[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return – Chapter 88

After a few days, I returned to the Y So Games Dormitory, and the vibes were strangely familiar yet different.

What should I say… It felt like there was a bit more busyness in the air?

Considering that the Y So Games Dormitory used to give off a strange vibe, almost as lifeless as a dead space, it was quite a peculiar sight.

‘Is something going on?’

Of course, I had no way of knowing what it was, so I just passed through the corridor with a blank stare.

As I walked past the front desk, I was greeted by Coach Park Tae-Hyung, who was hanging around the lobby.

“Ah, you’re back?”

“Hello.”

“Yeah. Let’s head in. Director Choi is waiting.”

“Okay.”

It felt like it had been a while since I’d hung out at the Y So Games Practice Room, but it was my first time heading to the director’s office.

Knock knock—

“Director, it’s me.”

“Come in.”

Upon entering the director’s office, the first thing that hit me was the stale smell of cigarettes.

“Ugh…”

Having lived a life meticulously managed by my mother for years, I wasn’t really immune to the smell of smoke or any other body odor.

Maybe that’s why my expression automatically scrunched up when I faced Director Choi Tae-Dal.

“Hello…”

“Welcome.”

As soon as the light greetings finished, Director Choi got down to business.

“Have you thought about the contract?”

“Yes, I think the conditions you mentioned along with the new clauses aren’t bad.”

“Good thinking. Here’s the contract. Take a good look; it’s the same as what we agreed on before.”

I accepted the contract handed to me by Director Choi, quickly glanced at it, and stuffed it away.

“Seems like it.”

“…What about your signature?”

“I’ll review it at home later. If it’s the same clauses you mentioned, there shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

This part was something my mother had urged me to be strict about, making it essential to adhere to.

I mean, surely they wouldn’t play games with a contract of already agreed-upon terms, but you could never be too careful.

“…Haha, right. You do that.”

Director Choi’s demeanor seemed to show a hint of displeasure, but given that I was clearly the one in power right now, he didn’t show it outright.

‘Hmm.’

Just like I had simulated several times with my mother and younger sister.

I had mentioned that if things were going this way, it would have been better for my mother to come along, but then again, showing myself at this age wrapped in my parents’ apron strings seemed a bit…

‘…Nah, I already did that, didn’t I?’

I don’t know.

Let’s just wing it.

“Oh, I’ve held you up long enough. Coach Park Tae-Hyung.”

“Yes.”

Coach Park subtly shifted his gaze to me.

“So, I’m assuming we’re doing the contract. Since we don’t have much time, how about starting practice today?”

“Sounds good.”

“Well thought out. Let’s head straight to the practice room.”

Following Coach Park, we headed not to the second team practice room, but to the first team practice room.

“Are we going this way?”

“Yeah. You already know, right? You’ll be starting from round two when the roster changes. Of course, you need to start participating in first-team practice right now.”

Apart from the contract details, I understood why Coach Park was feeling rushed.

It had been quite some time since the Legends of League Championship Korea Spring Season had kicked off.

Currently, Y So Games had a record of 0 wins and 2 losses.

If that was all, it wouldn’t be so bad, but they hadn’t even managed to win a single set.

In other words, Y So Games was currently on a four-set losing streak.

‘Can I do this?’

My heart raced for a different reason than when I stepped into the second team practice room.

Even though my reason for returning to Y So Games was simply to confirm my team affiliation, the scrims with the first team held a completely different meaning compared to the ones with the second team and trainees.

‘The first team scrims are against actual competitors.’

I’d be teaming up with players who actively compete as pros and have to face those teams.

Of course, I’d teamed up with and faced off against them in solo rank countless times, but solo rank and scrims couldn’t possibly carry the same weight.

‘Internal scrims with trainees weren’t just a walk in the park either.’

Although I did record an absurd perfect record during the admission test, I certainly didn’t think the process was easy.

‘I almost lost quite a few times.’

I didn’t hard carry every single game from start to finish.

There were definitely some games where I underperformed, and during those times, my teammates had my back.

‘That’s what a team game is about.’

In the midst of those thoughts, Coach Park opened the door to the first team practice room.

As if they were waiting for me, several gazes simultaneously zeroed in on me as the door swung open.

Even so, the fact they all seemed too tense to chat confirmed the rumors about the recent atmosphere being serious were true.

“Everyone was waiting, huh? You all know each other’s faces, right? This is Outlaw, and Yujin.”

“Hello.”

I saw the faces of the Y So Games players.

Even though we had crossed paths before, seeing them up close like this was a first.

“Uh, uhm, ah…”

“Oh, hello.”

“…Hello.”

Well, as expected.

The reactions of these boys when they spotted me were pretty much the same, so I had grown used to it.

“I’m sure you’ve heard, but starting today, Outlaw will be joining the first team practice.”

At Coach Park’s announcement, the leader and oldest member of Y So Games, YSG ManGi, Kim Man-gi, casually asked a question.

“Is that a call-up?”

“It can be seen that way. Just to clarify, you’re called up purely based on skill, not due to any other factors. Have you heard about the admission test results from the others?”

“…Yeah.”

It felt a bit weird to say it myself, but the buzz about me had become a hot topic within Y So Games.

Things regarding looks or gender were absolutely secondary, but considering the account with the 100% win rate along with maintaining a perfect win rate in scrims during the admission tests, it was hard not to attract attention.

Naturally, that fact had reached the ears of the first team players, and some had even glanced at me from afar.

‘They probably thought I wouldn’t notice.’

But I pretended not to know.

If they even made eye contact, I’d feel myself turning beet red and lose sleep over it, worrying it’d affect my performance.

“Coach, I heard Outlaw’s position is jungler… Is that still the case?”

The question came from YSG’s jungler, YSG DieHard, Choi Woo-jin.

Well, since I’d participated in scrims as a jungler until now, it would be most sensitive for him.

“It is for now, but it might change depending on the situation. I understand what you’re worried about, but you don’t have to worry about being unfairly replaced. We’re going strictly by performance and skill.”

“…Yeah.”

Although Coach Park said that, for some reason, DieHard’s expression didn’t seem very cheerful.

Seeing that, I felt a strange vibe.

‘…As expected, it’s a secret, huh.’

Of course, it would be ridiculous to directly promise a starting spot to another player while saying they’ll stick to performances.

But I didn’t expect Coach Park to outright lie, claiming it would strictly be based on skill.

At the very least, I thought he would mumble or dodge the question.

Maybe that’s why Woo-jin’s look toward me was somewhere between fierce and wary.

‘He’s staring a bit too intensely.’

Woo-jin said in a drained voice.

“…I’ll get ready for practice.”

“Oh, sorry, but could you do individual practice today? Today, for Outlaw’s test, we’re gonna let Outlaw participate in scrims.”

At Coach Park’s words, I saw Woo-jin gritting his teeth.

“…Yeah. Understood.”

With that, Woo-jin headed back to his spot.

The next one I made eye contact with was the mid laner, YSG GoGoSing, Ko Jong-hwan.

“Wow, we’re meeting like this. I saw your replay, seriously… unreal. Nice to meet you.”

“Uh, um. Yeah, yeah.”

His sociability felt so different from the previous two, it caught me off guard.

‘Is this… being popular?’

While older pro gamers used to have a lot of this type, it was quite rare among recent trainees, so I found myself sweating when dealing with him.

“I heard from Min-soo. Ah, Min-soo is that Min-soo you know. We’re pretty close, you know? There’s something special about mid laners connecting? Ah, I’m rambling too much. Nice to meet you!”

“Ah, yes, nice to meet you too.”

“Come on, speak comfortably. You’re way older than me.”

That made me feel inexplicably defeated, but I decided to take it at face value and not overthink things.

Soon after, I greeted the ADC from YSG and the supporter in turn.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Same here.”

The ADC YSG JuWon, Kim Ju-won.


The supporter YSG YYYSSS, Park Chan-seong.

The bottom duo was pretty average compared to the very memorable first impressions of the mid laner.


In fact, they were so ordinary their presence almost faded away.

‘The problem is that’s likely the case during the actual in-game too…’

It seemed like the upcoming journey would not be an easy one.

‘Well, that’s not the immediate concern.’

Even after deciding to join Y So Games, I didn’t particularly feel any special sense of belonging.

According to the contract terms, I was always prepared to leave at any moment.

‘Let’s think rationally. If my heart is moved, I’ll stay; if not, then forget it.’

While I was sorting out those thoughts internally, Coach Park clapped his hands.

“Alright, let’s start practice right away. You know who we’re up against today, right? You’d better be nervous.”

On the schedule in Coach Park’s hands was a familiar team name.

SCV.

Together with SY, they’re considered among the top-tier teams in the Korean League, often dubbed the best league globally, finishing second in the last season and making it to the Red Cup semifinals.

And they would be my first scrim opponent.