Chapter 72

No matter what game it is, tournaments require a lot of consideration.

It’s all about information.

In solo rank, you don’t know what character your opponent will play, but tournaments are different. You can predict not only their main character but also their playstyle and habits based on their tendencies.

That’s why character versatility is usually the most important in tournaments.

For example, what if you can only handle one character?

You’d definitely get targeted with bans.

In <Eternal World> tournaments, there are a total of 5 ban cards available.

Of course, it’s a 3+2 ban rule, so you can only ban 3 characters before picking 3, but considering that the opponent might steal one of your picks, you need to be able to handle at least 5 characters.

In this environment, lower-tier players are generally at a disadvantage. Higher-tier players can often handle not only various characters but also multiple positions.

But lower-tier players?

They often can’t even handle their main character properly, let alone their main position.

This makes them perfect targets for targeted bans.

“Still, our team is in a better situation.”

“Why?”

“Because both of them are people who have nothing to do with character proficiency.”

One only needed to master Yoorim Transformation, and the other just needed to learn how to control a character.

In Chaenarin’s case, it didn’t matter how she used her skills, as long as she was given a character with a heavy focus on basic attacks that required good control.

After all, her strength came from controlling Yoorim Transformation, not from character proficiency.

On the other hand, for Choco Full Bread, you could just give her any character that didn’t require much control.

Difficult mechanics? Tough skill timing? None of that mattered to Choco Full Bread.

Her brain mechanics were perfect. She had the skills of a Gold-tier player when it came to memorization.

Of course, the downside was that she’d stumble the moment combos were involved (no one knew why), but <Eternal World> has so many characters. You could just give her a character that didn’t require much finesse, and it’d be fine.

“Is this even a team?”

“It’s still a team.”

I also had Mos and Pape practice various characters. This was to create combinations that matched Chaenarin and Choco Full Bread’s character pools.

It might seem strange for higher-tier players to adjust to lower-tier players instead of the other way around, but that’s just how tournaments work. You had to accommodate the lower-tier players to keep the game running.

Lower-tier players making sacrifices?

Even if lower-tier players took on the role of a sacrificial pawn in-game, it wasn’t really a sacrifice.

Sacrifice is something only those who have something to give can do.

If you asked lower-tier players, who had nothing to give, to sacrifice, the game would just blow up.

This part was handled well by Pape and Mos, and Bbangbbang helped out whenever needed, so I wasn’t worried.

The only person I was worried about right now was one.

“Bunny Run, follow along. I’m an Outer Solo who’s good at joining fights and teamfights.”

“I’m an Outer Solo who’s good at joining fights and teamfights… Unnie, don’t you trust me?”

“I really can’t trust you.”

What should I do with this side-lane-addicted, growth-addicted, backdoor-addicted rabbit?

Even for a Super Developer, this was a tough problem.

“I only do that in solo rank. In team games, especially when Unnie is in the City Core, why would I go to the side lane?”

“Hmm.”

“The self-centered playstyle of an Outer Solo only works in solo rank because you don’t know what kind of weird teammates you’ll get. But when your teammates are Unnie and Pape, who in their right mind would rotate to the side lane?”

“Hmm.”

“I want to go home.”

Leaving the sulking Bunny Run behind, I crossed my arms.

Our team’s victory formula was simple.

1. I grow in the City Core.

2. Pape safely grows Chaenarin.

3. Chaenarin, who successfully controls Yoorim Transformation, and I destroy teamfights.

Well, aside from that, Choco Full Bread, who moved according to the pre-planned strategy, and Mos and Bunny Run, who made independent decisions about joining fights and growing, were also important.

But ultimately, the core was those three.

In other words, taking good care of Chaenarin was the key to victory…

*Clang!*

I stared blankly at Chaenarin, who had just miserably failed a parry.

Chaenarin spoke in a shrinking voice.

“I’m sorry…”

Chaenarin’s Yoorim Transformation duration just now was 4 seconds. It had decreased from the original time.

It was because she stayed up late watching MTube yesterday, and now I was starting to feel anxious.

Will she be able to control Yoorim Transformation successfully by the day of the tournament?

“Why were you watching MTube?”

“…I was trying to study by watching Yoorim Unnie’s videos.”

“I told you, Chaenarin, you just need to move as Pape controls you. You don’t need to learn anything. You know <Pokémon>, right? You’re Pikachu. Just stay quietly in the Poké Ball.”

“…I understand.”

Chaenarin answered confidently, but something still felt off.

This won’t do.

“Chaenarin, you’re on school break, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Would it be okay to have an offline meeting? You’re a VTuber, after all.”

“…I’m fine with it.”

“What about a training camp?”

“…What I said on the first day wasn’t a lie.”

Good. If the other side is prepared, there’s no reason to hesitate.

“Starting tomorrow. No, starting today, let’s do the training camp. I’ll give you the address, so pack your things and come—”

“No!”

Someone urgently objected, cutting me off.

Startled by the sudden interruption, I took off my VR device and looked for the culprit.

Bunny Run was standing at the front door.

So when she said she was going home, she meant (Unnie’s) home?

This girl. She’s one of those people who say things ambiguously so the other person can’t understand properly, huh?

Where did you learn your way of speaking?

Who’s your teacher?

Bunny Run approached step by step and opened her mouth.

“Sister, why are you leaving me out?”

“What are you talking about? When did I leave you out?”

“You said you’re going to stay with the turtle except me.”

“How can we stay together in a one-room? Of course, we need a bigger place.”

And even though I live alone, I have a spacious house, and there’s only one female acquaintance around me.

Bunny Run blinked her eyes.

“Shall we stay together at my house?”

“Is that okay?”

“Of course, it is. Let’s go right now.”

With the momentum of entering the house, Bunny Run went out again.

Hmm.

No matter how much I think about it, she’s so different from when we first met. What’s the reason?

Is it because being an outer solo is a harmful position?

That seems right.

I packed a simple bag and headed to Bunny Run’s house.

And so.

A week passed.

*

8 a.m. I woke up sharply and got up.

It’s been a long time since I slept, trying to close my eyes during <Excel Busters>.

So, I also had a dream for the first time in a while.

Well, the ability description didn’t say I wouldn’t dream.

I was mistaken because I didn’t dream last time.

I should never sleep again.

Whoosh. I went to the window and pulled up the blackout curtain.

Sunlight came through the window into the room.

“Ugh.”

“What’s with the ‘ugh’? Get up quickly.”

“Internet broadcasters usually sleep at this time.”

“If you’ve been waking up at this time for a week, you should get used to it.”

I left the whining Bunny Run alone. Once the environment for serotonin secretion was created, she had no choice but to wake up.

“…Snore.”

Or not.

What a tough one.

I slapped Chaenarin’s butt.

Startled, Chaenarin opened her eyes, looked at my face, and muttered blankly.

“…Is this hell?”

“If you don’t get up, hell will unfold.”

There’s nothing you can’t say looking at a person’s face.

Besides, my face is more like heaven, isn’t it?

“It’s not because you’ve been rolling me around.”

“The only mistake I made was thinking Chaenarin was a person. All responsibilities lie with Chaenarin.”

If I could turn back time, I would have stayed together from the first meeting.

Really, she wasn’t the type to be managed with words.

[???: If you could turn back time, wouldn’t you bring someone else to the team instead of Chaenarin?]

Bring someone else?

Who are you to say such a terrible thing?

Have you ever explored Iron?

No matter how beastly, who else could you bring as the main carry besides Chaenarin?

Explain.

Explain it to me.

“Sister?”

“Satan came and went for a moment. This must be hell.”

“That was a serious acting worthy of a Best Actress award.”

I went to the apartment gym with the two and did some light running.

After that, we did some simple stretching, had a protein-focused diet, and consumed healthy carbohydrates.

“Do we have to do this much?”

“It’s more important than you think.”

“That’s not what I mean. Why do I have to do this too?”

“Staying together is originally about sharing pain.”

In the 3NO environment of MTube NO, music NO, dopamine NO, we cleanly ate oatmeal, salmon, and Greek yogurt, then accessed the VR room.

Looking around the VR room, I tilted my head and said.

“It seems like one person is missing.”

“Malangmabang went to the bathroom for a moment.”

It was Pape who answered my question.

He acted calm, but his voice trembled slightly.

Well, it’s about to start. It was understandable.

Ding.

A message came on the voice messenger.

After reading it, I looked at the team members and opened my mouth.

“The group stage matchups have just been decided. Our first opponent is… ‘Invincible Raging Potato.'”

“Who’s ‘Invincible Raging Potato’? Bunny, do you know?”

“I don’t know either. Sister, who are they?”

It was Pape and Bunny Run’s answer.

I frowned.

“You don’t know ‘Invincible Raging Potato’?”

“Do you know?”

“Is she your acquaintance, sister?”

“Look at who the team leader is. Then you’ll know.”

“I already did. I know almost all broadcasters, but I don’t know this one.”

“Sister, who is this person?”

I was shocked.

You don’t know?

“Everyone, have you forgotten this person?”

“Who is it?”

“Everyone, have you forgotten Rozon, the 1072nd ranked master of Isahyang!”

Perhaps my reaction was too intense. Pape spoke in an apologetic voice.

“Isn’t this crazy? How would we know that?”

“That’s harsh, Pape.”

“You’re the harsh one.”