Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 358

“Master. Just a moment.”

Diana called out to Beom-seok as he returned to the dugout. He sat across from her at the coach’s seat and looked at her.

“Yes? What’s the matter?”

Diana smiled calmly and unfolded the Round 3 strategy screen.

“I’m thinking of changing the strategy in Round 3. What do you think?”

Beom-seok’s eyes narrowed slightly. They had only just finished Round 1. It was a bit early to be discussing Round 3.

“Strategy for Round 3 already? We need to think about how to proceed with Round 2 now.”

“Well, yes, but we’re going to push ahead with Round 2 as planned, so there’s not much to discuss.”

God’s Knights had already agreed to approach Round 2 with a standard strategy: sending out a second string, a mix of some starters and substitutes, to face the opponent’s second string. It was a strategy they had practiced repeatedly, so there wasn’t much to discuss.

Beom-seok looked at her and said,

“Really? But are there many strategy changes in Round 3?”

“Not many, but the strategy changes in important areas.”

“Like what?”

“It’s about Liza. I’m planning to use Liza as a center in Round 3.”

Beom-seok rested his chin on his hand, looking troubled. Liza knew the role of the position theoretically, but she had almost no match experience. Her unexpected mistakes could cause problems.

“Will it be okay?”

“When she was playing as a free-roamer earlier, it seemed like Liza knew what a gladiatorial match was all about. Her action of holding onto the captain, the number one gladiator, for a quick and safe team victory is an example.”

“Of course. But she’s already playing well enough as a free-roamer. Is it really necessary to take the risk of putting her in the center?”

“But if Liza shows some stability in the center, it could confuse the data for the rival teams we’ll meet in the future. In other words, Liza will be recognized not just as a free-roam specialist, but as a veteran gladiator who can handle both free-roam and center positions.”

Seeming plausible, Beom-seok nodded. Although God’s Knights were the dark horse of this tournament, no one knew what the future held. If they had the leeway, it was better to increase the odds of victory in any way possible. And data disruption was one of those ways.

“Well, if Liza only plays free-roam today, the teams we face next will only come up with strategies to counter that.”

“But if Liza performs as a center to some extent, they’ll have to come up with two or more strategies, which will make it difficult for the opposing team’s coach to choose which gladiators to send out. And they’ll have to change their strategies on the fly, which will waste a lot of training time.”

“Okay. Then you can do it. But only if we get a draw or better in Round 2. This promotion tournament is elimination-based, so we can’t afford to take risks.”

“Yes. I know. Winning today is the most important thing.”

After they agreed, Round 2 began. Although God’s Knights’ second string was somewhat weaker compared to the main force, they were still stronger than the Flying Ogres.

In the end, God’s Knights managed to win Round 2 against the Flying Ogres in 12 minutes. And in the following Round 3, Liza participated as a center, as Diana had declared.

Beom-seok, facing the Flying Ogres gladiators with the downtown area as the dividing point, said to Liza, who was standing next to him,

“Liza, are you confident you can do well as a center?”

Liza’s eyes showed some tension. As a free-roamer, she could roam around as she pleased and just confront the opponent’s marker, but as a center, she had to show organic movement with her teammates. She wondered if she could fit well into the center position.

“But will I be able to do well?”

“Of course. Just be faithful to your role. You know what to do, don’t you?”

The role of the center was to support both offense and defense. When the team was on the offensive, they had to enter the opposing team’s camp with the vanguard to secure victory, and when they were on the defensive, they had to help the rearguard protect the captain. But the problem was that organic movement was essential in performing these roles.

If they didn’t have the ability to recognize their teammates’ movements and move in and out at the same time, they could end up lagging behind during an attack or being left alone in enemy territory during a retreat. Therefore, to handle the position, they had to learn how to coordinate with their teammates through constant tactical training and match experience.

“But the problem is that it doesn’t work out as theoretically. I can’t get a good sense of when to move in and out.”

“Well, you don’t have much experience, so there’s bound to be some of that. Then how about this?”

“How?”

“Let’s start by playing the rear-guard center role.”

The rear-guard center was a center who played a defensive role. What they did was no different from a center, but they were often positioned in the rear unless it was absolutely necessary, keeping defense in mind. Since the number of times they moved in and out was small, it was a center position that was relatively easy for Liza, who had little experience, to adapt to.

“But that position is mainly played by sword-and-shield gladiators. As you know, I use a katana [a Japanese sword], just like Instructor.”

“That’s right. But you also use throwing knives.”

Liza made an awkward expression. Throwing knives were also a weapon that didn’t suit the rear-guard center.

“What does that have to do with the rear-guard center?”

Beom-seok glanced at Nikita in the rear. Her ultimate skill was the Bigeokchang [a long-range spear attack], a technique that attacked opponents from the rear with a 4-meter-long spear.

Although the results of data reading had decreased a lot recently, it was still a threat to the opponent. If they were not careful, they could be hit by the flying spear and immediately become incapacitated.

“Throw throwing knives along with Nikita’s Bigeokchang. Then you’ll be able to achieve some results.”

Liza rolled her eyes and nodded. If throwing knives flew along with the Bigeokchang, it seemed like it would be very effective. She had brought a total of five throwing knives with her. Even if only one of them succeeded, she could outwardly be seen as having faithfully fulfilled the role of the center. Kill points were a major measure of evaluating a gladiator’s ability.

“Ah. I see. I understand what you mean.”

“Okay. Then you have to do well this time.”

Beom-seok patted her on the shoulder and left the formation, standing on the right side of the arena. He had to play free-roam in this Round 3.

– Peeep!

With the sound of a long whistle, Beom-seok attempted a jump without any hesitation. There were two sword-and-shield users marking him across the downtown area, but he didn’t care. Sword-and-shield users inevitably held a one-handed sword, so their attack range was shorter than the spear he was holding.

Almost reaching the other side, he immediately twisted his waist and swung his spear violently left and right.

Whoosh. Bang, bang.

After the rough collision sound, the markers staggered back. Taking advantage of this, Beom-seok landed on the ground and stirred the spear tips left and right, preventing them from approaching. To ensure free movement, he had to avoid turning his back to the downtown area. He quickly moved to the left, leaving the stream behind to face the next markers.

“Heh heh. You’re going to face me?”

The ones facing him were none other than gladiators number 2 and 4. They were in a position to protect the captain, but now they had no choice but to come out to stop Beom-seok.

The method most teams chose to deal with him was to mark him with two gladiators to buy time. Occasionally, they would deploy three gladiators to try to take him down, but that would put their base in danger.

They couldn’t face God’s Knights’ base with three people missing. Moreover, there were often many cases where those three were defeated by Beom-seok and lost in that round.

However, it had already been proven by previous match results that two ordinary gladiators could not effectively stop Beom-seok. Therefore, even if it meant exposing the captain to danger, they would have a guardian gladiator specializing in defense mark him. Those who had only honed their defense could sufficiently stop Beom-seok.

Gladiator number 2 glared sharply and shouted.

“We’ve already figured out Beom-seok’s plays. If you underestimate us, you’ll have to face us throughout Round 3.”

“Heh heh. Is that really going to be easy?”

“You’ll probably know if you experience it.”

Gladiator number 2, who spoke confidently, began to drive him to one side with her teammate, gladiator number 4. It was to carry out the strategy they had set up in preparation for Beom-seok coming out as a free-roamer.

‘If we can take down Beom-seok this time, we can definitely win this round. But if we fail, our team is done for.’

Gladiator number 2’s gaze was directed towards their own base, which was blocking God’s Knights’ base from the iron bridge. Inside, gladiator number 7 was taking out a bow for a surprise attack. No matter how good Beom-seok was, he wouldn’t have eyes on his back, so if they did well, they could succeed in the snipe.

She repeated attacking and retreating, luring Beom-seok’s gaze.

Clang. Bang. Clang.

The sounds of successive impacts echoed throughout the arena. Gladiators number 2 and 4 rushed at Beom-seok aggressively, even at the risk of danger. The team would lose the moment he noticed the sniping operation.

“Ouch!”

Beom-seok’s spear tip grazed the side of gladiator number 4. She managed to avoid the attack, but she hurriedly threw herself away from the spear.

She knew that a slashing attack by the crescent blade would follow. But because she had moved so hastily, her body was slightly off balance. Sensing this, he swung his spear greatly, aiming for gladiator number 4’s waist.

“Go!”

With a bang, Beom-seok’s spear was blocked by gladiator number 2’s shield. They had been the main guardian gladiators together for over a decade, and their teamwork was excellent. It was impossible to break their defensive posture with ordinary attacks.

Meanwhile, far away, gladiator number 7 was pulling back the bowstring, aiming the arrow at Beom-seok’s back. The distance was right, and his movements were limited, so she thought she could snipe him sufficiently.

And a smile was drawn on the lips of gladiator number 7, who had finished all the aiming.

‘What! Instructor is in danger!’

Gladiator number 7’s actions were detected by Liza. The vanguards of the Flying Ogres were systematically covering her, but the arrow tip, shining between the shoulders, was exposed to the outside.

Liza urgently pointed to gladiator number 5, one of the vanguards, and shouted to Nikita.

“Nikita. Instructor is in danger! Quickly, fire the Bigeokchang at that person’s head!”

Not knowing what was going on, Nikita hurriedly fired the Bigeokchang at gladiator number 5. She couldn’t just stand by when Beom-seok was in danger. Soon, the long spear quickly flew towards the face of gladiator number 5, who was facing Oscar.

“Wh, what!”

Gladiator number 5 hurriedly lowered her head at the sudden spear attack. Her weapon was already in a power struggle against Oscar’s greatsword, so she couldn’t easily pull it out. But this was a mistake.

Because she dodged, gladiator number 7’s sniping appearance was exposed to the outside, and through the empty space, one of the throwing knives that Liza threw was flying with a sharp sound.

Soon, a dull sound was heard next to gladiator number 7’s helmet, and at the same time, the bowstring that had been pulled back was released, and the arrow flew into the right shoulder of gladiator number 9, who was standing next to her.

Thwack. Thud.

Gladiator number 9, who had been team-killed and lost his right arm, looked at gladiator number 5 with resentful eyes. She had clearly seen that the path had been opened and gladiator number 7 and herself had been hit because she had dodged the spear attack.

“Hey! What are you doing! How can you dodge there!”

“I, I’m sorry. I didn’t know either.”

But gladiator number 5 couldn’t help it either. She had never imagined that a throwing knife would fly in after the Bigeokchang and take out gladiator number 7.

‘Okay. This is the time!’

Oscar, seizing the opportunity, pushed gladiator number 5 away with all his might. He knew that she was not focusing on him because she was talking to gladiator number 9. Oscar immediately slammed gladiator number 5 to the ground and slammed his greatsword down hard towards the center of the Flying Ogres’ base.

“Good job. Oscar!”

As Oscar’s powerful blow greatly shook the opponent’s formation, Shaila and Rafine pushed in with all their might. As the centers of God’s Knights followed and entered, the Flying Ogres’ formation split in two and quickly began to retreat. And by the time they reached the end of the iron bridge, they couldn’t hold out any longer, and some of the Flying Ogres gladiators fell backwards.

“That’s it. Now’s the time! Wipe them all out!”

Following Seiya’s cry, the God’s Knights gladiators rushed out and swept through the Flying Ogres team’s base. Some tried to hold out, but the formation itself had collapsed, so there was nothing they could do.

– God’s Knights! They’re amazing! As soon as they seized the opportunity, they destroyed the Flying Ogres’ formation all at once.

– That’s right. If this happens, the Flying Ogres have no chance. The round score is 2 to 0. And they’ve been driven to the point of completely giving up Round 3, so the away fans who came all the way here to cheer them on must be feeling terrible.

– Yes. That’s right. Anyway, Liza’s performance was great in this Round 3 as well.

– Of course. She threw a throwing knife and took out gladiator number 7, who was trying to snipe Beom-seok, so that’s how we got to this situation. No matter how you look at it, if this match ends like this, Liza will probably be the MVP.

Beom-seok, hearing the commentators’ conversation, breathed a sigh of relief. There had been an attempt to snipe him, which made him feel dizzy. He had been so focused on numbers 2 and 4 that he hadn’t paid attention to his back.

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

It’s hot. It’s cool outside at night, but why is my room so hot…….. Ah. That’s why I hate summer. ㅠㅠ.

Everyone, be careful of the early summer heat. Have a nice day. I’ll see you again tomorrow.