Season 3: Chapter 259. The Sword (3)
"Yaaaah! Kill them all! You can do it! Aaaah!" Cosmic screamed wildly almost like a madman.
Anyone watching him would think he was crazy, but the entire crowd also went crazy.
"Aaaah!"
"What do we do?! What do we do?!"
Screams and worried sighs filled the stadium as if they were watching a horror movie rather than a game.
"Woohoo! She killed them all! She killed them all!?"
The screams turned into cheers when Best Yi Sun-Shin first drew her sword and fought back.
"Did you see that?! Did you see that?! That’s my friend! That’s her!! Oh my god!"
Cosmic grabbed a stranger next to him, spraying saliva as he shouted. The stranger didn't mind and hugged him tightly, jumping up and down.
"Aaaah! She's the best! Best Yi Sun-Shin!"
"This is insane! How can the commander do that!?"
However, this moment of joy was fleeting. She only managed to escape danger for a moment. The showdown between Almond and Honda continued as the chase for Choi Sa-Rang began.
"Huh... huh!?"
"This is insane."
"Oh...!"
"Please!"
Screams and sighs were better than nothing. At this moment, the crowd couldn’t even speak as the outcome shifted with each passing second.
It felt like a loss when Honda parried Almond's attacks and felt like a victory when Almond finally struck Honda down. It felt like a loss when Bread fell and felt like a victory when Sa-Rang cut down the pursuing samurai. It felt like a loss when a bullet hit and felt like a victory when Pang appeared.
When Almond opened the door and Ringo wasn't there...
"Oh... God!"
Even Ju-Hyeok stopped selling and clasped his hands in prayer. Not only the Korean audience, but the Japanese spectators also stood and couldn’t breathe.
"—!"
The commentators' words were barely audible. Their excitement caused their words to blur and their voices grew hoarse. Then, at the decisive moment—
"──d! Almond has drawn his bow! Finally!"
"This is all he can do—"
Thwack!
The arrow held their fate.
***
'One second.'
Twang...
The sensation of the bowstring snapping back hit Almond's fingertips and his eyes snapped open.
Thwack!
The dice was cast with the arrow already flying. Nevertheless, his hand reached for another arrow. If this one missed, no, he had to shoot again even before confirming it. That was the best he could do in this brief moment.
Choi Sa-Rang said one minute, but she could last longer. She could do it.
Creak.
His hand drew back the bow once more. His arm shook violently and his aim wavered in every direction. Almond bit his lip, pulling back the bow to its limit. Eventually, he lost his grip on the string.
Thwip.
"......"
He couldn’t describe his feelings at that moment. He only recalled it as a wave deeply imprinted in his brain.
"──Yaaaaah!"
The thunderous cheers that reached him in the capsule felt like an earthquake. His heartbeat rapidly pumped blood through his veins.
Thud...!
Almond felt a visceral impact as Ringo's body fell from the horse and hit the ground. All these things mixed into a burning energy, igniting his chest and throat until it erupted.
"Yaaaaah!"
His voice also echoed out. For the first time in his life, he screamed a cry that no one could hear. He didn't know why or how, but...
[Victory]
Faced with this word, everything else momentarily vanished. His mental armor, his exhausted stamina... At some point, he was kneeling on the ground screaming.
"Yaaaaah!"
He thought that perhaps, for the past ten years, he had wanted to scream like this at the world.
***
"Haaaa!"
Whoosh!
Malatang’s moon blade just barely missed the musketeer's neck.
"......?"
For a moment, he thought he made a huge mistake. However, the musketeer's bullet also dropped to the ground. Pang's arrow passed through the musketeer's head without any effect.
Malatang’s horse, which had been accelerating, gradually slowed and came to a stop.
"......"
Malatang met the eyes of the Japanese soldier. In those eyes, he saw desperation equal to his own. They all fought desperately, hoping for the same thing. They could not share their joy and sorrow. It was a sad thing as fellow gamers.
[Victory]
As soon as Malatang saw this word, he couldn’t contain himself. The events of the last game flashed before his eyes. The naval battle where he had to steer the ship himself. The time when they were trapped on the island due to the enemy's tactics. Finally, escaping and anchoring onto the shore to assess the situation.
And the timely signal from the commander.
[Rescue]
They had received a rescue request. Then, the horses from the stables approached them. The commander probably sent them. It was a call for help from someone they trusted.
Knowing this, Malatang and Pang desperately rode the horses and bought an extra turn. They followed orders and saved the commander and Joseon.
"Woohoo!"
Pang ran over, hugging and jumping with him.
"We won! We really won!!"
***
"Geeee~~ Geeeee!!!" the commentators used all their strength to shout.
"Joseon! Joseon has defeated Japan in the quarterfinals three to two! After a bloody five game series!!"
"That’s right! We're proud! Our players! Now it’s official, the best record! Breaking into the semifinals! Joseon! Civil Empire's Joseon! South Korea is in the semifinals!!!"
The chat was lagging.
— Congrats congrats congrats congrats
— Wow!!!
— Insane
— That was an epic match
— Couldn’t breathe at the end
— They did so well!!
Over a million people simultaneously sent messages. Not just once per person, but multiple times. Everyone had something to say.
— Oh my god
— They overcame all the haters!!!
— Almond!! Incredible!
— So touching
— Congrats congrats congrats
— Thank you for winning
OrangeKing vented his frustrations by shouting, "The team that started at the bottom of the power rankings! Joseon is going to the semifinals! This was unthinkable! The main tournament?! Sure, they might get lucky! But the round of sixteen was supposed to be impossible! Yet they made it!"
He began recounting the miracle of Joseon, which started as the lowest ranked team and defied all expectations.
"The round of sixteen? Fine! But the quarterfinals? No way! Everyone said that! Even if they beat the Vikings with the map selection, they wouldn’t beat Persia! Persia is a superior archery civilization!"
— So true!!
— Persia was tough
— That’s when Best Yi Sun-Shin appeared!
— Amazing...
"Exactly! I remember! Yes! That was the reaction!"
"But they did it! They beat Persia! Joseon made it to the quarterfinals! That was a miracle! Everyone said it was a miracle! But then!!"
OrangeKing raised his voice even higher and waved his hands.
"The quarterfinals! Facing Japan in a best-of-five match! There’s no luck in a multi-game series! Even if Joseon could win one game, they would be lacking in the other games! Japan was too solid! They couldn’t win! They did well enough! It was okay to lose! But then!!!"
Bang!
He pointed to the players emerging from the capsules.
"They won!!!"
— Wow
— Incredible
— This is the Civil Empire I know? Amazing!!!
— Almond is legendary
"Joseon! In a best-of-five series!! Defeated Japan! They proved their skills! And now, they proudly claim a spot in the world’s top four!!!"
Hiss.
The capsules opened one by one and the players emerged.
"The players who achieved this miracle are coming out! Everyone! Please welcome them with applause and cheers!!!"
"Woohoo!!!"
They came out and ran to each other, hugging and shouting.
"Ah, they’re happy. They must be really happy. Many are crying. Yes, they should cry as much as they want. Tears of victory. How great is that!"
Then, they joined hands and approached the crowd to greet them. The crowd threw countless turtle ship dolls, letters, and confetti at them. Most of these items had been sold by Ju-Hyeok.
"Ah... the spectators are, yes! They’re becoming one with the players! Laughing and crying together! This is sports!"
"Exactly."
"Back when esports first appeared, people wondered how games could be considered sports!"
The caster recalled that time.
"One day! Games will also become sports, bringing the whole nation and young people together worldwide ! People laughed at that back then!"
— I remember then...
— True
— Starcraft League...
— Amazing
— Unbelievable
"But now, I think they’re watching! The players and spectators are all becoming one! Cheering, laughing, crying, sweating! This is what we call sports!"
"Exactly! This is Civil Empire! Nation battles! Truly a sports-like match!"
The caster was right. It was hard for anyone to deny. Although the form was different, the game they played was indeed like sports. Gamers worldwide could unite. At this moment, they all came together.
"Now, the winning Korean players... Ah. Yes, they’re going to the Japanese players. Yes... the loser usually goes first. Some are crying...."
Ringo was still leaning against his capsule, crying.
— Ringo-san...
— (ㅡ_ㅡ) >>>> (ㅠ_ㅠ)
— Oh no...
— ??? Are you crying?
— Oh dear
— Don’t be too harsh, Ringo is known for fair play
— Ringo is cute~
— The explosion in games 3 and 4 was intense. Ringo did well
— Better than that Persian guy.
Zing.
Sa-Rang approached him, extending her hand. She looked exhausted, but she thought about offering a greeting. Ringo stood up at her approach. They shook hands and he forced a smile, saying something inaudible.
"Ah. He probably said, 'Well done,' or something. His expression looks more relaxed."
"Yes, Ringo was a strong commander... Everyone did their best. This was a home game, so the pressure must have been intense..."
Ringo finally headed to the waiting room. He gave Sa-Rang a thumbs-up as he left.
"Ah. He’s saying, 'You did well.'"
"Admitting defeat and becoming stronger. Yes, I’ve been a pro too. If you don’t admit it, you can’t improve."
"Exactly. You can’t keep thinking you’re always right. In that sense, Japan and Ringo will probably get stronger."
"Yes. Now she is saying something. 'You’ve been here many times! But it’s our first time! Let’s go!'"
Of course, Sa-Rang didn’t say that.
— ??
— No way
— What LOL
— Hahahaha
— Freaking OrangeKing
Honda and Almond also shook hands. Honda seemed much more composed than Ringo. He had already accepted the result.
"Ah, Honda is shaking hands."
"He’s a great person. Laughing while shaking hands with Almond, who called him short. He’s almost a saint, right?"
— LOL
— Oh, right hahaha
— After a fight, men make up
— Oh man
— A saint?!
— Oh my god hahaha
— Maybe he forgot? LOL
"Excellent. Both teams worked hard to show such a great match! It’s sad the home team lost, but we have to proceed. Right?"
"Exactly. The MVP selection remains."
The big screen began playing replays for the MVP selection.
Author’s Note
[Literal chills writing this chapter]