Chapter 164
The match day was approaching rapidly. It’s tomorrow already!
I did everything I could. I fixed the players’ bad habits as much as possible, familiarized them with various skills, and made sure they could call out plays to enhance teamwork.
Rariri was in charge of the orders. I thought it would be best for high-tier Daesik to take the lead, but there wasn’t much room, and Rariri surprisingly had a good eye for watching the game.
Being a healer, she was calm and made crisp calls, which was enjoyable to teach.
Thanks to that, Daesik’s burden was lightened, which was a good thing. No matter how much of an ace you are, if you pile on too much weight on your shoulders, you’re bound to crumble.
The practice wrapped up smoothly, and we finished all our preparations, but…
To be blunt, our team’s win rate wasn’t looking very high. If anything, you could say the odds were slim. From the team selection stage, there were many whispers about us being the weaker team.
Mollru Team was rated dead last out of four teams in the power rankings. Plus, our draw wasn’t favorable either, as our first opponent in the semifinals was none other than Dakdak’s team, which was considered the strongest candidate for victory.
This match-up was also determined by a roulette. The concept for this tournament was roulette, and we were purely at the mercy of fate.
Dakdak’s team had a higher overall tier and many players accustomed to team games.
If I had to teach the blank-slate players how to catch fish, they were probably teaching how to grill and season it.
That’s to say, there was a clear difference in experience and starting lines.
It was a disadvantageous situation. Our win rate on paper might be around 10%.
However, would you believe me if I said there was a way to raise that win rate to about 50%? Surprisingly, there was.
Today, under the guise of final checks before the tournament, I didn’t turn on the broadcast. After the draw was revealed, Daesik, who had been sulking, seemed shocked by my words that we could win.
“Are we aiming for a winner-takes-all?”
“Yes. A team battle in a winner-takes-all format. If we win the first round, there’s a chance for us.”
EOW had been loved by users consistently, even years after its release. There were many reasons for this love, but one standout reason was that the game continually sought change.
Updates happened continuously to prevent users from getting bored and leaving. If you logged in after a few months, you’d see unfamiliar maps and agents.
The winner-takes-all was one of the rules that had just been updated.
Similar to elimination or capture missions, the winner-takes-all had a straightforward rule: if all players on one side died, the opposing team won. It was a kind of survival match.
However, the key difference from the elimination format was that this battle happened in pure 1v1 matches.
A 1v1 match. The winner of the match would continue to compete in the next game, while the losing side would have to send out different players.
It was a rule that didn’t allow for complacency just because you had a numerical advantage. A single player who started off strong could wipe out all players on the opposing team, or the last bastion of the losing team could turn the game around.
The semifinals played out as a best-of-five. Whether it was elimination, capture, or bomb retrieval, we had to take at least one round. We had strategies that could win at least one round, so if we just followed our practice routines, we had a chance.
If we were lucky enough to secure the winner-takes-all map afterward and win that as well, our team would win by taking two rounds first.
After sharing my grand plan, Daesik whispered quietly.
“Assuming that the winner-takes-all rule is the prerequisite for your plan.”
“The chance of getting the winner-takes-all format is one in four, so statistically it’s quite high.”
“And when it does happen, we definitely have to win. For that to happen…”
Daesik trailed off. He seemed to have figured it out.
That’s right, in this grand plan, Daesik’s role was crucial. To simply call him an ace was an understatement.
He accounted for about 90% of the team’s strategy.
That’s because if we’re talking about the winner-takes-all format, he was the only player capable of really fighting effectively.
The other players were somewhat lacking in physical ability. It was hard to improve their already lacking physical prowess, and we didn’t have time to train like we did with Daesik in 1v1 scenarios. Most of the practice focused on team-oriented play.
They might struggle to perform well. In extreme cases, Daesik might have to take on all four opponents alone, or if things went really badly, he might have to defeat the entire opposing team by himself.
But I believed it was completely possible. Since I started sketching out this plan, Daesik had been engaged in 1v1 training consistently.
I wouldn’t say it myself, but I believed that when it came to 1v1, I could honestly consider myself among the best domestically.
Have you heard the story of a promising young boxer who sparred with a retired world champion?
The retired boxer was just having fun sparring with the young prospect, but it was an irreplaceable experience for the young fighter. That invaluable experience soon showed results.
The young boxer, who had never competed before, ended up knocking out his opponent with his very first punch in his debut match.
In an interview, he left the legendary quote that the opponent’s punches seemed incredibly slow. Naturally, he developed a sense of time just by sharing punches every day with a legendary boxer.
I trusted that Daesik could achieve the same. He wasn’t just some average talent; he was indeed a challenger player of substantial merit. Although his form had dropped a bit, form could be regained. While form is temporary, class is eternal, and Daesik was sharpening the dagger in his hands.
From my perspective as someone who had sparred with him, I saw plenty of opportunity for victory. He had the potential to deliver a strong strike. If anyone underestimated Daesik, they’d likely end up with a big surprise.
It’s tomorrow.
It’s the day to find out whether my masterpiece will earn accolades or be deemed worse than a kindergarten drawing.
The day to confirm the results has dawned.
*
“Mollru Team? I’m not really nervous. We’re the team that’s destined to make it to the finals. I think Mare Team will advance, as they’ve practiced more compared to them.”
“While Mollru is good, isn’t their player just a bit… not up to par with the coach?”
“I think we’ll win comfortably, like 2-0.”
Before the match started, the thrilling background music accompanied the interview of Dakdak’s team. They interviewed players and coaches before the match and made a separate video. It seemed that the scale had grown bigger than before.
Our team also conducted a similar interview. They guided me to give provoking answers toward the opposing team, and I returned a rather cocky response, confident that our team would win.
The commentators’ amused responses and the buzzing chat room were quite striking. Even if it wasn’t genuine, provoking like that made for a much more entertaining spectacle. Of course, I answered it more like a documentary than a variety show.
– Please share your thoughts before the match.
That question was directed at Daesik. His serious face was close-up, and his firmly shut mouth opened.
“I will win. This time for sure.”
[Wow]
[Great video]
[Matching the BGMs makes it feel epic]
[Haha, I really want to see the battle now]
[Daesik throws down a challenge!]
[With Daesik and Mollru coaching, aiming for victory seems possible, statement]
[This is the right moment]
[Last’s Last Last Dance, wow]
“Well, that was a word from our players and coaches before the tournament.”
“This is what makes the matches even more exciting! I can’t wait to see the players in action.”
“At this moment, I’ve been told both teams are ready. Let’s head straight into the match.”
[Wow]
[It’s starting!]
[But can we actually win?]
[I’m so nervous!]
[Daesik’s hands were shaking earlier.]
[No wonder!]
[Why is the captain so calm?]
[Mollru isn’t playing, after all.]
[It’s still her team!]
[Haha, Mollru isn’t the type to get nervous over this]
[For real, she handled the opposing team with ease last time]
I simply sipped my coffee and watched the screen where the commentary unfolded. Because of everything our team had done, I had no doubt in them. There was no reason to be nervous.
As if to echo my faith, the commentators exclaimed in surprise.
“Oh, what’s this? Dakdak Team is unexpectedly facing a challenge!”
Let’s aim for not just the finals but also the victory!