Black Online-Chapter 188: Control = Speed

"Buzz... The round of 128 matches will be starting shortly in the Amateur League. Hurry over to your tables!"

A voice echoed throughout the Tournament Hall—it felt like the voice was amplified with some strange magic.

The voice was also crackling like it was lightning.

’It’s time.’

Fang Raon headed over to check what table he was at and saw that he was at Table 12 and, without further ado, made his way down there.

This time around, he wasn’t the first one to arrive, as his opponent was already there, sitting with his hands lying flat on the table.

"Hello, my name’s Fang Raon."

Fang Raon introduced himself and sat across from his opponent—he was a black-eyed individual with olive skin.

’It does look like he is from the Warm Regions. People of Warm Regions usually have olive skins like him, and they’re widely considered fun and easygoing people with happy-go-lucky personalities.’

Fang Raon thought.

"...Gerald."

Gerald said coldly.

’Ah?’

Fang Raon raised an eyebrow.

He didn’t expect Gerald to be so cold, as that didn’t match the reputation that people of Warm Regions had.

’If I didn’t know any better, I would think that he is from Cold Regions instead. I have generalized people of those regions quite a bit, and of course there is a chance that there are also different kinds of people in Warm Regions.’

Fang Raon thought.

The real world was separated into several different regions—Warm Regions, Cold Regions, Smog Regions, Mountain Regions, etc.

Fang Raon lived in Smog Regions.

In that moment, the referee came over and activated the game on the General’s Game board—they could start choosing their soldiers and classes now.

Without further ado, Gerald started fiddling with the screen in front of him.

’I am sure most of the players have the same idea right now—having the high ground is extremely important—those rooftops are the key to controlling the battlefield.’

Fang Raon thought as he looked at Gerald.

While he didn’t know exactly what he was thinking about, he had a very good guess.

Thus.

When Fang Raon was looking at him, it might seem like he was reading his mind, and slowly, a manifestation of Gerald’s plan formed in his mind.

’I think that’s what he will probably plan to do... I think he will come to attack my tower with full force.

’He’ll try to take over the rooftops of the buildings that are surrounding my tower and then rain attacks down on the tower.

’He doesn’t care if I attack his tower in return because he is most likely going to bring three Rangers with Rain Arrow skill each—it will be an extremely offense-oriented lineup.

’I can’t match that unless I also choose three Rangers and give all of them the Rain Arrow skill—then, whoever is fastest to reach the other person’s tower will likely win the match.’

Fang Raon thought.

’I can take over my rooftops first, as I spawn right there, but then he will just do Plan B and attack me from far. It’ll be annoying to deal with.

’Heh, this match will be decided by who has greater control of the soldiers. I am down for that. Let’s see just how good my control is.’

Fang Raon started pressing on the screen, and soon, he had selected his three soldiers and given class for each of them.

***

[Fang Raon’s Team]

[Ranger - Skill: Rain Arrow]

[Ranger - Skill: Rain Arrow]

[Ranger - Skill: Rain Arrow]

***

In that moment, he pressed the "Ready" button, and so had Gerald.

The countdown slowly ticked down, and once again, the hall fell eerily silent as if it were holding its breath.

[00:00]

The countdown reached zero.

In that moment, the holographic battlefield appeared on every table in the first floor of the Tournament Hall.

’Need to be quick!’

Fang Raon thought.

At that moment, his and Gerald’s soldiers spawned on their respective towers, and without further ado, they all started immediately sprinting.

’As I expected...’

Fang Raon thought with a smile.

Gerald chose three Rangers, just like he expected, and he was speeding towards his tower.

’What?’

Gerald’s eyes widened in shock as he noticed that Fang Raon also chose three Rangers and was seemingly doing the same plan!

Both of their soldiers were running straight through the village’s main street—they were about to meet at the center of the village!

However.

Their soldiers just ran past each other and kept running towards each other’s towers—they didn’t even bother to fight!

’If I tried attacking Gerald’s soldiers now, I would’ve just slowed myself down, and he would’ve just kept running.

’And if I chased after him, he could easily just take over the rooftops, and while a couple of his Rangers keep firing at my tower, the last one can just use Rain Arrow to kill my Rangers.’

Fang Raon thought.

It would’ve been game over if he had decided to take that risk.

The same thing would’ve happened if he decided to choose the Warriors and decided to fight those Rangers.

Gerald would’ve just kept his distance, and with the speed of Rangers, his Warriors would’ve never caught up to them.

Unless he decided to select Speed Man skill, but then they wouldn’t have any offensive skills, which would put them at a huge disadvantage in battle.

’The greater control you have, the faster you can make your soldier’s legs move. Thus, increasing their speed. That’s how this match is decided.’

Fang Raon thought.

And it was pretty obvious who had better control, as Fang Raon’s soldiers had already arrived at Red Tower.

Gerald was still a few seconds away.

’I was slower?! How?!’

Gerald’s eyes panicked, and he immediately turned his soldiers around and made them run straight back to Red Tower.

Since he was slower to arrive within the attacking range of Blue Tower, he knew that there was no way he would be able to destroy Blue Tower before Fang Raon destroyed Red Tower.

"Rain Arrow!"

In that moment.

All three of Fang Raon’s Rangers started raining arrows upon Red Tower, and its health started dropping drastically.

[-100 HP]

[-125 HP]

[-95 HP]

The arrows just kept coming, and the Red Tower was soon looking like a porcupine with so many arrows sticking out of it.

’I can’t make it in time!’

Gerald realized with a shocked look.

[-200 HP]

[Red Tower - HP: 65/1000]

In that moment, one of the Rangers fired just one arrow at the Red Tower, and it smashed right through its heart.

The Red Tower crumbled, turning into rubble, and dust swept through the ground.

[Red Tower Is Destroyed!]

[Winner—Fang Raon!]

"Whew."

Fang Raon looked relieved.

In that moment, a shadow fell over the table as the referee came over to note down the result, and he then ripped a page off.

"Take this to the front desk."

He said, and handed it over to Fang Raon.

"Yes, sir."

He said.

Then, he turned to look at Gerald, but he was already gone, as he was walking away with a stomp in his step.

’Not gracious in defeat, huh? Oh well.’

Fang Raon shrugged his shoulders, then headed to the front desk and saw the familiar-looking young woman sitting behind the desk.

"Hello again."

He said, and placed the paper on the desk.

"Ah, you’re done already? That was even faster than last time!"

The young woman cried out in surprise, and she then checked the paper and nodded before heading to the back.

She moved Fang Raon’s name tag to the round of 64.

He was now officially in the top 64 of the players in the tournament, so there was still a long way to go.

"The round of 64 will start only in a couple of hours. It will also be the last round of the day."

The young woman said.

"Ah, in a few hours? Then, do I need to stay here, or is it fine if I come back in a few hours?" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Fang Raon asked.

"That’s fine."

The young woman said.

With a nod, Fang Raon left the Tournament Hall, as he wanted to head back to the cottage and rest a little while.

There were also some strategies that he had in mind.

"Fang Raon, wait up!"

In that moment, he heard a voice call for him, and before he even had time to turn his head around, someone appeared next to him.

She was now walking right beside him.

"Can we talk?"

Lady Diana asked with a smile.

She had been waiting for Fang Raon’s match to end so she could have a talk with him.

"Ah, sure thing."

Fang Raon said.

He wondered what this was about but had a hunch that it was about Rock, as the two of them seemed to have some tension between them.

"I wanted to have this talk during that lunch, at first, but if you aren’t busy right now, I would like to talk with you about Rock."

Lady Diana said.

"I am free now. I am about to head over to my cottage. Shall we talk there?"

Fang Raon asked.

"Sure!"