Chapter 208. The First Match (1)

It was the first day of the tournament. The participants were in their respective waiting areas, finalizing their strategies or mentally preparing themselves.

Teams waiting for their next match or the one after stared blankly at the screens.

[Match - 1]

[Team Battle - Balloon Stars VS. Fearless Deer]

The first match was between Fearless Deer and Balloon Stars. After all the champions were banned, the players finally joined the battlefield.

"Woah… What's that?"

"They call it the All Dive System. Wow...."

"Ugh, what are we gonna do…?"

"Thank God, it's not our first match."

The players were surprised by the All Dive System because the audience also appeared around the battlefield. This system completely changed the game’s atmosphere.

After witnessing the new system's impact, some participants grew nervous and started stretching. Stretching in virtual reality had no real meaning, but they did it anyway. Others listened to music alone or took deep breaths to relax.

Among them, one person was using a unique method to relieve tension.

"... Hey, what are you doing?"

It was ForeverAlone.

"Hmm? Me? I'm practicing."

ForeverAlone confidently told his teammates that he was meditating. Then he flipped a page through the magazine.

One of his teammates picked up the magazine he was looking at.

'Full Dive... into Miho...'

Miho's picture was prominently displayed on the cover. It looked like she was the model for this magazine. In addition, there were various pictorials of Miho, including some that required payment to view.

“Sigh.”

It was baffling to think this was ForeverAlone’s way of training. If someone didn't know Miho and saw this, they would have other thoughts.

"Oh... Good luck. I'm not sure if doing this will make you better..."

"Thanks."

ForeverAlone’s teammates understood why he was training.

“I'm sure you won't be able to do anything if I wear the Pool Party skin.”

Those words shook ForeverAlone’s mind.

‘How did she know?’

Miho knew how to counter the Challenger mid-laner, ForeverAlone. Even though he had reached Challenger at age 19, he was being played by a Platinum rank.

"... Get used to it. Get used to it."

ForeverAlone was trying to familiarize himself to ensure that other strategies wouldn't work on him. Regrettably, he wanted to buy her underwear or bikini photos, but couldn't because he was underaged.

'It's a shame. I'm disappointed that I couldn't do the training properly.'

ForeverAlone continued to regret as he told others that it was for his training. After taking his eyes off the magazine, ForeverAlone looked at the screen and felt surprised.

"Huh? Why isn't it Miho?"

The mid-laner for Balloon Stars wasn’t Miho.

"Tsk. Tsk. You were probably distracted by the magazines," one of his teammates teased him.

ForeverAlone hadn’t paid attention to their conversations at all.

“What’s going on?”

***

Tomato, the mid-laner for Fearless Deer, wore a troubled expression.

'Oh, he's really playing mid.'

In the distance, he could see Almond stretching.

“Hey, I think Almond is playing mid. What do we do with our plan? We wanted to focus on developing mid and killing the ADC.”

“Almond is mid for sure?”

“Yeah, I can see him over there.”

“Sigh... I had a feeling. Shit.”

The player who sighed was Pepper, the Grandmaster jungler and their team leader.

'He already read our strategies?'

Pepper believed they had successfully prepared a combination to trick Almond's team into thinking they were targeting Bubblegum.

'Tako… he even shaved his head. We can't underestimate him.'

They couldn’t outsmart the ex-pro’s experience.

“Oh well. The ban pick got a bit messed up, but it's fine. We just need to switch our plan to kill StrawberryShooter instead.”

“So we go with the same plan? I'll do my best to counter it.”

“Yeah, I’ll destroy the mid. But can you handle the counter?”

The basic plan to kill the ADC remained the same. The only issue was the champion that Swift was up against.

'I didn't consider the Ninja.'

Fearless Deer didn't expect Balloon Stars to change positions and come out with Storm Ninja as the hard counter because Miho couldn't play the Ninja.

'I thought the worst she would pick was the Leprechaun.'

Pepper believed that Miho would pick the Leprechaun and didn’t expect Almond to switch to the Ninja.

'Maybe I should've paid more attention to the scrims.'

Pepper wasn't a professional player and couldn't keep track of all of the scrim games. As a result, he hadn’t expected Almond's pick in the mid-lane.

Even if Pepper had known, it would have been too late in the quick ban-pick phase.

“I'm also a master at Storm Ninja. Do you think I'll be countered?”

Thankfully, Tomato showed confidence in his main champion.

“Well, that's good news.”

“Hey, by the way, I'm so nervous with the audience watching.”

“Me too…”

It seemed like it would take some time to adapt since it was their first match with the new system. Players could see the audience even when fighting monsters.

It didn't feel like playing LIL, but rather like participating in an official Olympic match.

***

"Now, the first match with the new All Dive System! The players must be feeling quite nervous, right?"

"Right? This will be the first game players have such an immersive match. It's our first time too! We might not even need offline matches anymore!"

"Yeah, the world is truly evolving!"

"Now we can do everything at home!"

"Hmm hmm," the analyst politely interrupted with a cough as the commentators focused on the new system.

"What are some key points we should focus on, OrangeKing?"

"At first, I thought it would be a top-dive combination, but after all the picks, it turned out to be a strategy to counter the Swift."

"Ah, so Tako's champion picks were a bold move?"

"Yes, you could say it was a good catch. We need to focus on how Fearless Deer handles those ban picks."

"Well, that professional analysis is great too, but what about the other things? Any exciting points to look out for?" the commentator interrupted.

"Ah, this is a dream matchup for solo queue warriors! The clash of the Storm Ninja vs. Swift! Both will display incredibly flashy combat, right? Of course, Swift's full potential only unlocks after Level 6."

"Yes, that's right. It's definitely an unusual sight in professional matches."

"Right, they both lack stability at the professional level. Unless it was JeonJaPa playing, it’s going to be hard.”

"They have such a big difference in their effectiveness. That's what makes it even more interesting. Ninja dominates until Level 6, but once they reach around Level 7 or 8, the table turns," the caster chuckled.

"So Level 6 is the turning point for everyone, right OrangeKing?"

"That's right. Swift unlocks his full potential at Level 6. At that point, he can use both swords and transforms into an entirely different character. It's a duel between the spear and a drill."

The caster turned toward the analyst and asked excitedly, "By the way, sir!"

"Yes?"

"Almond! Almond's rank has skyrocketed! What do you think about this? Did you anticipate this?!"

It was because the analyst wearing red glasses always emphasized the need to verify Almond's skills.

The analyst pushed up his red glasses and smiled, "Well, I had an inkling around the middle of the practice period. I was thinking he would reach Diamond in no time."

"Wow!" Kim Sang-Hoon, the caster, reacted in surprise.

The viewers and the audience also laughed.

— LOL

— Looks like the verification is done.

— It's like getting a professional certificate! So difficult, OMG.

At that moment, the first clash occurred.

"Oh! Did this happen while we were chatting for a moment?" OrangeKing immediately shifted the conversation, and the audience turned toward the mid-lane.

"Something's going on in the mid-lane!"

"No way. Why is there so much CS difference over there?"

***

Clank!!!

Sparks flew as the shuriken and blade clashed.

Swift the Flashy Blade, recoiled back.

‘What is with this aim…?’

Tomato was surprised as he faced Almond for the first time.

Almond skillfully evaded the minions’ attacks and even took the opportunity to throw shurikens at him.

Tomato couldn't last hit the minions because he had to deflect those incoming attacks. After dodging, the minions he planned on killing were already killed by Almond.

'What's with this accuracy?'

It felt drastically different from the Storm Ninjas he had seen before. Usually, these shurikens were only used to scare other players away. However, this guy's shurikens were coming at Tomato with the intent to kill. Was that the reason?

[Tomato]

[Minion Kill x3]

Tomato only managed to kill three minions, but it was a different story for Almond.

[Almond]

[Minion Kill x21]

Almond had killed 21 minions so far. Not a single one was left after they all died from Almond's last hits.

“What is going on? Is everything fine with all those shurikens?]

“Hmm… It would be a problem in a professional match. For now, he can handle it.”

“Oh, is he handling it? Wouldn’t that be a positive take on what’s happening?”

“You're right. It’ll be quite challenging for Tomato to handle this alone.”

“Tomato is a master at Swift and is ranked Diamond I. How is this even possible?!”

The audience started booing as the commentators tried to brush off the situation.

— Booooo...!

— Booooooo!!!

Tomato flinched. Even though he couldn't hear the commentators, he could hear the crowd's reaction.

Whoosh!

Blood spurted out at that moment. A shuriken was embedded in his shoulder.

— He’s going to die from the warning shots!!!

— Player Almond! Your shurikens have no mercy. You haven't even learned Storm Shuriken yet, but you're throwing them around like a ninja!

Tomato bit his lips.

— Booooo!

— Give back your diamond rank!

— DieTomato!

— Almond! Almond! Almond!

The audience continued booing.

"Ugh, just wait a bit, you brats."

Almond's sharp attacks slightly surprised Tomato, but he was still Diamond tier. His Swift was not entirely powerless in the early game.

'It all depends on how you use it.'

The early advantage of Swift was his passive ability called Blade Vitality, which automatically activated every few seconds.

Pzzzzzt!

Energy surged through the blade's tip, transforming the short sword into a magnificent longsword.

Tomato swiftly moved forward. Almost at the same time—

"Oh, what?!"

Slash!

Almond hadn’t anticipated the attack, and the sword struck.

[Health: 82%]

A single blow dealt massive damage.

Tomato was skilled with his champion. He used the blade's reach and perfectly succeeded in attacking Almond. This play required precise positioning, and everything could change with this one attack.

The damage from Swift was on a different level compared to just nibbling away with shurikens.

"Hahaha! That's how you exchange damage!"

Swifts often used this play. They dealt damage using their passive, threw their blade back, and fled.

All Tomato had to do was throw his blade toward his turret and teleport away.

Swoosh!

He threw his blade, which quickly flew toward the turret. If Tomato escaped like this, then he would have the advantage, but—

"?!"

Clash!!!

"... What the…?"

Something came flying and knocked down the flying blade.

The audience was surprised. Even Tomato couldn't react and continued using the skill.

[Flash]

Zoom!

Tomato only moved about three centimeters. It was embarrassing how short of a distance he covered after using Flash.

"What the f…"

Almond was waiting ahead after Tomato moved so little.

"... F-uck?!"

Chaaak!

Almond's sword slashed Tomato's neck.

[Critical Hit!]

[HP 77%]

A series of continuous slashes followed.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

[Critical Hit!]

[HP 53%]

[Critical Hit!]

[HP 32%]

Almond threw his shurikens as if he had been waiting for this day.

Tomato seemed shocked and couldn't properly block any of the strikes. Almond’s sword strikes also came at strange trajectories that he couldn’t make out.

Tomato was still only Level 1. Besides the Flash skill, he had nothing else while that skill was on cooldown for 12 seconds. In LIL, 12 seconds could result in the summoner dying three times.

However, he couldn't just run away either. There was a reason why Swift without Flash was called slow as a meme.

"No, no!! Damn… Wait!"

Slash! Slash!

Tomato tried to fend off Almond by raising his palms as if to stop him, but he eventually died.

[First Blood!]

The voice echoed throughout the battlefield, and a thunderous roar shook the arena.

— WOW!

“Almond~!!!!”

“What just happened?”

Like the commentators, the chat also erupted with madness.