novelraw Chapter 190 : Group of Purging (2)
Chapter 190 : Group of Purging (2)
Group of Purging (2)
PerG-Day Team Waiting Room.
Lee Gyeongbok beamed as soon as the group lottery results came out.
"Oh, this is lucky."
They had been put into the same group as two of the top favorites, "LattePro" and "Plus Alpha."
While commentators and viewers reacted in shock, calling it the "group of death," he felt differently.
"This is going to be a fun game from the start."
"I agree. I wonder just how strong our opponents will be...!"
Eclipse also agreed.
Since the waiting room conversation wasn't being broadcast, they spoke comfortably.
However, the other two, skullkim and Bakjapcho, whispered with somber expressions.
"Uh... Is this really something to be happy about?"
"Isn't our luck way too bad?"
They were considered average players.
They couldn't understand why Lee Gyeongbok or Eclipse would be pleased to face such strong opponents.
"Isn't this actually good luck?"
Startled, they turned to Lee Gyeongbok, who had caught their not-so-quiet mumblings.
"Good luck?"
"We're up against ex-pro gamers and gold medalists?"
Seeing the two look baffled, Lee Gyeongbok smiled and answered.
"If we block the advancement of those two teams now, our chances of winning go up. If we were in another group, we might've had to face them in the playoffs instead."
"That's a good point."
For a moment, the two stared at Lee Gyeongbok, and then at Eclipse, who agreed, and nodded in understanding.
'Now I get it.'
'What Genome must have felt...'
Their whole concept of competition was fundamentally different.
The sincerity in their faces and voices made it clear this wasn't just a broadcast persona.
"I'm really glad we're on the same team."
"Same here."
With faint smiles, the two finally shook off their anxiety. Just knowing Lee Gyeongbok was an ally, not an opponent, was reassuring.
Meanwhile, Genome was packing up the electronic display and turned around. The broadcast screen had already moved on to the next team introduction.
"Surprisingly, Purple has a point."
Although he was performing, he listened attentively to his teammates' conversation.
"If those two teams had been in other groups, they would've had more time to analyze us."
"Oh, that's true."
"Yeah, you're right."
Nodding as they agreed, Genome chuckled lightly.
"If it's a mountain we have to climb anyway, might as well get it over with early."
Skullkim and Bakjapcho laughed as well, then suddenly realized.
'Wait, even Genome is...?'
Not just Lee Gyeongbok—but even Genome was speaking on the premise of winning.
And that meant—
'Is this how you get "PerG-soaked"?'
They felt it too.
With this team, losing didn't even feel like a possibility.
* * *
Caster Wanggeom flipped his cue card and looked at the screen.
"Well, with that, the introductions and group selection for all teams are complete."
"Wow, even after seeing it again, group A is just..."
"How did this happen? The other groups feel tense, but Group A already feels like a war zone!"
- For real, group A already feels like finals.
- It's basically the semifinals, you know.
- This is going to be nerve-wracking, seriously.
- Haha, uhwooper is just science!
- Nah, can't ignore Caffeine's awakening effect.
- LattePro is the real favorite lol.
- If you saw Plus Alpha's practice, you wouldn't say that.
- For real, everyone's stamina is nuts.
The chat responded instantly to the commentary. Wanggeom quickly continued before the chat could overheat.
"Alright, now, how about hearing each team's thoughts? We'll do the interviews in reverse order of introduction."
Viewers shifted their attention to the upcoming interviews.
"But for this time, at my discretion, the most unpredictable, group A! We'll save the Group A team interviews for last!"
- Making us watch all the way to the end!
- That's why Kinggeom is so good at hosting lol.
- I can't skip the group of death interview!
With that, the screen changed. Starting from the bottom teams, captains began to share their ambitions and feelings about the matchups.
"To say I wasn't anxious would be a lie!"
"Oh, this time, we've got a real shot at the playoffs. That was my instant thought."
"I just don't know! That's what they mean by a 'Cinderella story!'"
"Are the favorites all paying attention? Our team is ready to flip the table."
Each team captain finished with confidence. Wanggeom then cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.
"As I mentioned, group A's interview is at the end, right? First up, let's hear from Money Damas!"
"I wonder what thoughts last season's champion has!"
"Donkak?"
As the commentary continued, the camera switched to the Money Damas team. The three on air gasped in awe.
"Ah, team Money Damas! Talk about seasoned confidence, the reigning champs!"
"That's experience for you!"
"Their uniforms are right on theme!"
The other lower teams coordinated their uniforms mainly through matching avatars, but Money Damas was different.
Black suits and fedoras, tommy guns and stacks of cash lying around the waiting room.
They were dressed as Italian Mafia. At the center, the team leader, donkak, wore a red rose brooch on his chest.
Sitting on the sofa, a teammate whispered to him, and Donkak raised one finger and spoke.
"I made the Goddess of fortune an offer she couldn't refuse."
Viewers burst out laughing at the line.
- Don Father! Don Father! Don Father!
- Donkafchiné is making his entrance, lol.
- Is Donkak a meme now?
- kkk "Kafchine" is just "Kkapchine.
― What are these concept plays though XD
It was a parody of a legendary movie line. Donkak, ever the streamer, continued confidently.
"People are all wondering who will survive Group A, but there's no need."
He took off his hat and held it to his chest, smiling.
"No matter who advances, the victory is ours—it belongs to the Money Damas family."
The commentators all let out impressed sighs.
"Ah, that's Money Damas for you! That's what being the boss looks like—he's already on top and won't concern himself with what's underneath!"
"That's why Money Damas is so popular. Looks arrogant, but then backs it up!"
"Will he keep the boss's seat this season too? Now, onto the much-anticipated Group A—the three teams thrown into the fiercest battlefield!"
Wanggeom kept the hosting moving at a brisk pace.
"Alright! The first interview for Group A is..."
The order changed at the host's discretion, and soon the screen switched to the LattePro team waiting room.
"Ah! LattePro! Their jerseys look so professional, fitting for ex-pro gamers."
"They really do look like a real pro team."
"Right? The latte logo actually suits them unexpectedly well."
While the commentators praised, the team leader Caffeine sat upright, looking straight at the camera.
"We're definitely up against some very talented players—especially those known for their physical skill."
With that, caffeine shook his head.
"But the Mystic League isn't all about physical ability. When I was active, I didn't just practice champions—I spent time coordinating with teammates so that..."
As he went on, wanggeom quickly cut in.
"Ah, caffeine! Could you please skip the stories from your pro days? We'd need a special broadcast just for that!"
- Kinggeom, nice cut!
- Too much talk, snip!
- Someone: 'When I was in LA...'
- He jokes about being a boomer, but he's dead serious about the old days, lol.
- Group draw interview (3 hours incoming)
Seeing the chat reaction, caffeine let out a deliberate cleared his throat and resumed.
"Ahem, what's important in Mystic League is not just physical skill, but teamwork. Playoffs? That's ours to take."
The commentators slapped their hands approvingly.
"That's right! Well said! The Mystic League is a team game after all, isn't it?"
"With Grandmaster coaching that polished teamwork, I'm really looking forward to it!"
"Great! Thanks to Team Leader Caffeine for those encouraging words. Next up..."
Another screen transition, now it's "Plus Alpha's" turn.
"It's Plus Alpha! This place always looks imposing, even on camera!"
"Yeah, those tracksuits—they're usually super baggy, right? Meant for comfort! But here, they're bursting at the seams!"
"Even setting games aside, I really respect athletes. 'Plus Alpha'—that's about adding something extra, right? If you've ever had personal training at a gym, you know exactly what it means!"
- This is unbeatable, lol.
- Someone: "Let's just do 15 reps.
― Someone else: "Just one more! One more!
― Trainers can't count, haha.
- Why does 'one more' never end!
- That's how your muscles grow!
- So that's what 'grit' means?
― The body may be short-lived, but grit endures forever.
― Mystic League is grit too?
- That's not that kind of grit, lol.
Pride laughed at the chat and then cleared his throat.
"I'll keep it brief. Here's what I learned in athletics."
As he paused, wanggeom jumped in.
"Oooh, the gold medalist's insights! Folks, you don't get to hear this every day! Pride, what is it?"
"In any competition, second place means nothing."
Pride folded his massive arms and continued.
"I stand here as a gold medalist. If I had a bronze or silver, I wouldn't even be here."
"But isn't it impressive just to be a medalist at all?"
"They all won first place to qualify. You don't even get a chance without gold."
Determined, pride declared,
"So, the only thing to aim for is first place. Victory is all that matters!"
The commentators nodded in impressed agreement.
"The living embodiment of competitive spirit! That's Pride for you."
"Their determination is amazing. Once again, you can feel how fierce Group A is."
"That's right. It's an amateur tournament, but still a true competition! Every team will be taking it seriously, not just Plus Alpha! Now, last but not least—let's meet the PerG-Day team!"
The screen quickly switched.
Like the others, PerG-Day had also prepared uniforms.
The commentators' mouths formed perfect circles in admiration.
"Whoa! What's this?"
"Ah, that's Genome for you! Truly prepared! He really knows how to stand out on stream!"
"It's what they call 'Jamba'—preparedness, but with each member having a unique concept as well!"
Unlike other teams, which emphasized unity through identical apparel, Genome's team wore custom costumes fitting for each member's stream persona.
- Everyone looks great in those suits.
- Lol, skullkim's skull mask is perfect.
- Bakjapcho has a green mask, lol.
- Haha, the Kim Jerry movie is a classic.
- Is that an iron mask for Ecl instead of a helmet? Fits him!
- Genome lol, what's with the Hahoetal mask?
- Can't hide that Pangmeo instinct, lol.
- When will Godple's P-mask become merch?
- Reality, are you watching? Start mass production!
Dark purple suits and masks—each mask perfectly tailored to fit their broadcast image.
Viewers were satisfied with their costumes.
- For real, it looks just like a PerG-Day movie, lol.
- Purging prep complete, they're saying.
- Their costumes already dominate, right?
- The impact is definitely greater with PerG-Day, lol.
- Anyway, uhwooper is science!
Genome stepped forward, sighing and shaking his head.
"Ha... I'm really worried about this."
With such a different opening from other teams, the commentators and viewers were puzzled.
"Wait, what's this about?"
"Genome, weren't you exuding confidence even on the electronic display earlier?"
"Don't be fooled, viewers, there's definitely something going on! You believe this? Watch out for the Genome-kick!"
Just as Wanggeom said that, Genome picked up his line.
"What worries me... is taxes!"
The unexpected comment made the commentators widen their eyes and filled the chat with question marks. Taxes, out of nowhere?
"As anyone following knows, there was another tournament we participated in under the PerG-Day name. We narrowly missed out on prize money in the finals, so all the prize went to the boss."
He didn't mention the name directly, but everyone knew what tournament he meant.
It was clearly the Time Warfare event from Gunnerground.
"Huh? That's not how I remember it?"
"Yeah, doesn't Genome have nothing to regret there?"
"Hey, if you think we'll just let you gloss over it, think again, Team Leader!"
- Really, like he has anything to regret!
- Genome got "gene" and got knocked out early, lol.
- He got crushed instantly here and there, didn't he?
- To be fair, maybe NewtonLord or Ecl, but lol.
- Someone: "Chunom, do you even have a conscience?
― Did he ever? Conscience-kick!
- What's a conscience-kick, now, lol.
Genome ignored the banter and calmly continued his prepared comment.
"But this time, things are different. CrazySmurf! In this amazing tournament, we'll split all the prize money. Since it counts as income, we can't help but worry about taxes!"
The commentators burst into laughter.
"Exactly! Other tournaments are good, but CrazySmurf is truly fantastic!"
"Ah! This was all just setup! Plus, he's basically certain they'll win!"
"That's right! He's already talking like he's gotten the prize money! The experience really shows!"
- The hype is real, lol.
- Trchoip standard, lol.
- Look at the commentators getting surprised, haha.
- That's why he's a pro streamer.
- Black Company can't dodge taxes either!
- Black Company (model taxpayer)
- Why is the Black Company such a faithful taxpayer, lol!
Chat got even more lively.
Wanggeom, satisfied, checked his watch.
Luckily, there was still time.
"Genome, thank you for your comments. With this, team interviews are finished—but honestly, there's something still weighing on me."
"Something weighing on you?"
"What might that be?"
The commentators and chat focused again. Was it really over? What's this business about a burden on his mind?
"Earlier, so many international fans tuned in. Right now, we've surpassed 80,000 viewers. If we ended the broadcast here, I'd be put on Interpol's wanted list."
"Is it an international crime to end here?"
"Seriously, wanggeom, your lines are insane."
The commentators chuckled, and chat was no different.
"Of course, I'm joking. But if we just end, we'll take heat for it. So, how about we use this break to have Purple say a few words?"
The screen switched back to the PerG-Day team's waiting room. Halfway through removing his mask, Lee Gyeongbok was suddenly called out—and his eyes widened.
But he stepped forward immediately.
- Luv u Purple!
- I can't understand what he's saying, but I feel it.
- Mr. Perfect is here!
- Look at how fast Korean expats show up, lol.
- This is what becoming a world-class fan feels like?
- I dunno what you saying, but your voice makes me happy!
- I don't know what he said, but I know he's happy, lol.
- This is all I want! lol!
- Mask and suit are 'perfect' for you!
- For real, he looks so happy.
Standing in center-screen, the international fans, who had been quiet, began chatting in English. The chat became a flurry of English and Korean.
Lee Gyeongbok didn't lose his composure, even as messages came flying in.
"Thank you for coming, even though it can't be easy to watch a foreign broadcast."
As he offered gratitude, the chat filled with hearts and subscribers-only emotes. Foreign fans knew he couldn't speak English well.
Though they didn't understand each other's language, Lee Gyeongbok could feel their affection.
"What I can give you, as thanks, is fun. We'll give you an entertaining broadcast this tournament..."
He paused for a moment and finished with a smile.
"But in the end, I think the most fun is winning the game."
That single sentence sent the chat into a frenzy.
- That's it! That's what I'm talking about!
- Godple's declaration of victory! Godple's declaration of victory!
- Uhwooper! Uhwooper! Uhwooper!
- Translate please!
- Yeah, just this sentence plz!
- Winning is the real fun, lol.
- Someone: We won! Tournament over!
- Jojo ending style, lol.
- I'll translate: He says 'I give you fun, and Fun is the win'
- What kind of amateur translation is that?
- Thanks!
- It's already funny, lol!
- Is it Perfect-Confidence, right?
- This is working?
- Was "Purple confidence" used overseas too?
The chat overflowed with excitement and cheers. Wanggeom was pleased and bowed his head lightly.
"Yes, thank you to Purple for your spontaneous reply! It's time to wrap up the broadcast. One final announcement for the match schedule, please."
"Yes! For the joy of CrazySmurf! The real competition starts next week!"
"So, is there nothing to watch before then? Not at all! Each group's teams will organize scrims as they wish."
With the explanation over, wanggeom took over again.
"Excellent! We'll see you next week with the official matches!"
"Please keep loving CrazySmurf!"
"Thank you!"
With cheerful energy,
The commentators said their closing remarks and the broadcast ended.
* * *
Genome's studio.
The broadcast was over, but PerG-Day's work was not done.
"Now we'll coordinate scrim schedules with other team leaders. Just mark any dates you can't make."
Genome projected a weekly schedule into the air. Lee Gyeongbok, without other obligations, stepped back.
While Skullkim and Bakjapcho pondered, Eclipse quietly raised his hand.
"Ecl?"
"Um, what exactly is a scrim?"
The others blinked at him, but understood quickly.
"Ah, you wouldn't know, would you, ecl?"
"That's right. He started Mystic recently—it makes sense not to know the lingo yet."
Having only played Fromme's games, Eclipse was still picking up in-game terminology, let alone tournament jargon.
"Simply put, it means a friendly or exploratory match."
Lee Gyeongbok answered on the team's behalf.
"You get together with the opponent team for a practice game to gauge each other's strength. And you use that to plan match strategies."
"But it's not just casual practice."
Genome added quietly.
"The rules are the same as the tournament, so we do ban-picks. That means we can see which champions we'll ban and who on our team the opponents will target."
It's not just pointless practice. If you want effective training, the rules should match the real thing.
Genome glanced toward Lee Gyeongbok.
"For example, in a scrim, the first player the opposing team would want to restrict is still Purple. They'll definitely ban Yami and Barzan first, then see what countermeasures we've prepared."
"Hmm... Honestly, I'd do the same."
Eclipse nodded in deep agreement. The example made the value of scrims clear to him.
"No problem preparing new champions, right?"
Genome asked. Lee Gyeongbok flashed a bright smile.
"It's not that hard."
Far from worried, he was
"Honestly, I can't wait to use them in a real match."
Looking forward to the upcoming scrims.