The Trick Show
The Trick Show.
A performing art that entertains audiences through bizarre and illusory tricks. The most representative example is, of course, a magic show.
The term began to be used in the league after originating in Europe. A continent so obsessed with strategy and tactics that they still employ the position of ‘director’ in their leagues.
Some guild there came up with this idea:
The war theory created by the EU did more than simply crown them as Europe’s strongest. It implanted a strategic DNA into the entire European league.
In truth, this strategic diversity was a unique characteristic of the European league.
That was why people said hunters are made in Korea, but directors are made in Europe. It was also why so many of the famous directors in the World Raid were European.
And now, that very European-style Trick Show was being performed by the hands of Lee Shin and the Mountain King.
― “It hasn’t even been three minutes since the match started, but Sewoon Guild is already being pushed back. They need to do something!”
― “This is tough. The mage currently in mid for Sewoon, Jang Ji-yeon, is not a traditional lane-dominant mage at all! She’s the type who exerts influence up and down the map with her mobility and crowd control!”
― “Just hearing that makes it sound like they were targeting Lee Hye-jung, doesn’t it?”
― “Without a doubt! Yet Mir Guild brought out a proper, lane-strong traditional mage! They even swapped in Choi Soo-pil, an initiation-style top laner, to compensate for their lack of initiation. This can only be seen as a deliberate counter!”
― “Aaaah! And right as we speak, a kill breaks out in mid! Sewoon Guild is collapsing rapidly from the mid lane!”
The Mountain King, Kim Jong-pil—who was praised as a ‘Maestro’ even in Europe, the very birthplace of strategy—and Lee Shin, a veteran so bored of ordinary play that he constantly cooked up bizarre concepts, had joined forces.
If they can do it, why can’t we?
They replaced the roaming-specialized Lee Hye-jung with a traditional mage who lacked mobility but boasted overwhelming attack power.
They replaced the straightforward, no-frills tanker Kang Mal-suk with the creative and versatile tanker Choi Soo-pil from the second team.
They had planted a perfect counter into the opponent’s upper body.
In truth, as the chat said, it was difficult to attribute everything purely to the matchup.
Even though Sewoon’s mid laner was only a substitute, she was still a hunter who had tasted the major league waters. On the other hand, Mir Guild’s Ahn Jong-soo hadn’t even made it onto the substitute list since transferring, let alone played in a competitive match.
The top lane was even worse.
Choi Soo-pil was the youngest member of the second team. Even if he insisted he was ‘fast,’ by the revised international age standard from a few years ago, he was firmly in the youngest line alongside Park Su-bin and Baek Yeon-woo.
No matter how unfavorable the matchup, considering their respective reputations, the gap was simply too wide.
And commentator Choi Moon-seong pointed out the hidden ‘detail.’
― “It’s not just my imagination. Mir Guild is completely baiting out the opponent’s movements.”
― “What do you mean?”
― “Exactly what I said. If you look at the magical barrage Ahn Jong-soo is unleashing, it’s half a beat faster than his opponent Jang Ji-yeon’s spells. Look at the top lane too. It’s as if they already knew the changed strategy—they’re perfectly timing their engages and retreats.”
― “You’re saying they prepared for this exact scenario in advance?”
― “Yes. Their play is too perfect to be chalked up to individual talent.”
He was right.
To Lee Shin, who had memorized Sewoon Guild’s entire squad, predicting their responses was child’s play.
After that, all it took was injecting customized training through the Mountain King, and a major-league-level hunter was born for this set alone.
― “We can see both teams’ front office waiting rooms. Sewoon Guild’s waiting room looks very dark. On the other hand, Mir Guild is… um…”
― “I’m not sure why they’re standing on the chairs. Are they dancing? Vice Leader Chae Dong-ha’s desperate expression as he tries to stop them is quite memorable.”
― “In any case, the temperature difference between the two waiting rooms is extreme. While Sewoon Guild seems to be in despair, Mir Guild appears to be certain of victory.”
The public sentiment in the chat was no different.
Sewoon Guild fans were dumbfounded by the sight of their mid laner’s glazed-over eyes after getting beaten by a nobody, then grew furious at their front office for showing up with zero preparation against the number one guild.
The Yongbung fans, however, were on a completely different wavelength.
The atmosphere had already decided the victor.
The fireworks had already gone off, and they had even internally selected their MVP.
Who else but Lee Hye-jung, who had burned her entire body for the team to create this final stage and then stepped down without a shred of regret?
When the nexus finally shattered and the match ended, the face shown for MVP was exactly as the fans had expected.
⊳ Mir Guild (3) : Sewoon Guild (0)
⊳ Mir Guild Victory (+3 points)
⊳ MVP: Lee Hye-jung (Rating: 9.1)
“Congratulations on the MVP.”
“Thank you.”
After finishing her MVP interview in a daze, Lee Hye-jung headed toward the bus under the protection of the waiting front office staff.
That was when the swarm of fans and reporters rushed in.
“Hunter Lee Hye-jung! I have a question!”
“Mamang unnie! You were so cool!!”
“We’re from Guild Magazine. We’d like to ask just one question.”
“Lee Hye-jung! Lee Hye-jung! Lee Hye-jung!!”
“Hunter Lee Hye-jung! Hunter!!”
“Move aside! I need to take a picture!!”
Given the scale of the league, obtaining official interview rights was like plucking stars from the sky.
That was why outlets with slightly lower credentials or internet media outlets had no choice but to wait outside the stadium alongside the fans like this.
Perhaps because of that, with the exception of a few strong-willed hunters like Park Gwang-seob, it was common courtesy to answer a few questions out of consideration for the reporters’ hard work.
Fortunately, Lee Hye-jung was kinder than most.
“Just a moment. I’ll take a few questions, so please form a line first. The kids might get hurt. You kids over there, come here. You watched from home, right? Why did you follow all the way to the away match?”
While she gave autographs to the fans who had followed them to the away game, the interviews proceeded.
“We’d like to hear your thoughts on winning MVP.”
“I think it’s more than I deserve. This victory wasn’t achieved by me alone. I simply stood out a little.”
“Your skills have improved beyond recognition! What’s your secret?!”
“You saw Soo-pil in the third set, right? All the members of our second team are this outstanding. If I don’t want to fall behind kids like them, I have to work hard.”
“You couldn’t participate in the final third set. Aren’t you disappointed?”
“Not at all.”
“It was a strategy that demanded one-sided sacrifice, yet you still—”
“Wait, I’m not sure what kind of answer you’re fishing for, but you can step back, reporter.”
While she handled the questions appropriately, the hottest topic of the moment finally came up.
“The first regional qualifier match against Vietnam is coming up soon. Three of Lee Shin’s children will be making their international debut. Do you think the younger siblings will be able to play?”
“Of course. If they can’t play, then who can?”
“Please give a short message to your younger siblings!”
“Just do what you’ve been doing.”
“Next…”
It was then.
A man cut in, appearing on the scene.
“Alright, that’s enough.”
It was Lee Shin.
The moment he appeared clapping his hands, everything seemed to revolve around him as if time and space had frozen.
“Dong-ha hyung, have I been too easy on you? Why can’t the front office staff do their jobs? Hm? Vice Leader, tell me.”
“…I will correct it immediately.”
“And you reporters, let’s treat goodwill as goodwill. Let’s keep it reasonable, shall we?”
“…Understood.”
“Alright, our Yongbung fans, see you next time. But you little ones, you followed all the way here too?”
“We came to see unnie!”
“We’re satisfied after watching Mamang unnie’s debut match!”
“Aigoo, such devotion. Here’s some money for the ride.”
Lee Shin sent the reporters away with a cold gaze, secretly slipped some travel money to the middle school fans who had come all this way, then took Lee Hye-jung and left.
“Let’s wrap it up moderately. I’m tired.”
“Haha, I’m fine.”
“By the way, you’ve improved a lot. You were more impressive than I expected?”
“I just did what the representative and the leader told me to do. How was Soo-pil?”
“Wow~ Are you already looking after your teammates? Heh, well, I did feel something. We’ll have to use him a few more times though.”
“Phew, that’s a relief.”
The fact that he said ‘a few more times’ meant there would be more opportunities. Lee Hye-jung felt reassured.
She was starting to look like a proper team leader now.
Lee Shin smiled warmly, finding her care for her teammates quite adorable.
A short while later. The moment they entered the second team’s bus, the younger members of the second team swarmed around Lee Hye-jung.
“Unnie! What took you so long?”
“You were a-amazing today, noona.”
“Sit down quickly. It’s about to start.”
The second team was unusually hyped up today.
Of course, the match where their teammate and team leader had shone was important, but there was another huge event today.
The large TV mounted on the bus was playing footage that no one could take their eyes off.
The faces shown there—Sword Master, Spear Ghost, Guardian, and Korea’s representative rankers—stood on stage. And among them was a familiar face.
That’s right.
Today marked the international debut of three people who were the same age as the second team, their comrades, yet also objects of admiration.
― “The My Dinh National Stadium is packed with fans cheering for the World Raid qualifiers. You can really feel the Vietnamese people’s love for hunters. Commentator?”
― “This year, Vietnam has designated the awakening industry as a national strategic industry. They are truly serious. Even though Korea is a powerhouse in Asia, we must never let our guard down.”
― “The current screen is showing Vietnam’s full power. At this moment, their strongest roster with every player from rank 1 to 10 participating.”
― “From the right: Zhang Yuning, Yan Junli, Ryu Binbin…”
Red coats with national flags, red T-shirts, red leggings, and so on.
Vietnamese hunters wearing their own unique styles layered with red uniforms stood with solemn determination.
Although they were evaluated as inferior to Korea, they looked ready to win no matter what on their home stage.
And the place their solemn gazes were directed toward had the Taegeukgi waving proudly.
― “There are our proud Taegeuk warriors.”
― “We will now begin the player introductions.”
― “Hahaha, as everyone knows, we will now begin the player introductions. Sword Master Park Gwang-seob, Spear Ghost Yang Kang-cheol, Guardian Yeo Eun-seo…”
The Korean team, forced to use their secondary white color after losing the home advantage.
Park Gwang-seob in a white uniform, Yang Kang-cheol with his upper body exposed while wearing white cargo pants, Yeo Eun-seo in a tank top with shoulder armor, and so on. Every time one appeared, the temperature inside the bus rose.
And when they finally appeared, the heat exploded.
― “And here are the three most talked-about players. The new national representatives: Yu Ri-ra, Park Su-bin, and Baek Yeon-woo.”
Yu Ri-ra in a white military look with a tactical vest.
Park Su-bin covered in a white mink coat and gold accessories.
And finally, Baek Yeon-woo in a clean white uniform. All three revealed themselves.
The eyes of the second team grew misty as they stared at the Taegeukgi patches on their chests.
“So cool……”
“Seriously, they look amazing.”
“One day, I’ll also……”
Admiration, competitive spirit, and all kinds of emotions burned hot inside them.
Seeing that, Lee Shin and Lee Hye-jung looked at each other and smiled as if they had made a promise.
It wasn’t necessary for comrades to only be close. If they could serve as stimulation and foster a desire for improvement, that too made them excellent comrades.
In that sense, Park Su-bin, Baek Yeon-woo, and Yu Ri-ra had become wonderful role models for the second team, who still needed to grow.
― “Both teams’ directors are now coming out.”
― “The ban-pick phase is beginning immediately.”