Season 3: Chapter 224. Our ADC Almond (1)

Hovering above the battlefield, Japan's great commander Ringo waved his hands to constantly change formations. However, he bit his lip after things didn’t go as planned.

‘It's not easy. As expected from young blood.’

Ringo, one of the younger commanders, rarely lost in these so-called "hand-to-hand" battles.

His opponent's responses felt like facing a living army. Like a school of small fish in the ocean instantly gathering and scattering as if they were a single large organism. That was what Joseon felt like.

‘Certainly... it wasn't like this.’

It didn't feel like this when he faced Cookie during scrimmages.

‘Ugh.’

Although it was hard to tell where he was looking, Ringo's eyes seemed to be directed at his main base. His fingers moved as he controlled several workers. While engaging in these formation battles, he couldn't afford to delay their progression to the third era.

‘From the analysis, the opponent never fell behind in era progression.’

Ringo had thoroughly analyzed Best Yi Sun-Shin. He had anticipated her reappearance, but didn't expect her to appear from the beginning.

‘I haven't even warmed up yet.’

Determined not to fall behind in era progression, he gritted his teeth and controlled both production and the battlefield simultaneously.

As both forces kept changing their formations and used the space to their advantage, a flash of realization hit Ringo.

‘Now.’

Finally—

[Attack]

Ting!

He gave an attack order to all the swordsmen.

***

The swordsmen began to run.

“Charge!”

The vice commander, Yamato, drew his sword while on horseback.

Swish!

“The enemy is cornered!”

Joseon's archers were back-to-back in a circle and completely surrounded by Japan's swordsmen.

Moreover, the dense forest with its trees and rocks favored the Japanese. Archers couldn't exert their true strength in such terrain unless they could effectively use curved shots.

‘They showed a turnaround with curved shots in the Viking match... but we know.’

Yamato thought back to the video of Joseon's match. The think tank and Japan's command had already figured it out.

‘It was possible only from that position.’

Joseon had used a clever tactic with their map selection. It took Japan several scrimmages to figure it out.

‘Who would have thought they chose the map considering that the position wouldn’t change.’

Using the map selection and ultimately succeeding with such drive and courage. Cookie was truly a crazy person.

‘But Cookie isn't here.’

Thinking that, he commanded the swordsmen.

“Approach while taking cover behind the trees!”

Clop, clop!

He rode his horse around the perimeter of the encirclement, partly to command the swordsmen but also to find an opportunity to charge in.

Creak.

As one of the swordsmen entered the range, a Joseon archer drew his bow.

‘Not targeting me?’

The archer wasn't looking at Yamato at all. Nor were the other archers.

‘I can go in and disrupt them.’

No one was marking him. Yamato pushed his horse forward.

“Hyah!”

Charging in and disrupting their formation would ensure a 100% victory for Japan in this battle.

However—

‘What?’

One man drew his bow at the forefront. It was a familiar face.

Yamato finally recognized the person.

‘Almond!’

The guy who talked nonsense in interviews, but also the one who shot brilliantly with a bow. The only one who could shoot curved shots freely!

The command's judgment was:

‘Do not engage with him.’

Getting riled up by him would ruin everything. Yamato knew this well and didn't intend to be led by him, but—

‘It's a good angle.’

Yamato faced an irresistible temptation. They offered such a clear angle to charge and kill Almond, who had made all Japanese shorter by 10 cm in one stroke!

He didn’t think any further. Why was the enemy’s ace giving him such an easy angle?

‘What?’

***

A few minutes ago, Joseon's archers felt confused.

“We’re getting surrounded?”

“Did we lose the formation battle?”

The more the formations changed, the more it turned into a favorable situation for Japan. Enemies gradually surrounded and overwhelmed them.

Carrot murmured in awe, “They're moving too flexibly...”

The more Joseon moved, the more they got stuck like insects in a spider's web. They felt like they had only two choices: completely retreat from the lake or fight surrounded.

This was due to the presence of the vice commanders. Joseon’s vice commander had the Hawk Release skill, but Japan’s vice commander also had a vision related faction skill.

[Sharp Senses]

This skill could visualize vibrations from just footsteps for a certain period. It applied in a straight line and allowed Japan’s vice commander to see far. This information was also displayed to the chief commander.

While using this skill, Japan's commander could move with more information than Joseon's.

“Isn't our vice commander coming?” Carrot muttered anxiously and bit her lip.

It seemed reasonable for the vice commander to arrive given the battle’s importance, but they hadn't yet.

At that moment, the enemies appeared.

“They're coming!”

All the archers flinched at her shout.

They all tried to draw their bows, but hesitated.

“Wait. There’s no command yet...”

They hadn’t received any commands.

Joseon's first shot was very important and would take three seconds of focus. Therefore, they didn't shoot without the commander's or the leader's order.

“Hold,” their leader Almond calmly instructed.

However, the tension in the air was unavoidable.

Thump, thump.

They couldn’t tell if the sound was their heartbeat or the enemy's footsteps. Everyone stared at the approaching forest without blinking.

The Japanese swordsmen slowly advanced, moving from tree to tree. Their mounted vice commander could also be seen.

“They're in range,” one of the archers said nervously.

Almond’s response remained the same.

“Wait!”

The command hadn't come yet.

“Wait...”

They had to wait.

There was always a reason.

Then, the command came to Almond.

[Do not look, just aim]

‘Don’t look... just aim?’

Almond felt puzzled by this command. No matter how blindly he followed commands, he couldn’t just aim without looking. He couldn’t simply follow it thoughtlessly. It wasn't a matter of will, but of ability.

However—

“!”

Swish...

A path was drawn in the air. The commander wanted him to aim along this path.

‘A curved shot.’

It was an extremely curved shot. He couldn't see where it led, but he knew it was aimed at the vice commander approaching from the side. This would lure in Japan’s vice commander with a clear path.

Other archers aimed at other soldiers. Only Almond received this special command and operation.

Normally, they wouldn’t go to such lengths. However, Joseon’s commander had set a careful trap for the enemy vice commander.

‘Then...’

Creak.

Almond drew his bow and stood still. He held his stance like a statue to aim perfectly.

Woong...

The commander gave the order after the focus light gathered for three seconds.

[Fire]

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Swish.

Almond released his arrow so smoothly as if it had never been drawn. Even his allies didn’t notice.

The arrow pierced through the silence toward the first victim of the battlefield.

Swish!

It curved extremely in an unexpected trajectory.

And—

“!?”

Bang!

A white light burst from the head of the enemy’s vice commander, Yamato, who was charging from the flank.

“Ugh...!”

His horse stumbled from the shock and he fell.

Thud.

He was dismounted, but it didn't end there.

[Kill]

Swish!

More arrows flew as Almond rapidly shot.

“!”

Bang!

Two more arrows pierced the enemy’s head.

“Waaahhhhh!”

Cheers erupted from the stands.

‘Already? From the start?!’

Yamato’s vision changed as his soul rose higher and he looked down at his fallen body. He had died.

[Hawk Release]

Joseon's hawk also soared into the sky.

Whistle!

***

“A curved shot?” Pang asked.

There was no one in front of him to answer.

[Cookie]

Instead, these words appeared and a voice could be heard.

“Yes. Our conclusion was to practice curved shots more.”

Despite being in the hospital, the think tank and Cookie led the practice. They planned to improve the adaptation with Best Yi Sun-Shin participating in the training.

“But only Almond and I can really do that. Can practice make it possible?”

“Why subtly include yourself?”

Laughter erupted around.

“No, I can really shoot now.”

“Then, I'm also an investment expert.”

“...?”

“I've made some money a few times. Though I lost it all again.”

“Hey... this guy...”

“But...” Cookie added to boost the leader's morale, “Veterans like Pang are certainly skilled at bridging the gap between practice and actual combat.”

Everyone nodded.

Although Pang's practice performance was the lowest, he showed concentration at crucial moments.

“Pang's curved shots are different from Almond's and the Persians' renowned three archers. Although his practice performance was the lowest, he could perform in real combat because of that difference.”

Cookie began to explain in earnest.

“The difference is whether they can adjust the curve angle from any position or if they have fixed angles they use when in specific spots. Pang is the latter and Almond is the former.

Everyone glanced at Almond. Their eyes seemed to question how that was possible.

“We’ll aim for the latter. Even that would be quite helpful in overcoming forest terrain.”

At this, Carrot raised her hand.

“Um...!”

“Hm?”

“We've tried it before, but it's hard to judge the distance of the trees or the enemy’s position. It's too difficult to determine the angle.”

“That's a valid point.”

From a soldier's perspective, it was challenging to gauge the distance to a tree and even harder to judge the curve angle needed.

“That's something only experienced archers can internalize over time... It's definitely tough and practically impossible right now.

“Then...”

Carrot looked puzzled. If it was impossible, why practice it? They didn’t have much time before the Japan match.

“Don’t worry about that.”

“?”

“Our new commander will show you the way.”

At that time, the archers thought Sa-Rang would introduce a new training method.

‘Does Best Yi Sun-Shin also know how to shoot curved shots?’

‘No way.’

‘How is she going to train us?’

‘Not more running drills...’

***

‘This was it!?’

Pang watched the scene unfold with wide eyes.

Whistle!

[Hawk Release]

As the hawk soared, golden circles spread on the ground.

Chiiing...

Centered on the group of Joseon archers, numerous overlapping circles resembling targets spread out. This helped them to measure the distance.

The circles delivered a single command to everyone.

[Curved Shot Attack]

The command didn't end there.

Ting!

Ting!

Tiding!

[Target]

[Target]

[Target]

[Target]

Numerous attack pings indicated the positions of the Japanese barbarian soldiers and swordsmen hiding behind dense trees.

Each Joseon soldier received only one ping.

[Target]

Each archer aimed at a single target.

Creak.

They only needed to focus on one arrow and one path.

Swish...

The other soldiers could now see the paths drawn for Almond. They had repeatedly practiced these few curved angles.

[Aim]

Swish—

All the Joseon archers turned to their respective targets and aimed with piercing eyes.

[Fire]

They released their arrows simultaneously.

Baaang!!!

A white light pierced through the forest and instantly lit up the woods.