Chapter 20

Adults like numbers.

When talking about new friends to adults, they never ask about the essence of things.

But are adults the only ones like that?

Today, I caught 100 Pokémon.

I spent 1 million won on my autumn story account.

I ranked within the top 100 in the Resonance scenario mode.

Kids also like numbers.

Especially rank can stir their blood.

In that sense, users with the name NoName may have left different impressions on people, but one thing was undeniably the same.

[Season 2044: 3917 matches]

[Season 2045: 8392 matches]

[Season 2046: 8505 matches]

[Season 2047: 8469 matches]

[Season 2048: 8538 matches]

[Season 2049: 8150 matches]

[Season 2050: 4033 matches]

The numbers come from playing a game for 23 matches each day, taking anywhere from 20 minutes to 40-50 minutes short.

Big numbers invoke awe and curiosity.

Who could it be?

Who is dedicating their life to this trivial game?

Who, when only playing two or three matches a day out of frustration, can continue to enjoy it as if it were their life?

People witness that spectacle.

“Where do you want to go? Do you have a preference?”

“Which position is best for finishing the game quickly?”

“Right now, bottom seems better. My main position is support, after all.”

“Then I’ll take the ADC role.”

Shia gazed silently at Name, who was diligently checking the patch details that had changed over the past six months.

“How is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you confident in reaching Master?”

Shia didn’t think she was bad at the game. At least, she couldn’t be at the Bronze level.

She surely had carried many games herself, and in the past, she often watched replays too.

But if asked whether she had confidence in bringing Name up to Master in a week, Shia could not respond with confidence.

Today was the first day of the season, a time when many passionate gamers in League of Legends vow their ambitions for the upcoming year.

Consequently, ranked matches can be crowded, and team luck can be sharply divided.

If he had played duo with the same Challenger, the story would have been different, but Name’s abilities were still uncertain.

“Well, it’s not really my talent.”

“Someone like that plays 8,000 matches a year?”

“Still, I have confidence.”

There’s no content in League of Legends to earn a living from.

What a mysterious person.

“When will you stop staring? You don’t need to be so detailed in this interval anyway.”

She carefully examines the intricate ranking-up and down systems and data, like a professor reviewing a thesis.

“I don’t want to lose because of my own shortcomings.”

“Then…”

Name took games more seriously than expected.

It was hard to believe that they had been trolling and bouncing between Bronze 4 and Bronze 1.

“It’s already your turn to pick! I’ll adjust the composition for you, so choose quickly.”

As the countdown began, Name pondered.

As Shia said, the patch had significantly increased the influence of the bottom lane this season.

However, not every ADC could reap the benefits.

[Arsteria]

“You’re going to play Arsteria? That’s a new champion that just came out; are you sure you can play it? Its win rate is only 43% right now.”

“I’m sure. Just make support Yuumi or Lulu.”

Yuumi and Lulu were classic picks for aiding ADCs.

Shia actually thought about supporting with Lushin or Pantheon for a forced carry, but since it was the first game, she prioritized Name’s opinion.

“Once the game starts, your voice will be broadcasted too. Keep that in mind.”

“Seol-a?”

“Yes, did you call me? Is there a problem?”

“No, let’s do our best.”

* * *

Have you ever felt like your body doesn’t belong to you?

Sometimes, I often feel that way.

I used to be able to eat insects raw without any aversion, but nowadays, just seeing a spider makes me panic, and my heart races.

Each time that happens, I’m engulfed by an inexplicable guilt.

Where does this guilt come from?

Am I feeling sorry for hijacking a life that should belong to the original owner of this body?

Or is it that my memories from a past life remain, but due to the changes in my body, the dissonance of thought expresses itself in the form of guilt?

Our brains fear change.

Thus, defense mechanisms arise, and hence, we close the doors of our hearts.

That’s why I couldn’t properly talk to people at first.

A brain that doesn’t interact with others doesn’t develop. Knowledge derived solely from the memories of a past life is never profound.

But when I feel accustomed to this strange experience, my body feels that discrepancy.

[Welcome to the battlefield.]

This is also the reason I dislike games.

“It’s been a while. You’ve crawled back here again?”

“Alright then, we’ll start the long-awaited content with NoName. Let’s climb to Master!”

“Did you like games that much? Because of you… I felt like I was going to die every single day…”

“Let’s go, NoName! NoName? Name?”

“Die… yeah, let’s die together! You should have died with me seven years ago! Just stop breathing! Don’t breathe!”

I understand the longing for a mother…

“If you take one more breath, I’ll personally choke you to death. You despicable brat. Die. Are you still my daughter? Die.”

It turns out the hallucinations I saw when I played with Arin last time weren’t just due to mental strain.

“Sorry, let’s go.”

“We don’t have time to leash. We have to head straight to the lane.”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to talk while playing. Sorry, but I’m turning off the mic.”

“Huh?”

She and her audience seemed quite flustered, but what could be done?

I had also muted the voice chat with Shia. Now only the sounds of the battlefield echoed.

And one more thing.

“I haven’t visited my mother in a while. I’m really sorry. I’ll ask the professor to let me drop by tonight.”

“You should die.”

“I don’t know about my mother, but I’m both her daughter and not her daughter.”

“Die. Just die.”

“I know that Seol-a is not someone who would say that, and that it’s all just a figment of my imagination.”

‘…’

“But appearing as Seol-a means I miss her that much. Right, I miss the days I played games with Seol-a. The Name, who bears the name given by my mother, has been growing up bravely on her own. I even grew 2 cm taller.”

‘…’

“I don’t understand. Why was I born with these memories? I surely had moments when I wished I could have just died with my mother, knowing nothing.”

‘Then just die.’

“I can’t do that. Mom would definitely want me to find the humans who locked us in capsules.”

“You’re powerless.”

“No, I am strong. I, NoName, Esthesia Latiathas de Kaizen, will become stronger than what my mom imagines. I will definitely have my revenge.”

‘… Just don’t lose in the game. You foolish girl.’

Maybe I’m feeling somewhat relieved now. The auditory hallucinations began to fade.

[Enemy slain.]

[Double kill.]

‘Arsteria.’

A new champion released in January this year.

She was the last survivor of the Selene species, and her family was sacrificed alive in a hot furnace to create the weapon called stellar destroyer by the empire.

Arsteria did her best to save her family, but in the end, she could only obtain the melted and condensed cell core.

A girl with a unique and grim story.

Therefore, her damage mechanism is alien compared to other champions.

It’s conceptual, as if combining Samira and Nyar.

Arsteria’s attack range increases and her physical penetration rises every time she attacks an opponent, at the cost of lowering her defense.

At the 30% and 60% marks, her possession becomes stronger, and her skills gain supportive effects.

Once it reaches 100%, Arsteria loses a range of 500 and gains a new weapon, allowing her to use her ultimate, “Supernova.”

An extreme high-risk high-return champion.

Moreover, since her range is the shortest among ADCs, caution must be exercised to avoid passive lane shifts, and during team fights, distance calculations should be precise along with the remaining uses of her mobility skills.

To increase her range, she paradoxically has to enter the enemy’s effective range, posing a significant risk.

Yet, on the flip side, if there are many non-targeting champions on the enemy team, that risk can be worth taking.

Shia made good use of Lulu, who is strong in lanes.

Despite being in an unfavorable matchup, they endured the strong pressure from Ezreal and Jareth, timing her shields and skill usage effectively.

The enemy jungler was likely in the top lane. It would take more than 16 seconds for mid to join even at the earliest.

As I moved forward using my movement skill, Ezreal responded with standard attacks and Q, while Jareth utilized his E skill. I took the hits and deftly sidestepped the two anticipated skills.

The initiative shifted to me as I mixed standard attacks with skills in my assault, and they willingly engaged in the duel.

In the meantime, Ezreal used a teleport to gain range superiority and Jareth was isolated between Shia, who came stealthily from the bush, and myself.

Jareth tried to react with a back flash and Q skill, but my enhanced shield reflected the damage onto Ezreal behind him.

With 8 seconds until mid joins, there’s more than enough time to handle them all.

Earlier I had chipped into the enemy soldiers with my Q movement skill, and just in time, I hit level 6. I had one mobility skill left. Currently, my possession was about 95%.

The mobility skill used on a champion increases possession by 5%, making this timing perfect.

A high possession rate comes at the cost of defense, so I was already on low health where just one skill would kill me, but I surged toward the enemies.

Lulu’s sudden growth lifted two of the enemies, and I bought a turn to use Arsteria’s ultimate, “Supernova.”

Ten star fragments scattered within the captured area, and in just one second to gather them all, the notification of my double kill resonated across the battlefield.

By the time the enemy mid rushed in with their ult after me, I…

While avoiding death, engaged in damage trading to regain range, and then used my stored flash to create distance for kiting.

[Triple kill.]

I will not lose.

I will only grow stronger.