Translation:

Heat surged through my entire body.

Due to the intense workout, blood coursed through my circulatory system like crazy, and a metallic taste lingered in my mouth.

Fortunately, no matter how drenched I was in sweat, at least I didn’t reek of foul odor. I wiped my face with the water that had risen up to my waist, as if washing it, and then grabbed the support rail, attempting to walk forward.

I wasn’t even sure if you could call this walking.

It was an awkward movement, one I’d be embarrassed for anyone else to see. When people walk, their ankles are supposed to move properly, but for me, even moving a single toe was a struggle. If I tried to walk outside in this condition, my feet would drag along the ground.

Honestly, it would probably look pretty ridiculous. There was this old game I remember where the scene of dying to a snail was quite memorable. I’d probably end up walking like one of those zombies from that game.

“Huff, urgh! Huff...”

“Patient, if it’s too difficult, you can rest a bit. Pushing yourself too hard isn’t good either.”

“No, just a little more. I’m fine, really.”

“Alright, but make sure to rest properly when you do, okay?”

“I got it.”

Thankfully, the therapist didn’t try to forcefully stop me. I was grateful for that. After all, this was an opportunity that only came around once a week for me. I already lived like a piece of trash most of the time, so I couldn’t afford to be a baby about this.

It was moments like this when I regretted not exercising more. My stamina had become pitiful. Compared to my time as an athlete, this wasn’t even warm-up level.

Maybe I should’ve listened to my coach’s advice back then.

Not that it would have mattered. With legs I should’ve gotten rid of a long time ago, proper exercise was nearly impossible. I couldn’t even walk without crutches—what could I possibly do?

It’s not like I could risk injuring myself while trying something dumb in that cramped room of mine. At least in the game, I could move freely.

The less time I spent outside the VR setup, the better—for both my body and mind.

“Ah! Ouch!”

“Patient! Are you alright? Should I move you now?”

“No! I just slipped for a second. I’m fine.”

“If you say so... I’ll support you from behind, okay?”

“Thanks.”

This was the rehabilitation center of Sigma Medical Group—the place where most of my earnings went. Of all the things I’d tried, this place was the only one that had shown some progress.

Their advanced equipment could even fine-tune the water currents to care for my body. Right now, a subtle electric current was probably gathering data while I floated, half-immersed in the water. Here, at least, I could attempt some semblance of rehabilitation.

Compared to what the doctor initially told me, it was a remarkable improvement. At least there was something I could do.

— “Miss Han Da-eun? We need to discuss the results of your detailed examination.”

— “Your condition is difficult to diagnose medically. However, based on the symptoms, it appears you have left-side hemiplegia…”

— “There seem to be issues with your tissue and circulatory system as well. Poor blood circulation may cause discoloration or necrosis.”

— “Unfortunately, we cannot draw reliable conclusions regarding the pain or the decline in function.”

The conversation had been complicated, and I didn’t remember all of it. To be honest, I hadn’t fully understood it at the time. My mind wasn’t in a state to absorb medical terminology.

What stuck with me more than the doctor’s words was his look of despair and helplessness.

To sum it up, my left foot was practically a medical disaster zone. The doctor said it looked like I was constantly poisoned. It wasn’t surprising they’d recommended amputation.

Still, today, I received one hopeful piece of news.

— “The detailed examination results from last week are in.”

— “How does it look? Any improvement?”

— “Very slight, but there is improvement. If you look at this data, you’ll see your nervous system is…”

The doctor said it wasn’t a significant figure yet, but the fact that there was any improvement at all was what mattered to me. That alone was enough for me to cling to this fragile life.

Even if it felt like pouring water into a bottomless pit, I’d keep going. If I could regain the use of my legs… If I could stand on my own again and start over, I wouldn’t ask for anything more.

So I would endure this training, no matter how grueling it felt… At least, that’s what I told myself. In reality, I couldn’t go on for hours.

Each rehabilitation session was limited to three hours. As soon as the session ended, I collapsed in exhaustion and went straight to the break room. My body felt like it had turned into a piece of ocean trash, drifting on the waves.

I couldn’t even move a finger, so I closed my eyes, enjoying the lethargic sensation.

What woke me from this state was the cold sensation on my cheek.

“We meet again, don’t we?”

“Huh? Oh… Uh?”

I had thought I’d only closed my eyes for a moment, but it seemed I had fallen asleep.

When I opened my eyes, my blurry vision was greeted by the figure of a woman. Unlike me, dressed in patient attire, she wore something close to a formal suit, with a kind smile and twinkling eyes. Her long, light brown hair cascaded down her back. She was beautiful.

She handed me a bottle of cold water, already opened.

“Th-thank you?”

“You’ve been working hard, haven’t you? You did a great job this week.”

“Well… I have to do it, after all.”

“It’s not an easy thing to do. Not just physically, but mentally as well. I know that firsthand.”

Ah, this was bad. I couldn’t stop my lips from curling into a smile.

The water she handed me was nothing special—just the kind of bottled water you’d get at any convenience store. And yet, it tasted incredibly sweet as it went down my throat.

Of course, that was because this woman was someone I admired deeply.

“Thank you. Your words really help.”

“I’m glad to be of help. I’m sure you’ll get good results. By the way, did you come here alone today? Would you like some help getting home?”

“No, it’s okay. Someone’s picking me up in a bit.”

Her name was Lee Ga-yun, better known by her nickname, Luce. She was a professional esports player for Sigma, and in the domestic leagues, she was an unmatched paladin.

Of course, I was one of her many fans.

But it wasn’t just her skill that made me her fan. Korea’s reputation in Infinity Black wasn’t that high, so being the best in the country didn’t mean much on the international stage.

However, Luce’s story resonated deeply with me.

If I had been cursed in my legs, then Luce had been cursed in her arm. It took her two years to move her wrist after barely being able to wiggle a finger. And another two years before she could raise her shield in the game.

She started out as a streamer who was mocked and ridiculed. With hands that could barely hold a shield, she stubbornly kept challenging ranked games. At first, she was known as the “streamer who only grinds games but can’t play worth a damn.”

But she never gave up. Slowly, her skills surpassed those of regular players, and by the time she mastered her shield, she had broken into the second-tier league.

Now, there was no need to explain further. Luce had become the shining light of the Korean league.

A true victory of human perseverance.

It was only natural that she became my role model.

“Well, I should get going now. I have some things to take care of.”

“Sure! Thanks for the water. I really appreciate it.”

The reason she often came to this rehabilitation center was because she volunteered regularly. It seemed she had been helping other patients nearby and just happened to run into me.

Could I ever… shine as brightly as Luce one day?

I’d love to play a game with her at least once. I’ve had several requests to assassinate her in-game, but I never accepted any of them. I didn’t want to ruin her stream, even if I took down others.

But still, I wouldn’t mind facing her in a match—just once.

I wanted to test my skills against her. The idea of a one-on-one duel with someone I admired made my heart race.

But revealing my identity as Gawol wasn’t an option. My infamous reputation as a player killer was too well-known.

As my thoughts wandered that far, an idea suddenly popped into my head.

“Oh, by the way... are you joining the Infinity Arena event?”

“Hm? You play Infinity Black too, Da-eun? Yes, I’ll be participating.”

“Really…? Well, I’ll definitely be cheering for you. I’ll make sure to watch your stream!”

“Thanks! I’ll do my best!”

I could participate in this tournament too.

With Luce’s skill, she’d no doubt make it to the top. And as with any tournament, the higher you go, the more likely you are to face someone at the top.

If luck was on my side… I might just get the chance to go up against her.

My heart pounded. For the first time in a long while, I could feel my blood boiling with excitement.

Watching her leave, I clenched my chest, feeling the rapid beating of my heart.

Maybe I should hurry Coach Jung along?

I needed to get home quickly and finish the preliminaries.