What do you need to rank up?

Most people would say skill.

If you think a bit more, they would say stamina.

But for me, there was only one thing I needed.

"Mental."

Maintaining my mental state is important.

Though I’ve made efforts to rank up until now, I used to play games for fun.

But now it’s different.

It means I must play solely for the 'win.'

To do that, managing my mental state so it doesn’t break down is crucial.

“If I get weird chats or pings while playing, I’ll just block them. I think that’s the best way to keep my mental intact.”

This is the right direction.

It’s not that I can’t play LoL, it’s just that it’s better to protect my mental.

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: That's right, right?]

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: But what are you talking about all of a sudden?]

[What the hell are you talking about as soon as you turn on the broadcast?]

[First of all, it's a good thing that you're playing games diligently, but what's going on?]

[What's going on?]

[This is Kang Hu-min: All of a sudden?]

[The first thing you say when you turn on the broadcast is that you're blocking ping chat to protect your mental health.]

The viewers were confused.

But I couldn’t tell them about the contract.

You don’t reveal these things until the dramatic moment.

So, I spoke vaguely.

“I just want to hit Challenger. I’ve played for fun until now… but after raising my LP a lot, I think hitting Challenger is a good idea.”

My current LP is 588.

It’s high, but not high enough to reach Challenger.

The cutoff for Challenger is 800 points.

At this rate, it’s impossible.

‘...I think I can do it, but the important thing is how long it will take.’

With that thought, I immediately started the game.

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: When did you become like this?]

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: Do you have a good attitude?]

[Really..]

[There's a world where Dama sincerely believes in Leore]

[My blood pressure went up because you kept talking about random picks and winning, but you're finally backing down. Hmm]

[This is Kang Hu-min: But what happens if you declare your sincerity like this and don't achieve the challenge?]

[You'll just get kicked out.]

[If you're Kang Hu-min who's nervous because you remember a promise you made in the past, then you're a loser. LOL]

“Ah, right.”

Reading the chat reminded me, there was a bet made by ‘강후민입니다.’

If I hit Challenger, I’d have to perform an embarrassing stunt in Gwanghwamun.

At the time, I didn’t think it was impossible... but I didn’t expect to be challenged so quickly.

“Hoo-min, you better be waiting. Don’t even think about running away. I already know where you live.”

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: Really?]

[F*ckㅋㅋㅋ]

[How did you find out where I live..]

[This is so scary]

[What's the relationship between you two normally?]

[This is Kang Humin:????]

[This is Kang Humin: Do you really know where I live???]

[Do you understand, you idiot?]

[Oh, shit ㅋㅋ]

[The idiot is Kang Pyeong ㅋㅋ]

[You're really stupid..]

[Hwanhee: Do you understand?]

I said it half-jokingly and started the first game.

For the first game, I casually picked Yone.

Though he’s a champion that requires a lot of skill, I personally felt very comfortable playing him.

I could handle him easily.

‘Because I like this champion so much.’

His skill set is so good that even if you randomly pick him, the chances of winning increase drastically.

I personally don’t really like this kind of champion, but what can I do?

To win the game, I have to pick him.

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: Easy Yone pick is good]

[This is how you win, umm]

[Hwanhee: You really decided to win]

[You picked Yone last time too, but this is the first time you've picked Carl like this]

[This is Kang Hu-min: Please lose, please lose, please lose, please lose, please lose, please lose, please lose]

[Cursing is fucking hard ㅋㅋ]

[But the picture of losing doesn't come out just because you curse..]

[It really doesn't come out like that ㅋㅋ]

“How could I lose with this champion? Yone is just broken.”

I don’t usually say stuff like this when playing LoL, but I say it often when playing ‘Yone.’

It just feels like he’s unbalanced.

I thought about that as I played.

“Let’s go with a safe Q poke.”

Since Yone is strong late-game, there’s no need to take risks early on.

It’s the opponent who has to hurry.

Yone can just take it easy, last-hitting minions, and look for a chance to take over the game later.

“Focus on safely last-hitting, but don’t be too passive.”

Being passive is fine, but constantly being passive would hurt the team.

To be exact, it’s a burden on the jungler.

If the top lane doesn’t have control, the jungler can’t even take the small camps.

[This is Kang Hu-min: No, don't be so good at it. Why are you doing so well?]

[Fact) Dama was originally good at Leore..]

[Just Dama is good at Leore]

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: This is Yoneji]

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: Shamelessly holds out in the early laning phase]

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: Starts carrying in the early and mid-game]

[The champion itself is a bit disgusting]

When a champion is strong late-game, it’s normal for them to be weak early-game, but Yone doesn’t have that problem.

He’s strong both early and late.

If I had to choose the most annoying champion to face, it would probably be Yone.

Thinking about that, I led the team fight.

“Let’s hit them with Q to airbone and finish with R.”

And soon after.

[ACE!]

The notification popped up, saying that I had killed all the enemies.

It was the kind of situation where the opponent’s will would be broken.

How long had it been?

Eventually, the opponent surrendered.

“Okay, a smooth win.”

It was strange to lose in the first place.

Since I was playing a broken champion.

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: But the game is too]

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: Didn't I win easily?]

[Really]

[Let's seal Yone from now on]

[This is Kang Hu-min: Seal Yone Seal Yone Seal Yone Seal Yone Seal Yone Seal Yone]

I saw a strange voice in the chat window saying to seal Yone, but I simply ignored it and continued playing the game.

Despite the weird request to ban Yone, I ignored it and kept playing the game.

How much time had passed?

My LP had gone up a lot.

Grandmaster 645 LP.

“Phew, I’ve raised it quite a bit.”

I won three games.

All with Yone.

Yone really is comfortable to play.

There’s no need to do anything complicated during the laning phase. Just poke with Q and once it hits the late game, you can carry with your ultimate.

[This is Kang Hu-min: I've raised my tier a lot]

[This is Kang Hu-min: Let's stop here, okay?]

[This is Kang Hu-min: If I play more games here, I'll go crazy]

“Er… that’s not going to happen.”

Since I wasn’t streaming, I had nothing else to do.

I might as well stream until I hit Challenger.

‘By the way, when do I have to go back to the café?’

Since the café flooded, I haven’t gone to work, and I haven’t heard from the owner since.

The owner said they’d contact me when the repairs were done.

I wonder if I’ve been fired.

‘...I hope I haven’t been fired.’

I’d be a bit disappointed if I were.

After all, I’ve built a relationship with the owner over time.

“Then, let’s see the situation and I’ll try Gwen next.”

I can’t just pick Gwen randomly.

I’ll see how things go.

[🗡️All-powerful Cthulhu: This is it, this is it ㅋㅋ]

[This is Kang Hu-min: It’s fun, it’s fun~]

[I’m excited that Yone, who has a good win rate, won’t do it ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[Fact) Gwen has a better win rate]

[Hwan-hee: They’re both good anyway, so why do you like them..]

[There’s no reason to like them]

I said I might try Gwen if the situation allowed, thinking that the viewers would probably like it, and then I carefully texted Hwanhee.

[Me: Yewha.] 

[Me: Do you know when the boss said] 

[Me: The café will reopen?] 

[Me: Did he tell you anything?]

I asked as politely as I could.

Then, after a moment...

[Shin Ye-hwa: I don’t know either]

[Shin Ye-hwa: I think it should be at least another month]

[Shin Ye-hwa: But why did you suddenly do that when you were on a broadcast?]

I just contacted him suddenly, as I got curious.

When a stable job is gone, it makes me a bit uneasy.

Although I’m making good money from streaming right now, it could all end in an instant.

‘Speaking of which, when am I going back to school...’

Random thoughts popped into my mind as I was thinking about all this.

“Alright, everyone, let’s focus on the game.”

I said that and checked the opponent’s name.

Then, at that moment.

There was a familiar name.

This was the name I saw a few days ago in a 1v1 match.

“...No way.”

I thought it couldn’t be, but upon confirming, I was sure.@@novelbin@@

[ Lee Je ]

It was Rize on the opponent’s team, in the top lane.