Before I could even finish my sentence, Yuchae kicked off the ground and flew toward the enemy team.
[Guild] TheHunter: ?
Right after, TheHunter and Sachineom rushed after her in a hurry.
[Guild] (Sachineom): What the fuck
[Guild] (Sachineom): You can't just run off like that on your own;;
[Guild] TheHunter: Scared the shit outta me
Sachineom intercepted the skill flying toward Yuchae with a counter move, and TheHunter handled the enemy blocking the way.
Dorahee had begun handing out buffs in sync with the battle. I nodded at the list of buffs that were useful to melee DPS.
Since the fight was about which side's melee DPS could eliminate the enemy support faster, focusing the buffs accordingly was the smart move. Dorahee, just like the other guild members, had great game sense.
[Guild] I'mSoSleepy: Keep it up, Rahee
[Guild] I'mSoSleepy: Rotate the buffs for the melee DPS, please
[Guild] ThisIsDoraheeTheBuffer: Hehe okay~
We'd leave the healers, buffers, and tanks from "OneHeartOneMind" to the melee dealers like Yuchae. It was time for us to do our part too.
[All] WoonYoom: Long time no see, Sleepy~ hehe
[All] I'mSoSleepy: Yeah, it's been a while
[All] WoonYoom: I wanted to do the prelims with you
[All] WoonYoom: But I ended up facing you as an enemy
I still had good feelings toward WoonYoom, the guild master of OneHeartOneMind. Even if it was because Kim Daeseok asked him, he'd accepted a problematic newbie without hesitation and worked to prevent misunderstandings within the guild.
If it weren't for that tangled mess with Yuchae, I probably would've stayed in OneHeartOneMind and continued playing with them. If that were the case, I'd be playing on their side of the prelims right now instead of Early Evening's.
[All] I'mSoSleepy: It's a shame
[All] I'mSoSleepy: I feel the same
I replied casually, stretching my fingers lightly. Whatever the past was, right now, we were enemies.
And WoonYoom was a Berserker. No doubt he'd charge in to kill our healers and buffers. As someone who had to protect them, he was the opponent I had to face properly now.
[Guild] Haereun: Kyaaak
[Guild] Haereun: Scary! ><
Just as I expected, WoonYoom spotted Haereun and Dorahee and drew the twin swords on his back. His entire body began to glow red.
It was Rage Impact, one of the Berserker's buff skills. It increased attack power and the chance of applying a bleed debuff. Not just healers and buffers—even a ranged DPS like me had to be careful not to get hit directly.
[Guild] Hwasoun: fr
[Guild] Hwasoun: I'm scared too
[Guild] Staeric: Berserkers are such rare classes...
Hwasoun twirled her long spear into position, and Staeric put on his mask. Behind WoonYoom, three guild members appeared as well.
A Sharpshooter, a Warlord, and a Summoner, I think? They were pretty standard classes, so aside from WoonYoom, they didn't look too hard to deal with.
[Guild] Staeric: I'll take care of the others
[Guild] Staeric: I'll do a little pew-pew
[Guild] Staeric: You guys handle the Berserker lmao
[Guild] Haereun: The hell
[Guild] Haereun: Shouldn't the spearman handle this, lol
[Guild] Hwasoun: Fuck
[Guild] Hwasoun: Even spear users get scared too.
[Guild] Staeric: If it's not a cheese spear-user, who's gonna handle the Berserker~
The hot potato got passed to Hwasoun, the spear-user with the best skill set. As for me, my job this round was to stand guard and make sure the buffer and healer didn't die, so I just quietly watched.
"Kekeke, come at me!"
WoonYoom's character shouted a taunt line as he charged us. Hwasoun stepped in and blocked the swinging sword with her spear.
「Die, die!」
WoonYoom laughed maniacally as he violently slashed at Hwasoun who had blocked him. Watching his cheerful-looking character with light brown hair go absolutely berserk sent chills down my spine.
[All] WoonYoom: hehe
[All] Hwasoun: This is terrifying fuck
Hwasoun barely blocked the skill that caused a bleed debuff with a counter move, then started crying as the crazed WoonYoom loomed over her.
Early Evening Guild has earned 10 points!
Early Evening Guild has earned 10 points!
OneHeartOneMind Guild has earned 10 points!
Early Evening Guild has earned 10 points!
Early Evening Guild has earned 10 points!
Early Evening Guild has earned 10 points!
Meanwhile, the score log kept racking up. It was clear at a glance that our guild had the overwhelming advantage.
Confirming the rapidly rising score gauge at the top of the screen, I used my E skill on the Sharpshooter targeting Dorahee.
[All] PureMedStudent: ?
The Sharpshooter, frozen in place from the bind, expressed confusion. What question mark? I quickly moved my fingers.
I hit them with my most damaging W, followed by the fast-casting Q and R in quick succession. Left with 50% HP, the Sharpshooter hastily used a movement skill to put distance between us.
[All] PureMedStudent: What the hell
[All] PureMedStudent: I thought you were a noob with a trash weapon
[All] PureMedStudent: You're a dark horse, holy shit
[All] I'mSoSleepy: ?
[All] Haereun: LOL
[All] ThisIsDoraheeTheBuffer: Hehe lol
[Guild] Haereun: Breaking news
[Guild] Haereun: The enemy team just called Sleepy a total noob
[Guild] Haereun: Said his weapon was trash… everyone's in shock
[Guild] DrinkWater: LOLOLOLOL
[Guild] LaggingToDeath: kekekekeke
[Guild] I'mSoSleepy: tf
[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: That's insane lmao
[Guild] Yuchae: Which bastard said that, bro ──
[Guild] I'mSoSleepy: You stay quiet
[Guild] SoySauceCrabChomp: LOLLLLLL
[Guild] DrinkWater: oh fuck lmfao
[Guild] ManaOutGuy: Please stop, I'm dying here
[Guild] ManaOutGuy: I keep misfiring skills from laughing
[Guild] SseSseSseLetsGo: What the hell is going on lmao
I'd become the laughingstock of the guild, and with an annoyed grin, I charged at the Sharpshooter who started it all.
As a Dark Mage, who mostly uses non-target skills, it's important to keep some distance in combat. But since my skill was far superior and I had already chunked their HP, it didn't matter.
"Actually, this is perfect."
I'd been planning to test how many times I could kill someone before the gauge filled up after killing just one enemy. Gotta prep for that insane PvP against the Faber newbie on Wednesday—beat them until my staff breaks.
I dodged the Sharpshooter's Light Arrow with precision and cast my D skill. It was the Dark Mage's only AoE field skill, forming a circular debuff zone that slowed enemies who stepped into it. The range was small and damage low, but the slow was key.
I'd already practiced countering Sharpshooters in the arena. No need to rely on bind skills against them, since they had plenty of escape tools.
Their strength lay in short cooldown dodges that let them zip around—but they were squishy and weak to mid-range damage. In short, I had a 100% win rate in this matchup.
Just as I predicted, the slowed Sharpshooter couldn't avoid my Q and R skills and took them head-on. With barely any HP left, they panicked and used an escape skill—so I calmly hit them with another Q.
The Sharpshooter's character groaned and collapsed to the ground.
[All] PureMedStudent: wtf
[All] PureMedStudent: ;;
Early Evening Guild has earned 10 points!
Against someone who doesn't know how to fight a Dark Mage, it was better to save the only CC skill (bind) and the strongest damage skill (W).
They'd always hold onto their dodge skill for when I used one of those two. It was a mind game, a control duel—and I won both.
In this preliminary match, after dying, you revive periodically until the gauge fills. Based on respawn time and the gauge rate, I calculated I could kill him at least 5 more times.
[Guild] I'mSoSleepy: Guys
[Guild] I'mSoSleepy: You doing okay?
[Guild] I'mSoSleepy: If we're good, I'm gonna go kill that Sharpshooter a few more times lol
[Guild] Haereun: omg
[Guild] TheHunter: holy
[Guild] ThisIsDoraheeTheBuffer: I think you're good to go hehe
Hwasoun had finally died trying to hold off WoonYoom with buffs and heals, but Staeric took advantage of the opening and finished him off, so we weren't in as rough a spot anymore.
[Guild] DrinkWater: All good here
[Guild] DrinkWater: I'll reinforce the north side
[Guild] I'mSoSleepy: okok
With a solid tank like DrinkWater heading over, we had nothing to worry about. Grinning ear to ear, I gripped my "trash" staff and went hunting for the Sharpshooter named PureMedStudent.
One hour had passed since the prelim match started. We filled the gauge and finished our match against
As expected, it was a total stomp—our guild won with a 60% lead.
[All] WoonYoom: Ah haha, that was brutal
[All] WoonYoom: GG, Early Evening~
[All] DrinkWater: gg
Even though OneHeartOneMind lost, their vibe was pretty chill. They probably knew from the start this would be a tough match.
Normally, after finishing early, we'd use the extra time to raid another strong guild—but we all chose to rest instead.
[All] PureMedStudent: fuck
[All] PureMedStudent: that guild's Dark Mage is a total psycho
The Sharpshooter, who had died to me 8 times in total, raged in chat. Dying 8 times basically meant he spent the whole match just reviving and getting killed again.
[All] MochaBread: fr
[All] MochaBread: Sleepy was totally unhinged…
[All] Yuchae: So cool hehe
[All] TheHunter: How many kills did you get?
[All] ParkSeungjin99: I stopped counting after 5 lol
[All] Sachineom: Wasn't it like 10?
[All] PureMedStudent: It was 8, okay?
[All] ManaOutGuy: LOL 10 or 8, still nuts
[All] I'mSoSleepy: You're the one who said my weapon was trash first, remember? lol
[All] I'mSoSleepy: Karma's real, yeah?
[All] PureMedStudent: Ffs
[All] PureMedStudent: Your tone pisses me off so bad
Good. That's exactly why I'm talking like this.
[All] PureMedStudent: You
[All] I'mSoSleepy: ?
[All] PureMedStudent: Accept my friend request
[All] I'mSoSleepy: ??
[All] Yuchae: ?
[All] PureMedStudent: After prelims
[All] PureMedStudent: 1v1 me
[All] I'mSoSleepy: lol
[All] I'mSoSleepy: Okay
It was an unexpected challenge, but I didn't mind. That kind of pride and persistence—I could respect it as a fellow gamer.
Even after I accepted the friend request without hesitation, PureMedStudent grumbled in chat for a while before disappearing. Must've been really rattled getting killed so many times.
[Guild] Yuchae: That guild…
[Guild] Yuchae: I seriously don't like them…
[Guild] DrinkWater: Damn
[Guild] DrinkWater: Thank you for using guild chat instead of all chat lol
[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: For real
[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: What's gotten into you
[Guild] Yuchae: If I'd said that in all chat…
[Guild] Yuchae: Sleepy-hyung would've gotten mad, what do I do T_T
[Guild] LaggingToDeath: ;;
[Guild] Staeric: yikes…
Yuchae, who couldn't stand seeing me add anyone as a friend, was once again whining like a kicked puppy—but I ignored him cleanly. If I spoiled him too much, his behavior would just get worse.
[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : http://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]