Chapter 275 – 12/30
With the end of the Final Championship, the year’s end was approaching.
However, among all the players gathered at Madison Square Garden, there were hardly any who could purely rejoice at this fact. It was only natural – those who could purely express happiness were limited to the Korean team, while the majority were filled with anxiety.
And no one was ignorant of the reason.
“Not doing what you’re supposed to, not even researching countermeasures for skills, and just trying to mimic what the Korean team is doing? Are you crazy?”
“Both players and coaches have spectacularly ruined their careers. What will you do now?”
Thursday’s game was a complete mess, ending in the shortest time possible. It was an appalling performance, one that shouldn’t have happened, and the consecutive poor matches were a shock to the viewers supporting their home country.
But aside from those spectators, there was already a pervasive atmosphere at Madison Square Garden.
Yoo Jin and the Korean national team handed out a poisoned chalice to everyone. Or made them swallow it. In any case, Korea had the power to force-feed the contents of the chalice named ‘skills’ to anyone who refused or accepted, and that’s exactly what happened.
And the country that swallowed it the most was none other than Japan.
“Please reconsider. The current players don’t have the capacity to handle this curriculum. Moreover, changing strategies mid-game is highly likely to result in a significant decrease in overall strength.”
“So, we couldn’t even properly counter the Korean team and got swept away? If we had trusted and followed the coaches’ advice from the beginning, this wouldn’t have happened! Do as you’re told, damn it…!”
Crash!
As the shards of the shattered glass spread across the floor with a sharp sound, Case remained indifferent, coldly facing the situation. Though even worse verbal abuse followed, it was all nonsensical when summarized.
Not just the Japanese representatives, but almost everyone was equally swept away. It wasn’t that Japan was incapable – Korea had honed a sharper blade than anywhere else. It was a miracle that Japan had come this far with outdated skills and coaches.
And all this would be left as evidence.
When those tormented by nonsense stepped outside, their expressions were not so bad.
“Even though we already have mountains of evidence, they keep adding more one by one. They must be really desperate.”
“They’re losing their careers, so they’re losing their judgment.”
The public opinion in Japan was already burning.
Their ultimate goal was to throw all the evidence collected so far to the media everywhere before the higher-ups could spout nonsense, completely incinerating the Japanese national team built through wrong methods.
This bold action was also influenced by the evaluations of former soldiers, which skyrocketed with the appearance of the Dark Zone. In other words, even if it was a bonfire, there were many places the current Japanese team, including Case, could go.
Moreover, they didn’t even expose Japan’s core strategy; they were literal whistleblowers.
There was no reason not to welcome them.
“We should send Yoo Jin a New Year’s gift or something.”
Although they had asked her to hit Japan as hard as possible, the situation was vague until the game started. However, all worries vanished as she took her skills and swept across the map.
Especially since the operation method seemed incredibly simple on the surface. But the subtlety within it was a magical art that was nearly impossible to master with just a day or two of practice.
The moment the difference between these two extremes tickled the backs of the incompetent Japanese coaches with feathers, the reaction was immediate.
Of course, that didn’t mean the Japanese team had completely abandoned the Final Championship. They were still last year’s number one in Asia. Rather, it was notable that they only dropped about 20 places despite drinking such a large dose of poison.
In short, Thursday could be summarized as a day of polarization.
Those who couldn’t escape the middle ranks or wildly fluctuating positions plummeted miserably, while those not swept away by the wave of skills reaped unexpected benefits.
One diluted opinion from this was Yoo Jin’s physical abilities. Simplifying this opinion was asking whether someone like Yoo Jin or Logan should be allowed to participate in the game, but such voices vanished as she implemented skill-focused play.
Although not an officially recognized term, no words other than “neuroplay” could describe Yoo Jin’s gameplay.
Thus, December 30th.
The final day of the Final Championship began.
And watching this situation, one person opened their mouth in disbelief.
“Yoo Jin, how many playstyles do you have?”
“Should I take that as a request to show you today?”
“Please spare me….”
Yoo Jin merely smiled faintly in response.
Playstyle, huh. Yoo Jin simulated the unconsidered concern in her mind. Strictly speaking, her plays in the Final Championship hadn’t come from any ‘specialization’ category.
Thinking this herself was embarrassing, but it meant that none of the skill plays she had shown so far were her full power.
After all, full power was something only exerted in life-threatening situations.
Anyway, they were the Korean national team, and in other words, almost the only ones intact amidst the whirlwind that swept the Final Championship.
As long as they didn’t suffer catastrophic defeats in the three remaining games on Friday, none of the players would drop below 15th place. If Dice performed well today, she could even aim for 3rd place.
The final night of the Final Championship was approaching.
Clichéd talks like doing well until the end or not letting their guard down had all been settled before arriving at the stadium.
So instead of adding more stale words, Yoo Jin opened her mouth again.
“What are you planning to wear to the party on December 31st?”
“Oh, right. Yoo Jin, you’re going to wear the semi-formal suit you got as a gift last time, right? We already know.”
“The party is hosted by the person who gave you that outfit….”
“…Well, Yoo Jin can’t wear clothes without a hole in the back.”
Though it was more like a large zipper on the back of her jeans, Dice added as if she just thought of it.
“Now that I think about it, your way of dressing is really unique.”
“I can’t help it.”
“Still, isn’t a snake tail worth it?”
“…Don’t say weird things.”
Really? The words of the person actually wearing it would be more accurate, right?
Sitting down on the chair, she added while looking out the window.
“Around this time last year, even though it was just a few days before New Year’s, I felt quite odd… My ranking was ambiguous, and it was a bit disappointing to come all the way to New York for such results. But this year….”
“….”
“I was going to say this after all the games, but oh well.”
Dice, laughing softly, opened her mouth.
“Thanks to you, we could come this far. Thank you, Yoo Jin.”
Of course, Yoo Jin had words to return as well.
“Thanks for following along well. You’ve worked hard.”
At the same time, the two carefully lay down on the bed.
They activated the chokers around their necks, escaping reality and entering the virtual space.
It was time to wrap up the 3rd Final Championship.
───Whiiing!
“This map…”
Laura before renaming, and Logan after.
And the first map on Friday was none other than the Aurora Power Plant. Aside from the fact that Aurora was once my callsign… I didn’t like this map at all, built in the Arctic Sea where icy winds blew fiercely.
Unlike other common maps, the Aurora Power Plant didn’t let you choose a landing spot in the air but instead had you determine a quadrant of the spawn area, where your character would appear randomly. So, when I opened my eyes, I found myself inside a warehouse with a snowstorm blowing in.
The warehouse wasn’t very large. Its location and the nearby geography quickly came to mind, considering the possibility that someone might attack within five minutes.
The likelihood wasn’t very high.
“So, what should I do from now on…”
It was hard to say I was enthusiastic. But it was understandable. Today was the last day of the Final Championship.
Fighting to the death with the youngest was one thing, but facing similar situations about nine times over four days could be quite tiresome. It wasn’t impossible to manage, but it was enough.
Nonetheless, my body moved automatically. As I opened a common box, filled with items, I found myself pondering how to handle the combat in this match.
‘…Maybe I should carry at least one skill.’
An option I wouldn’t normally choose.
Because of my activities with Task Force Dagger, I had become very familiar with skills, so I had been roaming around without much thought, occasionally securing first or second place, but still.
Allowing Dice to kill me in the high-value research facility a while ago had been quite bothersome.
“Even though it was a match, and I had borrowed Juggernaut’s power…”
Special forces soldiers were created to push the limits, to respond to any situation, right?
In that sense, Dice’s victory was a blessing in disguise.
There was now a reason to obliterate the enemy without considering the means.
I quickly geared up and set my destination. Unless I was unlucky enough to meet an enemy right at the start, there was little chance of encountering one until the kill zone was determined.
And as expected, five minutes into the first match on Friday. After roughly 15 eliminations, three more minutes passed without a single elimination.
But that changed once the Skill Activation Zone made its appearance.
───Tududududu!
───Aaargh!
It was chaos.
Although I was a bit late, it didn’t matter much. As long as the Skill Activation Zone didn’t appear right at my feet, it would turn into a battlefield soon enough, regardless of whether I was early or late.
Moreover, since Thursday, the number of people eyeing skills had increased significantly, so there was no need to rush like a dog with its tail on fire just because the Activation Zone appeared.
And sure enough, bullets were already flying around me.
“…”
200 meters from the Skill Activation Zone.
The area was entangled with warehouses and buildings, favoring defenders over attackers. But with heartbeat sensors and other tools available, breaking through wouldn’t be a significant problem.
Regardless, the important thing was to neutralize the enemy.
Through Logan, Yoo Jin had taught the Korean representative team CQB tactics in urban areas. The most important aspect wasn’t skills or shooting techniques but grenades.
And there were plenty of corpses around here, having died with grenades in hand.
Holding an MP7A2 in my hand and an MK47 on my back, Logan continually checked the surroundings and the terrain. The heartbeat sensor on my wrist blinked repeatedly, marking the enemy’s location.
About 30 meters ahead, in the control room on the upper balcony of a large logistics center. I climbed the stairs, ready to fire at any moment, cautiously reaching for the closed door.
‘…Doorknob trap?’
The weight and resistance felt unusual. It was probably tied with a string or something.
Whoever set this up could have used a more sophisticated method. Many thoughts crossed my mind, but ultimately, several options emerged in my head.
To cut off the enemy for sure, I could trigger the trap, then quickly flank and strike when the explosion sounded. For a safer play, I could intentionally trigger the explosion and then pursue the enemy when they left the position.
But with potential third parties around…
“I better catch them first.”
I struck the doorknob with my hand.
Then, I walked calmly and hid under the landing of the stairs.
───Boooom!
The door and wall exploded with an enormous noise. If I had been above, I would have taken significant splash damage—but I had already pulled the pin on a grenade and released the safety lever.
The grenade flew through the broken gap and landed on the ground. But there was no sign of life inside.
Then the grenade exploded in succession.
Wait.
In succession?
“…A double trap?”
A method where the first grenade’s explosion triggers another grenade placed a bit further away. Not common but highly effective.
Whoever it was, they were quite clever.
There was no time to waste. I quickly climbed the ladder, circumventing the route several times to the passage connected to the back of the control room.
Sure enough, when I didn’t storm in after the explosion, the puzzled enemy chose to retreat and met me face-to-face.
───Tududududu!
A fierce firefight ensued. The enemy was well-trained and quickly noticed my lack of cover due to my hurried return, throwing a grenade.
Of course-
“Were you in that much of a hurry?”
The grenade rolled on the floor, barely taking a second to reach my feet, which meant there was still enough time to pick it up and throw it back.
Thud. The grenade, still warm, felt heavy in my hand… and it was time to send it flying back.
In just a few seconds, the grenade, thrown with unparalleled speed, landed at its owner’s feet.
This time, there was no time to throw it back.
───Boooom!
A momentary flash, explosion, and hundreds of fragments.
But I had already started advancing as I threw the grenade back, demonstrating my resolve to end the enemy even if it meant taking some damage.
And it was as expected.
“Aaargh!”
Drrrk.
Pushing through the smoke from the explosion, I aligned the dot sight with my eyes and aimed at the enemy, moving my slender index finger.
The gun flashed a dozen times.
Nothing remained afterward.
Quickly checking the surroundings, I replenished my grenades while gunfire still echoed in my ears.
It wasn’t PTSD, but literal gunfire. The battle near the Skill Activation Zone had just begun.
“How many more do I need to eliminate to find peace?”
The battlefield still demanded more blood.