[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return – Chapter 324

Actually, these teammates aren’t super unfamiliar to me.

Given the nature of high-tier solo queue, the chances of seeing familiar faces are pretty high, especially since Rainbow, GuineaPig, and BlackDog are players I frequently played with.

The problem is the timing.

“Wait, didn’t Rainbow, GuineaPig, and BlackDog just leave the country?”

Are they using a VPN or something?

But usually, when players go overseas, don’t they practice on the local servers?

Questions upon questions kept piling up, but I had no answers.

Even though I was technically a part of the Legends of League pro scene, it was actually Getback and Baek Seong-an who took care of such news in our team.

“Well, I guess he wouldn’t know either.”

The viewers also expressed their curiosity about my question.

– “But isn’t SY SCV supposed to be out of the country?”

– “I think I saw a news article about that.”

– “But how are they playing on the Korean server?”

– “Maybe they’re using a VPN?”

– “Hmm.”

Looks like everyone thinks the same way; the viewers’ thoughts were right where mine had stopped.

“Now that I think about it… Is this the first time I’m meeting them after being promoted?”

I felt a strange sensation.

A long time ago, when Rainbow mentioned me, it was the first time I wanted to become a professional gamer.

But the wall of reality was high, and I was too weak in body and mind to overcome it.

But that’s not the case anymore.

I’ve changed and now proudly joined the first division, specifically LCKR.

“Did I say I would wait?”

I can’t recall exactly what I said.

Anyway, what’s certain is that I made it to this spot, and now professional gamers from the first division, including Rainbow, will have no choice but to acknowledge me.

I am no longer in their shadow.

Now, I am their equal competitor.

“Let’s do this.”

For some reason, I felt a bit fired up.

It was definitely just an ordinary solo queue game, but the members inside made me feel otherwise.

And…

In an instant, the bans were completed.

+

[Banned Champions]

Shaco / ⛝

⛝ / Arin

Nidalee / Beck Su

Xayah / ⛝

Ruler / Lee Sin

+

Our team was in blue.

So, we had first pick.

“Hmm, I’m the first pick.”

First-pick is a choice that not only junglers but all laners tend to avoid.

Of course, since our support is the fifth pick, suggesting a swap wouldn’t be a bad idea…

“But probably, that’s unnecessary.”

Our support is none other than GuineaPig, who knows how to utilize the advantages of a late pick.

[Selecting Champion]

As my pick arrived, a chat popped up in the lobby.

It was an unexpected comment.

[SY GuineaPig: Want to swap, first pick?]

– “Oh.”

– “GuineaPig is offering to swap? Wow.”

– “That’s what a supporter does.”

– “GuineaPig’s going full bus mode.”

– “For real, lol.”

– “Ah, lol, in solo queue, Outlaw is the god, haha.”

– “That’s true, haha.”

I appreciated the offer, but I didn’t feel a strong necessity for it.

First picks in the jungle definitely have their own advantages.

[OLZ Outlaw: Fine, fine.]

[SY GuineaPig: Okay!]

– “Wait, really?”

– “That confidence, wow.”

– “Shouldn’t you swap? First pick support is still better than jungle.”

– “He probably knows what to do.”

– “Seems like confidence.”

– “A jungler who’s aware enough to swap after being a Red Cup champion, wow.”

I checked the bans.

“Nidalee and Lee Sin, huh.”

A standard ban.

Especially since Lee Sin had been performing at a high level without showing any sign of dropping from the tier lists.

“If I had to pick from what’s available…”

I instinctively reached for Xin Zhao, then suddenly stopped.

In this situation, a pick like Xin Zhao would be pretty solid as a first pick and could support my teammates well, but it felt like something was lacking.

[Graves]

“This game, I’ll carry.

So, you guys better support me.”

It was a sort of privilege that comes with being the first pick.

– “Oh.”

– “Graves here?”

– “Whoa.”

– “Yes!”

– “No holding back, wow.”

– “Truly a manly man.”

– “This is how you first pick: hope edition.”

Then the opposing team’s first and second picks came up.

They seemed to hesitate for a moment before locking in their picks.

[Nautilus]

[Rakan]

– “Rakan, wow.”

– “Rakan’s been popping up surprisingly often these days; is he good?”

– “His ult is broken, haha.”

– “Isn’t Rakan good against Graves?”

– “Yeah, fairly reasonable, he can be strong.”

Rakan…

Statistically, Rakan is close to being a counter to Graves.

Of course, that’s just stats, and in reality, Graves can have his chances too…

“Rakan is a champion that makes it hard for Graves to assert his strengths in quick jungle paths and 1v1s.”

It makes sense that he falls behind statistically.

But, of course, that’s just the theory; the game is something you only know by playing.

[Leona]

[Kennen]

– “Seems like a swap.”

– “Late picks in mid are fundamental, haha.”

– “For real.”

– “If it’s Rainbow, you gotta give late picks, agree.”

Finally,

the opposing team’s third and fourth picks came up.

[Raze]

[Jason]

– “Raze, wow.”

– “But why the heck is Raze appearing? Is there something I don’t know?”

– “No idea.”

– “Only the pros might know, haha.”

– “Why is Raze in this game?”

It wasn’t surprising that the viewers reacted like this.

Raze has been an unfortunate champion for a long time.

Even in the distant past when he was an all-target champion, he boasted a high difficulty, and after multiple remakes, even when his performance was good, there were whispers that playing him came with a high MMR coefficient.

Because of this, he’s viewed as a troll pick in solo queue but can shine hard in tournaments.

“One thing for sure is that currently, Raze specializes more in solidifying advantageous games rather than reversing unfavorable ones.”

His line clearing is quick, and he’s adept at creating various variables through his ultimate.

However, in today’s meta, his range is too short, and with so many champions that exhibit powerful growth potential, it’s true that he’s struggling to shine.

“All things considered, it’s evident that it’s hard to utilize him.”

No matter who the opponent is, I was curious about what champion Rainbow would pull out against Raze.

Then,

it was finally time for our team’s fourth and fifth picks.

[Jinx]

The ADC pick was completed, and finally, the long-awaited fifth pick arrived.

Although it was GuineaPig picking the champion currently, the champion that came out was Rainbow’s mid champion.

– “Whoa.”

– “Rainbow’s Jui, wow.”

– “You can’t pass this up.”

– “Wow wow wow.”

– “Expecting big things!”

– “Wow, here comes Jui!”

– “Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow!”

Honestly, I wondered if it was over the top to react like that, but considering Rainbow’s popularity, it wasn’t surprising at all.

“What if my no-cam status is affecting this?”

In the midst of my strange thoughts…

The opposing team’s last pick passed.

[Samira]

Finally, the ban/pick phase was complete.

+

[Our Side / Opponent’s Side]

Top: Kennen / Jason

Jungle: Graves / Rakan

Mid: Jui / Raze

ADC: Jinx / Samira

Support: Leona / Nautilus

+

The composition was intriguing.

At least it was proper to say that the opposing team had the initiative with Rakan, but that doesn’t mean we had no means to counter-attack.

It felt like a typical poke composition against a dive composition, while the contrasting characteristics of Kennen and Jason added to a strangely well-balanced setup.

“It’s been a while.”

Playing against Rainbow.

If I were to get technical about whether it had been so long, I wouldn’t be sure, but in terms of feelings, it indeed felt like ages.

– “Welcome to Summoner’s Rift!”

After a long loading screen,

the game finally began.

[⨷] [⨷] [⨷]

[⬇] [⬇] [⬇]

[❔] [❔] [❔]

[❗] [❗] [❗]

As the game started, pings were firing everywhere.

Seeing the familiar chaos from previous dreadful games made tears well up in my eyes from nostalgia.

So, as we headed to the bottom for an invade…

『‘레레레레인’ gave 10 balloons as a gift.』

『”Cheer up, Rainbow! 1000 if you cheer for the Red Cup!”』

A hyena pounced.