TGMND 61

Maybe due to users constantly complaining on the forums, Illusion added a city siege practice mode during their regular maintenance. Illusion users gave them a thumbs up for about 1 minute, calling it a great game that listened to feedback, before quickly changing their tune to calling it a rigged trash game.

「Earth Star: [Go to Video]」

About a day after Yeo-woon requested the footage, Earth Star sent him a link to the video. It was a video of the day of the siege battle with the Romanus Guild, complete with captions added and the video even pausing briefly at parts where Yeo-woon died. It was so detailed that Yeo-woon couldn’t imagine when it had been edited.

Whenever Yeo-woon appeared in Earth Star’s view, his character’s eyes turned to Xs after getting hit by the enemy before reviving, repeating this over and over. In contrast to Earth Star smoothly taking out enemy guildmates, Yeo-woon was as useless as a fly.

Moreover, Earth Star had spliced together all of Yeo-woon’s death scenes one by one and added analysis comments for each.

The part where he died to a healer player basic attack:

>Seriously, getting killed by a healer? LOL. Idiot… This was just a regular hit. It seems like a gear issue; capture everything and send me the screenshots.

The part where he randomly died mid-skill cast:

> The ‘[Hero] Shadow Clone (1-second delay)’ skill can be canceled by silence/stun skills from King Saber or Knight Spear. If you’re not doing cooldown tactics, don’t use it unless necessaryㅇ_ㅇ

The part where he randomly died to 0 HP when meeting the enemy, KingSaber:

> >lol lol Why did you die there? Try setting the auto-potion usage to 70% HP.

The part where he died nobly trying to help CatMeowMeowMeow:

>??? Cat was doing fine, no need to get in the way.

The part where he fell from a height:

>Lol lol lol lol

“…”

Yeo-woon thought he would feel more confident after analyzing the cause, but instead he felt more dejected. There was no specific reason for the deaths in the aftermath, but rather a lack of control and skill understanding.

This was why Yeo-woon don’t enjoy PVP… Since Illusion is a combat-focused game rather than a crafting one, it’s really challenging.

「Earth Star: Let me know if there’s anything you don’t understand>_<」

There were explanations for the skills the enemies used and even detailed subtitles on the timing of his own skills, so there was nothing Yeo-woon didn’t understand. But it didn’t seem like this video would help him improve significantly.

「ㅠㅠ Earth, what do you think my main issue is?」

「Earth Star: Hmm lol, it’s a combination of things」

「Earth Star: But it can be summarized in one thing」

「Oh!!」

Yeo-woon nodded eagerly, focusing on his words.

「Earth: Starting from 00:00」

Yeo-woon scrolled to the beginning of the video with a serious face.

「Earth Star: Until 08:29 Haha」

8 minutes, 29 seconds.

“…What is it?”

That’s the end of the video? So he was saying the problem was from start to finish. Yeo-woon, who had been listening intently, became enraged.

「Earth Star: LOL」

「You’re laughing? ^^」

「Earth Star: ㅜㅜㅜ」

So annoying. Yeo-woon quickly erased the ‘ㅗㅗㅗ’ he had typed in the chat and sighed. This wasn’t something that could be fixed by getting mad at Earth Star. He had provided the video, so criticizing him further would be rude.

「But I can improve with practice, right…」

「Earth Star: Hmm?」

It seemed Earth Star didn’t think so.

「What do you mean ‘hmm?’ That’s just your opinion;」

「Earth Star: It’s strange because you’re not that bad with your controls」

「Earth Star: Your damage loss rate is just average…」

「Earth Star: After all, you’re not a machine; you can’t predict and use skills perfectly every time, lol」

「Right? Haha」

「Earth Star: But why do you keep getting wrecked?」

「It’s not like I’m getting totally wrecked」

「Earth Star: You totally are! >_< Try switching to armor with different options and do a practice game. I’ll talk to the guild leader now」

「Today?」

Shortly after Earth Star said that, a message popped up in the guild’s group chat.

Captain Poseidon: We’re going to split the guild in half and do siege practice tonight. If anyone wants personal practice, log in after 8pm. We’ll do multiple rounds so no problem joining late. Not mandatory! Just request those with time to participate^^~

Wandu Wandya: I’m working overtime

ParkRoach: (Photo)

ParkRoach: Late-night snackㅠㅠ

Halloween Eggplant: Late-night snacks lol lol

Wandu Wandya: ㅡㅡ

CatMeowMeowMeow: I’m going to watch a movie with friends! I’ll be there soon…

al0ha: Guys, stop getting too involved in your useless real lives and live a bit more in-game.

About 10 other guildmates indicated they could participate. Being a weekday plus the sudden practice notice meant far more couldn’t make it. However, Yeo-woon knew this practice mode existed because of him, so he felt a bit burdened by Earth Star’s meddling. And that wasn’t the end of it.

「Earth Star: I unlocked the restriction on equipment that can be used regardless of class!」

Illusion had a bind system to prevent hacking, where valuable items couldn’t be directly traded by binding them. Bound items couldn’t be transferred, and unlocking the bind took anywhere from 24-48 hours.

「Earth Star: They’ll be tradable after 24 hours, so I’ll lend them to you tomorrow >_<」

Earth Star said he unlocked the restrictions on items in his storage character just for Yeo-woon. Even setting aside class-specific weapons, just the armor alone would cost a fortune. Yeo-woon froze for a moment, seeing the screenshot Earth Star sent of the unlocked items.

“…What if I take them and run?”

It was already generous of him to provide a video with detailed subtitles, but offering to lend such valuable equipment was baffling. If it were Yeo-woon, no matter how close they were, he wouldn’t lend such expensive gear.

「Why are you going to such lengths for me?」

「Earth Star: ? If you die too much, we lose, lol」

「Oh」

It seemed Earth Star didn’t consider the immense value of his equipment. The guild needed to win the siege, and if Yeo-woon’s deaths affected that, Earth Star was willing to lend expensive gear. Simply put, Earth Star was obsessed with winning the game.

「Earth Star: But where are you right now? Why aren’t you in Illusion?」

「I’m still out….」

「Earth Star: Huh, why? You left first.」

「What do you mean?」

「Earth Star: Ah」

「Earth Star: Uhm」

「Earth Star: Uh」

「Earth Star: I mean yesterday」

A “…” appeared on the other chat’s side, then disappeared, as if the message had been written and erased.

「Earth Star: You left the game first.」

「Earth Star: That’s what I mean, lol.」

Did he hesitate so much just to say that? And why so many typos all of a sudden?

「Earth Star: So, when are you coming? lol」

“…When am I logging in?”

Yesterday, he’d been so sleepy that he’d logged off first, which was probably why Earth Star was saying this. But it was not like Yeo-woon the one always logging off first. Was there some rule that if he logged off first one day, he had to log in earlier the next? Weirdo. Yeo-woon let out a wry chuckle as he sipped his half-finished coffee. His slightly damp hair swayed across his forehead, having only partially dried after coming from the pool.

「I’ll log in soon. I’m near my house.」

「Earth Star: Huh? Where near home?」

「I went to exercise and now I’m at a cafe.」

Did they change the coffee beans? It tasted richer than usual. Yeo-woon stared blankly at the counter, meeting eyes with the female employee inside. Since he came here often, he was familiar with the staff at Cafe Earth. He gave her a faint smile out of politeness and returned his attention to his phone.

「Earth Star: What cafe??」

「Earth Star: Why a cafe though?」

「Earth Star: I’m at home…」

「? I didn’t ask.」

「Earth Star: Why’d you go? Are you waiting for someone?」

What’s he on about? Does he think people go to cafes to meet others? No, Yeo-woon went to drink something.

「Earth Star: I asked why you went?」

「Earth Star: Hello??」

「Earth Star: Hyung….」

「Earth Star: Are you really waiting for someone?」

「Earth Star: Why aren’t you answering?」

「Earth Star: I know you read it!!」

So noisy. How do you disable message vibration on this app? Yeo-woon fiddled with the settings in frustration before deciding to deal with the pesky Earth Star first.

「Stop being noisy. Quit being clingy.」

「I’m not meeting anyone.」

「I only had one coffee today so I was craving caffeine.」

「I’m coming soon, so stop nagging.」

「No need to reply.」

Yeo-woon placed his half-finished coffee on the table and headed to the counter, wallet in hand, to buy a drink to take home. Exchanging greetings with the familiar cafe employee, he ordered a hot Americano. His carelessly placed phone on the table vibrated with a message popup.

「Earth Star: Why are you mad at me?ㅡㅡ」