ADC.

Are they seriously going for a no-ADC comp?”

“Could we be seeing the legendary Bruiser, Bruiser, Bruiser, Bruiser, Bruiser comp?

Or perhaps they’ve decided not to use Camilla after all?”

“That might be the case.

You know what they say: once a herbivore tastes meat, they can’t go back.

Kayak, having tasted success with heroes other than Camilla, might not need her anymore!”

“And finally, the last pick is Cassia.

This will likely go to Hachoo.

So who gets Lenok?

I’ve heard Cheonhoon can play Lenok decently.”

“The swaps are happening.

Swapping, swapping again… and the swaps stop.

Lenok is… Lenok is in Kayak’s hands!”

“There’s a notable movement caught on Kayak’s hand cam.

Is that… a V sign?”

“It’s too early for a victory ceremony with just one round won.

This seems more like teabagging or a provocation.”

“If it’s a provocation, it’s likely aimed at Yu Hye, the leader of the opposing team.”

“That’s probably it.

It feels like a mix of provocation and revenge.”

“Revenge?”

“Didn’t Kayak lose his main pick, Camilla, in the last game?

Now Yu Hye has lost his signature Lenok.

It’s as if Kayak wants Yu Hye to experience that same feeling.”

“The chat is getting heated.

We ask for restraint in excessive criticism of the players.

Remember, this is an exhibition match.

As the organizer, I believe a little provocation or trash talk before the game starts can be entertaining.”

“From the picks and bans alone, this game feels intense.

Kayak locking in Lenok, followed by a bold provocation.

Yu Hye will need to stay mentally strong.”

“It’ll be interesting to see how Kayak performs with Lenok.

He’s undoubtedly the key player in this round as well.”

“And as we speak, preparations for Game 2 are complete.

Let’s dive into the in-game action!”