Season 3: Chapter 228. The Crime of Leaving the Island (2)

When the caster first mentioned this, not everyone understood it clearly.

"Ah, now... I have received word that the map for the next match has already been decided?"

The preparations for the second match hadn't even started, yet the map had been decided already. However, seasoned users familiar with the quarterfinals quickly caught on.

— Could it be?

— It’s here

— Wow...

— Crazy, haha

— SkyToss? Ocean Joseon is coming!!

— Row when the tide is in, haha

A map was always included in at least one match of the quarterfinals.

"They say it's an ocean map."

The ocean map was announced for the next match. Following this, excited posts flooded the chat and gaming communities.

[Let's go to the Battle of Myeongnyang]

[Wow, real naval warfare? Haha, awesome]

[This is a must-see~ haha]

[AGAIN 1597]

[Info: The South Sea is salty because of Japanese pee]

[Yi Sun-Shin resurrected]

***

The Ocean Map featured mostly water terrain, which was defined as having more than 50% of the map covered in ocean. This made ships necessary to reach the enemy camp. If a land route existed, it wasn't considered an ocean map even if 70% of the map was ocean.

The game company treated ocean maps as special because battles on them differed significantly from those in

Civil Empire

. Naval battles with ships and ground battles with spears and swords were entirely different, causing a dramatic shift in the balance between civilizations on ocean maps.

Historically, ocean maps were criticized for poor balancing. In the first international

Civil Empire

tournament, France’s naval dominance ensured their victory whenever an ocean map was featured. Despite patches, civilizations like Spain and England remained overwhelmingly strong in naval warfare.

Recently, they claimed to have somewhat balanced ocean maps. However, due to this history, they pre-announced ocean maps from the quarterfinals onward. Teams would know about the ocean map before the match began, allowing them to prepare accordingly.

"An ocean map? Yes... this is a chance for a comeback."

The Japanese think tank and commander Ringo seemed quite pleased. In contrast, Joseon felt a sense of inevitability.

"An ocean map..."

Expectations were high due to Korea’s associations with turtle ships,

panokseon

(a Korean warship), and the Imjin War. However, Joseon didn’t particularly have an advantage on ocean maps compared to Japan. This was evident in the Embul community, a hardcore

Civil Empire

fans forum.

[People excited about the ocean map are all newbies, haha]

[I'm worried about the ocean map]

[Newbies think we’ll win because of turtle ships, haha, it’s frustrating]

[The players must be stressed; Joseon is bad at sea, haha]

[We won the first game cleanly, but this sucks]

Unlike other communities like LIL Pro, some comments even suggested that Joseon's momentum from the first game would be dampened. One comment highlighted the reasons clearly.

— Joseon's ships slow down as they travel further, so they struggle on long-distance maps.

└ Seriously, people think Yi Sun-Shin will come fight for them, haha...

└ Haha, Joseon is only good at defense at sea.

First, Joseon had a flat-bottomed ship issue. Their main ships had flat bottoms, which were good for turning but slowed down the further they got from shore. They were designed to defend local waters, not to invade distant territories. Then, there was the food problem.

— Japan has a 15% boost in fish yield on ocean maps.

└ True... the opponent is Japan, a marine nation. It’s tough...

└ They lost the lake in the last game and now it's an ocean map, haha, there’s no way we’re favored...

On ocean maps, Japan's Island Nation faction was always active. This provided them with a constant boost to fish yield, eliminating food shortages. It was similar to how Joseon was powerful on mountain maps with their Mountain Tribe faction always active.

While many theories and discussions floated around, the outcome was still uncertain. Joseon could lose on a mountain map and Japan or Spain could lose on an ocean map. Even with hundreds of ships and elite navy forces, a nation could suffer a catastrophic defeat.

With just thirteen surviving ships, a nation could achieve a legendary victory that would be remembered forever. Such extreme outcomes in a nation's military history, like the Battle of Chilchonryang and the Battle of Myeongnyang, showed that war was always unpredictable.

Almost 500 years later, reenacting those battles still left the results uncertain.

[Joseon vs Japan Quarterfinals Game 2 Broadcast]

"Hello, everyone! This is Goseradome in Osaka! We're here for the Korea-Japan match! I'm caster Kim Sang-Hoon, and..."

***

Whether Joseon was truly at a disadvantage or not on ocean maps didn't matter. A naval battle between Joseon and Japan was perfect for drawing in viewers.

[esports reenactment of the Imjin War]

[Korea vs Japan naval battle imminent]

["Turtle Ship" to appear in Korea-Japan match, Japan "trembles"]

News outlets covered the upcoming naval battle even before the game started. The first match won by Joseon drew even more viewers.

[Current Viewers: 928,000]

— Look at all the people, haha

— Wow

— Is this the Korea-Japan match?! Is this the Korea-Japan match?!

— Mom! I want to be the Korea-Japan match when I grow up! Mom! I want to be the Korea-Japan match when I grow up!

— We might hit a million, haha

— A million people ready for national pride, haha

— Came to watch after the first win, haha

— No more worries about internal injuries, so I came to watch, haha

The Korea-Japan match garnered significant attention, causing a spike in viewership. Others avoided it because they didn't want to see Korea lose.

"The first game of the quarterfinals ended with a win for Joseon! The preparations for the second game are almost complete. The atmosphere here is heated!"

Korea’s clean win in the first game allowed many viewers to join with ease. The energy was unprecedented even in the history of

Civil Empire

and domestic game broadcasts.

"Yes! The viewer count is so high that we might need to switch servers! That's what people are saying!"

"Indeed! All the communities and even the streets are cheering for Korea! It’s hard to believe this is

Civil Empire

! The excitement is incredible!"

"Why do you think more people are joining now?"

"In soccer, viewership increases if a goal is scored in the first half! The same goes here!"

The cheers from the audience were so loud that the commentators had to shout continuously, adding to the festive atmosphere.

"That's right! It makes it more enjoyable to watch!"

"Of course! We shouldn't be complacent yet, but Joseon played exceptionally well in the first game! They hardly had any weak points!"

"Yes! Japan is traditionally a strong competitor in the International tournament, but Joseon held its ground! We’re even hoping for a 3-0 victory!"

"Indeed, as a fan of

Civil Empire

, it would be exciting to see all five matches. However, as a Korean, we honestly want a clean 3-0 victory!"

— Haha, true

— A clean 3-0 seems impossible

— Please, 3-0

— Based on the first game, it’s possible

— But we don’t know with the ocean map

"Ah, the enthusiastic support from our red monsters in the audience is being shown!"

— Red monsters, haha

— The ad effect is strong

— They're lucky, haha

The commentators gave a brief overview and the screen showed many audience members. The focus was on celebrities and well-known faces.

— Isn’t that Miho?

— Wow, it’s Miho

— This is the country

— This is a win for Korea!

The Balloon Stars members appeared. Miho was cheering in the stands and drew a huge cheer, mostly from men.

— It’s like the army, haha

— Wow, haha, it’s crazy

— Their voices are insane, haha

— Haha

"Ah, Miho, a model and streamer! She looks stunning today cheering as a red monster! She’s like a red devil!"

"Yes! If she’s that kind of devil, even the Japanese might sell their souls!"

"Would they hand over some factions then?"

"Probably! They might even share keys if she asks!"

— What are they saying? haha

— Haha

— Why would they give factions?

— And keys, haha

— Haha

— There’s the real devil

"Keys? Are you talking about..."

"No, I meant keys like faction research lab keys."

"Oh~ keys! Everyone, keys! As in car keys! Just to clarify!"

The caster smoothly transitioned into the main topic of the second game.

"So, OrangeKing, there’s a lot of talk and anticipation with the announcement of the ocean map for the second game! What do you think?"

"Yes, actually, contrary to what many people expect, Joseon isn’t that strong on ocean maps. They have a defensive advantage, but..."

— Huh?

— Really?

— The developers are out to get us

— Ah, developers!

— Why?

— Now I’m nervous

OrangeKing explained the various pros and cons of the ocean map.

"That’s because..."

Meanwhile, all the preparations for the second game finally finished.

***

In the players’ waiting room, Sang-Hyeon breathed deeply with a cold towel over his head and stared at the floor. Behind him were several elite archers and swordsmen. At the front, Sa-Rang and Chi-Seung reviewed the strategy.

"Here..."

Everyone looked at the spot on the map that Chi-Seung pointed to. Sang-Hyeon also raised his head to look. He committed the location to memory, knowing he wouldn’t see the map once the battle started. They made sure to fully prepare.

"The ocean map puts us at a fundamental disadvantage. If this strategy fails..."

Chi-Seung didn’t need to finish the sentence.

"Players, get ready!"

It was time for the players to enter. They gathered and shouted a cheer before heading out. Sang-Hyeon tossed the white towel into a basket and walked toward the stadium.

Thud! Thud...!

The drum's vibrations could be felt across the ground.

"Wowwww!"

Bright lights and cheers greeted the players. Sang-Hyeon walked out into the light, followed by Sa-Rang in her wheelchair. The cheers grew louder.

"Almond! Almond!"

"Best Yi Sun-Shin! Best Yi Sun-Shin!"

The audience waved, trying to get their attention. However, their eyes remained fixed ahead. Their expressions looked more tense than usual. The only thing that made this duo nervous was their unique physical condition.

‘Let’s finish it in three games.’

‘We need to win in three games.’

They had the same thought. A thought they couldn’t share with the other players. They believed that they would lose the Korea-Japan match if they couldn’t win in three games.