Chapter 14

Monday morning, the last week of September.

With fewer matches left in the Second-Half Season than had already been played, Director Hong was lost in anguish.

‘We don’t have enough wins…’

Universe Cat was currently in 4th place.

For nearly a month, the team’s ranking had been stuck, as if trapped in a swamp.

The cause was a lack of Attack Power.

To climb the rankings, they needed to close the gap in matches against the top teams, but Universe Cat was only managing about a 50% Win Rate in those games.

Seo Dami was grabbing Universe Cat by the scruff of its neck and Hard Carrying, but she was still a Defender.

The limits of her ability to Score meant the effectiveness of her One-Man Carry was wearing thin.

‘Isn’t there some way?’

No matter how many times he ran the numbers, the answer was the same.

If they maintained a 50% Win Rate against the top teams in the remaining matches, they would have no choice but to finish the Season in 4th place.

And for the Front Office and the Director, the difference between 3rd and 4th place was like the difference between heaven and earth.

The UA League had a total of twelve teams in each League.

Korea currently had up to a Third Division League, with a total of 36 teams engaged in fierce competition every Season.

Unlike other games, Universe Arena had no Postseason.

A team’s victory was determined by securing the most wins after adding up the results from the First-Half Season and the Second-Half Season.

Because of this, fans who wanted a championship considered every single match to be crucial.

And even if they didn’t win the championship, accumulating wins was important.

For Promotion to the next League.

The 1st and 2nd place teams in a League were automatically promoted to the next division up.

Just by escaping the Third Division League, a team could enjoy the effect of the market size expanding by at least several times.

This was why teams with Promotion in their sights gritted their teeth and craved victory.

The Upper Bracket teams, for Promotion.

The Lower Bracket teams, to avoid Relegation.

So, was the privilege of tasting this sweet fruit only granted to the top two teams?

No.

The 3rd place team also had a chance.

If a team finished the League in 3rd place, they would play a Promotion-Relegation Match against the 10th place team from the League above.

While it was nerve-racking for those involved, it was also the most buzzworthy match in the UA, which had no separate Postseason.

To sum it up, the qualification to aim for a higher League was granted to teams up to 3rd place.

That was why Director Hong was so on edge.

‘I want to go. I want to go up there!’

Because being a Second Division League Director was better than being a Third Division League Director!

That would surely bring a higher Annual Salary and more prestige.

‘Should I try requesting a Trade again?’

The Season wasn’t over yet.

It was rare for a team to accept a Trade at this time.

Unless, of course, cash was offered on top of the player Trade.

If he added cash on top of one of his players, he thought he might be able to find a team willing to negotiate.

The problem was that his cards were such trash that he would have to mobilize an overwhelming amount of cash.

Kim Yujeong, Lee Seyeon, Song Yuri.

Each one of them was problematic to use as a bargaining chip.

In fact, it was inevitable.

If there had been no problems with those players, Universe Cat’s ranking would have already been higher than it was now.

The three of them were like sandbags tied to Seo Dami and Kim Harim’s ankles.

To even start a conversation about giving them one of his players in exchange for a decent one, he would have to invest a considerable sum of money.

Director Hong thought.

Would the higher-ups approve this deal?

Investing a huge sum of money to use a player for just a little over a month?

No matter how much interest the Parent Company showed in League Promotion, it was not an easy matter.

‘Seo Dami’s contract is only until the end of this year, too… It won’t be easy to hold onto her.’

Seo Dami.

The supernova of the Third Division League who had increased Universe Cat’s Spectators tenfold.

It had long been the consensus among industry insiders that Seo Dami’s skills had far surpassed the Third Division, and that she had enough talent to be worth a shot not just in the Second Division, but even in the First Division League.

The player would probably want to be compensated for her value at the end of this Season.

Since it would be difficult for Universe Cat to afford such an amount without getting promoted, it was highly likely that Seo Dami would leave the team at the end of the year.

‘Is there anywhere that might call me?’

This Season, Director Hong had done interviews with a few reporters, subtly inserting his own name into the narrative of Universe Cat’s rise.

He had implied that his own contribution was not insignificant in how Seo Dami and Kim Harim had begun to shine.

Of course, no one would believe his words at face value, but Director Hong didn’t give up hope.

No matter how he thought about it, the best way for him to survive was to move to a new team before the new Season began next year, before the bubble burst.

As sighs filled the Director’s office, Director Hong was hanging his head low when a knock sounded.

“Come in.”

Director Hong thought Coach Kim Hakseong had come to see him, but he was wrong.

The ones visiting the Director’s office so early in the morning were Seo Dami and Kim Harim.

Why are they here? Did they come to complain that they can’t play because of the other girls?

Just as he was about to tell them that a strike was out of the question, the words that came out of the players’ mouths were completely different.

“Coach. We were thinking of trying a Position Change today, would that be okay?”

“You’re going to do what…?”

“A Position Change.”

Seo Dami said.

She wanted to try having Kim Harim as the Defender and herself as the Attacker.

She said that since the rankings seemed to be stuck lately, she wanted to make a change, and this method seemed like it would be the most effective.

Hearing this, Director Hong stared blankly for about five seconds before clapping his hands without realizing it.

“You two are truly players who care about the team!”

But then a thought occurred to him.

Is a Position Change possible?

He could trust Seo Dami’s Talent, as it was so obvious it was pointless to even mention, but Kim Harim was a maybe.

Isn’t she just barely pulling her own weight now?

To be frank, if she were on any other team, her skills wouldn’t be getting this kind of attention.

As if she knew what Director Hong was worried about, Kim Harim spoke up first.

She said she had been squeezing in time to train in other positions and the results had been quite good.

She said that if he trusted her, she would give it a try.

Besides, today’s schedule just so happened to be a match against the 2nd place team, Floris.

It was true that it would be difficult to beat Floris with a normal game, just as they had been doing until now.

“Are you confident?”

“Yes.”

“Then give it a try.”

There was no reason for a Director to stop his players when they were motivated to do something to win.

Thus, Director Hong readily agreed.

If, by some chance, things went well, he felt he could spin a tale to the reporters that this, too, had been his intention all along.

Universe Cat vs. Floris.

Many Spectators had come to the Third Division League Arena again today to watch the important match for both teams.

The cheers of the fans shouting for Seo Dami and for the downfall of Floris.

A victory in today’s game would bring them one step closer to the 3rd place rung.

A miracle that no one had even considered at the beginning of the Season.

Universe Cat’s Promotion to the Second Division League.

Today, the fans once again cheered their hearts out for the players challenging that miracle.

And, amidst the volcanic heat swirling through the Arena, there were those waiting for the match with exceptionally cold gazes.

It wasn’t just one person.

People observing Universe Cat, especially Seo Dami, with sharp eyes.

Their identity was none other than Scouts.

Officials from not only the same Third Division League but also the Second Division League, and even some with ties to the First Division League, had come to the Arena to see Seo Dami’s match in person.

‘A player who single-handedly brought a team that was near the bottom up to 4th place.’

‘That Carry ability has clearly surpassed the confines of the Third Division League.’

‘Let’s see what she’s got.’

The Transfer Market would open soon after the Season ended.

In order to report to the Front Office, an accurate assessment of value was essential. To prevent unnecessary personal opinions from creeping in, they suppressed their excitement and maintained a cold demeanor.

“We will now begin the 11th match of the 2074 UKL between Floris and Universe Cat!”

It was already the 11th match.

Given the League’s nature of playing up to 12 matches against each team, today’s game was extremely important for Universe Cat.

The three teams ranked higher than Universe Cat.

Cosmos Gaming, Floris, and Nymph Gaming.

Universe Cat now had only six matches left, including today, to close the gap.

If they slipped up even once, they would have to finish the Season in 4th place.

The Scouts were very pleased that this situation had been created.

‘The bigger the Big Game, the more a player’s true value is revealed.’

‘How they respond in a clutch situation is one of the most important indicators that separates a good player from a great one.’

‘If Seo Dami truly has the Talent to play in the First Division League, she will devise a brilliant move in today’s game, even as a Defender.’

Just as the Scouts, each with their own thoughts, focused on the game, something happened that shocked everyone.

“For the first Set, we have Arc Factory No. 2, a Deathmatch Battlefield.”

“Yes. A Deathmatch Battlefield should favor Floris… wait, what is this!”

Along with the Caster’s shout, the fans expressed their surprise.

“It’s an Attacker! Seo Dami has changed her position to Attacker for this match!”

-Seo Dami is an Attacker?

-I just got goosebumps all over.

-They must have prepared this, right?

-Since nothing was working, she just decided to evolve lol;

-Can we look forward to General Seo’s military might today?

General Seo, a nickname she earned for being able to reliably block any enemy.

Amidst the anticipation for what kind of performance she would deliver after her Position Change, Kim Harim rushed forward.

Kim Harim, taking on the role of Defender in Seo Dami’s place.

The moment she left the area where rails for producing rockets and munitions were laid, red lights flew in and hammered against her Shield.

“Shield!”

A blue protective barrier enveloped the Shield, deflecting the enemy’s attack.

Kim Harim ducked her head low.

The Floris players gleefully hammered away at her.

‘Looks like Seo Dami’s Condition is off today.’

The Floris players, who had started exchanging fire, thought as they watched the Defender standing still as if her feet were nailed to the ground.

Normally, Seo Dami would have been dodging attacks with insane movements, conserving Mana to the extreme to maximize her gains.

But what was this?

Today, she was just dumbly taking hits as if asking to be shot.

‘Of course. You can’t have a good game every day.’

‘Is she stiff because it’s an important match?’

‘Well, whatever. It doesn’t matter.’

‘We’re taking today’s game!’

In fact, this was how normal Third Division League Defenders played.

Why would a player who dodges incoming bullets and takes down opponents with a Handgun be in the Third Division?

Smiling brightly, the Floris Team Leader split his team in half.

“Go up to the second Floor.”

“Got it.”

The Arc Factory had a second Floor that ran along the factory walls, allowing one to gain a height advantage and attack downwards.

The main Engagement area was the first Floor, where supplies could be obtained without consuming Mana, but the second Floor had many points from which to attack the enemies on the first Floor from a good angle.

While their teammates tied up the enemy Defender and other players, the Floris players nimbly climbed the stairs.

There were three of them.

The players who entered the second Floor prepared for a possible enemy Counterattack.

If Universe Cat had any sense, they wouldn’t just leave the second Floor unattended.

‘Or not? Do they have no sense?’

The second Floor was completely quiet.

It wasn’t entirely strange to focus their strength on the first-Floor Engagement to secure supplies, so just as they were thinking that and aiming at the Universe Cat players, the Floris communication Channel became noisy.

“First Floor. Four enemies! But the Defender isn’t Seo Dami!”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Kim Harim! Kim Harim is the Defender!”

What is this?

Why is Kim Harim playing Defender?

The Floris Team Leader, who was tying up Universe Cat on the first Floor, his expression hardening as if he’d heard a horror story, asked.

“What about Seo Dami? Is she on the first Floor or not!”

“She’s not!”

“Just clean up the first Floor for now!”

The fact that Seo Dami, who had always held the Shield and led Universe Cat’s Battle Line, had disappeared somewhere.

That alone sent a chill down their spines, and just as Floris was about to unleash their Firepower, a scream erupted from the second Floor.

“It’s Seo Dami!”

“She’s on the second Floor!”

Using an Acceleration Skill, Seo Dami rushed out like a thunderbolt, fire spewing from her Muzzle.

With a thud, the first player was an Instant Death.

The second player managed to activate a Shield thanks to their teammate’s sacrifice, but even that was shattered in less than a second.

The Damage, unthinkable for a standard Rifle, landed repeatedly on the headline and broke right through.

With two teammates collapsing beside her, it was now the third Floris player’s turn.

“Aaargh-!”

She pulled the Trigger as if she had seen a monster.

But Seo Dami’s response was faster.

Having closed the distance in an instant, Seo Dami used her left hand to wrench the opponent’s Muzzle upwards while simultaneously aiming her own Muzzle at the opponent’s head.

With the sound of a bursting flame, the second Floor was wiped clean for Floris.

The grim reaper, who had appeared without warning, had begun to dance on the Battlefield.