Ranked Solo Queue

Nia has officially joined the club. She became the seventh and last member of this tiny basement club.

Following that, Kai decided that club activities will be held thrice a week. It was the standard for sports clubs, but it was unfortunate. This team had to cram as much practice as possible to get anywhere at the regionals. They should practice every single day they have.

"What? Practice every day?" Luke produced a dry laugh. "Man, you're high."

"Sounds tiring," Nia agreed.

"I get where you're coming from," Kai said. "But, that's too much. We're a school club, not the pro league."

"Resting is also a part of a pro's work," Vincent said.

[Well, about what I expected.] Yuel sighed. Only Lars supported Yuel's suggestion. They have been practicing together daily anyway so, for them, that was the norm. However, for the rest, it was too much.

In the end, everybody rejected Yuel's suggestion, except for Ben who didn't object but didn't express agreement either. He just stayed quiet during the whole thing. Not that it mattered, since daily practice was impossible for him anyway. He has been attending club activity once in a blue moon and Kai let him get away with it for some reason. If things continue like this in the upcoming weeks, Yuel will have to raise the topic again.

With the club now having 7 members, or at least 6.5 because Ben was only sometimes there, it became impossible for everybody to practice at the same time as one team. Yet, they were also too few to be split into two full teams of five. This was so sad. They couldn't even hold 5v5 practice matches like this.

Back in the day, StormBlitz's restriction of 15 club members seemed harsh. But, compared to this situation, StormBlitz was a paradise. They had enough members to train three full teams simultaneously. Seriously, what was Stratus supposed to do with just seven members? Sigh.

In the end, their training regime remained the same as before. They formed a team of five players and went into Ranked. After every match, they substituted the members who were on standby. This way, everybody got to play.

However, there was one troublemaker who couldn't play Ranked with the others yet.

"You better use your breaks to finish the qualifier," Yuel told Nia.

"But, solo queue is such a pain." Nia pouted. "Does it really matter what rank I get?"

"It matters for the system," Yuel explained. "As long as you don't finish the qualifier, it can't estimate your rank, so it struggles to find a match for you. We already got a mish-mash of ranks here, and you see how sometimes it takes over five minutes to find a proper match."

"Gufu... Ok, got it. I'll do it," Nia mumbled with a sulking face.

"I can look over your qualifier games," Kai suggested. "I'll drop you a few tips and stuff."

"Oh, that's nice," Nia nodded. [At least, somebody will be on my side. Because, my own team will always be 100% against me.]

The worst thing about the qualifier matches was that Nia had to play with a bunch of randoms who all gonna hate her by default. Even before the match started, they were already set on bullying her...

『Jungler』

She jammed the message into the lobby chat as soon as the room loaded. Thanks to this secret ninja technique of preparing the text while waiting in the queue, she got to call her role before anybody else! Nin nin.

But...

『I'll take jungler』

Some other guy declared as if he was the king. Unfortunately, he had the say because his turn was earlier in the drafting order. The game placed "better players" earlier in the drafting phase, based on some vague system that estimated skill. That system was clearly a bully.

"Gufu," Nia hung her head. Just great. She just started the qualifier again and people were already bullying her. Why couldn't the game match her with reasonable people for a change?

Nia called the Jungler role before anybody else. She carefully prepared the message ahead of time and jammed it into the chat as soon as the lobby appeared, only for everybody to ignore it. Welp, if she isn't playing Jungler then it's over.

『Ok GG』

『wut』

『I can only play jungle』

『git gud then』

"Classic online, huh." Kai smiled wryly. "It's been so long since I last had to deal with this crap. My condolences."

"It's ok," Nia put down her controller. "I'll just AFK then."

"That's going a little too far, don't you think?" Kai frowned.

"Well, I either AFK or end up feeding with some role I can't play well," Nia shrugged. "They gonna hate on me anyway and we gonna lose. So, faster to just AFK."

"I agree that your teammates will probably complain no matter what. But, aren't you a little too quick to give up? You really can't play any other role?"

"Nope."

"How much have you tried?"

"Enough to know they're not for me," Nia said. "I can't disappear when I have to stay on lane all the time."

"Why do you need to 'disappear'?"

"So I can appear again and get a kill."

"That a Jungler's mindset, alright," Kai nodded. "But, you just gotta think differently for other roles."

"That's not fun," Nia pouted. "I want to surprise them and get kills."

"Is that so," Kai had a lot more to say but she pursed her lips.

Nia's attitude wasn't healthy and definitely not competitive. No matter what role she had to fill in, she ought to play to the best of her ability. Going AFK was unacceptable, especially during qualifier matches. There was a chance it was a qualifier match for some of her teammates as well so she was about to ruin their chances of scoring a high rank.

But, Kai didn't want to attack Nia with this. At long last, there was another girl in the club. So, Kai had to act like a nice older sister.

It was clear Nia went through a lot of shit online, same as Kai and pretty m much everybody else who ever played solo queue. So, it was important to show her that, unlike that toxic online environment, playing in a club was a fun and friendly experience.

Hopefully, with time, Nia's way of thinking will evolve and she'll understand why AFKing in this situation was bad sportsmanship. Over time, she should start feeling more comfortable around her clubmates and will become more open to criticism. Until then, there was nothing wrong with spoiling her a little and letting her get away with things.

Unfortunately, one thick-headed dumbass didn't get the memo...

"If you AFK on purpose, you're the worst type of human being," Yuel proclaimed.

[Jeez, thanks for helping me give a warm welcome to our newcomer.] Kai felt like strangling that guy. Yuel was actually echoing Kai's own thoughts, but did he have to bring it up right now? Zero delicacy.

"I dunno what to do with other roles," Nia picked up her phone; Tipmancer was already running. "For Jungler, it explains jungling paths and stuff. For other roles, it only says how to farm efficiently and gives a few matchup tips here and there. Dunno what to do from just that."

"Just follow these guidelines," Yuel said. "Farm safely and recall when you're low. Then, farm again."

"But, I also need to rotate sometimes and all that, right?"

"No need to rotate at first," Yuel said. "If you don't know your role and class well enough, you don't have to go for any amazing plays. Just stick to the fundamentals and you'll get the job done. A player with solid fundamentals will contribute to his team way more than somebody who goes for crazy plays and fails miserably. Keep it simple and you'll do just fine."

"I see," Nia curled into a ball on the chair. "Ok, I can try. Looks like I can pick either Mid or Support."

"Pick Mid," Yuel said. "Support is not very beginner-friendly. If you don't know how to create opportunities and initiate, you won't get much done."

"Ok," Nia typed in the lobby chat in blazing speed.

『I'll Mid』

『i called mid tho...』The teammate at the bottom of the list complained.

[Cry me a river.] Nia scuffed. She had zero sympathy for any of these randoms. They took her main role even though she called it first, so she'll take whatever she wants now.

『I called Jungler first and didn't get it, so...』

『i can't support』

『git gud then』

[Haha, goteem!] Nia smirked. That'll teach these bullies. She was giving them a taste of their own medicine.

[That was uncalled for.] Kai frowned. This exchange reminded her of her younger immature self, who wasted way too much time bashing her teammates whenever they called her out on the smallest of things.

『mid is feeding gg』

『You think you can do better? 1v1 me after this, big boy』

[I really used to write that kind of crap, huh.] Kai smiled wryly.

Like many newcomers to this game, she went throughout the life cycle of flaming people, then blocking everybody and then, finally, getting over it and learning how to ignore the idiots. At least, for the most part. Sometimes, she still couldn't help but get into petty arguments with them. Especially, whenever they brought up her gender. Them bastards.

That aside, there was one truth everybody knew: trash-talking your teammates didn't bring any benefits. It only created a negative atmosphere and motivated people to feed on purpose, AFK or steal kills just to spite. It wasn't a healthy attitude to play with.

[I probably should say something.] Kai stared at Nia's snarky rebuttal in the chat. That "git gud" part was uncalled for. That last guy didn't do anything to her. He was merely pleading to not play Support because he wasn't good at it, the same way Nia pleaded to play Jungler because she wasn't good with other roles.

[I also don't like Support so I feel the guy.] Kai thought.

Support was the only role in the game she couldn't play well, so she knew where that guy was coming from. It was such an odd role because it couldn't get anything done on its own. It constantly had to rely on others to do everything. It required so much faith in others that it was practically unplayable with a team of strangers.

If Kai were in Nia's shoes, she'd definitely go for Mid over Support and disregard her teammate's plea as well. Nevertheless, making a scene out of it with "git gud" was unnecessary. Playing Support was already a pain and this attitude will only make the guy less motivated to do anything.

Honestly, if Kai were that guy in the last pick, she'd go for something like Lumimancer or Aeromancer for Support so she could build it like a Mid Laner. That actually worked somewhat well for her before.

[Doesn't seem like the other guy plans to answer so I'll just let it slide.] Kai shrugged. She was waiting to see the guy's reply but nothing came. So, it was fine to bury this topic.

"You better keeping such thoughts inside," Yuel came to ruin the party by criticizing Nia. "You're both playing for the same team. No need to insult each other. It only creates bad blood."

"They started it," Nia pouted. "They took my role even though I called it first."

"I understand that," Yuel nodded. "It's a thing that happens often in Ranked and that's why you need to learn to play all roles."

"What a pain."

"Well, excuse me, prin-" Yuel coughed and glanced at Kai. That was dangerous.

"Prin?" Nia tilted her head. "Prinny?"

"I meant to say that you shouldn't act so spoiled. In Casual, you could insta-lock a Jungler as soon as the selection screen appeared. But, things don't work that way in Ranked. There is a drafting order and you have to respect it."

"I don't like it." Nia pouted.

"Yeah, it can be a pain," Kai agreed. "When you play with randoms who don't know what you're good at and take all your roles, it always feels like they got an agenda going against you."

"They usually don't, though," Yuel said. "It just so happens that the roles they don't like playing are the same as yours. So, no reason to be hostile toward the last guy. You both don't like playing Support and that's fine. It's not his fault somebody took your Jungler role even though you called it first.

"Hm, right," Nia lowered her head. She wrote that "git gud" reply at the heat of the moment because she was mad about her stolen role, but it wasn't the last guy's fault. It was that thief above her that deserved all the hate. He was the one who committed a robbery in broad daylight and got away with it. A professional bully with a diploma.

"Sorry," Nia mumbled.

"It's alright," Kai said. "Sometimes, this game can bring out the worst in you."

"No point apologizing to us," Yuel said. "It's that guy over there who deserves an apology."

"Eh? But..." Nia chewed her lips. It was so weird. On paper, Yuel was right. Nia acted like a bully and should've apologized. If that player was standing in front of her right now, she'd apologize without a problem.

But, apologizing on the internet? In a Classmancers chat? Did no one ever.

"No need to elaborate," Yuel said. "Just explain you can't play Support either."

"Hmm," Nia twisted her lips while her fingers hovered over the touchscreen.

[He really gonna make her apologize for it? Wow.] Kai couldn't believe this was real life.

It made sense to clear things up with your teammates but Kai would never ever be able to apologize to some random on the internet. In fact, nobody ever apologized to her either. People in the chat only knew how to flame each other. Sometimes, [very] rarely, they also praised their teammates for a good kill or such. That was the epitome of intelligence for chat interactions.

Honestly, the idea of apologizing never even crossed Kai's mind. She had a bunch of stupid outbursts in chat throughout her career but she has never considered taking her words back and apologizing for them. Even if she realized she was in the wrong, she just hoped her teammates will sweep things under the rug and forget all about it.

[This guy really comes up with bizarre ideas.] Kai shook her head. [And, it seems like Nia is actually going to follow on that advice.]

Nia typed her "apology" at lightning speed.

『jk I also can't support. It's hard. GL』

『okay I'll try』

[Maybe this guy isn't so bad after all.] Nia thought. He didn't curse her to death for making him play Support, unlike Nia did (internally) to that robber who stole her Jungler role. So, turned out she really lashed at the Support guy for no reason.

[She twisted that "apology" around rather smoothly.] Yuel thought. Instead of taking her words back, Nia pretended she was joking about the whole thing. The idea didn't even cross Yuel's mind.

"Good job," Yuel said. "That should keep the team more positive."

"Yeah, you did really well!" Kai was deeply impressed. "I gonna steal that 'just joking' tech, if you don't mind."

"Sure," Nia nodded. "Ah, there's no time!" With all this talk, she only had 30 seconds left to pick her class! Oh noes!

"Um, Mid..." She filtered down the class list by the "Mid Laner" tag and scrolled through it with a difficult expression. "I don't play any of these."

"You've surely played Mid before, right?" Yuel asked. "You have to know at least one class."

"Oh, right. I played some Wizard before. She's pretty simple."

"Makes sense," Yuel nodded. After all, Wizard was designed as a beginner-friendly mage and the in-game tutorial recommended starting with it.

However, Wizard was considered low tier in the meta because it was too simple for its own good. Still, for somebody who didn't play Mid much, it was a solid pick that could put in some work. It was better for Nia to pick a familiar low-tier class over a high-tier class she never played.

"Go for it," Yuel said. "Wizard is considered low tier but it's easy to handle so you should be fine. Besides, it's a legit counter to Pyromancer so you got an advantage there. Oh, and you should hurry up."

"Ack! Right!" Nia locked-in right the countdown hit 3. "Phew, made it."

"Good," Yuel nodded.

"What's with the sudden interest?" Kai asked Yuel.

"Just killing time while waiting in queue," Yuel shrugged. "Though, I [am] a little interested in how Nia performs as Mid."

"Wanna watch over her match instead?"

"I don't mind."

"Alright, let's switch then," Kai stood up. "I wanna play some."

"Sure," Yuel wasn't sure where that came from but he accepted the offer and traded places with Kai.

"Just make sure you're not too harsh with her," Kai said. "Remember, she's not used to playing Mid."

[Or, playing the MOBA mode in general.] Yuel added. "Yeah, I know."

"Alright," Kai joined the others in the center of the clubroom. As frustrating as it was to admit, she was no-good as Nia's guide right now. She was too conscious of Nia being a fellow girl, to the point she let Nia get away with too many things. Therefore, it was better to let somebody who freely spoke their mind to supervise Nia's qualifier.

For the better or the worse, Yuel was the type who knew little restraint and had zero tact. If he didn't like something or disagreed, he immediately spoke up. He had little in the way of delicacy and he often came off as harsh but his criticism was usually honest and on-point. That kind of input will help Nia improve during her qualifier. Hopefully.

Knowing Yuel, that professional nitpicker might get too serious with his criticism and discourage Nia from playing. But, nah. He knew better than that, right? It won't happen, right? Hopefully not...