Chapter 60

The Battlefield, Enterprise.

A place where a skilled Sniper could create an advantageous situation by completely locking down the long, straight corridor.

However, Japan didn’t have a skilled Sniper.

A Second Division League player was holding the Sniper position, but at the end of the day, they were still a Second Division player.

Not comparable to Seo Dami or Kim Seunga.

“I’ll break through first, so follow me!”

“Yes!”

The Breakthrough of the corridor began with a Chain Attack from Dami and Kim Seunga.

It was a strange sight.

Usually, when breaking through the corridor on Enterprise, a Defender would be sent in first.

That way, you could advance by sticking close behind their Shield.

But we didn’t do that.

We placed the Defender in the rear and had the Dealers charge forward to Attack.

Why? Because even a Shield will break if it’s hit repeatedly.

In a Practice Match against Russia, Yekaterina had even shown off the trick of breaking a Defender’s Shield by herself by continuously striking the same spot.

Of course, Japan’s Sniper probably wasn’t on that level, but if they combined their Firepower with the other players, it would be too much for a single Defender to withstand.

That was why Dami and Kim Seunga attempted to rush in first.

Even if our teammates weren’t exceptionally skilled, keeping them alive until the Engagement would add to our Firepower.

Tactical Movement and Slope Shield.

As we Attacked, mixing these two appropriately, the distance between us and them began to shrink rapidly.

At the same time, the corridor flashed with light and noise.

Japan was unleashing a terrifying amount of Firepower.

But the players themselves were relaxed.

‘This is easier to break through than I thought.’

<Don’t get complacent. Focus.>

That’s why she was having idle thoughts while Attacking down a corridor raining with bullets.

I guessed the reason why the Attack was going more smoothly than expected.

<Kato Mikane isn’t helping them yet.>

To block our Attack, Japan had set up their offense with only their Second and Third Division players.

What did this mean?

It was proof that Kato Mikane was conserving her strength.

The girl was blatantly revealing her intention to sweep us all away at once with her specialty, Gun Kata, the moment we reached the end of the corridor.

The real fight would begin after we reached the end of the corridor.

“I’m breaking through.”

Seo Dami said, looking at the Japanese Defender in front of her.

It was a signal to Kim Seunga.

That a fierce Close Battle was about to erupt.

There are several ways to break through against a Defender.

The first is to also raise a Shield and push the opponent back.

Seo Dami couldn’t use this method because she wasn’t a Defender.

The second is to push the opponent back with the force of a Bomb.

But this method wasn’t recommended either, since we were in the middle of a full-speed Attack.

The third is to jump over the enemy’s head and smash the Defender’s skull.

But this method was also not recommended.

The moment she bent her legs to jump, there was a high chance the Japanese players lined up behind their Defender would turn her into a honeycomb.

Then, the last option, the fourth.

Create an opening by using Blink to get past them.

Since all the previous options were either impossible or undesirable, we were inevitably forced to choose this fourth method.

‘Here I go…!’

Success meant victory.

Failure meant defeat.

At the point that would decide the match, Seo Dami steeled her resolve, and Korea’s Breakthrough began.

-I don’t think they can break through this.

-Japan’s positioning is too good;;

Japan’s defensive wall, with a Defender at the front and a Sniper providing suppressive fire, was solid.

The Korean fans cheering for the allied team’s Breakthrough couldn’t hide their anxiety.

This situation had arisen because Korea had decided not to split its members and enter through one location, but thanks to that, Japan could concentrate all five of its members without having to Disperse them.

Japan’s players were positioned behind their Defender at a distance, at angles where they could provide Cover Fire for each other.

It was a position set up to react fluidly, whether the opponent jumped in or used Blink to get behind the Defender.

And as the distance between the two sides closed, the full-scale Engagement began.

It started with a Smoke Grenade sent via Object Movement.

The Smoke Grenade that appeared behind the Defender obscured their Vision, and at the same time, a red light glinted in the eyes of the Japanese players.

Red Sight had been activated to secure their Vision.

It was an extremely natural response, as if they had anticipated this level of play from the start.

Seo Dami and Smoke Grenades were practically an inseparable pair of Skills.

She had actively used Smoke Screens not just in the League but in Event Matches as well.

If the Japanese team had done even a little research on Seo Dami, this kind of response was to be expected.

But what came next was something the Japanese team had not anticipated at all.

‘There’s more than one Bomb…?’

The first to notice the change was Kato Mikane, who had been preparing to draw her pistol.

Several more Bombs were Blinking into the spot where the Smoke Screen had gone off.

And they weren’t Smoke Screens, but real Bombs—Grenades.

I’ll get caught in it.

Sensing this, Kato Mikane hid behind the Supporter standing next to her, using her teammate as a Shield.

It all happened in an instant, so not just her teammates, but even the Spectators didn’t realize what was happening.

Only after the Japanese players were sent flying by a massive explosion did the Spectators realize it was Korea’s gambit.

“The Japanese team’s Formation has collapsed in an instant!”

The excited Caster shouted.

But it wasn’t time to be optimistic yet.

Players would typically have their Shields up when the Engagement distance closed.

And the power of a Grenade wasn’t strong enough to tear through a Shield and wipe out a Health Gauge in one go.

The staggering Japanese players.

The first to break through that gap was Kim Seunga.

Blinking in the moment after the Bomb exploded, she drew her Lightsaber and stabbed the head of the Defender whose back was turned.

Japan’s Defender was from the Third Division League.

The moment Kim Seunga cleanly took down the enemy Defender, the Japanese team’s attacks poured in.

In response, Kim Seunga, with her Shield up, spun her Lightsaber forcefully like a propeller.

As the blade rotated, empowered by Acceleration, the Projectile Trajectories were momentarily distorted by the wind pressure.

-What is that!

-Did Korea have a talent like that?

-Her Swordsmanship is incredible.

The Korean Jedi Master.

The international Viewers watching this match couldn’t help but admire Kim Seunga’s play.

But that was short-lived, as Kim Seunga’s knee buckled and her balance completely crumbled.

Kato Mikane, who had been hiding behind her teammate as a Shield, had made her eyes gleam and blown off one of Kim Seunga’s legs.

Kim Seunga Retires after taking down just one Third Division League Defender?

For Korea, there could be no more inefficient trade.

That fucking bitch.

As Kim Seunga glared daggers at Kato Mikane, her body was suddenly shoved to the side.

The second shot, fired by Kato Mikane as if it were breathing, grazed past Kim Seunga’s head thanks to the impact.

Seo Dami had pushed Kim Seunga’s body, saving her.

At that moment, Kim Seunga’s face contorted.

Because it hurt.

In a physical brawl of hands, feet, and bodies, the pain was transmitted even between players.

A body slam was no exception.

Having Attacked at full speed with Acceleration and then ramming into Kim Seunga with that Energy, it was no wonder Kim Seunga’s breath caught in her throat.

But thanks to that, Seo Dami was able to effectively control her own speed, and based on her recovered balance, she immediately launched a Counterattack at Kato Mikane.

The Arclight Rifle, which boasted powerful force for a Rifle, emitted a cool blue light, and the Japanese team’s Supporter’s head was blown off.

The attack was originally aimed at Kato Mikane, but Kato Mikane, who was standing behind her, had pulled the Supporter’s body in front of her as a Shield.

Without a care for her teammate Retiring with a gasp, Kato Mikane grinned.

A hint of madness could even be seen in her glistening eyes.

And Seo Dami, too, met that gaze head-on without avoiding it.

She even smiled back.

‘She’s smiling?’

It had been a long time.

Since she started using the Energy of the Ley Line in actual combat, she hadn’t met an opponent who made her blood boil this much.

So much so that she had imagined tearing her opponent to shreds several times.

Alright. Let’s see who dies.

Kato Mikane activated her specialty, Acceleration, and charged forward, displaying her unique movements.

It was Gun Kata.

This god-like Performance of predicting and evading enemy fire while simultaneously unleashing a Counterattack was something only Kato Mikane could do in the entire world.

In truth, Gun Kata wasn’t a Skill but a type of movement, so it was a play anyone could do.

But the problem was its level of perfection.

Kato Mikane was the only Gun Kata master with a level of perfection that could pressure and destroy an opponent just by using it, not just for show.

And that Kato Mikane was now coming for Seo Dami, using Gun Kata.

At this moment, the Spectators clenched their fists and held their breath.

There was no time to Cheer.

Everyone gathered in the Arena knew that the match would be decided in the blink of an eye.

Kato Mikane’s twin pistols spat fire as she closed in, evading the attacks from the Arclight Rifle.

Dodge the opponent’s attacks and land all of mine.

It was a simple explanation, but every player who had faced Kato Mikane with this Pattern had fallen without exception.

You can’t beat her one-on-one.

That was the consensus of the global experts watching Kato Mikane, whose skills were in full bloom.

But then.

Something incredible happened at that moment.

Taking Kato’s volley of fire from her pistols head-on, Seo Dami’s body began to spin.

-Huh?

The moment the Spectators’ eyes widened, Kato Mikane’s eyebrows twitched and she tightened her grip.

The feat of dodging an enemy’s shots at point-blank range.

There was no doubt.

The Performance Seo Dami was showing now was the same as Kato Mikane’s, an undeniable Gun Kata.

‘Isn’t she a crazy bitch? This one?’

Kato Mikane was dumbfounded.

Until now, not a single player had been crazy enough to think of facing her with Gun Kata.

Because their level of perfection was lower.

And in a real battle, if both sides use the same Skill but have different levels of perfection, the only result is defeat.

And yet, Seo Dami was fighting fire with fire, using Gun Kata against her.

At this moment, Kato Mikane couldn’t stand the urge to crush Seo Dami.

It felt like tearing her limb from limb wouldn’t be enough.

Who do you think you are, copying me.

That’s my Skill!!!

With a terrifying look in her eyes, Kato Mikane’s speed surpassed its limits with Instant Acceleration.

In response, Seo Dami also twisted her body as if to test her own limits.

A battle of monster versus monster.

The one to allow an attack first was Seo Dami.

It couldn’t be helped.

One side had a Rifle, while the other had twin pistols.

It was only natural that the side with more means of attack would have the upper hand in Close-Quarters Combat.

Twisting Seo Dami’s aimed Rifle Muzzle with one pistol, Kato Mikane used the pistol in her other hand to quickly and surely chip away at Seo Dami’s Stamina.

Seo Dami defended against the incoming attacks with her Shield, but it was not enough to completely nullify their power.

On top of that, Kato Mikane wasn’t just using her twin pistols; she was also mixing in Close-Quarters Melee Combat with her fists and feet.

It was a pressure that truly felt murderous.

In a situation where her Health Bar could be shattered in the time it took to draw a single breath, Seo Dami made a decision.

The moment the pistol aimed at her head, Seo Dami’s body leaned further forward, taking one more step.

With that bold advance, Kato Mikane’s shot grazed past Seo Dami’s hair.

‘A Tackle?’

Grabbing Kato Mikane’s waist, Seo Dami charged, holding onto her and leaping as if to fly.

As her feet left the ground and her body floated, Kato Mikane was momentarily flustered, but she fired her pistol diagonally at Seo Dami’s back.

So that the bullet entering her back would pierce through the opposite side.

This way, she wouldn’t take any damage from the Penetration wound and could safely send her opponent away.

As Kato Mikane’s pistol spat fire, Seo Dami’s Health Bar was sliced away like tofu.

‘I was a little surprised, but this is as far as it goes.’

A girl who had enough talent to piss her off.

Just as Kato Mikane was making her assessment of Seo Dami and about to take her next step, Seo Dami’s head twitched.

“…on.”

‘What did she say?’

Seo Dami’s mumble.

The moment Kato tilted her head, wondering if she had misheard, her Vision was engulfed in a flash of light.

‘N-No!’

Instinctively knowing the source of the light, Kato Mikane screamed internally, but it was useless.

Seo Dami, who was still holding onto her waist, was too heavy to Blink away with.

And so, a giant flame enveloped the two of them, and their Health Bars were destroyed almost simultaneously.

‘Shibal-!!!’

The Korean curse word that had now become world-famous.

Kato Mikane cried out in indignation, shouting “Shibal.”

Seo Dami’s last words.

They were, without a doubt, “I won.”

And the word omitted before it was probably “I.”

Kato Mikane was down.

Hope had bloomed for the Korean team, which had thought it impossible to win.

“Player Kato Mikane is down!”

“Japan’s Ace! Kato Mikane falls!”

Two players had fallen.

Seo Dami and Kato Mikane.

But the Commentary Team, regardless of nationality, all shouted only about Kato Mikane being down.

That’s how shocking the scene was.

After Seo Dami Tackled and held onto her opponent, the Korean players Blinked a Bomb on top of them, taking down Japan’s Ace, Kato, just like that.

“Just practice throwing bombs well, nothing more. If you get good at just this, you’ll pull your weight for one person—no, for three.”

“Yes! Unni.”

When Seo Dami tied up Kato Mikane’s feet, they would throw a Bomb and send the enemy to their grave.

The so-called Operation Nongae, devised with the match against Japan in mind, had succeeded.

With this exchange, Korea’s chances of victory soared.

The Japanese team’s Defender, Supporter, and Kato Mikane were down, and the number of people left on the Battlefield was 2 versus 4, a huge advantage for Korea.

What’s more, Korea still had Kim Seunga standing strong.

Although she was limping, it was a wound that could be healed with a single heal.

The Korean Spectators, thinking they had seized their chance, cheered for the players, shouting Kim Seunga’s name, while the Japanese Spectators were dumbfounded, their lips merely trembling.

It was understandable, as there was no other player on that team who could serve as a focal point besides Kato Mikane.

Their situation was different from Korea’s, where even if Seo Dami fell, the pillar named Kim Seunga remained.

From the beginning, it was fair to say that Japan was a Kato Mikane One-Man team, her dominance was that absolute.

But now that Kato Mikane had been swept away and taken down by Seo Dami, it was no wonder the atmosphere had completely deflated.

Reflecting this trend, Japan was continuously pushed back and was forced to give up the Bridge without being able to mount any decent Counterattack.

The same was true for their defense afterward.

Seo Dami and Kim Seunga blocked the corridor as if they were one body, and Kato Mikane failed to break through Korea’s defensive line on her own and fell once more.

“High five!”

“High five-!”

“We won!!!”

Returning to the Waiting Room, the Korean players were ecstatic, exchanging high fives above their heads.

It was truly a festive atmosphere.

It was only a victory in the first Set, but this case was a little different.

Korea had secured a victory no one had expected, and the Arena was filled with Cheers shouting Korea’s name.

The Grand Stadium, where the attention of not only 100,000 Spectators but also Asian Viewers was heavily focused.

Signs of a major upset were beginning to appear here.