Season 3: Chapter 320. The Arrow Transcending the Game (2)

[Surging Waves]

As soon as Anto saw the map, he immediately realized it.

‘I need to watch out for a rear drop.’

While the map appeared to give Rome some advantages at first glance, its design allowed ships to penetrate deep into the rear of the base for a drop (deploying units ashore).

Alternatively, warships could position themselves near the base and directly bombard it. Workers would be vulnerable to attacks from ships, creating a significant weak spot due to the randomness of the waterways branching out unpredictably.

This unexpected vulnerability, which even Anto couldn’t have prepared for, could feel unfair at times. However, such randomness was part of

Civil Empire

. This made the game more entertaining compared to other RTS games and brought a sense of realism.

Anto believed that embracing challenges was key like Hannibal, who crossed the Alps and wreaked havoc on Roman territory for fifteen years, mastering the terrain and even exploiting Roman politics to his advantage. Anto, a product of the same lineage of strategists who studied and absorbed Hannibal’s tactics, didn’t mind unfavorable terrain.

‘This makes predictions easier.’

He even found it advantageous to anticipate strategies that could trouble him.

‘Special strategies come with special execution. But... Joseon is different.’

Anto had already discerned the guiding principle behind Joseon’s strategies.

‘They base their strategies on Almond’s capabilities.’

Joseon’s tactics prioritized execution as the foundation instead of developing or assigning abilities to fulfill strategic needs. It seemed similar on the surface, but was entirely different in essence.

This approach often stemmed from a desire to maximize execution potential. The terrain of this map, seemingly made for rear drops, aligned perfectly with that inclination.

‘They’re coming.’

Anto spotted Joseon’s ships through his scouts.

[Swift Ship]

Joseon had chosen swift ships.

‘Swift ships, of course...’

If they had chosen fire ships, they could dominate the sea. However, they opted for swift ships. These vessels lacked offensive capabilities but were incredibly fast and capable of carrying a large number of units.

‘They’ll aim for the rear of the island.’

Anto predicted that Cookie would maneuver the ships to the back of the island and deploy archers. Since Rome had virtually no ranged units in the second era, it was a strategy only Joseon could use to their advantage.

A perfectly timed second era drop could potentially end the game before reaching the third era, especially if Cookie established defensive towers and aimed for another sniper to take out the priest.

‘In that case...’

Anto had two options: to draw the ships further inland and crush them with ground forces or use fire rafts to intercept and destroy them at sea.

The first option was less costly but riskier. While successful containment with ground troops could yield great benefits, it was time-consuming and challenging since Joseon had previously demonstrated agile troop movements by boarding and disembarking at will.

Anto leaned toward the second option: preparing fire rafts for interception. These suicide vessels could destroy both themselves and their targets, but were expensive. Using them on the cheap swift ships without any troops onboard would result in a net loss. However, the cost-effectiveness of the fire rafts would flip in Rome’s favor if the swift ships carried at least eight archers.

[Standby]

He positioned the fire rafts on standby. Anto knew where Cookie would likely attack even though the swift ships weren’t yet visible.

‘They’re coming.’

As expected, the swift ships appeared at precisely the predicted location and time. Cookie remained readable to Anto. Just as he was about to nod in satisfaction...

‘Hmm?’

His hand hesitated.

‘They’re empty.’

No troops could be seen onboard. The key to this strategy was deploying archers behind enemy lines, yet there were none. Not even soldiers.

‘What’s going on?’

The lack of visible troops didn’t necessarily mean they weren’t there. It could simply mean the soldiers were below deck. However, Joseon troops were always typically on deck to provide offensive support since swift ships had no inherent attack capabilities.

‘A bluff?’

The only plausible reason Joseon would hide their soldiers was for psychological warfare to make it seem as though the ships were empty.

‘Too many soldiers onboard, perhaps?’

Perhaps the ships carried so many soldiers that revealing them would give away their intentions. Or maybe they wanted the enemy to dismiss the swift ships as mere scouts to avoid destruction by fire rafts.

‘But is that really the case?’

Anto wondered if he was merely guessing optimistically. He scrutinized the swift ships intently and found no definitive answers.

‘What should I do?’

If the ships carried no troops, deploying fire rafts would be a waste of resources. But if they were loaded, failing to act would result in significant losses later. As the swift ships drew closer, Anto’s window for decision-making narrowed.

The stakes were clear. It would be a small loss if he was wrong and a small gain if he was right. It would be a large loss if he was wrong and a large gain if he was right.

‘It’s a matter of choosing the risk.’

Trying to deduce the enemy’s intentions could easily backfire in such situations. The safest choice was to make a decision mathematically. Anto slowly raised his hand and prepared to act.

***

Meanwhile, Chi-Seung and the rest of the think tank rose from their seats as Joseon’s swift ship approached Rome’s main island.

“This is where it’ll be decided.”

If Cookie succeeded here, it would prove that his assumptions were correct. Though seemingly minor, whether or not this opening move succeeded would set the tone for an entire sequence of events. Just as solving a long equation required the first calculation to be correct, the premise's truth determined the proposition's validity.

This situation was no different. Cookie’s premise would either be confirmed or proven false.

“It has to work.”

If it worked, the odds of the more complex strategies succeeding would also increase. Chi-Seung clenched his fist tightly. After the second game, Cookie delivered a deep analysis of Anto.

“People say Anto doesn’t have a specific style... that he’s an all-rounder.”

However, the Anto that Cookie encountered in the finals didn’t fit that description.

“That might be true, but it’s not like he has no preferences. Anto doesn’t like to make the first move. He’s skilled at counterattacks. His style is so versatile when countering that people think he lacks a specific trait.”

Anto preferred to react instead of initiating. He read his opponent’s moves and countered rather than laying out his plans first.

This approach was, in many ways, more challenging. It required solving problems set by others rather than working on self-created ones.

There was no denying Anto’s prowess, but Cookie had realized something critical.

“Anto has his own distinct style.”

One key characteristic stood out.

“At a crossroads, he always chooses the option with the least risk.”

Anto minimized risk when countering his opponent’s moves.

“From what I’ve observed, Anto prioritizes extreme efficiency. He wants to achieve the most with the least effort. That’s why he prefers countering. It’s more efficient than attacking.”

Anto’s strategies aimed for maximum results with minimal effort, making him a commander who thrived on efficiency rather than brute force.

‘Counterattacks. Minimized risks. High efficiency.’

Anto adjusted the strength of his counterattacks appropriately. He was never overly aggressive, but still impactful. His reliance on counterattacks stemmed from their controllability. Anto wasn’t simply a reactive commander but a master of calculated efficiency.

‘Which means...’

The swift ship pushed deeper and deeper toward Rome’s main island.

‘He’ll make a choice.’

Anto would opt for the path with the lowest apparent risk.

‘You’re smart, and you’ve analyzed us thoroughly.’

Chi-Seung recalled the second game where Anto had completely anticipated their assassination strategy. Anto dug deep into the opponent’s psyche and analyzed them from the ground up. His understanding allowed him to dismantle their moves effortlessly.

‘Let’s see you strip us down again.’

This time, Chi-Seung felt determined to turn the tables and make Anto feel exposed.

‘Because there’s a ticking time bomb inside that ship.’

At that moment, Anto gave the order.

[Self-Destruct]

He chose the lower risk option. The fire rafts sped toward the swift ship.

Swoosh!

Joseon’s swift ship faltered for a moment and attempted to change course. Anto’s expression twisted into a faint smile. If the ship had been empty, Cookie wouldn’t have reacted in real time to its movements. But it was too late. The fire rafts were already upon the swift ship.

“Oh, oh, oh!? The fire rafts are closing in!?”

The commentators gasped as the tension reached its peak.

“But wait... this is—!”

Boom!

The fire rafts detonated, sinking the swift ship into the depths.

OrangeKing leaped to his feet and shouted, “It was a dud!”

The ship carried no soldiers. Anto’s expression stiffened.

Bang!

Chi-Seung shot to his feet, punching the air triumphantly.

“Yes!!”

***

Anto’s mistake with the fire rafts wasn’t a critical error.

“Honestly, it’s harder not to make that kind of misstep.”

“Exactly. From Anto’s perspective, it made sense to eliminate the risk even at a slight cost.”

From the commentators’ perspective, the move wasn’t game-breaking for Rome.

“But... wait...”

As time passed, the repercussions of that misstep began to surface. The gap in technological advancement continued to widen.

“Hang on. Now that I look at it... Joseon didn’t seem to gain much, but they’ve nearly bypassed the second era without a single soldier!”

“Huh? You’re right! Rome built a decent second era army, but Joseon just ignored it and raced ahead!”

What seemed like a minor advantage kept snowballing. And then—

[Joseon - 3rd Era]

Joseon surged into the third era.

“And now Joseon! They’ve transitioned so effortlessly into the next stage!”

“They’ve entered the third era far ahead! This is devastating in a naval battle!”

The crowd erupted into cheers.

“Waaaaaahhhhhh!!!”

[Panokseon - 0%]

A proper warship began construction at Joseon’s dockyard. This time, it wasn’t just any ship. It was the real deal.