NoveLight ™
The graves of my parents were situated on a fairly high place.
It was a little difficult for me to climb, but still, it was a spot with a great view.
The surroundings were open, and the blue sky was visible.
My mother had liked to look at the scenery from high places, and that was the reason for choosing this location.
Today, the weather was clear.
In the morning, I thought there might be some clouds, but by then, the sky had cleared up brightly.
It seemed like luck was on my side. If I ever recall today, the beautiful, blue scenery would come to mind.
"...I'm here. Mom, Dad."
My instructor had asked me to greet them alone, so he stayed down below.
It seemed he was giving me the space to spend my time as I wished.
Since it wasn’t the usual time for visiting the grave, I was the only one around.
This, too, was fortunate.
I didn’t have to show my tear-streaked face to anyone else.
Even though I had washed my face in the restroom, traces of my tears remained.
Even now, my memories of my parents were still vivid.
Perhaps that was why it hurt even more. They had been such wonderful people.
I had been blessed with parents who were so much more than I deserved, and the loss hurt all the more.
"I’ve become a pro gamer. I’m doing well, and my teammates are nice. I’ve made some friends, too. We took a picture together. Would you like to see it?"
But now, I understand.
The greater the love, the more painful the parting.
But that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable to just give in and stop moving forward.
It would be the most tragic thing to say that your love ruined me.
It would be disrespectful both to the ones who gave the love and to myself, who received it.
"My tournament results have been great. I haven’t lost once. Soon, I’ll participate in a bigger tournament. We all promised to win there, too... We made that promise yesterday."
Even now, I don’t know if I’m allowed to say such things.
Is there really no part of me responsible for my parents' accident?
If I had quit Kendo and returned home, would they have welcomed me back?
The doubt still hasn’t been erased.
But my instructor said that such thoughts would only hurt my parents more.
I couldn’t argue. Maybe I didn’t want to.
Perhaps, somewhere deep inside, I was harboring a narrow-minded thought that I wanted to feel at ease.
Still, isn’t it time to let go?
It hurt so much. I cried a lot, and I suffered in silence.
If it hurt this much, perhaps I deserve a little forgiveness.
My life had been stuck in place since the accident.
So, in front of my parents, maybe it’s okay to remain a little more like a child.
"I accepted the gift you sent. It’s a little late, but I’ll get the clothes altered to fit me. They’re too big for me to wear as they are."
Originally, children are selfish and only think of themselves, right?
It was my father who said it was okay to act spoiled.
A man shouldn’t say one thing and do another.
As you said, I’ve decided to act spoiled again.
I’ll immerse myself like I did before, obsessed with victory... I’ll wield my sword to win.
It’ll still take time. It’s not a wound that can heal immediately.
But I believe it will get better little by little.
"Kendo... I’ll think about it once my leg heals. I can try swinging the sword a little, maybe take a picture of it too."
I felt something lighten.
The emotions that had been rising inside me turned into tears.
A warm tear rolled down from the corner of my eye and down my cheek.
That one tear was enough. After that, no more tears came.
The sensation that had been squeezing my chest loosened little by little.
The still ongoing summer breeze gently caressed the back of my neck.
That day. Just like Mom.
"Ah, I didn’t wear the uniform on purpose. I’ll show it to you after winning the next tournament. I already showed you the domestic tournament victory, right?"
Now, I’ll show you how far I can go.
The day before the accident, I was at my peak.
Although I didn’t get the chance to prove it, my skills and efforts didn’t just disappear.
As long as I’m alive, I can keep fighting.
And I’m still alive.
[Daily eSports News]
[Title: (On-site) Sigma eSports Heads to the World Championship] [Author: Myojiki Reporter (myojiki@novelpia.com)]
(Attached photo: Sigma eSports players holding large suitcases)
Once again, this time of year had arrived.
The World Championship period, filled with both the expectations and concerns of the fans.
On the early morning of the 27th, Sigma eSports arrived at the airport.
The mood was good. The players, as well as the coaching staff, showed excitement on their faces.
Though it was early, fatigue seemed to be overshadowed by anticipation.
Before the departure procedures, the players shared their thoughts on advancing to the championship.
(Attached photo: Luche solo photo)
Luche (Lee Ga-yun) said, "It’s a difficult goal, but I will definitely win."
Fans who have followed the domestic league for a long time have seen Luche’s growth.
If we go further back, there was a time when she couldn’t even properly hold her shield.
Her response, "I am always better than I was yesterday," reflects that past.
And in Sigma eSports, there’s another player with a similar story.
The newcomer who swept through the IKL Summer League, ‘Ga-wol’ Han Da-eun.
(Attached photo: Ga-wol, Infinity Arena Champion) (Attached photo: IKL, World Championship Rule Change Notice) (Attached photo: Hekate putting her arm around Ga-wol)
Ga-wol, too, had been unable to debut as a pro for a long time due to leg injuries.
As if to release all that pent-up frustration, the Summer League became Ga-wol’s league.
……
In IKL, Ga-wol was a player who truly lived up to the nickname "Supernova."
Among insiders, her skills are often compared to those of Phantom or Reaper.
Such a player confidently declared, "No matter who comes, I can win. I will win and become champion."
Can Luche beautifully close the long story she’s been writing?
Can Ga-wol, like in the IKL, bring about a surprise at the World Championship too?
We wish Sigma eSports all the best in their rise.
Even after the Summer League ended, there was still a long wait until the Championship.
After the final, the World Championship qualifiers took place.
Aside from Sigma and Galaxy, four teams competed for the remaining spots.
After fierce battles, ACL made it as the third seed from Korea.
Though an important tournament loomed ahead, there was no need to rush.
The journey had started with a long-term view from the moment the Summer League began.
Suddenly raising the pace would only backfire.
Every day, we sharpened our skills and kept an eye on the games of the formidable opponents we might face.
We never forgot to gather and share our thoughts.
Time passed quickly, and soon the draw ceremony approached.
"Welcome everyone to the draw ceremony that marks the start of the much-anticipated World Championship!"
"I'm your host, caster Hoeun, and I’m joined by three members of the analysis team."
"Today, we will conduct the draw for both the qualification and main group stages."
The World Championship is the largest-scale tournament.
With teams from Korea, China, Japan, and West Asia, the number of games and teams is vast.
In Korea, ACL entered through the qualifiers as a lower seed.
They will battle against relatively weaker leagues and bottom-seed teams from Europe and North America.
Our team’s main stage begins with the group stages, where 32 teams, divided into eight groups, will compete.
The qualifiers are not of much concern.
We’ll check the matches for meta analysis, but our focus is on the group stage draw.
Until it’s our turn, we’ll just relax and enjoy pizza.
Hekate, pulling the cheese, glanced at me with wide eyes.
"Da-eun, is there any team you really want to face?"
"Yes."
"Which one?"
"Anyone who’s good at assassination. I want to see how great those players are."
Thinking back to the Arena matches with Reaper,
It will definitely be a fierce but enjoyable fight.
Hekate looked bored, but my thoughts hadn’t changed.
In a tournament this large, it matters who you beat to advance.
The data gained from facing strong teams is invaluable.
After all, to win the championship, you must defeat all the opponents. It’s better to rise by defeating strong challengers.
As the teams were assigned, our team finally got placed in a group.
"This team is one we can’t lose to, for sure."
"They’ve caused many upsets recently. Sigma has been placed in Group B, and the team they’ll face is..."