48 Match Start!
Before long, Rory and Rex reached their destination after passing through the entrance gate to the university.
As with other Tiered colleges, Magnolia too had their own Arena Stadium used to host their frequent home games and matches.
Currently, as Rex and Rory climbed the stairs and out the walkway onto the audience seats of this large stadium, they had found that the place was not empty as they'd first thought it would be.
"Quite a lot of viewers for a pre-season sparring game?" The middle-aged Rex observed.
Let alone a few, normally, the only watchers for sparring matches would just be a group of scouts that came to gather relevant data.
Even then, such scenes would only happen if the teams fighting were from some well-known schools.
But presently, spots upon spots on the audience seats were filled with groups of college students that had come to watch and support their team.
Because of how big the stadium was, even if many more people were to come, the thousands of empty seats still wouldn't be completely filled. But the current number of audience was already unusual enough as it was for just a simple sparring match.
"Magnolia has a lot of female players. I'd wager that it in turns attract more young audience which makes up for the bulk of live college Arena viewers." Rory replied to Rex with his own theory.
"Mm. That's true."
Rex thought about it for a bit and readily accepted the explanation.
With that comment, the two didn't sightsee for long and simply took their seats amongst the frontmost row close to the field.
As with Ravenville's own stadium, the view that had been presented in front and below their eyes was that of the completed Ruined City Block terrain that was very much identical in both their props' formations and placements to the one back home.
"This landscape no less... This year's Ravenville is just overflowing with good luck." Rory took note of the many complex variables that would be on the table alongside such a setting.
"Hoho, don't worry too much, a good team is a good team no matter the fields. And I'm not just talking about Ravenville."
"..."
"I suppose you're right. And speaking of good teams..." The two of them quickly turned their heads seeing that there're already movements starting to occur inside the pit.
.
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The formalities for the match opening had finally started for both Magnolia and Ravenville.
In the center of the field, two sets of 15 players were standing in 2 lines forming rows. Each facing an opposite direction of the other, looking directly eye-to-eye.
One of the rows contained the people wearing black and grey tight-fitting exosuits with the logo of a single jet black feather embossed on many places of their armors.
The Magnolia Thorns on the other hand, were wearing their white and green exosuits with logos of thorned vines on similar placements as the Ravenville's feather.
Following the referee's cue, the two sides both did a light bow to each other, completing the long held tradition of an official match even though this didn't really count as one.
After which, the 15 players of both sides took a step back and turned away from the halfway line to prepare for the start of the match.
.
In an official match,
There would always be 7 starting players and 5 substitutes that made up the 12 players of the game.
Before every single match, the Head Coach must decide which 12 people out of their 15 players lineup would be put in the match, and which 3 would be chosen to rest for the day.
Amongst those 7 starting players and 5 substitute players,
Aside from the rules of composition that dictated the minimum and maximum numbers of each position on the field. How many of which positions should be assigned for these 5 substitutes were actually left to the discretion of each team's Head Coach.
For instance, should they so choose, a team could have 5 substitute Rangers in a row as backups besides their 1 starting Ranger on the field. Creating a team composed of 6 Rangers out of the 12 players.
The only restriction to that would be at any given time, there should only be a maximum of 1 Ranger in each team actively playing in the match.
However,
Because the purpose for today's visit by the Ravenville was to have a friendly spar to improve and get used to each of the two schools' new teams, the whole 15 players had been decided to play in the match one way or the other.
Making today a match with 7 starters and 8 substitutes.
.
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As per the previous arrangements. The players of Ravenville, including Irvine, was currently gathered inside their borrowed locker room.
They had just finished setting up their three tower puzzles' locations and were now doing the final briefings before the game.
"--And just like so." Lark's voice strongly resounded through the room.
"None of you should ever lose sight of the Thorns' Captain Sylphie Hunter." He pointed at one of the tokens on a whiteboard with a stick.
"The whole counter-breakthrough playstyle of the Thorns were centered around this lead Fielder of theirs with the skills and abilities to push through the tiniest hole in the defense to carry her Solver to our tower the moment she sees an opening."
"Even if we had a good momentum going on the halfway line battles, as long as their formation to breakthrough is complete. They could overturn it in an instant and force us to be the one chasing them into our own tower zones." The Head Coach continued his explanations earnestly.
Irvine, of course, knew what the guy was talking about.
In the future Sigma Conquerors, Sylphie Hunter had been a Fielder who put more emphasis on her chasing and charging technique rather than grappling.
'Her fighting style's suitable for momentum-breaking strategies, changing defense into offense in an instant. But because of that, she's also not that good in maintaining the offense for long...'
Of course that was not to say that she's necessarily bad at grapples and locks.
In fact, her skills in that area were above average as well. Alas, they're just largely overshadowed by her exceptionally eye-catching burst charges.
'...Actually, Grant could learn a thing or two from her if he would pick up the [Blast] Gene Mod Ability for himself.' Irvine remembered this high school friend of his who also had exceptional charging technique.
That's right.
The Captain and Main Fielder of Magnolia Thorns, Sylphie Hunter's Ability was the same as his.
Her use of [Blast] was more centered around utilizing it with her movements technique to hugely increase her short range speed burst.
With her quick reflexes, she was able to control both the length and angle of her charge without losing control of the exploding speed provided by the [Blast].
With her in the lead, she would carve a safe passage for her Solver to pass the enemy formations and reach the tower zone in a flash.
'Which means her Solver would also be a speedy and fast solver type to both keep up with her and make use of the shorter offense time frame that she couldn't maintain for long...'
Just as Irvine was thinking that, Lark had already started to introduce the Solver of the other team in pretty much the same way that Irvine had anticipated.
The Head Coach was emphasizing how the chemistry between the two players was the main pillar to Magnolia's offense and the largest threat that they currently possessed.
However, strangely enough Irvine didn't recognize the name of the Solver anywhere in his memories. He was quite sure that the Solver was not someone from the Pro League.
'Though, it's true that she always needed a particular Solver to keep up with her. That's also the case after she joined the Conquerors...'
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"--Stick to our planned formation, that's all I gotta say." Lark closed his briefings with a reminder for the team,
He clapped his hand once as a gesture for the players to stand up and concluded the short meeting after counting down the time to the start of the match.
*CLAP*
"Alright, the 7 starting players, move out! The rest of you, come with me to our team's corner to prepare! There'll be a lot of substitutions in today's match."
""Yes sir!!""
.
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The time limit for the preparations too, soon come to an end after that.
The teams' corners were specially designated place on the stadium for the substitutes and coaches of both teams to view and participate indirectly in the match.
They were located two levels below the frontmost seats, specifically above the main walkway that led towards the field.
It was meant to be the place occupied by the Head Coach and sub players for them to call for time-outs or substitutions whenever it was deemed necessary.
.
When the beeping sound that signalled the end of preparations was rung. 14 players come out from the two opposite walkways and on to the field.
At the same time, a group of substitutes and coaches from the two universities also appeared from the different doorway that led to their team's corner
And just like that, everything was set.
With their hands placed on the buttons above the towers, the Guards of each team waited silently for the cue from the speaker to simultaneously scramble their puzzle components.
[READY?]
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[MATCH START]
