Season 2: Chapter 234: Talent (1)
The match began.
<em>[Transmission]</em>
These words also appeared in front of Almond.
<em>Swoosh.</em>
A sound effect rang out.
<em>''Has it started?''</em>
Everything was pitch ck. Amid this, an announcement could clearly be heard.
“This stop is Hongik University. Hongik University Station. The doors will open on…”
<em>‘This is… a subway?’</em>It was the subway stage.
<em>Pop.</em>
Suddenly, the world became visible as if his eyes had opened.
“…?”
He was on Seoul’s line two subway, and the next stop was Hongik University Station.
<em>— Oh</em>
<em>— It’s the subway???</em>
<em>— Ho? Is this the Korean subway where you pop out if you read a novel?</em>
<em>— Eh? Is this a new stage???</em>
<em>— So it was the subway</em>
<em>[Collecting Data…]</em>
<em>[Subway Line 2]</em>
The almost lifelike background graphics could be mistaken for reality.
<em>[Searching for Jetter within the data-formed area…]</em>
<em>‘What’s that?’</em>
Among the many people, it was easy to spot the yers in this game.
<em>[1 Jetter found]</em>
Their characters used ridiculous low polygon graphics. Because of this, the crude game characters starkly stood out against the realistic background.
<em>Beep</em>.
<em>[Heo Won-Mu, Developer]</em>
The opponent’s name appeared above his head and it soon turned red as they both received the same mission.
<em>[Eradicate the Jetter!]</em>
<em>— Go go go go</em>
<em>— Whether it''s Jetter or butter, let’s kill him~!</em>
<em>— You can tell he looks clueless LOL, you''re out</em>
<em>— Is this a new stage??</em>
<em>— Kya</em>
The moment the phrase appeared, Heo Won-Mu charged first.
<em>‘Hmm.’</em>
Almond calmly scanned his entire body.
<em>‘Where to hit… huh?’</em>
Suddenly, a glint caught Almond’s eye because the charging Heo Won-Mu somehow ovepped with the Almond in the arcade.
"It seems like a good choice to kick the upper side."
Then, Choi Sarang’s words echoed in his head. Rather than hesitating, his body moved first.
<em>Boom!</em>
As Almond unleashed a kick, his erged foot stretched straight toward the opponent''s jaw.
<em>‘Oh?’</em>
The opponent seemed quite flustered and shook. Apparently, he hadn''t expected to be hit first at all.
“What!? Just let me catch…”
The opponent gritted his teeth and charged again at a rather sharp angle. The way he charged and his gloves shaped like jets gave it away.
<em>‘It’s judo.’</em>
Almond easily recognized that the opponent chose the judo chip, which was also a summer Olympic sport that he had seen his seniors practicing in school.
"You can''t block a grab. You have to dodge it."
The inability to block grabs wasmon across all fighting games.
"It’s better to attack while stepping back."
Following Choi Sarang''s advice, Almond extended his foot while stepping back.
<em>Boom!</em>
<em>"Ugh!"</em>
Another hitnded on the opponent’s face and the graphics distorted as his face turned grotesque.
"You can''t block while charging. That''s when you can counter."
That was the meaning behind the advice. Almond had been freely kicking as he liked, but now he assumed the proper stance. After that, he lightly hopped in ce and prepared to move anywhere.
<em>Tap… Tap…</em>
This movement was often used in taekwondo sparring.
The opponent didn’te in anymore.
"If the opponent wants to defend, grab him..."
However, Almond couldn’t grab because the Taekwondo jet had no grabbing technique.
"It''s better to feint and strike."
<em>Tap… Tap…</em>
Almond feinted with his left foot as he stepped.
"!"
The opponent also flinched momentarily. For a brief moment, he thought Almond’s foot was reallying up and tried to move his arm in that direction.
Almond didn’t miss that opening.
<em>"Ugh!"</em>
<em>Boom!</em>
Again, the kicknded squarely on the jaw. After that, Almond''s steps became lighter.
<em>Boom!</em>
<em>Thump!</em>
Every kick heunched hit its mark even though he wasn’t even executing any properbos. He was only utilizing the basic strikes and dodges, but the difference in skills was immense.
From Heo Won-Mu’s perspective, it seemed as if there was a wall operating only against him.
<em>Boom!</em>
<em>"Ugh!"</em>
Finally, Heo Won-Mu had lost half of his health.
Almond cocked his head and muttered, "What the? He really sucks. I thought it was just a joke."
<em>— LOL</em>
<em>— I’m sorry, but the nut’s real talent is provoking </em>
<em>— Seriously, why can''t he do anything?~~</em>
<em>— It’s no fun~~</em>
<em>— Ah, it''s no fun~ Do better~ LOL</em>
<em>— Feels like fighting a baby</em>
Thements in the chat attracted considerable reaction and even made fun of Heo Won-Mu''s expression.
What about the yers in the audience?
"Woww!"
"Almond! Almond! Almond!"
"Humanity will evolve into nuts now!"
They spread their arms and chanted his name as if at a religious gathering. With such reactions before Heo Won-Mu was even defeated, it was frightening to think what would happen if Almond actually defeated Kim Yi-Seo.
"Hey, man! Are you ying properly!? Who uses judo like that!?" Kim Yi-Seo chided Heo Won-Mu with hismentary out of frustration.
Of course, Heo Won-Mu couldn’t hear this since the game already started. However, he could guess what Kim Yi-Seo was saying without even hearing it.
<em>"Huff…"</em>
Heo Won-Mu took a deep breath and finally took a proper judo stance with both hands.
"They say getting started is half the battle. Now, it''s all about starting."
Despite his health being reduced by half, he boasted a remarkably positive outlook and aimed for aeback move.
<em>— What an idiot, just go die</em>
<em>— LOL</em>
<em>— It’s said that starting is half of it, but that doesn’t mean you lose half like that, right?</em>
Of course, no one believed in the possibility of him making aeback due to the ridiculous performance he had already shown.
Ironically, only one person was paying attention to his actions.
<em>‘He’s noting in.’</em>
That was his opponent, Almond.
He couldn’t afford to be careless due to the critical disadvantage of being a beginner in this game, especially when it felt like the opponent had sharpened his knife.
<em>‘He must be aiming for a judo specific counter move.’</em>
The more he observed, the clearer it became that his opponent was using judo. Now that Almond wasn’t underestimating him, it seemed like the opponent was preparing suitable judo counters.
If Almond carelessly extended his foot, he would be grabbed and thrown. After that, Almond couldn’t predict whatbo would follow. It was better to finish this fight without getting hit.
<em>‘As long as I measure the distance well, judo can’t beat me,’ </em>Almond thought.
If he attacked at the maximum speed from the farthest distance, the judo counters wouldn’t work. A judo yer needed something to grab, right?
<em>Tak!</em>
With an even swifter step, Almond’s kick flew out.
<em>Boom!</em>
“!?”
Heo Won-Mu’s hand only swiped through the air. It seemed like he tried to grab onto something.
<em>‘Now.’</em>
In fighting games, missing an attack often meant paying a price.
<em>Bang!</em>
Almond’s left foot struck like a jab to the abdomen and he immediately followed up with a roundhouse kick to the chest.
<em>Thump!</em>
<em>“Phew!”</em>
Spittle flew from Heo Won-Mu’s mouth as he gasped for air. The right foot that struck his chest now became the pivot.
<em>Whirr.</em>
Almond’s body spun. The heel carrying the force of a half-turn struck the opponent’s cheek.
<em>Crash!</em>
Heo Won-Mu flew away and copsed after Almondnded his first three hitbo.
<em>[Victory!]</em>
Then, the victory notification appeared.
“?”
Almond looked puzzled. Didn’t Heo Won-Mu still have about half of his health left? Why did he suddenly die?
“Is there no body? Did he leave?”
<em>— Did he rage quit? LOL</em>
<em>— Really? LOL</em>
<em>— Did he leave for real LOL</em>
<em>— He must have left LOL</em>
Someone unfamiliar with <em>JetPumped</em> could possibly think the opponent had left the game. From Almond’s perspective, he didn’t know where or how Heo Won-Mu flew away because he was still turning around to kick.
<em>[JetPumpedMaster has donated 10,000 won.]</em>
<em>[Executive Heo Won-Mu fell between the train and the tform~]</em>
<em>— ???</em>
<em>— Oh really?? LOL</em>
<em>— Got pwned LOL</em>
<em>— ??? Mind the gap between the train and the tform…</em>
If someone hadn’t informed Almond through a donation, he would’ve never imagined that. Hisst spin kick struck Heo Won-Mu so hard that Heo Won-Mu flew off to the left.
Since the train had stopped for an emergency, the doors had been left open and Heo Won-Mu fell to his death between the gap of the train and the tform.
“Really? You die if you fall there? Shouldn’t we just fight on the ground below…”
<em>— Really, it''s not Harry Potter LOL why disappear?</em>
<em>— Huerrypotter LOL</em>
<em>— tform 9 and 3/4 (literally)</em>
<em>— Huerrypotter LOL LOL LOL</em>
<em>— He got bungeed LOL</em>
This was known as the bungee system in <em>JetPumped</em>. Initially, it referred to dying from a fall. For example, on the city stage, falling from the rooftop of a building resulted in death. This wasmonly known as a fatal fall.
However, unlike a regr fatal fall, a yer didn’t need to fall from a potentially fatal height. Death would ur if one fell into such a defined space. For instance, in some stages, falling into a toilet also resulted in a bungee judgment.
Just like now, falling between the tform and the train resulted in death.
<em>[JetPumpedMaster has donated 10,000 won.]</em>
<em>[If you go outside the data-formed area ording to the settings, you die. But the standards for this are arbitrary.]</em>
<em>— The developers made it arbitrarily; it’s their fault~</em>
<em>— He’s a developer, why did he fall there then LOL</em>
<em>— Lol, that’s hrious</em>
***
The yers watching live outside also had simr reactions.
“No way. He died from falling in there?”
“This new stage is hriously absurd.”
“What’s funnier is that he’s a developer and he fell in there.”
<em>“Hahaha.”</em>
Laughter filled the <em>JetPumped</em> booth. It sounded like a stand-upedy scene. Heo Won-Mu''s death wasical. However, thisical scene distracted everyone from another element.
“Wait, but doesn’t Almond still have 100% health?”
Indeed, Heo Won-Mu hadn’t touched Almond even once.
“Perfect?!”
“It was a perfect game?”
“He didn’t get hit even once?”
It turned out to be a perfect game.
“No way… That’s crazy.”
Of course, Heo Won-Mu experienced some unfamiliarity since he was using a basic jet instead of his usual setup. However, for a developer to not even touch a hair on apletely new yer was somewhat shocking.
Many yers watching gradually realized that Almond had defeated Heo Won-Mu with a perfect game.
“Wow! Perfect!!”
“Sh*t, Almond is a god!”
“Almond! Almond!”
“Nut! Nut! Nut! Nut!”
It wasn’t that no one had ever defeated Heo Won-Mu before. They all felt excited because of something else.
“He just started today, right!? That’s insane!?”
Almond was clearly ying <em>JetPumped</em> for the first time today. He had no knowledge or experience of the game. Defeating Heo Won-Mu could only be exined by sheer talent.
His extremely low experience paradoxically highlighted his talent. When a human’s talent became visibly apparent, audiences usually went wild.
Like in sports, anyone would be thrilled if a young ser yer scored three goals in his debut. This gave viewers hope and expectations for the future. How great would the yer beter if they were already like that now? Their imaginations soared.
“He’s really going to beat Kim Yi-Seo…”
“It’s doable.”
“I gotta see Kim Yi-Seo’s face swell up!”
In their minds, Almond was already thrashing Kim Yi-Seo. They couldn’t help but feel good because of that.
“Wo!”
“Next! Come out!”
The audience’s morale reached the sky. It wasn’t just them. More passersby at G-Star also started gathering to watch.
Amid this, a second developer appeared.
“Alright. Don’t take a shot of kimchi soup just yet.”
<em>Thump. Thump.</em>
Kim Yi-Seo from thementary booth tried to calm the excited users.
“Now, for the real deal! The next opponent is~!”
He pointed to a bulky man warming up.
“The Mount Tai of Pangyo! Taeeeeee! Ji! Hooooo! ”
<em>— Mount Tai of Pangyo LOL</em>
<em>— Damn LOL</em>
<em>— Mount Tai LOL</em>
<em>— No volcano? LOL</em>
<em>Wooooo...</em>
Tremendous booing resounded as the interviewer approached Tae Ji-Ho with a microphone.
“This challenger seems extraordinary. Do you have any thoughts?”
He scratched his neck momentarily.
“That guy was the weakest among us. Be prepared,” he simply said those words and went into the capsule.
<em>— LOL</em>
<em>— He’s the weakest of our Four Heavenly Kings LOL</em>
<em>— LOL</em>
<em>— Well, it’s true~</em>
<em>— ssic Mount Tai!</em>