Chapter 160

Mental’s team is classified as a strong team.

The team name is Heavy Mental.

Streamer Mental had gained weight during his honeymoon period after getting married recently, which became a meme, and viewers say the team name undoubtedly derived from that meme.

Aptly changing “Heavy Metal” to “Heavy Mental” to reflect the team captain was just so perfectly fitting for Travel’s style—planting a heap of malice in everyone’s hearts who logged in.

Seo-jun truly thought there seemed to be something wrong with this site.

‘Everyone’s gathered.’

As Seo-jun looked at the game start interface and memorized the opposing team’s name, it happened.

Was it because of what he’d said earlier?

Seo-jun received an in-game League message.

[Wave: I was sorry about that time. And since I know Seo-jun-nim’s skill, I will do my best. Even if it’s a practice game. Today I will definitely draw out Seo-jun-nim’s full power.]

The sender of the message, which viewers couldn’t see, was Wave, the mid of the team they were about to face.

Seo-jun’s eyes narrowed.

What was he talking about when he said “that time”?

The old days? Or Ground Zero? The deer thing?

‘Definitely. That was a bit too much. Windstorm Sword-nim should apologize soon.’

He wasn’t sure, but Seo-jun just read it and ignored it. If it was important, they’d talk about it later.

Or during the game.

The word “full power” though.

While it wasn’t like Seo-jun had struggled to win in the last game, people often interpreted it not as Seo-jun going easy but as him giving up because he couldn’t do anything about it.

Not just community users, but even some of the commentators thought that way. Just like right now.

Perhaps Wave sending this message now was influenced by the commentary.

[It’s possible he didn’t know how to develop the game. Player Seo-jun is an A-tier newbie after all.]

[You mean a max-level newbie!]

That was Taeyang’s assessment. Navigator’s pointless addition.

[The League has something called strategy management. Ground Zero also has rules for managing games. However, Ground Zero involves fighting in realistic terrain and realistic environments. The game’s rules are based on the reality of shooting and hitting with guns. So even if it’s your first time, you might be able to get a feel for it… Come to think of it, no?]

[That’s right. If you think about it, if you had that kind of experience in reality…]

There was a brief silence.

-That’s what I’m saying!

-Double-o-seven!

-No wonder his first game was an assassination game lol

-Is it finally getting revealed!

‘That…’

Until just a while ago, weren’t they saying he was a pro player who changed his identity through plastic surgery?

This time it’s a secret intelligence agent.

Actually, this had always been happening.

“No, why don’t you believe me even when I tell you. I was a Sword God, I tell you.”

Seo-jun was explaining like this even now.

-LMAO

-Even if it’s a broadcast concept, you really seem to have mental problems LMAOOO

-Guys, the streamer is in bad condition, so we should at least keep reminding him he’s a normal college student lol

-Let’s at least keep our heads on straight!

What heads are they supposed to keep on straight?

[Right… Even if it’s not reality, FPS games are mostly similar anyway…]

[But he’s also a newbie at that? From what I know, the only game player Seo-jun has played is…]

[Yes, I understand. Anyway! The League is more complex, and the ace might not have known how to get advantages in the match, which is why team Wealth Gap lost.]

[Then what do you think about today’s match? The opposing ace is mid! It’s an ace vs ace lane matchup. The structure is completely different from last time!]

[It was hard to see originally anyway…]

Arin also joined in.

[…Especially in this LOS, you can only see ace vs ace laning in mid. If either team falls out in the group stage, this game might be the last ace vs ace matchup!]

The real meaning behind those words was,

-Lol if you lose here, you might not get revenge lmao

-Then you’d get a lifetime defeat achievement

-No chance for a comeback! Pride battle, let’s go!

-Show us some self-strengthening

‘Well, it’s just a possibility that could happen.’

Still.

It seemed like a good decision to play properly.

[Ban-pick is starting!]

* * *

He turned on Focus Mode and cut off the audio being sent to viewers.

“Goal is victory! Wealth Gap fighting!”

With Rumi’s bright and cheerful voice, ban-pick began.

With a coach decided, the only thing they could do in their remaining practice games was give their best effort.

There were no strategies to hide, nothing else.

Of course, Seo-jun had the strategy of going to other lanes, but today’s opponent was mid.

And depending on this ban-pick, even if Kael or Eric survived, Seo-jun planned to definitely win today through a new hero.

Zen seemed like a hero with high carry potential, at least in Seo-jun’s view, so it looked like he could definitely win at least once on his first try.

‘I’ll have to play somewhat well though.’

Seo-jun always considered problems that depended on himself to be the easiest things in the world.

This wasn’t related to Seo-jun’s skill level.

It was simply because external variables in any situation were too numerous, and the only thing he could control was himself.

It was probably similar to the reason some people say studying was the easiest thing.

Anyway, why was he using that kind of hero now?

‘If I don’t need to do it myself, I can just work the team members until we can win the championship.’

Then it would be victory.

Seo-jun looked to either side with satisfaction.

The team members unconsciously shuddered.

[Banned Hero – Agent of Radiance Kael]

“Huh? The enemy banned Kael right from the start.”

“Are we getting a triple ban on Seo-jun-nim?”

“Gasp!”

There were three ban cards.

Using all three to target one person wasn’t common, but if the opposing ace was good at exactly three heroes instead of four, this method was very effective.

However.

“Everyone, the number of heroes I’ve revealed isn’t even three.”

Two was enough for Seo-jun!

So a triple ban was ridiculous!

“Aha!”

“That’s right.”

“But Seo-jun-nim. Should we counter enemy Wave-nim a bit?”

Alpaca, who had been carefully watching the interface in front, asked.

“No. Focus more on other lanes.”

Alpaca followed Seo-jun’s words.

Next came the enemy’s second ban.

[Banned Hero – Eric the Escapee]

“They’re really going all-out with the targeting.”

A tone of wonder could be heard in Windstorm Sword’s voice.

“Their Wave-nim’s chat is probably going crazy, right? Saying he got scared. Hehe.”

Ha Yoon-ho was thinking about public opinion.

“A pride battle and they’re doing this! They’ve already lost from the start!”

Rumi clenched her fist.

Finally, Seo-jun wasn’t flustered.

He hadn’t expected them to come out like this, but it didn’t matter.

Ha Yoon-ho pursed his lips.

“Are they trying to reveal more of our hand?”

More precisely, it was Seo-jun’s hand.

But currently, Seo-jun’s hand was practically the same as Wealth Gap’s hand.

“That’s right. They probably think we’ll make it to the main tournament. They see us as a strong enough team that they need to properly check one hand.”

Seo-jun subtly encouraged his teammates.

“It seems like it!”

Only Ha Yoon-ho, who had been pursing his lips, got excited.

Anyway, ban-pick proceeded smoothly.

Wealth Gap’s ban cards were focused on jungle and top.

And now it was time for hero selection.

The order for selecting heroes was when each team’s players were numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Only the first pick team’s number 1 selected first, then it went to the opposing team, and from then on, each team selected two people in order before switching.

The order of each team member wasn’t important. They could pick a hero for a later teammate and swap before the game started.

Therefore.

“Huh? Enemy Wave-nim isn’t picking mid?”

“He’s going to decide after seeing Seo-jun-nim’s choice.”

“Wow… This is really going all-out.”

Last pick.

If you choose later than your opponent, you can naturally select a hero that’s advantageous against them and easier to counter.

Seo-jun’s turn came.

“I didn’t expect them to go this far, but whatever.”

What his opponent picked wouldn’t change what he was going to do today anyway.

“What difference would it make if they choose a hero with a good matchup?”

“Kyah, confidence!”

“The viewers should hear this.”

“As expected. But Seo-jun-nim. You said those kinds of comments are broadcast concepts. The audio isn’t being transmitted right now.”

Sharp.

No.

“We’re still broadcasting right now. That’s why I’m like this. My personality isn’t usually like this.”

Seo-jun chuckled while reaching forward to select the hero he’d already decided on.

[Sword God – Shadow Mage Zen]

* * *

-Wow no, did Wave prepare for this? LMAO

-Mid pride battle but this is what you have to do

-Didn’t he already lose in this situation?

-No. He just needs to win after doing this. And even if he ties, we viewers of the host should acknowledge Wave

-For real lol you need to prepare this much against the host and it still wouldn’t be enough!

-You guys aren’t in your right minds lol. Didn’t your streamer lose last game lol

-Newcomers get out

Seo-jun couldn’t see it. But that didn’t mean the chat had stopped or wasn’t actively flowing.

-Lmao if Wave chose last pick and a counter, isn’t that pathetic lol

-Pathetic gets thumbs down? This is a total hit

-Definitely not getting a single hit

The hero Seo-jun chose was an assassin-type character who used shadow magic.

The background setting was also assassin, and the in-game category was also classified as assassin, so you could say he was a purebred assassin.

In League, heroes with instant burst damage and excellent mobility were called assassins.

These heroes didn’t sustain damage and fight while taking reasonable hits, but instead waited for opportunities to exploit weak points in the enemy team.

Shadow Mage Zen.

A hero who could summon a shadow puppet body and control that body to fight instead.

And while the shadow was summoned, damage dealt by the caster would be proportional to additional damage after the shadow was reverse-summoned, and the positions of the shadow and caster could be swapped once.

-Didn’t expect him to pick Zen after Eric and Kael got banned

-Does this match what he said earlier? About doing the work of two people?

-LOL was that foreshadowing? But the host has always done more than two people’s work

-And now Wave is screwed

-Wave is picking Zen’s counter

-So what, just watch the stream archive, newcomers

-Yeah, we’re the ones who tease. We’re the ones who tease our streamer

-Anyway, the streamer lost recently, didn’t he?

-Let us do the teasing

One way or another, the game started.

-Someone said they heard there was fighting here and came

-You have to troll streams evenly while watching central broadcast to rack up views

-Don’t they catch newcomers here, mod?

-Yeah

-The guy who lost to Goblin, why is he acting up? The guy who lost to Goblin, why is he acting up? The guy who lost to Goblin, why is he acting up?

-But spam can get you banned, be careful

-Oops lol

Trolls flocked to Seo-jun’s stream, thinking they could have fun fighting there.

Whatever Wave had done from the start, the current fight was a pride battle between A-tiers.

It wasn’t the kind of fight that hobby viewers could resist watching.

If Seo-jun lost here, he would truly have his karma settled and become nothing but a clown.

What villain of the tournament.

But then.

“Ah ah. Come out quickly.”

Seo-jun, who had quickly adjusted his settings, spoke.

“Yes? Me?”

Wave, who had been standing in front of Seo-jun waiting for minions, pointed at himself and tilted his head.

-???

-Is he talking while looking at chat?

-Focus Mode is on right now

-What kind of personality is he trying to show????

It was bizarre behavior.

Everyone had question marks floating above their heads, wondering who exactly Seo-jun was talking to.

And then.

A different voice was heard on Seo-jun’s stream.

[You called for me, successor of future generations.]

“Yeah. So explain to me.”

“Yes?”

“Not you. Zen.”

“What?”

Wave was greatly flustered. What the hell?

“What are you doing?”

What Seo-jun had turned on was conversation mode.

Actually, it was a function that wasn’t properly used except in the very early game. It had no real use and interfered with progress.

But this conversation mode had one more purpose.

Of course, this was also a function only used in the very early game.

Of course, even so, nobody used it in actual games.

Moreover, it had never appeared in tournaments. Really. Not even once.

“Tutorial.”

And Seo-jun had achieved that difficult feat.

“…?”

Seo-jun had the same shameless face as usual.

There was no reason to be embarrassed about seeking knowledge.

-???

-Mister, even if it’s a scrim, everyone’s watching, please study in advance! LMAO

-Is he insane?

-Is he insane? <–This comes up every time LOL

-He does crazy stuff every time so that’s why LOL

-Is this real? Lmao

-What the newcomers wanted = Physical geniuses going all-out from before minions arrive, making your heart race with epic battles

-Reality = Crazy streamer’s hehe haha tutorial LMAO

-I won’t even declare I’m from the Demonic Cult today! I’m embarrassed!