[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return – Chapter 242

Hmm…

I have no idea how the schedule was arranged for our team to face the first-place team and the second-place team one after the other, but I didn’t have much of a complaint since we would eventually meet all the teams anyway.

“But what’s the deal with FFF?”

“I’m going to explain it now.”

Baek Seong-an began to explain about our opponent, FFF.

“So, what kind of team is FFF…”

According to Baek Seong-an, FFF is a team that earned its ranking in direct opposition to the methodical playstyle of BLH.

Wildness and ferocity. Super plays and throwing games.

If BLH can be described as a solid team in a good light and seen as a third-rate team in a bad light, then FFF is a team that plays boldly, far from stability.

Thus, some experts and fans even point to FFF as having a higher chance of promotion to the first league rather than BLH during the promotion matches.

While it’s true that BLH has the upper hand in their head-to-head record, FFF possesses a certain sharpness that only they have.

“So basically, they just throw the game around and somehow win by luck?”

“…If it were only that, they wouldn’t have made it to second place. I don’t think we’ll lose, but we can’t let our guard down.”

“Yay yay.”

“And about the picks that our opponent mainly uses…”

Baek Seong-an brought up a list of the picks that FFF players commonly use on the large monitor in the feedback room.

“Huh?”

“Oh…”

“Do they really use those picks in tournaments?”

“Yep.”

At the same time, different expressions appeared on my teammates’ faces. FFF’s picks were certainly something to behold.

Yune, Yasuon, Vayne… On top of that, it included wild picks like Irelia, Fiona, Zed, Elise, Nidalee, and Pyke.

It was almost surprising that they didn’t have the so-called ‘real’ picks like Timo or Master Yi.

“This is about it.”

We hadn’t scrimmed against FFF before, but last time was… how should I put it… so easy it was almost absurd, leaving no room to even ponder about FFF.

Anyway, that’s how it was.

“So, who’s our scrim opponent today?”

In response to Kim Jae-min’s question, Baek Seong-an chuckled lightly.

“I got a team that’s quite similar.”

That smile had a strange ominous feeling to it.

The scrim opponent Baek Seong-an picked was MAX. The traditional powerhouse team that had also made it to the Red Cup last year, and was reputed not to falter in lane matchups compared to SY or SCV.

It was a team with players like Woo-chan or King God Emperor, whom I had frequently faced.

“…That’s crossing the line.”

Kim Jae-min wore a fed-up expression.

Well, with the match just tomorrow, it was indeed a strange choice to scrim against a strong team like MAX, not to mention a first league team.

“I asked them to use the picks that FFF frequently uses. But we’ll have to accommodate their request later as well.”

“Sure, that’s not too hard a request.”

It wasn’t a difficult request at all. After all, we weren’t in a rivalry with MAX right now, so it’s normal to help each other out when we can.

“Is everyone okay with that?”

“Yep.”

And thus, the scrim officially began.

*

Usually, when preparing for a match, teams might set up scrims against relatively weaker teams to build confidence. However, our coach Baek Seong-an had no such plan, bringing in the strong team MAX, one of the Red Cup entrants last year, as our opponent.

A world-class team. They showed up as practice opponents just as we were gearing up for an important match.

“Wow… this is no joke.”

We did win the scrim 2:0, but if MAX hadn’t used Yasuon or Yune—picks they usually don’t use—then it wouldn’t have been so easy for us to maintain an advantage.

More importantly, despite winning by forcing picks onto our opponents, the process wasn’t smooth at all.

“Don’t let it get to you, Jae-min. You did well.”

“…No, I really played terribly.”

Despite Kim Ji-hoon’s valiant efforts, our bot lane was overwhelmed by the opposing bot lane throughout both games.

No matter how much the bot lane matchup relies on the supporter, the disparity between the ADCs was starkly evident.

In fact, King God Emperor from MAX had been a hot topic ever since he was recruited, drawing attention as a promising player.

It was only natural he would outshine the forever underperforming, top-rated Master Kim Jae-min.

In the end, our victory was certainly due to preventing too vast a gap in the bot lane.

So even though we lost, we fought reasonably well?

Adding a word of consolation, that about summed it up.

“I wasn’t that good either.”

At that moment, surprisingly, Kim Ji-hoon chimed in with some support.

Bot lanes are one, or something like that?

“No, I was worse.”

“That’s true.”

“……”

It was a bit confusing whether it was a consolation or blame-shifting, but either way, it was clear that this had lifted Kim Jae-min’s spirits.

“I’ll carry next time. Seriously.”

“Got it.”

And finally…

The day of the match arrived.

Maybe it was because I had been to the venue once before, but it felt oddly familiar… not at all.

“Wowwww!”

The deafening cheers.

Even though I had experienced it before, I couldn’t help but feel my hair stand on end.

‘…W-Why are there so many people?’

Last time, there was the symbolic opening ceremony, but this time, there didn’t seem to be anything special, yet the stands were packed just like the last time.

“What are you doing? Let’s go.”

“Oh, right.”

With my teammates urging me, I took a trembling step and headed towards the arena.

It was time for the second match.

*

“Alright, the day has finally come! OLZ vs FFF, FFF vs OLZ! It’s the big match everyone has been waiting for!”

“For OLZ, facing strong teams back-to-back might be a bit of a burden, but… looking at the players’ faces, it doesn’t seem like that’s the case, right?”

“Yeah! In fact, judging by the performance OLZ showed last time, shouldn’t you be the ones scared of us?”

“Exactly! The rumors about OLZ since the start of the season have been huge! They already showed bits of their true strength in the last game against BLH!”

“Will FFF manage to stop the unstoppable march of OLZ as the veteran team of Challengers Korea? Eyes will be on this showdown!”

The commentators’ voices were filled with excitement.

It was no wonder.

OLZ was already a hot topic. A match against FFF, the second-place team with performance nearly on par with the first-place team BLH from last season, was bound to draw attention.

– Who’s the genius that made this schedule? Facing teams 1 and 2 back-to-back?

– Seriously, the first and second place teams are in for a rough time.

– LOL, for real.

– You can tell OLZ is going to tear them apart in a 2-0.

– But you never know… FFF might get lucky sometimes… we’ll have to see.

– Does a team that got second place by luck look like they’re going to lose?

Most viewers predicted OLZ to win, but there were quite a few saying we had to watch anyway.

While BLH consistently showed a stable performance, FFF had a tendency to achieve results beyond their true abilities with that unique aggression of theirs.

Of course, they also had their share of tumbles because of it.

– Did I see that?

– When are they starting the ban/pick?

– Hurry up!

– Is it just me, or is this more nerve-wracking than the Red Cup finals? LOL.

– The Red Cup finals were totally boring, though.

“Alright, now we’ll begin the ban/pick phase!”

“Since both OLZ and FFF have brought out some interesting picks in the past, I’m sure this will be exciting!”

“Yes! That’s right!”

“Speaking of which, the first ban is…”

And after some time, the bans and picks were completed.

+

[OLZ / FFF]

Top: Jax / Fiona

Jungle: Talon / Elise

Mid: Galion / Yune

Bot: Aphelios / Kai’Sa

Support: Leona / Pyke

+

“Ban/pick phases are just so much fun, aren’t they? Both teams really brought it.”

“Absolutely! The top lane is going to be a real showdown, and FFF is rolling out Yune! I can’t wait to see what the God’s Yune performs today!”

“That’s right. While it seems the focus is on the top lane this game, champions like Yune and Yasuon have a tendency to take center stage, whether for better or worse.”

“And Pyke is in! FFF’s Nodio’s player usually uses Pyke, but I didn’t expect him to whip it out today. Going against Leona, it’s going to be a tough matchup, isn’t it?”

“You’re right! Especially considering Protean player… I must say, what a fitting name… but that’s not the main point. Given Protean’s past performances, I think he’ll have quite the show against Nodio’s Pyke… I can’t wait to see how Nodio performs.”

– How does a professional gamer have a nickname like Protean? LOL.

– Bro… I’m seriously dying…

– I feel like Nodio’s going to get wrecked right at the start if Protean hits first.

– For real, LOL.

“Instead of playing a match, are they going into sparring? What the heck? LOL.”

That match was that match… Aaaaaah!

With the commentators and viewers… fans and fans…

As they were watching, the first match between OLZ and FFF finally commenced.