Chapter 7: explanation broadcast

The fan culture of the Korean E-Sports industry has some similarities to K-POP idol culture.

Things like bringing food trucks or sending protest trucks.

The importance of image as much as skill.

For these reasons, Jeon Woo-seung was called by the coach.

“Are you close with that friend, Jeon Jeon-seol?”

With the first question, Woo-seung realized why he had been called.

No, actually, even before hearing the first question.

What does “Legend” mean to Woo-seung?

Three years ago, they were deeply involved in a game called Magical Fight, enjoying it to the extreme.

They had never met in real life.

But it felt like they were closer than anyone else.

Is that really all?

“If that kid wasn’t here, the world would be so boring.”

Woo-seung doesn’t show much change in his expression.

Usually, it’s an expression that carries an unexplained sense of boredom.

But not now.

Right now, Woo-seung is smiling brightly.

It seems like he’s recalling a very happy memory.

“What is he talking about?”

That smile was enough to fluster the coach.

What kind of emotions would one feel to smile like that at a friend?

Could it be the reason he kept his distance from female fans?

All sorts of thoughts crossed the coach’s mind.

“That kid doesn’t use things like hacks.”

Woo-seung said firmly.

“He’s not the kind of person who needs them.”

Woo-seung continued speaking.

He didn’t even give the coach a chance to speak.

It was a rare, intense expression for Woo-seung.

“If I dodge skills well, will there be controversy? They’ll say I’m using hacks?”

“That, you’re absolutely certain he never used them?”

Originally, the coach had called Woo-seung to warn him.

To keep quiet about Jeon Jeon-seol.

Right now, the entire community was burning up.

The Jeon Jeon-seol hack controversy; if he’s innocent, he should come forward and explain.

It was obvious where this fire would spread.

Jeon Jeon-seol’s friend, who made him famous, was Victory’s personal stream.

The coach had an obligation to prepare for what was so obviously going to happen.

But.

“I don’t need to break things off with Woo-seung.”

Of course, the company that pays the salary is the boss, and the player is the subordinate—this is the way of the world, right?

No, not always.

Sometimes, the idol’s influence grows stronger than the agency’s.

Sometimes, the pro-gamer’s power outweighs that of the team.

A reversal of the hierarchy.

This happens when a person becomes a superstar.

The individual name of Victory has already far more value than the team name, Ascend.

It holds more power.

The coach was not in a position to say whatever he wanted.

“In the worst case, if Jeon Jeon-seol really did use hacks, I’d just have to think of it as trusting his friend too much…”

The coach, imagining the worst case, thought about how to deal with it later.

There was no other option.

Woo-seung’s expression clearly said he would never tolerate his friend being cut off.

“Don’t worry. He doesn’t need things like that.”

“I understand. If you say so, then I guess that’s how it is.”

The conversation between the coach and Woo-seung ended like that.

“Can your friend clarify the hack controversy?”

“Is Jeon Jeon-seol really a complete newbie?”

<<Administrator: This is a personal broadcast of Victory player. Please refrain from mentioning private individuals. Violating the chat rules may result in a permanent ban.>>

“Is this like a rookie promotion event?”

“What is this nonsense on our brother’s stream? Everyone leave!”

Despite warnings from the team’s front staff and chat moderators, the chat was burning with controversy.

Since the person involved in the controversy ignored all friend requests and disregarded the community’s reactions, everyone flocked to Victory’s broadcast, the only remaining connection point.

Everyone.

Everyone.

“Is there anyone here who’s a master tier? If so, please raise your hand.”

“Me, me, me, me!”

“Me, me, me, me!”

“Master tier means top 0.1%, and yet, we’re all here together, lol.”

“That’s why Victory was getting advice, turns out they’re all above master tier.”

“NO FA”

“Tier? Challenger? Something like that.”

Suddenly, Woo-seung started a custom game and began whispering to the users.

A few users who had lied about being master-tier were kicked out, and finally, the two master-tier players filled the spots.

“What is he trying to do?”

“???”

“Wait, I think I know what this is.”

“Don’t keep it to yourself, tell us quickly.”

“If you don’t know this, you might have a problem with your brain, right?”

“They’re trying to recreate the hack controversy scene, lol.”

“So, the champion in the controversy was a Barrier Master and a Spear Master, right?”

After starting the 1v2 custom game, Woo-seung picked Illusionist.

“Recreating the controversy, lol.”

“Are they testing to see if it works?”

“But the person in the controversy is Jeon Jeon-seol, why is Woo-seung doing this?”

“If he lands all the skills here, it’ll be hilarious, right?”

“Is Victory, the god of the team, your friend?”

It was clear that they were trying to recreate the controversial scene.

But why was Woo-seung, not the person involved in the controversy, the one recreating it?

The viewers watched, unable to resolve their curiosity.

“Please hit level 3 and come to the arena.”

Level 3.

With the Q, W, and E skills learned, it was the level at which they could recreate the controversial scene.

Both master-tier viewers were curious about what would happen and diligently hit level 3 before coming to the arena.

In the arena, the three champions gathered in the center of the map.

“Even after seeing it again, this combo is ruthless, lol. If one skill hits, they’re done.”

“Both of them are tanky, so it’s not easy to take them down.”

The Spear Master and Barrier Master.

To counter Jeon Jeon-seol’s Illusionist, Woo-seung and his team picked a dirty combo filled with debuffs and CC skills.

Illusionist was a low-health damage dealer, so if one CC skill hit, it would result in a combo that would leave it unable to move and ultimately die.

However, Jeon Jeon-seol managed to dodge every skill, and the CC combo failed, leading to his complete downfall.

Could Victory prove himself this time?

The tension and anticipation were rising in people’s hearts.

“You can discuss it in the chat, or just throw skills by instinct. If you hit me, I’ll give you a gift card.”

No sooner had the words ended than the Spear Master’s skill flew.

Woo-seung’s Illusionist dodged it easily.

He didn’t block or avoid it with a skill.

He simply walked to avoid it.

Walking.

Without paying any price, he dodged the enemy’s skill purely with his own skill.

“Wow.”

“Jeon Woo-seung! Jeon Woo-seung! Jeon Woo-seung!”

“This is the movement of a world champion.”

“Mom, I want to be like Victory when I grow up.”

“So why is Woo-seung the one doing this?”

“Now, he dodged once and they’re making such a fuss, lol.”

One angry friend was typing in the chat, but most of the people cheered for Woo-seung’s movement.

Those who had come to watch Woo-seung’s stream were mostly fans or even bigger supporters.

Woo-seung, as confident as ever, showcased skills beyond expectations and dodged all the skills.

“Wow.”

“LOL.”

“Will the hack accusers try to label our Victory with the hack controversy too?”

“So why is Victory doing the clarification broadcast and not Jeon Jeon-seol?”

The pinnacle of Teamfight Arena.

Victory was proving himself once again today.

“Alright, it’s been 3 minutes. I think that’s enough of a chance, so let’s bring in the next player.”

After missing more than 10 skills, Woo-seung brought in the next player.

The next team and the one after that all tried hard to strategize and sync their moves, but they couldn’t land a hit on Woo-seung’s Illusionist.

The one who reached the top of the world and claimed all the glory.

Victory was truly the pinnacle of Teamfight Arena.

“Is this a person or a machine?”

“Stop it, Jeon Woo-seung!”

“Team itself.”

“Victory, is he a god???”

“This was the tenth team, right? I think that’s enough clarification for now.”

To change the mood, Woo-seung accepted a few lower-tier players, but after asking for understanding, he only continued the matches with players above master tier, holding 7 rounds.

Victory had proven that what Jeon Jeon-seol did was not impossible.

It might have been impossible for Jeon Jeon-seol, but it seemed like something a person could do.

Victory wouldn’t ask for proof that he was human, would he?

“So why is Victory doing the clarification broadcast and not Jeon Jeon-seol?”

The same question kept coming up from the many people who had been shouting earlier.

Why is it Victory doing the clarification and not Jeon Jeon-seol?

“Ah! I got it! Jeon Jeon-seol is Victory’s alternate account!”

A viewer proudly wrote down their answer, thinking they had solved the puzzle.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the answer.

“During Victory’s broadcast, Jeon Jeon-seol whispered, so they must be the same person, right?”

“Use your brain, it’s not that hard.”

“Ugh.”

Then, Woo-seung finally gave the real answer.

A huge answer that no one had anticipated.

“Why am I clarifying this instead of Jeon Jeon-seol…”

Woo-seung, with a face that showed more joy than when he won a world championship, said:

“There’s only one person I’ve acknowledged as better than me at the game, and that’s Jeon Jeon-seol.”

He dropped the bombshell.

“I hope we get to play against each other in the pro scene soon.”

He seemed genuinely happy.

A note from the writer (author’s postscript):

The proxy clarification broadcast.