[Oh, what's happening here? The players of Team A from the White Group. Except for the search team, everyone heads straight to the top floor. They seem to pay no attention to the key in the underground. But the players from Team A of the Blue Team! The placement of the team members from Team A of the Blue Team is very appropriate. Except for one player guarding the underground, everyone else is on the top floor. Did they predict the opponent's strategy?]
[It's hard to attempt anything without prediction. It's too daring a strategy. Is there someone in the Blue Team who knows the White Team A well? The prediction is very accurate!]
Listening to the commentators' explanation, Sihyun flinched. The reason was that it occurred to him that among the people he knew, Haeun, who was the most unpredictable, was in the Blue Team's A Team.
If naturally predicting people, he could easily identify the person who could be the leader of the White Team A and devise countermeasures against the opponent's strategy. He was quite adept at collecting and analyzing data.
That was also why Sihyun was a little wary of Haeun. There would be no one more formidable than him as an opponent.
[The game has started, and Team A of the White Team is advancing without obstruction. There is no hesitation in their steps as they progress toward the top floor. Oh! The moment I mention it, the White Team's pace slows down. Patterns appear on the ground. It's a slow debuff!]
[The White Team looks flustered unexpectedly! Was the student Kang Haewoon who was on the top floor a buffer, perhaps?]
The commentators provided real-time updates on the progress of the game. Haewoon, with his cunning tactics, had placed debuffs that activated whenever the White Team stepped on each floor, making it difficult for them to ascend the fortress. Only Yesol and Sia managed to resist it, and they broke free from the slow and restraint a while later.
"We've been hit by Seo-i* so much, do you think we'll get caught by this, kid?"
As Sia shouted, holding the whip in his hand, it was a remark that was unlikely to be heard by Haewoon, but it seemed like a performance.
Hearing that, Sihyun and the members of Team B quietly turned their heads to look at Iha Hyuk. Under everyone's suspicious gaze, he just chuckled and laughed it off.
Once the debuff time ended, the White Team accelerated again and ascended to the top floor. Just before opening the door, Hamin emerged from the entrance and blocked their way.
He used his first strike to eliminate those trying to enter. Sihyun chuckled when he saw the golden aura surrounding Hamin's body.
He hadn't realized how many layers of buffs were applied, shining brightly like golden particles. And with that investment, Hamin fought like a madman. Even the narrow corridor didn't hinder him.
Perhaps thinking it would be difficult to block Eunyul and Sia alone, Hamin, accurately sent by the White Team, single-handedly held off Down, Jihye, and other senior students.
Although Down and Jihye counterattacked, Hamin wielded his sword to nullify their skills. He promised to do well, and indeed, he was doing everything alone.
Hamin's figure appeared on the large screen. Having abandoned tanking and chosen to deal damage, he wiped the sweat from his chin with two swords in hand. With not a single scratch on his face, Sihyun felt a sense of pride for him and turned around to check the reactions of the people behind him. The crescent moon was slightly raised on one side.
"Hamin, a student, is blocking three people alone, and only Sia and Eunyul are entering the gate! Hamin's momentum is amazing! Even though he's a first-year student, he's really scary!"
"On the contrary, there are three first-year students and one second-year student on the White Team who are struggling. They are students Jung Daun, Lee Jihye, and Kim Jicheol! Although the three are trying their best, Hamin, who has applied multiple buffs, is too strong!"
"At this moment, the search team players are facing the Irregulars in the Colosseum! Of all the teams, the Blue Team had to encounter a dangerous Irregular! Baek Geonwoo is tanking this!"
"10 minutes have passed since the start of the match! Kang Haewoon has plastered a significant amount of debuffs at the entrance to the top floor. If you resist one, you get caught by another! Sia and Eunyul can't break through easily."
"Haewoon, was it? He's quite frightening. Did he put on traps and debuffs poured with mana? Isn't that a bit insane?"
Jaeyi, watching the game, was amazed at the crazy debuffs and said. Sihyun was about to answer that he seemed a bit abnormal, but he held back.
It's strange.
Although he seemed proud of Hamin as well, now that Haewoon, who had devised the strategy and made the biggest contribution, was involved, he felt a little embarrassed.
"Sia and Eunyul successfully thwarted a vast amount of debuffs! The two third-year students break through the final obstacle and dash to the top floor where the crystal beads are! Inside, Kang Haewoon looks nervous. He seems anxious."
With precise commentary, Eunyul and Sia finally reached the top floor. As they swung open the last door, they encountered Haewoon. Two second-year students confronted them to protect Haewoon, but the difference in skills was evident.
"Kuk!"
Every time Sia swung the whip, the second-year student tanking groaned. The inspector beside him was no different. As they had only been guarding Haewoon comfortably until now, Eunyul and Sia pushed them aggressively. The two second-year students struggled to block them with all their might.
Thinking that it was not the 3rd Year A team for no reason, Sihyun turned his gaze to the Colosseum screen. The figure of Geonwoo, confronting the Irregular, appeared on the screen. The shield provided by Ruth seemed to be working effectively in the virtual reality, but seeing a sword in his left hand, it seemed that his accompanying senior had been taken out.
Since the search team couldn't be revived if they died, he had to fight alone.
"It's disadvantageous..."
Both Hamin and Haewoon were fighting with their skills at 200%, but the power of the two third-year students was formidable as they roamed like wolves. Sihyun thought he was strong when he saw him fighting alongside Banharu, but he didn't know other people would be this strong.
"Kruk!"
With 6 minutes left in the game, one of the seniors guarding Haewoon groaned heavily. Haewoon, who glanced at his surroundings with eyes sharper than usual, was shown on the close-up screen, handing a walkie-talkie to Hamin.
"Minah! If you've finished killing there, come up!"
Speaking with the crystal bead wrapped around his body, it felt somewhat ridiculous. Hamin, who had just
skillfully taken out Down and three others, received the transmission and headed upstairs. Seeing that the third-year senior guarding the underground didn't call, he seemed to be wary of those who resurrected below.
"Kkuk!"
In the end, one of the second-year students was defeated by Eunyul. It didn't take even a minute until the lone remaining student fell.
All members of the defensive team had fallen, leaving only Haewoon. Tack! With a forceful whip strike, Sia looked at Haewoon in front of him, his eyebrows trembling with anger. His expression was firmly enraged.
"How dare you plaster debuffs like that?"
Even just hearing his voice seemed to convey the anger he felt. The woman, who had been desperately hiding the crystal bead in front of her, raised the corners of her mouth. It was the smile of a victor. However, as Sia was about to strike with his whip, a sword suddenly sprang out and got entangled with Sia's whip, nullifying the attack.
"How!"
Sia, who turned his head abruptly at the sudden situation, saw the notification of Haewoon's defeat, but he looked at the two second-year students standing perfectly fine. It took him a moment to realize what had happened.
"Your special advantage was life, huh?"
No wonder there was no sound of thunder.
The woman murmured softly and confronted the two second-year students again.
"Eunyul, I'll hold these two, so go and occupy."
At Sia's command, swinging his whip with all his might, Haewoon flinched. Although the two second-year students tried to block the whip, it wrapped around both their bodies simultaneously.
"Ugh!"
The two groaned as they struggled to resist. Sia firmly bound them with his whip, making it impossible for them to break free. It was a flawless restraint with no room for complaint.
"What kind of class does that senior have?"
Sihyun, watching Sia handle the electrifying whip, asked Iha Hyuk. It was unheard-of that someone could handle a whip charged with lightning.
"Who? Sia?"
"Yes."
"He's a lightning attribute Awakener."
"Really?"
But to handle the whip so skillfully?
It was truly a skill level that was astonishing. Hearing Iha's explanation that Sia had learned to handle the whip since childhood, Sihyun became curious about what kind of life Sia had lived. Meanwhile, Haewoon closed his eyes tightly as he saw the restraints holding Eunyul break.
As if determined to end it, Eunyul raised his sword high. His sword gleamed under the spotlight. Whoosh! Just as the blade was about to strike down, the door opened.
Clang!
"Minah!"
The sound of metal clashing resonated loudly throughout the top floor. Haewoon looked at Hamin, who had thrown himself to block the sword as if to become his savior, so fast that he couldn't even be caught on camera. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at overcoming the crisis. But victory was not yet assured.
There were 3 minutes left in the remaining match time.
Sihyun frowned as Hamin had to block Eunyul alone for the next 3 minutes. No matter how much Hamin displayed better skills than usual by being buffed by Haewoon, the chances of winning were slim if Down and Jihye, who had resurrected alongside Eunyul, joined the fight.
As he sighed, feeling as if victory was within reach, Sihyun turned his head towards the Colosseum screen. It was only to check on what Baek Geonwoo was doing, but soon his eyes widened.
"That...!"
It seemed he wasn't the only one who saw it, as everyone in the waiting room stood up abruptly. The commentators, who were describing the intense battle between Eunyul and Hamin, were also surprised and made a commotion.
[Hold on a moment! Look at the Colosseum arena now! Student Baek Geonwoo in the Colosseum! Student Baek Geonwoo has discovered the treasure chest! Has he fought against Irregulars? He's completely battered! Student Park Joyeon, who was in the same search team, struggled fiercely amidst death!]
Geonwoo, who was so battered that the word "battered" didn't seem enough, approached the treasure chest. It was hidden deep in the Colosseum. Around it were scattered the bodies of Irregulars.
Staggering, he reached out towards the chest. Meanwhile, Down and Jihye joined the battle from above, as Hamin, who had been fighting 1 vs. 4, was finally defeated.
"I found the treasure."
A low voice flowed through the TV. The sound of commentators excitedly hitting the table reverberated throughout the entire waiting room.
"Student Baek Geonwoo opens the treasure chest! The moment of despair for Team Blue A! Tears of a mermaid! The Tears of a Mermaid are in the hands of student Baek Geonwoo!"
"In a moment of crisis, student Baek Geonwoo turns the tide! Team Blue A! They discover the treasure they were desperate for and win the match! It's the victory of Team Blue A in the first round!"
The voices of the two commentators rang out excitedly. Along with them, cheers erupted in the Team Blue waiting room. Without realizing it, Sihyun hugged Jaei, who was beside him, and shouted, watching Geonwoo on the screen holding the dazzling blue jewel in his hand.
It was a miraculous victory.
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