Fenrir Translations
"Dice just secured a double kill in the blink of an eye! By turning the tables through two high-level psychological maneuvers, she managed to take down her opponents in a disadvantageous situation! Her ability to adapt her playstyle depending on the time and place proves she’s a true Apex Predator!"
The sharp claws of Yu-jin slashed through the first cycle and vanished, heralding the start of the second stage in full swing. Normally, you’d wonder why a certain individual was even allowed into the competition, but with them gone, the real battle was about to begin.
While the audience, already accustomed to the constant superplays of someone who fit the "snake tail" aesthetic so well, might have seen it as a tragedy, for the remaining 99 KSM participants, it was finally time to breathe.
After the first cycle, which had essentially been a round to give Yu-jin an early pick, the remaining competitors, who withstood her pressure, now began battling for the 19 remaining spots.
Some were skilled enough to climb higher but had the misfortune of encountering Yu-jin, or simply had bad luck preventing them from showing their full potential. Others were overshadowed by superplays and received less attention.
The moment Yu-jin disappeared, all those elements spiraled together and converged into a new chaotic battlefield.
Regardless, the one who caused all that commotion was no longer there. This meant that many talented competitors, previously buried in Yu-jin's shadow, were now locked in fierce competition.
Of course, Dice was among them.
"This year’s SSM is nothing short of phenomenal! As of now, Dice has accumulated 41 points, trailing closely behind Yu-jin. She’s one of the top contenders for early selection!"
However, it was unfortunate that Dice didn't possess the overwhelming skill Yu-jin had. In other words, she would have to overcome many near-death situations to reach the top.
It was only natural for Dice, Yu-jin’s direct disciple, to rise as soon as Yu-jin stepped aside, but that didn’t necessarily mean it was a good thing. It meant she was now a magnet for all the attention.
How she handled that pressure would determine her path: whether she’d rise faster and higher or be crushed and forced to grab the Asia Qualifier ticket on the final day, Sunday.
At least, according to Yu-jin, and based on what she taught her, Dice had to aim for the former.
That much, at least.
"…It feels familiar."
Meanwhile.
Yu-jin, the only player leisurely watching the game, glanced at the screen and chuckled. She couldn’t help it. Almost everyone watching would just see Dice’s play as a normal mind game—even Blooming.
The reason was simple: an almost identical fight had happened during a scrim hosted by Xi in the past.
It was the first time Yu-jin and Dice had crossed paths.
At the time, Dice had probably felt like she’d been hit hard in the back of the head. But as always, great players learn from their mistakes—and in that regard, Dice was undoubtedly a great player.
Going back to the current fight, although the mechanics and the flow of the battle were a little different, the basic principle remained the same. Lure the enemy with a certain method, then guide them into a pre-planned trap, cutting the TTK (time-to-kill) drastically.
The method I taught was the same as ever—don’t let the enemy stick around for long. The longer you drag it out, the more chances they have to escape or take advantage of opportunities.
It seemed like Yu-jin would have some things to discuss if Dice came back.
─── Scratch, scratch.
Of course, Yu-jin didn't forget her duties.
She pulled out a sheet of paper from mid-air and connected it to a typewriter. As her fingers moved, the quill wrote at a blistering pace, jotting down a flood of words. Naturally, it was a comprehensive evaluation of Dice.
The analysis engine, created to reveal every detail about a player, was hard at work, so Yu-jin had no trouble gathering Dice's MOA (minute of angle), preferred firearms, recoil control, and movement routes in real time.
Technology was really something.
No glaring mistakes stood out. On the flip side, it meant that at this stage, the smallest and most subtle differences were crucial. The contents written on the paper didn't stray far from this.
A little faster.
A little sharper.
A little more precise.
Without the mindset of a player betting their life in an actual warzone, you could never break through that thin, yet thick, ceiling. Yu-jin had measured that distance exactly.
Her typing was intermittent.
Six or so windows showing Dice’s play were open, and she distilled only the purest essence of what she could teach, compressing it. After all, it wasn’t knowledge she minded sharing with others.
She hadn’t sought it out, either.
─── Click! Click! Click! Click!
─── Clank!
In the middle of her furious writing, a sudden metallic sound grated on Yu-jin’s nerves. It wasn’t because the sound was unpleasant—quite the opposite. It was a sound that jogged her memory, and it fit perfectly with the current map.
As Yu-jin quickly recalled the source of the low, drawn-out metallic sound, her gaze shifted slyly.
Followed by a light sigh.
"No, why would she try to copy that too…?"
Dice.
On the screen, Dice was loading a box-shaped magazine with .50 caliber rounds that were about the size of a board marker.
"Ugh, how does anyone carry something like this…!"
That person is not human.
Nor is she normal.
The moment the combined weight of 17 kilograms, including the multiple magazines on her back, settled on her body, it was like her whole frame was weighed down by a staggering load. The UI in the top right corner showed the weight had instantly jumped to nearly 40 kilograms.
Luckily, it wasn’t actually exhausting. The game's balancing system was still in place, so her movements only slowed slightly. Still, looking at the stamina gauge drop with even a small movement…
How much did this thing weigh in real life?
"Ugh, it feels like I'm at the gym."
Yu-jin, being a woman herself, had visited the gym for body maintenance—though she didn’t avoid it even now.
Recalling her past experiences... she remembered the power racks scattered all over the club's gym, with bars resting on them. Back then, not knowing any better, she’d fidgeted with a bar that had no weight plates on it. Of course, she suffered muscle pain the next day.
It was only a few days later that she learned the bar alone weighed 20 kilograms.
Anyway, back to the present—by that logic, she was now carrying a 20-kilogram barbell on her back as she played.
"…Damn it, I’ll ditch this as soon as I find another gun."
Though she’d picked up the Barrett because it kept catching her eye, maybe it was a case of a crow trying to follow a crane and splitting its legs in the process?
More importantly, how in the world did that insane Yu-jin lug around over 50 kilograms of gear and run around the map for over 20 minutes in-game?
And, looking back, that woman had run around for ages, then casually stopped and unloaded two full magazines without breaking a sweat. She dismantled two Juggernauts like it was nothing.
Obviously, I couldn’t do that. It already felt like too much of a burden. The problem was, none of the other guns I’d picked up so far were in great condition either. And I’d just recently sworn to get used to high-powered weapons, so giving up now wouldn’t do.
I’ll try to get used to it.
With the increased weight of the gear, my overall strategy naturally had to change. Originally, I had planned to ascend quickly and secure key terrain, but with my reduced mobility, that plan had to be scrapped.
Moreover, the original plan required constant movement. If the terrain was compromised, I’d have to retreat quickly, but there was no way I could do that with this kind of weight.
Scanning the surroundings, I entered a large simulation room. In simple terms, it was a giant training room. The layout changed every match, and today, it was filled with makeshift buildings scattered along slopes resembling a ski slope.
-[Alert: Juggernaut deployment increased. This area will soon be designated a patrol zone. Please ensure you carry proper identification.]
"Great timing."
As I’ve said countless times, the kill zones in AP (Arena Player) maps are split into two types: those that guarantee immediate death and those that don’t. This map was, of course, the former. Just approaching would get you shredded by a minigun, so what choice did I have?
Because of this, players on this map tended to stay as far away from the kill zone as possible. And it wasn’t like all kill zones were the same—this high-value research facility, for example, had a kill zone where the facility itself could shoot at you.
In short, I had to act fast.
But I had one strategy I wanted to try.
"Up we go."
I entered a nearby makeshift building, pulled a cable from my bag, tied it tightly to a column, and threw it outside. The drop was about 11 meters. Simple. It was my exit route.
Using the random junk scattered inside the building, like a dusty table, I stacked things until they were level with the windowsill. Lying flat on my stomach, I set up the Barrett.
So, what was my plan? I was going to snipe the players who’d try to escape as soon as they heard about the incoming Juggernauts.
─── Clank!
A high-quality Vudu scope clicked into place on the Picatinny rail. The clear, crisp crosshair surveyed the area beyond the windowsill. I considered firing a shot to gauge bullet speed and drop, but quickly abandoned the idea—it’d be insane.
I’d leave it to my instincts. It wasn’t like I hadn’t used this gun before—mainly because of Yu-jin—and if I missed, I could go back and take the Barrett course from her. I trusted my muscle memory.
Ignoring the warning sounds from the ceiling, I kept my eyes on the exit. The moment I’d leave would be when the Juggernaut came into view.
"…Ha."
Breathing steadily, I checked my PDA. 33 seconds until the Juggernauts arrived. On the far wall, a rotating siren, occasional gunfire, and flashes of light indicated the battle between those trying to leave and those trying to stop them.
Magazine check. Four 10-round magazines. I had dragged all this heavy gear up here for this moment. With a maximum distance of 113 meters measured by the laser rangefinder, there was no need to adjust the zero.
As I watched the exit, a skirmish broke out nearby. One player was trying to escape, while two others, positioned at windows or rooftops of nearby makeshift buildings, were firing at them. I marked them all.
The target to aim for was the one trying to escape.
Steadily, I held my breath and flexed my finger.
A sledgehammer-like recoil struck my shoulder.
─── Boom!
The force was enough to knock the wind out of me. The bullet sliced through the air and embedded itself squarely in the target’s upper body.
Damage calculated in real time. The nano-shield shattered, and the back plate armor splintered into pieces. This was, after all, a high-value research facility. Few places dropped armor this tough.
The enemy was flung backward but quickly scrambled to their feet to flee… But this wasn’t a bolt-action rifle.
"Gah!"
Bang.
The second shot pierced the fleeing enemy’s spine, instantly depleting their remaining HP and turning them into a pile of loot.
The two players inside the building, who had been laying claim to it, noticed and began to move almost simultaneously with my scope. If they stayed in there, the Juggernaut with its missile pods would obliterate the building, but what could they do?
It was an extreme 50-50 situation. Their only consolation was that my skill at hitting moving targets was still terrible—not that even pro-gamers liked it much.
They must’ve known that because both players immediately dashed for separate exits. I’d have to give up on one… So, I focused on the other.
─── Bang!
Three rounds fired, seven left.
Missed.
Another shot. Missed again. Slight miscalculation on the distance. I fired three more shots, but only one hit. Not a bad outcome, but…
A familiar lesson flashed through my mind.
"If tracking is difficult, aim at the predicted path first. Like in a rhythm game… When the timing is right, and they fall into your crosshairs, then shoot."
Click.
The bipod scraped against the table, leaving fresh marks as I shifted the aimpoint. Twelve seconds until the Juggernaut arrived. I had to finish this quickly. The enemy wouldn’t have much time either.
They began to move, but instead of following them, my crosshair stayed fixed near the exit, waiting for the prey.
And after a few moments…
-[Alert: DICE ▄︻┻┳══━ INK]
The satisfying sound of a headshot rang out as the user’s head disappeared entirely.
A rush of euphoria tingled from the top of my head, and a smile spread across my face. No wonder this map was a haven for extreme Barrett snipers.
I felt completely refreshed. Even if I died today, I’d sleep soundly.
Of course,
"Now then…"
It was time to figure out how I’d escape from the missile-launching Juggernaut staring at me through the scope.