Just Wait for My Signal
"Listen carefully. You don't need to do any complex controls or difficult maneuvers. Just keep your eyes on me, and when I give the signal, unleash your AoE spell right on top of me."
Chu Ye-ji thought to herself. Was it really okay for her to fight this easily while everyone else was desperately racking their brains? ...But it was far too comfortable to refuse. All she had to do was empty her mind and act on Tae-hyun's signal.
"First Kill! The new face, Chu Ye-ji, makes a brilliant play! She takes down Penguin Panda of the Chinese national team!"
"The fans are roaring!"
"That was an incredible play. It might look simple at first glance, but you have to read the split-second timing perfectly to pull it off. Excellent play by Chu Ye-ji."
If she had been even a split second too late, the enemy healer would have immediately cast a heal. Instead, they had burst down the opponent in a situation they had never anticipated! It was all because Tae-hyun had calculated the enemy's HP and sent the signal at the perfect moment.
"Chu Ye-ji! She secures another kill! An absolutely stellar performance! She is on fire!!"
Even as she racked up achievements, Chu Ye-ji wore an incredibly embarrassed expression.
Is it really okay for it to be this easy?!
It felt like she was being spoon-fed victories by Tae-hyun. On top of that, whenever her MP ran low, Lee Da-bi would immediately replenish it... It was so comfortable it felt surreal. Wait, get the signal, cast the spell, and watch the enemy fall.
As they were picked off one by one, the Chinese team retreated, reorganized, and returned to the fray. Surprisingly, they broke their formation and lunged forward fiercely from all directions.
"Guo Yihong is attempting an ambush! The Chinese team has broken their formation to launch a surprise attack!"
"This is surprising! The Chinese team isn't usually known for these kinds of ambush tactics, are they?"
"Indeed. But given how disadvantageous their current situation is, they must feel they have to gamble to turn things around."
Normally, these kinds of surprise ambushes were Tae-hyun's specialty, but the Chinese team knew how to pull them off too. The dealer, Guo Yihong, circled through the forest and lunged from behind.
I'll take down either the healer or the mage, no matter what!
...But Tae-hyun was already standing firm right beside them.
"!?"
"You're here?"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"The ambush path was predicted! It was completely predicted!!!"
"Kim Tae-hyun read it perfectly! He had them dancing in the palm of his hand!"
Instead of pressing forward, Tae-hyun had immediately returned to reorganize the formation and wait. Naturally, someone who frequently executed ambushes could easily predict the paths others would take to do the same. And since this was Tae-hyun, he could easily catch on just by reading the opponent's atmosphere.
They were lingering instead of coming from the front, so I wondered what they were up to. As expected, they were circling around.
In this game, Tae-hyun didn't bother charging forward unless a full-scale team fight broke out. He stayed right next to the tank so he could protect Lee Da-bi or Chu Ye-ji at any moment. A flexible position that allowed him to pivot to defense no matter what happened. Playing like this made it incredibly easy to predict and prepare for the opponent's moves.
Of course, from the opponent's perspective, it was absolutely infuriating.
"Kim Tae-hyun, you absolute bastard, give it a rest! What do you have against us to bite us like this?! Even a draw would let you advance!"
"I'm sorry, but no matter who my opponent is, I always give it my all when I fight."
Answering the screaming opponent, Tae-hyun replied calmly.
Swords clashed, skills collided, and Guo Yihong gradually began to be pushed back. They were already outmatched in terms of raw mechanics, and now Tae-hyun was even receiving support from his main line.
"The ambush fails! The other players are retreating! Guo Yihong needs to pull back now if he doesn't want to get surrounded alone!"
Guo Yihong cursed inwardly. He wanted to pull back, but Tae-hyun was constantly pestering him and blocking his path. If Tae-hyun had been preparing a lethal skill to burst him down, Guo Yihong could have somehow found an opening to slip away... but Tae-hyun was focusing entirely on blocking him rather than dealing damage.
Are you really Kim Tae-hyun, you bastard?!
Hmm. If I just stall for time, the rest of them will be cleaned up on their own.
The Chinese players felt as if they had stepped into a swamp. They hadn't made any glaring mistakes, yet everything had somehow started going wrong. What on earth had gone wrong?
"Coach, what are you doing?"
When Wu Zhongyuan stopped watching the second round and pulled out his smartphone to search for something, the staff asked in confusion.
"I'm looking for a country to emigrate to."
"..."
"..."
Unable to tell if he was joking or serious, the staff froze. Was he serious? If he was serious, could they go with him?
"It's a joke, you punks!"
"Ah... Ah! It was a joke!"
"What on earth is this ridiculous nonsense?! Unless Kim Tae-hyun planted a spy in our team, how does this make any sense?!"
Why on earth had Tae-hyun, who usually ran wild like a mad dog, suddenly become an incredibly cautious and dedicated team player in today's match? The coach was going out of his mind. How could anyone predict and counter everything so perfectly? No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't help but suspect that their strategy had been leaked beforehand.
"..."
"..."
They watched the game with hollow eyes. The second round was already racing toward its end. The outcome was practically decided. Unless Kim Tae-hyun suddenly lost his mind and started team-killing, there was absolutely no chance of a comeback for the Chinese national team.
The reaction on the internet was much the same. The Chinese fans, who had been desperately denying reality, were now starting to accept it.
The fans had progressed from denial to anger, bargaining, depression, and finally, acceptance. Of course, that didn't mean they weren't furious. Beneath those seemingly calm reactions, a blazing rage was surging. By tomorrow, the training facilities of the Chinese national team might very well be burned to the ground. It was a situation where they were seriously fearing for their lives!
Regardless of their plight, a festival was already underway elsewhere. Articles were already being published in advance! In truth, since Korea's advancement was guaranteed regardless of today's match, it wasn't particularly surprising.
"And that's the match!! With a near-flawless performance, the Korean national team proves they deserve to advance!"
"The Korean players have answered the countless doubts with their skills. Today's match will surely silence many critics!"
"While it lacked their usual flashiness, their stable macro play was more than superb. This wasn't a victory carried by a single player, but a harmonious effort from the entire team."
The match ended with the commentators' high praise. In the arena and at home, fans all over the world cheered and celebrated. It wasn't necessarily because they liked Korea. Rather, it was because China's elimination was just too hilarious!
As an esports powerhouse, China had drawn plenty of aggro from other countries over the years. They had accumulated a massive amount of karma from bragging about their various players and league achievements. For everyone else, this victory tasted incredibly sweet. It was so massive that even people who knew nothing about Kim Tae-hyun or Pan-On were starting to recognize his name from the explosive online reactions.
And there was a group of people who were several times happier than those onlookers. It was the Canadian fans.
Naturally, a country that advanced without expecting to was dozens of times happier than a country that failed to advance despite high expectations. That was exactly the case for the Canadian team. They hadn't expected much and were simply watching with bated breath... but the Korean national team had pulled off a crushing victory with zero losses. Advancing to the Round of 16 by riding on Korea's coattails!
People currently in Canada posted updates in utter shock. Suddenly, a massive roar of celebration had erupted, and Canadians were flooding the streets, shouting Kim Tae-hyun's name at the top of their lungs. At first, some even mistook it for a riot.
The Canadian fans were practically treating them like deities. And the Korean players more than deserved such treatment.
It was no joke; with every single step they took, a new reporter approached them. Even if the Korean players wanted to answer sincerely, it was practically impossible. Reporters from all over the world were waiting, so there was no helping it. It was so intense that some reporters were even leveling up and gearing up just to secure a good spot in front of the arena to ask questions. That was how fierce the competition was.
And in this situation, the ones who benefited the most were the reporters from the same country. The Korean reporters!
"Isn't this unfair? There are so many people here, why do only you guys get to go first!"
"If you're salty, go get Korean citizenship! You get priority when interviewing your own country's players too!"
"Let's not cut in line and wait our turn fairly!"
"That's absolute nonsense! Would you do that if you were in our shoes?!"
The Korean reporters shrugged and stood at the front. If they didn't take advantage of this now, when would they ever get the chance?
"Then, let us begin the questions!"
The Korean players looked slightly exhausted, but their faces were brighter than ever. As the biggest beneficiaries of today's match, it was only natural. They were asked about their mindset going into the match, whether the one-sided game went as planned, how they felt...
"Player Chu Ye-ji. For your first appearance today, you put on a truly spectacular performance. Your AoE spells landed with perfect timing repeatedly..."
"Th-thank you. It was my first time, so I was extremely nervous. As for the timing of the AoE spells, I just did exactly as Player Kim Tae-hyun instructed."
"Instructed?"
"Ye... yes. While fighting, he would send a signal at the right moment, and I would cast the AoE spell upon seeing it."
"..."
Tae-hyun and Lee Da-bi, who were listening from the side, stared at her in disbelief. Hey, why are you telling them all of that!
Tae-hyun thought to himself. Is it a rule that if you have five people, one of them has to play the role of Cain? Well, at least she didn't make a mistake...
"Player Kim Tae-hyun. You are often evaluated as the most mysterious player on the Korean national team. Fans are absolutely dying to see you. Do you have any plans to show your face to the fans to celebrate advancing to the main tournament?"
"Hmm... Yes. Since the qualifiers are over, it wouldn't be a bad idea to appear on a broadcast with the other players."
"!!!!!"
The reporter's eyes widened at the unexpected answer. Usually, this was the man who would say, "I think it will be difficult because I'm busy with training and housework"...?