Chapter 9:
> "Promoted to: Elite V"
The screen blinked with soft fanfare.
Rayn didn't smile, but he paused.
It wasn't just about the badge—it was the feeling behind it.
He'd earned it quietly. No shortcuts. No begging for help.
Just clarity and consistency.
---
But he noticed the difference instantly.
His next match?
A mage rotated before level 4.
An enemy jungler actually timed buffs.
Teammates... pinged the turtle.
> "Okay, this isn't Bronze anymore."
---
Rayn locked in Rivena again. He wanted familiarity now, not experiments.
Five minutes in, the pace felt faster.
No one was making obvious mistakes anymore.
But Rayn caught something in the enemy tank's movements—too aggressive.
> "They think I'll hesitate."
He didn't.
He dashed into the fight with perfect spacing, baited two ultimates, and escaped with 5% HP.
His mid laner followed up with a clean snipe.
> "Nice engage Rivena."
---
The match was tight—back-and-forth kills, contested objectives.
But Rayn never tilted.
He had one simple rule now:
> "Carry through decision-making, not emotions."
---
They won.
No MVP this time.
But he didn't need it. He saved three teammates in one skirmish by just being there early.
> That's real impact. Quiet. Unseen.
---
After the game, he opened his notebook again and added a new section:
> Elite Tier Notes:
– Enemies punish overextensions now.
– Don't take fights without purpose.
– Vision control = survival.
He underlined that last point twice.
---
That night, he switched off the game a little earlier.
There was no rush to climb.
Just something whispering inside him:
> "Each match is a floor. The more solid you build it, the higher you'll stand later."
He wasn't aiming to rush to the top.
He was aiming to never fall back.