Episode 84 [Iron Fist] – EVO Opening (3)
[FIGHT!!!]
“The match begins!”
Thunk-
Gatak dashed towards Idohyuk.
A dash as if eagerly waiting for the signal to start the battle.
“Oh? Contrary to expectations, Gatak makes the first dash!”
“Is it a move of confidence?”
Tetsujin, the character the opponent was playing, was a difficult character whose style changed every round.
Gatak had brought the answer to that.
‘Right from the start.’
To take control of the flow as his own.
‘I did say he’s not an opponent to underestimate.’
It wasn’t because of the facade of being the top-ranked player on the Asia server that he didn’t underestimate his opponent.
Before the match, Gatgak had heard brief information about his opponent.
Although India geographically belonged to South Asia, due to various reasons such as communication speed, Indian Iron Fist players used Middle East servers instead of the Asia server.
However, there were still those who occasionally played on the Asia server.
Each server had slightly different trends in playstyle and characters, which was why they absorbed that.
And as the coach had said, some top-tier gamers who ventured into the Asia server had made a statement.
‘Monsters live on the Asia server… was that it?’
It was time to confirm those words.
Gatgak took a large step forward.
Swish!
At the same time, Gatgak’s first attack extended like a whip.
It wasn’t metaphorical.
Danilla was a character wielding a long, flexible sword.
A sword with a blade sharpened like a whip, long and flexible, known in the Indian language as urumi.
The sprawling blade from his hand twisted wildly, moving dizzyingly.
Thud!
Idohyuk first stepped back with a backdash.
Immediately, Gatgak pursued him.
Advancing quickly, he swung the sword once more.
Thwack!
This time, Idohyuk widened the distance with another backdash.
“Alright.”
Gatgak’s eyes gleamed at seeing that.
Initially evading and then exploring, it seemed like a conventional choice.
But for someone who had faced Danilla many times, it was not a choice they would make.
“Oh! We should have confronted that!”
“This was the chance.”
“It might be a lack of character understanding. Looking at the data, Idohyuk player has never participated in a competition before.”
The commentators shared the same thought.
It was all because of the characteristics that Danilla possessed.
As a sword that required a high level of skill to handle properly, Danilla’s sword had relatively weak attack power compared to other characters.
Due to the need for significant proficiency to wield it effectively, the pick rate remained consistently low.
Because of this, Danilla was one of the unpopular characters, consistently ranking low in pick rate on any server.
However, there was a reason why Gatgak chose Danilla as his main character, and there was a reason why he could hear the voice of India’s top player even with such a character.
Swoosh!
The sword swung again.
Clang!
This time, Idohyuk countered the strike with his fist.
“…Hm?”
However, a lingering sense of discomfort in his fingertips.
Ido-hyuk’s eyes slightly narrowed.
“It seems faster.”
If he hadn’t adjusted the trajectory midway, he wouldn’t have been able to perfectly fend off just now.
Was it just a casual swing at first?
Swish-! Blame!
When another sword strike was swung.
By widening the distance and dodging it, Ido-hyuk could see the answer.
The previous attack.
Certainly, the speed of the swings had slightly increased compared to a moment ago.
It was a very subtle change, but Ido-hyuk, who wouldn’t overlook it, knew.
“As I continue to swing, the system gradually accelerates the attacks.”
His thoughts were accurate.
Danilla, accumulating strikes towards the opponent, had a character whose attack speed slightly increased with each strike.
Thanks to that, Danilla, reaching the highest attack speed, could attack opponents faster than any technique within Iron Fist.
It was limited to continuous strikes, but Danilla, reaching the highest attack speed, was said to be able to defeat top-tier gamers even in the Blue Guild.
“Why does this crappy character exist.”
Perhaps due to being unpopular, Danilla’s story mode was exceptionally short.
Ido-hyuk also progressed through it without much interest.
Although he briefly found interest in the sword of continuous strikes, even that faded quickly.
A weapon perfect for play but in reality, would not be able to leave a scratch on alien skin in combat.
After swinging it a few times, Ido-hyuk’s evaluation of the sword of continuous strikes was clear.
Merely swinging it in the air wouldn’t manifest Danilla’s characteristics.
If that were the case, everyone would naturally fall behind and swing a sword as soon as the game started.
So, at that time, he simply put away the sword of continuous strikes and cleared the story mode with just his hands and feet.
“It’s somewhat threatening.”
Meeting the opponent gave a slightly different feeling.
Despite lacking in attack power or finesse, having such characteristics still made the character useful.
The most important thing in facing Danilla was not allowing continuous attacks.
If already permitted, even at the cost of HP loss, cutting it off could be considered a countermeasure.
However, Ido-hyuk had already allowed the previous four attacks.
In essence, he had practically started with a penalty.
“There’s nothing to see here. The first match goes to Gataek.”
“hahahaha. Isn’t that a hasty judgment, Asus?”
Furthermore, Ido-hyuk not only made no attempt to block Danilla’s continuous strikes but also displayed a clearly inexperienced play, visible to anyone.
It was not strange for the commentators watching the match to make such remarks.
Swish!
Blame!
At that moment, Ido-hyuk twisted his body.
This time, instead of retreating, Ido-hyuk dodged the continuous strikes in place.
With that, he swung his leg, aiming for Gatak’s side.
Swish!
But it was blocked.
Raising his leg, Gatak easily defended against Idohyuk’s attack.
He didn’t just randomly pick up that 1 Seed.
Gatak, if not for Quabna’s appearance, would have been considered a top contender for victory in every tournament.
He possessed skills that overwhelmed most players in close combat.
Moreover, due to the swinging sword, Idohyuk’s path to enter while avoiding it was limited.
“A feeble attack. If that’s the case, you should have rushed in earlier.”
“Or attacked more boldly!”
– Isn’t this too one-sided?
– It wasn’t for nothing that the betting odds were like that!
– Ha-ha, aren’t there any fools betting against the odds?
– The odds are too skewed, it’s a shame!
Fans predicting the winning team before the game.
It was a betting prediction where viewers wagered points given for watching the broadcast for a certain period, not actual money, but as EVO fans, participating was essential to have a chance at significant prize draws using those points.
The current game had a result of 93% vs. 7%.
Naturally, Gatak had 93%.
– Hm… Is this really the case…?
– What are these Yankees laughing at?
– Those who keep falling for Idohyuk’s tricks… (laughs)
Except for a few betting against the odds, viewers from Korea and Japan, who made up the majority of the 7%, were mocking clueless viewers from other countries on the official broadcast.
And at that moment.
Clang-
“Ah, it’s ended up like this after all. Idohyuk, cornered in a dead-end situation!”
“There’s nowhere left to escape now, right?”
Idohyuk had reached near the wall unnoticed.
‘It’s my chance!’
In a situation where multiple attacks had piled up.
A few more swings would bring him to the maximum attack speed.
In a situation like this, who could possibly dodge near the wall!
Thinking he had the upper hand, Gatak smiled.
Swish-
Gatak’s sword continued to move in a rotating motion, continuously targeting Idohyuk.
Sword strikes pouring in from all directions.
Furthermore, at this level, the movement of the swinging sword was so unpredictable that even the player wielding it found it hard to anticipate.
But was Gatak just anyone!
Swish!
Continuously adjusting the movement of his wrist, a skilled practitioner capable of controlling the swinging sword as desired!
Gatak’s splendid series of attacks surged towards Idohyuk.
‘Monster, they say, but what is this…’
Isn’t this just a bubble?
That was the thought that crossed Gatgak’s mind.
‘Indeed, amateurs are amateurs.’
Of course, his physicality was commendable.
Although he had already swung his sword a dozen times, Ido Hyuk had not been hit even once.
But that was all there was to it.
Judging by his lack of preparation against his main character, Danilla, it was clear.
And there seemed to be no strategy in leading the match.
Ultimately, this was the limitation of an amateur, not a pro.
Swish! Swish!
Gatgak, maintaining the mid-range where Danilla excelled, repelled the sword strikes.
The attacks kept piling up, and the speed of the strikes increased.
By this point, the outcome of the match was as good as decided.
Would he keep evading until his HP was depleted, or would he try to resist now and lose all his HP?
In the end, it all led to the same defeat.
Boom!!
And at that moment, a sonic boom was heard!
It was a signal that Danilla’s attack speed had reached its peak.
Of course, it hadn’t reached the actual speed of sound.
But even at this level, it was nearly impossible for a human to evade with their cognitive abilities.
Snick.
Gatgak’s smile of assurance deepened.
[Ido Hyuk]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Although Ido Hyuk’s HP was still full, he couldn’t just keep evading forever!
‘Let’s see how long you can keep evading!’
With that thought, Gatgak swung his arm.
“It’s an opportunity! Gatgak, the player!”
“Ido Hyuk’s evasive skills are impressive, but he can’t keep doing that forever against Danilla. Choosing to evade against Danilla is like giving up on victory halfway.”
Boom! Bang!
The continuous sound of the sonic boom!
“Showing such a novice-like display at a tournament like EVO… Hmm…?”
‘How long can you keep evading… how long… how…’
-?
-??
-What…?
Boom!
The air seemed to explode as the sonic booms rang out several more times.
Not just Gatgak who was attacking, but also the commentators and the viewers watching the match.
It didn’t take long for them to feel something was off.
Bang! Bang!!
Why…
Only Sonic Boom could be heard…
But where was the sound that should have accompanied it?
“Hmm….”
At that moment, a sigh-like sound burst out.
Then, a word was added.
“…Is this all?”
-hahahahaha
-hahahahaha
-hahahaha, this is it! I’ve been holding my pee just to see this!
– ‘That line’ ON
From Noble mtl dot com
“…?”
The meaning conveyed through automatic translation.
Is this all? What does ‘this’ refer to?
His own level? Or… Dalnila’s maximum attack speed?
It was that moment.
Whoosh!
Finally, the sound of impact was heard.
But it was slightly different from what most viewers had anticipated.
“Ugh!”
It wasn’t Idohyuk, but a groan from Gatg.
“Player Idohyuk’s counterattack! What just happened?”
One of the commentators exclaimed in surprise.
Idohyuk not only skillfully dodged all of Gatg’s sword strikes, which seemed like not just one but dozens of blade baptisms, but also precisely landed an attack on Gatg’s jaw.
Of course, Idohyuk’s assault didn’t end there.
Crack! Thud!
Gatg’s face contorted and then recovered.
It was not the time to dwell on past mistakes, even though he allowed an attack instead of seizing the best opportunity. The reduced HP was now just one bar.
‘The match has only tilted slightly back to square one!’
That was the mindset he needed to maintain.
However…
Crash! Thwack!
“Ugh!”
If the situation had changed just as he thought to stay alert, Anatol, Beyond, Dark Maiden, Tsuki, and others wouldn’t have had to suffer as much.
“Oh, what’s this! He’s floating in the air! Player Gatg! The combos are pouring down! Gatg’s health is rapidly decreasing!”
In the end, Gatg ended up losing after being continuously pummeled in mid-air.
Boom!
His avatar struck a defeat pose and was slammed into the ground.
“WTF?”
“Who’s that Korean guy?”
“Is Gatak being careless?”
“Careless as hell lololol”
“Hmm, is that true? Hmm, is that true? hahahahaha”
“OMG lol Japan just got exported lololol”
* * *
“Yesss! Perfect victory in set 1!”
Watching the match, Jian struck a victory pose.
Ding-
[Mission Success!]
“The talent lies in the bear, and the money is…”
“Dohyuk-sensei wins, but why are you taking the mission?”
“hehehe. Well, it’s my broadcast! Ah, if you feel wronged, why don’t you take on the victory mission when you enter the competition, Oppa?”
“It’s a one-sided deal level, but that…”
“Jian Chu… winning in the competition…?”
“If we gather all the clumsy players, it might be fun to hold a competition.”
“And even there, the captain finishes last with a wrist injury.”
“This is insane! Where did this player come from?!”
“The fastest Danila! An overwhelming performance against Gatak’s Danila! Is this even possible?”
The commentators were so excited, they were vomiting words.
The on-site audience showed a similar reaction.
Whooooaaahhh-!!
“Dohyuk! Dohyuk! Dohyuk!”
Fans chanting Dohyuk’s name.
It’s always a giant-killing that gets cheered on, like David defeating Goliath.
Of course, in this case, it was no different from Goliath defeating a townsperson A.
Nevertheless, for most of the fans who didn’t know Dohyuk well, that last set was truly a revolution!
“…The opponent is no ordinary guy.”
But Gatak’s thoughts after facing Dohyuk directly were different.
A revolution? This wasn’t any kind of revolution.
It was just a natural result of a stronger guy defeating a weaker one.
Thud.
Gatak bit his lip hard.
It was due to the anger surging from deep within his chest.
It wasn’t anger towards Dohyuk who defeated him.
It was anger towards himself, who had underestimated the opponent despite receiving a warning, who had carelessly relied on physical strength and was nothing more than a sloppy amateur.
“A monster, indeed…”
There was no doubt about that statement.
In the current Iron Fist, when people talk about a monster, they usually refer to Quabna.
The monster that brought despair to all pro gamers who used to hear the top sounds since their debut.
That’s why the word “monster,” commonly used in the past, is not well-received in today’s Iron Fist.
Because there is already a being that overwhelmingly fits that word.
However, the opponent just met by Gatak, Lee Do-hyuk, is no less than that word.
“Hoo.”
Gatak took a deep breath to steady himself.
He acknowledged his opponent, but that didn’t mean he was giving up on the current match.
On the contrary, it was quite the opposite thought.
‘I was trying to spare him.’
Although he didn’t know when this tournament would take place, someday when he faces Quabna, he had prepared a secret move for him!
In the second set, Gatak planned to unleash it all without hesitation!
“Now, let’s start the second set! Both players have chosen the same character again?”
The two players prepared for the game again.
[Lee Do-hyuk – Tetsujin]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
[Gatak – Danira]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Euduk-
As a sign to pull himself together, Gatak bit his lips once more.
Even though this wasn’t the stage he had in mind, how could he hide his skills when facing a formidable opponent as a warrior.
“Oh! I forgot to receive the mission for the second set!”
“…You should’ve hurried if you wanted to receive it, right?”
The dark girl advised Jian to hurry up.
Actually, in her eyes, it seemed a bit late to receive the mission.
[3…]
[2…]
The countdown for the second set began.
At this rate, it seemed like the second set would end before receiving all the missions.
‘That banter earlier.’
And the look Lee Do-hyuk showed at that moment.
‘That’s…’
The dark girl had seen enough to understand.
Whenever she confronted Lee Do-hyuk without any progress, the look he occasionally gave meant that he had already seen everything and lost interest.
[READY]
[FIGHT!!!]
“Haap!”
And so, the second set began.
Gatak charged at Lee Do-hyuk with determination and vigor.
‘…Monster?’
Acknowledged.
But I, too, was once called such a body!
The strongest in India, unmatched by any opponent!
After desperately honing myself since the last world competition, I was only able to complete the secret technique recently!
To show that to the opponent…
Wham, blame! Pabat!
-Clang!
-?
-??
-Ten kekekeke
-What?
-WTF???????
This time, regardless of nationality, the chat box of the official broadcast was filled with hooks.
[Ido Hyuk – Tetsujin]
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
[Gatak – Danila]
□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
Truly a quick kill!
Without even showing the secret technique I had diligently honed, it was over in just two sets.
This is really… what a terrible place to stop releasing chapters…