Chapter 52

With a gasp, Han Youngin came to his senses an hour after the barbecue ambush.

When he opened his eyes, he was in the Team House. Without realizing it, he had been pushed back into the recesses of her mind.

<What in the world…?>

“Oppa? Are you awake?”

As Han Youngin regained consciousness, Seo Dami clutched her chest in relief, as if she’d just had the scare of her life.

“I was so worried something had happened to you, Oppa.”

<Can you explain what happened?>

Perhaps because he’d been hit in the head with a fan, Youngin had no memory of what happened afterward.

At his request, Seo Dami recounted the events that had just transpired.

“That crazy woman…”

<Crazy woman?>

“Kato Mikane. Anyway, when she hit you in the head, Oppa, you just sort of slipped away and came back into my head.”

<A-and then?>

“I got my body back, and then suddenly, that woman started going ‘Keoheok’ and coughed up blood.”

Listening to Seo Dami’s explanation, Han Youngin pictured the scene in his mind.

Suddenly, the Japanese Ace hit a Korean player in the head, then coughed up blood and collapsed.

And right before dinner, too.

It was easy to guess that the atmosphere must have been a complete mess.

<Did you eat?>

“Not yet. It was total chaos. People were swarming in from all sides…”

A pandemonium.

The Korean officials were furious, demanding an explanation for what had happened, while the Japanese side reportedly whisked their player away, saying their Ace’s health was the priority.

To a third party who didn’t know the circumstances, it looked like Kato Mikane had run up and assaulted Dami for no reason.

“Are you okay, Oppa?”

<Yeah. I think I’m fine, aside from losing a lot of the Energy I worked so hard to Charge.>

It seemed that the moment he was struck by that fan, his strength had drained away, causing them to switch places.

Han Youngin thought it might have been for the best, since he could always Charge his Energy again when the time came.

After all, it was more helpful for Seo Dami’s independence as a player if she had Control of her own body.

<This might even be a good thing.>

“It’s not a good thing at all.”

Seo Dami went to the mirror and swept her bangs aside, telling him to look.

<It’s red.>

“We have to sue her for assault.”

<Sue her…?>

Seo Dami insisted on suing.

Han Youngin could feel the blazing anger in her heart.

It seemed there was another reason for her anger, beyond the injustice of being hit.

“What would I have done if something had happened to you, Oppa?”

Seeing Seo Dami grit her teeth, vowing to slap Kato first the next time they met, Han Youngin tried to calm her down.

<Whoa, whoa! Why are you so worked up? You can’t ever do that.>

“Why not?”

<You’re not supposed to hit people in the face…>

“So it’s okay for me to get hit?”

You weren’t the one who got hit, I was.

Han Youngin wanted to say it, but he decided to let the minor detail slide.

<Calm down. The situation is turning in our favor.>

Think about it.

The Japanese Ace suddenly hit a Korean player in the head.

Coughing up blood and collapsing was her own doing, but the fact that she had initiated the violence was clearly captured as evidence on the cameras of the various national film crews that had been recording the barbecue.

When Kato Mikane came to her senses, she would have to explain why it happened, but no explanation she could give would be taken as normal.

<What could she possibly say? That she was trying to exorcise an Evil Spirit? No one would believe that.>

It would be far more convincing to say that Kato Mikane, jealous of Korea’s rising next-generation star, was overcome with uncontrollable anger the moment she saw Seo Dami and lashed out.

Although it was a bit strange that a Superstar of Kato Mikane’s caliber would be envious of Seo Dami.

In any case, the existence of my current self as a Soul was too unfamiliar and foreign for the public to accept.

“Hmm. Then should we go with that?”

The Japanese Ace who resorted to sudden violence out of jealousy.

Seo Dami steeled her resolve, vowing to make Kato Mikane look like absolute trash.

“Oh, right. What should I tell Seunga Unni? She still seems suspicious.”

<Ah…>

He had momentarily forgotten.

That they had another problem named Kim Seunga.

<Just deny everything for now! What can she do? She’s begging you to tell the truth because it’s a story no one would believe, right?>

For now, they would feign ignorance.

Having decided on our stance, we decided to go back down to the Lobby.

The outdoor barbecue had been canceled, but the hotel restaurant would still be open, so we figured we’d fill our stomachs.

“Maybe it’s because you woke up, Oppa? I’m getting hungry too.”

<Can’t have that. Our Superstar can’t go hungry. The food here is delicious, let’s go.>

“Okay!”

We decided to have a late lunch with any teammates who hadn’t eaten yet.

Until a moment ago, Seo Dami had been using the room by herself, thanks to the consideration of Kim Seunga and Han Chaei, who let her rest alone after being caught up in the commotion.

“Has everyone had lunch?”

Seo Dami came out and asked her teammates, who were gathered in the room next door.

The Division 3 girls and Han Chaei had already eaten; only Kim Seunga hadn’t.

“Let’s go eat together. I was waiting for you because I thought you’d have to eat alone later.”

Was that the real reason she waited?

A suspicion arose that she might have been trying to create an opportunity to dine alone with her.

We then headed to the restaurant.

There, we could easily spot players from various countries and foreign film crews having their meals.

Everyone glanced our way, and from the way they whispered while looking at our faces, it seemed they were talking about the earlier commotion.

Whatever.

After piling her plate with food from the buffet spread on the table and sitting down, Kim Seunga was the first to speak.

“Since when have you known Kato Mikane?”

“I met her for the first time today.”

When Dami used formal speech, Kim Seunga’s brow furrowed again.

“You’re going to play dumb until the end, is that it?”

“Unni. I really have no idea what you’re talking about. You’re scaring me, so please stop.”

Dami replied with a sly act.

She said that while it was true she was a fan of Han Youngin, she had no idea why she was being asked about “Youngin Oppa” or why such things were being brought up all of a sudden.

Was she always this good at acting?

It feels like she can hold her own without me now.

“Hmph. We’ll see.”

“……”

“Anyway, tonight should be interesting.”

“Is something happening tonight?”

“The videos we shot on Jeju Island. They’re probably being released for the first time tonight.”

Kim Seunga said.

She wasn’t sure if it would be in today’s broadcast, but our victory against the Russian team would be aired, and the fans’ reactions would be something to see.

“As far as I know, it’s probably a first.”

For Korea to achieve a victory against a strong foreign team.

Of course, this was just an Event Match, but it was true that they had never won before, even including Event Matches.

“How about we eat and then call the others for some game practice?”

“I’m good with that.”

“Alright.”

Kim Seunga, who I thought would continue to press her with questions, finished her meal in surprising silence.

It was only a short while later that I understood why.

Training time.

Kim Seunga decided that Rank Matches wouldn’t be very helpful in such a short time.

She and Dami decided to split up and each look after the youngest members.

Han Chaei, Kim Soyoung, and Lee Seulgi.

It was time to take turns coaching these three.

And so the tutoring session began.

As some time passed, I could feel it.

Kim Seunga’s gaze, observing this side with intense scrutiny.

It seemed she was trying to find a connection to me by watching how Dami coached the others.

Sharing opinions on gameplay and exchanging Feedback with an opponent was one of the common training methods used at the national Athletes’ Village.

So she must have thought that if Seo Dami was really me, she could find some similarities through this training.

But she was one step too late.

Thanks to some Japanese girl who treated me like an Evil Spirit, Dami and I had switched places.

Especially for someone like Kim Seunga who knew me well, it would be even easier to spot the subtle details in Dami’s behavior that differed from the original.

“Ha, damn it, what is this.”

Seeing Kim Seunga’s reaction as she muttered to herself, just barely audible, it seemed that if we left her like this for a few days, she would clear up the misunderstanding on her own.

As we were coaching the players, there was a call from outside.

It was Kim Seungha PD, who had come running in a hurry.

“What’s wrong, PD-nim?”

We briefly logged out and came outside, and he delivered the big news.

“They lost…!”

“Who lost?”

“Japan lost to China!”

A major upset had occurred while we were practicing.

Japan had been caught off guard and defeated by China in a Practice Match.

According to Kim Seungha PD, Kato Mikane, who had coughed up blood and collapsed, had recovered after about an hour but was reportedly not in good Condition.

She had remained tight-lipped about the reason for suddenly hitting me and started the scheduled Practice Match, but due to Kato Mikane’s poor Condition, Japan had suffered an unexpected blow.

“It’s absolute chaos outside right now.”

Although it was just a Practice Match, the Chinese team was already making a big fuss, sending articles back to their country about the result.

It was said to be the first time in nearly five years that China had beaten Japan, even including Event Matches, so it was understandable that the atmosphere was buzzing.

Korea had beaten Russia, and China had beaten Japan.

With one upset after another, there was talk among the teams of canceling the rest of the Practice Matches and focusing solely on the main event.

“If all the Practice Matches are canceled, we’ll rest tomorrow and the day after, and then go straight to the competition, right?”

“That’s right.”

“When does our broadcast air?”

“It’s today, right?”

The Division 3 girls, their eyes shining at the mention of the broadcast, asked the PD.

He then replied triumphantly, as if he had been waiting for them to ask.

“The teaser will air tonight, and the video of the victory against Russia is scheduled for tomorrow. The domestic reaction will probably be… incredible.”

It wouldn’t just be hot, it would be scorching.

The PD, who had been engrossed in editing until just a moment ago, confidently predicted the success of this Event Match to the team members.

The rise of Korea, which had always been classified as one of Asia’s weaker teams.

The time to prove that amazing miracle was slowly approaching.

“Pervert…!”

That evening.

Kim Seunga, who had just finished showering and came out wrapped in a towel, saw Seo Dami and theatrically covered her chest with both arms.

Dami had a look of disbelief, and Han Chaei, who shared the room, also looked as if she was wondering what was wrong with her Unni.

It seemed she still hadn’t let go of her suspicions about Seo Dami.

“Unni. Stop it. You’re not even bigger than me.”

“Wh-wh-what…!”

“If you keep this up, I’m going to go sleep in the youngest members’ room.”

When Seo Dami said this primly, Kim Seunga shouted, “No!” and grabbed Dami’s arm.

What dangerous things are you planning to do in the youngest members’ room! Declaring she wouldn’t allow it, Kim Seunga made Seo Dami lie down next to her.

“You’re not going anywhere! If you’re going to sleep, sleep next to me.”

“……?”

While Kim Seunga held onto Seo Dami, bickering, a heated debate was unfolding on the Korean UA Community.

It was because of the news from China that had been posted in the evening.

-Is this for real?

-Japan lost to China?

-Isn’t Japan’s Leader Kato Mikane?

-Yeah. The Kamui Team Leader.

-She’s just a monster.

-So how could Japan lose to China?

Not all World Class players were the same.

Kato Mikane was a player who resided in a realm often called the “God Tier.”

It might seem strange to use the term “God Tier” since UA’s history wasn’t that long and Kato Mikane herself was only twenty-two, but any UA fan would agree that she was the strongest female player.

A genius Pro Gamer who had revealed her presence on the world stage from the moment she debuted at seventeen.

A Superstar with fans not only in Japan but all over the world—that was Kato Mikane.

With Kato Mikane chosen as Japan’s Leader, it was no surprise that many people thought Japan would win this Event Match.

But an upset had occurred in a Practice Match.

The news was that Japan had been defeated by China.

-Isn’t this fake?

-I can’t imagine Japan losing.

-They say it’s a huge celebration in China right now.

-Sigh. My life is a legend for scrolling through Chinese news at this hour.

-Why did she suddenly hit her?

-????

-Now that I think about it, I’m pissed. China is dropping teasers with breaking news results, but what are we doing?

-We sent a film crew too! Are they getting paid for nothing?

-Give us a General Seo article!!!

As people grew angry at the lack of news from the national team, some sneered, asking if they didn’t know the reason.

-You still don’t know why?

-It’s because they got crushed~. They’re being considerate of our mental health lol

-My uncle is a chef at the Jeju hotel. He said Seo Dami got indigestion while eating and lost to Russia.

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Bullshit.

-Nooo. We’re already expecting to get crushed, so just upload some pictures and videos.

-Did you see the picture of General Seo at the airport?

-For real, thought she was an actress.

Just as people were saying they didn’t expect a win and just wanted to see the players’ faces, someone shouted.

-Seo Dami is up!

-Those bastards have been at it for hours.

-Don’t they get tired?

-I’m not lying, I’ve seen the post ‘Seo Dami is up!’ 219 times today.

-This time it’s real! Turn on VGN!

-Huh? It’s real?

The first official video was airing on VGN, a gaming specialty Channel.

It was a very short teaser, about a minute long, released before the main video that would air tomorrow.

Everyone showed curiosity about the first official video from Jeju Island.

-Damn it. It’s a teaser!

-When’s the main broadcast;;

The teaser began with Seo Dami’s growl.

“Hey. Are you guys here on vacation?”

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-The great Dami.

-Establishing discipline from the start.

-This is how you do an international match lol

As fans chuckled at the sight of the cowering Division 3 players, the scene shifted to the players gathered together, analyzing the game.

At the bottom of the screen, a caption appeared: At this hour, the only team staying in the Team House to analyze the game was Team Korea.*

-What’s with this passion.

-So what were the other teams doing?

-Probably eating black pork and cutlassfish and having fun.

-If it were me, I wouldn’t practice for an Event Match against Korea either.

-Jeju black pork is delicious tho ㅇㅇ;;

Then, a moment later, a scene appeared where Seo Dami was proposing a strategy to Kim Seunga.

Slope Shield, a valid tactic against a double Sniper setup.

It was a picture of Seo Dami suggesting they try the plan that the Korean women’s national team had failed at five years ago.

-What’s Slope Shield?

-Is there a tactic like that?

-For real, first time hearing about it.

-How did General Seo know about something like that?

Most fans didn’t even know such a tactic existed.

It was from a long time ago, after all.

And since it was a tactic you rarely saw unless you were up against a team using two or more Snipers, it was bound to be unfamiliar.

Then the scene changed once more, this time showing an In-Game situation.

It was Seo Dami and Kim Seunga practicing the Slope Shield with Lee Seulgi, a Division 3 player.

The synergy of the two Attackers as they faced the sniping that flew at them in the blink of an eye, breaking through head-on.

At the moment the two players showed their fantastic synergy, a transition effect changed the opponent from Lee Seulgi to Svetlana, and the scene of Seo Dami dodging the first attack was revealed.

-FUCK!

-GENERAL SEO!!!

-Look at that editing ㄷㄷ

-What is this? Isn’t that Svetlana?

Fans felt a chill run down their spines at the scene of Seo Dami and Kim Seunga dodging bullets and deploying their Shields.

Just from the video alone, it was clear that Korea’s Momentum was formidable.

-What is this.

-Wow. That gameplay is insane.

-Did we maybe beat Russia?

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-The atmosphere is getting exciting.

-General Seo…. Can we get our hopes up a little?

But that was all the teaser offered.

The screen then faded to black with a “Coming Soon,” and the fans screamed.

Cursing out the production team with “Fucking producers!” was a bonus.

The teaser concluded with a message asking viewers to tune in for the main broadcast tomorrow, along with an announcement that ticket reservations for the live Event Match would open at midnight.

-So what’s the point.

-You have to tell us if they won or lost so we can decide whether to buy tickets or not.

-They’ve only ever gotten crushed in international matches, what’s with this asking us to buy tickets;;

-For real, they suck at business.

A short teaser.

Fans poured out their complaints about the practice game against Russia, the result of which was unclear.

But the intensity of their grumbling wasn’t that severe.

That was because the moment they saw the teaser, an inexplicable sense of anticipation had begun to well up inside them.

-Hmm. Should I be crazy and buy a ticket?

-You’re buying this?

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-I don’t think it’d be rude, but just one ice cream, please.

-Fact) Korea’s international match Win Rate for the past 3 years is 3 wins and 23 losses in 26 matches.

-Just overwhelmingly pathetic… ㅠ

Even though it was an Event Match, the tickets for the international match were more than double the price of League match tickets.

Normally, there wouldn’t have been many fans willing to pay such a high price to watch a Korean match in person, especially since they always lost.

But today was different.

After midnight, various ticketing sites began selling tickets for the Event Match, and a larger number of fans than expected flocked to them, hoping for a Preemptive Seizure of seats.

Just the anticipation shown in the preview.

That alone was enough for Korea’s Event Match ticket sales to explode.