It wasn’t that there had been no attempts to experiment with the 2-Underground. Amidst the swarm of people flocking to churn out FanTube content, there was undoubtedly a group that tried their hand at the 2-Underground.
However, it only concluded that it was nothing more than a tactical gambit bound to fail, especially when the main team would get overrun while they were busy showcasing prowess underground.
Orthodox, who usually chewed and spat out any underground strategies, hadn’t entirely dismissed the potential of the 2-Underground. If someone among his teammates had seriously suggested playing the 2-Underground in a match, he could list at least five reasons on the spot why they shouldn’t.
Above all, no matter how much they exploited resources underground, the benefits couldn’t outweigh those gained from spawning guardians.
In the current meta, all battles and formations revolved around winning surface skirmishes to capture strategic points. Thus, there were infinitely scarce resources to be invested underground – making the warrior for 1 underground the inevitable standard. Though the warrior had low growth potential, its fast hunting speed allowed it to swiftly gather experience and contribute to surface skirmishes.
From Orthodox’s perspective, Lee Yena’s 2-Underground strategy countered the 1 warrior – but not due to personnel allocation.
“Sending a high potential rogue underground to maximize performance… means assigning a farmer to handle menial tasks and minor skirmishes to let the rogue focus solely on growth.”
So, the key wasn’t the fact that two individuals were going underground. What good was hampering a lone warrior if the main team still got overrun?
The central idea was that a rapidly grown rogue could break through the guardians alone, assassinate the backline, and dismantle enemy formations to turn the tide of the main battle.
Therefore, the success of the strategy hinged on whether the rogue could grow significantly, accelerating the growth rate. This was something Orthodox had explained to even the coach.
He hadn’t seemed to fully grasp it.
.
.
.
“Is it necessary for you to do it personally? From my point of view, it might be better to have Minkwan or, who was it, the one we tested last time to handle it while you observe. A huge skill gap often obscures the strategy itself.”
“I prefer learning by throwing myself into it. Unlike you, coach, I’m not that well-versed in theory… If you don’t mind, I’d like to give it a try.”
“Well, do as you wish then.”
A brand-new team in a nascent gaming league.
With no seasoned ‘former professionals’, the coaching staff naturally consisted of people who had connections from different games.
“It’s like seating a former baseball player as a soccer coach, then saying it’s all similar ball games, so guiding the players’ mindset should be fine…”
Orthodox and Juho hated this to their core. They were too mature to openly express such sentiments, however. The naive days of believing that being a pro gamer meant focusing solely on their favorite game were long gone.
At 26, Orthodox had been a professional gamer since the era of ‘ForAgle’, now entering his seventh year.
He instinctively knew this year marked the end of his peak years. His reaction time, recuperative ability, endurance… nothing was quite like how it used to be.
This was his last chance to leave his career with a championship win.
That first World Series win would undoubtedly be engraved forever. For that, he could endure appeasing coaches or managers with no clue about the game mechanics a hundred times over.
The coach, who only hit Diamond rank in solo play and consistently babbled about game management and builds, at least refrained from interfering in actual matches. He was far better than a coach who attempted to wield strategic combinations at will.
“If only we could win.”
He bit his lip and donned the VR equipment, as a familiar gentle voice from a FanTube video echoed in his ears.
“Ah. How about a 2v2 setup?”
“Huh? Oh, our mic was off. 2v2?”
“Yes. It seems quicker to respond directly in a match first and then explain points afterwards.”
“Hmm…”
“It’s fine if the coach joins us too. The person I’m bringing isn’t very high in tier.”
“Hmm, okay… I’m in.”
The coach frowned for a moment, annoyed, but then nodded indifferently. Time was precious. He had initially dismissed the amateur 2v2 setup as not worth analyzing, and they had only convinced him to participate through much persuasion.
“Ah, our Rogue has joined too. Shall we start?”
“Uh- wait a second. Who’s this? StarPork…?”
StarPork. Wasn’t she a broadcaster who represented the bottom 1% in that tournament?
Orthodox barely managed to suppress a chuckle of delight. Given the circumstances, even if it was bothersome, he couldn’t just slack off. If they lost, he would have to acknowledge the effectiveness of this setup or admit that, as a coach, he was less skilled than a Gold Rank amateur.
“A… friend of my student. She’s a broadcaster.”
Her already beautiful voice sounded even more pleasant now.
.
.
.
The game began abruptly, without properly defining victory conditions for each side.
But that didn’t matter. Whether the Rogue opening a few chests would count as a win, or securing three kills… trivial “Underground rules” didn’t matter in a meaningful match.
Victory or defeat is something the participants in the underground knew better than anyone else.
With countless ‘boom’ sounds echoing around, the game commenced.
“Student, my foot. Streamers and their personas…” the coach’s grumbling, heard through the voice chat, sounded like a narration.
“Focus.”
This wasn’t a game where he could afford to be distracted. On his side were the Warrior and the Knight, as requested by the coach.
He very much wanted to include a Rogue, but didn’t. The possibility of Rogue vs. Rogue mirror matches in the World Series was low. This combination seemed more realistic for said matches.
Their opponents were a Rogue and a Knight, as expected. Even though this combination rarely appeared in league underground matches, Orthodox knew how to counter them.
“Quickly, before they gain momentum.”
Lee Yena’s 2 underground play video was scrutinized carefully.
If they hunted with the usual caution, they wouldn’t be able to keep up the pace later. To have time to track the rogue, they had to quickly accumulate experience points early on.
“I’m heading to the skull pack. Coach, grab the goblin pack route, please.”
“Okay.”
The first pack was taken down swiftly. It was a perfect hunt, preserving almost all stamina.
“My condition is good.”
About 50 seconds had passed. Assuming the opposing knight had also hunted one pack by now, there should still be time before the interference arrived.
Thinking this, Orthodox turned his head and saw a giant knight, strapped with a massive greatsword, starting to run towards him from the opposite side.
“A knight is coming!”
“What? Why is the knight there already?”
“I’ll mark them. Please find the rogue! Start with the trap boxes!”
-Thud Thud Thud Thud
The footsteps echoed in their ears.
‘A full sprint? His stamina won’t last.’
There was no time to think. The knight had already reached the front, striking down the greatsword held firmly in both hands.
-Screeeeech!
A rough metallic sound. Dodging at the last moment, the axe was barely able to alter the trajectory of the greatsword.
The swung sword grazed by the armor with a chilling sound. Even as the knight recovered the swung sword, the inertia pushed him forward one more step. Orthodox felt a chill run down his spine at the sight.
It was an excessively powerful attack. If he had staggered backward under the momentum, his head would surely have been split by the following attack.
Despite being a calm strategist, Lee Yena didn’t hesitate to take seemingly reckless gambles if she sensed a possibility.
It was one terrifying characteristic of Lee Yena – but this gamble had failed. Orthodox curled one side of his lip and readied his axe.
‘Should I bash down his stamina calmly? Or maybe – ’
The decision was made in an instant. The rogue would continue to grow stronger in this moment – there was no reason to give him more time.
The warrior twisted his body as he dove into the knight’s space. A power-laden upward diagonal strike aimed to pierce through the armor and cleave the body. The double-handed axe rushed in with such force.
The knight didn’t dodge.
-BANG!
In a short engagement range, with a failed parry judgment, the greatsword and the axe clashed. The knight had changed to a half-swording position with his left gauntlet gripping the blade. It was crystal clear which side was being driven into a corner.
Even after the initial clash, the energy was still infused in Orthodox’s axe.
And the Warrior never wasted their strength.
As if mocking the knight desperately pressing down with their sword, the axe slid up along the sword blade. Within just 2 seconds, no, 1 second more, that ferocious blade would be embedded in the knight’s face, delivering death.
Was it an instinctual realization of this conclusion? The knight stepped back half a step, disrupting the flow, and barely managed to twist the sword diagonally—
—Clang!
The crossguard, boasting a sturdiness that matched the gigantic sword, blocked the advance of the axe blade.
A situation where the blade of the battle axe and the crossguard of the great sword were entangled.
Was this an invitation for a test of strength?
If the knight expected to have the upper hand just because they had the help of gravity, Orthodox found it exceedingly disappointing. The knight’s posture was already half-broken, and even the point of contact between the weapons favored the Warrior. Continuing this power struggle would only accelerate the knight’s stamina depletion.
If this stalemate continued, the fight would be over. The knight had already sprinted at full speed and launched a body-wide assault. How much stamina could they possibly have left?
Orthodox sensed something unusual at that moment.
Hadn’t this unnatural deadlock been orchestrated?
—Psshh.
As the Warrior urgently stepped back to retrieve the axe, blood spurted from his right knee almost simultaneously.
“Rogue here—!”
A scream-like briefing echoed. But the comrades were far away guarding a chest, and a high-pitched scream would not save his life.
He needed to retreat for now.
However, the knight, whose weapon was entangled, did not let go of the Warrior, who was rolling on the ground to continue the fight disgracefully. The great sword clung like a magnet. The moment the Warrior swung his arm roughly to shake it off—
—Thud.
The rogue’s second blow. This time, it was the thigh.
Orthodox felt his Warrior’s legs wobble and lose control. It was the end. In this state, even if their knight joined, it would be hard to hold out, let alone carry out proper combat.
The rogue, who had tenaciously deprived him of his mobility, was leisurely leaving the battlefield. Whether to hunt or open a chest—whatever he chose, he had created a stable situation for himself, his relaxed back showed.
And then, a lengthy shadow cast over the ground—
The knight who held certain death high above looked down at him and opened his mouth.
“This is the first. The 4-drone strategy. It’s easy to fall victim if you focus too much on rogue farming.”
“Ha.”
Orthodox, who laughed softly, answered with a full smile.
“Excellent.”
Just 30 seconds from the initial clash. It was the last word he managed to leave before his head was severed.
TL’s Corner:
So the coach was the problem…