Chapter 75

UA’s latest update could be summed up in one line.

Let’s put a restriction on the one-man hyper carry.

As if to prove it, you could now see a ton of skills that tied down the enemy’s ace in Rank Games.

So, who in Super Sylph would be most affected?

It was obviously Seo Dami.

Seo Dami, who was called the next national representative and Kim Seunga’s successor, was now the one receiving the most checks.

In fact, while playing Rank Games, Seo Dami was subjected to all sorts of checks.

The mentality of “she’s a famous Pro Gamer, so let’s just try to beat her once” probably played a part.

But as time went on.

We were gradually getting used to this focused, checking style of play.

In the end, maintaining balance was crucial in a 5v5 team game.

Who would occupy the key points of the Battlefield first?

How efficiently would they map out their Movement Paths, and so on.

Considering these points, focusing all attention on a single player was a strategically unbalanced move.

And we exploited this point for all it was worth.

We lured in enemies who rushed to apply restrictions, and at the same time, we attempted to repel them with Teamwork.

To restrict a hyper carry, two conditions must first be met.

First, close the Engagement distance with the opponent to bring them within the radius where a Skill can be cast.

And second, have an ally nearby to help finish off the immobilized opponent.

If these two conditions weren’t met, you would either pour out Mana without being able to finish the job, or casting the Skill itself would be impossible.

That’s why Dami and Yunseuli made it so the enemy couldn’t establish these conditions.

On the wide Battlefield, they developed a game centered on firefights through a thorough battle of gauging distances, and when that wasn’t possible, they used Seo Dami as bait to draw the enemy in, and Jung Yunseul would strike the off-balance foes.

Every time Yunseuli brandished her Gun Kata, enemies were swept away like fallen leaves.

No matter how many new Skills there were, or how the Meta changed.

In the end, you had to hit the enemy with the gun in your hand to end the game in UA.

When we occasionally saw strange people wielding Lightsabers and pretending to be Swordmasters, we also made sly use of the New Meta.

“Bind!”

When Yunseuli restricted an enemy’s movement, Seo Dami would land a Headshot with knife-like aim.

Every time the Arclight Rifle went bang, enemies tumbled onto the Battlefield floor one by one.

And at the same time, our score began to skyrocket.

-You got the hang of it?

-Straight to Grandmaster~.

-Looked like they were struggling a bit, but as soon as they adapted, their Form shot right up.

-Pros really are different.

-I mean, I knew Dami was good, but Yunseuli is really good too.

-Can I look forward to Super Sylph winning next year?

-Winning lololol

-Why! They could do it!

Grandmaster Tier achieved.

From here on out was the section where the real masters would start appearing one by one.

At this, Dami took a moment to catch her breath and interact with the Chat.

Achieving Legendary Challenge in a single day was impossible anyway.

Taking it easy, running the stream, and giving the fans the enjoyment they wanted was also an important virtue for a player.

“Why are you all laughing? We’re serious, you know? We’re going to challenge for the championship next year!”

-Kyaaa-!!!!

-The Great Dami!

-A championship declarationㄷㄷ;;

-General Seo. By any chance, are there any plans for Coach Park Chaerin to play as a player?

-lolololol

-I am curious, though.

-Didn’t they say Park Chaerin’s Annual Salary at Gaia was up to 15 billion Won?

-She was Top Class in the neighboring scene.

“Coach Chaerin? Hmm? I haven’t asked, so I don’t know, but since the Meta has changed recently, I think she’d do well even if she came out as a surprise in the Starting Lineup. But if she takes the spot, Dain Unni might cry…”

At the mention of Kim Dain possibly crying, the Viewers burst out laughing.

A stream of comments followed, telling her to come back stronger if she felt it was unfair.

Watching Dami interact with the Viewers, a thought occurred to me.

Although we had adapted to the New Meta and learned how to counter it today, it wasn’t a perfect countermeasure for every situation.

Hadn’t we struggled against Coach Park Chaerin in practice matches?

Not these greenhorn kids we met in Rank Games.

If the opponent was also Pro Gamer-level, a Sniper-class player capable of fighting a Range battle, we needed to refine our countermeasures a bit more.

We set the broadcast time to within 3 hours a day.

This was because, in the remaining time, we also had to do Stamina Training, and practicing with Park Chaerin in a simulated real match was more helpful.

The fans grumbled a bit about the short broadcast time, but when I said it was for a successful performance in next year’s Season, everyone seemed to understand.

And there was one more important thing.

It was the task of finding a weapon to use in next year’s Season.

The weapon I’m referring to here was a Skill.

We needed to use the Skill Custom System, with its increased freedom, to see if there was a weapon that suited my body.

“I think Acceleration is enough for me…”

Dami said that if she polished her Acceleration to the end, she wouldn’t need any other Skills, but I thought differently.

There was no reason to be known as a one-trick pony with Acceleration, and if there was a good Skill, seeking ways to utilize it was the more proper attitude for a Pro Gamer.

Besides, Dami had an extraordinary speed for learning by watching others use Skills.

What did this mean?

It meant that if someone adapted well to the New Meta and honed a Skill to a high level, she could snatch it and absorb it.

In fact, while progressing through the Legendary Challenge, Dami would often flawlessly imitate new techniques like Flying Skills, binds, and Mana bullet checks just by glancing at them.

With the situation being what it was, it wasn’t hard to predict that Dami would be able to play much more stably if she just let go of her attachment to Acceleration a little.

<Then what’s left is Yunseul…>

Dami wasn’t much of a problem.

The truly important one was Jung Yunseul.

Super Sylph would now be playing in the First Division League.

No matter how much Seo Dami rampaged, there was a limit to what she could do with her Carry power alone.

Our goal was to win the First Division League.

To achieve that goal, we needed one more player to support Seo Dami, and the best candidate right now was, of course, Jung Yunseul.

However, because I hadn’t had enough time to teach her, Yunseuli’s skills were a bit ambiguous.

She was definitely competitive in the Second Division League, but it was hard to say she would be overwhelming in the First Division League.

The problem was the short amount of time I had to teach her directly.

If I had spent as much time moving my body with her as I did with Dami, Yunseuli would surely have grown much faster.

But what’s past is past.

I decided to find the best method in the current situation, and what I found was to have her learn a new Skill.

Since I was in a state of Sensory Sharing with Yunseuli, after all.

As Yunseuli used new Skills, wouldn’t I be able to personally judge and say, “This is it”?

Thus, after the broadcast ended, we made a list of recently popular Skills and took the time to try them out one by one.

“It’s a Skill called Heavy Silence. It says it eliminates sound.”

<There were skills that eliminated sound before, weren’t there?>

“It seems a little different. Ah! It says it even completely reduces the sound of gunfire.”

<There is a difference, then.>

Originally in UA, even similar-looking Skills were often classified as different Skills depending on minor spec differences.

For example, even with the same Shield Skill, the thickness, whether it was thin or thick, was different.

And depending on its size, the Skill’s name would be different.

A small Barrier that mainly defended the upper body was called a small Shield Skill, while a Skill that covered the entire body was called a large Shield Skill.

One might think that this would be too complicated.

Having to memorize the name of every Skill that fits a situation.

Pro Gamers would usually solve this problem using Advanced Mode.

By adjusting the effects on the fly using Runewords, they could flexibly control the effects in a split second.

Watching Yunseuli use the Heavy Silence Skill, I judged its practical use to be somewhat low.

An attack poured out with the sound erased would certainly be hard to dodge, but it felt like it consumed too much Mana for what it did.

“Then what about this one? It’s called Storm Piercing.”

A Skill that increased a bullet’s Penetration Power to pierce Shields more effectively.

I thought this one was at least somewhat useful.

In particular, the main effect of this Skill was to reduce air resistance.

This was because after the New Meta era began, there were a lot of weirdos who didn’t block attacks with a Shield but instead created a gale around their bodies to defend with wind.

But after trying out various Skills, I concluded that this one also didn’t suit Yunseuli.

<A Skill that Mana clings to needs to appear…>

Mana clinging.

That’s how UA Pro Gamers usually described a well-optimized Skill.

For a Skill that pursued extreme efficiency using Advanced Mode, it could produce a superior effect with less Mana than others.

But Yunseuli had yet to find a Skill that gave her that feeling.

You might think it’s because she just started trying out Skills, but this was my intuition.

A conviction had formed in my mind that, at least among these, there was no Skill that was a perfect fit for Yunseuli yet.

“Hmm. I think I’ve tried all the main Skills…”

It was then.

After looking through all the main Skills once and now trying out the lower-tier, less famous new Skills in order, something caught in Yunseuli’s five senses.

To be precise, Yunseuli had passed it by without knowing, but I was the only one who noticed the sensation first.

The sensation of Mana clinging.

<Wait! That Skill from a moment ago.>

“This one?”

<The one before that.>

“This one?”

<Yes, that one.>

“Hmm. The name of this Skill is…”

Purifying Lightning Bolt.

It was a Skill that imbued a bullet with the power of lightning to increase Damage, and while the power increase wasn’t that great, it had the additional effect of causing paralysis.

“What about it?”

<I have a feeling it would suit you well.>

“Really? Then I have to try it.”

When I recommended the Skill, Yunseuli seemed simply thrilled and practiced the Skill diligently.

And the more she used the Skill, the more certain I became.

This Skill suited Yunseuli very well.

So much so that the phrase “a match made in heaven” came to mind.

<It’s not an extraordinary Skill that you could call special, but it will be a good weapon for Yunseuli.>

A Skill that could be optimized always had this advantage.

Producing an effect beyond expectations with less Mana.

That was the frightening thing about a Skill that had been fully optimized for efficiency using Advanced Mode.

<From now on, let’s train to adapt to this Skill.>

“Okay.”

In UA, there is no pain even when hit by a bullet.

At most, the impact is like being hit by something blunt.

That’s why in UA, both Pro Gamers and Users have a habit of not stopping their attacks until their Health Bar is depleted.

Because it doesn’t hurt.

Even if you get shot, your body doesn’t stiffen, and you can continue to attack.

But what would happen if you were hit by this Skill?

Purifying Lightning Bolt had the effect of paralyzing the opponent.

Then the opponent who was attacked would have their body stiffen, and they would undoubtedly have difficulty moving as they intended.

Jung Yunseul, practicing the Skill excitedly.

And watching this scene from a little distance away was Dami, sitting on the floor with her knees drawn up.

She had a look of dissatisfaction on her face, and unable to hold it in any longer, she tossed out a word.

“Yunseul.”

“Hm? Did you call me?”

“Can you ask Oppa what Skill would suit me, too?”

“Didn’t you say Acceleration was enough?”

“That’s… Anyway, just ask him.”

“Okay. Just a sec… Unni! Oppa says Acceleration is enough for you!”

“Liar!”

Yunseuli, making up words I didn’t say again.

Dami, who couldn’t possibly not know the truth, bickered with Yunseuli.

Legendary Challenge, Day 4.

Perhaps because she had done it once before, and with the addition of a reliable backup in Jung Yunseul, Seo Dami’s score climbed much faster this year than last.

She was already in the top 20 percent of the Grandmaster Tier.

The atmosphere was such that if she just maintained this Momentum, she could finish the Challenge within a few days.

Not only Super Sylph fans but also First Division League fans were showing great interest in her progress.

However, not everyone was happy about this situation…

In a Pro Team’s Team House in Seoul.

With Seo Dami sweeping all the hot topics in the UA Community day after day with her Challenge broadcast, some ticked-off players were quietly plotting.

“It’s just Seo Dami, Seo Dami all day long! Who does she think she is?”

“They’re just pushing her because she has a pretty face.”

“Their score is already high, isn’t it?”

“Isn’t it about time we get matched with them?”

“I didn’t like her from the moment the Coach was making a fuss about having to recruit her.”

“How about it? We give her a lesson as her Sunbaes.”

At the remark about showing her the difference in power, a faint smile spread across the lips of the players who were talking.

Rank Game sniping.

The ones who suggested facing off against Seo Dami were none other than the players of the First Division League team, SH Titans.

A year ago.

When Seo Dami, who had showcased overwhelming skill in the Third Division League team Universe Cat, became a free agent, the SH Titans’ Coach, Baek Jeongseop, had personally made a move to recruit her.

The mere fact that the First Division League team, the Titans, had moved to recruit Seo Dami, who was a Third Division League player, was enough to become a minor topic of conversation in the UA Community at the time.

However, instead of choosing to go straight to the First Division League, Seo Dami chose the Second Division League team, Super Sylph.

It was Han Youngin who had changed course at the fact that she would have to compete as a trainee, not a Starter.

Regarding this, Titans fans poured out evaluations like, “A Third Division League player is arrogant just because she’s a little good,” and “How conceited.”

The fact that she had joined a Second Division League team instead of gratefully accepting their Offer from a First Division League team had wounded their pride.

But Coach Baek Jeongseop’s thoughts were different.

He believed Seo Dami was a player with the Talent to definitely make it in the First Division and wanted to bring her to the team whenever he had the chance.

In fact, during the Season, Coach Baek Jeongseop would often release articles praising Seo Dami’s performance.

This was a very unusual occurrence.

A First Division League Coach praising a player active in the Second Division League, not even the same League?

The meaning was obvious to anyone.

We are always watching you.

It was, in effect, sending an indirect love call, saying, “We’d like you to come to our team next time.”

As this happened repeatedly, rumors began to circulate among Titans fans that there was something going on between the Coach and Seo Dami.

That Seo Dami was Baek’s niece.

That Seo Dami’s family was rich. That he had taken a bribe in exchange for her joining, and so on.

All sorts of stories were coming out.

But those stories completely disappeared after the Jeju Island event.

It was inevitable.

Because she had proven herself.

Seo Dami had put on a great performance against world-class masters who had made their names on the international stage.

Hadn’t she shown the spirit to stand up proudly against not only Russia and China, but also Kato Mikane?

At this, the Titans fans, as if they had never done so before, praised Coach Baek Jeongseop’s eye for talent and at the same time publicly expressed their feelings for Seo Dami.

Super Sylph and Seo Dami’s contract is only for one year, they said.

Won’t you come to our team?

Posts like “If you just come, Seo Dami, we can really win the championship!” were poured onto the Titans’ message board every day.

But despite these expressions of affection, Seo Dami signed a 2-year Contract Extension with Super Sylph again.

She had finished the contract during the priority negotiation period, as if she was in a great hurry.

The Titans fans were disappointed, and Coach Baek Jeongseop was greatly regretful.

And on top of that, the Titans players found Seo Dami, who had monopolized the interest of UA Users, very displeasing to the eye.

“Seo Dami’s stream has started. Get ready to queue for a Rank Game.”

“This’ll be fun.”

At the highest levels of Grandmaster, the number of Users playing in real-time drops significantly, so the probability of successfully sniping a Matchmaking was quite high.

And so, the Titans team set out to snipe Seo Dami.

And finally, a game was found.

SH Titans had crashed Super Sylph’s Legendary Challenge.