Silver I.
The badge sat quietly on Nightwalker's profile.
One step away.
There was no system announcement yet, but everyone who paid attention knew what it meant.Gold promotion matches were coming.
World Chat had changed its tone.
"Nightwalker's Silver I now.""One more win and he's in promos.""Holy Crusader going into Gold… that's rare.""I watched his replays. He doesn't play for kills."
That comment sparked a short discussion.
"That's what makes it scary.""No wasted movement.""No panic skills.""He plays like he's managing resources, not chasing fights."
Daniel closed the chat window.
Gold was the first real boundary.
Below it, players chased rank.Above it, players defended it.
The queue took longer than usual.
Starguard noticed immediately.
"…Is matchmaking always this slow?" she asked.
"No," Daniel replied. "They're thinking."
"Thinking about what?"
"Whether they want this game."
The match finally loaded.
From the opening seconds, the difference was clear.
No reckless pushes.No blind invades.Vision placed early.Rotations timed with intention.
"These guys aren't bad," someone on their team said cautiously.
Daniel agreed.
Gold gatekeepers.
The early game was tense.
No kills. No forced trades.
Every step forward was tested. Every rotation answered.
The enemy jungler mirrored Daniel's movements perfectly, staying just outside vision, never committing first.
Starguard felt the pressure.
Every heal mattered now.
"Don't force," Daniel said calmly. "They're waiting for impatience."
She nodded.
And waited.
The first real fight broke out at twelve minutes.
Not because of a mistake—
But because both sides chose to measure each other.
Daniel stepped forward.
The enemy tank answered.
The clash was controlled, restrained. Damage came in waves, not bursts.
Starguard focused.
Heal. Shield. Hold.
Daniel didn't push.
He denied.
The fight disengaged without casualties.
But something had shifted.
"They're backing off," their ADC whispered.
Daniel saw it too.
The enemy had tested the exchange.
And found it wanting.
Mid-game pressure tilted slowly.
Not dramatically.
A tower secured.Vision denied.Space claimed.
Gold-level play wasn't explosive.
It was cumulative.
The turning point came near the river.
The enemy jungler hesitated.
Just a fraction of a second.
Daniel stepped in immediately.
Shield slam.
Clean.
The follow-up was precise.
Two enemies fell before they could react.
The rest retreated.
"That's it," someone breathed.
The final push was methodical.
No dives.No greed.
Just space control and inevitability.
When the crystal shattered, the screen flashed—
VICTORY
For a brief moment, nothing happened.
Then the system message appeared.
[System] Congratulations!Player "Nightwalker" has qualified for Gold Tier Promotion Matches.
Starguard exhaled slowly.
"…This feels different," she said.
"It is," Daniel replied.
"Gold won't forgive mistakes," she said quietly.
"No," Daniel agreed. "But it rewards discipline."
She hesitated.
"Can I… keep playing with you?"
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
The queue button pulsed.
"You're learning," he said at last. "That's enough."
Starguard smiled.
For the first time, she wasn't nervous.
She was ready.
Daniel clicked the button.
Gold awaited.