Chapter 122

“Super Sylph, the first Korean team to advance to the UA World Championship Semifinals.”

“Seo Dami declares she will definitely win the match against Kamui.”

“No one knew. Super Sylph’s secret weapon, Park Chaerin. Her decisive performance.”

“UA World Championship. Seo Dami shouted her love for the fans in Berlin. Korea is now in a festive mood.”

A day had passed since the match against Saturn V, but the media was still covering our victory.

According to the Front Office, advertising inquiries were flooding in not just for Dami, but for the entire team.

Advancing to the Semifinals, a first for Korea.

Given that UA’s scale had already surpassed most other sports worldwide, this level of interest was, in a way, to be expected.

Wherever you went on the internet, you could easily find stories about Super Sylph.

Seeing this popularity firsthand could have made our heads swell, but our team’s players were too busy with practical training to pay attention to anything else.

It was Dami and Yunseuli who took the lead in setting the mood for training.

And Park Chaerin also lent her support to this atmosphere.

“If we’ve made it to the Semifinals, we can aim for the championship! This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you guys, you know!?”

Park Chaerin said that opportunities don’t come around all the time.

This wasn’t some small tournament; it was the World Championship.

She went on a long tirade, telling the players that the image of a player who has won the Worlds even once and one who hasn’t will be remembered completely differently by future generations.

Putting aside the feeling that the resentment in her story seemed to be about the Coach herself…

There wasn’t a single thing wrong with what she said.

No matter how good a player was, people ultimately remembered them by whether they had won a championship or not.

This wasn’t a domestic tournament; we were in the Semifinals of the World Championship.

If we could defeat Kamui here, it was no longer a dream to have our names ranked among the world’s best.

“So! Even if it’s tough now, you train until you’re about to die. Got it? If you die, I’ll bring you back to life!”

“I think you’re the one who wants to win more, Coach…”

“What was that? Jua?”

“Nothing. Hehe…”

And so, Coach Park Chaerin ran the kids through training until they were completely worn out.

It was to the point where anyone watching would think it was Coach Park Chaerin, not me, who had to stake her life on this match.

After finishing another day of hellish training.

We all gathered to watch Kamui’s Quarterfinals match.

Their opponent was Speed Star, the runner-up team from the North American League, who had placed second in Group C of the Group Stage.

Well, it was an obvious result, but the match was a landslide victory for Kamui.

It even seemed like Kato Mikane didn’t go all out in this match, yet the game was a blowout.

This was because a significant gap had opened up in every Line, causing the Score to continuously widen.

Watching the match, a thought occurred to me.

Somehow, Kamui’s team condition seemed to have more Fighting Spirit than usual.

This was not good news for us.

It would have been better for us if they had let their guard down a bit because their opponent was from Korea.

Of course, I knew well that such a thing was impossible.

The teams we had beaten already included Nebula GC and Saturn V.

A bracket filled with powerful teams.

Especially since Saturn V was considered the biggest contender against Kamui in this tournament, it was true that Super Sylph could no longer be treated as a weak team, not even as a joke.

I didn’t know how the Meta would change again, but at least until this year’s World Championship, no one could deny the fact that we were among the world’s strongest.

“This won’t be easy.”

Coach Park Chaerin, who was monitoring the match, muttered.

In the match against Saturn V, Seo Dami had effectively suppressed Nina Cruz, opening a path to victory, but the dynamic would likely be different in a game against Kamui.

Facing Kato Mikane head-on was no easy task, but the other players were formidable opponents as well.

To be frank, the Level of Kamui’s Attackers was higher than Saturn V’s.

Even if we managed to pin down Kato Mikane, we still had to overcome another wall named Shimizu Misaki.

Her skills, when compared purely without the Power of the Ley Line, seemed to be on par with or slightly superior to Dami’s.

Thinking rationally, the only position where Super Sylph could have an advantage over Kamui was Sniper.

I thought Park Chaerin would be able to play a good game against the opposing Sniper.

But you couldn’t win the game just by beating the Sniper.

We needed some other card.

Throughout the training period, I focused on tempering Yunseuli.

The whole world now knew that Seo Dami was an outstanding player.

Kamui would surely be keeping a close eye on Seo Dami as a person of interest.

In that case, wasn’t the only way to create a variable in the game through Yunseuli?

Perhaps they were wary of Yunseuli as well, but this was the only method we had left anyway.

Every day was truly a hellish training.

If I had to do this training alone.

It was so intense that I thought it would have been truly dreadful.

The training in preparation for the Kamui match was that high in intensity.

The time we were given was a total of 7 days.

Of that, the time we could spend on Muscular Strength training was only about 3 days, considering the recovery time from muscle soreness.

Thus, all the Stamina Training that required physical exertion was front-loaded, and the time for in-game-focused training was more than doubled as we moved toward the end.

As the training neared its conclusion.

Fatigue was evident on the players’ faces.

Normally, we would get enough sleep and use the rest of the time, excluding meals, for training.

But during this week, we increased our training time even by cutting down on sleep.

As the training reached its final stages, an undeniable fatigue showed on the players’ faces.

But at the same time, everyone who participated in the training felt that their own Momentum was beginning to sharpen.

Yunseuli’s Momentum was particularly different.

Along with the titles of Swordmaster and real-life Jedi Knight, Seo Dami’s Swordsmanship skills, which had even garnered interest from Hollywood.

Yunseuli had finally honed them to perfection.

Now, Yunseuli was a skilled Attacker, a Supporter, and a specialist in Close-Quarters Combat.

She was ready to show her prowess as Super Sylph’s perfect hidden card.

“To think she’d actually do it…”

Watching Yunseuli’s Swordsmanship skills reach completion in such a short time, Coach Park Chaerin had a look on her face that said, “What am I seeing right now?”

“Hey, if you have a secret method, don’t just keep it to yourselves, share it with the team.”

“Yeah, yeah!”

“But it’s not like you’re training in secret. How can your skills improve so differently?”

“Is this the difference in Talent?”

Coach Park Chaerin and the team members said, looking at Yunseuli.

Wouldn’t it be good for the whole team to grow stronger together?

Of course, Yunseuli would have wanted that too.

But the secret to this ultra-fast growth was mainly my help, which could directly transfer a player’s experience.

And unfortunately, on our team, there were only two players I could be with, so there was no other way to provide this accelerated training.

Anyway, on the last day when all the training was finished.

Coach Park Chaerin ended the training a little early and clapped her hands.

“Phew! Everyone worked hard!”

“You worked hard too!”

The time for the Decisive Battle was finally approaching.

The reason for ending the training early was for everyone to manage their Condition.

If you continued to lack sleep, your sleep time could suddenly increase without you realizing it, causing a Recoil. This was to optimize our physical state, taking even that into account.

“Everyone, get plenty of rest. And don’t eat a late-night snack before bed even if you’re hungry, okay? You know that, right? Keep it light.”

“Okayyy-.”

“You all really went through a lot. Let’s make sure to win tomorrow.”

Director Lee Gangseon, who had mostly entrusted the training to Coach Park Chaerin, also offered words of encouragement to the players.

Honestly, even from my perspective, our team’s mindset over the past week was flawless.

To the point where I thought it was only natural for players with this kind of Mental and attitude to win a world tournament.

We truly did our best.

Whatever the result tomorrow might be.

The players would not have any regrets, thinking things like, “If only I had worked a little harder then.”

“Alright, dismissed!”

“Yes, sir.”

“Sleep well.”

“It’s cramped…”

“Just bear with it.”

<It’s only for one day, anyway.>

No, wait.

Didn’t we end training early to get a good rest and manage our Condition?

But what is this?

Why do two people have to sleep squeezed together in a single bed?

The hotel rooms provided for each team were all single rooms.

Naturally, they were configured to be used comfortably by one person, but right now, with Seo Dami stuck next to me, I was experiencing the phenomenon of the bed becoming quite narrow.

“It’s for the sake of victory.”

I had no idea how sleeping this uncomfortably would help us win, but she kept trying to hug me and turn me into a body pillow, so I told Dami to please move her leg.

“Yunseul. This isn’t my body, you know? It’s your body. Say something to Dami…”

<Just let her be. She says this helps with recovering our Condition.>

Yunseuli, who would normally grumble at Dami for touching her body without permission, for some reason, was now defending her actions.

“See? Even Yunseuli isn’t saying anything, right?”

“Ugh.”

“Heehee.”

Having become a human cushion, I gave up any further resistance and closed my eyes, staring at the ceiling.

About 5 minutes passed like that.

I heard a soft snoring sound right next to me.

Seriously, she can fall asleep already?

Both Yunseuli and I were amazed by Dami’s ability to sleep.

She could probably fall asleep anywhere as long as she had a pillow.

<She must have been tired. She’s snoring when she usually doesn’t.>

‘You’re not sleeping?’

<I can’t fall asleep.>

It was the same for me.

Perhaps it was the pressure of tomorrow’s match, but I couldn’t sleep well.

It wasn’t pressure about the promise I made with Kato.

This was probably… pressure from the match itself.

A big match, a stage I had never set foot on in my entire Pro Gamer life, the World Championship.

I didn’t know why I was suddenly feeling this pressure now, but it was clear that tomorrow’s match was incredibly important not just for me, but for our entire team.

<Oppa.>

‘Yeah.’

<Don’t worry too much. We’ll definitely win tomorrow.>

Emotions during Possession often flow between us without us realizing it.

Usually, that doesn’t happen unless the emotion is extremely intense and explosive, but for some reason, it seemed Yunseuli had sensed my inner thoughts.

<Even if we lose, I’ll make sure to protect you, Oppa.>

Protecting me from Kato Mikane’s hands.

I didn’t bother asking how she planned to protect me.

A mental image flowed from Yunseuli of her beating Kato to a pulp with her fists.

At that violent imagination, I just smiled faintly and said I’d gratefully accept the sentiment.

‘By the way, are you really okay with this? With me playing. It might be the last time…’

<Don’t say that. We’ll win tomorrow, and then I can play in the Finals.>

Winning and then the Finals.

Just as I was thinking what a happy thought that was, Yunseuli added.

<And we’re coming back again next year, right?>

‘Yeah. Let’s come back again.’

A plan for the future I hadn’t thought of.

Just as Yunseuli said, next year, and the year after that.

Hoping we could come back to the World Championship together, we forced our eyes shut.

Dami, who had been snoring beside us, had also quieted down.

She was smiling contentedly; it seemed like a night for good sleep.

The Semifinals bracket was set.

First, the showdown between Kamui and Super Sylph was waiting, and tomorrow, the match between the Crusaders and Varuna GC was scheduled.

A Semifinals between Asian teams.

However, the interest from North America and Europe in this match was not insignificant.

The Game Performance of both teams was too outstanding to lose interest just because they were from other continents.

Before the match, people talked a lot about who would win.

On TV, experts showed Win Rate graphs and predicted which team had the upper hand.

The result was a 90 percent predicted win probability for Kamui.

The performance Super Sylph had shown in this tournament was certainly amazing, but the prevailing opinion was that they still couldn’t overcome the wall that was Kamui.

Even Korean fans seemed to agree with this prediction, saying they had no objections.

There were even reactions that getting a 10 percent win probability was a good showing.

-All hail Dami.

-A team from the Second Division League last year is in the Worlds Semifinals, for real?

-Are there still any suckers not cheering for Super Sylph?

-Pleeease, if you’re Korean, let’s cheer for Super Sylph!

-Let’s win this one!

-Still, Kamui is probably too much…

-No! General Seo said she could do it!

-Super Sylph, fighting!

Though small in number, the Super Sylph fans were riding the Momentum.

A small wave of cheers rippled through the World Stadium.

The Kamui fans watching this scoffed.

-They still haven’t grasped reality.

-Kato will soon snap them out of it.

-The result is already decided. This game is a stage to prove how much Seo Dami can stand against a god.

-Kato Mikane will continue to write her legend. In that respect, Super Sylph is a decent supporting act.

-Kato Mikane!

-Fighting!

-Kamui fighting!

The entire Spectator Seats of the World Stadium seemed like Kato’s cheering squad.

Kato Mikane had numerous fans not only in Japan but all over the world, and she was particularly popular in India and China.

The news that she was originally an Onmyoji had spread among her fans, causing a huge reaction.

An Onmyoji, a topic that countries with a great interest in the occult couldn’t help but be drawn to.

-Did you hear? There’s a story that Kato Mikane already foresaw her own victory in this tournament.

-No way;; Can Onmyoji do that?

-There were even rumors that her ridiculous Physical was the effect of a spell.

-No way. If that’s true, then there’s no player on Earth who can beat her, right?

-You never know. A player with that kind of transcendent power might appear from somewhere.

As the Spectators were discussing the unknowable, overwhelming power of Kato’s origins.

The players from both teams finally entered the Arena.

The players exited the corridor and headed towards the Waiting Room.

The World Stadium was filled with Cheers shouting Kamui’s name.

“Wow. We’re right in the middle of enemy territory.”

Park Chaerin muttered, listening to the Cheers dominated by Kamui.

And when she told the players not to be intimidated, they replied.

They wouldn’t be intimidated by something like this.

The training they had endured was far too difficult for that.

“Right. Nothing to be intimidated about. If we just do what we’ve prepared, we have a shot!”

Park Chaerin encouraged the players.

It was then.

The gazes of both teams’ players, heading to their respective Waiting Rooms, met in the middle of the Arena.

To be precise, it was Seo Dami and Kato Mikane.

The fans, noticing the two players exchanging glances, let out a Roar, shouting, “Waaaah-!”

The two most watched players in the world.

Both possessed top-tier skills, but one of them was fated to lose today.

“The two players! The war of nerves is fierce even before the match!”

The Broadcast Team, excited as well, was commentating on the situation when Kato raised her hand and made a gesture of slitting her own throat with her thumb.

You’re dead today.

The Arena went completely wild at the obvious Provocation that anyone could understand.

-Waaaaaaah-!!!

-Kato!

-Kato!

-Kato!

The cheering was so tremendous that it wouldn’t have been strange if the Arena collapsed from the sound alone.

As their skin tingled from the Cheers pouring down on the players, Seo Dami also raised her hand.

She also raised her thumb, so people thought, “Is she going to do the same gesture?” but she didn’t.

Instead of slitting her throat with her thumb, Seo Dami stretched her arm out straight and gave her opponent a thumbs-up.

It wasn’t a compliment.

Seo Dami soon twisted her arm and turned her thumb down.

There was no way people didn’t know what this meant.

In modern times, it was a gesture that meant death.

Watching Seo Dami immediately respond to her opponent’s Provocation, the fans were simply thrilled and shifted in their seats.

-Puhaha! Today’s match is going to be really fun!

-To not be intimidated even in a situation like this.

-I’m really looking forward to this player’s future!

-I can’t believe the guts of a player who’s only been in the first division for a year.

-She’s a really desirable player.

-What’s that player’s name again?

-Seo Dami, Seo Dami, Seo Dami.

-Her name! I’ve definitely remembered it!

-Want to come to North America?

-What are you talking about? There are plenty of spots in Europe too!

Seeing Seo Dami completely unfazed by her declaration of war, Kato’s eyes sharpened slightly.

The distance was too great to see clearly, but at the thought that the greeting might not be from Seo Dami, but from Han Youngin, Kato felt a competitive spirit boil up from deep within her chest.

‘I’ll have to teach that ghost a harsh lesson.’

‘I’ll be the one to protect Oppa.’

After exchanging glances, both teams headed to the Waiting Room, and the match began soon after.

The first Set, which could be said to be the most important part of this match.

The Battlefield was decided.

It was Boundary, a Deathmatch that took place in a ruined city.