058. Clash
Internet netizens and the broadcast crew were exploding with reactions like a dam bursting.
It was because LTD had shown a perfect counter to PER's new tactics—the overwhelming, fresh strategy that had made them the new tyrants of the 3rd division league.
The moment a single gesture unleashed a powerful Wave of mana, detonating all the incoming Mana Bombers at once!
Even Lee Jong-gyu, PER's coach, couldn't help but be stunned. To be honest, he wasn't some tactical genius in the Hunters League.
But even he had already realized just how tricky and devastating Lee Chang-hyun's "bomber combo" was.
And yet, it had been shattered by LTD's single gesture.
Lee Jong-gyu figured even Lee Chang-hyun must be pretty rattled. And with that, thoughts of defeat began to creep in.
Two losses wouldn't be the end of the world... but for a team on a winning streak—especially for Lee Chang-hyun—it could hit hard.
As a coach, he'd seen players ruin entire seasons by getting heated in situations like this far too often.
'They're hunters, superpowered freaks with immense strength, but mentally, they're still just kids...'
Lee Jong-gyu quietly resolved to step in, calm the PER team if they lost, keep them from getting depressed or riled up, and prepare steadily for the next match.
Even if they lost this one, stay cool. Take it one step at a time, and it'd be fine.
But that thought lasted only a moment.
Lee Chang-hyun, who'd been playing pure sniper and long-range dealer lately, was charging straight into the heart of the enemy base.
To Lee Jong-gyu, it was the furthest thing from wise. It wasn't part of any pre-planned strategy either.
'No way... Did he get heated the second our strategy got shut down?'
He'd considered they might make immature calls due to mental weakness, but not this fast. Lee Jong-gyu could only stomp his feet watching the match.
But that too was fleeting.
Lee Chang-hyun, whom he'd expected to dive into the enemy midst and get crushed pathetically, began showing something astonishing.
I'd always been in the position of making judgments—both before my regression and now.
On battlefields where fierce fights raged, deciding who to deploy, who to pair them with for synergy, who shouldn't go there, who to station guarding the flank of the chargers.
I kept every blueprint in my head and painted the picture step by step.
So it would be a lie to say I hadn't anticipated this situation.
To be precise, the moment I spotted Ryu Jae-jun—before I even had time to say anything to Coach Lee Jong-gyu.
From then on, Lee Chang-hyun could envision the whole scene in his mind.
Ryu Jae-jun was the guy who'd been one of my partners at LTD before the regression.
How he'd counter the bomber combo. What would happen if I charged after that.
All of it was within my predictions.
So I could mutter without much emotion.
'As expected...'
After sniping from outside for a bit, if I didn't want to lose like this, the only option left was to dive in and sweep them myself.
Activating Piercing Eye, the inside projected clearly, one detail at a time.
Few PER teammates remained, and they were rushing Ryu Jae-jun.
Yoon Han-gyeol and Han Ji-su.
...Losing those two would make even me struggle in this game.
So I had no choice but to charge right in.
The instant I entered the room, Han Ji-su and Yoon Han-gyeol were flung back by Ryu Jae-jun's Wave.
They probably wouldn't die from that, but they'd need time to recover.
I had to buy time. Ideally, take them out.
Ahead, Ryu Jae-jun flanked by two LTD members.
From pre-regression memory, Ryu Jae-jun was pretty cautious.
If I could eliminate the two charging first before the careful guy moved, I'd break free of the pincer.
"Hraaaah!"
From one side, a booming voice as a melee dealer closed in.
Classic sword-and-shield close-range dealer type. His stats visible beyond him weren't low.
And his skills looked decent too.
But.
'I've faced countless like him before regression.'
I recalled the past.
My debut match. I'd been a sub filling in for a game everyone expected us to lose.
Replacing a starter, against stronger opponents. Stats. Skills. Everything.
Teammates weren't even hoping for a win—just play decent, lose gracefully, get the "good fight" pat on the back.
I wanted to win. So back then, just like now, I walked the tightrope between life and death.
'Well, compared to the way deadlier, hair-raising tightropes that were daily life back then, this is basically a playground.'
Piercing Eye detected and warned of the supporter stealthily preparing Area Binding from the side, while the melee dealer simultaneously went on the offensive.
He lunged using leg strength in a flash, but I didn't need to dodge with my own power.
Instead, in that split second, I calculated his path perfectly and scattered Air Beats in the air.
Stepping onto the scattered Air Beats, my body recoiled off them like a pinball, zipping at high speed.
And the moment I flanked the charging melee dealer.
Bang!
Bang-bang!
The dual pistols in my hands spat fire.
One kill down. He clearly hadn't expected gunfire while stepping on ultra-fast Air Beats.
The eliminated melee dealer's face was pure shock.
But my body didn't stop—reaching pre-scattered Air Beats, I wrenched direction sharply and flew off.
When solving tough problems, start with the easy small ones.
When facing a strong group, pick off the quick kills first.
Remembering that principle for one-vs-many fights I'd etched in my mind long ago, I focused on the supporter prepping Area Binding over Ryu Jae-jun, even with him in my path.
The dual pistols rang out again.
Bang!
Bang-bang!
Fire erupted, and hyperspeed shots piercing the mana shield's blind spot impaled LTD's supporter.
Then, flipping in midair, I landed steadily on the ground.
All in the blink of an eye, flowing like water.
Hoo...
'Finally evened the numbers.'
Yoon Han-gyeol and Han Ji-su had recovered from Ryu Jae-jun's wave attack and were rising.
With the outside LTD members joining, it was 3v3.
"You good to move?"
"Thanks to you. Bought me time to survive."
Yoon Han-gyeol shook off his stiffness and answered, while Han Ji-su grimaced like she had complaints but just nodded.
"Two left outside. You got this?"
"Gotta. You?"
Yoon Han-gyeol asked, but no answer was needed.
I didn't even glance that way, just nodded.
As if pre-planned, the three scattered again.
Outside, the analysis desk was in full swing breaking down what had just happened.
'Mind game... psychological warfare.'
Lee Geun-taek, watching quietly from the Hunter Association president's office, stroked his chin in thought.
To him, mind games favored the experienced. No rushing, observe to the end, make the coldest call—that wins psych wars.
In that regard, Ryu Jae-jun was exceptional. Lee Geun-taek had raised him personally for a time, after all.
Meanwhile, Lee Chang-hyun? From Hunters – Next Generation, an amateur yet flashing genius tactics and impossible stamina.
...Like a battle-hardened Hunters League pro.
Comparing them was intriguing: Ryu had more raw experience, but somehow Lee Chang-hyun felt like he'd pull some unforeseen reserve.
Well, nothing certain till it happened.
And that moment,