A Legendary Korean Gamer Stuck in a Japanese Isekai – Chapter 2

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: bchen3
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Galapagos. An isolated island.

For better or worse, it’s one of the best ways to describe Japan’s gaming ecosystem.

In the early days of gaming, Japan, along with the United States, had been evolving in its own unique way.

JRPGs and other titles considered masterpieces, with Japan’s overflowing creativity, had spawned a legion of weeaboos alongside manga and anime.

The problem was that their own unique color was so strong that they didn’t accept outside influence, like, at all.

For example, the MMORPG version of “World,” played by Moon, one of Korea’s legendary gamers, was a huge success worldwide, but it bombed in Japan.

It was as if MMORPGs and player-versus-player games, which were the main genres for Korean gamers, were only played by hardcore gamers in Japan.

As a country that had experienced the console wars, console games were more mainstream than PC games.

As a result, in the world of esports, where versus fighting games were mainstream, Japan’s status was even lower than even some Southeast Asian countries.

Despite having a high level of infrastructure and a large population, their performance in international tournaments for mainstream games was dismal.

Fighting games were slightly better, but even then, the Diablo series and the King of Fighters series, both created in Japan and still the most popular fighting games, were dominated by Koreans and the Chinese, respectively. The legend of Diablo was Shoulders, a Korean, and China’s performance in King of Fighters was overwhelming.

And yet, it was a country with a relatively large population, one of the world’s leading economic powers, and a culture where people spent a fair amount on subcultures and entertainment.

Many in the industry had tried to tap into the Japanese market but failed repeatedly.

Everyone had their own analysis of the reasons, but I thought it was quite complex.

First, while they were gamers, unlike other countries, many were casual, solo console players, so the type of gamer was different.

And then there was the fact that they always lost.

Esports might be ridiculed as a pseudo-sport, but it was still a sport.

Who would enjoy watching a team that always lost?

Moreover, for Japan, it was a blow to their pride that even when they participated in international competitions, they were crushed by Korea and China. Not to mention, they were mostly getting wrecked by Southeast Asian countries too.

There could be other reasons as well.

But the solution, as I saw it, was quite simple.

Win.

Win, win, and keep winning. In genres with international competitions, if you keep winning, even people who aren’t interested will develop a sense of national pride, regardless of the country.

If you keep winning, even in countries conservative about gaming, the media will start mentioning it, and people will gradually start paying attention.

After all, it was a country with an overwhelmingly large potential gamer population compared to its overall population.

Even if they didn’t play themselves, there were plenty of potential viewers.

If you consistently maintained that, not just for a short time but for a long time, you’d see bandwagon fans and those who gathered temporarily due to hype eventually turn into die-hard fans.

I had already experienced it firsthand.

If the viewership increased, sponsors and advertisers would naturally follow.

That’s how you roll a snowball.

That was how I planned to become an unprecedented Legend of Legends, a legend both as a player and a coach, by single-handedly elevating the Japanese league to the top, a feat no one had ever achieved in decades, despite everyone eyeing the prize.

And once the Japanese esports market grew, I’d establish a gaming academy, securing my retirement fund in the process.

Fame, fortune, women(?) – a devilishly perfect plan!

My genius was truly dazzling.

“As always, easier said than done,” Siu sighed.

Still, he didn’t deny it, a smile playing on his lips.

Of course.

Who was I?

The undefeated champion, the one who had turned the perpetually mid-tier Mad Bull Monsters into the second most popular team in the OCK.

“But do we really have to do this?” I grumbled as I prepared to head to our destination with Siu.

“You said it yourself, hyung. Japan is still mostly single-player focused. We can’t miss this chance to get your face out there as much as possible. The reason the team is paying you such a high salary is to maximize popularity through your name recognition.”

“I know, but I’m a game team coach, not a clown. And is my salary really that high? It feels like less than a tenth of what I used to make as a player.”

“…Damn lucky bastard.”

“What? What did you just say? Hey!”

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Tokyo Game Show.

Held at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, it was one of the three biggest gaming events in the world.

“There’s certainly a lot to see at a game show.”

It was huge.

Quickly averting my gaze from a passing cosplayer, I followed Siu.

It was definitely on a different scale, worthy of being one of the world’s top three gaming events.

Back in Korea, there was a time when mobile games made up more than half of the game shows, leading to a depressing decline in quality and attendance. However, perhaps because consoles were the mainstream here, the quality had been consistently maintained, and Japan’s shows still enjoyed a high reputation.

Various booths for different games and the game show itself featured a variety of promotional efforts, from virtual YouTubers and popular streamers to all sorts of other personalities.

The company that had invited me as a special guest was N Corporation, considered to be in a league of its own in the Japanese gaming industry.

This was a company with integrity, incomparable to Korea’s infamous 3N, known for their terrible business practices both domestically and internationally.

This year, at the game show, they were holding a showcase for their most famous franchise title, “Connecting Legends,” alongside Super Mario, offering 100 lucky N Corporation fans a chance to experience a sneak peek of the game.

And I was here as a special guest, separate from the 100 chosen ones.

“Connecting Legends – The Gods’ Sandbox,’ a sandbox-style open world game? Like Minecraft?”

“You could say that.”

Siu and I received the terms and conditions of the contract from a very Japanese-nerd-like N Corporation employee and then met with a staff member from DFM, the team I would be coaching.

“How should I address you?”

“You can call me Kani.”

“Is your name Kani?”

“No, it’s my nickname from when I was a player. It’s more comfortable for me. Our team fans call me that too.”

“Oh, you were a player?”

“Haha… I wasn’t as good as Kid.”

Kani, with his tinted, half-rimmed glasses and a friendly smile, turned out to be quite a remarkable person.

I learned from Kani as we met with DFM staff and my Japanese fans that if Korea had G1, Japan’s prestigious team was DFM, and Kani was considered a legend here.

He was a contemporary of “Sunbae,” one of Korea’s legends, and was one of the few Japanese players who had achieved some success in international competitions, even in this minor league.

It seemed he had continued to be involved with DFM in various capacities since then.

The MC announced the start of the new game showcase, and a hologram appeared.

The familiar tone and style of Connecting Legends, the creative gimmicks and contraptions that had been a part of the series since the Zelda: Breath of the Wild era…

The trailer, with its breathtaking visuals, its sense of adventure, and the promise of freedom, had the series’ fans roaring with excitement.

“…Honestly, it’s really well-made.”

“Right? Now I see why some of the testers from the closed beta were saying it has GOAT potential.”
Honestly, I was a bit envious.

Back in the day, Korea had a global presence not just in playing games but also in developing them. But now, it seemed like they were struggling to produce globally recognized titles.

Of course, in this day and age, with real-time translation readily available and games released simultaneously worldwide, what did national boundaries even mean in gaming anymore?

“In this showcase, we are giving 100 lucky heroes the opportunity to experience the world of The Gods’ Sandbox!”

“Woooaaahhh!”

N Corporation’s showcase booth was in a frenzy.

It was a little nauseating to see those who looked like the real deal, the hardcore fans, with their faces flushed with excitement.

But then again, these were their customers, their future fans.

I had to be professional.

As an invited special guest, my participation was guaranteed, so I leisurely observed the lottery with the other guests.

Tap, tap.

Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I saw a girl dressed as Link from Connecting Legends, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Maybe she was a popular streamer invited as a special guest?

To be honest, I wasn’t familiar with anyone internationally famous.

My mind briefly summarized the situation.

Big… and pretty.

“Excuse me, are you Kid?”

“Yes.”

“Eek! I’m a fan. Would it be possible to get your autograph later?”

Ugh… this popularity.

I’m working right now.

Autographs… not a good idea.

“Maybe later.”

“Thank you! I see you were invited as a special guest too. Are you going to be playing the game in the showcase?”

“Yes, most likely.”

“This is amazing. Never thought I’d get to play a game with Kid.”

I smiled politely and nodded.

She was pretty, but my interest waned a little after she called herself a fan.

Pro gamers often debut at a young age, so they learn how to deal with various situations, including fan culture and interactions.

One of the most important things they emphasize is to never get involved with groupies.

I always valued my career and considered myself to have a strong work ethic.

As a result, I had avoided any major scandals throughout my 11-year career, but I still had a defense mechanism that kept me from getting close to anyone who called themselves a fan.

With the lottery over, the lucky 100 players and the invited special guests, including myself, stepped forward.

Cheers erupted every time the MC introduced a guest.

I received the second loudest cheer, the loudest going to the female streamer next to me.

…Honestly, I was a little annoyed by that.

“Alright, all 108 heroes, please make your way into the capsules!”

Following the staff’s guidance, the 100 players, the other guests, and I moved towards the capsules.

As soon as I got inside, the capsule door closed behind me.

I familiarized myself with the controls inside, impressed.

As expected of N Corporation. Even their capsules were top-notch.

N Corporation didn’t just make games; they had been manufacturing gaming devices since the console era.

And that hadn’t changed with the introduction of capsules.

N Corporation’s game showcases were not only for promoting their games but also their capsule technology.

‘…Maybe I should get the next generation N Corporation model…’

I finished setting up the capsule and got ready.

However, there was always someone who didn’t know what they were doing in these situations. It took a while for the staff to help everyone troubleshoot and get settled.

“Alright! Everything is ready for our heroes to embark on their adventure! Let’s all watch as they face hardships… I mean, as they embark on a legendary journey!”

The audience laughed at the MC’s words.

I chuckled to myself and closed my eyes, and the capsule quietly whirred to life.

Soon, my brain would enter a REM-like state, achieving full-dive immersion.

My consciousness gradually faded away.

BOOM!!!!!

And so, I didn’t feel the exhibition hall shake violently for a brief moment.

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“This just in!

Earlier today, a massive lightning strike hit the Tokyo Game Show exhibition hall, shaking the entire building.

The ceiling of the exhibition hall partially collapsed, but fortunately, there were almost no casualties.

However, 108 people participating in N Corporation’s showcase suddenly disappeared from inside their capsules.

Multiple witnesses claim they saw them vanish in a flash of light when the lightning struck the showcase area.

Some are jokingly speculating whether they have been transported to another world…”

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