When Abyss ascended to the ranks of legendary games, no longer confined to the domestic scene but becoming a global phenomenon…
The Abyss Pro League, held every season, was like a festival that grew larger each year.
Not just in the domestic league, but also in international leagues. There were always those who preferred spectating over playing, regardless of where they were. Many didn’t even play the game but still kept up with the matches.
What can I say? Streamer Riri and Dahee were among those who found excitement in watching the games.
However, unlike the die-hard fans, she didn’t catch every match during the season; she only tuned in for the big or important games.
In that sense, her acquisition of league broadcasting rights was a huge win. She could now watch the league matches not just alone but with her viewers on stream.
For a streamer, it was like a license to print money. All she had to do was watch the matches with enthusiasm. If the streaming hours were filled reasonably and donations about the match content rolled in occasionally, it was an unbeatable moneymaker.
But securing broadcasting rights wasn’t easy. It was a privilege granted only to a select group of qualified streamers, and here on Twitch, one had to be an Abyss Partner Streamer recognized by Eonix to relay league matches.
Riri had vowed from the start of her streaming journey that she would eventually obtain broadcasting rights, and she had recently become a partner streamer, finally securing those rights.
The reason? The consistent growth of her streams over the past month. From her basic streaming stats to her VTube subscriber count and monthly income, everything had surged spectacularly. Would you believe her earnings from the last three months matched what she had earned over her entire streaming career?
The catalyst was undoubtedly the recent tournament. Winning a major competition had set this snowball rolling.
‘It’s all thanks to Teacher Dahee.’
Riri chuckled to herself as she thought of Kayak.
Whether intentional or not, Kayak had set her streaming career on a steady uptrend, and there was no reason to dislike the cause of that surge.
So, to show her gratitude, she had planned to treat Kayak to a meal and drinks, but with other plans in place…
With no choice left, Riri decided to watch the match with her viewers using her newly acquired broadcasting rights.
Considering the first match of the opening round was her inaugural game to commentate, she thought it wouldn’t be so bad as a substitute for her meeting with Kayak; she imagined quite the crowd tuning in.
It was.
– Riri is live streaming!
‘First match broadcast!’
Viewers are quickly piling in. This must be the power of the opening match.
[Rihariha]
[Finally doing the commentary]
[Congrats to the partner streamer!]
“Welcome, thank you. Yes, today we’re watching the match between Fusion Gaming and Optimum.”
With the introduction of the players, their main heroes, and win rates passing by…
The pick-and-ban phase soon began.
“Wow!”
With excited eyes watching the process, Riri couldn’t hide her admiration.
– Ah, Camilla is here!
– This is the first pick in league history. No one has chosen this hero in the past few years.
– I can’t believe we’re seeing this scene in a tournament… The skin is really well done!
– Those planning to solo queue today should be careful. It might be wise to skip ranked games altogether.
“Camilla is out, everyone!”
Riri shouted with a voice full of cheers. Camilla had become quite a familiar hero to Riri. She had even entered the top 3 most used heroes!
However, Camilla wasn’t the most suitable hero for the league. That’s why Riri had no information about Camilla until now.
Not long after starting Abyss, Riri had kept up with the league even if she wasn’t doing great. But Camilla hadn’t even appeared in the league, making it hard to know her skill set or traits.
The neglected child of Eonix, a pretty piece of trash. That had been Camilla’s public image so far, but now that she was in the league, things changed.
Pros never pick for no reason. With her entering the league, a certain level of performance was guaranteed, which meant Camilla’s stock was rising.
[Wow, what the hell, Camilla is coming out?]
[Never thought I’d see Camilla in the league while I’m alive]
[This is Fusion Gaming, they’re even ready for a joker pick]
[Seeing Camilla means Optimum’s win, lol, thanks Fusion folks]
[gbgb12, what are you talking about… Are you saying that just because Camilla is a bad pick, Fusion is going to lose?…]
[The teacher would’ve really loved this]
[I thought they’d go for a standard pick, but they went for Camilla, wow]
[Is Kayak watching?]
[Kayak is happy life]
The viewers were just as shocked as Riri. Everyone was reacting in disbelief.
Among them were quite a few mentioning Kayak. This was probably because Riri’s stream tended to share a viewer base with Kayak’s room.
‘I wish we could have watched it together…’
Seeing the chat mentioning Kayak, Riri couldn’t help but think about her again. What kind of reaction would she have had if they were watching today’s match together?
I wonder how they’ll react, a thought flashed across my mind.
It left a twinge of regret, but that couldn’t be helped.
In place of that, Riri hoped that Camilla would shine in the match, and finally, the game began.
*
The match quickly turned into a one-sided affair.
From the start, the two teams had a clear weight class difference. Fusion Gaming proudly boasted being the top team in the nation, and even made waves internationally, whereas Optimum Gaming was merely scraping by in the mid-tier.
Sure, Optimum occasionally snagged some big matches, earning them the title “Big Game Hunters,” but it seemed that today, they were outmatched.
To put it plainly, Fusion Gaming was just really good at the game.
– Oh, Min Hyung catches River on the lane! He perfectly timed his entry during a brief standoff!
– His form is incredible these days. He’s making plays that only the top-tier players could attempt without hesitation.
– Meanwhile, on the side, a 2v1 dribble! Ha Jun is showing he won’t be outdone!
The players took turns making solid plays. It was a hallmark of strong teams.
As the super plays continued and the victory seemed assured for Fusion Gaming, something stood out.
– Camilla! Jun Hyuk’s Camilla is simply uncontainable!
– She’s moving around the battlefield like it’s her backyard!
– It’s infuriating to watch; dancing while walking around? That must be unbearable for Optimum!
And there she was. Specifically, Lee Jun Hyuk’s Camilla.
The Camilla play unfolding from the hands of the nation’s top player was nothing short of art. With both precise and bold maneuvers, the opposing players from Optimum were utterly flustered—clearly put off.
[Wow, Lee Jun Hyuk really shines with Camilla.]
[Has Camilla really improved? I’m not so sure.]
[Only a few can use her effectively at the top level, lol. I guess she’s tough to master.]
[No one can stop her, though!]
However, Riri felt oddly familiar with Jun Hyuk’s Camilla.
Specifically, her style resembled Kayak’s. The build and playstyle had an unmistakable resemblance.
Nevertheless, Riri remained silent. After all, she knew too well how fierce the fandoms in the pro league could be. If she spoke out loud with her thoughts, both she and Kayak would probably catch flack for it.
[Isn’t that the build the teacher often used in solo queue?]
[It’s similar to what Kayak used.]
[Even so, comparing pros to amateurs? LOL.]
No matter what, comparing pros and amateurs, huh? Haha!
[If you chat like this in the studio, Kayak will get criticized.]
[Right now, someone is getting roasted for being a Kayak worshipper.]
The viewers’ chats were proving that fact. Riri nodded, glad she didn’t say anything like that.
– The match is ending! Fusion Gaming takes the final victory!
– The MVP of the first set goes to Lee Jun Hyuk, who played Camilla.
– That was an impressive play. It wasn’t just one player; the teamwork was perfect too.
The replay of the first set was flowing for a moment.
While the players were given a short break, several scenes began to flash on the broadcast screen.
From short animations to behind-the-scenes stories of the players. And the crowd watching the match in real-time also appeared on screen.
People holding up cheering signs for each team, groups in cosplay. A small child holding a sign.
The camera focused on the little girl holding the sign for quite a while. Maybe because she looked quite cute, or perhaps because of the message written on the sign.
The sign the child was holding read, “Camilla is the best!” written in neat handwriting. It was too elegant for a child to have written it; someone must have helped.
“Isn’t she adorable?”
[The kid is so pumped, haha!]
[That sign’s handwriting is amazing, wow!]
[A child who’s a fan of Camilla… this is a gem!]
[Did the kid come with her parents?]
[Why is she alone?]
The child seemed excited to be at the stadium, vigorously shaking the sign back and forth. Her cute demeanor naturally brought warm smiles to those watching.
Then, the child stopped shaking her sign.
Someone had sat down in the previously empty seat next to her.
It was a woman who gently stroked the child’s hair, took the sign, and placed it on her lap.
With hair as white as snow and slightly pale skin, her sapphire blue eyes held a subtle affection for the child.
Everyone held their breath, watching that scene. The commentators at the venue momentarily fell silent, and the audience collectively closed their mouths.
A bit of silence fell over the lively stadium. Despite that, the woman seemed unbothered, continuing to gently stroke the child’s hair.
Then, she turned to look at the camera.
Riri, watching with bated breath, gasped.
“Why, why is she there?”
At least it was fortunate she didn’t scream.
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