Something feels strange.
Why does this taste so good?
The flavor of the cheese melting in my mouth like silk.
A slightly salty yet clean aftertaste.
The chewy texture that stretches just right—there wasn’t a single aspect that wasn’t satisfying.
I knew my body had changed, and so had my food preferences, but I didn’t expect this.
I never realized cheese was such a high-class food.
Now that I think about it, the pasta I ate with Luche was also on the rich side—it just went unnoticed because I was distracted.
Could my preconceptions have been keeping me from so much happiness?
To realize this now—what a shame.
This experience made me reflect on myself anew.
“…You act like you weren’t going to eat this, yet here you are devouring it.”
“Wh-what?”
“Try it first. If it’s not enough, we can order another one. If there’s some left, just put it in the fridge and reheat it later.”
“Thank you…”
Embarrassment bubbled up, dampening my spirits, but my mouth kept working nonstop, savoring every bite of the pizza.
Each time the pristine white cheese touched my tongue, it brought a strange sense of satisfaction.
I didn’t even open any of the match videos while eating.
When you rest, you rest; when you work, you work. That’s the rule I’ve followed ever since my competitive days.
Besides, I had something to discuss.
“Teacher, there’s something I’ve been pondering lately.”
“Hmm? What’s on your mind? Speak up. If there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll assist you.”
“Well… during the tournament, I received help from a few people.”
I was talking about Soobin and Elderlyn, though Traveler was also involved—it was just that our arrangement with him was purely business. He needed his space now, and there were too many complications to contact him immediately.
What I was really thinking about was Elderlyn’s offer.
“To meet up if I perform well in the tournament—she did say it’s okay to decline, but… I think I’ve been lonely for far too long. I feel like I want to create new connections.”
Thanks to the earnings from that time, I’ve been able to focus on the current tournament. Without them, I’d probably have to dip into my emergency funds, as work hasn’t been steady lately, likely due to the ongoing tournament.
“In this game, you make enemies sometimes, and helping someone like me comes with risks.”
“You’re saying this person extended a friendly hand first?”
“Yes. And they want to meet in person outside of the game. So, I’m a bit worried.”
“What do you worry about exactly?”
“In the game I play, a lot of money moves around—money spent, money earned. Many people treat it as a career. That’s why I’ve always avoided revealing too much personal information. When money is involved, strange things can happen, right?”
Of course, it could just be paranoia.
Even if the territory battles in Invul are messy, it’s not like they’d escalate to actual crimes.
But I’ve grown weaker.
Any able-bodied person could physically overpower me now.
Fear I didn’t face during my competitive days has made me hypersensitive.
Still, the reason I want to unfold from my shell is—because loneliness has become unbearable.
The warmth I’ve experienced has poisoned my brain like a drug. I need people.
“It seems you’re uncertain because you don’t know them well. They could be dangerous.”
“…Yes.”
“I understand. Don’t feel too defeated. You showed courage—it’s a good step.”
Teacher gave my shoulder a light pat.
His hand felt much larger and sturdier than before.
Maybe I’m not completely off base.
If he’s saying this, I should muster more courage.
Once the game ends, I should arrange our meeting.
What could possibly go wrong?
“From what I heard, you haven’t set a date yet. When you meet, where do you think it will be?”
“Probably in Seoul. That was the agreed location.”
“Good, that’s close to me. Once you finalize things, send me the time and place.”
“That shouldn’t be an issue… but why?”
Is he planning to come along?
That might cause some trouble…
There’d be nothing for him to do when he comes… it’d feel like the student is taking advantage of the teacher.
But maybe I’m already doing that by asking for his help with the tournament anyway?
I’m a bit confused.
“If the timing’s not too inconvenient, I could bring a few students along for a dinner nearby. That way, it won’t interfere with the younger folks’ outings, and you’d feel more at ease, wouldn’t you?”
“Still… is that okay?”
“What’s not okay? I was planning to treat the kids to some meat soon anyway. It’s not hard for me to just adjust the time and place.”
Hearing his light-hearted tone brought tears to my eyes.
I hadn’t intended to cry, but when I gathered myself, my eyes were already moist.
It’s probably due to my weakened body.
So, it wasn’t my fault.
I pressed the tissue softly against my eyelids to hide my tears.
Fortunately, Teacher turned his head away.
*
After Teacher passed away, he continued to offer me guidance.
With his precious support, I gave it my all to do what I could at the moment.
Crow’s data was somewhat lacking, but that’s the same for anyone facing me.
From here on out, it’s territory I must explore on my own.
If anyone thinks my current abilities are all I have, I’ll make sure they end up like Muse.
That girl’s butt is currently trending in all sorts of memes overseas.
Apparently, she takes it coolly and enjoys the fun—it’s hard to deny her rock-solid confidence.
Anyway, the semifinals, which seemed like they’d never come, finally arrived.
The timing of tournaments is truly unpredictable.
When I anxiously waited, it wouldn’t budge, but as soon as I thought it was still far away, it pushed me forward relentlessly.
And where I was pushed to was a new battlefield.
[Infinity Arena Semi Final – Match 1]
[Battlefield: Bamboo Forest]
[vs Team CP Crow (Necromancer)]
The Bamboo Forest is a battlefield directly inspired by the bamboo groves of East Asia.
It lacks any special mechanics, but its bamboo shoots are notably sturdy, even against player attacks.
For someone wielding a long sword, their swing could get blocked halfway if the blade wavers, but it doesn’t apply to a dagger-focused mage like me or the wizard Crow.
The field of vision is clear, yet obstacles are plentiful.
Rather than using the main pathways, I moved between the bamboo shoots to scout my opponent’s position.
I invested a lot of effort into enhancing my detection abilities for this match since the lack of prior information required more situational awareness.
A faint trail of magic power swirled around the bamboo like a dark indigo mist.
‘The magic detection focuses on the upper areas. It’d be better to approach crouched. Well, aerial ambushes have been common in this arena anyway.’
I silently approached, careful to avoid the faint traces of magic.
On the way, I encountered some eerie undead—zombies stinking of decay and skeletons with weathered bones.
They weren’t immediate threats, but they’d be nuisances throughout this match.
After noting their positions, I moved on.
In this game, a Necromancer specializes in corporeal undead.
It’s the typical necromancer archetype people might imagine, except they don’t use ghostly undead like banshees or specters.
Once I reached the epicenter of the magic emanation, I saw a grotesque orb made of fused bones.
Crow was definitely inside that.
There wouldn’t be any benefit to prolonging the encounter, so I charged forward at full strength and slashed with my daggers.
My strike cleanly sliced through a portion of the orb.
Though I couldn’t destroy it entirely, I caught a brief glimpse of blood within.
[The deceased watch you.]
[All undead creatures handled by the Necromancer now intensely hate you.]
It’s dangerous to overestimate the impact of the first successful hit.
The bamboo forest floor is loose earth, perfect for setting hidden traps. I was well-aware that Crow’s favorite strategy in the previous rounds was to embed traps where they couldn’t easily be detected.
True to form, massive bones began to emerge from the ground.
Once revealed, the object looked like a giant-sized bone arm.
If I had overestimated my advantage, I’d have been grabbed by that or stabbed by its sharp ends. The smashed orb disintegrated, revealing Crow.
For professional gamers, their in-game avatars often serve as personal PR tools.
Distinctive avatars are easier to remember, allowing them to etch themselves into fans’ minds.
Even Muse’s revealing outfit can be seen in that light—though maybe it’s just her preference.
Anyway, Crow’s approach was relatively clear.
Clad in pitch-black robes, his nickname-inspired design was undeniably a crow-like mask.
The figure evoking a medieval plague doctor struck the ground with his staff.
Something moved quickly beneath the earth toward me.
For professional gamers, their in-game avatars are often part of their personal branding.
Distinctive avatars make it easier to create an image that sticks in fans’ minds.
Take Muse, the seductive dancer. Her revealing attire, likely driven by fandom preferences—or perhaps her own tastes—fits this paradigm.
Crow’s avatar, on the other hand, was fairly straightforward.
A figure in pitch-black robes with a nickname-inspired mask resembling a crow’s beak.
With a staff in hand, it gave the unmistakable impression of a medieval plague doctor.
The earth beneath me trembled as something surged my way.
