Season 3: Chapter 327. Stimpack (1)
Thud!
Anto’s eyes widened in shock when Pierre collapsed.
‘What... is this?’
It was an impossible angle. The archer couldn’t possibly have known Pierre’s position. This was akin to someone on the first floor pinpointing the exact location of someone on the third floor. And the arrow shot from the first floor accurately struck its target on the third floor.
It didn’t just hit any soldier. It was Pierre who got hit. He hadn’t even thought to raise his shield. That was only natural. No player would anticipate an arrow coming from such an angle.
‘This isn’t a coincidence.’
Pierre getting hit wasn’t a coincidence. It had been deliberate and that level of targeting wasn’t achievable by the archers. Only a commander observing from above could execute such precise orders. The commander had directed the trajectory of the arrow.
‘This level of commanding is possible...?’
The fact that such an order could even be given...
‘And it could actually be executed?’
The fact that the order was also carried out...
‘Hah?’
Anto’s expression completely changed. He hadn’t experienced such a feeling in a long time. He felt fear. Anto was afraid of Joseon.
Thump. Thump.
His heart began to race and blood coursed through his body like a storm, but the corners of Anto’s mouth curled into a faint smile. How long had it been since he felt like this? He couldn’t even remember.
Perhaps this was the very reason he played games. Every game was like this. The moment it became truly enjoyable was only when a wall stood in the way. Trying different approaches to overcome that wall, pondering strategies for countless nights, and finally breaking through.
[Regroup]
That was when the true thrill of gaming emerged.
Anto began resurrecting his soldiers and prepared for a counterattack. Troops equipped with spears and shields gathered at the rally point he designated. Pierre would respawn soon thanks to his early death.
Meanwhile, the Joseon archers were already advancing toward Rome’s main base. What were they after? They had to know how difficult it would be to assault such high ground in the second era. And yet, they pressed on.
‘Do they know we’re short on troops?’
Rome only had two legions ready for battle at the moment. In contrast, the enemy had six archers and possibly more. Additional reinforcements could be coming from behind, especially if they planned to end the game in the second era.
‘Are they trying to end it? Or not?’
Anto needed to figure this out. Was Joseon aiming to finish the game in the second era or just trying to inflict damage to gain an advantage? The response would vary drastically depending on the answer.
‘No.’
Anto shook his head. Trying to read the opponent’s thoughts and react accordingly would only put him a step behind. This wasn’t Cookie he was up against. It was Best Yi Sun-Shin. The new commander’s reactions and commands were almost instantaneous. Anto couldn’t match that speed, but his strengths lay elsewhere in prediction and controlling variables.
[Move]
Anto began repositioning his soldiers. He opened up a path instead of blocking the enemy’s advance. It was bait. Rather than overthinking, he would make his opponent hesitate and deliberate. Now, it was up to Joseon to question whether the bait was real or a trap.
‘This bait will be big.’
This wasn’t just a small lure for catching small fish. Anto finally acknowledged his opponent.
‘I’ll admit it. You’re a shark.’
Worms or shrimp wouldn’t suffice for a shark. Anto threw in a giant, bleeding fish reeking of blood. Something a predator couldn’t resist. Even the commentators mistook it for a mistake.
"Uh-oh!? Did Rome just make an error?"
"Did they lose track of the archers’ positions?"
[Move]
[Move]
[Move]
The Roman barbarian troops scattered chaotically in all directions. Their paths overlapped, causing confusion and clashes. It was utter chaos.
Some units were deployed on the hills to block the archers while others marched to inexplicable positions. Thirty barbarian soldiers were mobilized, but only ten were effectively in place to counter the archers.
"Wait, barbarians on the hill? They’re not going to be very effective up there, are they?"
Among them, only one legion was present.
"There is at least one legion in position! But Rome seems disorganized right now!"
Whoosh!
The legion threw spears downward. The archers climbing the cliffs dodged the projectiles and kept advancing.
"Ah, one legion alone can’t do much!"
It took time to reload and throw spears again. One legion couldn’t suppress six archers effectively.
"Waaaaahhh!"
Amid the chaos, one Joseon soldier darted forward at lightning speed. The crowd erupted into cheers as the broadcast zoomed in on the soldier’s face.
It was Almond. Almond had breached the enemy’s main base.
"Ohhh! Did he just make it in!?"
"This high ground is ridiculously steep! But it ended so anticlimactically! And look!"
Bam!
He began shooting his bow. Enemy soldiers attempting to ambush the other archers on the hill were picked off one by one.
"The Roman soldiers are taking heavy losses!"
The Roman troops retreated further into their base’s interior.
"Rome is retreating! Are they planning to make a stand inside their town hall!?"
It seemed like they intended to use the town hall’s defenses to bolster their position. It was an obvious bait.
"I don’t think Joseon will chase them any further."
However—
"Wait!?"
Roman troops emerged from one flank. Three legions and a group of barbarian soldiers charged forward. And then came the big bait Anto had prepared.
[Priest]
Even a priest joined their formation.
***
‘A priest?’
Almond’s eyes gleamed. Best Yi Sun-Shin’s gaze looked just as sharp on the commander’s camera.
‘They’ve even brought out a priest.’
A priest wasn’t just significant in production but also held immense influence in battle. A priest could be a game-changer, especially in the second era.
Wuuuuuung!
The priest raised their staff, buffing the formation.
[Movement Speed Increase]
The barbarian soldiers’ movement speed surged, allowing them to close in on the archers at lightning speed. With the speed buff, the barbarian soldiers could easily kill the archers in an instant.
"Waaaaahhh!"
The Roman crowd roared with excitement.
Thud thud thud...!
The enemy surged forward at incredible speed. The buff was temporary but overwhelmingly powerful.
"Dammit, what the hell? A priest too!?"
Pang hesitated and felt momentarily flustered.
"Should we pull back for now... and re-engage later?"
Then—
[Attack]
The command came through. The priest’s buff was annoying, but this was a massive opportunity. The enemy had willingly brought their heads forward. The bow creaked as Almond drew it back on the spot.
Thwack!
His arrow flew, taking off the head of a barbarian soldier. The next arrow quickly followed, striking down another soldier.
"G-Good! Keep firing!"
The other archers joined Almond, pulling back their bows.
Thunk!
Roman legions stationed at the back rushed forward, raising their shields. However, the three shields couldn’t block all the arrows.
Thud! Thud! Thwack!
Arrows lodged into shields. Several barbarian soldiers tumbled and fell again.
Whoosh!
By then, the legions had closed the gap and hurled their spears.
"Spears incoming! Ugh!"
Thud!
An archer fell due to the enemy’s overwhelming speed.
"They’re getting close now!"
Spam stepped back hesitantly. At that moment, another order came.
[Move]
"Move! Move!" Spam shouted and ran toward the designated area.
‘Huh?’
To his confusion, the others weren’t heading in the same direction.
‘They’re scattering?’
They had received a series of individual orders to essentially disperse on a larger scale.
***
Suddenly, the Joseon troops spread out in every direction. Rome’s squad leader, Enzo, hesitated.
‘Where... should we go?’
There was no clear target to chase among the scattered archers. Wherever they chose, the archers would cover each other with their bows drawn.
"Stay behind the shields!"
Thwack! Thwack!
Arrows struck their shields in barrages.
Thunk!
The first volley after dispersing had been blocked.
"Their accuracy is insane..."
"Those archers are unnervingly precise."
"Phew."
"Alright, move forward again!"
Joseon spread out while Rome regrouped. Joseon also continued firing while Rome defended. It was a battle of complete opposites.
Thud! Thunk!
Arrows slammed into the shields with enough force to crack them.
The squad leader muttered under his breath, "Now should be the time..."
It was time for a strategic retreat.
"Pull back slowly!"
As they retreated, the arrows began flying faster. Joseon was gaining momentum. It made sense. The once-aggressive enemies had suddenly stopped and were now retreating.
"Keep pulling back slowly!"
Enzo steadily maintained the retreat despite the increasing pressure.
[Durability: 17%]
The shield's durability was dwindling, but they had to endure. Then—
‘They’re out of range.’
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The arrows vanished in midair. They had barely stepped out of the archers’ firing range. The enemy hadn’t realized it yet. Now, Enzo had to feign unpredictability to lure the enemy further into his trap. The enemy didn’t seem eager to give chase.
At that moment—
[Turn around and flee]
A new command came.
"Retreat!"
The Roman squad turned and began running. All they had to do was reach the nearby building for cover. The priest, moving at a slower pace due to their lower movement speed, lagged slightly behind. This meant the priest was gradually drawing closer to the Joseon troops. It was the most dangerous moment, yet also the most tempting.
***
‘The priest...!’
Almond noticed the priest lagging behind. It seemed like a mistake from the enemy. A command came through.
[Chase]
The target was the priest.
Whoosh...
A route lit up, guiding the way. Almond drew his bow and sprinted along the marked path.
[Approach and use a curved shot]
The command became more specific. Since the legions were adept at blocking arrows, the strategy was to close the gap and use a curved shot to take down the priest instantly.
"Run!"
The other archers began running as well, though not in the same direction as Almond.
"We’ll cover the legions!" Pang shouted.
Since the legions would undoubtedly shield the priest, they would fire at the legions instead. This could either result in more legion casualties or force the enemy to abandon the priest. It was a win-win tactic. As Pang ran, he suddenly crouched and pulled back his bow.
"Fire!"
Whoosh!
Dust kicked up as the archers’ knees dragged against the ground. Then—
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
"Block them!"
The legions ran back into formation, shielding the priest from the incoming arrows.
Thunk!
But—
"!?"
Thud!
Arrows struck their legs.
"Ugh...?"
[Movement Speed Reduced]
[HP: 72%]
Although the damage was minimal, their movement speed decreased significantly.
Thwack! Thud!
Some legions hit by multiple arrows were nearly out of health. The priest hastily began healing them.
"Heal!"
Whooong!
"Hold on... just a bit longer!"
"We’re not done yet...!"
Meanwhile, the legions’ eyes darted toward a figure moving far off to the side. Unlike the other archers, this one hadn’t fired a single arrow and was circling around at another angle.
"That one hasn’t fired yet! Focus on him!"
It was Almond. He hadn’t let loose a single arrow yet.
‘Now.’
Almond’s eyes gleamed as he released his arrow.
"He’s shooting!"
Whoosh!
The arrow curved like a snake, hurtling straight toward the priest.