Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 279

281

‘This is going too slow.’

The match between Godz Knights and Fly Wolves ended in the second round without any significant clashes. Diana tried to aim for a surprise attack by fielding her main force again in the second round, but Fly Wolves had the same idea and also fielded their main force. Well, they hardly used any stamina in the first round due to the uneventful match, so it was a likely coincidence.

To alleviate his boredom, Beom-seok checked the real-time scores of the Forest Oaks match. Poison Teeth continued their relentless attacks, creating dramatic scenes, but they drew in the fourth round, maintaining their one-win lead.

‘Good. Keep going like that. Then our Godz Knights can advance comfortably.’

If Forest Oaks won their last fifth round and advanced, both Godz Knights and Fly Wolves would advance to the highly anticipated Central League. Most of the spectators who came to the Colosseum today knew this, so the atmosphere in the stands was very positive. The fans came to the stadium not only to see their favorite team win but also to witness the glory of promotion. Even if one team lost in today’s match, the fans could return home with joy if they were promoted.

But this was short-lived. Before long, the atmosphere in the stadium turned grim. Forest Oaks lost in the final moments of the fifth round, as if their luck had run out. Now that they were entering a tiebreaker, Poison Teeth must have felt like they had escaped from a swamp, but it was different for Godz Knights and Fly Wolves. From the fourth round onwards, a nerve-wracking battle would ensue.

Karen’s anxious gaze and the camera lens turned to Beom-seok.

“Beom-seok, what, what happens now?”

He let out a long sigh. It was disappointing that an unexpected setback occurred just as promotion was about to be decided.

“Hoo~ I think a fierce battle will now unfold.”

“Why? There’s still the tiebreaker left.”

“But once it goes to the tiebreaker, the Forest Oaks team, with their weaker individual skills, will be at a disadvantage. The chances of them losing are that much greater. Moreover, Fly Wolves also have lower skills in their top players compared to Godz Knights. They’ll want to settle the score in the 4th and 5th rounds by any means.”

“Then how will today’s match proceed?”

It was very simple. The outcome of the 4th round would determine the victory or defeat. Godz Knights could win that round with a high probability if they utilized Rafine and Nikita’s ‘Berserker Spirit’ [a temporary boost in strength and aggression]. However, the problem was that they couldn’t participate in the subsequent matches, and they were a crucial part of Godz Knights’ strength. If they lost in the 4th round, they would inevitably have to activate ‘Berserker Spirit’ in the 5th round, and they would have to face the tiebreaker with a disadvantageous squad. But if they achieved a draw or better in the 4th round, the situation would be completely different. Then Fly Wolves would do everything they could to win in the 5th round, and if they exploited this gap, they could easily seize victory.

However, this was a crucial strategy for Godz Knights. They couldn’t reveal it carelessly to the outside world for today’s victory.

“Well, it’s hard to predict the outcome until right before the end of the 4th round. However, the worrying thing is that the Fly Wolves gladiators’ stamina has been fully preserved. They only have to play two more rounds, so they don’t have to worry about stamina depletion in the later stages.”

“Ah. Is that so? Then it’s a big problem for Godz Knights.”

“Of course, it’s a difficult situation, but in the end, Godz Knights will win. I believe in our team’s gladiators.”

Karen nodded, whether she agreed or understood.

“I see. I also believe that Godz Knights will win.”

While they were exchanging comments, the gladiators from Godz Knights and Fly Wolves entered the arena. Both teams fielded their main forces, and interestingly, Agelia stepped forward as the leader of Godz Knights. It was evident that Diana was determined not to lose in the 4th round.

Shortly after. As the whistle blew to signal the start of the match, the Fly Wolves team launched an attack. Godz Knights, satisfied with just a draw, formed a defensive line and focused on defense.

“They’re coming! Everyone, prepare firmly!”

Erpina, standing at the rear, shouted loudly as she watched the approaching gladiators from the opposing team. If the formation collapsed due to the rushing force, it would turn into a chaotic battle, and the advantage of defense would disappear entirely. They had to endure this collision at all costs. Soon, the Godz Knights gladiators became more concentrated, strengthening their defense.

“Everyone! Do your best to break the formation!”

With the piercing voice of the 1st gladiator, the leader, the Fly Wolves gladiators rushed in unison. Everyone was highly skilled, so they persistently dug in, putting great pressure on the defensive line. However, Godz Knights, lacking in technique, were armed with their unique physicality. They didn’t easily allow a breakthrough and maintained their formation.

“You’ll never break through me!”

As Oscar swung his greatsword horizontally, the Fly Wolves gladiators retreated. Although it was a slow attack, a direct hit could create a crack in the attacking line. With this brief respite, the Godz Knights gladiators retreated slightly, restoring their formation to its original form, which had been dented by the breakthrough.

At that moment, three Fly Wolves gladiators took out bows from their backs and began to string them. If it were a complete defensive line with shields protecting each other, it wouldn’t be an effective attack at all, but now part of the Godz Knights formation was clearly exposed. Among the participants in the 4th round, the gladiators with shields were only Erpina, Nikita, Venus, Agelia, and Cathy.

“Oscar, switch places with me!”

Erpina ordered Oscar to switch places with her. It was a somewhat dangerous idea for the commander to place herself at the forefront, but it was better than losing Oscar senselessly. The decline in strength resulting from the loss of one person was critical for the current Godz Knights. Then, three arrows flew into the Godz Knights formation, striking the shields.

Karen, who was watching this scene in the indoor VIP room, looked at Beom-seok with a nervous expression.

“Beom-seok, what’s going on?”

He frowned. It wasn’t because he was annoyed by Karen’s question, but because the three Fly Wolves archers were moving away from the main camp towards the side.

“It seems Fly Wolves is trying to operate a free-roll strategy [a tactic where players move freely to exploit openings].”

“Then what should Godz Knights do?”

“They have no choice but to send out a marker to ensure the safety of the rear. If the archer’s arrow attacks come from behind, they will suffer fatal damage.”

But the problem might not end with just sending out a marker. It could be a strategy to induce a chaotic battle using free-rolls.

If the opponent operates a free-roll, a similar number of gladiators would be sent out from the opposite side to mark them. Especially since Godz Knights had fewer gladiators with shields, the need for markers became even greater. But there was one critical problem here. If Fly Wolves sent out additional free-roll resources, Godz Knights would inevitably have to send out more markers. If they continued to repeat this process of deployment and redeployment, all the gladiators would abandon the defensive line and gather in the free-roll area to engage in a chaotic battle.

‘Diana, Erpina, think carefully. If you mess up here, you could be swayed by the opponent and lose. What Fly Wolves wants now is a chaotic battle. They’re definitely going to keep increasing their free-roll resources and try to break down the formation of the main camp.’

Before Beom-seok’s thoughts were over, Zelsomina, Jermia, and Oscar jumped out from the Godz Knights formation. Diana’s choice seemed to be to send out markers first and watch the situation. But as soon as Fly Wolves added free-roll resources, they immediately transformed the main camp into a pursuit formation and rushed towards the free-roll area all at once. It was better to maintain the formation battle, even if it meant abandoning the defensive line, rather than engaging in a chaotic battle.

“Take out all the free-rolls at once!”

The Fly Wolves’ free-rolls, who were in the middle of a battle, began to move slyly towards the side. They intended to join the main camp, as they couldn’t handle so many enemies. In response, the Godz Knights’ markers, including Zelsomina, gave up chasing and returned to the main camp. Since the goal of this 4th round was not just victory, there was no need to take risks. It would be a disaster if they recklessly poured out attacks and were surrounded by the enemy’s main camp rushing in fiercely.

After that. The formations of both teams circled around the arena, repeating collisions and disengagements.

Cha. Chang. Chang.

“Retreat and move quickly to the north.”

“Chase them quickly! Don’t let them get away!”

Although the two teams fought several times, there was little damage. The Godz Knights gladiators were using their quick feet to escape whenever they had the chance. The Fly Wolves fans were throwing insults, but they didn’t care at all. In the face of the fruit of promotion, they had long abandoned their pride. And since they would mercilessly sweep them away in the 5th round anyway, their honor would soon be restored.

“Archers! Shoot arrows quickly!”

At the command of the 1st gladiator, the archers notched their arrows. But to shoot an arrow, they had to stop running. There was no way their accuracy would be good while running. Erpina noticed the incoming arrow attack and positioned the gladiators with shields in the rear. She couldn’t have missed it, seeing the strange movements and the archers drawing their bows.

The arrows that were fired were deflected by the shields, and the Godz Knights arrived safely at the edge of the arena without any damage.

“Wait here for a moment!”

Erpina stopped moving and watched the enemy camp. They had gained some breathing room because the distance had widened. The Godz Knights and Fly Wolves gladiators paused to catch their breath, glaring at each other. Although there was no major battle, both teams needed rest as they had consumed a lot of stamina through the chase.

However, the silence did not last long. The desperate Fly Wolves team began to attack.

“We must catch them this time!”

The Godz Knights formed a defensive line again. Their intention was to use the outer wall of the arena to create a last stand. Although there was a risk of not being able to retreat, they could face the enemy somewhat safely since there was no enemy attack from behind.

“Alright! Let’s hold out until the end of the match!”

A thudding sound and the defensive line were rapidly compressed, and clear metallic sounds erupted from various places. A full-scale battle was about to begin. Soon, both teams engaged in a fierce battle, heightening the atmosphere of the match.

“Yaah!”

Rafine, who was at the forefront, let out a short shout and swung her twin swords repeatedly. Although she was facing two opponents at the same time, she could handle it well enough as Iphis was supporting her with a spear from behind.

At that moment, Oscar’s greatsword split the air. It was almost impossible to avoid the attack as it was made in a very narrow space. The 4th and 7th gladiators, who were leading the attack, barely managed to block it by holding their swords together. Following that, the 12th gladiator’s spear attack flew towards Oscar’s forehead. But Nikita, who was next to him, couldn’t just stand by and watch. The reason Beom-seok first recruited her was to cover Oscar’s weaknesses. So, when she was at the forefront, she was always assigned the role of protecting Oscar. Soon, the tip of the 12th gladiator’s spear was blocked by Nikita’s short spear and only grazed the empty air.

Chang. Clang. Thud! Bang.

The spectators were standing up from their seats in tension. It seemed that they recognized that this battle was an important moment to determine the direction of the 4th round. Now that the Godz Knights had made a last stand and the Fly Wolves had surrounded them, there would be no more chasing. The victory or defeat would definitely be decided here.

“Godz Knights! You must win!”

“Fly Wolves! Win this round and get promoted!”

In the meantime, the first casualty occurred. It was the 4th gladiator, who was recklessly attacking Rafine and was immediately incapacitated after being hit in the jugular by Iphis’s spear. But the 1st gladiator, the leader, continued to order the attack. Even if there were some sacrifices, they couldn’t stop the current battle. If they could just take out Agelia, who was positioned in the middle of the rear of the enemy camp, they would win this round.

“Come on. Push hard!”

The damage to both teams increased with the continued fierce battle. Fly Wolves had already lost five, and Godz Knights had lost Rafine, Oscar, and Violet, who were in the first row, and Iphis, who was in the second row. Although they had eliminated one more and had a numerical advantage, Erpina was preparing to carry out the leapfrog tactic [a strategy to quickly advance a player]. This was because the end time was almost near. There was not enough time to carry out a strategy to win, so she was thinking of solidifying at least a draw. If they could just hold out in the 4th round, Godz Knights would have a high chance of winning today’s match.

“Agelia. I’ll make a path for you soon. Prepare to carry out the leapfrog tactic. Got it?”

Agelia nodded with a firm expression at her quiet voice. It was a very important role, and if she made a mistake, it could have fatal consequences for the team. She had to be nervous and keep her mind straight.

“Yes. Sister.”

Erpina looked around, searching for a corner to escape. However, the leapfrog plan was not put into practice due to an unexpected event. Suddenly, cheers and shouts erupted from all the stands. Soon, the spectators and fans threw the cheering tools in their hands at the acrylic shield, expressing their joy to the fullest.

After that, Diana’s lively voice was heard in the ears of the Godz Knights gladiators.

– That’s it! We’re promoted now! Forest Oaks won the tiebreaker!

In Erpina’s bewildered gaze, the Fly Wolves gladiators moved away. It seemed that they had also received the promotion notification from the dugout, and they were losing their will to fight and retreating. If they continued to attack with their current mood, there was a possibility of losing.

“Beom-seok oppa! Godz Knights has been promoted!”

Karen hugged Beom-seok during the broadcast. The match was not over yet, but she was so happy that Godz Knights had been promoted. He still had a dazed expression, as if he couldn’t believe it. He didn’t expect Forest Oaks to win the tiebreaker, and he didn’t know how to express this feeling.

‘Hehe. Is this the charm of the promotion tournament? It’s absurd, but I feel good that promotion has been confirmed anyway.’

But he couldn’t be satisfied with this. The prize money for the championship and runner-up was different. He needed to win the 5th round to get the championship prize money of 54 million Krang [currency]. He immediately called Diana and urged her not to let her guard down.

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

Have a nice day, everyone. I’ll see you again tomorrow.