Chapter 105: Finals (1)

[What kind of stream is this today?]
[Are you asking the obvious?]
[Who does everyone predict will win?]
[Is Para streaming with someone today?]
[Para went to the arena, what co-stream?]
[If you’re Korean, let’s cheer for ARK!]

Han Byeol stared at the rapidly scrolling chat, lost in thought.

‘What is this situation?’

Honestly, it had been a similar feeling when she was streaming the MSI finals, and the Worlds quarterfinals and semifinals.
The team she had started supporting was a team that had just come up from CK, close to the second division.

The cute younger sister who made her support that team was now just 17 years old, a rookie who hadn’t even completed two years since her official debut.

It was definitely like that, but…

‘Seriously, I’m streaming the Worlds finals? Me? As a team streamer?’

She had streamed the Worlds finals a few times before.

But those were only mandatory streams for reaction videos and clips, what they called “YouTube moments.”

However, today’s stream title was “Support Room,” and Han Byeol’s mindset was also different.

‘…I hope they win!’

After supporting them for about a year now, ARK had become firmly established as the team for Han Byeol.
Now, it wasn’t about views or popularity. Her mind was already completely filled with the pure wish that her supported team would win.

“You’re asking what I’m eating while watching?”
[Hmm.]
[Indeed.]
[Did everyone prepare?]

Hiss, a pleasant sound as a can opened.

“Of course, chicken and beer. On a day like this.”

[Understood the assignment.]
[I ordered chicken beforehand because it starts at 3, but the preview is 2 hours long, so the chicken is all cold…]
[The Great Han Byeol.]
[Watching the Worlds finals on Sunday with chicken and beer <<< If this isn’t heaven, then what is?]
[But is it okay to drink beer without the 19+ restriction?]
[If you’re Korean, please cheer for ARK!]
[Please open the playground (custom game lobby).]
[If you’re Korean, bet points on ARK!]

“Oh, this? It’s non-alcoholic, so it’s fine.”

[Ah.]
[Assignment failed…]
[Non-alcoholic is not beer non-alcoholic is not beer non-alcoholic is not beer.]

“What! Who am I doing this for? I’m doing this with all the minor viewers in mind, aren’t I?”
[Why don’t you just say you want to make money?]
[Her wickedness to even take money from kids ㄷㄷ]
[The Great Han Byeol.]
[Demon of revenue ㄷㄷ]

“Then, it’s about time for the teaser.”
[Para’s beauty is peaking today.]
[It’s a Worlds teaser tradition to admire Para’s face.]
[The MSI finals and Worlds quarterfinals teasers were legendary.]

Han Byeol confirmed that the conversation topic had naturally shifted and contentedly changed her broadcast settings. Her camera was minimized at the bottom of the screen, and the Worlds broadcast screen and sound were maximized. At the same time, the teaser began.

[Having defeated the kings of Europe and Korea, the LPL advances to the finals!]

Worlds held in Korea, and YK, who could be called the pride of the LCK.
When they lost, the arena fell silent.
The only ones celebrating were a small number of LPL fans, waving VXG flags and celebrating their victory.

[PG’s creativity, YK’s solid fundamentals. Nothing could stop VXG!]

Spring and Summer championships, and the MSI championship.
Now, only one thing remained for them.

[The greatest team in LPL history has one final step left to become the greatest team in League of Legends history!]

The Golden Road, an achievement no team, present or future, had ever reached.
To challenge for this, not a single failure was permitted in an entire year, and VXG had completed every match without failure so far.

[Spread, he doesn’t back down! Gank? Roam? It doesn’t matter if they come! He just pushes through everything!]
[Plumber’s unbelievable steal! How much does he make from just this one steal!]
[HUN, no words needed. The standard of mid lane, showing what the game of League of Legends is all about.]
[Here, Aqua and Lin’s perfect synergy! They are literally machines! They never lose in the ban-picks they choose, in the battles they select!]
[It’s not an exaggeration, it’s the truth. Five players who have truly mastered League of Legends have come together and coordinated for three years. Who can possibly beat them?]

Spread, who would definitely win a 1v1 against the opposing top laner.
Plumber, who wasn’t always obvious but was always present at crucial moments.
HUN, who would create a difference against the enemy mid laner in any situation – laning, roaming, team fights.
And Aqua and Lin, who boasted a 100% win rate in laning phase in standard matchups.

[To be honest, many experts and even fans are saying there’s no reason to even play the finals anymore.]

[Some people are saying it’s not about determining the winner, but just a time to think about what kind of ceremony VXG’s players will do for three sets.]

But on the other side of them was…

[ARK, were the wounds from MSI too deep?]

[The LCK defending champions ultimately fell quickly in the playoffs and went to the qualifiers.]

[The 4th seed is ARK! They went through a lot, but they’re heading to Worlds!]

[The last ones standing aren’t YK, nor SG, nor DH, but ultimately ARK!]

[VXG, get ready! ARK is heading to Seoul!]

ARK.

A team that rose from the second division, achieving results through the abnormal carrying power of a player named Para.
That was the assessment before MSI.
If you looked favorably, you could say Lesser’s movements were good for a rookie.

[Caster! There is no fear now! Carry champions? Bring them on, he’s shouting that he’s even better!]
[Lesser, now that he’s in the finals, we can say this: There’s no one among the junglers participating in Worlds who can beat him. He reads everything.]
[Para, Para, Para! This player’s name is Para of ARK! There’s no point in saying more! How could you forget her name when she shows plays like this!]
[Plea’s arrows have pierced the enemies! They are literally piercing arrows!]
[KAI’s flashy entrance! He returns from the heart of the enemy base without fear!]

But who would think that today’s ARK was the same team?
A team that had fixed all its weaknesses in the short span of six months.
That is the current ARK, the ARK that has reached the Worlds finals.
.
.
.

“If not me, then who will?”

“Golden Road? It would be good to achieve it. I’ll think about it after we do it.”

“The greatest mid laner in history? Me?”

“I’ll just do my best.”

“It would be good to do it.”

The VXG players walked out to the center of the stage, talking about the Golden Road.

[VXG and ARK, the MSI rematch is set!]

[Worlds held in Korea, the hope of the LCK remaining in Korea, and the hope of Korea itself.]

[The last remaining LCK mid laner is not one of the four great mid laners, nor a player burning their last flame, nor a veteran whose skills have fully blossomed. It is simply a 17-year-old rookie player.]

And hearing that, the ARK players came out from the opposite side.
The players from the two teams, now close, stared at each other without saying a word.
And then.

“The Golden Road, I will.”

Para stepped forward and spoke.

“No, we will stop it.”

“The Golden Road, we will stop it.”

“…”

“Honestly, we’re not even needed, it feels like Seo-ha alone could stop it.”

“That’s true. We’re just thankful to be mentioned, I guess?”

[Upvote.]

It was the opening ceremony before the finals began.
Watching the teaser in the waiting room with the team members, they, including Kim Do-jin, started teasing me.

‘…Honestly.’
It’s a bit embarrassing, but teasers are supposed to fill you with excitement with their unique cringe-worthy feel, so I had no complaints.
They knew that too, which is why they were reacting like that on purpose.
I let them joke around, as it helped ease the tension as long as they didn’t cross the line.
After a while, they all quietly stared at the screen on the waiting room wall.

‘…Was she that good?’
Seino’s collaboration performance with the idol group, especially Seino’s part, was particularly amazing.
Even I, someone who wasn’t particularly interested in music, watched in a daze.
Lee Yoo-chan next to me seemed unable to speak from emotion.

“So, if we win today, you can meet Ray afterward, tell her you carried, and if we’re lucky, maybe even eat together and get autographs and pictures?”

“Um… she did ask if it would be okay to join our team dinner if we win today.”

“Of course you have to tell her to come! I’ll definitely show her a carry performance.”

Leaving Lee Yoo-chan, who was strangely motivated, behind, it was almost time for our entrance.
The coach had already gone up to the arena for his on-stage interview. At Kim Do-jin’s call to gather one last time, the team members gathered in the center of the waiting room.

“Even in MSI, when Seo-ha was carrying us, it went to 5 games.”

“The mindset that we are better?”

“That’s a fact.”

“Today, I’m definitely going to carry, eat with Ray, get her autograph, and take pictures.”

One, two, three, ARK Hwaiting!

With a shout, we headed towards the stage.