“Ji-hoon, could you move a bit? You’re too far ahead on your own.”
“Oh, sure.”
“Let’s switch with Min-hyuk and do some ping-pong with Jong-wook. Jong-wook, please call out when the timing is right.”
“Okay.”
The one-on-one test that proceeded earlier has ended, and after a brief break, they are now conducting a team scrim.
Director Kim Kwang-chul was excitedly jotting something down in his notebook in real-time.
“Not only can he call out… but it’s not affecting his gameplay; in fact, he’s helping the team more.”
Has he had experience with these team matches?
Even if he is high tier, talking while playing a game is no easy feat.
Regardless, it’s a good thing. Director Kim noted in his notebook that he’s capable of calling out and has good team-play skills.
“My eyes were right again.”
Despite everyone’s objections and concerns, Director Kim Kwang-chul pushed forward with Mollu’s recruitment.
From the first time he saw her, he had a feeling she would show such impressive performance.
He nodded his head with a satisfied expression.
“Alright, we’ll stop here. Good job, Mollu. Well done, everyone.”
As the match wrapped up, the director clapped his hands, signaling the end of the test.
The players exhaled and rose from their seats.
The score was 3 to 2. It was a victory for the team that Mollu was part of.
They conducted a total of two matches. The first was arranged to somewhat balance the teams, while in the second match, they intentionally divided the teams in a way that slightly disadvantaged Mollu’s teammates.
“The first match ended too blandly, so that’s why we did it…”
The result was that Mollu’s team won both matches.
Looking at the details of the games, it is undeniable that Mollu contributed greatly to that victory.
A rosy future was drawn in Kim Kwang-chul’s mind.
With this player, it’s not impossible to return to the first division.
He thought that would be the case.
“We’ll prepare the contract quickly.”
“Please take good care of it.”
“Of course. It was a very beneficial time.”
Having shaken hands with Mollu, he was just sending her back.
Someone approached from behind and spoke to Director Kim Kwang-chul.
“I saw the match, Director Kim.”
“…Club owner?”
“Why is someone who usually doesn’t show his face here today…”
When Director Kim turned around to see the other person, his expression subtly hardened.
Club owner Park Kyung-tae. He was someone that Kim Kwang-chul found uncomfortable.
It wasn’t because he was the owner; it was his very nature.
“Was that person who just left taking our team’s recruitment test?”
“Yes, that is correct…”
“Ha ha! A jackpot has rolled into us!”
Park Kyung-tae laughed heartily. However, Kim Kwang-chul could not laugh.
Park Kyung-tae generally doesn’t pay much attention to the players who comprise the team.
If he’s showing interest in this manner, having delegated all authority to Director Kim Kwang-chul, it must mean that,
“If someone like that joins our team… it could be quite lucrative.”
He had caught the scent of money.
To him, often called a “money ghost” in society, Titan Underlock was just another venture among his businesses.
While he acknowledges and respects his qualities as a businessman… loving games and being a former pro-gamer were entirely opposite claims.
“I need to speak to the front office. Tell them to prepare the contract quickly.”
“…Did you watch the match?”
“No, I didn’t watch it. I just came up.”
This shows how drastically their mindsets differ.
Pro-gamers speak through their skills. If Park Kyung-tae truly cared for the team and the club, he should have asked about Mollu’s skills right after the test.
Instead of making assumptions based on a brief encounter.
“…Aren’t you curious about her abilities?”
“Ah, right. How is her skill?”
“She’s outstanding. She’s good enough to be a starter right away.”
“That’s a relief.”
Park Kyung-tae’s response seemed to indicate that he didn’t truly care about how good she actually was.
Whether a woman like Mollu has skills that don’t lag behind male players was not a significant concern to Park Kyung-tae.
“Even if her skills are lacking, she has to be used immediately, and she’s good? Ha. Once she debuts, she’ll surely attract fans.”
“…”
Kim Kwang-chul faintly heard the words that followed from Park Kyung-tae.
And players with a sizable fanbase… are profitable. Perhaps that was what he wanted to say.
“We absolutely must secure her.”
It’s obvious why Park Kyung-tae is so infatuated with Mollu.
The eSports scene is fundamentally male-dominated. While the number of female fans has been increasing recently, the balance still leans towards men.
That said, the female league isn’t watched by many, marking it as less exciting.
With Mollu appearing as an irregular in this situation?
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she’d absorb most of the eSports fans.
In fact, Kim Kwang-chul had no grounds to express dissatisfaction up until this point.
It was common for an owner to show favoritism towards a specific player without directing gameplay strategies.
However, Director Kim Kwang-chul felt a growing uneasiness in his chest.
“Since a similar thing happened last time.”
During the time when Titan Underlock stayed in the first division, there was a player who garnered a solid fanbase with decent skills and good fan service.
Even then, Park Kyung-tae, who usually had no interest in the players, somehow discovered this player and requested him to do advertising shoots.
Claiming it would be beneficial for both sides.
The problem was that he demanded external activities at a time when the team was struggling, insisting that practice was more crucial than external commitments.
“Perhaps that’s why the player left.”
The one who wanted to rise higher as a player ultimately departed from the team.
The player’s departure had to do with the team’s failures, but Director Kim Kwang-chul thought it might also have stemmed from Park Kyung-tae’s torment.
“This time, please…”
He could only hope that such a thing wouldn’t happen again.
Director Kim Kwang-chul merely wished for that.
“Will it be alright?”
In the returning car, I asked Si-young, who was beside me, for a nonchalant opinion.
I myself wasn’t quite certain if this was the right decision, so I hoped someone would provide a clear answer.
Si-young, concentrating on driving, finally spoke.
“The players and the director seem fine. As for the gaming aspect… Mollu will be better at it than I am.”
Si-young continued in a plain tone.
“But you never know. Anything could happen. There might be recruitment offers from other teams. Suddenly, being a pro might not look appealing. That could happen.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Normally, when you dive into something, your perspective tends to shift.”
Si-young had a habit of providing analytical insights rather than empathizing mindlessly.
Rather than empathizing, she would lay out various options through analysis and hand the decision-making power to me.
“You still have plenty of time, so think it through slowly.”
“I guess I should.”
When pro gamers sign contracts, they often commit for several years.
Those periods cannot be considered short, necessitating extra caution.
There’s no need to rush. Let’s take our time to think through it.
First, I will need to look at the contract that Titan Underlock presents and then make a decision.
*
“Who is this person?”
“Oh, this is-.”
Upon arriving at the location after receiving word that the contract was ready from Titan Underlock, I found someone I had never seen before sitting there.
“Apologies for the late introduction. I am Park Kyung-tae, the owner of Titan Underlock.”
The man, interrupting Director Kim, handed over his business card.
He really is the owner.
As I examined the card closely, I mused.
“Is it common for an owner to come for player recruitment?”
“I worked hard to ensure the contract conditions are as favorable as possible. The salary is an exceptional amount for a newcomer. Let’s first show you the contract, Director Kim.”
“…Yes.”
For a fleeting moment, Director Kim Kwang-chul, handing over the contract, seemed slightly dissatisfied for some reason.
I felt an unknown sense of unease as I looked over the contract.
Today, I visited the club alone without Si-young accompanying me. Although she had begged me to go with her, I felt sorry dragging someone who looked utterly tired around.
There was something Si-young had advised me. She said to read each clause of the contract carefully.
She even suggested that I delay signing until I read through everything, claiming the other side would be the one missing out.
As a newcomer to society, her concern had a significant effect.
“…What is this? ‘The player may be required to film advertisements and other video content at least once every quarter at the request of the owner or representative.'”
“Ha ha, it’s nothing. It’s about both parties mutually benefitting while promoting our team and you, and you’ll also receive appearance fees. We’re certainly not forcing it…”
“Hmm…”
Well, it doesn’t seem right.
If they truly weren’t going to impose it and considered the player’s opinions, they wouldn’t have laid it out so formally in the contract.
And especially not insisting on it quarterly. Which pro gamer films that many ads?
To be honest, money wasn’t something I particularly cared about; I had enough income from individual streams and didn’t have many expenses, allowing me to steadily save money.
I wanted to step into the pro scene out of pure interest…
But separate from my feelings, the owner continued to speak.
“I am confident that Ji-eun will become the face of our team. This could also potentially lead to entertainment industry opportunities, becoming a celebrity or an Instagram star. Apparently, that’s been trending lately.”
“I have no interest in that.”
“Hmm, I see. Your thoughts may change later on.”
Park Kyung-tae’s eyes had a look that showed he didn’t believe my words.
It was a look that suggested, ‘Girls your age say that,’ assuming I was lying.
No one is as serious about games as I am.
Given who the owner was, I could already envision my future if I signed with this club.
This doesn’t seem quite right. There’s no need to voluntarily walk into hardship.
I had sorted my thoughts in my head.
“I won’t be signing the contract. My thoughts have changed.”
I said confidently in front of the surprised gazes directed at me.
