NOVEL NEXT Chapter 63
It was just an ordinary day.
At a glance, nothing special about it.
Surely, that was the case…
[Defeat]
That day, a legend was born.
The legend Ryu Jin-hyuk created as Rainbow was of a different kind altogether.
+
[Prisoner]
Ranking 1st
Solo Rank
– Challenger
– 2000 LP / 271 Wins 172 Losses
– Win Rate 61%
+
[Prisoner: Rainbow-nim]
[Prisoner: I need to speak with you.]
For Ryu Jin-hyuk, that day was utterly unforgettable for various reasons.
[Prisoner: Um… I think it might be a bit hard for me to play games in the future.]
Yeah, seriously.
[Me: Huh?]
[Prisoner: It was a lot of fun while it lasted ㅎㅎ]
[Me: What’s… what’s going on?]
[Prisoner: It’s a personal matter.]
[Prisoner: Ah, I should get going now. Take care!]
That was the last time.
A short farewell, neither grand nor lengthy.
[This user does not exist.]
And so, the Prisoner vanished.
Leaving behind an impossible-to-surpass footprint etched into history.
“……”
After Prisoner suddenly disappeared, Ryu Jin-hyuk sat there, staring blankly, lost in reality.
“Hyung? What are you doing?”
“Oh, yeah?”
“You’ve been staring into space for a while.”
“…It’s nothing.”
“Do you know where Prisoner went? They suddenly disappeared from the rankings. You were close, right?”
Ryu Jin-hyuk flinched at Yoo Sang-hyun mentioning that name unexpectedly.
“…I don’t know.”
“Really, you don’t have a clue?”
“I said I don’t know!”
Ryu Jin-hyuk, usually gentle, raised his voice, causing Yoo Sang-hyun, who was often playful, to panic.
“Ah… I’ll just go now. Sorry for bothering you, hyung.”
“…Sorry. I guess I’ve been a bit sensitive lately from lack of sleep. I truly don’t know about Prisoner.”
“Alright. Get some rest.”
Why am I like this?
I can’t control my emotions.
I know the reason.
It’s Prisoner.
But, why?
“……”
For Ryu Jin-hyuk, no, Rainbow, Prisoner was an old friend.
Some might say they were merely an online friend whose face he didn’t even know, but at least Ryu Jin-hyuk genuinely considered Prisoner a friend.
And such a friend vanished.
And Ryu Jin-hyuk already had an inkling of the reason.
‘…It can’t be.’
Prisoner might be dead.
Or their life could be in danger.
To the point where they couldn’t play games again.
‘No.’
It can’t be.
No… right?
‘It can’t be.’
It has to be that way.
Time continued to flow, even amidst an unknown anxiety.
Prisoner never appeared again.
Yeah, never again.
[Defeat]
Maybe that’s why Ryu Jin-hyuk realized at some point that he couldn’t fully concentrate on the game.
“Why can’t I concentrate today?”
“…I’ll try to focus.”
.
.
.
[Defeat]
[Defeat]
[Defeat]
A total loss in scrims for three days straight.
It was the first time since Rainbow joined SY.
I just can’t play.
I feel like I’m not myself.
Maybe,
Though it shouldn’t be possible,
What if,
‘Because of me… because I was unable to stop Prisoner from leaving?’
Ryu Jin-hyuk started feeling pushed into a corner, to the point of having absurd thoughts like that.
Seeing this, or perhaps sensing that Prisoner’s disappearance might affect Ryu Jin-hyuk somehow, the coach spoke.
“Jin-hyuk, you don’t seem to be in great shape. How about taking a few days off and resting at home?”
“But the season’s almost here.”
“Nothing will work out at this rate. Don’t worry and go take some time off.”
Eventually, Ryu Jin-hyuk nodded in agreement.
“Okay.”
Objectively speaking, his state wasn’t fit to handle the team’s schedule in the slightest.
‘…Pathetic.’
What about being the best mid player in the world,
And what about being a role model for professional gamers?
Getting thrown off by such a trivial issue.
Ryu Jin-hyuk trudged home.
[SY Palace]
Ryu Jin-hyuk’s house was renowned as one of the highest-end apartments in the country, SY Palace.
A place you wouldn’t easily access even with money.
The fact that someone like Ryu Jin-hyuk could step foot there was purely due to the team’s generosity, or rather, the contract.
Naturally, no one at home welcomed Ryu Jin-hyuk, no matter how fancy the place was.
So used to dorm life, the sudden solitude filled him with a strange feeling.
Like he was engulfed in darkness.
Ryu Jin-hyuk’s life back home was simple.
1. Buy a meal from a convenience store.
2. Eat at home.
That day was just another one of those countless, lifeless days.
“Excuse me.”
“…Me?”
“Yes, you.”
Silver hair and reddish-brown eyes.
With uniquely exotic features, she exuded beauty and mystery that made it impossible to look away.
“Drink this.”
“Huh?”
“You look dehydrated.”
With an unforgettable look and vibe, she tossed a bottle of water towards Ryu Jin-hyuk and ran off.
Of course, since he was a successful professional gamer with a reputation, receiving gifts from fans wasn’t strange.
Nonetheless, he couldn’t figure out what she meant by giving him water.
Was she a fan?
Or just a kind resident of the area?
Or maybe…….
‘Did I look that pathetic?’
The answer remained unknown, but one thing was certain: Ryu Jin-hyuk found the courage to rise again after that day.
‘…Yeah, let’s go back.’
To where I once was.
To the place where I belong.
*
How long had he rested?
Ryu Jin-hyuk unintentionally finished his long vacation and headed back to the dorm.
“Ah, they’ve started that over there.”
“AAAH!!!”
The dorm was just as loud as ever.
In the familiar scene, Ryu Jin-hyuk wore a faint smile and approached SY’s proud top laner, who was still furiously tapping on the keyboard.
“Whoa, you’re having a duel over there?”
“Ah, you scared me!”
No one expected to hear Ryu Jin-hyuk’s voice right next to him just as TheOne Choi Won had been on break.
“When did you come back?”
“Just now.”
“Look at your face. I’m so jealous! I want a vacation too; I want to rest for a few days.”
If someone were to ask Ryu Jin-hyuk if he had been relaxing that much, he would have definitely said no.
In that regard, Ryu Jin-hyuk added some personal feelings.
“Tell the coach about that?”
“Oh ho, trying to use power, are we? No thanks.”
“Then forget it.”
Choi Won and Ryu Jin-hyuk exchanged playful laughter.
Choi Won, the same age as Ryu Jin-hyuk, was one of the few people on the team with whom he could candidly share his thoughts.
Of course, while there was camaraderie among all the teammates, a shared understanding existed only between friends of the same age.
“Oh? Jin-hyuk hyung is here.”
As Ryu Jin-hyuk chatted with Choi Won, one by one, the others on the team greeted him.
“Oh, Jin-hyuk is here.”
“Yes.”
“Alright, since the season is approaching, work hard. I believe you’ll do well.”
“Yes, Coach.”
After wrapping up the raucous welcome ceremony of his return, Ryu Jin-hyuk sat down at his spot.
Having hardly played games while he was home, it felt like ages since he had last sat down.
“Looks like you didn’t play much in solo queue. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
At the coach’s question, Ryu Jin-hyuk nodded lightly.
“Yes, I watched plenty of replays, so it should be fine.”
He didn’t specify whose replays they were.
The coach nodded knowingly and clapped his hands lightly.
“Alright, since Jin-hyuk is back, let’s all work hard again. Fighting! Eh? No one following along?”
“…Fighting.”
“Ugh, you useless bunch. Okay, okay.”
Just as the coach clicked his tongue and turned his head,
“Fighting!”
The sudden booming voice left the team members taken aback.
“…Huh?”
“Jin-hyuk hyung?”
“What’s with him?”
It was none other than Ryu Jin-hyuk’s voice.
As he took the initiative, usually passive in such situations, his teammates could hardly conceal their surprise.
“What are you waiting for? Join in.”
“Uh… Fighting.”
“Louder.”
“Fighting!”
“Fighting!”
For a while, the shouts of “fighting” echoed through the dorm, from the team and staff alike.
“Today, there are no specific schedules. For now, just practice individually.”
As the coach finished speaking, the players scattered to their respective spots.
“Jin-hyuk hyung.”
At that moment, Yoo Sang-hyun approached.
Their relationship felt slightly awkward, perhaps due to a series of events that had happened before Ryu Jin-hyuk’s vacation.
“Yeah? What’s up?”
However, Ryu Jin-hyuk greeted Yoo Sang-hyun as if nothing was wrong.
Having seemed relieved, Yoo Sang-hyun said eagerly.
“Wanna play a game of five-man queue?”
“Solo queue?”
“No, let’s just play casually.”
Playing a normal game, not even solo queue, meant prioritizing enjoyment over victory first.
It was a suggestion that reflected Yoo Sang-hyun’s emphasis on team bonding.
“Well, sure.”
“I’ll invite you.”
Despite the season being nearly upon them, enjoying this kind of camaraderie wouldn’t be bad.
[SY TheOne]
[SY YunGi]
[SY Rainbow]
[SY Longbow]
[SY GuineaPig]
It had been a long time since the complete SY team had gathered.
Though a magnificent sight to behold, they weren’t heading to a grand stage like the Red Cup.
[SY TheOne: Let’s go.]
The world’s strongest team.
The only team deserving of such a title was now heading to a normal game.