Transformation Cloak
The dust cloud from the Mana Bomber that PER detonated billowed thickly, forcing everyone to scatter temporarily to evade the blast. The fight ground to a halt. But the silence didn't last. As time ticked by and the dust began to settle enough to see ahead, their silhouettes started emerging bit by bit.
"Those guys... not a single one got hit."
PER's meticulously prepared bomber tactic layered onto a one-shot strategy had failed completely. They'd poured nearly all their firepower into PSG's O Si-hwan alone, yet hadn't landed any meaningful damage.
"How..."
Even Yoon Han-gyeol couldn't have foreseen this. There shouldn't have been any way to dodge a Mana Bomber at that range...
"Ah..."
But upon calm reflection, there had clearly been an escape route. Han Ji-hoo dragging O Si-hwan along was proof.
"With that teleport ability..."
He'd scooped up O Si-hwan and teleported in an instant to evade the Mana Bomber.
What a pain of an ability. In a drawn-out war, they'd burn through tactical items too fast, and with PER already down to six after one elimination, the odds were stacked against them. At this rate, maybe they should avoid direct clashes, hunt for relics like last time, or pivot to another strategy.
Of course, he wasn't calling the shots—Yoon Han-gyeol wasn't. It was Chang-hyun. So for now, he waited quietly for orders.
"What're we doing, Chang-hyun...?"
But Lee Chang-hyun next to him gave no verbal reply, just a hand signal and a nod.
He was radiating an odd vibe, different from his usual self, though Yoon couldn't quite place why.
'Ah... no voices? Rush before the dust clears fully?'
Unclear on the exact intent, but Chang-hyun's calls had never missed. Yoon nodded back to confirm.
Before the dust fully settled, PER's top trio—Yi Gil-han, Yoon Han-gyeol, and Lee Chang-hyun—charged in.
'Why pull Kim Do-jun off the front, though? Nothing for him back there... No. Focus.'
The battle right in front of him demanded full attention.
Bursting through the dust back into enemy lines, a barrier unfurled.
'They dug into Chang-hyun's old matches.'
Seemed they were guarding against his signature play: dust for vision block, then sniper massacre. At minimum, until the haze cleared.
"What? No guns, just barreling in? You morons or what? Hey~ Hyun-soo, Kyu-jin—support solid. No more Mana Bombers from 'em, so I'm heading in to carve 'em up one by one."
A PSG player jeered, reigniting the frontline brawl between PER and PSG vanguards.
Only now did Yoon pinpoint the unease about Chang-hyun from earlier.
'Chang-hyun's not holding guns...'
Playing around their cover, ditching dual pistols for a sword to truly overwhelm? With his Magic Engineering Weapon Conversion and martial skill, it might even be the smarter pick.
But that thought evaporated the instant Chang-hyun lunged at Han Ji-hoo—their leader figure—clashing blades.
Nails on chalkboard—piercing the air.
"..."
Not a deafening roar, but a screech like nails raking a chalkboard echoed out.
Unusual, sure, but par for the course—until the inexplicable hit.
The noise hadn't felt that intense, yet PSG's fighters recoiled violently.
"Ears good, everyone? Push hard now."
The swapped earphones? They must've blocked the screech.
And mere moments after that wail, right as PER's vanguard geared for assault—
Gunfire cracked from the team's rear.
'Wha... what's that...? Isn't Chang-hyun up front fighting?'
Yoon couldn't parse the unfolding chaos. He simply followed orders, unleashing his Seven Flying Swords alongside the assault while enemies reeled from the noise.
Meanwhile, behind the intense noise and fierce clash between PER and PSG, Lee Chang-hyun was sniping from the rear like always.
He'd been right there in the thick of it, sword in hand, guarding Yoon's flank.
How?
'Kim Do-jun... you actually whipped up something like that.'
The answer was straightforward. Kim Do-jun's latest mana gear—an exoskeleton shell that was an upgraded Invisible Cloak, essentially a transformation cloak.
And right now, during the dust-obscured chaos when sightlines vanished, Chang-hyun had slipped to the back while a Chang-hyun lookalike stepped forward.
That's why they'd crumbled against the screeching sword without resistance.
'They were watching for me, not Kim Do-jun...'
They figured it was him on the spot, converting his gun to sword via Magic Engineering Weapon Conversion.
But actually there was Kim Do-jun with that freakish sword, nullifying foes with noise, then picking them off one by one.
"Damn it!"
Through his Piercing Eye, the enemies' states sharpened into view—looking pretty dire.
'Ears bleeding that bad...'
Output cranked way higher than last time, apparently.
Han Ji-hoo seemed to be prepping something, barking at his team nonstop, but...
Ears blown out and deafened? PSG couldn't cope well.
Meanwhile, PER's side had prepped special earphones, shielding from major shock.
Meaning: strike now.
"Push. Yeon-ju, Ji-su—snag ankles over covering."
"Got it."
PSG's formation was pure pandemonium. The shockwave crippled comms, and even their strong solo fighters shied from direct hits—especially against the fake Chang-hyun's sword.
'A sword that screams like that? Even I'd balk at crossing blades.'
And if so, the end was obvious. Can't block with another weapon? Just frantic dodges, straight to defense.
Right as he moved to corner them for real—
"...!"
In PSG's lines, Han Ji-hoo evading the fake Chang-hyun's swift strikes erupted with fierce mana waves and a lion's roar.
"Scatter!!!"
'Tch... sharp judgment even dazed.'
Enemy or not, straight-up impressive. Solid call too.
Of course, Yi Yeon-ju's Binding and Han Ji-su's gravity nabbed some, but PSG wasn't pushover. Amid the mess, they covered each other aptly—took hits but mostly escaped clean.
'Only snagged one, huh...'
"What. Big deal. Kahaha."
Kim Do-jun cackled, thrilled with the skirmish; the others looked a bit shell-shocked.
"You Do-jun?"
"Can't tell from the voice?"
"Whoa... looks dead-on. That thing you mentioned...?"
First real scrap with PSG netted gains, team vibe upbeat.
But.
"Cut the chatter. That clash dealt less damage than hoped—this match just got tougher."
"...? Huh?"
Raw truth was the opposite. Needed at least three kills for parity or edge...
"Do-jun already flashed that sword once. They'd prepped counters. Just got suckered by my fake before deploying, since Do-jun was MIA."
"Ah..."
And that was it? PER's one-and-done bomber tactic exposed, aces laid bare.
Should've bet the farm on that clash...
'Vanguard elite, cover elite too...'
Couldn't rattle and snipe easy like before. Air Beats tossed for hops, mana shields tanking shots, barrier users pitching in.
"So, plan?"
Deliberation dragged. Tough to dispatch solos for special plays like before. Doppelganger gimmick made splitting suicide for power-lacking PER—PSG might manage, but not them.
"Got positions? Spread?"
"Directions... similar... holding distance..."
'Formation says: if we clump on one, they mass and swarm.'
This match might boil down to straight swordplay.
"Let's go."
"Argh... sneaky shits."
PSG's mood had flipped entirely.
Han Ji-hoo hadn't overlooked Do-jun's noisy sword—team packed earplugs as counter.
But wielded by the gun-toting captain Chang-hyun? Total blindside chaos.
Plus, earplugs meant ditching earphones—unthinkable in the Mirage Palace.
And the weirdness didn't stop. Chang-hyun sword-raging up front, sniper fire from rear—who?
Chaos: gunner who? Swordsman Chang-hyun? How'd they shrug off the screech?
'Ah... noise block maybe.'
Special earphones sealing external sound? League standard ones skipped blockers for cues, but swapped prep with sword intel?
'Then...'
Gap to exploit, serve payback.
'Other quirks... not critical.'
No rush on counters.
PSG down one but buoyant. Ironclad win confidence? Ears busted across board, yet laughing over team voice.
"Whew~. Nearly ended back there. Kyu-jin covered, saved asses. How's he chill after ear-exploder? Mine's throbbing, muffled."
"Kyu-jin ditched phones for plugs on merge. Noise hater. Preempted show."
"Plugs MVP. Kickkickkick."
Lost but banter jolly. Streak high, more coming—but to match-serious Han Ji-hoo, pathetic.
'Casual vibe dropped 'em from First Division. Last season anyway. Whatever.'
"They got special noise-block earphones probably. Know the play?"
First, wrap this infuriating match.