Vol.2 Chapter 80

The murmur of the panelists' analysis of the previous game drifted through the backstage area, a steady hum punctuated by the occasional insightful comment. Tactical's familiar voice was easily recognizable. He helped the lead panelist dissect the previous match with a keen eye for detail as per his usual persona.

We were backstage, a temporary sanctuary tucked away from the stadium's noise, the energy of the crowd, and the weight of the spectators' expectations. The 20-minute break had been a welcome respite, a chance to catch our breath, regroup, and prepare for the final showdown.

The staff had instructed us to wait for our team’s name to be called, so here we were, waiting for a signal that it was time to return to the arena and for the tournament's last match to proceed.

After the first match's results, we lost our twice-to-beat advantage, meaning this game would decide the champion for this tournament.

I stealthily glanced at Chu; his face was now composed, and his eyes seemed focused on the last match.

That’s a good sign.

Whatever Clarence had said to him, whatever they had talked about during the break, seemed to have worked. He had regained his composure, his usual stoic and silent demeanor back in place.

Chu, despite being an edge lord, was the eldest of our group and probably the most mature of the four of us. Hopefully, he will completely recover from this setback, learn from it, and emerge stronger since I’m sure he will face a lot of similar challenges in his dream of becoming a successful professional player.

But just to be extra sure, let us probe into his mental state for now.

“Chu, are you okay now?” I said, my voice soft

He met my gaze, his expression unreadable. "Yes," he replied curtly, his voice devoid of emotion.

He didn't seem to be lying. I relaxed slightly, relieved that he wasn't letting the loss consume him.

But just as I thought the conversation was over, a wave of surprise washed over me. Chu, who rarely showed vulnerability, seemed to be apologizing.

"Forgive me, everyone," he said solemnly, "I was the reason we lost the first match."

"What?" Liz exclaimed, her voice laced with concern. "Don't blame yourself too much. I didn't do too well myself, so we both had a hand in the loss!"

"Don't coddle him, Liz," Clarence said, his voice surprisingly firm, a hint of wisdom in his tone. "It takes courage for a man to admit his mistakes. Don't let his determination go to waste."

Wow, is this really the same childish guy who I was trained for the past week? I guess Team Paragon’s members were not the only ones who had grown through the tournament.

Chu took a deep breath, his gaze unwavering. "As much as it pains me to admit it, he's right. I wanted to beat Blitz one-on-one, but my pride cost us the game. That was immature and selfish. I failed to prioritize the team. I know better now. I won’t hold back the team any longer. I want to prove to my mother and everyone else that I have a future in professional gaming."

This was probably the longest I'd ever heard him speak, and his words carried a weight that surprised me. It was a moment of vulnerability, of self-reflection, that revealed a new depth to his character.

And if Chu is willing to step up his game and commit to the team, then it’s only fair for me to do the same.

Before the first match, I hesitated about exploiting team Paragon’s weaknesses, a sense of fairness battling with my competitive instincts. But now, after witnessing Aria, Lucy, Seer, and Blitz’s unwavering determination, I realized that holding back would be a disservice to them, a disrespect to their commitment. They had gone for my weaknesses, and it was only fair that I do the same. The only question now was whether my teammates would accept my plan.

“Uhm… I have a proposal. Will you guys hear me out?” I said, trying to get the attention of my teammates.

They exchanged glances, a flicker of confusion crossing their faces at my sudden request. Then, as if a silent agreement had been reached, they all nodded in unison.

"You don't even need to ask, Kat," Liz said, her voice filled with encouragement. "All of us here have complete faith in you."

I nodded in appreciation to my partner before explaining my battle plan for the tournament's final battle.

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Aria’s PoV

The crowd’s cheers were deafening. A wave of sound seemed to shake the very foundations of the stadium. Thousands of voices, a symphony of cheers and chants, all directed at the spectacle unfolding before them.

"Welcome back, folks, for the final match of the game!"

The announcer's voice, amplified through the stadium's speakers, cut through the cacophony, a beacon of excitement in the midst of the frenzy.

"First up, the famous team we all know and love, Team Paragons!!!" the caster hyped.

The backstage door swung open, revealing the blinding spotlight of the main stage, a sea of faces, a symphony of anticipation.

“Let’s go,” I signaled for my teammates to follow me as I led the charge.

The air crackled with energy as we stepped out of the backstage, the blinding lights of the main stage hitting us like a physical force. The roar of the crowd intensified, a wave of sound that seemed to lift us off our feet and carry us toward our designated booth.

We walked with purpose, our steps measured, our gazes fixed ahead, ignoring the blur of faces, the flashing lights, the cacophony of cheers. 

The cheers grew louder as we approached our booth, a designated space in the center of the stage. After a lull in the cheers, the announcer called upon the other team.

“Next up, the dark horse that unexpectedly won all their matches from the upper bracket, team Paradigm!” he shouted again.

The crowd also cheered for them, but not as loud as they did for our team. The Paragon’s name is the main reason for that since we are the next generation of its members.

At first, I declined the burden of the name and the expectations it carried. But Celeste insisted, arguing that it would attract sponsorships, and she was right. The crowd's enthusiasm was a testament to the power of the name and the legacy we were tasked with upholding.

It was ironic, really. The crowd's cheers, their unwavering support, towards us. If only they knew that the real Paragon's ace, the player who had once dominated the first AC tournament, Yuusha, was now playing under the guise of the character Novo from the opposing team that we are about to face.

Following the announcer’s voice, Team Paradigm walked toward their booth opposite ours.

Their faces were a study of determination, a steely resolve that surprised me. It was as if they were more determined than ever. They seemed more focused and driven even after experiencing their first tournament loss from the previous match.

What did you say to them to raise their morale this much, Katherine?

“We got this! If we won once against Miss Novo, then we could do it again!” Lucy loudly exclaimed, breaking me out of my thoughts.

It was good that even Lucy, with her occasional tendency for clumsiness, was careful not to mention Yuusha's name in our discussions, especially when there might be ears listening.

“Yeah, you did great last match, Lucy. I never expected you to succeed with the plan!” Blitz praised.

“Do not get too complacent. Let’s focus on the match,” Seer shut down any form of joviality from the two.

"There you go again, Seer," Blitz complained, his voice a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "You're always so strict."

“I’m only being cautious. I find it quite odd that they are not demoralized in the slightest after their first tournament loss. On the contrary, they look more spirited than ever. I could understand if it was only Miss Novo, but something like that would have been unexpected for the rest of her teammates,” Seer replied, his gaze fixed on the enemy’s booth.

Seer's words echoed my own thoughts. Like me, he seemed to find our previous win, our unexpected victory over Team Paradigm, unsettling. 

We had anticipated that Katherine would attempt something audacious and outlandish to try and turn the tide of the match. Seer, ever the cautious one, had implemented a series of countermeasures, anticipating her every move. Thankfully, they hadn't been needed, but the fact that Katherine hadn't resorted to her usual tactics, that she had played a more conventional game, was suspicious in itself.

Yuusha is notorious for being impossible to outplay by normal standards. I had never seen Katherine get outplayed even once during her prime when she was still teaching me the ropes. Had she mellowed over the years, her skills dulled by inactivity? Or was she lulling us into a false sense of security, capitalizing on their twice-to-beat advantage?

No, now is not the time to have any doubts; we must focus on the match.

The air crackled with anticipation as we made our final adjustments.

One by one, we stepped into our individual VR pods, the familiar hum of the machines filling the air, a comforting symphony of technology. As I logged in to my account, the world around us dissolved, replaced by the digital realm.

After we all entered the lobby, the game officially began, and we were transported to a lush forest-type map. The familiar scent of pine needles filled our senses, and the rustling of leaves was a constant background hum. The sun filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor, a serene backdrop to the impending battle.

“Let us proceed with the plan using the second formation,” Seer said with practiced ease.

We nodded in unison, silently acknowledging the strategy. Words were unnecessary; we had practiced the formations, strategies, and counter-strategies countless times during our training. 

The game's official timer started, the countdown ticking away, and the tension rising. Lucy, Seer, and I followed the pre-determined plan, moving toward the middle orb while Blitz went toward the bottom orb solo.

Seer had predicted the enemy would change formation, but it did not matter too much. We also have a backup plan in case it happens.

We traversed the forest map, following the pre-determined path. The realistic virtual forest floor crunched under our boots, the sound muffled by the dense foliage. The air was thick with anticipation, the silence broken only by the rustling of leaves and the chirping of unseen birds. Our destination was the middle orb, a strategic point that would give us control of the battlefield.

It took some time, but as we reached the designated location, we felt uneasy. There was no sign of the enemy team. The central orb stood alone, untouched.

Then, as if on cue, Blitz, who also arrived at his designated post at the bottom orb, fed us the info on the other team’s rotation.

“There’s two players here, ZiJi and Renz,” Blitz’s voice sounded through the team communications, allowing all of us to hear the crucial information.

“Understood. Play safe. Stall them as much as possible. We are heading there right now after we take the middle orb,” Seer quickly responded.

"It seems they've dodged," I said, my voice a low whisper, my gaze scanning the empty space around the central orb. "They've gone for a 2-0-2 play, targeting the top and bottom orbs, just as you predicted."

“Then, are we going for plan B?” Lucy asked hesitantly.

Seer nodded, his expression unreadable, his eyes focused on the map displayed on his HUD. “Yes. Lucy, take the orb. After that, we will back up Blitz and eliminate two of their members,” he said in his usual calm and steady voice.

After acquiring the middle orb without contest, we traversed the area towards the bottom orb as fast as we could. The forest floor crunched under our boots, the sound muffled by the dense foliage.

We moved with a sense of urgency to back up Blitz as fast as we could. If we could eliminate two of their members while protecting Blitz, the fight would be a 2v4. Hopefully, four of us would be enough to win against Katherine.

We got lucky in our first fight. Our trap worked perfectly. I doubt she would fall for the same move, so we need at least four working together to take her down.

As we near the bottom orb, a sudden foreboding feeling welled up from my instinct. 

My intuition was suddenly proven true when a figure sprang from a hidden thicket with a swiftness that defied belief. Katherine stood before us, her eyes gleaming cold and calculatingly.

She had been waiting, hidden in the shadows, anticipating our arrival, ready to strike, and she had chosen Seer as her target.

What!? Why is Katherine here?!

This is not good. We are not in perfect formation. Due to our hurrying to back up Blitz as fast as we could, I’m nowhere near Seer at the moment to protect him.

Katherine launched her attack, her twin daggers flashing in the dappled sunlight. Seer reacted instinctively to guard himself from the unexpected ambush. He was so incredibly weary of her that he failed to realize the true threat lurking in the shadows.

Wait, if Katherine is here, then that means her partner is also nearby!

My trepidation became a reality as I saw another figure appear.

“Seer! Behind you!” I cautioned as loud as I could.

But my warning was too late. While he was preoccupied with Katherine, Elizabeth had seized the opportunity. With a swiftness that defied belief, she teleported behind Seer using her weapon skill, a tactical maneuver that allowed her to close the distance in an instant.

Elizabeth appeared behind Seer, her rapier flashing with the intent of unleashing a deadly combo aimed at him.

Seer was caught off guard and had no time to react. The rapier pierced his head and chest a couple of times, along with dagger slashes from Katherine. It was a perfectly executed synchronized combo attack from both of them.

“Gah!” he exclaimed.

Due to the fragility of Seer’s build, being the pure DPS mage that he is, his health bar instantly plummeted to zero.

Seer

HP: 0%

“Aria! Fall back and regroup with Blitz!” it was the only sentence he could utter before he vanished into blue motes of light.

He was eliminated from the battle just like that.

Don’t tell me they did a 0-0-4 play?!

"But that's impossible!" I exclaimed, my voice laced with disbelief. "How could they have positioned themselves on our side of the map so quickly?"

Then, a chilling realization dawned on me. Katherine must have cast haste on both herself and Elizabeth. They then probably sprinted towards this spot as fast as they could after the match started, waiting for the perfect ambush.

“They completely predicted our moves,” I muttered, my voice filled with respect for my master.

It's not as if we're careless about ambushes, but their positioning prior to the surprise attack was flawless. They flanked us perfectly, coming from our side of the map instead of theirs, making it more unpredictable.

They also capitalized on our urgency to quickly back up Blitz, making us extra vulnerable to surprise attacks.

Katherine read us like a book with her exceptional positioning, adaptability, map awareness, and timing. Considering the huge size of this map, she calculated the exact route we'd take to back up Blitz, waiting for the perfect moment to launch her ambush. It's an unorthodox play, completely out of the box.

She caught us completely off guard. She had a complete grasp of our rotation. We had no idea we were ensnared in her web until it was too late.

A famous thread once discussed Katherine’s main account in the forums. Most professional players have noted that her extraordinary reflexes and impeccable skills, even though prodigal, are not what her opponents fear the most when facing her. It was her uncanny ability to outplay opponents when they least expected it that truly elevated the name Yuusha to be the legend that it currently is.

I already know of my master’s penchant for predicting and outplaying her opponents even back then when since she was still always on my side as her protégé, but experiencing it firsthand is frankly quite scary.

I glanced at Katherine, who was currently sprinting towards Lucy to prevent her from casting a haste buff on me and disrupting our teamplay.

"Forgive me, Seer. It seems they won't allow us to escape and regroup so easily," I muttered weakly.

This is a dire situation. I need to defeat Elizabeth quickly. I don't know how long Lucy can hold off Katherine on her own.

On the bright side, Elizabeth is the only one with haste. It's probably because they had a limited window of opportunity before launching the surprise attack, so Katherine could only cast haste on her teammate.

That's good. If Katherine were hasted, Lucy wouldn't last a minute against my master. Hopefully, Lucy can buy me some time while I deal with Elizabeth; it's the only counterplay I can think of in this situation.

It's mentally taxing, as I'm not used to it yet, but I need to use it now, or it will be too late for us.

I haven't completely mastered it yet, and I couldn't enter the zone as quickly as my master, as effortlessly as she did. But I think I have just barely enough time to do so.

I closed my eyes, blocking out all distractions and focusing on my inner calm and strength. My senses heightened, my perception sharpened, my mind raced, and my reflexes honed. I felt a surge of energy coursing through my veins, a rush of adrenaline, a sense of exhilaration.

When I opened my eyes, the world shifted. The colors sharpened, the sounds amplified, and the forest pulsed with vibrant life. Each leaf, blade of grass, insect, bird, rustle of leaves, and whisper of wind became a distinct entity, a symphony of sensations, a chorus of energy.

I was in the zone.

Elizabeth stood before me, her rapier gleaming, her eyes alight with a fierce intensity. She had been waiting, her presence a reassuring beacon in the midst of the chaos.

"Let's enjoy our last match together, Ria!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with contagious energy, a youthful exuberance that belied the intensity of the battle that lay ahead.

I gazed into her eyes, a familiar glint catching my attention. Blitz always wore the same look: pure focus and unwavering determination—the look of someone who seemed to have no worries in their mind and was only focused on the present, free from all distractions.

It explained everything: her swiftness, precision, and ability to dispatch Seer so efficiently a while ago, a feat that would have been difficult even with Katherine's help.

I didn't know what had happened before this match, what had triggered this shift in her, this unexpected transformation. But there is one thing I am certain of.

She is currently in the flow state.