Chapter 63: Rainbow

It was a day like any other.

A day that, at first glance, seemed nothing special.

It was supposed to be just that…

[Defeat]

That day, a legend was born.

A legend different from the one Ryujin Hyuk had built as part of Rainbow.

[Prisoner]

Rank 1

Solo Rank

• Challenger
• 2000 LP / 271 Wins 172 Losses
• Win Rate: 61%

[Prisoner: Rainbow-nim]

[Prisoner: I have something to tell you]

That day remained unforgettable for Ryujin Hyuk in more ways than one.

[Prisoner: I… I think it will be difficult for me to continue playing from now on.]

Yes, truly.

[Me: Huh?]

[Prisoner: I had a great time. Haha.]

[Me: What do you mean…? Did something happen?]

[Prisoner: It’s for personal reasons.]

[Prisoner: Ah, I think I have to go now. Take care!]

That was the last message.

Not dramatic, not long—just a short farewell.

[User does not exist.]

And just like that, Prisoner disappeared.

Leaving behind an impossible legacy, a footprint in history that no one could surpass.

After Prisoner‘s sudden disappearance, Ryujin Hyuk sat in his chair for a long time, unable to grasp reality.

“Hyung? What are you doing?”

“Huh? Oh…”

“You’ve been zoning out for a while.”

“…It’s nothing.”

“By the way, do you know where Prisoner went? He suddenly disappeared from the rankings. You two were close, right?”

Ryujin Hyuk’s shoulders flinched involuntarily at the unexpected mention of that name from Yoo Sang Hyun.

“…I don’t know.”

“Really? You don’t know anything?”

“I said I don’t know!”

Ryujin Hyuk was usually calm and composed.

Hearing his raised voice, Yoo Sang Hyun, who had been playfully teasing him, suddenly looked uneasy.

“Oh… I’ll just go then. Sorry for bothering you, hyung.”

“…”

“…Sorry. I guess I’ve been on edge lately because I haven’t been sleeping well. But I really don’t know where Prisoner is.”

“Yeah. Get some rest.”

What’s wrong with me?

His emotions were all over the place.

And he knew exactly why.

It was because of Prisoner.

But why?

For Ryujin Hyuk—no, for Rainbow—Prisoner was an old friend.

Some might say he was just an online friend, someone whose face they had never even seen.

But to Ryujin Hyuk, Prisoner was a true friend.

And now, that friend was gone.

Ryujin Hyuk had a gut feeling about the reason.

‘…No, it can’t be.’

Prisoner might be dead.

Or, he might be in a life-threatening situation—perhaps unable to ever play again.

‘No.’

That’s not possible.

No… right?

‘It must not be.’

It had to be okay.

Time continued to pass, even as his unease grew.

And Prisoner never returned.

Not ever again.

[Defeat]

Maybe that was why, at some point, Ryujin Hyuk realized he could no longer focus on the game.

“Why are you so distracted today?”

“…I’ll try to focus.”

[Defeat]

[Defeat]

[Defeat]

Three straight days of scrim losses.

It was the first time this had happened since Rainbow joined SY.

He couldn’t play the game.

It felt like he wasn’t himself.

Maybe,

Though it was unlikely,

What if, just maybe…

“Was it because of me…? Did Prisoner leave because I wasn’t good enough? Because I couldn’t stop him from leaving?”

The thought was ridiculous, yet Ryujin Hyuk felt himself slowly being cornered by it.

Perhaps recognizing this, or maybe considering how Prisoner’s disappearance might affect him, the coach spoke.

“Jinhyuk, you don’t seem to be in good condition. Why don’t you take a few days off and rest at home?”

“But the season is almost over.”

“You won’t be able to perform like this anyway. Don’t worry, just take some time off.”

Ryujin Hyuk eventually agreed.

“Okay.”

Objectively, he knew he wasn’t in the right state to keep up with the team’s schedule.

‘…Pathetic.’

What world’s best mid-laner?

What role model for pro gamers?

He couldn’t even control himself over something like this.

Dragging his feet, Ryujin Hyuk returned home.

[SY Palace]

His home was in SY Palace, one of the most prestigious apartment complexes in the country.

A place where even money alone wasn’t enough to secure a residence.

For someone like Ryujin Hyuk, who came from nothing, the only reason he could live here was thanks to his contract with the organization.

Yet, no matter how luxurious the apartment was, there was no family waiting for him.

He had long since grown accustomed to living in team housing, but the loneliness of being home after so long gave him a strange feeling.

It was like being submerged in darkness.

Ryujin Hyuk’s routine at home was simple.

1. Buy a convenience store meal.
2. Eat it alone.

That day was just another one of countless meaningless days.

“Excuse me.”

“…Me?”

“Yes, you.”

Silver hair and reddish-brown eyes.

An exotic appearance so striking that it was impossible to look away.

“Here, drink this.”

“Huh?”

“You look dehydrated.”

The mysterious girl, with her unforgettable looks and aura, suddenly tossed a bottle of water to Ryujin Hyuk—then ran away.

As a successful pro gamer, he was no stranger to receiving gifts from fans.

But still, her words lingered.

What had she meant by giving him water?

Was she a fan?

Or just a kind resident of the building?

Or…

“Did I really look that bad?”

He didn’t know the answer.

But one thing was certain—after that encounter, Ryujin Hyuk found the courage to stand up again.

“Yeah… Let’s go back.”

Back to where he belonged.

Back to where he was meant to be.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been away.

After what felt like an unplanned vacation, Ryujin Hyuk finally returned to the team’s facility.

“Wow, he actually landed that play.”

“Arghhh!!!”

The team house was as noisy as ever.

Seeing this familiar scene again, Ryujin Hyuk smiled faintly.

Then, he made his way toward SY’s top laner, who was still furiously typing away at his keyboard.

“Damn, did you really just win that trade?”

“Holy crap!”

TheOne Choi Won, SY’s proud top laner, flinched at the sudden voice right next to him.

He hadn’t expected Ryujin Hyuk, who had abruptly taken a break, to be back so soon.

“When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

“Damn, look at your face. So refreshed. I’m jealous—I need a vacation too. I just wanna rest for a few days.”

If anyone had asked Ryujin Hyuk whether his break was actually relaxing, he would’ve said not at all.

And so, he responded with a bit of personal sentiment.

“Should I tell the coach?”

“Oh, look at you, trying to abuse your power. Forget it.”

“Then never mind.”

Choi Won and Ryujin Hyuk chuckled as they looked at each other.

Being the same age, Choi Won was one of the few people on the team with whom Ryujin Hyuk could truly be himself.

Of course, he was friendly with all his teammates, but there was a certain bond that only friends of the same age could share.

“Oh? Jinhyuk-hyung is back.”

As Ryujin Hyuk chatted with Choi Won, more and more teammates started noticing him.

“Oh, Jinhyuk, you’re back.”

“Yes.”

“The season is coming up soon, so make sure you’re ready. I believe in you.”

“Yes, coach.”

After what could be considered a rather noisy return-from-vacation ceremony, Ryujin Hyuk went to his seat and sat down.

Since he had barely played any games while he was home, in a way, it felt like it had been a long time.

“I saw that you didn’t play much solo queue either. Think you’ll be okay?”

At the coach’s question, Ryujin Hyuk gave a slight nod.

“Yes, I watched a lot of replays, so I should be fine.”

He didn’t specify whose replays he had been watching.

The coach didn’t press further, simply nodding in understanding before clapping his hands together.

“Alright, now that Jinhyuk is back, let’s all focus and work hard again. Let’s go! Hey, why aren’t you all repeating after me?”

“…Let’s go.”

“Ugh, you guys are so lifeless. Whatever, forget it.”

Just as the coach clicked his tongue and turned away—

“LET’S GO!”

A sudden, booming voice left the entire team stunned.

“…Huh?”

“Jinhyuk-hyung?”

“What’s up with him?”

It was none other than Ryujin Hyuk who had shouted.

Normally, he was reserved about things like this, so his teammates couldn’t hide their shock.

“What are you all doing? Say it with me.”

“A… Alright, let’s go.”

“Louder.”

“LET’S GO!”

“LET’S GO!”

For a moment, the team house was filled with the echoes of players and staff shouting in unison.

“There are no official team activities today, so focus on your individual practice.”

At the coach’s words, the players dispersed and returned to their seats.

“Jinhyuk-hyung.”

Just then, Yoo Sanghyun approached him.

Their relationship had become slightly awkward due to certain events before Ryujin Hyuk had taken his leave.

“Huh? What’s up?”

But Ryujin Hyuk acted as if nothing had happened.

Perhaps reassured by his response, Yoo Sanghyun quickly continued.

“It’s been a while. Want to play a five-man queue together?”

“Flex queue?”

“No, just a normal game for fun.”

If it wasn’t ranked, it meant they weren’t focused on winning but simply playing to enjoy themselves.

It was the kind of team-bonding activity Yoo Sanghyun always valued.

“Sure, why not.”

“I’ll send the invites.”

Even though the season was right around the corner, a little casual gaming together wouldn’t hurt.

[SY TheOne]

[SY YunGi]

[SY Rainbow]

[SY Longbow]

[SY GuineaPig]

For the first time in a long while, Team SY was complete.

It was a sight that would make any fan’s heart race.

Yet, their destination wasn’t some grand stage like Red Cup.

[SY TheOne: ᄀ]

The world’s strongest team—a title that fit them perfectly—was about to enter a normal game.