Chapter 7

The fan culture of the Korean esports industry has a peculiar resemblance to K-POP idol culture.

Like providing meal cars or sending fans with promotional trucks.

Or the importance of image being just as crucial as skill.

For this reason, Jeon Wooseung (Victory) was called in by the supervisor.

“Are you very close with Sol (전전설)?”

At the first words, Wooseung understood why he was called in.

Or rather, even before hearing the first words.

What was ‘legend’ to Wooseung?

Three years ago, they had indulged in Magical Fight, a game they explored together, to its limits.

They had never met in real life,

but felt closer than anyone else.

Just that much?

“That kid not being around would make the world far too boring.”

Wooseung rarely showed any change in expression.

Mostly, his face conveyed a faint sense of weariness.

Not now.

Now, Victory’s face was lit up with a bright smile,

as if reminiscing about a very happy memory.

‘What in the world?’

This smile left the supervisor utterly stunned.

What kind of feelings could one harbor towards a friend to smile like this?

Could it really be those rumors about a steel wall against female fans…

Various thoughts raced through the supervisor’s mind.

“That kid doesn’t use cheats.”

Victory responded firmly.

“Because it’s someone who doesn’t need them.”

Victory continued speaking relentlessly,

not allowing the supervisor to interject.

It was incredibly rare for Victory to express such passion.

“If I skillfully dodge your skills, would that spark controversy? Like, ‘Isn’t he using cheats?'”

“Absolutely not,” the supervisor responded, still bewildered.

Initially, the supervisor had summoned Victory to issue a warning.

Keep quiet about Sol.

Currently, the entire community was in an uproar.

Controversy centered around Sol potentially using hacks — an unjust accusation unless proven otherwise.

The ripple effects were predictable.

Sol’s friend, Victory’s personal streaming, which was where they’d first gained fame.

The supervisor anticipated the impending chaos and believed it was his duty to prepare for it.

However,

“Victory doesn’t need to quarrel with anybody.”

It seems natural that the company paying the wages is the ‘A’ (superior) and the player is the ‘B’ (subordinate), right?

No, that’s not always true.

Sometimes,

the idol becomes more powerful than the management.

Sometimes,

the pro gamer becomes more influential than the team.

The reversal of ‘A’ and ‘B’ roles.

It happens when someone becomes a true superstar.

Already, Victory’s name holds far more value than the team’s.

There is more power at play.

This is not a situation where the supervisor can just say anything he wants.

‘In the worst case, even if Sol was using hacks, Victory seems too trusting of his friend…’

Reluctantly, the supervisor had to consider the worst-case scenario and plan accordingly. He really had no choice.

Victory’s expression was clear—it would absolutely not tolerate any notion of cutting ties with his friend.

“You don’t need to worry. That person doesn’t need such things.”

“I… understand. If you say such things, then it must be so.”

With that, the conversation between the supervisor and Victory concluded.

[Hey, can your friend clear the cheat accusation?]

[Is Sol really a noob?]

<[Moderator: This is Victory's personal broadcast. Please refrain from mentioning other users. Violators of chat rules may be permanently banned.]>

[Is this a rookie promotion event?]

[What are you doing, Oppa? Everyone, leave!]

Despite warnings from the team’s front office and chat moderators, the chat box blazed with unrelenting comments.

Since the person at the heart of the controversy was ignoring all friend requests and community responses, people flocked to Victory’s stream — the only connection they had to the situation.

“Do we have any Master-tier players here? If so, can you raise your hand?”

<nanananana>

[Um, it’s me, Oppa! (jangling)]

[Me! Me!]

[Master is like the top 0.1%, so it seems like this place is packed with Masters lol]

[That explains why everyone was critiquing Victory’s gameplay]

<lg ㅋㅋ>

[Tier? Challenger-level, I think?]

Suddenly, Victory started entering custom games and sending whispers to users.

Some users who falsely claimed to be Masters were kicked out, and finally, two Master-tier players joined the game.

[What’s he planning?]



[I kinda think I know what this is]

[Tell us already]

[If you don’t know, there’s something wrong with your head?]

[He’s recreating the cheat controversy, lol]

“So then, the champions in the controversy were Boundary Warrior and Staff Sorcerer, right?”

1:2 — After starting the custom game, Victory picks Illusionist.

[Controversy recreation ㄷㄷ]

[Are they testing if it’s possible or not?]

[Why is Oppa doing this instead of Sol?]

[Won’t it be hilarious if all the skills hit?]

[Is this Teama’s god Victory your friend?]

The audience understood he was about to recreate the controversial scene, but why was Victory doing it instead of the one at the center of the controversy?

The audience watched on, their curiosity unfulfilled.

“Please reach Level 3 and meet me in Arena.”

Level 3.

The level at which you learn three skills: Q, W, E — the minimum required to recreate the controversy.

The two Master-tier viewers were curious about what was to come, so they diligently reached Level 3.

The Arena, in the middle of the map’s battlefield, saw three champions converge.

[Even looking at the combination of skills again, it’s brutal lol. One missed skill and you’re finished]

[Besides, both are tough, so they’re not easy to kill]

The spear warrior and boundary warrior. The duo chosen by Victory and his teammates to counter Sol’s Illusionist — a dirty combo filled with crowd control (CC) skills that immobilize enemies.

Illusionist is a very low health damage-dealing character, so a single CC skill would lead to them being easily overwhelmed by chain CCs and killed.

But despite all that, Sol had evaded all the skills during the controversy and was crushed in a spectacle.

Could Victory truly prove himself?

A sense of tension and anticipation brewed within the spectators’ hearts.

“You can discuss tactics in chat, or just wing it. Hit me and I’ll give you a gift card.”

As soon as Victory finished speaking, the spear warrior’s skill came flying.

Victory’s Illusionist casually dodged.

Not by blocking with a skill or evading through abilities,

but by simply walking.

Walking.

In effect, Victory avoided an enemy skill without paying any costs — purely through skill.

[Whoa]

[World Champion! World Champion! World Champion!]

[This is the movement of a World Champion]

[Mama, when I grow up, I want to be like Victory]

[But why is Oppa doing this?]

Even with one dodge, most fans in Victory’s stream cheered, despite some still expressing frustration in the chat.

Displaying confidence beyond his own boasting, Victory evaded every skill.

[Wow]

[Amazing]

[Nerds, are you claiming my Tori used cheats too?]

[Why isn’t Sol doing this explanation stream, but Victory?]

At the pinnacle of Teamfight Arena, Victory proved himself yet again.

“After three minutes, it seems we have given you enough chances. Let us invite the next group.”

After more than ten failed attempts, Victory invited the next participants. The next team, and even the one after that, tried their best to strategize, yet their skills never hit Victory’s Illusionist.

The one who stood at the top of the world and acquired all the glory.

Victory was the very pinnacle of Teamfight Arena.

[Is this a person or a machine?]

[Stop being so good, World Champion!]

[TeamA, incarnate]

[Is Victory even human?]

“This was the tenth team, right? This should be enough for an explanation, I think.”

Even players below the Master tier were given a few attempts to liven the mood, but Victory primarily invited players of Master tier or higher, apologizing beforehand. Seven matches in total.

Victory verified that what Sol had done was not impossible.

Whether Sol could do it or not, it seemed like a plausible human feat.

No one would dare request that Victory confirm if he was human too, right?

[Why isn’t Sol, but Victory doing the explanation stream?]

The same question many people had been clamoring about since earlier.

Why wasn’t Sol doing it?

[Oh! I get it! Sol is Victory’s alternate account!]

A viewer, proud of their own intellect, typed out what they thought was the answer.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right answer.

[During Victory’s stream, Sol messaged Victory; they must be one person?]

[Think with your brain]

[Ah sorry]

Finally, Victory revealed the true answer, something no one had anticipated.

“The reason I can explain instead…”

Victory, smiling even brighter than when they had won the world championship, a look rarely seen on stream,

“is because there’s only one person I acknowledge as better than me at gaming. That’s Sol.”

The bombshell dropped.

“I hope we can face each other in pro games soon.”

He seemed genuinely excited about it.

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