Inside and Outside the Palm
The spectator stands and the community were in a state of utter devastation. Crushing the opponents 7-2 while everyone on their side was unscathed? It was utterly unprecedented. In the Hunters League, where even a two-person difference made victory a long shot, a five-person gap where only the enemy took damage and retreated? It was the kind of thing you couldn't believe without seeing it yourself.
Just that one highlight clip alone had the community ablaze. But for Kim Jun-seo, who had already watched PER's match in Part 3 last time, this wasn't entirely new. It wasn't a gap this wide back then, but in the invisibility tactic video he'd uploaded to NutTube before, they'd fought while numerically and tactically disadvantaged too.
'This'll make for another slick highlight reel...'
Maybe he should upload this one too? The plays were phenomenal, with one cool moment after another, but since it was Part 2, not many people were watching. It might blow up like the last video... Or maybe it was just the desire to share the shocking, enjoyable experience he'd had. On the other hand, another thought crossed his mind.
'But how the hell is play like that even possible?'
He'd watched quite a few matches by now, but radical ones like this were rare. Each hunter had at least one superpower, sometimes several, so on average, a team had over 14 skills. Meanwhile, PER's strike team—Lee Chang-hyun and Ryu Jae-jun—seemed to show only three or four abilities. How did they bridge a gap of double or more skills? Even seeing it, he was stunned.
So he broke down the possible reasons one by one...
'First off, they struck first. That was huge, right?'
'And it was an AoE attack. Plus Lee Chang-hyun jumped in right then to hit them.'
'Finally, at the perfect counterattack timing, the mana bomber on the sword hilt exploded as they pulled back.'
They didn't even give the enemy a chance to attack, pouring everything into that burst and retreating. The more he analyzed it meticulously, the more amazed he got.
'This time, let's not just do highlights—upload an analysis video too.'
Unlike Part 1, Part 2 matches weren't analyzed much, so it felt like a solid idea.
Hunters League. Though its origins lay in the tower relic wars between hunters, it had evolved into a sport with strict rules. Not overly rigid or complex, but common issues in matches included time limits to avoid boring the audience. If games dragged, the map shrank, or the side with more players won by default. And so on.
'And right now, the key is... match time.'
If the map narrowed, they'd be forced into PER's camp at the gorge center, below the cliff. More players meant automatic win for PER. So even maintaining the status quo until time ran out guaranteed PER's victory. For QED, down two dead and injured, impatience was inevitable.
"Your strategies... Even as a teammate now, they're seriously dirty. One ambush hit then holing up for cosmic defense?"
Ryu Jae-jun said this on the way to the PER defense line Kim Yu-hyeon had prepared.
"Dirty? Thanks for the compliment."
One bold 7v2 fight was enough showmanship for the crowd. No need for extra variables. Part 2 had leeway now, but higher up, the gap with opponents shrank. His team needed to get used to perfect victories.
'In the international league, games flip on split-second slips.'
"Anyway, doesn't this strategy have holes?"
"Holes?"
What part? Had he missed a gap? Ryu Jae-jun knew hunter fights well, so worth hearing.
"The relic. With time left, while we're hunkered down, they search the map, find it, and flip the game?"
Valid point. But...
"You think I didn't consider that?"
With his Hunters League tenure, he out-experienced any current player tactically.
"You'll see when we get there."
Soon, they reached PER's defense line, built by Kim Yu-hyeon at the map's dead center.
"You're here?"
"Thought I'd die of boredom waiting."
Told him no Go-Stop on the ground, and there he was scratching his belly lying down. Murderous urge flashed, but priority check first.
"Han-gyeol. All smashed?"
"Yeah. Probably."
"..."
Ryu Jae-jun probably hadn't caught on from that.
"What'd you smash?"
"Han-gyeol can control seven swords focused on flight now... Five with mana bombers. Where'd the other two go?"
"No way..."
Ryu Jae-jun grimaced, realizing.
"Obviously the relic."
"Crazy bastard."
Made sense. Ryu Jae-jun, trained by 1st-gen 'real hunter' Lee Geun-taek, might not get it. Back then, fights were for relics—smashing to beat foes meant no point in winning. But this was sport. Any strategy fine if rules followed.
"Anyway, now. Play Go-Stop with Kim Do-jun on the ground while we wait?"
Realizing relics smashed after pointless searching, rushing here before time-out would take ages.
Meanwhile, Team QED.
"Ugh..."
"Si-hyeon, you okay?"
They'd merged casually for a big teamfight, but the sudden ambush made regaining senses tough.
"Two down..."
"It's fine. You know our skill. Five focused can still win."
She stood, dusting off. True enough. QED relied on pure engagement, not fancy tactics. Last season, hardships and traps overcome by superior combat prowess.
"So, plan now?"
"We know their trick now, so move carefully. Another first-strike loss and we're really in trouble. Feel where they are?"
Position sensing. Possible with fine mana control—everyone's body held mana. Not as sensitive or precise as awakened, but workable.
"Kinda... Not exact, but strong to the north from us. Can't tell close or far, many or few..."
"But?"
"Scattered would feel faint from all sides, but it's not—so probably grouped..."
The ambushers rejoined their team?
"Weirdly, presence neither grows nor fades. Direction fixed... They're staying put?"
'...!'
Now their scheme clicked. PER, Lee Geun-taek-endorsed, Part 3 climbers.
'Part 3 had defensive strategies like this.'
Not ambushing to thin then defend, but defense naturally advantageous: traps, terrain grabs. Hold position, wait for attack.
But from Part 2, relics made holing up suicidal—searchers win.
"Kuh... Kuhuhu. Puhahaha!"
Idiots. Thought thinning numbers would panic us into attacking pre-timeout.
But no need. They stay still, we leisurely relic hunt, seize advantage, easy win.
Should've all-out after bomb terror—chaos might've given odds.
'Engagement's our specialty; we'd win prolonged anyway...'
Whatever. They'd replay, slap knees at the blunder. As Part 2 seniors, good lesson.
"Ignore the stationary stakes. Kids, we circle the map for relics first."
"Got it. Heh. Let's do that."
Team laughed boisterously, grasping it.
"Dumbasses. Fresh from Part 3, can't help it."
"Yeah, yeah."
"First match nearly risky, but suddenly easy—feels anticlimactic."
"They thought they won, now baffled? I'd rage-sleep on a loss."
"True. You turn beet-red every loss, like drunk."
"What?!"
"Kuhuhuhu."
Cheerful amid this, they spotted relic traces.
"...What? Why's it like this?"
The first relic was off. Strictly, not a relic anymore.
"Totally smashed?"
Shattered relic chunks.