Chapter 258 – Hell Week
“…So, this is why you cling to me as soon as the interview ends?”
“Heung… Yoo Jin, please don’t go anywhere…”
What should I say about this?
As Wednesday’s sun set and the day was heading towards Thursday, my evening began with Dice’s tantrum disguised as clinging to my tail right after the interview.
Anyone could tell that the pitiful tone was insincere, but when she buried herself in bed and started to sneakily wrap my tail around herself like a body pillow, I was genuinely surprised. I seriously debated whether to flick her forehead or not.
But, well… After hearing about the interview, I could somewhat understand her.
“It’s surprising how bizarrely one can get motivation.”
“Ugh…”
“But I get the gist of it. I’m here to help resolve those issues, after all…”
I understood their concerns, but my position wasn’t going anywhere. The task force preparing for the Final Championship was still operational, and I had a solid partnership with them for a long time.
In other words, my goal was to maximize the skills of the Korean representative users. And that premise remained firm, even if I wasn’t present.
It was absurd to quit halfway through.
“So, when are you planning to detach yourself from my tail?”
“Why do you keep trying to kick me out!”
“Ugh.”
Words weren’t working.
As soon as I focused a bit on my tail, I felt a heavy weight. At the same time, my snake tail carefully lifted. Even Min Ah, who had been watching the scene with amusement, couldn’t keep her mouth shut.
Dice, who was clinging to my tail, was lifted into the air.
“Uh, waaah, uaaah! I’m going to fall! Heuaaak!”
“Nowadays, many people think my tail is just a toy.”
People had no idea that I could easily break ribs with my tail or lift up to 300kg. In other words, I could lightly lift and swing Dice around.
Clinging desperately to my tail with her slender arms, Dice screamed as if she were on an amusement park ride. The only consolation was that this ordeal lasted mere seconds.
Anyway, Dice, who had floated in the air for a short time, finally fell back onto the bed, immediately complaining about muscle pain. For someone who already had poor coordination, the result of using her entire body with such force was devastating.
Harmony, who had been quietly watching Dice thrash around on the bed, started to glance at me nervously.
“Uh… I’ll be more careful in the future.”
“Feeling guilty?”
“Hehehe.”
Why did people’s intelligence seem to drop whenever my tail was involved?
Anyway, since it had come to this, I decided that tonight’s topic would revolve around this issue. I considered bringing a table to set up a formal discussion, but soon abandoned the idea. Such formalities didn’t suit my style.
Instead, I asked Dice, who was gradually recovering from the cramps.
“So, Ye-rin. What answer do you want to hear?”
“…Well, to be honest, I’m not sure what to say.”
“Then I guess I have to tell you what you want to hear – rest assured, I have no reason or intention to abandon you.”
The Final Championship.
In just a few years, it had gained as much popularity as the Super Bowl. Its presence was enormous – so much so that minor stories were buried completely.
But this festive atmosphere couldn’t last forever. Once the matches ended and the rankings were set, unresolved issues would inevitably resurface.
By then, a few people would start to wonder.
What my next move would be.
“But the problem lies elsewhere. Your worries are misplaced.”
“Then…?”
“First, you need to ask yourself if you have the strength to endure the tough times ahead. Do you have the confidence?”
Performing well in a match and becoming an operator were entirely different matters.
If I were to step back from the Dark Zone, the ones to take my place in soloing would be these four, including the tail-lover right in front of me. They needed to function as literal milestones, and the preparation required would be incomparable to before.
To become an operator, a lot had to be sacrificed. Even if it meant breaking your former self, it had to be accepted and embraced.
As we made eye contact, Dice gave a rather surprising response.
“If I doubted my confidence, I wouldn’t have come this far.”
And that answer was enough to satisfy me.
“Brace yourself. Starting tomorrow, you’ll be getting plenty of ‘special gifts’ that’ll blow your socks off. Does that answer your question, Ye-rin?”
“…Yes, of course. I’ll let the others know.”
At that moment, Harmony turned her head slightly, as if she felt the conversation was taking a wrong turn, and I added.
“Harmony, you’re not included in this, so don’t worry.”
“Phew… or not. You’ll still involve me intermittently!”
“You can handle that, right?”
Harmony couldn’t deny it, and she was already too late.
The information was naturally passed to the schedule manager and approved without any issues. Being in VR rather than reality helped, and we were set to rest for the entire Friday, Christmas Eve on Saturday, and Christmas on Sunday without any worries.
“It’s sudden, but I need to draft a training curriculum now. You’re all prepared, right?”
“I took the initiative to come here, so everyone else has to accept it too.”
“Then there’s nothing more to worry about.”
And with that, I wrote down one word.
Dice, who seemed to have guessed it, added.
“…That’s the name of this curriculum, isn’t it?”
“Correct.”
Hell Week.
The name of the hellfire that would forge them into a single blade.
“We might end up begging for death.”
“Don’t worry, it’ll only last about 150 pleas.”
One thing was certain, it would be an unforgettable experience.
—
The media never tells the whole truth. This saying applies to all aspects, not just politics and economics, and it was no exception for pro gamers’ interviews.
The interview broadcast live to Korea failed to make a significant impact for this very reason.
Most internet users were going crazy over the joint efforts of Yoo Jin and the Korean squad’s representative team, receiving so many gifts that their socks would burst even before Christmas. They acted as if they were the main characters of this year’s Final Championship every day.
Unfortunately, there was no reason to stop them, as it was entirely true.
But there was a reason I said “almost everyone.”
“…A lantern.”
Those quick-witted and experienced in eSports had already caught on – none of the interview participants mentioned Yoo Jin when discussing the relevant issue.
Creating an invaluable result this year was “us.” In other words, users like Dice were already assuming the “if.” It wasn’t hard for them to figure it out, nor did it take long to reach the same conclusion.
And that conclusion led to one thing.
A few hours after the interview, Yoo Jin received an urgent call.
“Yes, what is it?”
“Ah, Coach Yoo Jin. We saw the interview and contacted you quickly. Do you have a moment?”
“It’s not a big problem, but I’ll be going to sleep soon, so a long conversation might be difficult. It’s around midnight in New York.”
A brief silence. But Yoo Jin already knew why they contacted her.
Instead of adding unnecessary words, she preferred another method – and quickly waved her fingers in the air.
A message containing a PDF file was sent within seconds.
“…What’s this?”
“It’s the curriculum starting tomorrow. We won’t be conducting such training frequently as the tournament is approaching, but we’ll occasionally integrate this format.”
Would they understand it right away?
Yoo Jin knew it wasn’t likely and quickly added before they opened the file.
“I understand your concerns, but apart from my coaching duties, they are my students. I won’t stop until they have learned at least half of what they need to know.”
“Ah…!”
“Does that suffice?”
Of course, the answer didn’t matter. That one exclamation was enough.
However, neither the Korean staff on the call nor Yoo Jin, who was about 10,000 kilometers away, thought that summed up everything.
And Yoo Jin wasn’t one to let someone hold onto false hopes unless it was a severe matter.
“…Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m partnering with anyone. If necessary, I will, but I can still meet my students regardless.”
“Haha, yes, of course.”
Regrettably, it was unavoidable. Yoo Jin’s career as a coach was already in a realm beyond anyone else’s reach.
In just under a year, she had not only brought the Korean team to the top in Asia but had also driven the Korean squad team, which was hovering around the top 10 last year, to the current rank of 4th.
Moreover, she simultaneously held the top rank in the preliminary round, KSM, and the Asian qualifiers, the stepping stones to the Final Championship.
A legend never to be repeated. She had taken the pen of fate from the gods and written it into her career, making the future of the Apex Predator pro scene distinct before and after her era.
No team could easily bring someone like her into their fold.
Meanwhile, another short silence followed.
How much time passed?
“…Isn’t the curriculum too harsh?”
“A dull knife causes pain to the ingredients, and a weak foundation for a lantern easily collapses. And there will be sweet rewards at the end, so don’t worry.”
“Can I take that to mean significant skill improvement?”
“No.”
“What? Then what are the sweet rewards…?”
A powerful yet ambiguous strike, as if hitting the spirit.
But soon, Yoo Jin chuckled softly.
“It’s almost Christmas Eve. It means I’ll let them rest comfortably then.”
“Ah, I see…”
Regrettably, Yoo Jin’s humor was still ahead of its time for ordinary people.
The staff member’s mind briefly flashed with the interview content, particularly Dice’s remark – it was literal. Yoo
Jin was more than 4-dimensional, possibly even beyond.
But, with a soft, rolling voice, she added quietly.
“Of course, there will be sweet rewards for you all too. I won’t joke about it this time, so don’t worry.”
“Your jokes are intense. I’m still too weak to handle Coach Yoo Jin’s sense of humor, haha.”
“I apologize for that.”
Then she added in a calm tone, as if pointing out a coin on the street.
“Anyway, this year, at least one person will be in the soloing top 5, and another will make it into the top 10. It might be the last gift, but it’s enough to call it a reward, right?”
At that moment, the staff member felt overwhelmed.
But one thing was certain, in just about a week, Korea would embrace an enormous year-end gift named ‘Hell Week’ and burst with happiness.
Although the call ended, it would take the staff quite some time to regain his composure.
After the call, only one thing remained in front of him – a PDF file.
But its content was far from simple.
“…Is this even possible?”
Hell Week.
Also known as ‘Hell Week.’
A non-stop training curriculum of 72 hours – in virtual reality – with not a single moment of rest lay before him.