Vol.2 Chapter 18

Blitz’s PoV

Stone arches tower above me, and the bright flickering torchlight casts long shadows across the room. To my left is a large wooden table with different parchments containing information about our opponents for the tournament. Nearby, a rack of weapons gleams in the torchlight, everything from swords to crossbows to maces, a design specifically made to compliment the room's theme. To my right, a cozy fireplace crackles, its warm glow inviting. A few comfortable chairs are scattered around it, providing a space for strategy discussion or quiet contemplation.

There's more than enough space for us four to move around comfortably without feeling crowded. It sure is nice being high-level members of one of the top guilds. Having a room specifically made for us for post-battle contemplations is part of those perks.

We are gathered here in this private room for our reflection meeting. Whether we win or lose, it doesn't matter, as we always conduct a post-match analysis after every fight to gain insights into our mistakes and areas for improvement as a team. This is a regular practice that Seer believed was necessary to enhance our overall performance.

Although looking at the solemn atmosphere radiating off my teammates, you would think we had gone through a loss even though we had just won our practice match. It seems to me that they are contemplating something I am not privy to.

Lucy broke the silence, cautiously expressing her thoughts.

“That girl… is not normal...” she stated conspiratorially.

"Uh-huh..." Ken responded absentmindedly, evidently lost in his own thoughts as always.

Meanwhile, Aria just kept silent.

Not receiving her desired response, Lucy expressed her frustration. "Don't just 'Uh huh' me!" she exclaimed.

“The three of us working together couldn't even touch her once she got a grasp on our playstyle! We have to resort to waiting for fatigue to set in and slow her down before we can even land some hits! That girl is seriously not normal!" she continued.

Lucy has always been calm and pleasing, but if she gets too caught up in something... this happens. Well, it's best to calm her down.

“It's fine! We still won right?” I said jovially, trying to lighten up the mood.

“Don't give me that! You weren't there, Blake! You haven't fought against her firsthand! You won't understand how scary that girl is, and she is not even max-leveled! I even haste Aria for the second time and we still had a hard time against her. The only thing that probably saved us is that she has no means of dealing damage to us, or else I don't know what the outcome would be!”

I find that hard to believe, honestly. I'm inclined to think that Aria was holding back because of her friendship with the girl. Seer might have also struggled to aim his cannon due to the risk of causing friendly fire. But it’s better not to dismiss her concerns and provoke her further though. She only genuinely cares about the team's well-being, and her dedication to upholding the Paragon's mantle of being unbeatable is unmatched. I can’t say I blame her. She is the protege of the current guild leader, Ma'am Celeste, and looks up to the previous Paragon team more than anyone here, after all.

"Lucy, just calm down for a bit, okay? Our team won’t lose to anyone in the tournament… I can promise you that," I made another attempt to ease her worries.

She seemed to regain her senses. "I- sorry. I was just too caught up in what happened earlier.”

"Let us save the post-match self-reflection meeting for another time. This is not the last time we will be training against them. Besides, we have the opening ceremony ahead of us tomorrow, let us rest for now. I’m sure everyone is tired from the trip," Aria, who had been silent up till now, suggested.

We all agreed to her suggestion and logged out one by one, aiming to rest and recuperate for the long day ahead.

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The air is heavy, filled with a quiet stillness that seems to muffle all sounds. The usual luxurious PvP lobby furnished with a few chairs arranged in a circle in the center doesn’t help dispel the solemnity of our PvP lobby

I proposed that we hold a meeting to reflect on our performance in the earlier battle with the Paragons. While it's not something we typically do, I believe it is necessary for what I have planned. Taking the time to analyze our mistakes and identify areas for improvement is crucial for the growth of our team.

The four of us sat still, waiting for a break in the monotonous stillness, which Liz thankfully interrupted.

"Come on, cheer up, guys! It was just a practice match. Plus, we were facing the protégés of the legendary team. There's no shame in losing to opponents as strong as them. Besides, I’m sure that we can beat the other teams, except for them," Liz said cheerfully.

“…Are you saying you’re giving up on winning the tournament? Are you content with that? You’re the last one I expect to give up this easily,” Chu spoke up for the very first time in this meeting, his dissatisfaction showing.

Among all of us, he is the one who desires the trophy the most. It's no wonder he can't accept Liz's statement, even if she was just trying to lighten the mood. Moreover, they are all on edge after our devastating loss in the last match. The realization of how strong the competition is in this tournament is sinking in, and it's significantly impacting their mood. I anticipated that our morale would be affected, but not to this extent. However, it's crucial to make them aware of the strength of the team we need to surpass in order to be crowned champions. Now, it all depends on how much they truly want to win. If their determination isn't enough, then our morale may not recover from this defeat.

“That’s not what meant. It’s just… we can bounce back from the loss. Let’s not get too discouraged now, shall we?” Liz explained her reasoning.

As positive as always. Good thing she is not too affected by the loss. It's valuable to have a captain who can reinforce positivity in the team, especially after a loss like that. I’m really glad to have her as my teammate. Time to back her up in this, we can’t stay depressed forever after all.

“Liz is right, don’t get too discouraged by the loss. To be honest, we fought against the strongest team in this tournament in terms of skills so I didn’t expect us to win from the get-go. But that doesn’t mean we have to brush off the fight earlier. And that leaves us to why I called for this meeting, we need to analyze what we could do better to improve our performance,” I spoke in a collected, informative, and meticulous manner to calm my teammates down.

A certain teammate of mine once told me not to view a loss as a failure, but rather as a failed experiment from which we can learn valuable lessons. So, the next time we fight again, we can do the right procedure to win.

“…Are you implying we can beat them at the tournament?” Chu inquired curiously, to the point of being hopeful.

“That all depends on our drive to win, but before we delve into that, we need to address an issue we have," I say, directing my gaze towards Renz, who has remained silent thus far.

“W-what is it?” sensing my gaze, he reacted defensively.

“You saw it from our perspective, right? We had the advantage after Liz broke free. If you held on for much longer, we might have the chance. A minor misplay like that could cost us the game at the tournament,” I explained my reasoning on why we lost the match.

“Everyone makes mistakes! I just got unlucky, is what it is!” he reasoned in an attempt to save face.

“I agree, everyone makes mistakes, but not learning from them is what makes it unacceptable. How many times have you played aggressively and have it backfired, risking our entire team’s victory for it? We always managed to beat our opponent even if you made a blunder, but facing extremely strong opponents as we did earlier, your carelessness could resulted in our loss,” I chided him.

“B-but… I,” he paused, likely knowing that I was right in my assumptions.

“Or do you plan to rely on us all the time while not minding the consequences of your actions? To me, that sounds just as equally irresponsible,” I upped the guilt train, forcing him to acknowledge his mistake.

“I… I know... I know I'm the weak link in our team. But... It's just hard to admit. That’s why I try my best to win against whoever I am up against! I want to prove that I am not a burden! I want to at least be useful and not always rely on you guys to carry me!” he exclaimed, pouring all of his hidden grievances and inner thoughts with an emotional outburst.

His outburst silenced everyone in the room, as he is not someone who we expect to reveal his vulnerable side. Typically, he conceals his weaknesses behind a facade of fake bravado. The earlier match must have made him realize the significant impact that a small mishap can have, leading to a butterfly effect that could ultimately result in a team loss.

That’s good. He needs to understand that his mistakes don't just affect him individually, but can also have repercussions for the entire team. This newfound awareness would be valuable for him in the long run, as it emphasizes the importance of accountability and the need to strive for excellence in every aspect of the game, not just playing for yourself, but for your team.

Although, I might have gone too far with how much I backed him into a corner. My competitiveness is showing again because of the tournament. Still, this is the perfect opportunity for coercion. I’ve already gone this far, it’s a huge loss if I backed out now that I got this far.

“…So, what do you propose we do? You have something in mind, right?” Chu asked, wanting to take the heat off of Renz and give him a little breathing room.

I paused, deliberating what to say. “…I have a strategy to improve our team, but its success will depend on each of our determination to improve," I regained my composure, preparing myself for the final phase of my plan.

“I’m all ears! If it can help our team get stronger, I don’t see why not?” Liz cheerfully exclaimed, desperate to alleviate the room’s heavy atmosphere.

I nodded at Liz’s support before continuing. "For now, we will postpone team matches with the Paragons and focus on training until we feel prepared. Chu, I want you to engage in sparring sessions with Blitz as frequently as possible. I need you to become accustomed to facing opponents who possess the same level of speed and skill as him. This will greatly benefit you, not only during the tournament but also in pursuit of your personal goals," I said, looking at him with a meaningful gaze.

He already told me after all that he wanted to become a pro player. Fighting strong players Like Blitz would be the best preparation he could do to achieve his goals.

"Liz, I want you to seek additional guidance on movement-increasing buffs from Aria while also requesting sparring sessions where both of you receive haste buffs from Lucy. I’m sure Aria can help you a lot in utilizing haste while also getting pointers from her,” I continued.

Aria might even be a better instructor than I am currently, given the wealth of experience she has gained during my absence. Having a sparring partner who can match her speed would also be beneficial for her, creating a win-win situation for both our teams.

“…Will they even accept? It seems to me that we are the ones benefiting the most from this,” Chu raised a valid point.

"You don't need to worry about that. They are our allied guild, after all. They also need skilled training partners, and we are the most trustworthy ones who are certain not to leak replays and recordings of them, especially since every other team is watching them closely," I stated with confidence.

Furthermore, if necessary, I can always call in the favor Seer owes me for keeping his assassination act under wraps. I'm also well-acquainted with the personalities of my former guildmates. I'm confident that Aria wouldn't object if I asked her for a favor. Lucy, on the other hand, always follows Aria's lead. As for Blitz, he's the most laid-back and easygoing person I know. He would happily agree to a practice session if Chu asked him to spar... as long as it's not a serious duel.

“Then… what about me? How can I improve and not be a burden on our team?” He stared at me determinedly.

He seems open to suggestions now that he admitted his faults. Acceptance is the first step to change, after all. Accepting that you are wrong about something and wanting to change for the better is a hard thing to do. My respect for him leveled up with his attitude.

“We will both train together. I have something in mind that can help you improve,” I stared at him, looking for any signs of complaint but found none. I honestly didn’t expect him to listen to me this easily, not that I’m complaining of course.

“…Fine, I’ll do whatever it takes to get strong…” he clenched his fist, his resolve palpable.

Well, more like I would try to train him. When I first joined the AC, I dedicated several sleepless nights to memorizing the attack patterns of a player named Vlad, who has the moniker of 'The Impaler' due to his exceptional spear skills. He was considered one of the most formidable opponents in the AC at that time, so I studied him extensively for days. Understanding an opponent's movements, patterns, habits, strengths, and weaknesses is the best way to effectively dodge their attacks. Although my own skills may be lacking at the moment, I have always believed that my ability to analyze my adversaries is my greatest strength. I recall having a collection of replays featuring Vlad from that time on my laptop, which I thankfully brought with me so I could refresh my memories.

It's fortunate that Renz already has a solid foundation with spear-type weapons and possesses excellent battle instincts. While he may lack the proper technique to fully utilize his skills, if he can adjust his mindset and play style a bit, he will come to understand why spear users can be a nightmare to fight against. I just hope that he is as quick a learner as his sister.

I mentally sighed. Looks like I'll be staying up late again tonight.