Severing the Assassin
The blue barrier fades away.
Match begins!
Zap!
Blue light engulfs the bodies of the Kaiserst players, Siwoo included. Without a word to each other, they all simultaneously enhance their bodies with Force Enhancement.
Tat-tat-tat!
The only sound in their ears is footsteps—no unnecessary chatter. This is the "prime orders" Coach Shin Seung-hyun had requested: minimal communication for smooth coordination.
The game flows in silence, but the upside is zero miscommunications in fights or operations.
Shwick!
Siwoo aims his wrist at the wall and fires his Grapple Hook. His body defies gravity, soaring upward.
He plants his feet against the wall and accelerates, scaling it effortlessly.
Thud.
Using the hook to reach high ground, Siwoo silently peers through his scope. The enemy movements come into clear view.
"Enemy main force split in half. Assault defender and assassin attacker moving together, looks like they're diving inside."
A sniper's strengths are explosive burst damage and picking them off one by one, but early game, they double as scouts. This lets him read the enemy's plans at a glance.
"Yeah? Then we've got two options: lure their detachment and eat them alive, or push straight through. What do you think, Siwoo? You're the core this game— we'll follow your lead."
Kim Ho-jong asks.
"Straight push. I'll handle the detachment."
"You sure? That's high-risk as hell."
He'd floated the idea earlier as an option, but Kim Ho-jong wasn't keen. Luring and soloing the enemy detachment was way too dangerous.
Siwoo brushes it off with a smirk, utterly relaxed.
"But the payoff's worth it."
"Haha, kid doesn't miss a beat."
Kim Ho-jong lets out a dry chuckle. How could he not? A debut rookie radiating overwhelming confidence.
Or maybe that's exactly why a rookie can pull it off?
Failure means massive losses, but success? Unmatched rewards.
And that playstyle? It's what Kaiserst loves most. Most of their players lean heavy on mechanics, after all.
Like that famous movie line: "Fail, and it's treason; succeed, and it's revolution." Games have their own version of hated courage.
"Alright, I'll trust you on this."
Approval granted.
"Let's go, then."
With Siwoo's signal, Kaiserst begins a slow advance.
[Kaiserst gathers up and heads for the point!]
[Unlike EG splitting into a detachment, they're all moving together!]
[Siwoo positioned in the rear—looks like they're aiming to win the range war?]
[Siwoo's performance will be key here. He's using the whole team as bait!]
The casters and announcer see it as Siwoo-centric ops, but reality's the opposite. Kaiserst is baiting with Siwoo.
The enemy detachment will dive to cut him off, letting them pinch Kaiserst's main force from both sides.
"How's it looking?"
Kim Ho-jong checks in.
"No sign of the detachment. They're flanking to me now. Frontline fight should be safe."
Spot on—the enemy detachment vanishes.
"Copy that. Chan-seong, smash when you see an angle."
"Huh? Smash in?"
"Yeah. We'll cover—just ram 'em."
"Don't say it like some comic book..."
Park Chan-seong groans weakly, but anyway.
"Chan-seong, now!"
"Y-yeah!"
Main force clash ignites.
Tat-tat-tat-bang!
Bullets rain in the battlefield. Park Chan-seong boosters forward. Kim Ho-jong's rifle spits fire in the gap, ammo trading hands.
Meanwhile.
Siwoo scopes them for support fire while scanning surroundings.
One issue, though.
'Tempo's faster than scrims.'
Unlike ranked, Series Cup, or practice—fights here are blisteringly quick.
To keep up, he needs max focus—but then the detachment slips his watch.
'More. Pour in even more focus.'
Siwoo cranks his concentration to the limit. Useless info filters out. Sounds fade; vision tunnels to a point.
And then.
—Thud, thud, thud!
Footsteps echo from the rear stairs.
Siwoo whips his scope around, stance set.
"Hearing sounds now. Detachment's on me."
"Copy. No support fire expected."
Briefing done. He waits. Patience is sniper basics. His reaction speed? Unrivaled.
Crackle!
Fine currents spark around Siwoo. Force Enhancement round loaded. First glimpse of the enemy attacker, and he's dead.
Soon.
EG's detachment hits Siwoo from behind!
Enemy appears.
Siwoo pulls the trigger.
Bang!
EG Defender Lee Jung-san's HP halved!
Kim Hyun-su coming late!
Unfortunately, it's the defender who shows first. No one-shot. Expected—defender leads in angle splits; it's meta.
'Then...'
Siwoo racks the bolt.
Clack! Empty casing ejects, clinks on the floor.
And that instant.
"Now!"
EG attacker Kim Hyun-su leaps off the defender's back, dagger drawn like a true assassin.
'Right...!'
Siwoo fires again. Bang! Muzzle flash erupts, bullet screams.
But...
Ting!
Kim Hyun-su parries it away. Anticipated. Siwoo activates his trait.
Siwoo evades with Teleport Dash!
But situation's dire—no escape!
Kaiserst main is pushing, but...
This is checkmate waiting to happen!
'Positioning's awful.'
Siwoo frowns. Teleport Dash bought distance, but no real escape.
Kim Hyun-su narrowing the gap!
Even now, the enemy closes. Siwoo grits his teeth, focus peaking.
'Don't panic. There's always a way.'
Assess calmly.
Distance opened—but shrinking fast. No cooldown Teleport Dash. No time to aim.
Kim Hyun-su will Whirlwind Slash him. Holding back means waiting for perfect opening.
One play: Bait the Whirlwind Slash, force an opening, take him first.
Siwoo aims wrist at wall.
Fires Grapple Hook.
Shwick!
Siwoo fires Grapple Hook!
Stuck to the wall?!
Body swings into the air.
'Knew it!'
Within Kim Hyun-su's prediction. He spots the hook's anchor—Siwoo's path is telegraphed. Easy skill hit.
'Whirlwind Slash!'
Boom!
Kim Hyun-su stomps. Dust kicks up.
Times it for mid-swing as Siwoo reels in. Self-accel—no dodging.
Propels forward, a streak of light.
But in that split second.
Just before Kim Hyun-su's feet leave ground, Siwoo cancels the hook. Airborne, he twists his barrel mid-flight.
Bang!
"...!!"
Operator's massive recoil flips his trajectory. Siwoo dodges the Whirlwind Slash path—
Shwick!
Kim Hyun-su's blade cleaves empty air.
What just happened?! Siwoo evades Whirlwind Slash!
Did he predict it?!
Mid-air Whirlwind Slash whiffs.
Kim Hyun-su whips around in shock.
One emotion on his face:
Awe.
'Reacted to that?!'
No—impossible.
Accelerated Whirlwind Slash? Untouchable.
'Then...!'
He realizes: Siwoo baited it. To drag out the protected assassin.
Makes sense?
Prediction? Sure—assassins target snipers.
But what if no Whirlwind Slash? Wasted effort.
Yet Siwoo moved like it was certain. How?
'How'd he know? What if I just closed in?'
Incomprehensible.
But focus—game on.
Kim Hyun-su out of defender protection!
Siwoo straight to reload!
Siwoo racks the Operator.
Clack! Casing drops.
His body glows blue. Force Enhancement loaded. When avatar speed hits 0—fire.
"Damn...!!"
Kim Hyun-su spins. Can't escape scope.
Whirlwind Slash committed—full exposure to sniper.
'Shit...!'
Glow means Force round—no parry. Too close for reaction.
Dodge with accel? Airborne, out of control. No hook or teleport for assassins!
Lips bitten—Siwoo's speed locks at 0.
Bang!
Siwoo's bullet pierces his skull.
"Enemy attacker down."
Siwoo chuckles lightly, racks bolt.
Clack, ting!
Casing bounces off floor.
Siwoo cleanly severs Kim Hyun-su! Force Enhancement one-shot, one-kill!
Massive loss! Invested to cut Siwoo—worst outcome!