Gender Swap: The Introvert’s Broadcast

It wasn’t really surprising that Harin was assigned to the opposing team.

From what I had heard, once you get close to Diamond rank, you often run into well-known players.

However, there was one thing I was curious about.

"So, I'm not even Diamond yet, so how do I meet Harin?"

That was the most curious part.

I had heard that once you’re near Diamond, you’ll encounter well-known players, but Platinum 2 isn’t exactly that close.

[🗡️Omniscient Cthulhu: It's because of your high MMR.]
[🗡️Omniscient Cthulhu: Haven’t you played other online games?]
[If you’ve played, you’d know.]
[There’s a hidden score.]
[You’ve played for so long and still don’t know about MMR?]
[Hwanhee: You’re kinda low-key showing off that you’re good at Reore…]
[Kang Hoo-min: Yeah, it’s obvious haha.]

MMR.

I definitely remembered hearing about it a long time ago, but I didn’t know much about MMR.

That said, it wasn’t like I could just look it up online right now.

There was a good solution for this.

“Cthulhu-mon, hurry up and explain MMR.”

I could ask the manager.

Not just any manager, but one with excellent knowledge about games, so I felt confident asking.

I didn’t think he’d mind.

[🗡️Omniscient Cthulhu: What?]
[🗡️Omniscient Cthulhu: Why are you asking me to explain that?;;]
[🗡️Omniscient Cthulhu: Fine, hold on a second.]
[He’s actually going to explain it haha.]
[Why are you really going to explain it? Dumbass.]
[You’re a fool…]
[At least I tried it once, okay?]
[Hwanhee: He’s a community veteran, so he probably knows how to explain it well.]
[Community veteran, indeed haha.]

Despite his complaints, the manager immediately began preparing the explanation.

This is why I liked Cthulhu.

He always did his best in everything.

[🗡️Omniscient Cthulhu: MMR is used in games where two or more players compete against each other. It’s designed to prevent newbies from quitting early by reducing the skill gap they feel when they first start playing. That’s why MMR was created.]
[🗡️Omniscient Cthulhu: It stands for Matchmaking Rating.]
[Oh.]
[Nice explanation.]
[Now that’s a manager.]
[Hwanhee: So, in short, it’s to prevent newbies from quitting.]
[Yeah, exactly haha.]
[Without newbies, the game wouldn’t work.]
[No newbies, and it would be a problem.]
[Kang Hoo-min: We should just get rid of all the newbies.]
[Come on, Kang, be kinder haha.]

After hearing the explanation about MMR, I began to focus on the game.

Since Harin was the opponent, I didn’t know how many people were watching her stream, but at least I was sure there were over a thousand viewers.

If I couldn’t do well here, it would be an embarrassing situation.

"I have to try my best."

[All][LondonisDangerous][Draven]: Take it easy.
[All][LondonisDangerous][Draven]: I’m new to Draven top.]

I didn’t acknowledge Harin on purpose.

If I did, I might distract my teammates.

‘I really hate that.’

There were always people who tried to intentionally land in the same lane as a broadcaster, just to get on camera. It was better to keep the fact that an opponent was a streamer hidden.

[🗡️Omniscient Cthulhu: Let’s crush Harin haha.]
[🗡️Omniscient Cthulhu: We’re behind, but if we influence top lane, we can win.]
[If it were a different support champion, it would be hard, but Draven is a carry champion, so it’s definitely possible.]
[Hwanhee: Let’s go.]
[This is going to be so fun haha.]
[I’m so excited.]
[Please make Dama lose, please make Dama lose, please make Dama lose, please make Dama lose, please make Dama lose, please make Dama lose.]

Thus, the laning phase began.

“Hmm, wait. Is this really Dama?”

I didn’t expect to run into Dama in ranked.

I definitely knew I was talented at the game, but I didn’t think I’d climb this high so quickly.

[Who is Dama?]
[The person who showed up on the stream before.]
[You don’t know Dama?]
[Hah... You don’t know ‘Dama’? You should stop watching broadcasts if you don’t.]
[How do you not know Dama?]
[Seriously, pathetic…]
[How do you not know an internet broadcaster?]
[But really, who is he? I’ve never heard of him.]

Many people in the chat had never heard of Dama.

Of course, I had mentioned Dama before, but not everyone watches the same people on stream, so it was normal that new viewers wouldn’t know.

“That’s Dama. He’s a guy I’m pretty close with.”

[Oh, a guy.]
[Dama’s voice is pretty bad though, heh heh.]
[The Dugong voice is legit though, haha.]
[Yeah, yeah, it’s obvious that Harin tried to get close to Dama but eventually ditched him.]
[Did he really try to hit on Dama?]
[If it was anyone else, but Harin doing something like that is amazing.]
[How handsome must he be?]
[You met him last time, right?]

Seeing the chat, I recalled the time we met.

It was when I went with my manager to a braised short ribs restaurant near my house and ran into a man who seemed strikingly handsome.

‘He was really handsome.’

The man had a vaguely decadent look, and thanks to his younger brother, I learned that he was Dama. Although we didn’t talk for long, his presence left such a strong impression on me that I couldn’t forget him. If I had the chance, I’d want to meet him again.

“Oh, you guys didn’t meet Dama? You should have, that would have been something.”

[What? Haha, really curious now.]
[But why isn’t he using a webcam? Is it because he’s ugly?]

Even now, as I remembered his face, I typed in the chat.

[All][SkyisBlue][Zara]: What is top lane Draven? Haha]
[All][SkyisBlue][Zara]: Who’s still playing that?]

“Isn’t Draven top a thing from way back?”

Draven was once a strong champion, but after the nerfs, top lane Draven was no longer a popular pick.

[Yeah, it’s been obsolete for a while.]
[Who’s playing top Draven now? Haha.]
[You just need to gank top, and the game’s over.]
[Top Draven without mobility isn’t all that appealing.]
[Let’s swap lanes and give Draven hell lol.]
[Lane swaps are the devil, for real lol.]
[What kind of lane swap in solo queue?]
[Some people still do it, though.]

I thought about it. I could swap lanes and give Draven hell, but it wasn’t that tempting. I wanted to play longer since I had already met Dama.

I wanted to leave a good impression.

“Okay, let’s do it properly? I’ll apologize in advance since Dama might cry.”

[Dama’s tears are a rare sight.]
[What do men’s tears taste like?]
[Obviously salty, what are you talking about?]
[Studies have shown men’s tears taste sweet.]
[So that’s why Harin’s lesbians make their dads cry.]
[Building up some serious chills, lol.]

Since I had caught Draven as an ADC, I felt like I wouldn’t lose this game.

[Viewer donation: 1,000 won]
- Dama, you’re screwed. Harin says she’ll make you cry. What should I do? Should I go and beg with a hundred won?]

“What…?”

I doubted giving money would help.

[Giving money is accepted, lol.]
[🗡️Omniscient Cthulhu: If the will reaches the heavens, it might happen, haha.]
[Tears? Heh heh.]
[I can’t resist tears, haha.]
[If Draven top builds well, it can actually carry, even if the ADC is strong.]
[But it has to be a good build. It’s not just about playing well.]

Harin’s words were pretty intense, but I didn’t think the game would be that hard.@@novelbin@@

After all, with MMR, the skill levels of both teams would be balanced.