It goes without saying that team games and 1v1 games are different.
The same was true for Eo War, which boasts a genre of hyper FPS.
A battlefield where strategic movement and team tactics are emphasized cannot be the same as one where solo missions are carried out.
Shooting a gun is the same, but how you respond changes rapidly depending on whether it’s 1v1, 1v many, or many vs. many.
Ah, in this case, maybe it’s not shooting at all.
My character was holding a sword.
Unlike the person who fought me on the broadcast called Ji-min, I demonstrated my full abilities this time without any hesitation.
Just looking at them, I could tell that these people were really skilled.
I knew well that even though they were in the second division, their abilities were not to be underestimated.
If I acted with the same nonchalance as last time, I would end up being the one who got beaten.
Without letting my guard down, I launched an aggressive assault from the beginning.
“U-uh…”
A surprised voice came from the person facing me.
It was understandable.
Their character was being cut down by my swordsman without being able to mount a proper counterattack.
Did they not expect such an aggressive offense from me right from the start? Or did they simply let their guard down?
It may not have been a simple lapse in judgment. They might have underestimated me. Most people don’t expect a beautiful woman to be good at games.
Whatever the reason, I held onto my advantage and continued to dictate the pace of the match.
I won the first round while preserving a significant amount of my HP bar.
“Ji-hoon couldn’t even put up a fight and lost?”
“That was totally embarrassing…”
“Was he careless?”
The murmurs of the audience around me reminded me of the times I spent in an internet café.
However, since the defeated Ji-hoon didn’t seem to receive any unsolicited advice from the other players, it seemed they respected one another as competitors.
“Ji-hoon, hold on.”
Meanwhile, Director Kim Kwang-chul whispered something to him.
I felt a moment of unfairness at the real-time feedback he was receiving, but it seemed like he was just being told not to mess around and to play seriously, as the conversation wasn’t long.
The game continued.
Round 2. Neither of us can change our characters.
My opponent was a retired soldier armed with a shield and a pistol dagger.
I still remained a swordsman.
The difference from the previous round was that my HP started at around 70%.
The match continued right away like a deathmatch without any recovery after the round.
Bang—
The peace was shattered again by Ji-hoon’s suppressive fire.
With precise aim, he followed my movements and chipped away at my HP.
Still, every time I tried to counter by deflecting bullets, he would raise his shield or create distance as if not wanting to give me an opening.
“Much better than the last match.”
“This is how you have to play against a swordsman.”
“Looks like he’s warmed up now.”
He was indeed performing much better than in the last round.
The pressure on me was certainly not small.
In Eo War, there exists a kind of character matchup.
Some might say that there’s no matchup mechanic in a game that isn’t an AOS or fighting game, but there really is such a thing.
In a team game, it may not show, but in a 1v1 confrontation, certain agents often establish an advantage over others.
Initially, it was just a joke among some users, but as the game progressed, certain agent advantages became almost official.
This applied to the swordsman and the retired soldier.
The swordsman, boasting unique mobility and unpredictable attacks, often found himself outdone by the special agent with stable and respectable defensive capabilities.
It’s not that the swordsman could never win, but when considering win rates, it was about 70 to 30.
Naturally, in this 1v1 matchup, the influence of that synergy was even more pronounced.
I swung my sword.
It was blocked by the shield.
He fired while creating distance.
I used a dash move to evade and close in.
After that, I was hit by the shield charge and momentarily stunned.
I dodged the incoming dagger with a split-second movement.
However, I couldn’t avoid the supplementary fire from the pistol that followed.
“He’s good…”
“Just taking the first round was already impressive for the swordsman.”
“Wow, look at how he’s picking at him.”
Ji-hoon’s play as a special agent radiated professionalism.
Operating defensively and gradually gaining an advantage would eventually lead to my downfall.
However, since the retired soldier’s design was based on a seasoned military concept,
he was recognized as one of the top three most irritating agents by users due to his ability to frustrate opponents and gradually whittle down their health with efficient weapon use.
Users who were quite good with the retired soldier often heard remarks like, “He plays like a gay.”
It’s a fair comment.
This Ji-hoon truly plays like a gay.
That’s high praise. Yet, it shouldn’t end there.
Complaining that “the game sucks” would only serve to give credit to the opponent and lead to my defeat.
From the start, this battlefield was unfavorable to me.
My opponent picked a retired soldier, presumably knowing I would select a swordsman, and the match was initiated with risks involved.
I needed something to turn the tide.
“Heh.”
A smile escaped me suddenly.
Ah, I shouldn’t be doing this. If everyone is serious and I’m the only one laughing, it will look strange.
But truthfully, I couldn’t help but feel how enjoyable this situation was.
It had been ages since I strategically engaged in a game like this.
It felt like going back to the days when I enjoyed pure strategic battles, back when I had no physical skills.
Yeah, let’s give it a shot.
What’s the point of whining about being at a disadvantage or being favorable? If it’s unfavorable, are we going to surrender?
I’ve always been in the position of the underdog and have always overcome it.
This situation is no different.
Results will prove it, just like always.
*
“How many is that now?”
“Where did such a player come from?”
“Are all streamers that good these days? I’m scared.”
“At that level, she’d wipe the floor with the women’s league.”
“I heard she said the women’s league was too easy for her?”
“…That makes sense.”
A crowd of people huddled together, careful not to disturb those currently playing.
After the first player, Ji-hoon, lost, two others fell one after the other.
Women and men are different.
From hormones to genetic makeup, there are inherent physical differences.
There’s a reason leagues are divided, after all.
However, the players no longer viewed Mollu as just a pretty female gamer.
No, it would be more accurate to say they could no longer see her that way.
To them, Mollu had become a gamer.
“She’s really good. Typically, I wouldn’t lose to a swordsman, but she’s different.”
“In what way?”
“First of all, her playstyle is unlike any other swordsman. She’s good at psychological warfare, while also being aggressive, yet her damage exchanges are delicate…”
“You’re just saying she’s good.”
“Yes, I thought I lost because I let my guard down, but it was mainly because she played better. It felt like everything was planned from the start when she rushed in like that.”
He felt that wall.
Ji-hoon’s calm words were mixed with complex emotions of frustration, defeat, and bewilderment.
“…”
Min-hyuk, who had yet to play against Mollu, turned his gaze toward her.
While most players were amazed by Mollu’s exceptional skill, Min-hyuk paid attention to another aspect of her.
‘She’s smiling.’
Instead of feeling pressured, she was smiling instead.
Min-hyuk chuckled softly.
Mollu wasn’t the type whose expressions were easily readable on her face.
By now, having spent an hour in the same place facing each other, he had realized that her default expression was neutral.
However, perhaps due to consistent observation or his own sensitivity, Min-hyuk could catch the subtle changes in Mollu’s expressions.
The corners of her mouth had risen slightly, and her gaze had softened a bit.
Now that the game was over, she returned to her neutral expression, but she had definitely been smiling just moments ago.
If the next game commenced, the atmosphere would likely change again, as if she were thoroughly enjoying the situation.
Min-hyuk couldn’t help but admire that point.
‘She’s a true gamer.’
It’s rare to find someone so passionate about a game after such a long time.
While excellent skills are noteworthy, Min-hyuk was more astonished by her pure enjoyment of the game.
Like most pro gamers, no one starts playing with the intention to become a professional from the get-go.
They usually begin playing casually and then discover their talent, eventually turning pro.
It isn’t easy to enjoy something when your hobby becomes your job.
But right now, look at her.
Min-hyuk thought that Mollu was standing at the starting point where her hobby transformed into her work.
With considerable stress from being a professional, Min-hyuk could no longer say that gaming was so enjoyable for him.
For him, Mollu’s smile represented the ideal he longed for.
Min-hyuk suddenly became curious.
Could she continue to love and enjoy gaming even if she became a pro?
“Now then, I’ll proceed to the next match.”
As Min-hyuk’s question hung in the air, Mollu’s next match began.
