115. Sudden Changes
Hunters League matches were sometimes described this way: in the end, it's all just a game of the director, coach, and players' abilities.
Come to think of it, there was a guy from 2nd Division LTD who said something like that back then...
From the outside, it made sense. You could form special tactics through team synergy to crush the opponent. That's how it felt. Analyze the enemy team's abilities, slot in counters, and clash head-on to win. That's the thinking.
But reality was entirely different.
Take this match, for example. If the battlefield had been somewhere like the Cave of Life overflowing with mana, Lee Jun-seo's Static Mana skill would've made control a nightmare. Even if not, on something like the Void Battlefield, I might've pulled off a one-man sniper show targeting vitals against LTD, just like I did against Takumi.
Maps. Artifacts. And the unexpected twists from skills you thought you knew.
All massive variables.
That's why I wanted to say it loud and clear: Hunters League is purely a players' game.
No matter how brilliant the director, tactician, analyst, or tech coach in ever-changing circumstances—they meant nothing.
All you can trust is your own judgment and knowledge...
Time to give LTD a bitter taste. They'd come thinking they'd analyzed us completely.
"What the hell? Those guys... they all ran off."
"And those towers that stayed quiet until then all activated at that exact moment..."
"Nah, those towers. My ability wouldn't have worked on them anyway."
"Huh?"
After PER's team retreated and Yi Gil-han fell, the LTD members shared a brief exchange.
"Stuff like that happens sometimes. With certain abilities. So, what's the plan? Who's the leader here?"
"Uh, that's me, sunbae. They probably went off to find artifacts and turn things around... Coach said that if this happens, matching their artifact count means we won't lose at minimum."
Match their artifact count, huh...
While PER searched for artifacts, we weren't just sitting idle, so a head-on approach made sense. Still, the best play would've been sweeping them all up earlier...
Shouldn't have given that Ego Sword guy any breathing room.
The situation was still 7 vs. 5. Their abilities weren't landing at all. We were overwhelmingly favored, but variables popping up didn't sit right.
Whatever. Even if they snagged good artifacts, it wouldn't matter much.
"Hey, barrier boy and healer girl. Mana good?"
"Y-Yes... Healer girl?"
"Yeah. Who else?"
Yoo Hye-ju had been treated like elite stock, skyrocketing fast, but Lee Jun-seo had no clue. Maybe that's why she bristled at the casual label, her voice trembling slightly—but he brushed it off.
"Ah, yeah. Plenty."
"Me too!"
Just a routine check. The real focus was next.
"Okay. Leader, plan set?"
"Yes. We'll match their numbers, gather artifacts, and aim to repel them."
"Good."
Decision made, one task remained: track PER's position and direction, scout artifact locations.
We couldn't pinpoint like PER with Yi Yeon-ju, but every hunter had mana sensing. Direction was easy.
"Oh... Artifact northwest. PER seems further that way."
"Who’s closer to it, PER or us?"
"Probably us. Not far from here anyway... Grab it and engage right after."
"Hm... Yeah."
PER hadn't been roaming long, so they'd have zero or one at most. We'd snag one en route—not a big disadvantage...
But something felt off, nagging unease.
No... As long as they don't one-shot us, artifacts don't matter. Even a bundle won't help.
We had Holy Ground and barriers.
"Northwest—move!"
"Yes, sunbae-nim."
This time, we'd crush PER for good.
Artifacts were Hunters League's biggest wildcard—a lottery ticket.
Types and spots were semi-fixed per map, but with endless maps, memorizing was impossible. Mana sensing was standard.
"If artifacts are that good, shouldn't we have rushed them at start? Feels like we never did."
"Well... Too luck-based."
God-tier ones existed alongside total junk like "this?". Useless thread-like relics gathered dust.
Plus, hunting solo early is risky.
Scatter for junk? Perfect bait for teams that grouped first.
"Anyway, gotcha. Find what you wanted?"
Han Ji-su eyed me and the just-returned Yi Yeon-ju.
"Like I said... Found... something..."
"We left artifact hunting to you—why this?"
Yi Yeon-ju handed over a bluish stone; Ryu Jae-jun stared in disbelief.
"We... can win, right?"
Kim Yu-hyeon's eyes shook wildly.
"Why the long face? It's useful, even if overlooked."
"If you say so... But seriously..."
What I'd tasked Yi Yeon-ju with: an "artifact" so common it barely qualified.
"Anti-Mana Stone—for what...?"
A stone disrupting mana flow. Artifact status? No—needed boulder size for value.
Hers? Sand-grain crumbs. Piled? Maybe pebble-sized.
"Yeon-ju checked all others anyway."
"Why just this..."
Team looked baffled.
"Nothing game-changing... And?"
I shouldered my sniper rifle instead of answering.
"Stuff it in and shoot? ...Ha. Will it even fly? Mana scatters—no proper payload."
As if I overlooked what you did.
No time for chatter. Southeast: LTD's group approaching.
Show, don't tell. Priority: surprise. Kids acted scattered...
"Yeon-ju aside, hustle like hunting artifacts."
"What?"
Han Ji-su scowled; Ryu Jae-jun followed silently—got it.
"They might sense us. Play it up."
"Ah..."
Max complacency.
Yi Yeon-ju and I wore mana blockers already.
"Yeon-ju, like we planned. Rest: flank low, head artifacts."
Yi Yeon-ju slipped back solo.
"Us three without you two..."
"Yeah. Don't die. Run if risky. Natural."
"Demanding much?"
Han Ji-su grumbled, heading off with Ryu Jae-jun and Kim Yu-hyeon.
Inevitable: clash mid-artifacts. LTD closer; them 7 vs. our 3.
Suicide?
Brief thought. LTD grabbed artifact—arrows flew.
Grit teeth, follow orders: dodge, survive.
Air Beats for distance, Air Anchors around corners—arrows tracked like AI missiles.
"Oh... And that artifact? Deadeye Goggles... Auto-tracks on attack..."
"Damn it! Say that now!"
Han Ji-su raged; no reply.
"Hey! Lee Chang-hyun! What're you doing?!"
"Just a bit..."
"A bit my ass! I'm dying here—you mad?!"
Old fiery Han Ji-su flared. Scout arrows closed in.
Dodge, block—mana arrows shattered.
True arrow pierced—
Bang—
Silence from my ambush spot broke.
Just sniping? But barriers block it. Miss once, Holy Ground heals...
Forgot incoming arrows, pondering—
They lost power, dropped.
"One kill."
...What? How so easy?
Han Ji-su's mind reeled. Barrier pierced? Holy Ground nullified?
Anti-Mana Stone on bullets? But scatters mana—no kill power.
What—
"Han Ji-su! Snap to it!! Focus!"
Ryu Jae-jun yelled. Now LTD melee dealers—flashy weapons screaming "don't fight."
Dodge like them—
Bang—
Another direction.
Thud.
"Two kills."
Not over. Fleeing—new shot.
Bang—
Boom!
Explosion too? Han Ji-su clueless.
Glance back: LTD gone.
"...What the hell?"