NOVEL NEXT Chapter 75
[YSG TaeHyeong: This is Coach Park Tae-Hyung from Y So Games. If it’s alright, can we have a constructive chat about joining the team?]
My heart is racing.
I don’t know if it’s pounding or thumping, but it’s definitely doing something in my chest.
“Whew…”
Deep breath, deep breath.
Honestly, I felt like it was time to come here.
The very reason I accepted the friend request differently this time was because of that.
‘Ah, could there have been someone among the friend requests I received until now?’
That’s something I couldn’t know.
Well, who’s to blame but you guys for not putting your affiliation in your usernames?
‘To think someone like me could slip through the cracks.’
It’s a bit funny to be talking when my heart is still racing, but hey, at least it wasn’t me feeling regretful.
…Or was it?
[Me: What’s this about?]
[YSG TaeHyeong: First, could I ask if you currently have a contract with another team or if you plan to?]
[Me: No, I don’t.]
[YSG TaeHyeong: Oh, I see. Thank you.]
And…
A brief silence filled the air.
It felt like an eternity for me.
[YSG TaeHyeong: If it’s not rude to ask, do you have any experience as a pro or as a trainee? Or do you have another username you used?]
[Me: No, I don’t.]
I flinched slightly, but I moved ahead step by step as I had prepared in my head for a while.
If they insist on asking later about another account I had, I’ll just say I deleted it about a year ago, thinking it would be a problem if I was caught throwing shade while solo queuing.
By that time, they probably wouldn’t be able to find any account info anyway, and it’s a hundred, a thousand times better than being outed as a prisoner.
[YSG TaeHyeong: Thank you for your answer. Would you be interested in taking an entrance test for YSG?]
[YSG TaeHyeong: You may or may not know, but Y So Games is a first division team in the Legends of League Champions Korea. Although we regrettably didn’t make it to the Red Cup last year, we’re a distinguished team with considerable strength. We diligently search for rookie players every year and are looking for outstanding players like you, Outlaw.]
[YSG TaeHyeong: If you’re interested in joining us with talented teammates, a reliable coach and staff who are always considerate, please contact us… I’ll be waiting.]
The line below looked like a copy-paste job, but it didn’t leave a bad taste in my mouth.
At least they didn’t mess up my username.
[Me: Yes, I’ll think about it and get back to you.]
Honestly, I wanted to accept right away.
But it wouldn’t be wise to show too much eagerness, so pretending to think about it seems better for the future.
[YSG TaeHyeong: Great, I’ll be waiting for good news.]
That was the end of my conversation with the person who introduced himself as Coach Park Tae-Hyung from YSG.
It’s an utterly dry ending, yet there’s a strange sense of calm in it.
‘Well, my tier is only Dia 3 right now. It’s not quite the right timing for rookie competition yet.’
Of course, once my tier gets on track, I’ll naturally receive all sorts of offers, anyway.
Well… that’s that.
“Hehe, heh, heh…”
Now is the time to be happy.
“──!”
I let out a silent scream.
I was that happy.
To be honest, I had been a bit anxious all this time.
Can I really become a pro?
No, before that, can I even receive an offer?
I know it’s unnecessary anxiety, but still, the realm of being a pro is something I’ve never been in before.
It felt strange not to be anxious.
Above all, this opportunity made me reaffirm that I don’t have to be a prisoner.
I can be recognized as a professional even without being a prisoner.
‘Becoming a pro.’
As an outlaw, not as a prisoner.
I will become a pro.
“Phew…”
Calm down, calm down.
No matter how happy I am, I can’t lose my sanity. I need to assess the current situation with a cool head.
After taking several deep breaths, I felt my racing heart slowly calming down.
‘…By the way, they didn’t ask my age.’
When I was active as a prisoner, one of the first questions most pro teams would ask was about age.
Some might argue that it’s just a computer game, so why does it matter, but age is really significant for professional gamers.
Aside from external factors like aging curves, younger players learn faster and, most importantly, tend to be more obedient to the coaches and staff.
In a society and gaming teams like Korea that favor hierarchical relationships over horizontal ones, it’s crucial.
‘They say it’s hard to manage if they get too mature? Anyway…’
It’s a culture I’m not fond of.
But there’s nothing you can do about it.
‘The age issue is not just that.’
Experience keeps accumulating.
Data accumulated from victories during the long pro career can turn into experience, but it can also work in reverse.
Clearly, doing this should lead to a win.
Right? No, if I do it this way, I’ll win.
Did I make a mistake? No way.
Countless experiences can turn into poison alongside an aged body.
‘…Well, maybe not.’
I don’t have any pro experience.
So I could be misunderstanding things.
But at least I know how I’ve changed based on the countless solo rank results I’ve had.
“Did this synergy work? Why are we losing?”
“Is it because I suck?… No way. I must have messed up. If I do it exactly again, I’ll win.”
Some changes were beneficial experiences,
and some were detrimental.
As the number of matches increased, past victory data actually held me back, causing me to make mistakes in crucial decisions.
‘Well, it’s not an age issue for me, but…’
Actually, they could both be issues.
It felt like there were many mountains to cross, but I wasn’t worried.
‘A pro proves their worth through skill.’
I’m confident when it comes to the Legends of League.
‘So, let’s…’
I opened my search engine to find more about YSG.
The basic information I had was merely the tip of the iceberg, so I planned to dig deeper.
YSG (Y So Games).
Although the team name itself is a bizarre name that makes no sense, YSG is undeniably a first division team.
Having thought about debuting in the second division if things went sideways, this was a surprisingly quick opportunity.
‘If my memory serves me right, the existing YSG was a team with poor synergy, not just its performance.’
Like many bottom-tier teams, YSG had more than a couple of issues.
Individual problems were a factor, but above all, YSG’s biggest issue was the lack of overall team synergy.
In the Legends of League, there’s a saying.
– Even if the order is wrong, it’s better to follow.
This is one of the essential concepts in team gaming—if one or two team members don’t follow a given order, it’s worse than having no order at all.
Of course, it’s possible to lose because of a wrong order.
Actually, the chances of losing are pretty high.
But you still have to follow it.
If you don’t follow the order, any remaining chance of winning vanishes.
In reality, among some mid-tier teams like BOQ, even though the individual skills weren’t very high, they managed to reach the playoffs through unique teamwork, moving as if they were one body.
However, YSG was a team that was crumbling right from the basic level of teamwork.
‘Isn’t it a good thing for me, though?’
If the team that approached me was one like BOQ, no matter how exceptional I showed myself, there might be no place for me on the team.
The balance that had been maintained until now might just collapse.
But in a team like YSG, where trust among members is barely visible…
‘Oh, I shouldn’t be thinking like this.’
Even if I try to think and judge as objectively as possible, my happy brain wants to find good things about YSG.
‘Take it slow, find out more. It’s not too late to contact them later.’
…Or is it? What if I’m late? What if they already signed another player and say “See you next time”?
My head was a chaotic mess full of thoughts.
*
“I think I’m going to take the test.”
The living room sofa, immensely larger than at my old home.
There, sitting elegantly like a lady in a drama, or maybe it’s just real life, my mother looked up from her leisurely tea sipping, her mouth agape.