Chapter 43

Ronald PoV

"Whew, that was a close one! Can't believe we still ain't out of the quals yet, how lucky!" our captain Ben celebrated after a close fight.

"No, it's not just luck, we outplayed them with our initial strategy, we would have lost if we did not have the 3v4 advantage early on," our mage Ethan disagreed.

"Yeah, good thing we have Ron on our team or we likely would not have made it this far," our tank Oliver chimed in.

"Yeah, that's our ace for ya!"

"I agree, you did pretty well there Ronald."

"T-thanks guys…" I timidly responded.

I was never good with praise. To be fair, it was a team effort so I don't think they have to be that grateful for me, I only analyzed the enemy's gameplays and created countermeasures and counterstrategies against them, the whole team's effort made it possible to apply those strategies and if not for them playing their part perfectly, the entire strategy falls apart.

We are currently receiving our 10-minute break after our last match, I heard from the GM that our opponents for the next match were already waiting for us for a while. The team I dread to fight, Elizabeth's team, Paradigm. It is not only because they're really good, but because I genuinely want them to also get past the qualifiers. Although fate seems unforgiving by making us fight when we are both close to our goals. Life truly is unfair.

"But we have another problem, don't we?" our captain voiced out while comfortably resting in one of the lobby chairs.

"I agree, this is what you would call, out of the frying pan, and into the fire." Ethan nodded.

Our team's morale suddenly plummeted when they also realized what team we were up against next.

"Don't worry guys, Ron has a contingency plan for them, right?" Oliver asked worriedly.

"Really? I think Ron will throw the match though. He has a huge crush on the enemy captain after all."

"Captain!"

"Oh, come on, we all know about it, you always talk about her and her streams, ya lovestruck dolt."

"What! Th-that's not!" I panicked.

I glanced at both my members to confirm if they knew. Ethan was nodding sympathetically while Oliver was glancing away evident that he too knows. Since when? Have I been that obvious? I hope they do not go spreading this. Someone like me has no chance with her: she's ten out of ten, very sociable, and famous in our school, especially among the guys due to her friendly behavior and charisma. This is also one of the main reasons why I do not want to fight her team.

"So, I guess this is where our journey ends, been a nice ride with ya guys, I have no regrets and I'm glad we made it this far."

"There you go again with your negativity. Who made you the captain anyway, all you do is say we will lose even before the fight begins," Ethan criticized.

"Hey, I'm just being realistic here. Ya guys think we have a chance against two rankers, then ya guys are way in over your heads. I'm just telling ya to not expect too much. Losing is part of life so it's fine if we lose here. There are still many opportunities waiting for ya, so play your best and don't mind the outcome too much."

We all fell silent for a second, our captain rarely comes out this reassuring. He must have felt the palpable tension due to our insurmountable foes this time and felt the need to reassure us. He comes off as aloof and insensible sometimes but I've known him for long enough to know that it's not true. Deep down, he really is a considerate and mature upperclassman and a good friend. This won't do. I know our captain is trying to dampen the blow if we do happen to lose, but that doesn't do anything for our morale, I have to step up if we even want to have a glimmer of hope of winning this next match.

"We have a high chance of winning this match," I told a white lie.

My team looked at me like I had grown another head, although it's not entirely a lie, we do have a good shot at this. In response to their questioning looks, I proceeded to explain our advantages. I glanced at the time, 6 minutes before the match, we can be a bit late, up to 10 minutes so we have plenty of time to prepare.

"Have any of you guys watched their games?" I asked.

"Ya, they're in our school, after all, gotta cheer for them sometimes."

"I have."

"Uh only 3 of their matches, I think?"

"I see, that's good, then have you spotted any patterns in their play?"

Ethan pondered for a while before replying. "You mean their 1-2-1 formation?"

"Yes, precisely. Their team is strong, incredibly so, but they lack adaptability and strategy. They stick to what works for them because they are never challenged by their enemies at all so they never need to change. They lack proper variation in teamplay unlike us."

"So, what do ya want to do?"

"Simple, due to their unchanging pattern in teamplay, we have the advantage of choosing where we can strike. Think of them like a building, strong and sturdy but ever unchanging. Although, if we destroy the pillars, we can crumble them from within quite easily."

"Do you propose we strike at their weakness? Then we should focus on their support, right?" Oliver inquired.

"Yes and no. While their support is a weak link, we cannot touch her due to their ace and captain always being within her reach, they always act as a pair so going after her is a no-go. But instead… we go after Renz, their top orb contester. If we could eliminate him, we could get the top orb easily and have a huge advantage early on."

"That sounds good, but what would you do about the other orbs? If we put too many resources into getting the top orb, wouldn't the middle and bottom orb fall into their hands?" Ethan inquired.

As perceptive and knowledgeable as always. I'm glad to have him on the team to help me with the strategy.

"I do have a countermeasure for it. This is where Oliver and I come in. We both will stall the middle and bottom orb."

"M-me?" Oliver gulped. "I don't think I can win against two of them."

"No, I will stall their middle orb while you stall their ace duelist, senior Chu. You don't have to damage him even once, just stall him to prevent him from backing the enemy up or taking the orb, I know you can do it, you are the best defender I know after all," I encouraged him.

Oliver looked at me, determination palpable in his eyes. "Leave it to me!" he declared.

"What about you? You have the hardest role in all of this. Can you really stall two of their members?" Ethan worriedly asked.

"If there is someone who knows Miss Elizabeth's attack pattern more than anyone here, then that person is me, her number one stream fan," I joked to lighten the tension.

Besides I would just have to stall her, and as far as I can tell, her support is a defensive one and a low level at that. She also lacks any offensive spells so it makes my role much easier. Well, I would not call it easy but it isn't hell difficulty at least.

"I see, then we will finish off one of their members quickly, back ya up then fight them 3v2?"

"No, not just 3v2, Oliver will also join us after I give him the signal. He will leave the bottom, making it a 4v2 to ensure our victory, and after that, it will be at most 4v1 or whoever is not dead yet will take on Senior Chu."

There are still many uncertainties, like the true extent of their skills or how will they react to our plays but I won't mention it for the sake of our morale. One thing is for certain though, I think this strategy is our best shot at winning this.

"I see, that's a sound plan. Let's go with it."

"Your strategies and tactics got us this far, so I'll trust ya!"

"I trust your judgment."

They all agreed to the plan, the thought alone, that they believe in me makes me giddy inside.

"Thanks guys…" I smiled in appreciation.

We spent the rest of the break time discussing the minute details and polishing the plan.

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We entered the official lobby of the Game Master one by one after the invite. This time it was a woman going by the name of GM Rudy, the first time we had her to umpire our match. She is quite famous in the CoA forums and is said to be a scout for potential pro players.

"She definitely is not here for us..." I pondered as I glanced at the opposing side.

The enemy team was chatting among themselves. My eye was immediately caught by their captain who was currently chatting with her support. She saw me looking at her and gave me a friendly smile. My heart pounded and my breath hitched. She's more dazzling in person than in her streams.

"Focus now, ya can fanboy on her later, we have a match to win right? Besides, ya could impress her if we do good. She might even join our club if we show her our true strength, and who knows, she might even fall for ya!" our captain teased.

I nodded determinedly. I will win this, not just for myself, but also for my team!

"Everybody is here so we can now proceed to the final match of the day. Team Paradigm vs Team Summit Peak, begin!"

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We were teleported into the Forest battlefield. It looms tall and majestic, a verdant tapestry of ancient trees swaying gently in a soft breeze. Sunlight filters through the thick canopy, dappling the forest floor with patches of golden warmth. Ferns unfurl their delicate fronds while squirrels scamper among the gnarled roots. The air is alive with the symphony of rustling leaves and the occasional call of unseen birds.

The terrain is perfect for what we hope to accomplish. The dense trees make it easier for me to run or hide after using my arrows to stall the enemy from getting the orb. I'm confident in my parkour skills so much that I can propose this kind of risky plan. The stage is also good for surprise attacks when we group up against them. It seems the RNG gods are blessing us with this match.

"Ya guys know what to do! Team Summit Peak, let's GO!" our captain cheered for once.

"YEAH!!!" we shouted in unison.

We proceeded to go to our destinations, plan in mind. Oliver, our knight, will stall Senior Chu at the bottom orb. Ben and Ethan, our ace duo offensive support and fighter will rush at the enemy's weak link Renz to eliminate him quickly. And I am to stall the enemy's ace duo.

As I arrived at the middle orb, I hid at the nearby tree, careful of letting them know my position, and prepared to snipe them from afar. After a couple of seconds of silently waiting, I sensed something amiss.

Renz was the one who was here, not their duo.

What's going on? Why is he here? It was supposed to be their duo, not him.

As those thoughts went through my mind, I heard a distress call from the team chat.

"Chu and Elizabeth are here! They're engaging us both at the same time, trying to make it a one-on-one situation!" Ethan cried out.

"What?!" I exclaimed.

This is bad, Chu and Liz are both good at rushing tactics, a glaring weakness for an offensive mage and a fighter duo since the mage has no protection whatsoever. And with both of their skills as rankers, my teammates can't win a 2v2 against them. This is bad but I can still salvage this!

"Retreat and regroup! Leave the orb and don't let them kill you two!"

"WE CAN'T! They're both onto us! They are constantly pressuring us, not letting us escape!"

Shit, this is bad. They have little chance in a 2v2 scenario but if they both get separated and it devolves into a 1v1, they have no hope of winning.

As I thought this couldn't get any worse, Oliver's team voice chatted.

"Their healer is the one who is here, not senior Chu, what do I do?"

Shit! Another bad matchup. Their healer has a high chance of stalling our defender since Oliver doesn't have the DPS to potentially kill her in one burst or combo even if he has the stat advantage. She will just heal herself and stall our tank, making a stalemate that is favorable for their party by dragging out the match. It is a battle of attrition that our tank has no chance of winning due to the enemy's heals.

It then occurred to me why this is happening. They were always one step ahead of us from the start. It's not that their team isn't adaptable, it's because they did not need to adapt yet. As we analyzed them before the match, they also did the same and analyzed our movements and formations. They knew who we would prioritize and what form of tactic we would use and countered every single one of them. They did not show any of their cards from the start of the tournament and stayed to one tactic, therefore, giving them the advantage when they needed to change things up. It's honestly terrifying how on-point their counterplay was.

"Oliver! Listen, head towards the middle orb and help me secure it or we will lose!"

"What? But what about the bottom orb?"

"No time to explain, just please trust me!"

"…Understood, I will trust your judgment, as I always had."

That just leaves me and Renz. I also analyzed his plays and concluded that he was the worst matchup for me in their team. His sprinting speed is insanely fast and I cannot hope to run away from him once he knows of my location. An archer who cannot distance himself from his foes is as good as dead. I have no choice though. The bottom orb is in the enemies' hands, and so is the top orb. If they also acquire the middle, the match will be over instantly.

I stared at my opponent, he was trying to capture the orb while being cautious of his surroundings, clearly wary of arrows from me. Another outplay on their part, they predicted that I was hiding in the shadows.

"Let's do this," I hyped myself up.

I launched an arrow at his head for a surprise attack and also to dissuade him from further channeling to get the orb. He dodged it, but it separated him from the orb.

He saw where the arrow came from, our eyes met and he immediately went after me. He's also very perceptive, I underestimated him. He's not that good compared to their two rankers but he is also skilled in his own right. I had hoped to stall him for a while to wait for Oliver, but him knowing my position was the worst possible outcome.

Now is the hard part, survive while waiting for backup, hopefully, Ben and Ethan can escape and regroup. I cannot distract them right now nor can I afford to be distracted so I turned off the voice chat.

I leaped out of the tree I was hiding to run away from him as my position was already revealed, but he still went after me. He likely knows I have no backup yet from the information network in their team. This is not completely unsalvageable though.

I fired a couple of arrows to dissuade him from chasing, a micro tactic to control him and create some space between us by doing ranged attacks while running away. He took it head-on while avoiding taking hits to vital spots to lessen the damage and continued his sprint. A play that I can't help but be impressed with. His experience in fights makes up for his lack of skills.

Renz

HP: 81%

Shit, he's also a bit tanky, the damage did not dissuade him from chasing, and to make matters worse, he was gaining distance on me even as I weaved in and out of the trees by grabbing branches and leaping through rocks to distance myself further away from him. He is also doing the same all the while possessing a spear, how good is this guy at chasing his foes?!

"Are you just going to run, or are you going to fight me like a man?!"

I ignored his taunt, I'm not so stupid as to fall for provocations and continued to run. But at this rate, he would eventually catch me and it would be the end for me. No choice, I have to risk it.

Finding a semi-open space area without anything in the way to hinder my arrows, I grabbed one of the sturdy vines and then propelled myself away from him, I did so while charging my weapon skill while in the air. This weapon skill has a 3-second casting time but has the negative effect of me not being able to move while channeling. I used the momentum of my movement while swinging using the vine to continue moving in the air before I landed while initiating the channeling, making it more efficient in creating a distance between us while I could not move while my weapon skill was active. Hopefully this hits, as my weapon skill creates a knockback effect, letting me regain distance from him along with high damage that can hopefully chip a huge amount of his health.

It is impossible for him to catch up to me judging by the distance and his sprint speed. He's fast but he has to be inhumanely fast to be able to cover this much distance in just 3 seconds.

As I was celebrating my outplay, he shouted.

"Sovereign's Charge!"

He became clad in white flame and his speed drastically improved.

What! This was not in my database! Since when did he acquire such a weapon skill?

"Charged Sho-!"

As I landed on the ground from my earlier leap ready to fire the charged arrow, he was in front of me, his flaming body glowing, casting a serene and sacred aura. Its flickering dance holds a mesmerizing rhythm, radiant and pure, emanating a comforting warmth that reaches deep within. Then, came a loud bang.

*BOOOM

Falcon

HP: 0%

I surveyed the surroundings, the trail he used to get to me was blazing with white flames, and the surrounding trees were burning while some trees near us got knocked over due to the impact. That was all I saw before I vanished into blue motes of light.

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Liz PoV

We are back in the GM's lobby after a sound victory against our school's e-sports team. I shouted in celebration of our victory.

"Yeah! We won! Let's go Paradigm!"

"You guys should've seen me! I chased their archer like there was no tomorrow and defeated him in one blow!"

"Hmph, they were just weak, this is no cause for celebration."

"Chu, please don't be like that, they are also good. We just outplayed them tactically so it seemed easy. Come to think of it, your predictions were on point Kat! Are you secretly a mind reader or something?" I said as I kept repeating in my head that she was cute.

If she could really read minds, she would be blushing a bit at that compliment as she always does when I tease her for it.

"Are you stupid? Of course not, that would be unrealistic," she replied, unamused.

Sadly, she seems to be, in fact, not a mind reader. As I was fantasizing about how good it would be for the team if she actually was a mind reader, the enemy captain approached us.

"That was a good game! Ya guys are really skilled. We didn't even put up a fight against ya all!" he greeted us carefreely as if not affected in the slightest by their loss.

"You guys are good too! We just had favorable matchups so we won handily. However, you don't seem to mind the loss?"

"Hahaha, I guess I already expected it. Disappointment only comes if what ya are expecting to happen didn't happen, right?"

"Hmm…" I pondered his words for a bit before halfheartedly agreeing. "I guess that's true?"

He smiled for a second before speaking again.

"Although, can I ask a favor? Ron has just been blaming himself for the loss since ya guys dismantled his strategy so easily. Could you cheer him up for me?" their captain requested after shaking my hand for sportsmanship's sake.

I glanced at Ron, we met at the e-sports club so I remembered him. He does look so downtrodden, so much so that it pains my heart that we were the cause of it, although it cannot be helped, as I cannot let my team lose either.

"Sure! Leave it to me."

As Ron came close for the handshake, I pulled his hand and gave him a quick hug while patting his head.

"Wha-wha- asdfkasaf!" he voiced something inaudible.

I ignored it and continued to encourage him.

"It's fine, you guys did good, it was a team match so it was not your fault that your team lost. Please don't beat yourself over it, okay?" I softly said to him.

A quick hug always does the trick, my mother does it for me whenever I feel sad or have a bad day, therefore I'm sure it would also help him mentally and emotionally.

The entire enemy team cheered. Probably because their member seems out of his depressive state now. It is just as I thought, a good hug never fails to lift someone's spirits up!

After separating, his captain approached him with a grin.

"At least, even if we lost, ya got something worthwhile out of this tournament," their captain whispered to him in a voice I barely heard.