Same Team 2

Saturday morning.

Kang Tae-jun woke up much earlier than usual.

Before the alarm could ring.

The sunlight streaming through the curtains dimly illuminated the room, and the monitor on the desk was still off.

Tae-jun lay in bed, staring at the ceiling for a moment.

And—

He immediately sat up.

Today was the day the was taking place.

It was a two-person cooperative event where registered partners continuously cleared multiple zones within a time limit.

It wasn't just about combat power; clear time, survival, and cooperative contribution were all recorded.

And his partner was—

The top-ranked player in the overall ranking.

Shopsop.

Tae-jun, about to get out of bed, recalled the last screen from last night.

It was still empty.

Shopsop had told him to come up with a team name.

“Team name, huh…”

Tae-jun scratched his head.

At first, he thought he'd just put in some random name.

But the moment he thought about it being next to Shopsop and his own name, he didn't want to use any random name.

He didn't want anything too grand either.

But a playful name felt off too.

Tae-jun washed up, ate a simple breakfast, and turned on the computer.

When he logged into , much more users than usual were gathered in the village square.

It seemed like the influx of players was due to today's event.

The entire chat was already flying by.

Tae-jun let out a small sigh at the last message.

“It’s starting again.”

He recalled what Shopsop had said yesterday about not looking at the bulletin board.

Tae-jun minimized the chat window.

And opened the event menu.

[Partner]

[Shopsop]

[Arc Saber]

[Team Name: Unregistered]

A cursor was blinking under the blank.

Tae-jun thought for a long time, then placed his hand on the keyboard.

Tap.

Tap tap.

A short word was entered.

[SYNC]

Move together.

Hit together.

Continue together.

It was the first word that came to mind when he recalled their recent plays together.

Tae-jun stopped just before pressing the register button.

“...Is this too simple?”

At that moment, a whisper notification appeared.

Tae-jun's hand moved reflexively.

[Arc Saber: Yes.]

[Shopsop: Did you decide on the name?]

Tae-jun looked back at the word on the screen.

[Arc Saber: I thought of one, but...]

[Shopsop: What is it?]

[Arc Saber: SYNC.]

There was no reply for several seconds.

Tae-jun felt uneasy for no reason.

[Arc Saber: Is it bad?]

Immediately, a reply came up.

And—

[Shopsop: It suits us well.]

Tae-jun's hand paused for a moment.

'Us.'

That short word stood out strangely to him.

Tae-jun immediately pressed the register button.

Tae-jun couldn't help but curve the corners of his mouth.

[Arc Saber: Then I'll go with this.]

[Shopsop: Yeah.]

At that moment, an event notification appeared in the center of the screen.

*

In the waiting area, countless teams were gathered.

Characters registered in pairs were checking their readiness.

Famous rankers wearing flashy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠equipment were easy to spot.

Raon.

Mir.

Crown.

And core users from various top guilds.

Tae-jun looked around at the participants and let out a small breath.

In usual raids, he was mixed among many people.

But today was different.

It was just the two of them.

His and Shopsop's.

If one made a mistake, the other couldn't be filled in by someone else.

At that moment, a party chat appeared.

[Shopsop: Nervous?]

Tae-jun honestly replied.

[Arc Saber: A little.]

[Shopsop: It's fine.]

Tae-jun blinked.

It was rare for Shopsop to say it's fine first.

But the next message came right after.

[Shopsop: If I make a mistake, what are you going to say to me?]

Tae-jun burst into a laugh.

[Arc Saber: I was almost moved by that just now.]

[Shopsop: It means to concentrate.]

[Arc Saber: As expected from Shopsop-nim.]

The tension eased a bit.

Right then.

The countdown started.

[10]

[9]

The surrounding characters took combat-ready stances one by one.

[8]

[7]

Tae-jun checked the keyboard and mouse again.

[6]

[5]

Shopsop's character stood right next to him.

[4]

[3]

[2]

[1]

[Double Star Trial has started.]

The screen suddenly darkened.

*

First zone.

A massive ancient castle.

A narrow path between high walls, with monsters pouring out from both sides.

It was similar to practice.

[Shopsop: Right side.]

[Arc Saber: I'll go left.]

The two characters split at the same time.

Tae-jun pulled three monsters rushing in front of him at once.

Defense skill.

Rotating attack.

Combo.

His hands moved much more naturally than before.

When one monster slipped to the side, Tae-jun immediately blocked the movement path.

Completed.

On top, Shopsop's status was displayed.

[Progress 96%]

A while later.

[Entry preparation complete]

Tae-jun didn't hesitate.

He pressed the device.

Clang!

The door on the opposite side opened.

Almost simultaneously, the door on Tae-jun's side opened too.

Shopsop had operated the device.

The two moved to the next zone.

Words were almost unnecessary.

It was the same movements repeated over the past few days.

Second zone.

A section where you have to destroy two crystal stones while avoiding attacks.

Tae-jun took one.

Shopsop took the other side.

When the boss's AoE started, Tae-jun hid behind the crystal stone.

Attack ended.

Immediately attack again.

First crystal destroyed.

Simultaneously, an explosion happened on the opposite side.

The two crystals shattered almost at the same time.

[Cooperative bonus +15%]

Tae-jun's eyes widened.

[Arc Saber: I've never seen this before.]

[Shopsop: If they break at the same time, there's a bonus, huh.]

[Arc Saber: Were you aiming for that?]

[Shopsop: No.]

Tae-jun chuckled.

But strangely, it felt even better.

Without promising each other, the timing matched.

Third zone.

Fourth zone.

Their records kept getting faster.

The middle ranking was displayed on one side of the screen.

[Current provisional ranking]

1st Raon / Crown

2nd SYNC

3rd Mir / Seiren

Tae-jun's eyes widened.

“2nd place?”

It was much higher than expected.

The difference from 1st was only 11 seconds.

Enough to overtake.

But—

At the moment of entering the fifth zone, the situation changed.

The entire screen turned red.

Tae-jun frowned.

A phrase he had never seen in practice.

[Random special pattern applied.]

And the next moment.

A huge wall rose between the two characters.

Kwaaang!

Shopsop and Tae-jun were completely separated.

Not only that.

A new condition appeared at the top.

Tae-jun checked the screen.

Nothing was visible.

[Arc Saber: I don't see it.]

Shopsop's reply came immediately.

[Shopsop: I see it.]

[Shopsop: I'll tell you.]

The first pattern started.

The entire floor turned red.

Shopsop's chat came up quickly.

[Shopsop: Two squares to the right.]

Tae-jun moved immediately.

Kwung!

The spot he had been standing on exploded.

Second.

[Shopsop: Forward.]

Tae-jun moved.

Explosion.

Third.

[Shopsop: Left.]

Avoid again.

Tae-jun focused on the screen.

He just had to follow the directions Shopsop was telling him.

But—

At the moment the fourth pattern started.

Shopsop's status window shook.

Health greatly decreased.

[Arc Saber: Are you okay?]

[Shopsop: Attack coming to my side too.]

Tae-jun's expression hardened.

Shopsop was avoiding her own attacks while checking Tae-jun's safe zone at the same time.

Next pattern.

[Shopsop: Back.]

Tae-jun backed up.

At that moment, Shopsop's health decreased again.

This time, it was below half.

Tae-jun firmly closed his lips.

If this continued, Shopsop wouldn't be able to concentrate on her own pattern because she was telling him directions.

Then.

From the edge of the floor, a faint light moved.

It was a very short moment.

Just before the explosion.

The small pattern around the safe zone was turning red a little later than elsewhere.

Tae-jun narrowed his eyes.

Next pattern.

This time, before Shopsop's chat came up, he looked at the floor.

Right front.

The pattern there was turning red at a very slightly slower speed.

Tae-jun moved first.

Kwaaang!

Accurate.

Safe zone.

Shopsop's chat came up belatedly.

[Shopsop: How did you know that?]

Tae-jun looked at the next floor and quickly typed.

[Arc Saber: There are premonitions.]

[Arc Saber: I'll check it.]

There was no reply for a while.

The next attack started.

Tae-jun examined the pattern.

Two squares to the left.

Move immediately.

Avoid successful.

Shopsop no longer needed to check his side.

Her health no longer decreased.

Next.

Forward.

Avoid again.

[Shopsop: Right.]

[Shopsop: Keep watching.]

[Arc Saber: Yes.]

Tae-jun put strength in his fingertips.

Only when he first raided with Shopsop, he moved following all the patterns she told him.

Right.

Left.

Dodge.

Stop.

He always followed one beat late.

But now it was different.

He was watching too.

The patterns Shopsop couldn't see.

Last pattern.

The entire floor turned red.

There was only one safe zone.

Tae-jun's gaze moved quickly.

None.

No matter how hard he looked, he couldn't see the difference.

“What...?”

Time until explosion.

3 seconds.

2 seconds.

At that moment, Tae-jun looked at the wall, not the floor.

One of the crystal stones embedded in the walls on both sides wasn't letting light in.

Tae-jun immediately moved towards it.

1 second.

Kwaaaang!!

The entire screen shook.

But—

Arc Saber was still alive.

[Special pattern broken]

The huge wall collapsed.

Shopsop's character appeared from the opposite side.

A while later, the chat came up.

[Shopsop: Good job.]

Tae-jun let out a short breath.

This time, the praise felt different from before.

It wasn't the result of moving according to Shopsop's instructions.

It was the result of him directly seeing and finding it.

[Arc Saber: This time, I helped a bit, right?]

[Shopsop: A lot.]

A smile spread on Tae-jun's lips.

At that moment, the middle ranking was updated.

[Current provisional ranking]

1st SYNC

2nd Raon / Crown

Gap.

3.8 seconds.

“...I'm really 1st.”

But it wasn't over yet.

The last zone remained.

*

Final boss.

Guardian of Double Stars, Astra.

A knight wielding two huge swords slowly stood up.

Blue light from one, red light flowing from the other.

[In the final zone, the cumulative cooperative score of the two participants is applied to combat correction.]

[SYNC cooperative score: 94]

Reinforcement effects were applied to the two characters.

Tae-jun took a short breath.

[Arc Saber: Let's go.]

[Shopsop: Yeah.]

The battle began.

The boss's first sword fell.

The two split in opposite directions at the same time.

Shopsop dove in from the side.

Tae-jun held the boss's gaze from the front.

Attack.

Avoid.

Alternate.

When Tae-jun's health decreased, Shopsop took aggro.

When attacks came to Shopsop, Tae-jun came forward again.

No one decided who ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠first.

The one who needed to move moved.

Boss health 50%.

Two swords glowed simultaneously.

[Double Star Collapse]

A huge AoE attack started.

Tae-jun checked the screen.

At the end of the map, two devices appeared.

Both had to be pressed at the same time.

[Arc Saber: I'll go left.]

[Shopsop: Right.]

The two characters jumped at the same time.

Distance to the device.

Two monsters appeared on Tae-jun's side.

Normally, he would have dealt with them and gone.

But there was no time.

Tae-jun used the defense skill and broke through as is.

Health decreased.

30%.

20%.

Reached the device.

Shopsop also arrived in front of the opposite device.

Tae-jun pressed the button.

[Device on standby]

Shopsop operated it simultaneously.

[Double Star Device Activated]

Kwaaang!

The boss's AoE attack was nullified.

Tae-jun immediately used a recovery item.

Boss health 20%.

10%.

The ranking screen's records moved in real time.

The Raon team was almost finished.

The time difference was no longer noticeable.

5%.

Tae-jun attacked first.

The boss swung his sword towards Tae-jun.

Avoid.

At that moment, Shopsop added continuous attacks from behind.

2%.

1%.

The cooldown of the last skill was still remaining.

Tae-jun looked at the boss's stance for a moment.

The appearance of raising the two swords again.

It was a premonition of the next AoE pattern starting.

If he waited like that, the record would be late.

Tae-jun went in first.

[Shopsop: Now?]

[Arc Saber: Finish it now.]

Tae-jun's character dove into the boss's front.

He used all remaining skills at once.

The boss's attack range widened.

A danger mark spread to Tae-jun's feet.

At that moment—

Shopsop came in too.

The attacks of the two characters exploded simultaneously.

Kwaaaaang!!

The screen flashed white.

A while later.

The huge boss slowly knelt.

The two swords fell to the ground.

Tae-jun's hand stopped as is.

“...It's over.”

But the ranking didn't come out immediately.

[Aggregating records of all participating teams]

5 seconds.

It felt strangely long to Tae-jun.

10 seconds.

The chat window was also silent.

Shopsop didn't say anything either.

And—

A huge notification appeared in the center of the screen.

Tae-jun's eyes widened.

“...What?”

He checked again.

1st.

Really.

Below it, the record difference with 2nd was displayed.

[2nd Raon / Crown]

[Record difference: 1.7 seconds]

Tae-jun couldn't say anything for a while.

Immediately, the entire chat exploded.

Tae-jun scrolled the chat quickly and stopped.

The stories that had made him worry yesterday were now buried in other reactions.

At that moment, a party chat came up.

Tae-jun smiled.

[Arc Saber: What?]

[Shopsop: I didn't just pick you for nothing.]

Tae-jun's hand paused for a moment.

And slowly typed a reply.

[Arc Saber: I admit it.]

[Shopsop: What?]

[Arc Saber: You have eyes to see Shopsop-nim.]

A few seconds later.

[Shopsop: Now you know?]

Tae-jun burst into laughter.

[Arc Saber: But today, I did quite well too.]

[Shopsop: Yeah.]

This time, the answer was without hesitation.

[Shopsop: You really did well.]

Tae-jun stared at that sentence for a while.

When he first joined the same party.

He couldn't even keep up with Shopsop.

Missed a pattern and got scolded.

Showed greed for damage but got pointed out.

Misplaced position and put someone else in danger.

But now—

He found the pattern Shopsop didn't see.

Moved while looking at the same direction.

And eventually tied for 1st.

[Arc Saber: Want to do it together next time?]

Tae-jun sent the message and paused for a moment.

This event was already over.

He didn't know when the next similar event would be held.

Was he asking something weird for no reason?

But the reply didn't take long.

[Shopsop: Why are you asking?]

[Arc Saber: Just...]

[Shopsop: Of course we'll do it together.]

A slow smile spread on Tae-jun's lips.

*

Monday morning.

The classroom door opened.

Tae-jun's face wasn't tired like usual.

Hyun-woo immediately stood up from his seat when he saw Tae-jun coming in.

“Hey!”

Tae-jun frowned.

“Why from morning.”

“I did 1st!”

Several nearby students turned around.

Tae-jun waved his hand hurriedly.

“Lower your voice a bit.”

“No, it's really 1st!”

Hyun-woo seemed to have looked for community posts over the weekend.

“There was a video too? You said you found the last pattern!”

“Somehow it showed up.”

“Where's the person who avoids by seeing it.”

“You were just lucky.”

“It's starting again.”

Hyun-woo laughed as if it was unbelievable.

“That Shopsop-nim picked you and you even won, and you're still saying it was luck?”

Tae-jun put down his bag and smiled.

“This time, it's not that kind of meaning.”

“Then?”

“Just...”

Tae-jun thought for a moment.

And answered.

“We did well together.”

Hyun-woo became quiet for a moment.

Then curved his lips.

“Oh.”

“Why.”

“Partner spirit is alive.”

“Shut up.”

Right then, the classroom door opened again.

Seo Ha-yoon came in.

After greeting her friends, she walked towards her seat.

Then stopped in front of Tae-jun for a moment.

“Hello.”

“Ah. Hello.”

Ha-yoon looked at Tae-jun's face for a moment.

“You look happy.”

Tae-jun chuckled.

“You said something about the weekend.”

“About being nervous?”

“Yeah.”

“It worked out?”

Tae-jun nodded.

“I got 1st place.”

Ha-yoon's golden eyes slightly widened.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Ha-yoon smiled briefly.

“I thought you would do well.”

Tae-jun, hearing that, suddenly asked.

“How did you know that?”

Ha-yoon's expression paused for a moment.

But she answered naturally.

“I was worried like that before the results came out.”

“What's the relationship between that and doing well?”

“I was worried because ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I wanted to do well.”

Tae-jun thought for a moment and nodded.

“I see.”

“Yeah.”

Ha-yoon didn't say more and went back to her seat.

And placed her bag next to the desk and took out her phone.

On the screen, the event result of was still left.

Ha-yoon stared at the screen for a moment, then quietly closed it.

At that moment, Hyun-woo's voice came from behind.

“But it seems like you really match well with Shopsop-nim.”

“Now a little?”

“Not a little. You won 1st.”

Tae-jun looked out the window and smiled.

“Yeah.”

At first, it was just a scary rank 1.

Pointed out every time he made a mistake.

Moved one beat earlier than him.

Even if he followed, it seemed like he wouldn't reach easily.

But from some point, it changed.

It wasn't just following.

They filled each other's lacks.

One person saw what the other missed.

Without deciding who first, they moved.

And now, to Tae-jun, Shopsop was—

Not just a rank 1 he admired.

A partner he could expect the next with.

Of course, he didn't know it yet.

The partner he had fought with as the same team all weekend—

Was now just a few seats in front, opening a textbook as usual.

And Ha-yoon had no intention of telling him.