Episode 08
The day before the tournament—
Siu and his friends gathered at a café.
They had come together to analyze the players of each team participating in the Series Cup.
Of course, they hadn’t neglected preparation entirely.
But until now, their focus had been on studying the macro play and engagements of first-tier domestic professionals.
Which meant—
When it came to the trainees in this Series Cup, they knew almost nothing.
They hadn’t gone as far as watching Academy League matches.
“Where should we start?”
“Shouldn’t we begin with GZ?”
“Why?”
“Because of Kim Dohyun.”
“Wait—Kim Dohyun is on Rising?”
At Park Jongsoo’s words, Kim Jeongin tilted his head.
Han Jiyeon let out a small laugh and began explaining.
“The first team we’re facing is Rising. It’s a team led by Kim Dohyun, the core of GZ Academy. The other trainees are good too—but not overwhelmingly threatening.”
Most trainee teams weren’t fully polished.
They were usually formed through personal connections rather than long-term synergy.
Of course, their goal was still victory.
But teamwork came from trust.
And that trust was often built on familiarity—how well they knew each other’s tendencies and habits.
“Then we should start by watching Kim Dohyun. Let’s pull up a GZ Academy match.”
Their first subject of analysis was decided.
Jiyeon tapped on her pad, bringing up footage.
“It’s a match against Hanha Life Academy. Not bad—we might run into their attacker duo later.”
Lee Jinseong nodded.
If Saseong advanced—and if Madrick won on the opposite side—
They would meet Hanha Life’s attacker duo in the Round of 16.
“Looks like there are quite a few well-known prospects,” Jiyeon continued.
“Well, the Academy League just ended. They probably entered the Series Cup to stay visible.”
Exposure mattered.
For prospects, these tournaments were essentially promotional showcases.
The more attention they attracted, the more opportunities they gained.
“And amateurs almost always get eliminated in qualifiers,” she added.
“I mean, beating trainees with pro experience isn’t easy. Competitive play is just different.”
There were barely any records of amateur teams making it to the main stage.
A few existed—but they were exceptions.
“Hm… this won’t be easy for us either.”
“Trainees are tough. It’s like ranked, but worse.”
Jinseong and Jung-in grew more serious as the discussion went on.
But then—
“Let’s just watch first. We have Siu, don’t we?”
“That’s true. He crushed everyone in ranked.”
“Even Lee Junghyeok got beaten 1v1 by Siu…”
Their confidence returned almost instantly.
Unlike other amateur teams—
They had Lee Siwoo.
“Yeah. Just trust me.”
Siu smirked, reassuring them.
Normally, he wouldn’t say something like that.
But now—
With his confidence steadily rising—
He could.
And besides—
They had grown closer through countless five-man queues.
“Haha, with Siu here, we’re solid. I’ll play the video.”
Jiyeon tapped the screen.
The match began.
The gameplay was… balanced.
The two teams were evenly matched.
There were no overwhelming differences—just steady macro play and controlled engagements.
But—
Three players stood out.
Kim Dohyun.
And Hanha Life’s attacker duo—Kim Woohyuk and Park Jinwoo.
As expected of well-known prospects, their skill was undeniable.
[Woohyuk and Jinwoo are pushing in! Support is backing them up!]
[Hanha Life! A sharp breakthrough attempt!]
[Kim Dohyun intercepts—! Ah! He holds the line successfully!]
[With such a small gap between teams, one mistake can be fatal! Incredible focus from Kim Dohyun!]
A highlight moment unfolded.
Woohyuk and Jinwoo, backed by support, attempted a decisive push.
Kim Dohyun stopped them.
Cleanly.
Decisively.
Still—
It was a strong play.
They had seen an opening—and acted on it.
“…They’re good. All of them.”
After watching for a while, Jongsoo spoke.
His voice was dry.
He was nervous.
These weren’t just trainees—
They were players with professional experience.
“We need to watch out for Kim Dohyun,” Jiyeon said, narrowing her eyes.
“He’s aggressive. If we’re not careful, our frontline could collapse.”
Defenders generally fell into three categories:
- Defensive anchors who protected allies from the front
- Aggressive initiators who broke enemy lines
- Support-focused defenders who followed calls and enabled attackers
None was inherently better—
But for Saseong—
The most dangerous type was the second.
And Kim Dohyun—
Was exactly that.
But—
“…He’s not that good.”
Siu’s thoughts were… different.
He had believed professionals were far above him.
Even trainees.
He thought the reason he dominated ranked was because they weren’t trying seriously.
But now—
Watching this match—
“I don’t think we’ll lose.”
If Woohyuk and Jinwoo had positioned better—
If their defender and support had split attention more precisely—
Kim Dohyun wouldn’t have held.
If Woohyuk had taken more risk and closed distance—
Jinwoo would’ve been freer.
Dohyun’s impact would’ve diminished.
Why didn’t they?
Siu couldn’t understand.
Yes, it was risky—
But the reward was worth it.
“At this level… couldn’t I debut in the first division right away?”
The thought crossed his mind.
Not because the trainees were weak as a team—
But because individually—
They weren’t as strong as he had feared.
“Maybe… it wasn’t that they weren’t trying in ranked.”
“Maybe… I’m just better.”
That realization—
Changed everything.
“Siu, what do you think?”
Jeongin asked.
Siwoo had been silent the whole time.
Lost in thought.
“…They’re just… average, I think.”
Everyone froze.
“I’m not a defender main, so I might be wrong… but Kim Dohyun doesn’t seem that impressive.”
To Siwoo—
He was just another prospect.
“He’s too aggressive. That creates openings. As a sniper, dealing with shield defenders is the hardest—but he removes that problem for me.”
And from a matchup perspective—
It was perfect.
“Then our strategy should work perfectly,” Jiyeon said.
“Center everything around Siu. Pick them off one by one, then overwhelm them with numbers.”
That was the essence of a sniper—
Pick-offs.
“Heh, guess the ‘Super High School Attacker’ Lee Jinseong won’t even need to step in.”
“What ‘super high school’? More like ‘beginner-tier.’”
“Hey now, don’t provoke me, Jeongin Kim.”
“Why are you talking like that? I’m gonna throw up.”
As their banter continued, Jiyeon clapped her hands.
“Alright, that’s enough. Let’s play. We’ll analyze more later.”
“Sounds good. Gotta stay sharp.”
“One more win and I hit Grand Master—carry me?”
“Wow, look at you. Hard-carried and now GM?”
“Hey, not throwing the bus off a cliff is skill too.”
“Yeah, yeah. Bus rider.”
“You—!”
Laughing and chatting as always—
Siu and his friends entered their capsules.
The tournament—
Was just one day away.
After the season ended—
Professional players went on break.
Some traveled.
Some rested.
Others—
Played games casually with friends.
But most pros didn’t have many “normal” friends.
Many had dropped out of school early—
Entering the scene at a young age.
So their social circles—
Were mostly other pros.
Which meant—
Rumors spread fast.
“Hey, have you heard about that five-stack lately?”
At a barbecue restaurant—
As meat sizzled on the grill—
A man spoke.
A first-division pro from Team A1.
“What rumor?”
Another pro replied.
From a different team—
Though they had been teammates last year.
“That five-stack that climbed from Master to high Grand Master? It’s all over the place lately.”
The meat crackled.
He flipped it casually.
“Ah, them. Yeah, I’ve heard. Their sniper is insane, right? Sniper Siu… Lee Siu?”
“Yeah. Saw some clips. His reaction speed—his mechanics—they’re ridiculous.”
That five-stack—
Had become famous even among pros.
They were tearing through the highest ranks—
On a massive win streak.
And every time someone talked about them—
It was always about one player.
“Sniper Siwoo.”
“Who do you think he is?”
“At that level, he’s not just a prospect. Probably a smurf from a pro.”
“Maybe.”
But something didn’t add up.
The skill in those clips—
Was overwhelming.
“Could he be a streamer?”
“If he were, he wouldn’t be running a five-stack. Too controversial.”
True.
To display that level of dominance—
He had to be among the top of the first division.
“…So who is he?”
“No idea. But we’ll find out soon. The pro scene isn’t that big.”
And just like that—
His name spread.
From one pro to another.
From one conversation to the next.
Like a ghost story whispered in the dark—
Sniper Siwoo, Lee Siwoo.
