Season 3: Chapter 241. Not Much Time Left (3)

Before the game started, Sang-Hyeon checked himself.

'It feels like I don’t have much time left.'

The new optimization settings provided by the doctor naturally had their limits. Such optimization settings alone couldn't solve the problem.

'The second game was a bit too long.'

During the second game, Sang-Hyeon had been on guard constantly and attacked the enemy base alone. Even before that, the duel with Honda had drained much of his stamina. Before entering the capsule, he unconsciously glanced toward Sa-Rang.

"..."

Their eyes met. They seemed to be thinking the same thing.

***

"The game has started. We have Joseon in red on the west side at nine o'clock. And Japan in blue on the east side at three o'clock."

With the caster's announcement, cheers erupted from both sides of the audience. Drums and chants filled the air. Japan cheered for their last hope while Joseon burned brightly with the momentum to win this match. It could be the last game for either side.

"Joseon is officially playing on this map for the first time, right? OrangeKing, can you explain it to us?"

"Ah, yes. This is the Red Sands Oasis map modeled after the Sahara Desert. Since it's a desert, the biggest issue here will be food resources..."

As he mentioned, noticeably few animals could be seen in the desert.

"Ah, that's right. You can tell just by looking that there are very few animals!"

"Exactly. Instead, you can gather fruits and fish at the central oasis. Japan will definitely try to secure this area and Joseon will likely try to disrupt them."

In the middle of the endless arid desert was a large lake.

"Japan can't rely on animals for food. With so few animals, they're rushing to the center right from the start."

Just as OrangeKing said, many Japanese troops charged toward the lake. The lake in the center was a key concept of the map and they knew its location without additional scouting.

"Joseon is rushing in to disrupt Japan's fishing..."

Joseon would normally hunt animals, but it would be troublesome if Japan started fishing. They decided to head to the oasis too.

"Wow! Both sides are sending all two hundred troops in one direction from the start! This is rare!"

In the first era, clubs barely had any killing power and winning a battle provided little advantage. Forcing a push could result in many deaths at the town hall without ending the game. Therefore, teams rarely fought in the first era unless they had a specific goal besides ending the game.

"This lake is quite large. Both sides usually share it at first, right?"

"Yes! They usually share the oasis!"

"Rather than fighting immediately, they typically each take one side and gather resources. Of course, it's an alliance destined to break eventually... but now, neither side wants to yield!"

"Exactly."

"This isn't just Japan not wanting to yield! Joseon is being greedy and wants to deny Japan any access to the lake!"

"Ah, I see! Well, Japan will want to fish there no matter what!"

"That's right. It looks like there will be a first era battle... Let's see what happens."

Due to the lake's size, both sides usually shared it at first. However, Japan would gain a greater advantage with the island faction if both sides used the lake equally. Joseon couldn't tolerate this coexistence and prepared to fight.

"Both sides have reached the oasis! Japan isn’t aware of Joseon's movements and is innocently building a fishing dock first!"

Japan began constructing a fishing dock. Meanwhile, Joseon suddenly rushed toward the Japanese side in the east.

"They're really going in! Japan doesn't know yet!"

"They seem to have just realized!"

Joseon usually waited until the second era to fight, but pushed forward in the first era this time.

***

Ringo's eyes widened at the Joseon troops approaching.

'They're in a hurry?'

He had suspected Joseon would push hard this game. The Best Yi Sun-Shin he faced always had moments of emotional play. Although this was hidden by excellent command skills, she wasn't a commander who always made the right choices. This style had gaps when she rushed.

The opponent had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. Ringo's hands moved quickly.

[Move]

[Standby]

[Ambush]

[Move]

[Build Defense Tower]

Some troops moved forward, some stood by in certain spots, and others hid in the oasis bushes. More importantly, they started building a defense tower on the path to their fishing dock.

Then, they waited.

"Wowww!"

Barbarian soldiers clashed.

Thud!

Whack!

Clubs on both sides struck each other. Joseon had invested more troops and slightly began to push Japan.

[198/200]

The population initially maxed at 200, but dropped to 198. One side would get pushed back relentlessly once they started dying in a barbarian fight, yet Ringo didn't use his troops hiding for an ambush. Instead, he focused on finding something.

'Where are they...?'

He had already identified Joseon's usual actions during a first era attack.

[Sensory Boost]

The Japanese vice commanders could activate vision skills to assist in scouting. This skill temporarily extended the vice commander's vision far beyond the usual range. Although less convenient than flying a hawk, it lasted quite a while once activated.

It was useful for setting up formations or seeing beyond the opponent in a chaotic battle. Ringo's eyes fixed on a spot. Among many Joseon soldiers, some had split off and moved suspiciously.

'There it is.'

Ringo immediately gave the order.

[Attack]

The reserve troops rushed toward the spot.

***

Japan possessed their agility trait even in the barbarian era. This trait shone in melee combat. Even without it, they specialized in melee combat. In the first era, Joseon as a ranged civilization could not match them in a head-on fight.

"Wow, Ringo! It's like he wasn't surprised. His responses are perfect!"

"Japan has fewer troops here, but they're holding the line! They're not losing much ground!"

"Japan is very skilled in melee combat! If they engage directly, Joseon will lose!"

"Then why is Joseon fighting like this!?"

"Joseon must have a plan!"

"A plan!?"

"They're going to build defense towers!"

"Japan will target the workers... Ah!"

Joseon hadn't brought workers and didn't need them.

"It doesn't matter! Joseon soldiers can build!"

"Exactly! Any soldier can suddenly start building a defense tower!"

Workers would become immediate targets, but soldiers could be found everywhere in this chaos. Any of them could become workers. That was Joseon's advantage.

"Meanwhile, Japan's defense tower near the fishing dock is complete!"

The defense tower Japan started building early was already finished.

Twang!

Arrows started flying from the tower.

"Joseon needs to build a forward defense tower!"

"They're starting now!"

Joseon began constructing a defense tower.

"Isn't it too late!?"

It seemed like a late start, but then—

[Defense Tower - 17%]

Thunk!

The completion rate rose rapidly. The speed was no joke with a dozen soldiers working on it.

"Blink and it's at 20%! We're building without steel reinforcement! If it collapses, so be it~!"

— LOL

— Quick-build defense tower;

— Oh...

— LOL

— Alpha-male defense tower

— Wooden tower, obviously;

— Wood Reinforcement LOL

"Ah! But!"

OrangeKing's eyes widened as his uneasy premonition was confirmed. He had been concerned about Ringo's reserved troops.

"They might not finish building!"

A Japanese vice commander led their reserved barbarian troops and charged in. Mounted on a horse, the vice commander quickly approached and drove away the builders.

Thud!

[Defense Tower - 58%]

It was over halfway done, but several soldiers had to leave the defense tower’s construction site.

"Oh no! It's over if it collapses! This is different from not finishing it at all!"

— Collapsing means the end of the game~

— Oh no

— Ambush tactic;

— They didn't see it

More barbarian troops followed closely behind and disrupted the construction.

Thud!

Whack!

"Ah! Despite getting hit, they're still building! Why are Joseon's workers being treated like this!"

— LOL

— Stand tall and proud!

— Black company Joseon LOL

"Ah! But the speed is slowing!"

[Defense Tower - 66%]

Although they continued building with indomitable will, the construction speed slowed significantly due to the number of builders decreasing.

"Almond! Pang! They're just below there! If they join, Joseon will win the territorial fight!!"

Almond and Pang had come to enter the defense tower and ended up joining the barbarian fight.

"The first string archers are joining the fight!?"

"Shouldn't they stay out of the barbarian battle!?"

Major troops usually avoided barbarian fights to prevent disrupting the game’s flow if they died.

"Exactly! But there's no time to worry about that now!"

The situation was urgent enough that all first string archers joined the fight. Some even picked up hammers to help build.

The speed picked up again.

[Defense Tower - 84%]

"The construction is resuming! But too many have died!"

Only two builders remained. The soldiers guarding the area continued to die.

"Ah! This looks tough in close quarters! Pang is dead! And... more! More are dying!? No way..."

Several first string archers died in the barbarian fight.

"They rushed in too hastily! This is exactly what Japan wanted!"

It felt like getting sucked into a gaping maw as the soldiers died one by one.

[Defense Tower - 92%]

Joseon's defense tower seemed nearly finished, but it wasn't.

Whoosh!

"Ah! It's burning!?"

"The line is broken!"

A Japanese soldier finally broke through and started a fire. No more Joseon troops could continue building or get close.

Whoosh!

[Defense Tower - 81%]

As the flames intensified, the tower’s health plummeted.

"Wowww!"

Cheers from the Japanese spectators shook the stadium. They knew what this meant.

— Noooooo!

— A burning Joseon tower in Japan? PTSD incoming...

— Too reckless?

— Ah...

— They’re done for, Japan has too many comebacks

— A shaky start