Chapter 18

The next day, officials from the Titans came to the house.

I hadn’t known this, but I learned that once the Exclusive Negotiation Period ends and you enter the Transfer Market, teams can get the phone number you registered with the association for the purpose of making contract offers.

I’d probably heard this information a long time ago, but having played for one team for so long, I must have forgotten how the process worked.

“I am Baek Jeongseop, Coach of the SH Titans.”

The meeting began with Coach Baek Jeongseop bowing his head deeply.

Dami’s parents were with me today.

Despite it being a weekday, her father had dropped his work and rushed over, and her mother seemed curious about what kind of good offer our daughter would receive.

<…Are we really going to the First Division League?>

‘Well. We’ll have to hear the terms first.’

Since the Titans’ Coach had come in person, there was a high probability the contract terms would be good.

However, the Transfer Market had only just begun.

There was no telling which team would offer what terms, so it was better to wait for now.

An ordinary player might be anxious, not knowing when the teams’ interest would wane, but I was an exception.

After all, I was the Big-Name Free Agent everyone was paying attention to right now.

“This is the Contract. Would you please take a look?”

“Yes.”

As I reached out to check the Contract, Coach Baek Jeongseop tried to persuade my parents and me, saying he judged my skills to be more than enough to succeed in the First Division.

‘He’s not just saying that.’

After checking the contract terms, I nodded at Coach Baek Jeongseop’s words.

An Annual Salary of 500 million Won, a 2-year contract period.

Those were the terms the Titans offered me.

This was nearly double the amount a Prospect debuting directly in the First Division League would get, which showed that the Titans rated my potential quite highly.

“I have seen countless cases where many players, evaluated as Prospects, went straight to the First Division League only to be crushed by the pressure and the high wall they faced. Moreover, the fact that they rarely get much playing time was another factor that made their success difficult.”

Coach Baek Jeongseop said, making eye contact with my parents.

“But the Titans are different. If Seo Dami joins the Titans, we will guarantee her at least 40 games.”

40 games.

The number of League matches played in a year is 132.

The Titans were saying they would trust me with at least 30 percent of the games.

And, from Coach Baek Jeongseop’s words, I realized that the Titans would be using a Sixth Man System for the next Season.

If it were a five-person system like Universe Cat, there would have been no reason to talk about guaranteeing the number of games played.

“Coach. How many players will the Titans have next year?”

“Six, including you.”

Sixth Man.

It literally means the sixth player, but from my perspective, having never experienced being a Sixth Man in my life, it wasn’t exactly welcome news.

In the first place, Universe Arena is a game played by five people.

Just because a team has many registered players doesn’t mean they can bring in a Substitute Player every Set, and since it’s not a real sport, there’s almost no chance of getting injured.

It meant that if a team had more than five players, that extra player had a high chance of becoming a burden that just eats up salary.

But despite that, teams that organized a Sixth Man System for the Season have consistently existed every year.

The reason was simple.

To incite competition among the players and keep them from getting complacent.

And to prepare for a Slump that could occur during the Season.

Even the most outstanding players can fall into an unexpected slump.

In such cases, a team with six or more players could replace that player and manage the League smoothly.

Since UA’s Entry Registration is done on a daily basis, it was very common for teams with a Sixth Man to change their Entry frequently.

Just hearing about it, it sounded like a pretty good system from the team’s perspective, but in truth, it was no good from a player’s standpoint.

For starters, I had the weakness of not being guaranteed full playing time.

To solve this, I would have to push out a player on the Titans with my skills, but a player who suddenly has a competitor was unlikely to welcome me.

In the worst-case scenario, what Dami experienced at Universe Cat could be repeated.

As if he read the shadow on my face, Coach Baek Jeongseop immediately added more about the team’s situation.

“To be honest, I know players don’t prefer the Sixth Man System. The Titans have also always played the Season with five members. From the players’ perspective, the competition must be burdensome. Especially for a Prospect or a rookie. But you don’t have to worry too much. The Titans players won’t ostracize or treat you poorly just because you’re a Sixth Man.”

Coach Baek Jeongseop said that the Titans would have a vacancy in the next year or two due to a veteran player’s retirement, and he hoped I would fill that spot.

He also said that if they tried to sign me a year later, I would already be on another team, which is why he came today.

Seeing as he was the first to offer a contract as soon as the Exclusive Negotiation Period ended, it seemed he was sincere about rating my potential highly.

“Do we have to decide right away?”

It was then.

Her father, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.

“No, you don’t. You can take your time to review the Contract and contact us.”

“I understand. Then, since my daughter seems a bit tired, I’d like to conclude our discussion for today.”

Huh? Father?

I’m not that tired, though?

I sent him a signal with my eyes, but it was no use.

At her father’s words, Coach Baek Jeongseop said his goodbyes and left.

And once the guest was gone, her father asked me.

“What do you think? I’m asking because I’m curious if you like this offer, this team called the Titans.”

“Well… I think I need to think about it.”

It wasn’t something I could decide on my own.

I had to hear Dami’s opinion and also weigh which decision would be more helpful to her.

“Are the terms good?”

“Financially, yes.”

“It sounds like the Annual Salary is fine, but the other conditions are not so great.”

“There are some parts that bother me.”

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I feel that I’d like you to go to a team where you can be guaranteed full playing time.”

At her father’s words, her mother also nodded in agreement.

Dami’s mother said she’s been watching all the matches lately, and she didn’t like the fact that if I went to the Titans, there might be days I don’t get to play.

“I think so too. As a player, aren’t there things you should value more than money?”

After saying that, her father let out a dry cough, adding that our family wasn’t lacking financially.

He also added that I shouldn’t worry about making money and should choose a team where I can enjoy playing the game.

Feeling the warmth in his words, I replied, “Yes! Dad!”

At that, the corner of her father’s mouth twitched.

He still seemed unaccustomed to the word “Dad.”

“Ahem. If you need any allowance, let me know.”

“Okay~.”

<I think Father likes you more than me, Oppa.>

‘You should call him Dad, too.’

<It’s hard for me…>

I emphasized to Dami that she must call him Dad, saying how heartbroken he would be if she went back to calling him Father one day.

At the very least, this had to be much easier than winning the First Division League.

A few days later.

The prediction that numerous industry officials would seek me out proved to be true.

Starting with the Titans, a total of fourteen teams sent me recruitment offers.

Three from the First Division League, five from the Second Division League, and six from the Third Division League.

However, not all the offers were to my liking.

The First Division teams, like the Titans, wanted to recruit me as a sort of reserve player.

Their Annual Salary offers were even lower than the Titans’.

Next were the Second Division League teams.

Among them, many teams wanted to recruit me as a Starter.

The Annual Salary terms weren’t bad either.

Some teams offered as little as 150 million, while others offered as much as 400 million.

400 million was what a top-tier player in the Second Division League received, so I could see their sincerity.

Now, I had to make a decision.

There was no time limit on the Transfer Market, but if I delayed my response, it would cause a major disruption to some teams’ recruitment schedules.

And there was no possibility of a team appearing with better terms.

‘First Division teams are out.’

After much thought, I set aside the offers from the three First Division League teams, including the Titans.

The reason, again, was the limited playing time.

For a player to grow, they need to gain real combat Experience Points.

But in the First Division League, there wasn’t a single team that would let me play in all 132 games.

I would be given extremely few opportunities compared to the other Starting Players.

Of course, I was confident I could win even if I had to compete.

But even if I created a spot for myself that way, whether I could maintain it was a separate issue.

What if I were to leave this body?

Then Dami would be left alone. Could Seo Dami handle the pressure and compete for a starting position?

It would not be easy.

Comparing her to the current First Division Starters, I had the upper hand in game skill.

But the Starters had the upper hand in Stamina.

Seo Dami was still only eighteen, and it would take time to completely transform this body into that of a top-tier player.

In other words, I was covering for the lack of Stamina to play in the First Division right now with my experience and skill, but if I were gone, even that would surely be difficult.

I explained this part to Dami, and after contemplating together, we agreed that going to the Second Division League was the best option for us.

<Oppa, how much more training do you think I need for my Stamina to improve?>

‘About two years, maybe?’

<That long…?>

And that was with me sticking by her side to shorten it.

Seo Dami wasn’t a player who had dreamed of being a Pro Gamer since she was young.

Do you know what the biggest difference is between kids who start gaming late and aim for a debut, and kids who enroll in academies from a young age and receive professional training?

It was Stamina.

Kids born with Game Sense.

Players known as so-called geniuses would quickly reach the skill level needed for debut, regardless of when they started playing.

But even these geniuses couldn’t easily close the Stamina gap.

Improving muscle quality, changing one’s constitution.

For a player, Stamina was a treasure that could only be obtained after pouring out endless sweat over several years.

To think one could catch up overnight to the efforts of players who had sweated since they were young and busy playing, with the sole goal of a pro debut, was nothing short of a thief’s mentality.

In the first place, that was something I couldn’t do anything about anyway.

Anyway, today we were in Gangdong-gu, Seoul.

The purpose was an on-site inspection of the team I planned to join.

Of the five Second Division League teams that sent me an Offer this time, I had narrowed it down to two promising teams as final candidates.

These “promising conditions” included whether the players’ individual skills were good, what the team atmosphere was like, what the capabilities of the Coach or Coach were, and so on.

Among these, the players’ skills could be assessed by reviewing match footage from this Season, but the other factors were difficult to figure out without visiting the team in person.

Thus, I contacted the teams I had shortlisted as final candidates and asked if I could visit their Team House.

The replies came back quickly.

Both teams readily accepted the request.

They even said I could stay for a few days if I wanted.

The two teams I planned to visit in person were as follows.

The powerhouse team that finished the Season in 3rd place, Star Prism.

And the other team was Super Sylph, which finished the Season in 8th place.

There was a considerable gap in the two teams’ rankings.

In particular, Star Prism, which finished 3rd, had shown its mettle against a First Division League team, although it failed to get Promoted.

On the other hand, Super Sylph was 8th in the Season.

Among the Second Division League teams, it was clearly in the Lower Bracket.

Looking at the rankings alone, there was no reason for it to be a final candidate, but the reason I kept it was because this team kept catching my eye.

<I looked, but I couldn’t really tell.>

We had reviewed the footage together several times, but Dami didn’t seem to feel anything special about Super Sylph.

<Isn’t there another reason?>

‘Another reason?’

<Like, a player is pretty?>

‘Does a pretty face put food on the table?’

<Then what is it…>

‘That’s what I don’t know, so I have to find out now.’

If I couldn’t find a reason, or if it turned out to be nothing special, the team I would be with next Season would likely be Star Prism.

And so we arrived at the Super Sylph Team House.

The size of the Team House wasn’t much different compared to Universe Cat’s.

But as I entered the six-story building, I could feel a clear difference.

‘Look at the quality of these facilities.’

Unlike the previous Team House, which couldn’t hide its old feel, everything here felt brand new.

As I was looking around, an employee at the desk spoke to me.

“You’re Seo Dami, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Hello. I was told by the Coach that you would be visiting today. I’ll guide you to the reception room for now.”

“Okay.”

Following the employee’s guidance, I headed to the reception room on the first floor.

On the way, I glanced at the cafeteria at the far end and could see that meal preparations were in full swing.

<Wow. Did you just see that?>

‘I saw.’

<Awesome!>

It was a luxurious buffet-style meal, incomparable to Universe Cat where we had to be depressed over chicken nuggets.

‘Right. This is a pro team.’

Feeling my mood already improving, I sat down on a chair in the reception room.

“Could you please wait a moment? The Coach just stepped out for an urgent matter. He should be back soon.”

“Okay.”

“What would you like to drink?”

“Do you have any Ion Drink?”

“Of course. I’ll bring it right away.”

As I was flipping through a magazine on the reception room bookshelf, a thought suddenly occurred to me.

The timing was just right.

It would be nice to have a meal here.

If the food was outstanding.

That alone was enough to give them plus points in deciding on a team.

‘Food is a serious matter.’

I was about to ask what time the players had their meals.

A pair of round eyes blinked outside the reception room door, then curved into crescents as if they had discovered something fascinating.

“Hey. what are you doing here?”

The person who suddenly appeared in the reception room, speaking English, was quite a beauty.

She was half a hand taller than me, a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Anyone could see she was a foreigner, but I knew who this kid was.

Super Sylph’s Supporter, Hwang Jua.

Was she a naturalized player? No.

She was Korean from the start.

Her parents were foreigners, but she was born in Korea and had lived here her whole life.

Naturally, being Korean, she spoke Korean well too.

‘So why is she acting like this with me?’

“My name is Jessica. What’s your name?”

Does she like to play pranks, pretending to be a foreigner?

Just as I was thinking I should play along, the kid let out a yelp, “Ack!” and grabbed the back of her head.

“Jessica, my ass. Go and stuff your face, you brat.”

“Why did you hit me!”

“Because you’re pulling this nonsense on a guest. If you don’t hurry up, I’m telling Aram Unni.”

“Okay. My mistake.”

The pain must have been an act, because Hwang Jua waved her fingers at me, left a single “Sorry~,” and disappeared into the cafeteria.

I couldn’t really tell from the videos, but she was a much stranger character than I thought.

As I was thinking she was an interesting kid, another player offered an apology on her behalf.

“I’m sorry. You must have been taken aback.”

“It’s okay.”

The friend who stopped Hwang Jua’s prank.

This friend, who adjusted the glasses on her nose as she apologized, was also someone I knew.

It was Kim Dain, who played the Sniper position for Super Sylph.

She was a player who wielded a very high-level Aim for a Second Division player.

And it seemed Kim Dain recognized me too.

Tilting her head for a moment, she clapped her hands and said.

“Oh? Aren’t you Seo Dami?”

“Yes.”

“Wow! A popular star! The Third Division League’s all-time genius monster! I really enjoyed watching the Promotion-Relegation Match! I thought you could have totally put up a fight in the second Set if your teammates had just supported you a little more, it was such a shame. And it had to rain that day, of all things. The Stamina drain must have been severe, right? If it had been a Hard Carry Battlefield like One-on-One, you really never know what would have happened. And was it Kim Yujeong? That player was really bad. Whoops, I shouldn’t be badmouthing. No, but besides her, there were more than one or two who were bad… Huh? But by any chance, the reason you’re here today is…? Whoa. No way, are you joining our team?”

“Uh… no.”

“Ah, so you’re not joining. Then a tour? The Coach just stepped out for a bit. He’ll be back soon. Since you’re here, want to eat with us? It’s lunchtime, have you eaten? It’s exactly our mealtime right now. Not to brag, but actually, I am bragging! The food at our Team House is really good. I would’ve totally paid to eat it~.”

Geez, she talks a lot.

I couldn’t bring myself to say it to her face, but that’s what it felt like.

It felt like if I let my guard down for even a moment, my mind would wander off somewhere else.

<Haven’t you already been had?>

‘Huh?’

When I came to my senses again, I was already sitting in the dining hall.

What the?

“To commemorate Player Seo Dami’s successful visit to the Team House, enjoy your lunch~!”

“Welcome. Welcome.”

Kim Dain and Hwang Jua’s seal-like clapping.

And the rest of the players, all wearing expressions that said, ‘Who on earth are you?’

Bewildered, I picked up my spoon and chopsticks, squeezed in among the players.

The food was surprisingly delicious.