[Sigma eSports Induction Contract]
Sigma eSports professional gaming team (hereinafter ‘the team’) and Player Da-eun Han (hereinafter ‘the player’) enter into the following mutual agreement regarding the player contract (hereinafter ‘this contract’).
Article 1 (Purpose)
This contract is designed for the player to fully utilize their abilities……
……
The team will support the player to fully focus on gaming activities……
……
Date of Contract Execution: ■■■■ Year ■■ Month ■■ Day
Player: Da-eun Han (Signature)
– Miss Han, do you know specifically which clause was used as the basis for the block?
– The issue lies here. ‘Connection methods deemed unsafe are not permitted.’
– It doesn’t specify which particular connection methods are prohibited.
– What if we collect a large amount of evidence-based data and keep fixing the connector at Sigma?
Thump. Thump.
Holding my ankle, I limped forward, catching various gazes.
They were, predictably, not very kind stares.
I probably also met some of them in the game, though I don’t know exactly who is who.
They must not have had a pleasant experience.
Back then, I was much more of a troublemaker than I am now.
I spread my dark and damp mindset around.
It made sense that the emotions I got back were rough.
– The stability issue of the connector varies greatly among individuals.
– So, for Miss Han specifically, there might be some room for exceptions.
– Luckily, Sigma does have one research model of the brainwave connector, though it can only be used for practice servers, not for actual gaming.
Of course, there was no need for me to feel unnecessarily intimidated.
Though one-sided player-killing in invulnerability mode is considered poor etiquette, it’s not illegal under the terms of service.
Also, I haven’t harassed anyone systemically beyond what’s allowed.
Therefore, I haven’t done anything wrong.
After all, in games, it’s survival of the fittest. It’s the weak’s mistake.
I kept my head high and didn’t bow.
Because while this is reality, I am here as Gawol, not Da-eun.
I clenched my fists so tightly that the blood drained.
The training room was silent until the connector was opened.
– Let’s gather combat data with us. If it’s from Sigma, it should be credible.
– And we can also practice with your teammates and synchronize our rhythm?
– What do you think? Want to join our team?
The price I had to pay was the connector at my home.
They were going to dismantle its hardware, decompile the software, and use it for the new connector development.
Given these terms, my parents probably wouldn’t feel let down.
My son just wants to try doing something, please understand.
Anyway, the “combat data” obtainable from the practice server boiled down to one thing only.
Fighting until my mouth was dry and noses were bleeding.
I forced a smile as I opened the door of the connector.
“Looks like you guys have a lot to say. Want to settle it in the game? You’re pros, after all.”
Don’t give cheap hints in reality; put up or shut up.
[Training Mode: Regular League Mock Battle]
[Sigma A vs Sigma B]
[Score – 0:0]
[Match 1]
[Battlefield: Necropolis]
[Rules: 5-Man Winner’s Relay]
[Sigma Shooter (Speed Archer) vs Gawol (Assassin)]
Ghastly moans echoed over the barren plains.
As decomposed heads swiveled in every direction, a quick arrow zipped between the undead.
The short but swift arrow, though not very powerful individually, was too difficult to block entirely.
Using a kick, I shoved a zombie into the way to obscure the line of sight.
A Speed Archer is a class that gives up the archer’s innate long-range capabilities for speed.
Specialized for chaotic combat in the league, it excels in close-range encounters despite being weaker than true long-range damage dealers.
Which means, I guess this guy is cocky.
How dare you send out an archer in front of me?
It seems you have no idea what it means to objectively assess your own abilities at the pro level.
[‘Eye of Truth’ is observing the battlefield.]
[All stealth-related skills cannot be used for 8 seconds.]
[Traps will be revealed.]
This guy foolishly assumed that I would use stealth.
He clearly underestimated me, mistaking me for someone like Cerberus.
‘Am I going to waste a stealth slot on someone like you?’
This isn’t a chaotic field where everyone is raging around; this is a battlefield with only one opponent.
Moreover, in winner’s relay, the victor immediately faces the next challenger.
To achieve high results, one must know how to conserve skills and resources appropriately as well.
I briefly showed myself between the dead, then quickly disappeared down the hill.
One doesn’t need to use stealth skills to conceal oneself if you have a good gauge of the enemy’s vision.
The key to ambush lies in surprising the opponent.
If you can exploit the gaps in their thinking, you can succeed in an ambush without actual stealth.
Taking advantage of the moment when my opponent was on guard where I last disappeared, I took a slightly longer route.
Silent but swift.
The opponent isn’t entirely stupid.
Seeing that I hadn’t reappeared at the expected point, the Speed Archer unstrung his bow.
If I wasn’t visible by then, there was only one possibility.
The Speed Archer promptly became aware of my presence behind them.
‘Okay. The distance is now close enough.’
Two arrows flew towards me.
Along with more arrows calculated to predict my dodging position.
True to the Speed Archer’s name, the rate of fire was extraordinary.
Though aimed to surely inflict damage- they all missed their mark.
Because the ‘Gawol’ they aimed at was just a phantom.
Since no hit message appeared, the image hiding behind the phantom isn’t the real one either.
–Which means you lose, pal.
“Hello?”
“Ugh… what?”
My phantom disappeared, exposing my real form behind.
But the distance was already close enough.
Pulling the string back now would be futile.
Would I just stand by and let you?
No way.
I stabbed and retrieved the dagger in my wrist, slicing from the heart to the abdomen as our shoulders brushed.
Two arrows embedded in the neck effectively left no chance for resistance.
It wasn’t until the arrows in his own neck became visible that the Speed Archer realized what had happened.
“Wow… wow!”
A pure exclamation of marvel.
It amused me to see something so genuine.
One drawback that only archers among ranged attackers inherently have is this:
The projectiles are relatively large and slow.
A natural limitation of a class that infuses physical arrows with magic power.
Hunters using firearms have too high a velocity.
Magic attacks by wizards don’t have physical form.
But arrows? They’re not impossible to catch.
It may be difficult for most, but not for me.
“That’s why archers shouldn’t overly rely on hit messages.”
“That’s a bit of a stretch, isn’t it…”
What’s a stretch?
I did it, didn’t I?
[Victory Achieved.]
[Prepare. The next opponent will be introduced without waiting.]
The first victory was easy, but what followed wasn’t simple.
Injured in the arm and thigh by the warrior’s reckless attacks.
Lost mobility by giving up my left leg to Kunoichi and was left unable to avoid the blood mage’s suicide attack, bottoming out my health.
By the time the last opponent, Camellia, arrived, I was no longer in any condition to fight.
Not only could I not hold the daggers, even standing up was impossible.
I was sitting there, vomiting blood, until Camellia arrived.
[Current Sync Rate: 65.8%]
At least on the bright side.
Sigma’s brainwave connector had less sensitivity than the one I used at home.
Still terribly painful, but slightly better than before.
But what to do?
This was enjoyable.
Coughing amidst the burning pain, laughter escaped.
“Damn. The league and arenas are different, all right.”
The level difference in one-on-one match-ups was clear.
I thought it’d be easy to handle foes like these, about five of them.
But reality proved otherwise.
It’s only natural that there’s a gap between regular players and aces in winner’s relay matches.
So, I changed my approach to not aim for wins.
To sacrifice oneself for the victory of the next fighter.
To leave the next opponent in a beatable condition for a following teammate, trusting that they’ll mop up.
Not all ace players reside on the enemy team.
Actually, among top-tier pro league games with five-person winner’s relay, there are no full clears.
If this opponent hadn’t been rookies from the secondary team…
If it had been top-tier pros who sacrificed themselves, I’d have likely reached my limit after just besting two.
At some point, Camellia arrived, pointing her sword at my neck.
The hesitation in her blade was palpable.
She must feel sorry to kill me.
“What are you waiting for? Finish me off quickly. We need to gather the data.”
“…Yes.”
As an unsettling sensation surged through my heart, my vision went dark.
[You have died by Sigma Camellia.]
[Death penalties are waived due to ‘Training Mode’.]
[You will revive at the ‘Player’s Room’.]
Again.
