Vol.2 Chapter 16
“And so, that’s why we will have a practice match against the Paragons today!” Liz informed the team.
The four of us are currently inside Chu’s room after Liz inquired for a quick group meeting. The room is quite spacious even for four people inside. Good thing Renz was already here when we arrived, saving us the trouble of finding him.
In the meeting earlier with the Paragons, I arranged for scheduled practice matches between Aria's team and ours. Fortunately, they agreed to be our sparring partners for the entire week. Everything went smoothly, I must say. Not only did we secure the strongest possible training partner for this tournament, but we also established a mutual assistance agreement with Seer. I admit, I'm somewhat biased in wanting Aria's team to also win the tournament. However, I’ve already made a promise to my teammates to do all I can to help them win.
I've already steeled myself to compete against them without holding back when the time comes. But, if possible, I want to assist them as much as I can in their preparation. After all, they are former comrades of mine, especially Aria, who I consider a close friend.
“…I see” Chu took the news in stride, his usual calm and uninterested demeanor showing.
“Hell yeah, let’s show the top team here who is the boss!” Renz, for his part, is hyped up, excited to prove himself as usual.
While I suspect his enthusiasm might wane after sparring with such a skilled opponent since we've never faced a team as proficient in coordination, strategy, and skills as Aria's team. Nevertheless, it would be beneficial to gauge our full capabilities against them this early in the game, allowing me ample time to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
“Then, if no one has objections, let's go prepare the lobby now since the scheduled match is about to start. We each have a VR pod in our respective rooms so we can log in to the game easily,” Liz suggested.
“Let’s hurry to not keep them waiting. It was our idea in the first place, the best we could do is show up in time,” I backed her up since it would be rude if we were late.
--------------------
The familiar PVP team lobby is adorned with intricate stone arches and towering pillars, showcasing the architectural marvels of the medieval period. The air is filled with a sense of history and the faint scent of burning candles.
The walls are decorated with tapestries depicting epic battles, noble knights, and majestic castles. The vibrant colors and detailed craftsmanship bring the stories of the past to life. Soft, flickering torchlight casts a warm glow, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere.
On the other side are our soon-to-be opponents, the entirety of the new generation of team Paragons. Looking at them, Aria appears to be brimming with determination, while her partner Lucy exudes a friendly smile. Standing beside them is Seer, who, much like myself, is observing our body language and analyzing our every move. And then there's Blitz, who seems as carefree and unfazed as ever.
After we all settled in, Liz walked towards them. Aria did the same.
“Looking forward to a great match today!” Liz jovially greeted her new friend.
“We are too,” Aria paused for a second before continuing. “To tell you the truth, I’ve always wanted to fight your team the most in this tournament.”
Liz seemed a bit shocked by the admission before switching back to her bright self. “He hehe, I’m glad that you feel that way. It's always an honor to compete against the new generation protégés of the team that I've idolized the most,” Liz amicably retorted.
Aria glanced at me meaningfully for a split second before turning back her attention to our captain. “Then, if all of you are ready, let us begin.”
-------------------
We were teleported into the map, a ruins type of terrain. The once-grand structures now stand as weathered remnants of a forgotten era. The air is thick with a musty scent, carrying the weight of history.
Sunlight filters through the cracks and crevices, casting intriguing patterns on the moss-covered stones. Vines and foliage have claimed their territory, intertwining with ancient architecture.
"So, what's the play, Kat?" Liz inquired, prompting the other two to look at me expectantly.
Liz was usually the one to make the shot call, so her asking me for the play put me on the spot. Still, I analyzed the current Paragon's gameplay and rotation. They have a similar gameplay to ours that they got from their predecessor. They rely on a powerful 2-player composition to secure the middle orb and then back up whatever lane needs more help(either the top or the bottom) after securing the middle part. Aria and Lucy will surely go secure the middle orb unless they plan to execute some sort of unorthodox cheese tactic, which I doubt they will show in a scrim match.
That serves the purpose of this match quite well. We all lack experience in fighting strong opponents. The last one we fought was the Atelier team, but even that did not push us to the limit. If these scrim matches go according to plan, our team will come out of it stronger gradually throughout the week of fighting against opponents as strong as them.
The best thing to do here is to face them head-on and clash with our skills without relying on any tactics so that we can benefit from these matches the most. I'm quite sure that is what Seer is also thinking of doing, therefore, the best possible formation for this match is...
"Chu, please go to the top orb. Renz, capture the bottom orb. Liz and I will handle the middle,” I gave our usual team rotation for the others to follow.
No one complained at my call. After a short affirmation from my teammates, we all proceeded to go to our respective destinations.
Liz led the way while I followed behind. She seems more focused than usual, her silent demeanor showing. It is to be expected considering who we are up against. She holds the previous Paragon’s team in high regard after all, which she always reminds me of when we chat about pro players. Considering I was part of the first Paragons, it gives me a conflicted feeling whenever they became a topic of ours so I always try my best to change the subject as discretely as possible.
After a couple of minutes of silently walking towards our destination, Liz and I arrived at the middle orb where as expected, Aria and Lucy were waiting for us.
Lucy was equipped with a stylish yet easy-to-move robe that matched the color scheme of her blue hair. She is equipped with an orb pendant necklace that resembles common aristocratic British fashion back in the day. It is an orb attached to a pendant which she uses for spell casting, a similar orb used by Celeste to free up her hand for a more versatile playstyle. It has its downside of not providing as many stats as a normal staff weapon for an orb holder, but it doesn't matter since her playstyle does not need a magic staff.
Aria on the other hand seems like she is using the regular weapon she often used on the tournament qualifiers. I find it quite odd since I am certain that the weapon skill she got from the Abyss dungeon would suit her playstyle greatly. Well, she might be saving it for the tournament so I won't be able to adapt to it in contrast if she used it now. It would be hypocritical of me to complain though as I am also hiding some of my cards.
Aria stared at me determinedly, before speaking out loud.
"Lucy, if you will," she asked for a buff from her partner.
"One haste coming right up!" Lucy exclaimed as she cast the movement buff on Aria.
"Kat, shall we?" Liz glanced at me expectantly, wanting to do a haste play too.
I nodded in confirmation at her. Listening to the whims of the carry is also part of being a good support player. In any game, mutual trust between a carry and support is crucial. It is essential to build and strengthen that trust in order to succeed and thrive as both individuals and a team. Besides, it was my plan from the start to cast haste on Liz since I'm sure they already know I have a dual orb so there is no use hiding it.
"...Greater haste," I murmured.
My orb changed color to a pure white, instead of the customary yellow, signifying a chronomancy spell is used.
After receiving their respective buffs, they both run towards each other without any hint of slowing down. Then, as if having some sort of split-second understanding, they passed by each other, both of them clearly targeting their opponent's support.
Hello, guys?! That's not how it's supposed to work! You both can't just attack the support without going through the carry!
I can't say I didn't expect this though. Our playstyle includes Liz going full-on aggressive without the need to protect me since I can survive on my own with my dodges. The same can be said for our opponent's playstyle. Lucy is not someone that can be called 'defenseless' either.
As if to prove my point, the moment Liz lunges forward with a quick thrust, Lucy swiftly sidesteps, using her agility and footwork to evade the attack with practiced efficiency. With precise timing, Lucy seizes the split-second window of opportunity, moving in close at contact distance.
Using her grappling skills, Lucy swiftly grabs hold of Liz’s arm, applying a joint lock technique to restrict her movement.
With Liz momentarily immobilized, Lucy uses her superior body positioning and leverage to execute a takedown. Using a combination of sweep and a throw, she brought Liz to the ground with a slamming sound, ensuring she was unable to effectively use her weapon.
*Thump
Lizbeth
HP: 81%
"Wha-!" was all Liz could say before she was effectively subdued by her opponent with alarming ease, pinning her to the ground with Lucy on top of her with good positional control, ensuring that Liz remained restricted.
Well, that's what she gets for being too reckless and letting her guard down just because she is up against a support player. I cannot fault her for it since experiencing it firsthand is different from just watching it happen from a viewer's perspective.
That's why our duo was incredibly difficult to defeat in the past. Celeste had the ability to restrain one opponent while I swiftly eliminated the other with my enhanced speed. From the information I've gathered, this strategy became the dominant tactic in the meta some time ago. Many players attempted to emulate our gameplay, but only a few possessed the skills to execute it flawlessly, as not many could match Celeste's expertise in utilizing jiu-jitsu takedowns. She is a national jiu-jitsu gold medalist in her prime, after all. And considering her well-built frame up till now, I honestly won’t be surprised if she still hasn’t lost her touch.
Even if someone is versed in jiu-jitsu, they cannot easily replicate Celeste's moves. Her unique style is specifically tailored to take down opponents armed with weapons, rather than unarmed adversaries. This specialization is a result of the countless hours she dedicated to practicing and perfecting her gameplay.
It's a bittersweet feeling. I'm glad Lucy was able to learn this much from Celeste. Being able to easily lock down a hasted Liz is an incredible feat on its own, a testament to her natural talent. At the same time, I'm quite terrified of how good Lucy has become since we will be fighting her in the main tournament.
Sensing my partner needed my help... yet again. I tried to chant 'Recall', but before I could even do that, I suddenly sensed danger. I tried to dodge at the last second, partially evading an extremely quick and precise stab from a hasted Aria that exceeded my predictions.
Regrettably, my lack of focus resulted in a glancing hit from a dagger attack directly at my shoulder blades. It seems that Lucy is not the only one who has made improvements. Aria’s ability to instantly shift her speed while hasted has also improved, catching me off guard.
Novo
Hp: 78%
The heck! her damage is too high! That was not even a direct hit, only a shallow attack! It doesn’t help that I’m just that squishy due to my build.
Sensing I was distracted, Aria scolded me for my carelessness. "You don't have any time to look away. Pay attention to me or you will regret it," she warned coldly.
W-wait, why do I feel that retort was personal?!
Still, she is right though. I don't have time to worry about Liz, not when a hasted Aria is after me.
"Ow, ow, ow! I give! I give!" Liz called for a release while her face was planted on the ground with Lucy on top of her.
"Sorry, Miss Lizbeth. I can't release you until your partner is defeated by Aria." Lucy retorted, while expertly restricting Liz's movements.
"K-kat! A little help here!" my partner pleaded.
Aria did not let me have a breathing room to even pay attention to Liz's call for help. She swiftly thrust her dagger at my head with an extremely quick motion, noticing my momentary distraction.
*Whoosh
I ducked, barely dodging the attack that was sure to kill me if it hit.
I'm the one who needs help here! I'm not used to splitting my focus between helping my carry and surviving!
This is bad. Even just a tiny slip up and I would die instantly with how good Aria is while hasted.
I also don't think Liz can easily get out of Lucy's grip with her strength stat. The only way she could get away from her grasp was if she had a better technique, which is impossible for someone not well-trained in grappling moves. If not, she has to have at least double the strength to compensate for Lucy's technique. Considering Lucy has hybrid strength-int stats, as opposed to my dexterity-int, she cannot easily be overpowered by Liz, who has a Dex build character. She also cannot use her weapon skill to blink out since she dropped it during Lucy's takedown, presumably part of Lucy's plan from the start.
Our only chance for us to reverse the situation is for me to survive Aria's onslaught while hasted. She cannot leave me on my own to finish Liz since I will just recall Liz if she does, rendering their advantage useless. This means that the outcome of the match would be determined if I can survive long enough for Liz to break free from Lucy's grasp on her own after fatigue sets in for Lucy. Luckily, bones cannot be broken in VR games even if how many joint locks Lucy does, so there is no way for her to deal damage while restricting Liz.
So, a battle of attrition, huh? My dodges are getting a bit rusty without any pro-level opponents to practice with, so a hasted Aria is the next best thing comparable to a pro-level opponent.
I smiled. This is the kind of challenge I was hoping for when I proposed this scrim match.