I Really Am a Rookie

"Welcome, viewers."

"We welcome you to Round 3 of the IKL Next Playoffs."

It was another bright match day.

The familiar lighting and camera angles welcomed the crowd.

On the giant display, the logos of the two teams who would be today's protagonists were shown.

Naturally, the score was still 0-0.

A number that held excitement precisely because of its infinite possibilities stood out in large font.

Today's opponent, Eunha Gaming, was a team with a long history.

Their golden age had been quite long, and they possessed an excellent eye for reading the meta and adapting to it.

In the IKL, they were a team with a substantial, loyal fanbase across both the first and second divisions.

An important stage.

On top of that, a clash between popular teams.

The passion of the crowd gathered here was not something that could be dismissed just because it was the Academy league.

"First, let's look at the match predictions. The predictions from the analysis desk and panel are..."

"Sixty-forty. They are predicting a slight advantage for Eunha Gaming."

"This result seems to stem from something other than the raw strength of the two teams. Personally, I don't think SnowWitch is lacking in power at all."

"But perhaps it's a matter of team compatibility. The difference in their playstyles is likely what led to this prediction."

"Eunha Gaming is a highly flexible team, after all. The expectation is probably that they will successfully absorb and counter SnowWitch's fierce onslaught."

The previous match between SnowWitch and Wild Spirits had been a clash of spear against spear.

A simple and straightforward matchup where the sharper spear would win.

However, this time, it was like a spear clashing against water.

In a fight between players, the more cards you have in your hand, the better.

Choices that could shut down the opponent's strengths while maximizing one's own.

In the current IKL Next, Eunha Gaming was the team capable of making the most flexible choices.

If SnowWitch tried to roll the game by gaining advantages through combat?

Then Eunha Gaming would simply avoid direct engagements and focus on chipping away at them.

Scatter before being breached, and gather before being pursued.

The driving force that made such choices possible was a wider class pool than any other team.

And their experience of facing fierce beasts from the position of the underdog for a long time.

The characteristics of the Infinity Realm Major League stem from players who defy standard conventions.

In the past, when Hero and Phantom divided the North American league between them.

North American marksmen had to insist on high-survival classes just to survive Phantom, and they had to throw down their clumsy shields to stand against Hero.

The characteristics of a league are born from the influence of such powerhouses.

In Korea's case... they chose to become extremely flexible in order to defeat overwhelming, unmatchable force.

Eunha Gaming's first-team roster was a squad that had faced the turbulent era of the IKL head-on.

They sought change faster and more actively than anyone else.

The current Eunha Gaming inherited the bloodline of the IKL from a generation ago most deeply.

"Many of you probably already know this."

"In the highest tiers of the league, there is a limit to how much you can carry a game through individual martial prowess alone."

"That was especially true for our Korean region."

"Though there have been many changes in terms of the environment and the meta now..."

"Considering that the current Academy league is the generation that will lead the next IKL, this will be a meaningful match for SnowWitch as well."

In the end, this was also a test.

It was no easy task to use raw force as a strength in the IKL, which was the very symbol of flexibility.

Although the league changed with each generation, the remnants of the old era could never completely disappear.

It was by no means a coincidence that SnowWitch was the only team in the first division drawing attention for their sheer aggressiveness.

Yu Nabi had to prove herself.

If she couldn't break through Eunha Gaming here, the first division would be out of the question.

Only by overcoming this unfavorable matchup could she truly become the protagonist of the new era.

"Now, both teams are fully prepared."

"We will now reveal the battlefield, the rules, and the Geas."

As soon as my darkened vision returned, I felt the squelch beneath my feet.

A swamp thick with a familiar fishy stench and toxic fumes.

Infinity Realm's universally detested battlefield marked the start of the match.

If I had to choose, this was a battlefield where I had good memories.

During the Challengers Cup, I had defeated Hanul here and truly made a name for myself.

Thanks to the matches I played back then, I caught the coach's eye, so in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠many ways, this place was the spark that started it all for me.

But good memories were strictly in the past.

Right now, our team was not the one benefiting from this battlefield.

My mind was a tangled mess as I ran in search of the enemy.

Today won't be easy.

In the Cursed Mangrove, players take continuous damage from the toxic fumes.

On top of that, if you get wounded, the venom seeps in, hindering your recovery.

It meant your health drained just by breathing, and the swampy environment restricted your mobility as well.

Consequently, methods of purification and healing were highly valued on this field.

During the Challengers Cup, every team's composition had been a mess... but this was the pro league.

Naturally, optimized strategies and compositions would be deployed.

In this place, a six-player team would always bring two supporters.

Given the flat nature of the terrain, it was impossible for a single tank to block the path.

Naturally, a 2-2-2 composition consisting of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠two supporters, two ranged, and two melee classes was favored.

Needless to say, the opponents were far more accustomed to this setup than our team.

In times like this, the melee line of Endure and me—

No, I, with my extreme characteristics, had to create a crack in their defense.

The one coming to greet me will probably be the Rampart. He's slow, so he'd be easy to deal with in a one-on-one, but...

He definitely won't try to fight alone.

They would use the combo that had served them so well in their previous matches.

The Rampart's defining trait was high defense using a large shield.

Though slow and incapable of rapid fire, they possessed a hand cannon with devastating firepower.

Eunha Gaming's primary tactic was to force a one-sided melee fight with the support of a Geomancer and an Enchanter.

And the fact that it was their "primary tactic" meant they had already demonstrated it several times.

At the same time, it meant it was effective enough that you could still fall for it even if you knew it was coming.

If I were an Assassin, I would have chosen to flank... but that option was closed to me, lacking stealth and high mobility.

Sometimes, a Bruiser has to fight even when they know it will be a difficult battle.

Now was that moment.

The moment the enemy's silhouette came into view, I chose to charge without hesitation.

"Wow, she activates Blood Covenant right at the start of the engagement."

"She was famous for those kinds of bold decisions even during her amateur days."

"Since her team's supporter is still nearby."

"If you're going to use it anyway, it's correct to use it before the wounds worsen. Though usually, players don't use it at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all."

"Since there is a cost, she will need to secure a sufficient return."

A tiny girl dashed forward.

Swiftly. And fiercely.

It was a speed unthinkable for someone running through a swamp.

Well, that was because she wasn't actually running through the swamp.

Using the mangrove roots blooming throughout the map as stepping stones, she overcame the swampy terrain.

Her light weight and nimble footwork pushed her mobility to the absolute limit.

She didn't make a single squelching sound as she approached.

Because of this, Eunha Gaming's Rampart was slightly late in spotting Yu Nabi.

A delayed aim naturally led to a delayed shot.

The optimal window had passed... but it should still be fine.

Unless she was an Assassin in their prime, it was impossible to close this distance in a single breath.

Above all, he had the support of his allies.

Support from the two mages came in from the left and right.

The path was instantly blocked, leaving only a single gap in the middle.

It was a double-edged dilemma: either take the hand cannon's damage head-on, or give up on the current charge.

Yu Nabi's choice, as expected, was to charge.

She didn't stop her steps, as if it wasn't even worth considering.

The Rampart's hand cannon gathered fire in response.

"Nabi continues her advance!"

"Is she relying on the temporary damage reduction of Baldur's Grace?"

"Probably not. Baldur's Grace needs to be traded for another skill."

"Taking that hit right at the start of the fight would be a huge blow, bu— Ah!"

"My goodness. Is that player really a rookie?"