"The universe really is against me," I thought as I got stuck on Mugeon’s team. But if I couldn’t take him down, then I’d just have to win the whole damn match.

    "Mugeon, just don’t hold me back. I’m planning to win today."

    As soon as I said it, the chat exploded.

    — “LMAO, who''s really holding who back here?”

    — “Bro, YOU’RE the one who’s gonna be dead weight.”

    — “Yo, don’t underestimate Signal Flare.”

    — “Little cocky, aren’t we?”

    — “Why are all former stream snipers so damn confident?”

    — “A Diamond player talking big? Alright, let''s see it.”

    — “Try keeping up first, lmao.”

    :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! ::

    :: "EmployeeD, we’re letting this slide because you look cute. If it were anyone else, you''d be getting decked for that statement." ::

    — “LMAOOO”

    — “This is a bad omen...”

    — “You’re on thin ice, lmao.”

    :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! ::

    :: "Prediction: You won’t even be able to keep up with Mugeon." ::

    — “Facts. Mugeon generates his own speed.”

    — “Keeping up with him is already a challenge.”

    — “Crazy Shot should at least help, though.”

    :: Anonymous has donated 1,000 Clouds! ::

    :: "FACT: If EmployeeD is the sniper from two days ago, then Mugeon already lost a bet to her once." ::

    — "Oh, REALLY?"

    — "She never even confirmed it tho??"

    — "Y’all are making a big deal out of a Diamond player, c’mon now."

    I didn’t respond.

    Skill wasn’t something you talked about—it was something you proved.

    Seeing that I wasn’t engaging, Mugeon decided to step in and calm things down.

    And he did it in the simplest way possible—by revealing my in-game name.

    [Alright, let’s all head to the waiting room. The match is about to start.]

    [Got it, boss.]

    "Understood."

    The moment I entered the lobby—

    { 3P: 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 }

    —The chat died for a second.

    Then, laughter exploded.

    — "NO WAY LMAO"

    — "THAT USERNAME, WTF"

    — "Bro, you’d have to be blind not to see it."

    — "They REALLY came here just to advertise, huh?"

    — "Okay, that’s actually funny."

    — "LMAOOOOOOOO"

    And then, to really drive it home, Mugeon casually added—

    [1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5, let’s do our best. I don’t think I’ll be the one holding you back, though. Just make sure you don’t trip over your own feet.]

    His pronunciation was perfect. Not a single slip of the tongue.

    Was this what happened when a pro-turned-streamer got used to handling live content?

    But for some reason, the way he said it pissed me off.

    It was like he was sucking up to my boss.

    ...Should I kill him?

    "Just to be safe, can I team-kill before you start slowing me down?"

    — "LMAOOOO"

    — "SHE REALLY JUST SAYS ANYTHING, HUH?"

    — "Chaotic energy, I respect it."

    — "That villain arc keeps peeking through, lmao."

    [1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5, we’re teammates. You do want to win, right?]

    "I’m just saying, if you hold me back, then you’re technically a troll. And I have a history of taking out trolls."

    [Does that mean I can take you out first? Because that seems like the logical next step.]

    A third teammate—support class—interrupted with a very tired voice.

    [Mugeon, please. I just want to win this.]

    ...And just like that, I’d fallen into Mugeon’s pace again.

    Dammit.

    [Alright, make sure to keep an eye on 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5. If you don’t manage her properly, she’s gonna turn around and double-barrel you in the back. Isn’t that right, 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5?]

    "Obviously."

    — "DYING."

    — "BRO, STOP SAYING THE FULL NAME."

    — "WHY IS HE LIKE THIS?"

    — "I CAN’T TAKE THIS ANYMORE."

    Everyone was losing their minds over Mugeon saying my full username every time.

    But in this match, that was the rule.

    No skipping, no abbreviating.

    It was an unspoken agreement among the players.

    And that was perfect.

    Because I wanted him to say it over and over again.

    The more times my username got repeated, the more it got burned into the audience’s heads.

    1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5.

    1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5.

    1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5.

    The PR move was working flawlessly.

    Still, if we were gonna win, I needed Mugeon to actually focus.

    So I locked in my character pick—Crazy Shot.

    That should tell him everything he needed to know.

    [Wait, do you really use dual shotguns?]

    "I survive in ranked using only shotguns and smoke grenades."

    Mugeon made a low hum, like he was thinking about whether or not this would mess up the team composition.

    But surprisingly, he accepted it without a fuss.

    [Alright, we’ll keep it as is. The team balance looks good. EmployeeD, you’ll be our frontline. I’ll lock down the backline as Hawkeye. Our support, Wonhyuk, will handle mid-range control.]

    Assault, Controller, Support.

    A good squad needed all three classes.

    And in this lineup?

    I was Assault.

    My job was simple: rush in and create chaos.

    If I could take down enemies in the process? Even better.

    "I’m just gonna throw smoke and charge forward. You guys clean up the leftovers."

    [Wait, wasn’t that supposed to be your job? I take them down, and you finish them off?]

    — "STOP."

    — "BRO, MY BRAIN CAN’T TAKE THIS ANYMORE."

    — "1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5."

    — "ENOUGH. PLEASE."

    — "I’VE MEMORIZED IT. I GET IT. THE 1ST GEN ANNIVERSARY SONG DROPS ON NOVEMBER 5TH."

    Chat was completely breaking down.

    Everything was going according to plan.

    It wasn’t just any shield.

    It was Level 3 Shield Armor.

    Just one level below max, meaning it could survive a direct headshot from an anti-material sniper rifle.

    And yet, the Assault player had dropped instantly.

    EmployeeD had landed almost every pellet of her shotgun spread—straight into the head.

    Through the smoke.

    With almost no visibility.

    "What the fuck just happened?"

    [No, seriously, how did I go down that fast?]

    "It’s not about how. Just give us her position."

    [Where do you THINK? She’s in the fucking smoke. Don’t go in yet! That shotgun is weird as hell."]

    "Understood."

    If they had reacted instantly—if they had rushed into the smoke while she was reloading—she might have been eliminated.

    But they hesitated.

    They hadn’t expected her to actually land that kill.

    Everyone knew she played with smoke and shotguns.

    But nobody had proof that she could do it against pros.

    "Throw grenades."

    [Roger that.]

    The Support and Controller players were just about to lob grenades into the smoke—

    When Crazy Shot suddenly burst out.

    Pigtails bouncing.

    Shotguns raised.

    Heading straight for the Support.

    She had heard the sound of a grenade being cooked—

    And immediately charged in before it could be thrown.

    BOOM!

    BOOM!

    Support player—down.

    ["FUCK!"]

    The Controller threw his grenade anyway—but she was already gone.

    She ducked back into the smoke just before he could fire a follow-up shot.

    TA-TA-TA-TA!

    Bullets tore through the expected escape route, but only barely chipped her shield.

    "Her escape speed is fucking nuts...!"

    The Controller immediately repositioned.

    "No way a Diamond plays like this. This has to be a smurf."

    — "What the hell is this reaction speed?"

    — "Is she a pro?"

    — "Nah, no way. Pro women’s teams still get stomped by amateur men’s teams."

    — "There’s no way she’s actually an employee, lmao."

    But before he could finish processing it—

    PSSSSHHHHH.

    Another smoke bomb exploded—directly in front of him.

    She had read his position.

    She was coming for him next.

    The smoke rolled toward him, curling over the walls, swallowing his vision.

    He had two choices.

    Charge into the smoke and take a head-on fight.Fall back and wait for the smoke to clear.

    Normally, he’d take option 1.

    But—

    Something about what he’d just seen made him hesitate.

    He felt like if he stepped inside, he’d die instantly.

    So, he did the one thing he never did.

    He ran.

    He turned and sprinted away, hoping to revive his fallen teammates—

    BANG!

    CRASH!

    "Ah, fuck. I’m dead."

    EmployeeD wasn’t alone.

    She didn’t have to finish him herself.

    Because Mugeon’s sniper round had already shattered his shield.

    And when Crazy Shot emerged from the smoke—

    Her double-barrel was already aimed at his head.

    BOOM.

    {{1stGen1stAnniversarySongReleasesNov5 (Head) (Kill) KraaakChunGeunChoo}}