Lightning Rookie
The girl’s legs were trembling nonstop.
“Ughhh, Grandpa, what do I do? I feel like my heart’s about to jump out of my mouth.”
Yu Ri-ra covered her mouth with both hands and stomped her feet. To anyone watching, she looked incredibly nervous. But Kim Jong-pil had already figured out this particular character.
He flicked her hands away with his finger, pulled down the cheeky corners of her mouth that kept twitching upward, and spoke.
“Kid, you should lower that grin before you say something like that.”
“Huh? That’s weird. Why isn’t she acting out?”
“How many times do I have to say it? Being too nervous is a problem, but being too excited is also a problem.”
“You’re right. Her head seems nervous, but her body is all hyped up. Wow, that’s fascinating.”
At the sight of Yu Ri-ra’s wide, round eyes, Kim Jong-pil finally burst out laughing.
She really is stepping onto the stage like this.
The first time they met, Yu Ri-ra had clasped her hands together and exclaimed, “Wow, wow, hot middle-aged guy!” with pure admiration.
Her innocent behavior was so unlike today’s kids that he had almost fallen for it. But the moment he saw the gun in her hand, Kim Jong-pil had thought:
That sly bastard brought a walking disaster.
— “Sir, I’ve finally brought her. She’s the soul partner who will become your hands and feet!”
— “Hmm, to my eyes she looks less like hands and feet and more like a newborn who needs to be taught everything from walking to using a spoon.”
— “Hehe, don’t just call her a newborn. She’s a real, fresh-out-of-the-oven rookie who awakened only two days ago!”
— “Don’t tell me you want me to raise her?”
— “Hehe, though the beginning may be small, the end shall be great!”
— “…This little shit.”
Once training began, Yu Ri-ra turned out to be surprisingly decent.
Honestly, for someone who had awakened only a few days ago, she was quite impressive. Her speed and agility, typical of the mobility class, stood out immediately. She also possessed the aggression and sharp eyes required to grow into an excellent marksman.
And most importantly, the quality Kim Jong-pil valued most in Yu Ri-ra was this:
She has no fear.
No fear at all.
If he were to exaggerate, she seemed outright crazy.
She never hesitated when taking action. While other marksmen on the team weighed failure and risk, Yu Ri-ra was already far ahead, pulling the trigger.
She was so aggressive that during their first 5v5 mock team fight, when she charged straight into the middle of the enemy formation, even Kim Jong-pil was left speechless.
Thanks to that, she died the most during training and received the most scolding. Even though she was the newcomer who naturally created an awkward atmosphere, she never stopped. She just tried again.
Her lack of fear made her fast.
Her lack of fear made her try endlessly.
It was something Kim Jong-pil always emphasized to his teammates.
If you’re afraid of failure and never try, you gain nothing. Courage and talent are forged through countless failures as you seize what you desire.
What the team members hadn’t fully realized in a year, this walking disaster named Yu Ri-ra had already understood.
From the perspective of someone leading the team, how could he not have expectations?
I’m also curious whether that guy’s eye is right this time too.
Would she really perform exactly as the “manual” Lee Shin had given him? If so, maybe she would become like Park Su-bin…
With eyes full of anticipation, Kim Jong-pil looked at Yu Ri-ra, confirmed there was one minute until the match started, and headed toward the magic circle.
“Yu Ri-ra.”
“Y-yes!”
“No one here expects you to do well in your first match. It’s fine if you make mistakes, so just be aggressive and try everything. Trust your teammates. If you see an opening, charge in. Don’t fear death.”
At Kim Jong-pil’s encouragement, even Lee Hye-jung, the team’s mood maker, chimed in.
“The captain’s right. It’s your first match, so just not being nervous means you’ve already won half the battle. Right? Vice-captain, say something too.”
“…Yeah. Don’t be too nervous.”
“And if you’re still nervous, just look at him. He’ll take care of everything. Our youngest is pretty strong, you know? Right?”
“Just play comfortably.”
Park Su-bin’s eyes widened at Lee Hye-jung’s sudden finger-pointing, but he gave a gentle smile.
“Understood! Please take care of me!!”
Yu Ri-ra looked at them with moved eyes and shouted a determined “Fighting!”
“Show me your potential.”
With those words from Kim Jong-pil, the second set began.
At that moment, he still had no idea. He didn’t know that the potential he spoke of would burst forth so quickly, and…
'Shin Bo-hyeon' has slain 'Yu Ri-ra'.
…in this kind of direction.
Yu Ri-ra — 1 death.
Hold on tight. We’re going down.
* * *
After suffering the first death of her competitive career, Yu Ri-ra’s honest impression was this:
The canyon was much wider than she thought, yet also narrow.
“Pfft. I thought she was some secret weapon since she only registered yesterday… but she really is a complete beginner.”
“I was annoyed thinking you were looking down on us, but now I have nothing to say. She really is a total rookie.”
“Mountain King, I don’t want to say this, but is your representative actually sane? I’m genuinely asking out of curiosity.”
Even with seven minions plus the opponents, at least sixteen entities clashing together, the space was wide enough that it didn’t feel overly chaotic. At the same time, it was narrow enough that the enemy’s voices could be heard clearly.
However, unlike a typical rookie, Yu Ri-ra didn’t react to the sharp trash talk.
“By the way, little miss, is that really a pistol? If you’re going to use a gun, why not a rifle or a sniper?”
“Or dual pistols. That would look way cooler.”
“…That’s so basic! No style at all!”
…She responded rather well for a rookie.
Yu Ri-ra’s breathing grew rough.
The minions that looked like snowmen wearing cloaks, the canyon’s colorful greenery, the murderous intent that was hard to feel in reality.
And the strange pressure the battlefield gave off.
Yu Ri-ra thought, The real thing really is different.
Then she thought again.
…But I think I can do this?
Tension was tension, but what she could see was what she could see.
Her pupils repeatedly contracted and dilated, catching the flow of battle.
She licked her lips and glanced at Kim Jong-pil.
He was smiling softly, as if telling her to follow her heart.
Let’s go.
Yu Ri-ra’s pupils widened. Strength flowed into both hands gripping her pistol. The moment the monster wave surged in—
She lowered her stance, slipped past the minions, and fired—
Swish—!
Huh?
An arrow struck her in the head, and she vanished in a flash of light.
'Shin Bo-hyeon' has slain 'Yu Ri-ra'.
Yu Ri-ra — 2 deaths.
·
·
Humans are creatures of learning.
With her second death, Yu Ri-ra learned the lesson: “If you get hit in the head, neck, heart, or any vital point, you die instantly☆”
It was incredibly fast learning for a rookie, but as a complete beginner who had awakened less than two weeks ago, she still had a lot to learn.
In other words,
She had to die more.
…has slain 'Yu Ri-ra'.
…has slain 'Yu Ri-ra'.
·
·
…has slain 'Yu Ri-ra'.
At seven deaths, Yu Ri-ra learned about her own speed.
Things that worked in training didn’t work or felt uncomfortable in real combat. There were too many such movements.
She had to shamefully admit that she couldn’t perfectly control her own speed.
She could clearly see the openings, but the moment she went in, she died. Still, it was fortunate. At least the problem was identified.
With a joyful heart, she raised her internal “speed” to the maximum and pulled the trigger again—
“Ri-ra, watch out!!”
Thud! Papapapapapap!
“Eh?”
…has slain 'Yu Ri-ra'.
At eight deaths, Yu Ri-ra learned about coordinated attacks.
No matter how well you avoid vital points, you can’t survive a beating from multiple people.
In this way, Yu Ri-ra took death as her teacher and adapted to the canyon.
At ten deaths, she learned that “marksmen are always the number one target.”
At twelve deaths, she learned “how to escape from wicked enemies who treat me like a free meal.”
At fourteen deaths, she learned “genius dealers hide their bodies.”
When she had finally carved the word “survival” into her bones, she gained one final realization.
The value of a marksman’s existence is to deal damage.
It happened when she reached sixteen deaths.
·
·
The timer floating above the canyon read 42:31.
In her first long game, reaching this late stage meant it had become a battle of concentration.
Her in-ear device constantly delivered her teammates’ calls. Park Jeong-seok announced his position. Lee Hye-jung constantly checked the bushes. Park Su-bin called out enemy movements from the front line. Kim Jong-pil gathered all the scattered calls and began commanding.
The formation shifted fluidly.
But contrary to that, Yu Ri-ra’s mind was eerily calm.
“……”
She warmed up her body with small steps and stared at the enemy formation.
Shaman, mage, archer, and two tanks. A classic 3-damage 2-tank composition. The key points are that both the shaman and mage are water-attribute, and the archer can deliver a one-shot snipe. They’re specialized for river fights…
She raised her internal “speed.”
Lightning Speed
Attack hit increases ‘attack speed’ and ‘movement speed’ (max 20 stacks)
* Stacks reset on miss
She didn’t get greedy. She lightly tapped the protruding tanks, testing the waters while steadily stacking.
Soon, Lee Hye-jung, who had secretly circled behind, unleashed poisonous fog to initiate the fight.
Wait.
Hundreds of hands made of water stretched out from the river like a scene from hell. Park Su-bin stood at the front, using his orbs to block every attack.
Wait.
An enemy with a massive tower shield charged through the gap and disrupted their formation. Park Jeong-seok, waiting in the backline, used his crushing kicks to hold them off.
Wait.
While firing her pistol to harass, Yu Ri-ra waited for something.
The signal flare for the path she had found.
And at that moment, in her mana-enhanced vision, she locked eyes with the enemy marksman drawing his bow from across the chaotic battlefield.
The opponent seemed equally surprised to see her. His pupils widened, and he released the arrow.
Now!
Using the fully stacked Lightning Speed, Yu Ri-ra shot forward like a bullet.
She dodged the arrow aimed at her head by a hair’s breadth. Blood sprayed from her nose, but she charged forward without caring.
With both pistols lowered, she stepped on Park Jeong-seok’s shoulder as he blocked an enemy tank, then leaped onto Park Su-bin’s orb.
Her movement was like lightning.
The two geniuses responded perfectly. When Park Su-bin extended his orbs like stepping stones, Kim Jong-pil’s tree roots covered them.
A harmony so perfect it looked like a painting, even though no one had called it out.
As expected, handsome people really are quick-witted. If she died here, would the next thing she learned be “teamwork”?
Yu Ri-ra smiled faintly as she sliced through the formation at invisible speed.
She dodged the water claws trying to block her with acrobatic flips, then, while upside down in mid-air—
Her pistols spat fire.
Ratatatatatatata—!
Holes appeared in the enemies’ arms, legs, and stomachs. The moment she landed, she immediately aimed at the enemy marksman.
The enemy marksman released his bowstring.
She pulled the trigger.
'Shin Bo-hyeon' has slain 'Yu Ri-ra'.
'Yu Ri-ra' has slain 'Shin Bo-hyeon'.
※ 2nd Set
Mir Guild Win.
Match time: 43 minutes 15 seconds.
Yu Ri-ra.
1 kill, 17 deaths, 3 assists.
* * *
“……”
Chae Dong-ha, who had been watching the match with Lee Shin, had been frozen with his jaw dropped for some time.
Seventeen deaths? Seventeen out of the team’s total eighteen deaths?
A marksman who died alone seventeen times. At this point, winning was practically a miracle.
Oblivious to Chae Dong-ha’s shock, Lee Shin was rolling on the floor clutching his stomach.
“Bwahaha!!”
His face was bright red as he wheezed with laughter. He looked like he was dying of joy.
“…You find this funny?”
“Yeah, kekeke. I’m gonna die, ugh, pat my back, I can’t breathe. Keukkeukkeuk.”
The chat had already exploded long ago. The community was filled with talk about Lee Shin.
As expected from his passionate fanbase, it only took one match for the man once called “GodGod” to be burned at the stake alive.
Lee Shin walked over, placed a hand on Chae Dong-ha’s shoulder, and looked at the laptop.
“Wow, this brings back memories. Reminds me of the old days, right? It’s been a while since things got this spicy. Should we have stir-fried octopus and soju for dinner?”
“…Should I read the comments? I really want to read them to you.”
“Why? So you can sneak in your true feelings? Not a chance!”
You’re so sly, so sly, hyung.
Lee Shin sat across from him with a playful grin. In contrast, Chae Dong-ha’s face grew serious.
“Is this really okay? Shouldn’t we change her now?”
“She’ll handle it herself. The coach decides the roster.”
“And the person moving that coach is you, Representative.”
“Hehehe.”
“I’m not joking. I’m being completely serious right now. The reaction is one thing, but this is Yu Ri-ra Hunter’s debut match. If she hits rock bottom this hard on her debut, can she endure it?”
Even though they had barely scraped out a win, the criticism was exploding like this. What if they lost even one set? What if they lost the match because of Yu Ri-ra?
Could a nineteen-year-old girl handle that?
She would break. She would definitely break.
Yet despite Chae Dong-ha’s worries, Lee Shin was still smiling brightly like a flower in bloom.
“Wanna bet?”
“Huh? Suddenly?”
“A bet. On what kind of expression Yu Ri-ra is making right now. I bet she’s smiling.”
* * *
“Hey, I think I’ve finally got the hang of it now!!”