Episode 257: The Inevitable Trap
“This is a bit surprising… … I didn’t expect them to include this many rookies in the international exchange program. Did they select a lot of new promising players?”
“I think the director knows this too. Such promising players don’t appear easily. Rather, I think it would be more appropriate to look a little further into the future and fill in the ‘experience’.”
Thailand team coach Chanathip Songkrasin frowned when he heard that.
It was certainly true. What players need when competing in international matches is not the meager power or skills that are common in their domestic leagues.
Courage and determination to fight a big fight. And experience and years of experience. The strength to overcome various tactics. Those things were much more important.
But the fact that the Korean team brought in a rookie like that, especially for the match against Thailand, which was the most interesting match, was something that could only be seen as giving up on this international exchange match.
What is unfortunate is that, normally, they would have come to the Thai team first and requested a practice match, but this time they found a different opponent. Since they did not request a practice match, there was a lack of information about the Korean team.
“Experience… …experience.”
After thinking about the coach’s advice carefully, I felt like I would have done the same thing.
I heard that the only player in Korea who can use [Mana Unleashed] powerfully is ‘Kang Jun-hyeok’.
In any case, the other players are just launchers to assist Kang Jun-hyeok. Even if those parts are changed a little, there won’t be much change in the game itself. And if it’s a launcher that has already failed many times in previous attempts, wouldn’t it be strange to change that launcher?
“Experience may be a factor, but they may have picked players who can better assist Kang Jun-hyeok.”
As the thought crossed their minds, smiles appeared on the faces of all the coaches and managers.
“I think he thought it was because Kang Jun-hyeok was unfortunately blocked by us last year.”
“That’s right.”
The Korean team analyzed the cause of their last defeat incorrectly because they thought they could win this match easily.
“Haha. What’s the point of changing to a better launcher and sending it farther? I have a card that can completely and utterly block Junhyuk Kang himself.”
Of course, Lee Min-seok, who was quite famous, was a concern, but in the end, he was not the main dealer.
The Thai team could not help but expect an easy victory.
Excluding Lee Min-seok and Kang Jun-hyeok, more than half of the team are rookies who are just debuting and have no international match data.
‘We will completely block Kang Jun-hyeok and put our trump card in place.’
“Did you tell Kawin properly?”
“yes.”
I had a good feeling about the first game.
Just like last year. Just like the year before. I’ll win this time too.
***
Meanwhile, in Korea, expectations were running high due to Lee Chang-hyun’s interview and the completely new Korean team that was formed unlike before.
That’s not all. It was just a moment, and due to limitations in my skills, I ended up leaving midway.
In the case of Jeong Hye-yeon, who played with PER in the lower leagues, it was especially emotional.
He said he would show me how to fly higher, and he really succeeded.
Not only that? Thanks to her, Jeong Hye-yeon herself was able to participate in this international exchange as a guest commentator as a former PER member.
[Caster: Huh… … That’s right. I’m sure you showed confidence during the last interview before leaving the country. Honestly, I didn’t think I would be interviewed like this after entering the country and playing practice matches and meeting other teams.
In today’s interview, Lee Chang-hyun said, ‘I single-handedly defeated multiple opponents in a practice match against the Vietnamese team.’ What do you think?
[Commentator: In fact, Lee Chang-hyun was in peak form even in Korea, but that doesn’t mean the Vietnamese players are easygoing.
But I think it’s okay to expect that he’s going to defeat multiple opponents on his own in a practice match.]
[Caster: What do you think of Hye-yeon Jeong, your former colleague and PER teammate?]
[Jeong Hye-yeon: Actually, when I first came to PER, PER was a undefeated team. But actually, when Lee Chang-hyun first came to PER, something similar happened. At that time, it was even a undefeated team? But I remember that he made a pretty shocking statement during the interview. So, I didn’t show it in front of Lee Chang-hyun, but the players were all in an uproar. They were like, what are you going to say about that?]
A small laugh erupted at the broadcast desk at Jeong Hye-yeon’s words.
[Caster: So what happened?]
[Jeong Hye-yeon: But surprisingly, after Lee Chang-hyun came, our team, which had been winless in the first practice game, won right away and the atmosphere changed. Looking back now, it was miraculous. Could it be the origin of the PER miracle that people talk about these days?]
PER Miracle. This is the term used to describe the PER that has risen so dramatically from a 3rd division team that was undefeated to a 1st place team in the 1st division regular league.
[Jung Hye-yeon: That’s why, I didn’t see that practice match, but I think it was as interesting as the interview with Lee Chang-hyun. I think it would be fun to ask about that later.]
[Caster: I see. Next time I get the chance, I’ll have to whisper that to the interviewer in advance.]
Meanwhile, while the relay desk was making some pretty hopeful observations, the live chat window wasn’t looking so great.
[Aren’t you just getting excited? You always say this year is different, but in reality, the record between Thailand and Korea has been 3:0 for the past 3 years, right?]
N 3rd generation^tteok^ Just a water rocket from the 1st generation hunter era
ㄴ I gritted my teeth and cursed at Thailand, who were not really a strong team and were supposed to be somewhat playable, for getting beaten like dogs.
ㄴ I also watch it in real time and it’s mentally draining ㅋㅋ
N What’s wrong with you guys’ mentality? Kang Jun-hyuk must have been torn apart in real time.
The reason was clearly that Korea had been dying in international matches up until now.
It’s not like Korea hasn’t tried hard so far, and they’ve always given the players something special, like appointing first-generation Hunters as special coaching staff.
This was because it was not the first or second time that he had said, “This time it’s different,” or “This year is different.”
That’s why even though Lee Chang-hyun and Lee Min-seok joined as members this time and Lee Geun-taek became the general manager, it was just at the level of, “Oh, so that’s how it is this time.”
‘Haa… … That’s too bad. Back when I was at PER. I think I often checked Chang-Hyeon’s reactions before the game.’
I thought that even though they paved the way for us with flowers and cheered us on, we might be disappointed when we saw netizens who were already saying that we would lose like dogs.
Of course, on the one hand, I also thought this.
‘Still… …as usual. Yes, if I can show what I showed in PER against the Thai team… …!’
So, if I can make my international debut in the first match, I’m sure of it.
I had a feeling that the atmosphere would completely change.
And then, finally, after the miscellaneous work was over, the players began to enter.
The first international match was the beginning of the test.
***
I could see the PER players cheering us on from the stands in the distance.
For this roster, since I participated as a regular member, the only PER members participating are me, Lee Yeon-ju, and Yoon Han-gyeol.
The rest were sitting far away, waving their hands vigorously, but Kim Do-jun was cheering while swinging his shining sword like a glow stick. And I couldn’t help but snicker at the sight of the PER team members trying to stop him.
‘…Anyway, I expected the reaction, but it wasn’t that good.’
I conducted the interview confidently and enthusiastically, but the responses I received were not very good.
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But still, one thing was different.
‘I think the atmosphere was worse than this before the regression.’
At that time, there weren’t any major changes like there are now, and the LTD team members. Kang Jun-hyeok wasn’t there either, so I went in instead.
I remember getting a lot of criticism because it seemed like there was no change compared to now.
‘Of course, since we turned things around from the first game, those words went away.’
In the end, it’s up to the players to show their skills through the game.
“Guys, let’s do our best!”
Centered around the leader, Lee Min-seok, me, Kang Jun-hyeok, Lee Ji-hoon, Yoon Han-gyeol, Lee Yeon-ju, and one other LTD team member, who was that? We gathered together, put our hands together, and raised them powerfully.
“First win. Take it easy. Let’s play the rest like practice games.”
Lee Min-seok said with a sly smile.
***
Soon after, the game started.
“The map… … and the mana equipment. There are no variables.”
In the waiting room prepared for the Thai team officials, a quiet excitement was in the air.
When the map and each team’s mana equipment status were revealed, I was confident of victory.
I was on guard because I thought there might be variables if it was a map where players would be separated and fight individually.
The map chosen this time is an ordinary reed plain.
The neutral monsters weren’t very threatening, and although there were relics, they were considered difficult to find on this map.
Then, what remains is a battle of strength against strength.
I couldn’t help but expect the game to flow as if it was going to be a 7 vs. 7 all-out battle, so if it went that way, it was bound to go the way the Thai team intended. I couldn’t help but feel good.
And the actual game pattern that emerged was like that.
[Caster: As expected, this map… … Since the battle of strength is important, I expect a large-scale 7 vs. 7 team fight to occur. Each team, please prioritize joining! They have already joined each other without any problems!]
‘It begins… … .’
The first step of the Thai team’s strategy is to exclude Kang Jun-hyeok if a large-scale team fight occurs after joining.
Just this alone makes the power of the [Mana Unleashed] holder tilt towards Thailand.
And so far this method has not been difficult.
Unlike the international league, there is only one rule for international exchange matches that allows the use of ‘relics’ brought by the team.
By using this, we could easily seal Kang Jun-hyeok himself using the ‘sealing stone’ that Thailand had.
‘There’s no need to fight the guy, just the remnants of the mana he sheds are enough… … ‘
And in reality, up until now, the Korean team has been helpless against the Thai team’s strategies. That’s how it has been.
Last year, he also defeated Kang Jun-hyeok, who had spread [Sword Realm].
And this year, this time, it won’t be difficult to knock it down before it even opens.
No matter how powerful [Mana Expansion] is, this was an unavoidable fate for Kang Jun-hyeok, whose basic characteristic was area-of-effect attacks.
Finally, the scene appeared on the screen.
[Caster: Aah! Here, the Thai team’s proud relic, the ‘Blocking Stone’, appears!! The front line that was maintained as the [Sword Realm] is starting to be pushed back!]
The power struggle is over once you start losing.
Because Thailand had hidden a secret weapon there that it had not even used yet.
I had no choice but to be confident of victory.
“Huh… … There’s no need to show off Sarah’s Mana Expansion here. Thanks to this, I can hide my power and fight Vietnam.”
“That’s right. Hehe.”
They have no doubts about the plan they have in mind, thinking it is working perfectly.
fantasy,
