If You Don't Know, You Get Hit (3)

A heavy silence filled the room.

"Uh... anyway, that character from earlier was seriously weird."

"Why?"

It was Arnold, a new character just updated this week. He'd probably gone through the test server. But I only play a bit on Sundays, my coworkers at the depot couldn't care less about Tuhon, and I never check communities. I only heard about it today—right after the tournament started, through Ta-in's mouth.

"I watch the leagues a lot, so even if I don't play, I kinda know the attack patterns of the characters. But that one? Its whole attack mechanism was completely different from existing characters."

That's Ta-in's take, and she doesn't even play—just watches leagues.

"Plus, the combo damage was insane? Hardly any moves with delay loss..."

If even a league watcher says that much...

"No, the aerial combo starter... I'm not even sure if it has a startup. It eats through most hits..."

League watchers are feeling the bullshit. Let's hear from actual players, then.

"Balance-breaker character."

Ta-in huffed, piling on. "Exactly! Right? Does Hajeong Soft have a brain? What are they thinking releasing this?"

While fiddling with the keyboard, staring at the blinking timer in the center of the darkened screen, Ta-in kept going.

"But it was kinda worth it. It's DLC."

"..."

"New story mode with over 50 customization items... kinda forces you to buy it..."

Customization. The thing that drives Tuhon players mad, wanting unique characters. Essential for paid games. But bundling a broken character with it? Brilliant BM strategy, whoever planned that.

"It's not like there's zero counterplay."

"Yeah, obviously? Time usually fixes it. Right? Tell me I'm right?"

"Sure."

As long as Hajeong Soft isn't planning a one-and-done cash grab before shutting servers, even broken characters get counters eventually. But those counters usually spread after tons of players suffer first. Data from various characters builds up, gets shared in communities, and the broken tier drops to just strong. But this guy's brand new—days old. No systematic counters yet. Unless some madman shows one off, free-win victims will pile up.

The wait timer ends. The black screen brightens gradually.

"Ah, it's starting again! Go Lena!"

A different opponent than before slowly straightens up ahead. A loser from another group, like me. We're fighting one last time to survive this tower.

"Look at this Orange rank punk mouthing off?"

He's heard through Ppase's stream already. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Top 20% player thrilled for a free win. Ta-in snaps back at the taunt instead.

"Lena, teach him a lesson. You just got caught off-guard by a new character—you're not bad at it?!"

But no wind in my sails. A bloodstorm brews on the battlefield ahead.

Cocky players' early patterns fall into two types. One: Blast a big move to show off boldness. Two: Aerial combo starter right away, pummel without counter chance. Their common mistake? Completely ignoring that the opponent might test with movement.

Not this time. No movement—he just uppercutted at start.

I get it. His character, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Jericho. Holds the fastest aerial combo starter among all: Rising Upper. Complex command, but once familiar, easy to input early.

"...Ah!"

Lightning uppercut. But the one floating in air? Jericho himself.

"What was that? Backdash faster than Rising Upper? How?!"

No early inputs at match start. Even fastest Rising Upper caps at 14-15 frames. Backdash is quicker. In this game, flawless aerial combos matter, but movement is king. Don't know aerials? Master dash, backdash, sidestep—you win. Folks beating Count or Baron without playing much? Their characters are zippy. Backdash for space, make opponent whiff, punish the recovery with pokes. Jab spam wins Tuhon. It's brutally hard, that's the issue.

Ren has big, slow moves. But her aerial starter matches the best. This rare equality always gives cocky foes the counter rope.

"Combo what?! Ren this strong?!"

"Dunno."

"Or 'cause Lena's using her? Ren vs. Ren strong?"

"..."

Opponent cornered now. Mentality half-gone too. Underestimated, got smashed. Pro would predict my next, sidestep or guard without hesitation. But he's no pro, not even pro-level amateur. Top 20%, talent-climbers. Fun-oriented, not deep divers. Won't know move matchups or range risks to escape corner. Especially vs. Ren. Seen her in similar ranks? Pick rate 0.0% in Marquis+. Less than 5 in 10,000 matches, rounded. Knows her moves? Nope. Counters? Nope. But cornered. Must escape. Guard too risky—my low pokes pressure. Wall behind, easy death by mixups. So? Fastest, safest: jab, double jab.

"Whiffed again...!"

Fake pressure dash, watch wakeup, halt, backdash space. Whiff? Wall combo starter.

Bam!

Ren spins lightly, legs thrusting clean. Deadly back kick digs deep into gut. Wall-airborne foe sticks longer. Aerial starter unnecessary—short air combo chance.

"Whoa, wall combo what?!"

Even league-watcher Ta-in never seen. Ren's insane wall combo slams home. Command's simple—designed for fighting game newbies.

Front right foot. Back right hand left hand. Down left foot right foot.

"What. How. Why so strong? Never seen wall combo this nuts..."

Health near zero, he doesn't get up. Shock, or knows wakeup = death, so lies for end. Wants mercy? Pay for early taunt first.

I back off slightly, hands off keys. 2s, 4s, 10s pass—no move. He jumps up, charges. Thought I'd really throw? Naive rush punished with clean kick.

"Hahaha! He fell for it! Hahahahaha!!"

Feels great. For watcher, victim too.

Ta-in rolls on floor laughing. As winner, I climb stairs. Toward the tower's heights. Time to meet other 32-group losers.

Ppase was in an extremely foul mood.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Tournament entered targeting Ren Mom alone. Met her first match—and won. An impersonator, even. Thought it'd be killer content. Sure, could claw from losers to top. But needs beating top casuals. Impersonator's Baron-I: dead center ranks. Might've lucked lower wins.

"Ah. What do I do? Gonna lose it. Who'd guess I'd draw Ren Mom impersonator?!"

"Crazy bastards. Like I got no pit to fall into."

"Enough. Mission success vs. Ren Mom—can I claim it?"

Content bombed. Weekly YouTube views tanked. Pre-tourney viewer squabbles piled missions, but claiming now? Massive backlash.

"Fuck. Long-winded. NoJoke. Seriously."

"Filthy pricks. Fine, take it. Hate give-and-take scams."

Lol ㅋㅋ

"Hey! You idiots don't get it? Collab with Ppase skyrockets views now? I mentored all recent breakout streamers!"

Jeers flood chat. Some sting his conscience ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hard.

"Ah! Fuck. Where's Ren Mom?!"

Content flop rage. Missed tail regret. Emotions tangle—Ppase slams desk.

"Whew... whoever, hurry up. Tourney's bombed—end quick and—"

Scratching head wildly, grumbling today's stream bombed so end for chicken—Ppase freezes.

Final opponent's name hits his eyes. And clack-clack, heels on stone stairs: odd girl climbs. Blonde K-idol in black jacket. Ren.