Season 3: Chapter 240. Not Much Time Left (2)
[Victory]
She sighed in relief at this word.
'We did it.'
Fortunately, Japan made a quick and logical decision. As the game progressed, Joseon would inevitably win.
However, some commanders would never press the surrender button. If that had been the case, Sa-Rang would have lost even more stamina. They would win the second game no matter how it unfolded, but the chances of losing the third game would have exponentially increased.
Sssshhh.
The capsule opened and the crowd’s cheers grew clearer.
"Wowwwww...!"
She could clearly see each individual in the audience. People with their mouths wide open, arms raised high, and veins popping. They resembled angry people, but anyone could tell that joy filled their faces more than ever.
They all chanted in unison.
"Best Yi Sun-Shin! Best Yi Sun-Shin! Best Yi Sun-Shin!"
They shouted her name.
Thump—
Her slowing heart began to beat again. She thought she didn't have the strength to lift her upper body, but she stood up lightly. Supported by Chi-Seung, she sat in the wheelchair and waved.
"Wowwwwwww!"
Colorful confetti fell and numerous turtle ship flags emitted red lights. A thought crossed her mind. Would she ever feel this way again after this tournament? In the past, she had experienced many such moments. In the future...
'There won't be.'
Even if her legs could heal, who knew how many years it would take? Could she make a comeback then? Could she use the name JeonJaPa again? Probably not. JeonJaPa was human too. As she aged, the chances of performing like she used to were slim.
'If that's the case...'
She thought of this tournament as her second and last chance.
***
As soon as they entered the waiting room, Chi-Seung asked, "How's your stamina? What’s your condition? Are you okay?"
Given that Chi-Seung also managed Cookie, he always checked these things. Sa-Rang just nodded sullenly. Then, he provided feedback immediately.
"Actually, you seemed a bit tired at the end."
He noticed that Sa-Rang's command had significant gaps toward the end. Of course, it didn't affect the game much. Japan had surrendered before that. However, the next game would be different.
"Ringo won't surrender in the next game."
Japan's style was clear, extreme pragmatism. They never dragged the game and surrendered if it seemed like they would lose, preserving their strength. However, they never gave up in a certain situation.
"Looking at Ringo's matches in the national competition..."
When it came to the last game...
"The reverse sweep rate is over 70%."
Japan always saved their strength for the final game, unleashing everything they had. The opponents, thinking they had almost won, would lose focus and mismanage their stamina. Japan would then reverse the game and ride the momentum to win two or three games in a row, achieving a reverse sweep. Conversely, the opponents who nearly won would grow anxious and lose the game.
"The scary part is that Japan's second and third string players are almost as good as their first."
Japan had a deep player roster compared to Joseon, who relied heavily on their first string players. Joseon’s players would only grow more tired as the game progressed. This was an inherent gap due to Joseon's players all being amateurs. Most of their second and third string players spent more time on their day jobs than training for the game.
"The third game won't be as easy as the second. Our first string players are getting tired while their fresh second string players will come out strong."
Japan wouldn't surrender easily. The situation could instantly reverse if Joseon lost here.
Sa-Rang argued back, "The players should have somewhat preserved their stamina since the second game was a naval battle. It shouldn't affect their performance in the third game."
Chi-Seung shook his head.
"Almond is a different story."
Right. Sa-Rang knew that too. He wouldn't be in perfect condition if he had the same issues as her. Moreover, Almond had been highly active in the naval battle.
"Then, what should we do?" she asked and intuitively knew what Chi-Seung would suggest.
"Use the second string players."
"..."
"We need to focus on winning the third game. You said it yourself, Ringo's strategy is to bait the opponent with their obsession to win."
Chi-Seung suggested starting with the second string players. Sa-Rang bit her lip. That practically meant aiming for the next game instead, which wasn't her style. Moreover, the current situation didn’t suit that option. The problem wasn't the players.
"..."
Sa-Rang stared at the floor in silence. She thought it would be best not to speak. If the players knew, they would lose trust in her orders.
'Hah.'
She pondered for a moment before speaking.
"If we don't win the third game, we won't be able to win later."
"What...?"
Chi-Seung prepared to discuss the data analysis and widened his eyes.
"Thinking like that is the most dangerous thing against Japan..."
While rebutting her, Chi-Seung sensed that something was off. Her tone sounded different than usual. He noticed that she hadn't answered his earlier question.
“How's your stamina? What’s your condition? Are you okay?”
'No way.'
As always, the unthinkable became reality.
"If we use the second string players for the third game, the first string players will recover for the fourth game but what about me?"
"..."
"Who replaces me? I'll still be playing this game. Who will command the fourth game?"
Chi-Seung had overlooked this issue. The strategy had been for the players, not the commander.
"Is stamina an issue even if it's not a naval battle?"
Naturally, he thought Sa-Rang only had an issue with naval battles. Only siege weapons and ships required direct control. Of course, she thought the same.
"It's more impactful than I thought."
She nodded and avoided his gaze.
"Ringo is no joke. Even if it weren't for my condition, it only gets harder the longer we fight."
She had reached her limit. Having been away from professional play for so long, her body and mind couldn’t handle three consecutive games.
"Then... ha..." Chi-Seung sighed and rubbed his forehead.
'What to do?'
The third game’s strategy was to drain the enemy's strength and endure. At this rate, their commander would burn out first. Losing on purpose wasn't an option either. Losing without tiring out the enemy would only boost Japan’s morale while Joseon’s stamina remained low.
"We need to win the third game," Sa-Rang stated definitively. "We need to win it all... That's the only way."
"..."
Chi-Seung looked at her. Her small hands on the wheelchair trembled slightly and she clenched them into fists. Sweat trickled down her forehead despite the cool early spring weather.
'There's no other way.'
Chi-Seung had no choice but to nod. Cookie was still hospitalized and hadn't received the doctor's approval. Changing commanders again was out of the question. The team had already been shaken when she took over. Another change would cause them to collapse.
"Then, we'll adjust. Use the first string players and finish it in the third game."
Chi-Seung revised the plan.
***
"Wowwwww!"
The players headed back to the field and thunderous cheers greeted them. The sea of red supporters was more fervent than ever. They cheered with all their might as if urging the players to land the final blow.
"Daehan Minguk!"
The momentum felt overwhelming, but the Japanese supporters were not despondent.
"Comeback!"
Thud! Boom!
"Comeback!"
Thud! Boom!
They chanted for a comeback, knowing what their team could achieve.
"Ah, Japan is not giving up and continues to cheer! That's the spirit of sports!"
"Exactly. It's not over until it's over. The Korean players must keep this in mind!"
"A moment of complacency can lead to a swift comeback. I've heard Japan is especially good at this. Is that true?"
"Yes, it is. Now is a good time to mention it. Japan's reverse sweep rate is a whopping 70%!"
The commentators discussed how Japan wasn't an easy team to defeat.
— OMG
— 70%??
— They must be doing it on purpose lol
— That's almost unfair
— Reverse sweeps are so hard
— Crazy
"Yes, there's even speculation that they might be doing it on purpose, but that's unknown. One thing is certain."
"What is it?"
"Japan is a team that comes back strong."
"Ah, I agree! The data supports it!"
"Yes! Japan may have surrendered easily so far, but they'll fight to the end from now on!"
— Lol
— Exactly
— Fact: There's actually a seppuku faction
— Does that make it Seppuku Day?
— "Banzai" on
They wouldn't actually commit seppuku, but Japan clearly had no more room to retreat.
"You can't let your guard down against Japan! Many teams have been caught off guard!"
"Yes! Ringo's concentration was lacking in the second game, but he might come back strong in the third!"
"Yes, Joseon must stay focused till the end!"
"And we can't forget to mention Best Yi Sun-Shin of Joseon! She showed incredible naval tactics true to her name! And Almond's performance was also spectacular! No wonder OrangeKing called him Oppenheimer!"
"Exactly! Oppenheimer and Yi Sun-Shin! Both are lethal to Japan! In ace battles, we don't lose!"
Joseon was highly praised in ace battles as seen against the Vikings, but one issue always existed.
"But Joseon players are human with limited stamina! That's the problem!"
"Exactly. In a best of five, the first string players might struggle to keep going!"
Joseon faced the chronic issue of stamina from relying heavily on ace players. They could withstand up to sixteen matches in the early rounds, but it was tougher from the quarterfinals onward. More matches meant more stamina issues. With two hundred players, at least one hundred needed to be equally good to advance further.
"And now! Our proud players from the Republic of Korea are entering the capsules!"
***
Sss—
The capsule opened and Sa-Rang was helped inside. She glanced back at Almond entering his capsule. He also looked her way and their eyes met instantly. They probably thought the same thing.
"..."
Neither said much. They just nodded slightly.
"Thank you."
Sa-Rang expressed a brief thanks to Chi-Seung before closing the capsule lid.
Sss!
[Loading...]
Soon, all the players' capsules closed.
Shoom.
They appeared on the field.
"The players have entered! Joseon vs Japan! Japan vs Joseon! The grand third game! It could be the last as Joseon leads 2-0! The third game begins nooooow!"
The crowd roared with cheers.
— Let's go!
— Smash them!!
— Go Almond!
— After Little Boy, let's drop Fat Boy~
— Go team~
The augmented reality of the field rippled, setting the stage for what could be the final game. Blowing sand, dunes, sparse wildlife, and a small central lake appeared along a stream.
[Red Sands Oasis]
This was the battlefield for this game.