Chapter 120

The battle began with Super Sylph’s Ambush Attack.

As the firefight raged, Nina Cruz felt a rush of heat to her head.

‘They’re not defending the Control Point and are charging out?’

She felt like she was being disrespected.

And the other Saturn V players had a similar reaction.

‘You’re looking down on us? A Korean team, of all things?’

The reason Saturn V thought this was due to the unique nature of the Attica Temple as a Domination Battle.

There are two Domination Battle Battlefields in UA where you have to occupy a Control Point to win.

The Attica Temple and the Garden of the Gods.

In the Garden of the Gods, Stats Buff Objects spawn all over the Map, so one of the main strategies was to temporarily avoid fighting over the Control Point, stall for time, and aim for the Late Game.

However, in the case of the Attica Temple, there were no such game-changing Objectives, so it was rare for a team to abandon the Control Point and push close to the enemy’s side like this.

After all, a Domination Battle required you to be physically “standing on” the Control Point.

Even at this very moment, Super Sylph’s Point Gauge was filling up.

That meant at least one person was still on their Control Point.

The number of Super Sylph members who had initiated the Attack was inevitably smaller than Saturn V’s.

An Engagement where they were outnumbered.

In a fight between top-tier teams, it was a situation considered to have a slim chance of victory.

It was closer to a troll play you’d see in a Rank Game, so for Saturn V to experience it in the World Championship, it was perhaps natural for them to be pissed off.

Nina Cruz, who had received an Acceleration Buff and dashed forward, pressured Seo Dami, who had opened the Engagement with a Bomb.

They maintained their distance from each other, exchanging sharp attacks, their movements so fast it was hard to follow them with the naked eye.

Who would win?

A one-on-one duel between Asia’s rising star and Nina Cruz, who had long been North America’s champion.

At that moment, as the Spectators from both teams screamed and cheered, Seo Dami’s body vanished, dodging Nina Cruz’s hail of bullets.

Blink.

Appearing behind Nina Cruz, Seo Dami fiercely pulled the Trigger of her Arclight Rifle.

But her target was strange.

Despite going to the trouble of getting behind her, she didn’t shoot Nina Cruz, but instead aimed for the enemy Supporter, Claire Snow, who was supporting the entire Saturn V team from the back.

Perhaps not expecting to be targeted so suddenly, the Supporter’s Health Gauge took a massive hit, putting her in a crisis.

If the Defender, Hailey Jones, hadn’t quickly provided Cover Fire, she would have surely died.

But Super Sylph’s Attack didn’t end there.

The moment Seo Dami tore into the Supporter, a long-range snipe came flying toward Nina Cruz.

It was a play that had been planned from the start.

The plan was for Seo Dami to infiltrate the Rear and secure their back, and during that opening, Park Chaerin would take a shot at Nina Cruz.

Dodging an attack from an unseen location is not an easy feat, even for players under the effect of Acceleration.

The bullet’s speed is just that fast.

It was widely accepted that even with Double Acceleration, it was impossible to see and dodge it.

But Nina Cruz dodged it as if it were nothing.

Spectators leaped to their feet, shouting Nina’s name.

A player who effortlessly pulled off super plays that were thought to be impossible.

That was Nina Cruz.

As the Spectators, mesmerized by her play, cheered her on even more fervently, Han Youngin, who was watching the whole situation, felt something a little different.

Sometimes, even among players, if an opponent’s play is too exceptional, it can inspire awe.

When a play is so outstanding even to a fellow player’s eyes, a sense of respect for the opponent wells up.

But Nina Cruz’s play right now felt different from that.

The Line Park Chaerin had taken for her snipe was on Nina Cruz’s Flank.

Seo Dami had been at the Front.

And even after she used Blink to get to the Rear.

The Lines of Attack never overlapped from any direction.

But she dodged a long-range snipe from a blind spot on her Flank as if it were nothing?

It was an impossible evasion unless she had anticipated an attack from another direction from the very beginning.

After all, any other player’s attention would have been fixed on Seo Dami, who had infiltrated their Rear.

<Just how wide is her detection range? Or can she just read any attack aimed at her, regardless of the range?>

As Han Youngin checked off the conditions one by one, he thought it would be nice to know her more detailed specs.

Immediately after, a Chaotic Battle ensued.

The only player Super Sylph had left at the Control Point was Shin Aram.

The rest of the team, excluding the Defender, was gathered here.

In the midst of the fierce Offense and Defense exchange, Jung Yunseul occasionally used Time Bullet to test the Skill’s performance.

Her target was the entire Saturn V team.

In truth, it was basically like she was just laying down bullets and casting the Skill with a “hit whoever you can!” mentality.

There were even quite a few dangerous moments where she almost hit her own teammates.

Would Nina Cruz react even to these stray bullets?

Han Youngin focused on the result of this piece of information.

And soon, the answer came.

The result was that Nina Cruz reacted to every single attack aimed at her.

As if she could read all attacks directed at her regardless of distance and time, Nina Cruz was moving a step away from the bullets’ trajectories.

What was even more frightening was that while doing so, she was continuously laying down bullets with her Time Bullet Skill, setting Traps.

She dodges every attack aimed at her while setting up attacks for her opponents that could fly in from anywhere, seconds later.

From the opponent’s perspective, it was truly agonizing.

‘Oppa. I think we’re going to lose this…’

<Hold on, let’s just try a few more things.>

To Seo Dami, who was starting to worry about the shadow of defeat, Han Youngin gave his next instruction.

Extreme Close-Quarters Combat.

It was a play to pressure her with the Lightsaber.

As soon as the order was given, Seo Dami activated Acceleration and launched another Attack.

This might be their last chance.

They had to gather as much data as possible on the opponent’s abilities in this Engagement.

Because that would be the point that decided today’s match.

-You abandon the Control Point and charge out with skills like that?

-Come back when you’re stronger.

-How did they even make it to the Quarterfinals with skills like that?

-There’s a bit of a gap between those teams and us, you know~.

-We would’ve won even if the European champion came, so what makes you think Korea has a chance?

The result of the Engagement.

Super Sylph’s defeat.

After taking down one enemy Attacker, Seo Dami, Jung Yunseul, and Hwang Jua were taken down, resulting in a crushing defeat in the Engagement.

Afterward, Super Sylph lost their Control Point as well, conceding the first Set to Saturn V.

The North American fans cheered loudly at Super Sylph’s defeat, while the Korean fans complained that Super Sylph’s Strategy was trash, asking if this was right.

-That bastard Kangsun;;

-He’s determined to ruin the team!

-Whose fucking brain came up with the idea to abandon the Control Point and pick a disadvantageous fight?

-The fact is, the Director’s pockets are getting healthier.

-What about our health, dammit;;

-Who told you to cheer for Korea?

-Hey. I heard Seo Dami gave the order for that Attack earlier?

-fr…?

-DamiDami…

-Are you throwing the match because you know you can’t win anyway? Huh?

-There’s no way our Dami would do that!!!

The Super Sylph fans were depressed about the loss in the first Set.

But despite the defeat, Seo Dami’s expression wasn’t too bad.

It was the same for the other team members.

While Seo Dami and Jung Yunseul’s goal in this competition was to defeat Kamui, the other players felt a little differently.

Though they shouted for victory, a part of them thought, isn’t it amazing that Korea, that they themselves, have come this far?

It was inevitable.

It was only yesterday that Korea was considered the weakest in Asia.

But then Seo Dami gradually started making a name for herself, getting results on the national team, and even achieving the splendid feat of advancing to the Main Round Tournament for the first time.

Korea’s first-ever Tournament advancement in UA.

The thought that they had decorated a page in history was in the players’ minds.

Of course, not everyone thought the same.

Park Chaerin, who returned to the Waiting Room after the defeat, grabbed Seo Dami and was busy grilling her, asking if this was the right call.

“We should have defended the Control Point! Why did you suggest that? You know that in the Attica Temple, fighting with fewer members means you lose nine times out of ten, don’t you?”

“Coach. It was a necessary situation.”

“To go and die…?”

“No. To see the extent of Nina Cruz’s capabilities. Without clashing with her in various situations, we couldn’t have known where her limits were.”

“Haa.”

Park Chaerin sighed.

No matter how she thought about it, she was left with the regret that they might have had a chance to win if they had held the Control Point and played as defensively as possible.

Unlike Shin Aram and Hwang Jua, whose expressions weren’t bad, as if they were thinking, “Isn’t it amazing we’ve come this far?”, Park Chaerin seemed to find it a terrible waste to have thrown the game like that.

Of course, Seo Dami hadn’t thrown the game, but had made a strategic move to prepare for the next one.

In the meantime, the Set Battlefield for the second Set was decided.

Garden of the Gods.

Following the first Set, another Domination Battle appeared.

Unlike the Attica Temple, this was a Battlefield where the flow of the game could change depending on who secured how many Buffs.

What kind of Strategy would be best?

A look of contemplation clouded Coach Park Chaerin’s face.

“So. Do you have any good ideas?”

Park Chaerin asked Seo Dami.

She figured that if Dami had focused on analyzing the opponent to the point of throwing away an important opportunity, she must have come up with something.

At that, Seo Dami gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

“Yes. I have a plan.”

Before the second Set began.

Nina Cruz recalled the game that had just happened.

Seo Dami was indeed a fearsome player.

It was a round that made her understand why a twenty-year-old player who had only recently started making a name for herself was receiving so much attention.

‘To think she’d boldly go for Close-Quarters Combat there.’

UA was a shooting game.

The main weapon, the gun, had a considerable attack Range, so it was rare to find a User who would try to fight up close in the game.

UA did have a Close-Quarters Combat weapon called the Lightsaber, but the effort and time required to master this sword were far greater than the time needed to master a firearm.

Besides, even if one painstakingly polished their skills, it wasn’t stronger than a gun.

So, any User who bothered to practice Swordsmanship could be considered quite the oddball.

But, to think Seo Dami was that type of player.

When she closed the distance with Blink and Acceleration and thrust her sword at her.

Nina Cruz felt a dizzying sensation.

Even though she knew the attack was coming, she found it extremely difficult to dodge the opponent’s sword.

Dodging a gun and dodging a sword felt completely different.

A gunshot from afar, when you knew when and from which direction it would fly, was just one step.

She could easily dodge the attack just by twisting her body to the side or stepping back.

But the trajectory of Swordsmanship was on another level.

Unlike a bullet that shot straight, the Lightsaber in Seo Dami’s hand was like a whip, drawing a bizarre curve as it came for her life.

Even if you know, you can’t dodge it.

Faced with Seo Dami’s bold Close-Quarters Combat, Nina Cruz was driven into a situation where she was almost hit despite knowing what was coming.

If only Nina Cruz had also been skilled in Swordsmanship.

The situation might have been different, but unfortunately, Nina Cruz had never practiced Close-Quarters Combat during her time as a Pro Gamer.

In the first place, it wasn’t just Nina Cruz; 99 percent of players didn’t even think of using a Lightsaber.

That’s how overwhelmingly superior a gun was compared to a sword.

That’s why Nina Cruz used the Strategy of fighting while creating distance.

When it seemed like Seo Dami’s Physical was so outstanding that she couldn’t shake her off, she even used Blink, boldly consuming her Mana.

If she could just hold out against Seo Dami’s attacks, the game would be an easy win.

Indeed, the first Set went just as Nina Cruz had predicted.

Super Sylph, who had abandoned the Control Point and recklessly charged out, self-destructed.

Perhaps this was the limit of Korea.

Wasn’t it a place full of weak teams that you wouldn’t even know existed until recently?

Of course, now that they were in the Main Round Tournament, the level of the Korean League would gradually improve, but Nina Cruz’s thought was that it wouldn’t be right now.

And so began the first Attack of the second Set.

Korea rotated their Sweeper.

Saturn V’s Sweeper was the Sniper, Stella Collin.

She, who was reputed to be the best sniper in America, informed her team via in-ear that the opposing Sweeper was Park Chaerin.

The snipers from both teams were circling the outskirts of the Battlefield, collecting Buffs and providing Support for their teams.

Judging that it would be a standard flow, Nina Cruz ordered a charge toward the Control Point.

Hailey Jones raised her Shield and led her teammates.

As soon as they entered the Control Point, they noticed Super Sylph also advancing with a Shield at their Front.

Engagement start.

The battle began with Nina Cruz laying down bullets using Time Bullet.

Smoke Screens and Bombs exploded from all directions, making it difficult to secure proper Vision.

With such a chaotic mess, it was bound to be difficult for both teams’ Snipers to get a clear shot.

‘Huh?’

It was then.

Nina Cruz’s eyebrows twitched.

A scene flashed through her mind.

It was the image of Seo Dami charging through the Smoke Screen with Blink.

‘Is she trying to stick to Close-Quarters Combat until the end?’

It was true that Seo Dami had the advantage in extreme Close-Quarters Combat.

Within the reach of the Lightsaber, it wasn’t easy to beat Seo Dami.

Fighting head-on against a player with the Reaction Speed to parry even bullets with a sword was disadvantageous, so Nina Cruz used her head.

‘I’ll set up Time Bullet and aim for the moment she comes in!’

Her judgment was to catch Seo Dami, who was Blinking in, with a Setup attack.

Nina Cruz quickly pulled the Trigger, laying down bullets at the spot where she had seen Seo Dami’s landing point.

Then, the scene in her head began to change again.

‘What the hell…?’

It was a scene of Seo Dami, who had Blinked in, swinging her Lightsaber, deflecting the bullets, and stabbing her in the chest.

At the same time, Seo Dami broke through the Smoke Screen.

Horrified, Nina Cruz tried to escape the spot with Blink.

Since her opponent had also consumed Mana for Blink, it wouldn’t be a loss to use some Mana here.

She believed that if she could just suppress Seo Dami, her teammates would take care of the rest.

But what was this?

Her body was still in the same spot.

The fact that Blink hadn’t activated sent a chill down Nina Cruz’s spine.

‘TP Barrier…!’

While her feet were tied down by a TP Barrier she didn’t even know when was placed.

With a diagonal slash, the Lightsaber dug in.

In this moment, Nina Cruz’s Concentration reached its peak.

Her thoughts accelerated.

The trajectory of the sword her opponent swung.

‘Seeing in advance’ the trajectory that would cut through her body, Nina Cruz gritted her teeth to dodge it.

But the more she moved her body to dodge, the scene in her head also changed.

This was the terror of Swordsmanship.

A bullet cannot change its trajectory in real-time, but Swordsmanship can.

And so, Seo Dami, having caught up to Nina Cruz, burst the opponent’s Health Gauge with a clean strike.

The Lightsaber had pierced through Nina Cruz’s upper body.

“Where in the world did a player like this come from!”

“Seo Dami! She finally takes down Nina Cruz!!!”

This was the first clean hit Nina Cruz had taken since she equipped Time Bullet and awakened as the strongest player.

At her takedown, the stadium’s Cheer erupted, exploding like a swarm of bees.