Doppelganger Dilemma (3)
An unprecedented event match. Right before the international tournament—a clash between the top-ranked player and a dark horse who shot in like a comet. Host Ppase had predicted a Mixer win. Info wars mattered in the pro scene, after all. Mixer had analyzed Renmam's footage, mastered her guard habits, and should've crushed her patterns for the victory.
But what the hell. Today, Renmam's patterns were totally different. Like she'd seen this coming and prepped ahead of time.
"Time's almost up! Let's get a move on already!!"
"Whoa. The mind games right now are so intense, I can't even describe it all. I'll upload a slo-mo analysis later."
"Just watch for now. I realized kinda late, but Renmam hyung's movements are super consistent, like baiting for a quick strike? But Mixer hyung ain't biting. The zoning right now is nuts."
Time keeps ticking down. Second by second. Precious match time vanishing into thin air.
6s
Then, with 6 seconds left, Ren suddenly thrust her right foot back. But the sharp heel of her shoe halted just short of Replican's face—teasingly close.
The distance was razor-thin.
"Comet Upper's coming right up?! No way Mixer misses th—"
But.
Replican's uppercut whiffed too. It was close enough to graze, but it didn't connect.
"—Wha—holy shit?!"
"What the fuck. Why didn't that connect? Anyway! Renmam flips it into an air combo—the longest one—to run out the clock!! Set 1 time's up!!"
MIXER ◇◇◇ - VS - ◇◇◆ SDGB
The victory lantern lights up first on Renmam's side. Ppase screams at the top of his lungs.
"Renmam takes Set 1 like thaaaat! What a lucky-ass start!!"
#
"Whoa... you lost?"
Na-jjang, who'd been watching, let out a short sigh and widened his eyes. Something absurd had just happened.
"What was that? Total lucky punch. How'd that miss?"
Mixer replied softly, his voice calm without a hint of fluster.
"Ping."
"Ping?"
"Whiffed 'cause of ping."
Mixer blamed ping, but Na-jjang didn't get it. Sure, Mixer was in China, gaming on Korean servers with the penalty, but the usual Mixer never bitched about ping. He was more the Tuhon bot who adapted to it. For him to blame ping?
Na-jjang shot back, baffled.
"Ping made your attack late or what?"
"Nah. Opponent's hitbox changed."
"...Huh?"
"No time to explain. Set 2."
"Uh, yeah... okay...."
FIGHT!
The hotel room fell silent again. Na-jjang plugged his earbuds back in.
Ppase rambles nonstop as Mixer's Replicant and Renmam's Ren dart around. Sidestepping, shifting attack angles, resetting. Closing in, backing off—testing each other.
Just like Ppase said. Set 2 mirrors Set 1. Both holding out for the final 10 seconds? Just jiggling around when—
30s
Ren suddenly switched stances.
She started a Cuti Roll—a back-turn move only usable from back stance. Ren rolled right up, turning her back to Replicant.
Back stance had special moves, strategically solid if used right. But no guard, and Ren's back-stance options were limited. Renmam was straight-up baiting: I'm wide open—still not attacking?
For a beat, the characters froze in silence.
20 seconds pass like that.
10s
Ren rolls toward Replicant again.
Even Na-jjang, who'd played Ren, couldn't parse it. Mixer held at awkward range, but up close? No reason to dodge. That was suicide.
But no. Replican's instep flew to sweep Ren's rolling leg.
It looked like a knockdown kick, but... Ren didn't stop.
Replicant tripped instead. Ren rolled over, stood, and booted its head. Na-jjang shot up, glasses slipping to his lips.
"What?!"
He clamped his mouth, sinking back to the sofa. No distracting Mixer.
What... impossible...
Ren—the discarded daughter of Hajeong Soft. Her variety roll, Cuti Roll. Everyone knew it as useless beyond tumbling.
Cuti Roll had a counter...? Never seen it...
Direction toward foe? Abuse bait. Hajeong never mentioned counter.
Ppase flounders in confusion. Na-jjang pauses the stream, rewinds.
Ren rolls forward. Replicant Comet Sweeps. Leg hits thigh—effect pops, damage dealt.
Then: Ren climbs the leg, slams ass-down. Damage as Replicant flattens. Rolls up, head-kick. More damage.
Replicant lost the trade.
Conditional low counter...!
Countering lows into combo? Broken. But timing/penalty: During back-roll, leg placement moment. Only then, on low attack. And you eat full damage—counter hurts more.
No way they hid an Easter egg not even in training mode?
Hajeong crazy? Or Renmam who found it solo?
Na-jjang returns to live: Unbelievable scoreboard.
MIXER ◇◇◇ - VS - ◇◆◆ SDGB
*The Cuti Roll counter deriv wasn't common even after leak. Tight timing, frequent fails. Full damage intake? No need. But here, unknown—I'm first. Enough to rattle clueless Mixer.
"Lena, you're actually gonna win! Whoa! Beat Mixer? For real?"
One more set, and that ugly nick vanishes forever. Someone else could fake Mixer, but not replace this guy.
FIGHT!
Tricks shown. Time for real steel. Saved energy in 1-2 with cheese. Crush Set 3 with max pressure.
You see three moves ahead? I'll force five.
"Go...!"
Tae-in's tiny cheer, and I blast Siege Ram. Mixer never strikes first. No way at start.
...Or so I thought.
"He... blasted?!"
Ren's grunt and Replican's overlap. Tae-in shrieks.
"Nooo!"
Replicant crumples slow from Siege Ram. Ren soars from Comet Upper.
"...!"
Realization hit. How cowardly I'd fought.
Comet Upper startup: 14 frames. Siege Ram: 17. I should've lost clash, floated up. But simultaneous hitcall.
Hands off keys, I blank out. Tae-in asks.
"What's wrong? Shoulder hurt again?"
"No."
"Then why?!"
Difference: exact 3 frames. In 60fps Tuhon, that's 0.05 sec. 50ms.
My Korean server ping vs. his China.
No...
Not shaky hitbox or unknown counter... Clean hit, but ping whiffed it...?
Playing with home advantage. Blissfully clueless, thinking I'd win.
Ren freezes long. Replicant idles too.
Mixer messages.
I chew my lip, muttering bitterly.
"This bastard... knew and didn't say...?"
#
Like lagged out, both freeze post-first-hit. Chat explodes opposite.
"Why my name outta nowhere? They just paused!"
10 seconds pass. Then Mixer sparks in-match chat—not issue talk. Heated spat.
Viewers swallow hard. Renmam ditching 2-0 lead for fair fight? Understandable. Mixer's "I win anyway" swagger? Also gets it. No taking sides.
"Damn. What now. They're about to throw down irl."
"Dunno? But like Renmam said, redo in Korea? Y'all casuals won't feel it, but pros sense every ping diff...."
Ppase-viewer spat as chats resume.
Renmam led, preaching fair play, ditching lead.
Mixer seized momentum.