Chapter 9

Round 2 on the space battleship.

Echo Highway launched a fierce charge from the very beginning.

It was an Attack that showed their determination not to lose like this.

But determination alone couldn’t solve everything.

Just as Kim Yujeong had been wiped out while attacking in Round 1, this Battlefield favored the defending side over the attacking one.

Unless one’s skills were overwhelmingly superior, it wasn’t easy to break through the Firepower pouring out from the end of the passage.

In the end, time dragged on, and Echo Highway failed to capture the Bridge even after five minutes, allowing us to secure the first Set completely.

“Universe Cat takes the first Set with flawless execution!”

The moment the Set ended, a Roar erupted from the Spectators.

A significant number of them were chanting Seo Dami’s name.

The key player who had turned a team on the verge of disbandment due to its shitty Game Performance into something respectable.

Any Universe Cat fan couldn’t help but love Seo Dami.

In that brief moment while heading to the Waiting Room, I made a V-sign and waved at the Spectators.

It was only natural that the fans would love it, letting out a huge Cheer.

‘Do this more often.’

<Waving my hand?>

‘Yes.’

Over the past few days, I had reviewed the matches Seo Dami had played.

The Dami before she met me was, to put it simply, a colorless and odorless player.

Her visuals were good, but her other elements lagged so far behind that she couldn’t leverage that advantage at all.

To become a beloved player, a so-called star player, a few conditions are necessary.

Things like visuals, skill, and Fan Service like showmanship.

Seo Dami passed in the visuals department, but she hadn’t fulfilled the rest.

A bear-like player, I thought as I looked through Seo Dami’s past videos.

To become a Superstar, you needed to have all those elements or be overwhelming in one quality, but to become a moderately popular player, you didn’t need that much Talent.

For instance, even if a player’s skills were a bit lacking, if their other elements supported them, they would gain popularity.

‘Look. You wave to the fans, and they all love it.’

<That’s because we’re winning today.>

‘Do it even when you’re losing.’

<Won’t I get flamed for it…?>

‘If you’re smiling brightly after a crushing defeat, they might ask if you’ve lost your mind, but those fans in the Spectator Seats spent their time and money to come all this way.’

Even if we lose the game.

The fans would rather you give them a wave to thank them for their support and promise to do better next time, than to see you with slumped shoulders and a gloomy face.

‘And you were pretty popular even before I came along.’

The fact that Seo Dami was the most talked-about player among Universe Cat fans was clear proof.

The fans liked Seo Dami.

But perhaps due to her personality, Dami had rarely shown a bright side to her fans until now.

Well, considering the team’s internal atmosphere was a mess and the seniors, led by the Leader, had been bullying her, I could understand.

But things had to change, starting now.

Because what I wanted from her wasn’t just to be a simple player.

‘From now on, we’re aiming to be a Superstar who dominates the League.’

<…A Superstar?>

A Superstar.

A true star who drives both fans and haters crazy.

Unfortunately, despite my long career as a pro player, I never reached that realm.

Well, there were various reasons, but in the end, it was because none of my qualities were exceptional.

Visuals or skill.

It was a realm you could only reach if one of them broke the limit.

But Seo Dami was different.

She had the potential.

It would be a sin to have the potential to become a Superstar and not use it.

‘The only things you lack are showmanship and skill.’

Until I leave.

I planned to teach Dami everything I could as a player.

Not just borrowing her body to give her the sweet taste of victory, but to build her the strength to overcome any situation on her own.

If I did that, then surely.

I was certain she could become a star who would one day lead this industry.

The Set Battlefield for Set 2 was chosen.

Boundary, a Deathmatch Battlefield.

It was a Battlefield for urban warfare in a ruined city.

The Roar of the Spectators that had seemed to shake the Arena faded away.

This was because a barrier formed around the Battlefield once the game started.

Of course, not all Battlefields were like this.

In cases like a Domination Battle, a barrier didn’t form, and thanks to this, the Spectators who came to watch in person would pour out even more explosive cheers during those matches.

In overseas Big Games with tens of thousands of Spectators, you would sometimes see a player, startled by a sudden chant from the crowd, make a minor mistake.

“Let’s move carefully.”

“Be quiet! I’m the Leader!”

In a Deathmatch, you had to minimize your Deaths and kill as many opponents as possible.

So I was about to tell them to stick behind me to minimize the Risk, but Kim Yujeong suddenly flew off the handle and raised her voice.

It seemed she couldn’t stand me making the Orders on top of my incredible performance and hogging all the attention.

“You’re the Leader, Unni. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

I replied as such and imagined what must be happening outside.

‘It must be chaos out there.’

The barrier prevents the players from hearing the sounds made by the Spectators.

But conversely, the Spectators can hear the players’ voices very clearly.

The sense of distance that made it feel like the players were right next to them was for the benefit of the Spectators who came to watch in person.

But right now.

Kim Yujeong had gotten angry at me.

It was a scene that could be perceived by anyone as a Leader, who was clearly not pulling her weight, getting angry at the Ace rookie out of a sense of inferiority.

And Kim Yujeong herself couldn’t have been unaware of that fact.

Indeed, her face paled slightly with a look of, Oh, crap.

‘An already underperforming kid is going to lose it even more.’

Getting beaten up in training.

Losing the initiative in the match.

Recently, Kim Yujeong had been showing clear signs of anxiety in everything she did.

And now she had made a mistake like this on top of it all.

It wasn’t hard to guess how much of a mess her play would become.

After all, pro matches were a stage where one’s Mental had a huge impact.

“…Take the lead.”

“Sure.”

Kim Yujeong chose a strategy where I, the Defender, would go first, with the rest of the members following behind.

We immediately headed for the central area.

The center of the ruined city.

There was an area there where a Mana Pack would Regen.

A Mana Pack was, as the name suggests, an item that replenished Mana.

Deathmatch Battlefields have a few spots where such high-grade items Regen, and the Mana Pack was the most powerful among them.

Being able to use more Skills than the opponent.

It was the easiest winning formula to gain an advantage.

‘But rushing in all together isn’t a good idea.’

The Boundary Map had a number of two- and three-story buildings and was wide enough to allow for various attack angles.

If the opponent had used Acceleration from the Early Game, willing to consume Mana to secure their positions.

We were currently sticking our heads into a tiger’s mouth.

As we were about to enter the central area.

I offered my opinion once more.

That we should look before we leap.

Song Yuri, the Supporter, could use a Search Skill to identify the opponent’s location.

It was a unique Skill exclusive to Supporters specialized in Support, just as only Defenders could use the Shield Enhancement Skill.

Although it consumed a lot of Mana, it was much better than walking into an enemy Trap.

If that happened, we would be instantly swept away by their Firepower and hand them points.

“What should we do, Unni?”

Song Yuri glanced at my face, then sought Kim Yujeong’s advice.

It was her way of saying, Your opinion is valid, but I can’t just ignore the Leader.

“There’s no need to use a Search Skill. Let’s just save our Mana. You’re just worried the opponent might be waiting for us, right? If we just assume in our heads that the opponent is ready to attack us, we can be prepared while saving Mana.”

“Wow. Our Leader is a genius, as expected.”

Lee Seyeon chimed in, backing Kim Yujeong’s opinion.

Are they idiots…?

They were planning to shadowbox without any basis.

It didn’t seem like the right call at all.

And just then, as I was looking around, I saw a silver tail disappear.

It had to be the Search Skill, Tracking Fox.

Damn it.

The opponent was far more daring.

Not only had they arrived at the central area before us and taken good positions, but they had also invested Mana in a search to pinpoint our location.

“Scatter!”

The moment I grabbed the nape of a still-clueless Kim Harim and threw myself aside, explosions erupted from all directions as Bombs flew in.

Grenade Rounds and Grenades.

It was the start of a one-sided Engagement.

Thanks to their initial Bomb Attack, Echo Highway racked up a Score of 3 points.

The Echo players, having confirmed that three opposing players were down, clenched their fists.

“Charge!”

At their Leader’s signal, the Echo team players began to close the Encirclement with disciplined movements.

Their plan was to completely wipe out the two remaining players before taking the Mana Pack that was about to appear.

‘Three of them are down. We can secure this from the start.’

The two remaining players must have taken a hit to their Stamina and Mana anyway.

In contrast, their side had five players who were perfectly fine, aside from having consumed some Mana.

It was truly a tactical victory.

There were a total of six Maps in UA.

Most pro teams usually had one or two maps they particularly favored or had a high Win Rate on, and for Echo Highway, that was Boundary.

It was said that if Boundary were the only Battlefield in UA, Echo Highway would have easily earned a Promotion.

“Seo Dami is probably still up! Let’s stay calm!”

Echo Highway’s Leader, Lee Eunbyeol, gave the Order.

Seo Dami.

The second-year player who had suddenly awakened and started shaking up the Third Division League since last week.

She thought Dami might have quieted down after taking a loss against Floris in the last game of the previous week, but…

Experiencing it firsthand in the previous Set, she immediately knew she was wrong.

‘Watching her play today, she’s a complete monster.’

Lee Eunbyeol was certain.

Seo Dami’s skill had already clearly surpassed the Third Division level.

In her four years of playing in the League, she had never seen a player who exuded such pressure.

She was that amazing of a player.

The minimum age to qualify as a pro.

She even wondered if this was what Prospects who drew interest from the upper leagues at seventeen were like.

‘But even so! We’re winning this one!’

Two players remaining.

Their side had a full five.

Considering the damage the opponent must have taken, it was a picture that could only end in victory.

Drrrk-!

“Huh?”

It was then.

A sharp Counterattack flew from the side they thought was on the verge of death.

It was a Counterattack from Kim Harim, who had hidden behind Seo Dami and preserved all her Stamina and Mana.

At the same time, the Universe Cat players started running in a zigzag pattern.

As they closed the distance in an instant, Echo’s Defender instinctively threw herself forward.

It was common sense for a Defender to block an enemy Defender breaking through their lines.

But the moment her Shield met Seo Dami’s Shield, Echo Highway’s Defender, Kim Ari, felt that something was wrong.

‘Did I just collide with a person?’

A shock as if she had been hit by a truck.

Before she could even come to her senses, her body had already lost its balance and was floating, flying through the air.

To top it all off, Seo Dami and Kim Harim poured a precise Chain Attack of gunfire onto her.

“What incredible power!”

“The Seo Dami and Kim Harim Duo takes down player Kim Ari!”

-Fucking psychos…

-Is she a human truck or what?

-I told you that bitch was on something!

The bewildered Spectators screamed.

The Defender is a position with heavy equipment to begin with.

Armor and a Shield.

Being heavily armed, their total weight was much greater than usual.

And yet, she had sent such a Defender flying, Shield and all.

So it was understandable that the Spectators would doubt Seo Dami’s power.

But the face of the person who had created this scene was perfectly calm.

Overwhelming skill.

It just looked like magic to the audience.

A Boost from Acceleration, a Strength Enhancement Skill for a power Enhancement right before impact, and on top of that, a Rebound Force Enhancement Skill on the Shield’s surface.

An astonishingly fast Chain Attack of Skills had occurred in the blink of an eye.

Even Kim Ari, who had directly clashed Shields with Seo Dami, didn’t know what happened, so what could the Spectators possibly have seen?

Having taken out one person in the blink of an eye, the Seo Dami Duo flew like lightning towards their next target.

“Dodge!”

Lee Eunbyeol shouted, but it was no use.

Another one.

Another player who screamed upon colliding with the Shield was erased from the Battlefield.

“Slowing debuff!”

At this horrifying sight, Lee Eunbyeol gritted her teeth and launched a Counterattack.

The situation on the Battlefield was still 3 vs. 2.

Her team had the numerical advantage.

Lee Eunbyeol cast a slowing debuff Skill on her gun and continuously hammered the Shield.

A shower of bullets.

Unable to dodge in time, Seo Dami raised her Shield to defend, and her movements slowed down in real-time.

“Go in!”

Lee Eunbyeol hoped that while she poured her Mana into holding Seo Dami down, her teammates would clean up the situation.

But that hope was not to be.

Because Kim Harim’s skill was better than expected.

‘Th-this is strange. She was a nobody, for sure.’

Shadows fell over the faces of the Echo Highway players as they exchanged attacks.

Seo Dami alone was a handful, but now another player was starting to make her presence known.

Actively using Seo Dami as a barricade, Kim Harim repeated a hit-and-run tactic.

It was taking longer than expected to take down just the two remaining players.

‘Damn it!’

A brief silence fell upon Lee Eunbyeol, who had been spitting fire.

Reload.

Lee Eunbyeol, sweating coldly, replaced her ammunition with practiced skill.

It was definitely a smooth motion.

It could be said to be the best she had shown in any recent match.

But the opponent’s response was better.

Seo Dami, having drawn her Lightsaber, threw the sword like a bolt of lightning.

Struck by the Lightsaber that flew like a javelin, Lee Eunbyeol let out a gasp and collapsed.

With Lee Eunbyeol’s takedown, the numbers were now 2 vs. 2.

In this situation, Echo Highway’s morale completely plummeted.

Seo Dami approached, waving her Shield before their eyes.

It felt like no matter what they did, they could never defeat this monster.

-THE GREAT DA MI!

-ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!

-I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!

-THE ONLY HOPE FOR THIS TRASH TEAM…!

-Queen Dami;;

-Give the 3rd Division interviews too! Please!!!

Set Score 2:0.

As Echo Highway’s defeat was confirmed, the Arena was filled with a wave of people chanting Seo Dami’s name.

“Everyone! Thank you so, so much for coming to cheer for us! Unnis and Oppas, I love you~.”

<Ugh!>

When I even blew a wink with a Finger Heart, Seo Dami freaked out.

-Her cute act is melting my heart…

-But why did Dami suddenly become a fox?

-She wasn’t this kind of character before.

-So? You don’t like it?

-No? I love it?

-Kim Harim played like a person today too.

-Yeah. If you can’t play well, at least stick to Dami’s side and help her out!

The fans’ reaction was nothing short of explosive.

It wouldn’t be strange if an article came out about a player’s 180-degree change in Fan Service.

<Oppa. Isn’t this a bit much…?>

‘Ahem. You don’t know anything.’

When it comes to Fan Service, a little over the top is just right.

Week 2 of turning Seo Dami into a star player.

My cute act made the fans melt.