Chapter 61

In UA, there is a two-minute break after each Set ends.

Two minutes might seem like a short time, barely enough to check the next Battlefield and catch one’s breath, but it was a precious period they couldn’t do without.

Thanks to smoothly dominating the first Set, the team’s Stamina was still in good shape.

<Please, just let it be Nicaea Research Lab…>

Nicaea Research Lab.

The Battlefield I was most confident in during my active days.

If luck was on our side, wouldn’t it be possible to beat Japan 2-0?

With that thought, I kept my eyes fixed on the Scoreboard.

Soon, the next Battlefield was decided.

Arc Factory No. 2.

It was a Deathmatch-style Battlefield where they would have to sweat it out for 15 minutes.

Since one Battlefield had already been played, the chance of getting Nicaea Research Lab from the remaining ones was one in five, but we missed it.

Seo Dami was busy discussing the Builds they would use on the Battlefield with her teammates.

In the past, I would have jumped in and given advice, saying it’s better to do this or that, but I had decided not to do that anymore.

For the time being, I changed my approach to reviewing the game only after the match was completely over, in a post-mortem style.

That way, Dami could develop the ability to stand on her own, right?

I thought that me jumping in to give real-time advice could actually hinder her growth.

While Dami was in a meeting with her teammates, I scanned the Arena.

Somewhere in this crowd of 100,000 people, Dami’s parents, and my mother, had to be there.

I didn’t expect to find them right away.

There were just too many people.

How easy could it be to pinpoint just one or two people you’re looking for out of 100,000?

They must be watching from somewhere.

That thought crossed my mind as I looked around the Arena.

Will a day ever come when I can be a good son to her again?

I didn’t even hope to play a match in a healthy body.

I just thought it would be nice if, for just one day, we could have a normal, everyday conversation.

As I was lost in such thoughts, the second Set began.

“I’ll hold her down, so let’s go with what we prepared.”

Kim Seunga said.

Our plan was to suppress Kato Mikane’s Attack Power in any way possible.

The strategy was for Kim Seunga to restrain Kato’s movements and for Seo Dami to take her down.

The kamikaze strategy we used before was scrapped.

The reason for using it only once and then discarding it was because we knew that given Kato Mikane’s skill, she wouldn’t fall for it again.

We were able to succeed with that strategy in the first Set because they wouldn’t have expected us to come out like that, but from now on, the opponent would surely have a countermeasure.

<I wonder how Japan will play.>

Typically, on the Arc Factory Map, the Support team, including the Sniper, would go up to the second-floor Floor, and the rest of the members would engage in a Power Struggle below.

In that case, wouldn’t Japan also position at least one person up there?

Based on that judgment, Kim Seunga sent the Sniper, Lee Seulgi, up to the second floor in advance.

The plan was to adapt on the fly if the enemy deployed more personnel.

However, Japan shattered everyone’s expectations and initiated a 5-person all-out war.

As if they didn’t need any Support forces on the second floor.

The Japanese team’s players instantly seized control of the first floor and began their charge.

“Japan! They’re pushing back the Korean team with an aggressive rush!”

-Isn’t that too reckless?

-Why are they doing that without any Support forces on the second floor?

Watching Japan’s play, the fans reacted with incomprehension.

In fact, Korea, which had placed a Sniper on the second floor, was gradually gaining an advantage from the sniping.

This was because the second floor offered a better vantage point to survey the entire Battlefield and find angles for Attack.

But the reason Japan made such a bold move was clear.

With all their members gathered on the first floor, they could apply intense pressure, and they had a crack agent who could Carry the game alone, regardless of whether her teammates died or not.

As the Japanese players fell one by one, Kato Mikane steadily closed the distance with the Korean team and finally attempted an Attack.

With one Full Acceleration, the distance was closed, and Kim Soyoung at the front had to receive the first Attack.

Kim Soyoung’s position was Defender.

Her role was to defend against enemy attacks from the front line, but to get straight to the point, she was of no help at all.

Kato Mikane, who passed Kim Soyoung with a tactical move, fired a shot without even looking, and Kim Soyoung collapsed with the back of her head blown open.

Just as Kim Seunga, who saw this, was about to jump in, there was a snipe from a Japanese player.

The Japanese Sniper from the Second Division League had been aiming only at Kim Seunga, buying time for Kato Mikane.

And Kato did not miss that opening.

Aiming for the heart and head of Kim Seunga, who had briefly taken a defensive stance to block the snipe, Kato Mikane’s pistol unleashed a torrent of bullets.

Kim Seunga skillfully deployed her Shield to block the Attack and then cast a Slow Skill.

Debuff applied.

The goal was to slow Kato Mikane’s speed even a little and create an opening for Seo Dami to Attack.

As the Slow took effect, Kato Mikane’s body visibly slowed, albeit slightly, and Seo Dami, seeing her chance, charged in from the Flank.

<Perfect Timing.>

Kim Seunga’s Slow and Seo Dami’s Acceleration Attack Timing.

The synergy between the two, as Han Youngin saw it, was undoubtedly top-tier.

But then, something incredible happened.

Just as Kato Mikane slightly shifted her body to the side, a Purification Bullet from the enemy Supporter exploded, removing the Slow Debuff from Kato Mikane at the exact moment it was needed.

<What…?>

The only advantage Korea had over Japan was that they were using two First Division-level players.

They couldn’t face Kato Mikane one-on-one, but with the synergy between Kim Seunga and Seo Dami, they could somehow find a way to win.

Because Japan didn’t have another First Division-level player to back up Kato Mikane.

That’s what he had thought.

But the Purification Bullet that had just gone off right before his eyes was a flawless play, one you would believe even if a First Division League player had backed it up.

And that level of perfection came back to the Korean team like a giant wave.

Kato Mikane, having activated Gun Kata, dodged the Attack by a paper-thin margin and then blew Seo Dami’s head off.

“Seo Dami is down! Kato Mikane! She’s dominating the Battlefield with her fierce Attack Power!”

She had faltered for a moment in the first Set, but as Kato Mikane came back to life, the Japanese Spectator Seats erupted in a frenzy.

On the other hand, the Korean Spectators were dumbfounded.

-It’s not working even with Kim Seunga and Seo Dami together?

-Then we can’t win…

-Kato Mikane has always been that kind of player.

-It’s strange for us to stop a player who couldn’t even be stopped at the World Championship.

-We won the first Set! What happened!

It was just a stroke of luck.

The anxiety that Korea was originally no match for Japan began to creep in.

‘Oppa. Help me.’

Meanwhile, Seo Dami, who had Respawned in the Respawn area, asked Han Youngin for help.

This was unexpected.

It was a Foul for the enemy Japanese Supporter to land a Purification Bullet with that level of perfection.

Korea effectively had no way to defeat a Kato Mikane who also had a solution for Debuffs.

Han Youngin remained silent.

He couldn’t think of a solution right away, and it also went against his decision to refrain from giving real-time Feedback.

<How long are you going to rely on my help, Seo Dami.>

‘But today is different!’

Seo Dami cried out.

Her mother was watching right now.

‘I really want to win today!’

At that cry, Han Youngin had no choice but to finally speak.

<For now… hold on.>

‘What?’

<Tell Kim Seunga to drag it into a battle of Stamina.>

Kim Seunga, who had the best Stamina on the allied team.

Even if it meant giving up points, have her stick to Kato Mikane for a one-on-one mark, and while they drained Kato Mikane’s Stamina, he would think of a sharp plan.

That was the best Han Youngin could come up with at the moment.

Seo Dami, who had rejoined the Battlefield, immediately relayed this opinion to Kim Seunga.

Kim Seunga grimaced, saying she was a Hubae who worked her Sunbae to the bone, but she entered the battle of Stamina without a word of complaint.

Kim Seunga ran until her mouth was dry.

Of course, even so, the Score difference between Korea and Japan only widened.

Kato Mikane was a real monster.

She never just died, fighting back until the very, very end and contributing to Japan’s Score.

A fierce Offense and Defense.

To close this gap, Seo Dami actively targeted Japan’s Second and Third Division players, but Kato Mikane, while dealing with Kim Seunga, also kept Seo Dami in check.

<Isn’t that girl the real cheat key?>

Watching her repeatedly check Seo Dami with no-look shots without even looking, it was a level of cheating beyond belief.

Five minutes into the match.

The Score between the two teams was already 13 points apart.

Even if they caught the Japanese players thirteen more times in the remaining time, it would be a Draw, and if they couldn’t catch up, it would be a loss.

<Watch out!>

Han Youngin finally couldn’t hold back and shouted to Seo Dami.

As a loud Warning rang in her head, Seo Dami ducked her upper body and hid behind a steel box, managing to dodge Kato Mikane’s Attack.

‘Whoa. That scared me.’

Seo Dami said, sounding genuinely surprised.

It was understandable.

The Timing of Seo Dami’s move just now was right after Kato Mikane had used up her Magazine.

Weapons that used Live Rounds inevitably had a brief opening when the Magazine was used up and had to be reloaded.

Knowing this, Seo Dami had confidently gone in, but an Attack suddenly flew out.

The cause was a Battlefield Objective.

Kato Mikane had struck the sparkling Magazine supply Objective that appeared on a table with the grip of her pistol, resupplying with new ammunition, and attacked Seo Dami.

If Han Youngin hadn’t warned her, Seo Dami would have suffered another Headshot.

Seo Dami asked how on earth he knew, but Han Youngin could only give the vague answer of ‘a gut feeling.’

It was actually true.

There were set times for Objectives to appear on the Battlefield, and there were cases where they appeared randomly, and this case was random.

However, even with these random Objectives, a veteran who had played in the League for a long time could develop a sense, thinking, “It’s about time for one to appear.”

And in Han Youngin’s case, that sense was exceptionally sharper than other players’.

That was also the reason he was able to achieve a high Win Rate at Nicaea Research Lab.

Because he could predict the change in gravity before it happened and get into a controlled posture in advance.

Han Youngin was able to react to changes on the Battlefield faster than others.

<As you gain more League experience, this ‘gut feeling’ can also be trained.>

Seo Dami had learned all the theoretical parts from Han Youngin, and it was safe to say she had absorbed them 100 percent.

But the realm of gut feeling still needed time to be honed.

<And, I think I’ve found one of Japan’s secrets.>

‘What is it?’

Something Han Youngin had found, but Seo Dami had not.

It seemed Kim Seunga didn’t know either.

Han Youngin felt a little better, thinking to himself that he still had things left to teach Dami.

<It’s the positions.>

‘Positions?’

<If you look at the positions where Kato Mikane has been receiving backup from, it seems like there’s a set rotation.>

While Seo Dami and Kim Seunga were fighting hard, Han Youngin had been pondering why the Japanese team had gotten stronger compared to the first Set.

The first change began when Kato Mikane took down Seo Dami with the help of the Supporter.

And after carefully observing the points, Han Youngin saw through the fact that Kato Mikane was only receiving Support at predetermined spots.

<I’m sure of it. The Japanese players’ skills haven’t suddenly improved. From the beginning, it was decided that they would back up Kato Mikane when she entered a designated position.>

Organically landing a Heal Shot when an Attacker needs Support is a high-difficulty play.

Especially when the target is moving like crazy using Gun Kata like Kato Mikane, the probability of hitting would be even lower.

However, even players from the Second Division and below could sufficiently execute a promised play when she entered a specific position.

Besides, the Japanese Second Division League was at a higher skill level than the Korean Second Division.

<You should see it as Kato Mikane moving her body into the shot, rather than the Supporter landing it.>

‘Then the shot success rate is bound to be high.’

<She’s a cunning one. She hasn’t received Support from the same point even once until now.>

So that they wouldn’t notice this was a predetermined set play.

Kato Mikane had never received Support from the same point more than once.

Han Youngin had seen through this, relying on intuition and experience.

‘Then how should we use this information? You said she doesn’t even get Support from the same point more than once.’

<The game only started 5 minutes ago.>

‘So if we wait a little longer…’

<An opportunity will come.>

They wouldn’t have created set plays at entirely different points for the whole 15 minutes.

Han Youngin thought so and judged that if they just held on a little longer, an opportunity would surely arise.

<Do you remember the places where she received Support while you were in an Engagement with Kato Mikane so far?>

‘Ah, no. I was too out of it.’

<Instantaneous memory is also an important virtue for a UA player. We’ll train that next time. For now, I’ll back you up.>

‘Yes…!’

Han Youngin decided to back up Seo Dami in real-time just for today.

A match that Seo Dami’s parents, and his mother, were watching.

Han Youngin also desperately wanted to win this game.

Ten minutes into the game, the Grand Stadium was filled with voices calling for Kato.

If a single person could decide the Win-Loss, this is what they must do.

As if to say just that, Kato Mikane was fiercely pushing Korea back.

The 15-point gap had now widened to 22 points, and the shadow of defeat loomed large.

Kim Seunga’s speed was visibly dropping.

It probably wasn’t that she had reached her limit.

But a veteran player like Kim Seunga had a habit of instinctively gearing down to conserve Stamina for the remaining third Set.

Kim Seunga had also judged that catching up in this Set was too much to ask.

‘Let’s give up this Set, Dami.’

Kim Seunga said to Seo Dami with her eyes.

Conserve Stamina and look to the next Set.

Seo Dami’s Stamina was already weak, so there was no reason to waste energy trying to forcibly turn this game around.

However, Seo Dami slightly shook her head, saying they shouldn’t.

‘What? You want to keep going?’

‘Unni. Please trust me just this once.’

‘Hey, hey…!’

Seo Dami, who had replied with her eyes as well, suddenly attempted an Attack.

It was exactly 10 seconds after Kato Mikane had repeated a set play for the first time on this Battlefield.

As Seo Dami attacked Kato Mikane, the Japanese team’s players attacked her.

In response, Seo Dami popped a Smoke Screen and countered with a smooth Acceleration.

Kim Seunga, who had clicked her tongue watching Seo Dami’s Attack, also joined in the Attack.

‘You better not fail!’

Gritting her teeth, Kim Seunga ran, stretched out her hand, and threw a Slow Debuff at Kato Mikane.

Instantly, Kato’s body went into an evasive maneuver using Gun Kata and nimbly jumped onto a shelf.

Only then did Kim Seunga feel a sense of déjà vu.

Isn’t this the play from before?

She was right.

The reason Kato Mikane had climbed onto the shelf was to receive a Purification Bullet from her ally.

It didn’t matter if the angle was slightly off.

She could correct that by moving her body into it.

However, no matter how long she waited, the shot never came.

Only then did Kato Mikane look back.

Her allied Supporter, who was supposed to be providing Support, was dying.

She had even assigned a Defender to protect the Supporter, so why?

All they had to do was hide behind the Shield and provide occasional Support, they can’t even do that?

Kato Mikane felt it was unfair, but this was the harsh reality.

The awaited Purification Bullet was nowhere to be found, and instead, what rushed in was Seo Dami with her eyes wide open.

Seo Dami, who had blown away two Japanese players with a Grenade.

She unleashed a Counter-Acceleration and rained down a Rifle Attack on Kato Mikane.