Chapter 108

“Then let’s begin the scouting report.”

As soon as she confirmed the opposing team, Coach Park Chaerin began the scouting report.

The Ice Ravens were a team active in Russia, and there was one person on it we knew well.

Yekaterina Malagichi.

Called the Snow Leopard of Russia, she was a player touted as the talent who would succeed Svetlana as the next face of Russian Snipers.

Svetlana had already retired last year, so Russia was now actively trying to develop her, but in my view, she was a player who still needed more time to grow.

Eighteen years old this year.

Two years younger than even Dami, Yekaterina still lacked the experience to fully blossom.

Of course, I agreed that even in her current state, she was without a doubt a top-tier prospect, but she seemed outmatched to stop Super Sylph’s advance.

And then there was Nazmat Al-Sahra.

An Iranian team that had placed second in the Middle East League.

Due to social differences stemming from culture and religion, the game performance of Middle Eastern women’s teams was considered weaker than that of other continents, but among them, Iran possessed considerable skill.

I thought it was likely influenced by the fact that women’s rights were at a somewhat higher level among Middle Eastern countries.

But Al-Sahra, too, was not an opponent Super Sylph couldn’t beat.

Nazmat Al-Sahra was a well-balanced team overall, but our team had two players who could maintain that balance while also unleashing moments of destructive power.

Seo Dami and Jung Yunseul.

These two were players who possessed the power to penetrate a team with a good hexagonal balance and create cracks.

Jung Yunseul’s growth in the second half of the season, in particular, was on a tremendous level.

She had now reached a stage where she could pull her own weight against world-class players even without me by her side.

Thanks to this, Director Lee Gangseon’s shoulders had puffed up quite a bit.

There were so many people asking him how on earth he raised his players so well and to share his secret.

Anyway, when the groups for the Preliminary Round were announced, there was an uproar in Korea.

It was due to the perception that our draw was terrible.

I thought it was perfectly manageable, but to the fans, it seemed we were utterly out of luck.

The fact that Artemis also had a bad draw lent weight to this.

Artemis, which had advanced to the World Championship for the second consecutive year, following last year, was once again facing a difficult bracket.

Placed in Group H, Artemis had to prepare for games against Savera Gaming and the Valkyrias.

Savera Gaming was the third seed from India, a strong team with formidable skills, and the Valkyrias were Argentina’s top team, the champions of the South American League.

Because we had practiced together for a long time and because of their connection with Kim Seunga, I hoped Artemis would advance, but it didn’t look easy.

-Who has the better luck?

-If you have to pick, it seems like Super Sylph is slightly better off?

-Why?

-Savera Gaming is an Indian team.

-But they’re the 3rd seed. They didn’t even get runner-up, so they can’t be that great, right?

-You have to remember that Artemis was also 3rd in the domestic league;;

-There are hundreds of millions of people playing UA in India. Hundreds of millions. How good do you think the kids who placed 3rd there are?

-I’ve heard that even the last-place team from India would be a championship contender if you put them in another league.

-Isn’t it tough for Super Sylph too, facing a European team?

-It’s Eastern Europe. They say Western Europe is a bit tougher in UA.

-Hmm. It would be great if both of them made it through the prelims…

-Well, I don’t know about Artemis! Let’s hope Super Sylph at least survives!

-Yeah! The ones who can live, must live!

-Go Seo Dami!

-Go Super Sylph!

The mission was to win while hiding our true strength.

Looking at the data on the opposing teams that Coach Park Chaerin had analyzed, I pictured that day’s match in my head.

The first opponent we would face was Russia’s Ice Ravens.

As I pictured the players, ten figures began to move busily across the Battlefield in my mind.

Irbis.

The shots from Yekaterina, called the Snow Leopard, were sharp.

Especially the Attack Power of a Sniper in the latest Meta was enough to take down a Defender with a Shield.

I focused more on predicting Yekaterina’s movements.

Receiving an Attack Power Enhancement Skill from a Supporter, and even a restrictive Skill that boosted her Attack Power by sacrificing her own Stamina.

Each and every one of Yekaterina’s shots was like the blade of death wielded by the grim reaper.

A snipe imbued with the power to kill an opponent for certain, unless it was dodged.

But our girls were different.

I had watched Dami and Yunseuli’s speed from right beside them for a long time, and thanks to that, I could easily picture how a head-on confrontation with Yekaterina would play out.

‘As long as we can dodge it, it’s not bad.’

The Ice Ravens’ main scoring Pattern was for their allies to tie up the opponents’ feet, and for Yekaterina to take down opponents with her sniper rifle amidst the chaotic melee.

Usually, when allies and enemies get tangled up, players hesitate to attack for fear of a Team Kill, but Yekaterina had no such reservations.

The sight of her firing a shot without hesitation, thinking, “If an ally gets hit, they get hit,” was repeated several times.

And the surprising thing was that each time, a series of scenes unfolded where she hit only the enemy, avoiding her allies with incredible accuracy.

This was beyond a realm that could be reached through practice; it was the realm of Talent.

I had to admit it.

In terms of the accuracy of long-range shots through prediction, Yekaterina’s Talent seemed to far surpass Kim Dain’s.

“She’s sharp, isn’t she? Bold. And decisive.”

Even Park Chaerin, who rarely praised Sniper players, showed pure admiration when watching Yekaterina’s videos.

Was it because she was too impressed?

“Oops!” Realizing her mistake, Coach Park Chaerin consoled Kim Dain, who was next to her.

“Our Dain is good too! Of course, she is.”

But Kim Dain’s face had already fallen.

While Coach Park Chaerin was trying to boost Kim Dain’s morale, I thought about how to effectively deal with the snow leopard.

‘The Slope Shield Operation is still valid.’

The Slope Shield Operation, where two Attackers combine their Shields to increase Defense Power and neutralize a Sniper’s attack, was now so well-practiced that it could be called perfect.

However, its advantages and disadvantages varied depending on the Battlefield, and on a Battlefield where a lone Sniper took a separate position on the flank to harass, the operation had to be executed with caution.

This was because if we assigned two Attackers to deal with Yekaterina, our remaining members, the main force, would naturally lack Attack Power.

The Ice Ravens were a team with solid skills, enough to have placed second in the Eastern European League.

The members other than Yekaterina were by no means pushovers.

So, if we pulled out two of our Attackers just to catch one Sniper, we could end up at a disadvantage instead.

‘Then what would be the best way to do it?’

<What are your thoughts?>

I had already come up with an answer, but I asked for Dami’s thoughts just in case.

If she was thinking the same thing, I could gain the confidence that what I had diligently taught her all this time had taken deep root in her mind.

‘What if we assign someone to mark her? But can Yunseuli take on Yekaterina one-on-one…? What if I do it? If I can reliably keep the Sniper in check one-on-one, Yekaterina won’t be able to carelessly separate from her main force to score, right?’

<Good.>

Up to this point, Dami’s thoughts and mine were aligned.

<Any additional opinions you’d like to add?>

It would be great if she could add one more thing.

Just thinking of man-to-man marking was enough to earn 70 points, but I was hoping for an even better answer.

Because Dami was a player who was fully capable of thinking that far.

‘This might be a bit… overly self-conscious? That’s what I think, but.’

No! That’s the right answer!

When the words “overly self-conscious” came out of Dami’s mouth, I clenched my fists to stop myself from jumping for joy.

‘It occurred to me that they might think they can win this match easily if they just effectively suppress me.’

It was true.

Just as we were analyzing them, they would be analyzing us.

If you asked who the most threatening presence on Super Sylph was, it was Seo Dami, no matter what anyone said.

Even though she had received help from Kim Seunga, who had changed her position to Supporter, she was the one who had held her own against Kato Mikane at the Olympics.

So, if the Ice Ravens had done their scouting report properly, they would surely have devised a way to suppress Seo Dami.

It could even take the form of countering Seo Dami as she came to get Yekaterina.

‘If the Ravens are aiming for that and assign more people to Yekaterina, I think it would be better for me to turn back and aim for the Ravens’ main force. To take advantage of the gap in their numbers.’

Sending a Sniper out to the flank alone carried little Risk, but the moment they sent one more person to Counter Seo Dami, from then on, the Sniper on the flank would become a double-edged sword threatening the Ice Ravens.

Because we, too, could use the numerical advantage to blow up the enemy’s main force.

<The Great Dami.>

‘……?’

I clapped proudly.

It had already been two and a half years since I started with Dami.

Now, Dami had truly become a great player.

What was left for such a magnificent player?

Her career, of course.

And Dami was in a situation where she had both the skill and the teammates to seize it.

I praised Dami’s judgment and said.

<Tell Coach Park Chaerin. That you’ll press Yekaterina one-on-one and crush the Ice Ravens.>

The day of the match.

The weather was clear.

There was no forecast for a change in the weather in the afternoon.

Since the World Championship was held over the course of November, there were occasional matches on snowy days, and variables would always arise at such times.

It didn’t matter for indoor Battlefields, but for outdoor ones like Boundary, the weather could have an effect, causing it to rain or snow.

Heavy snow would mess up all the conditions, from movement to Stamina consumption, so there were far more things to be mindful of.

Fortunately, the weather was clear today, so we were in a situation where we could just play the game as we had prepared, without any worries.

“Alright, everyone! Let’s go!”

Director Lee Gangseon shouted with Fighting Spirit as he entered the Waiting Room with the players.

It was a match that was drawing great expectations in Korea as well.

Since yesterday, articles had been flooding in, saying that Super Sylph would show a good Game Performance against the Ice Ravens.

If our team members had been sensitive, they might have felt burdened by such articles, which could have affected their performance, but fortunately, no one seemed to pay much mind.

It wasn’t that Dami or Yunseuli were particularly thick-skinned, but it was clear that my presence was having a positive influence on them to some extent.

Everyone’s Condition was good, so I had a feeling today’s match would go well too.

As we shouted “Fighting!” and headed to the Battlefield, I felt a strange prickling on the back of my head.

<What is this…?>

This feeling, as if someone scary was sitting in the audience…

I tried my best to ignore it and focused on the match.

Today, Dami had an important role, so I planned to stay with her and watch the match.

And so, the game began.

The 1st Set Battlefield was the Nicaea Research Lab, which we hadn’t seen in a long time.

<Wait, this is a variable.>

I said to Dami.

To take her foot off the gas.

Dami didn’t bother asking “Why?” to my order.

Dami knew it well, too.

That in the Nicaea Research Lab, their Attack Power was just too strong.

Since our goal was to pass the preliminaries without using all our strength, we needed to hold back a bit and play the game.

Only then could we more effectively deceive the enemy who might be watching from somewhere.

‘Just leave it to me.’

Nicaea Research Lab.

The Ice Ravens were on defense first.

The Ravens cautiously surveyed their surroundings, not daring to venture into the center.

Because of the Skills introduced this year, the Base Raid Strategy was rampant in the Nicaea Research Lab.

This was because if you stacked Buffs on an Attacker, they could reach the front of the data room with some Mana left.

In this situation, there was no guarantee that the defending side’s Guard would win.

In the past, the attacking side’s Dealers who recklessly made a Flank Run would have all their Mana depleted, becoming empty shells, so leaving just one person behind was enough for an ironclad defense. But if the enemy attacked with Mana remaining, it would inevitably become a pure Physical fight.

What if Super Sylph sent Seo Dami?

The door could be breached in an instant, which was why the Ice Ravens were being so cautious.

-Seo Dami will probably do a Flank Run, right?

-It’s definitely worth a try.

The Korean fans watching the game predicted Seo Dami’s Flank Run operation.

But Super Sylph broke the majority’s expectations and began to play the game with a straightforward, head-on approach.

Slowly moving to the central cross-shaped passage.

It was a strategy to wait for the data room’s location to change.

At this development, the Ice Ravens fans slapped their knees in frustration.

-Damn it. We were too timid!

-Who came up with this strategy!

-Aren’t you being too scared of a mere Korean team?

-Show them the power of the Eastern European League’s runner-up!

The core rule of the Nicaea Research Lab.

It was that the location of the data room changed over time.

When that happened, the team that moved to the new room and captured the data would win, but the problem was the travel distance.

When the room changed, the team that secured the center of the cross-shaped passage, which was the shortest route, would have the advantage, but the Ice Ravens were unable to move, worried about a Base Raid.

On the other hand, Super Sylph was leisurely moving to the center, so they were able to secure the advantageous position first.

When there was no sign of the enemy even as time passed, the Ice Ravens realized they had started at a disadvantage.

The Ice Ravens attempted to advance to the center, albeit late.

However, when 2 minutes and 30 seconds, half the Round time, had passed, a vibration echoed through the Battlefield, and the data room’s location changed.

At first, Super Sylph was in a position where they had to attack the opponent, even by force, but now the situation was completely reversed.

Super Sylph was closer to the data.

The Ice Ravens desperately chased after Super Sylph, who were running towards the data.

The one who tried to open fire first was Yekaterina.

Before the enemies had completely exited the cross-shaped passage.

Planning to aim for a powerful shot, Yekaterina prepared her attack with a Buff from her Supporter.

If the enemies ignored her and kept running forward, she was planning to put a hole in the back of their heads.

However, her attempt was futile.

The moment she prepared to fire, the Ravens’ Defender, Natalya, stepped forward, blocking Yekaterina’s Vision.

She could have been angry for being obstructed not by an enemy but by an ally at the moment she was about to shoot, but Yekaterina quickly understood the situation and composed her breathing.

The enemy’s attack pounded on Natalya’s Shield.

If the Defender hadn’t defended, she might have been hit by the enemy’s attack.

“Damn it. It’s a trick to buy time!”

Natalya shouted.

Super Sylph, throwing Bombs and pouring out Firepower.

The Firepower of the Hwang Jua and Jung Yunseul Duo, who had stepped up to stall for time, began to fill the passage.