--- Ratatatatatat! ---

“I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but not this tough.”

The sounds of gunfire scattered like snowflakes in the winds of the Arctic Sea. The weather conditions were terrible. Every match had minor changes—weather, crate locations, and skill activation zones—and in some cases, even the map layout shifted slightly. So, the first thing every player did was try to get a rough idea of how this particular iteration of the map was set up.

Case, like everyone else, should have been doing that. But his mind was still replaying the first round—Kalaman Nuclear Waste Disposal. It wasn’t a good sign, but what could he do? Things rarely go exactly how you want.

And it wasn’t without reason.

‘The Korean players are performing better than expected, and it’s not just one or two of them. A significant number of individuals are disrupting the strategic plans we’d set up beforehand.’

It would be ideal to adapt with a high degree of flexibility, but that requires a certain level of skill. Even Case, an experienced player, was caught off guard. How could the less experienced players on his team expect to produce better results?

The outcome of the first game had already left a mark on everyone’s mindset—it was no surprise who would take first place. But what was shocking was that six Korean players placed in the top 15. How had the Korean first-tier players improved so drastically in less than a month?

“...”

There was no avoiding all 20 Korean representatives. At the very least, they had to steer clear of the core players, especially her. There wasn’t enough data on Eugene yet, so the decision had been made: avoid engaging with her at all costs.

Ironically, that strategy seemed to work, at least somewhat, during the first two rounds. Eugene took first place, but she didn’t secure enough kill points to truly dominate. She had only earned 4 points in the first round and 3 in the second—far from the 12 kills she used to rack up in a single match.

But the Asian qualifiers were a team game, after all.

Although the points awarded for first place were significant, there were still plenty of ways to catch up. For Japan, it meant an enormous burden, but if they could keep snowballing, by the end of Sunday, their points might even rival Korea’s.

And yet—

Kakakakakakak!

“Woah.”

Whoever it was, they were causing chaos.

The sound of a high-caliber gun echoed through the blizzard. Chances were, it was Eugene.

The tactic designed to counter her was based on that very sound—using a powerful firearm to apply heavy pressure, making it impossible for opponents to even peek. But it wasn’t like they couldn’t extract data from that.

Japan’s analysis team had meticulously studied her patterns. They calculated her maximum and average movement speed and came up with a new rule of engagement: if a fight seems unwinnable, retreat faster than her maximum speed.

Of course, there had been dissenters.

But after the first round left most of them full of holes, they reluctantly accepted the strategy.

The echo of the gunfire indicated that she was likely within 200 meters.

Case had already faced Eugene twice in the previous rounds, and he knew a direct confrontation was pointless. In other words, he needed to put more distance between himself and the eye of the storm.

And now, it seemed like an unwanted guest had arrived.

Drrrrrk!

“Looks like we’ve got company.”

Case pulled the trigger, sending a dozen bullets through the air. None hit, but it didn’t matter—he wasn’t aiming for accuracy. It was suppressive fire.

Sure, the Korean players had improved, but that didn’t mean Case had lost his skill. Even if Japan struggled, he still had what it took to make it to the finals solo. That didn’t mean he took any engagement lightly. He always sized up his opponents, calculating his odds of victory.

The only unpredictable variable was the avatars.

‘An avatar like that should be at a ballroom, not running around with a gun in a game... It’s still hard to get used to.’

Case had customized his own avatar a bit, but it wasn’t all that different from reality. Nowadays, just having an avatar that matched your real-life gender was considered “low effort.”

What would the next opponent look like? He didn’t mind pretty avatars, but still... He aimed his gun in the direction of the noise, preparing himself mentally. The enemy was about 70 meters away—quite a distance.

As he focused, maintaining his aim—

“...!”

Someone burst out at an unusual speed, scraping through the air with their gun.

Fwwiiiish! It sounded almost like a drone hovering. The enemy’s rate of fire was impressive, and their accuracy was alarming. It felt like Case’s shield was being ground down against a belt sander.

Adrenaline surged. Whoever they were, they were clearly a close-quarters combat specialist, quickly closing the distance. Case had no choice but to engage at full capacity.

Was it Eugene? Or just another Korean player? If it was the former, she’d likely use heavy weaponry for suppression. If it was the latter, he could handle it. For now, he’d have to assess as the engagement unfolded.

But—

‘...Something feels off.’

The eerie feeling persisted. It was as if the very space itself was being claimed by the enemy. And then it hit him—why had he assumed Eugene would only use high-caliber weapons to suppress other players?

And finally, he saw it.

“Damn.”

A chest rig that only protected the vitals.

A lightweight plate carrier, an MPX submachine gun in hand, and Eugene sprinting toward him with the speed of a freight train. She wasn’t wearing her usual 40 kg of full armor; she looked like she had cut down to about 20 kg. Half the weight meant double the speed.

And sure enough, Eugene was closing in on anyone who crossed her path with blinding speed.

Death itself was rushing toward him at full force.

Both guns fired.

It was life or death.

“And just like that, the big match between Eugene and Case has begun!”

--- ROAR ---

The entire Yongsan shook.

The voices of 200,000 people, gathered across the Yongsan Esports Stadium, the park, and even the nearby exhibition hall, echoed as one. Posts flooded social media, wondering what was happening in Yongsan, with some people claiming they could hear the cheering from inside their cars.

The intensity hadn’t dropped, even after several matches. If anything, it was growing stronger. The crowd watched with bated breath as Eugene and Case clashed on the screen. Seconds passed, then minutes. Two, three... and still, neither side was giving up.

Eugene, the player who had once seemed unbeatable, was now in the fight of her life, up against an unrelenting force. Case, despite the pressure, fought back with everything he had.

And finally—

“Case! He’s managed to escape after a grueling three-minute fight with Eugene! It’s not the strongest who survive, but those who survive that are the strongest!”

Though Eugene couldn’t finish him off, Case barely managed to escape with less than 10% HP. His shield was gone. Between the two of them, they had fired nearly 600 rounds during that three-minute battle. The duel was at a level far beyond what anyone could expect from a typical tournament match.

It was a ballet of steel and fire, a dance of death.

Both players' eyes burned with intense focus, as if they were locked in a life-or-death battle.

Though the audience couldn’t fully grasp the gravity of the situation, the sheer pressure left a deep, indelible mark on their minds.

Once the excitement died down, the analysis began.

“What stands out in this third match is that Eugene has changed her playstyle. In the first two rounds, she relied on heavy suppression, but now it looks like she’s actively hunting her opponents.”

“That’s right. The data shows that she’s carrying half the weight she was in previous matches. It’s the simplest way to improve mobility.”

“I wonder if this aggressive playstyle will tire her out, especially since she’s in hardcore mode. What do you think?”

“Well, given what we’ve seen from her so far, I don’t think stamina is going to be an issue. And even if it were, Korea has already racked up a substantial lead in points.”

The third round was nearing its end.

Thankfully, Eugene’s change in tactics hadn’t led to anything drastically new. The remaining players were the best of the best from their respective countries.

They knew how to hold on, even if it meant clinging to life by a thread. Eugene’s kill count had only increased by 50% compared to the earlier matches.

By the time Eugene made it to the top 10, she had only secured 5 kills.

“And with that, the kill zone is entering its final phase. Only 10 players remain, including Korea’s Eugene, Dice, and Doberman; Russia’s Zvezda and MKVS; Taiwan’s Stinger; China’s Sahara and Liu; and Japan’s Case and Suzuran. Aside from Doberman, all of these players qualified for last year’s finals.”

“Indeed, those still standing could easily make it to the finals with their skill levels. Especially Doberman, who’s killed three players and made it to the top 10 this round.”

“It’ll be interesting to see if Korea can send five players to the championship this year, given how much their overall skill level has improved.”

The kill zone shrank.

Everyone moved cautiously, knowing that the zone would continue to shrink until only one remained standing.

Even players from the same country could end up fighting each other. Once an opponent was killed, the game would overlay their avatar with that of a dead player from another country, so no one knew exactly who they’d killed until the very end.

Combat erupted.

“Dice has engaged Sahara inside a building. Both players have 100% shields, so their weapon choices will be critical here.”

“And there it is! Dice pulls out a shotgun, the AA-12, loaded with alternating slugs and 12-gauge rounds. It’s a weapon specifically chosen for close-quarters combat in the late game.”

“Exactly. With only 2 kill points so far, it seems like Dice has been avoiding engagements because of her weapon’s limitations—but now, she’s unloading her 20-round drum magazine on Sahara!”

Despite having only 2 kill points, Dice had been biding her time, holding back for this exact moment. The shotgun’s heavy weight and massive drum magazine were a burden, but now she was making full use of them, firing round after round.

Sahara hid behind cover, looking for an opportunity, but the shotgun’s spread dominated the space, neutralizing skills like the Firefly and Seeker Mines. Dice skillfully maintained her distance, taking advantage of every opening to reposition and secure safety.

It didn’t take long for Sahara to realize he should have fled the building earlier.

And just like that, he was shredded by Dice’s shotgun.

Cheers erupted.

WOOOOOO!

“And Dice absolutely dominates Sahara with a perfect strategy for the terrain, bringing her kill count up to 3!”

“Meanwhile, on the other side, Eugene is fighting Doberman when Zvezda launches an attack. It’s chaos all around.”

“Nine players left, then eight, then seven. The third match will be decided within the next two minutes.”

For every winner, there is a loser.

The ranks shifted upward as players fell. But amidst the chaos, certain names refused to disappear.

From 10 players to 7, then 5, and finally, just 3.

‘It has to be Eugene…’

Even though her avatar had been altered by the system’s filters, Dice recognized it was Eugene aiming her sights at her.

The kill zone had closed in around the three remaining players, forcing a fierce firefight. Eugene used her speed to close the distance, but the remaining two players' shooting skills were impressive. Dice struggled to make full use of her shotgun’s firepower.

To Case, both players were ticking time bombs—touching either one could be lethal.

But like it or not, combat was inevitable.

The first to act was Eugene. She moved decisively, targeting Dice. But Dice wasn’t without her own tricks.

Her shotgun roared, creating a wide net of destruction. As Eugene’s momentum faltered, Case saw his chance and rushed in, desperate to close the distance and capitalize on the chaos.

If he could just take down Eugene, he figured, there might be a way out.

Case and Dice both shared that thought.

Despite being sandwiched between two of the top players, Eugene fought back, pressing them both and attempting to escape.

It was utter chaos.

The car racing toward an uncertain future crashed in spectacular fashion, shattering all expectations.

[Notification: Eugene ‘Axed’ Keith]

[Notification: Keith ▄︻┻┳═- Eugene]

“Oh my! Both Eugene and Case have been eliminated simultaneously after an intense battle!”

Case, with an axe lodged in his forehead, and Eugene, her body riddled with bullets, both fell at the exact same moment.

It was simple. Eugene had pushed Dice to the point where she had whittled down her HP too much—too well, in fact—and Case hadn’t been able to dodge Eugene’s final, desperate attack before being sent to the lobby.

Meanwhile, Dice peeked out from behind cover, stunned, as the two fallen players dissolved into polygons and the game space collapsed, signaling the end of the match.

“...What? It’s over? How?”

Even though Dice had won first place after Eugene’s elimination, her face was filled with confusion, not triumph.

Just another day in the life of an AP tournament.