Stratus Is Different This Year

The members of Stratus returned to their room to gather their things. Everybody was still hyper about their victory, except for the one girl lying on the sofa.

"Man, she's still sleeping?" Luke made a face. "Hey! Nia! Wakey-wakey!"

"Mmm...?" Nia slowly opened her eyes.

"C'mon, wake up." Kai gently shook Nia's shoulder. "We're going home."

"Ah, it's over?" Nia looked around in a daze. Her senses slowly left the Slumber Dimension and descended back to reality. "Did we win?"

"Yeah, we sure did." Kai nodded. "It was a close one, but we won 3-to-2."

"Oh!" Nia's eyes shot open. "We actually won against them in the end. Amazing."

"Yep." Luke nodded and pointed at himself. "All thanks to my pro-level memeing."

[Actually, it's the other way around.] Yuel objected. [We only struggled as much as we did because Luke refused to pick a good Jungler. Things would've been much easier if I didn't have to build our game plan around a clunky Jungler like Knight. But, I'll leave that discussion for later. I don't want to ruin the atmosphere.]

"Then," Nia started. "Sounds like it's a good thing I went to sleep and let you sub in."

"Yep, you got that one right."

"Hey," Kai interjected. "Luke, stop spouting nonsense. Don't worry, Nia. That idiot didn't do anything notable."

"Wow, wow, wow!" Luke jumped. "Excuse me? Did you forget that sick fight I had against their Lancer? Shit was intense as heck!"

"Indeed." Vincent nodded. "It was the fight of the eons! Luke shattered the Storm Chaser's unstoppable chasing technique by choosing 'fight' over 'flight'! It prolonged his life just long enough for rescue to arrive!"

"Yeah, that was well done." Kai had to admit. "Good work there, Luke."

"Heh, I saw what you did there, cap." Luke snickered. "You later stole my tech and also did the same thing to that Lancer."

"Actually," Yuel said. "I believe that was originally my idea."

"Nah, I totally came up with it myself," Luke paused. "Or wait, did I? Anyway, stuff was intense, man! I memed the crap outta that boi, heh."

[They all look happy.] Nia thought. [Sounds like they had fun while I was sleeping.]

There was a little sting of regret, just a little. Even though the team suffered a devastating defeat in the third game, everybody was smiling in the end.

Maybe, just maybe, Nia should've tried a little harder to stay awake for one more game. If she tried her best, she could've braved through another difficult game, even with the audience's gazes judging her...

[On second thought, good thing I went to sleep.] Nia repeatedly nodded to herself.

The enormous stage and the packed audience flashed in her mind. It was a scary experience. She'll never get used to playing there.

[Are they going to make me play here in the next scrimmage too? Scary.] She gulped. But, compared to her...

"Man, when are we playing here again?" Luke asked. "I wanna go back in there and kick some serious ass!"

"Aren't you tired at all?" Kai asked. The fatigue was visible on her face. Her stoic expression looked worn out.

And, the same applied to the majority of the team. Yuel was wobbling a little and Vincent wasn't as vocal as usual. Though, Lars was still as upbeat as ever.

"Well, I only got to play in two games," Luke said. "That's not nearly enough. I wanna play a full five-game set!"

[Was it really that fun?] Nia wondered. [Everybody looks so tired, but they're all talking like it was a fun experience. Weird.]

Her feelings on the matter were complicated. In the first two games, after she somewhat conquered her nervousness, she caught the enemy off guard and killed them left and right.

[Yeah, those were kinda fun games.][But, after that...]

The third game was a disaster. Nia couldn't do anything about the three enemies who subbed in. That trio had a fortified triangle formation with no openings.

No matter how hard Nia tried, she couldn't find a good way to gank any of those three. And then the game just ended, with Nia achieving nothing. It was an embarrassing game, so it came as no surprise that drowsiness claimed her soon after.

And yet Luke, who subbed in for her, was talking about the scrimmage as if it was lots of fun. How? It didn't make any sense.

[Maybe things got better after the third game?] Nia wondered. [I guess I'll check the replays… when I feel like it... Zzz...]

"Nia, are you coming?" Yuel urged. "We're leaving."

"Ah! Coming." Nia snapped out of it before sleepness won over her again. She jumped off the sofa, put on her backpack, and followed the others.

Before leaving, Yuel did one final scan of the room.

"Looks fine." He concluded. It didn't seem like anybody made any mess of the room.

The referee reminded multiple times how he was going to check the rooms after the match, so they had to leave everything tidy or else...

[Though, I think I saw the guy leaving the stadium right after he told us to pack up. Maybe it was just an empty threat.][Well, it'll be fine either way.]

On that note, Yuel joined the rest of the team in the hallway. They headed toward a cafe to meet up with Ms. Stone, who apparently spent the entire day there.

[Was she chugging on coffee cups this entire time?] Yuel wondered. [No, there's no way, right? That'd be a lethal dose of caffeine.]

Idle thoughts popped up one after another. He was thinking about all sorts of random things for no reason.

His brain was probably a little fried. The last three games pushed his mental capabilities to their limits. These were exceptionally difficult games to shot-call in.

But, was that alone enough to exhaust Yuel? As a chess player, he was used to racking his brain for many hours in a row. Therefore, this much shot-calling shouldn't have tired him so hard.

[It's probably because there were many times when I wasn't confident in my calls.] He made many difficult decisions today, many of which he wasn't entirely satisfied with. And, worst of all, he would have made many more suboptimal decisions if Lars didn't wake him up in time.

Switching from defense to offense was necessary at times, regardless of the risk. Adaptation was a core principle in any strategic game, and Yuel should've known that better than most.

Nevertheless, a part of him kept resisting the idea of going on the offensive. He wanted to keep playing safe until the very end.

Unfortunately, that mentality wasn't good enough. By sticking to Yuel's defensive shot-calls, the team's position almost became unrecoverable.

Therefore, despite the internal resistance, Yuel had to take a risk. There was no choice but to go on the offensive.

Making Lars split-push Bot was risky beyond measure, but it paid off. In fact, thanks to Lars's explosive strength, that split-push created the opportunity to turn the game around. That outcome went far beyond Yuel's windiest expectations.

[Technically, it was just a fluke. It could've backfired just as easily. But, it's only thanks to taking this risk that a "fluke" like that could even happen.]

Yuel will undoubtedly have to wrestle with many difficult decisions like that in the future. It was naive of him to think he could build a defensive team to counter Howard.

Strong offense always had its place too, despite its numerous risks. Yuel just had to make sure to not rely on it all the time, or else defensive teams will eat him alive.

[Looks like I'll have to work hard on finding the balance between the two.] Yuel added that to his homework.

Ever since losing the selection match against Howard, risky offensive plays repulsed him. It was like a mental block, maybe even trauma.

His aggressive shot-calls failed him over and over, and ultimately became the reason he and Lars lost against Howard and Ellen. As long as he restored to such shot-calls, he had no hope of ever beating Howard. At least, that's what he thought after that match.

But, the problem wasn't with the approach itself. Risky offense was perfectly acceptable in some situations. In fact, sometimes it was even the best call out there.

However, it had to be used in moderation. Before jumping on every inviting opportunity, Yuel had to take a step back and rethink his reasoning.

While some risky plays had merit, others were unnecessary and should be avoided at all costs. Also, there were the "in-between" plays, the ones that harbored risks but could be tweaked to be safer.

It was the shot-caller's job to figure all of this out. Yuel had to improve his skill enough to be able to make such judgments in the heat of the moment.

In addition, he also had to overcome the phobia he developed toward risky plays. Because yes, it was a phobia of sorts. Whenever he thought about committing to an offensive play, his entire body repulsed in response.

[That's probably why today's shot-calling tired me more so much.] Yuel thought.

He only played five games today, and the first two weren't even that challenging. However, many times today, he had to push himself to go for risky plays. Each and every time, he felt like he was wrestling with something inside him.

[I better get used to this feeling.] Yuel thought. [Things will get even rougher against the Leopards and StormBlitz. A single game against them might get as exhausting as today's entire scrimmage. I have to sort out my shot-calling before I get to play them.]

As if to validate his worry, two figures showed up in the hallway. They were the StormBlitz spies.

"Good game!" Julia smiled toward Lars. "You were amazing. You turned the game on its head when you killed that Berserker in Bot! And, that kill on the Pirate at the end pretty much sealed the deal."

"Heh, thanks." Lars smiled. "But, to be honest, Yuel deserves most of the credit there. He told me to split-push, and he arranged that bait on the Pirate."

"Ah, is that so." Julia threw an indifferent look at Yuel without giving a single compliment.

"But, I must say," the boy beside Julia spoke. "It was a thrilling match! So much skill and strategy!"

"And you are?" Yuel asked.

"Oh, sorry for the late introduction, sir," the boy apologized.

["Sir"?] Yuel raised an eyebrow.

"The name is Philip, but most call me Pip. I'm a freshman who had the honor to join StormBlitz."

"I see," Yuel said.

The thick notebook in Pip's hands attracted the eye. It looked worn out, so it must have been used quite often.

[Somehow, I have a feeling he did most of the scouting work today.] Yuel thought.[ Julia probably only tagged along to watch Lars play. And, it was probably for the protocol.]

Sending a freshman to spy on scrimmages alone was ill-advised since they often lacked a sufficient understanding of the game. As such, it was preferable for somebody older to tag along and provide additional insight.

Sending a senior was usually out of question, as they had to devote themselves to training. The first-string only ever took a break from training to watch the highest level scrimmages, usually the ones involving the Leopards. That's why the freshmen and juniors handled most of the scouting work in StormBlitz. Yuel knew it all too well because he did a lot of that scouting last year.

Interestingly, just because older club members accompanied the freshman, it didn't mean they did most of the work. For example, when Roi or Dan tagged along with Yuel on a scouting job, they just kicked back and enjoyed the match. They even bought popcorn and drinks. Meanwhile, Yuel was busy taking notes and deconstructing the games.

It was probably the same today for this Philip fellow. He came across as the obedient type, so he probably took the scouting job quite seriously. Meanwhile, Julia was only here for the fun. This was the classic scouting duo arrangement in StormBlitz.

[I hope they didn't learn anything important from today's match.] Yuel thought.

Yuel and Lars only played in their main positions at the very end, so the enemy could only get a limited amount of data by definition. In fact, that's one reason Yuel was fine with playing Top as long as they were winning.

The less he and Lars showcase their skills in Bot, the fewer opportunities their enemies got to study them. Unfortunately, the last game forced their hands.

[I'm sure anybody who came here to scout will remember that last game the most.] Yuel frowned. [I can already see us getting countered hard in the next scrimmage. Gulp.]

While Yuel was having all these grim thoughts, Julia was happily showering Lars with praise about that very game. As for praising Yuel? Yeah, right. As if that'll ever. She only had cold glares to spare for him.

Well, that was a given. No matter how well Yuel performed, this girl will never recognize it.

"Well, seeya!" Lars waved.

"Bye!" Julia waved back with a beaming smile.

The team proceeded along the hallway and passed by the StormBlitz scouts. Yuel was at the very end of the line, so he was the last one to pass by Julia.

"Wait," Julia called out.

"What?" Yuel turned around with a sigh, expecting some undeserved complaints.

"Pip, go buy me a drink," Julia shoved a few coins into Pip's hand.

"Sure thing, ma'am!" Pip saluted. "What would you like?"

"Apple juice."

"Yes, ma'am! On the double!" Pip left at a quick pace, almost jogging.

"An interesting fellow," Yuel commented.

"Just an idiot with a military fetish." Julia shrugged.

She laid her eyes on Yuel for a moment, then averted them, then checked him out again, then finally turned her back to him. As usual, a girl who could shuffle through a thousand different emotions in a matter of seconds.

"Lars said that at the end there, you made some shot-calls that weren't complete trash."

"Well, they won us the game, so I'd like to believe they were good enough."

"So, about that time you used the Mid Laner as a bait," Julia continued, with her back still turned to him. "Did you turn her into a bait without her knowledge?"

"Ah." Yuel was at a loss for words.

It was a charged question. The answer was almost "yes", if not for Yuel regretting his idea at the very last moment and asking Vincent for advice.

"No, I properly told her she'll become a bait."

"Really?" Julia asked. "She struck me as a girl with some pride. Did she actually agree to do that?"

"Yes, she agreed," Yuel said. "She didn't like it of course, but she understood it was necessary for the team's victory."

"Is that so," Julia responded vaguely. What sort of complex feelings were brewing inside her at this very moment?

That bait play was clearly bugging her, and Yuel understood why. After all, he ordered Julia to commit a similar play just a few months ago, without asking for her consent.

"I'm sorry," Yuel said. "I just realized I never properly apologized for turning you into a bait during the selection match without discussing it with you first."

"Oh, you actually remember that?" Julia asked that without even turning to look at him. It was impossible to tell what sort of expression she was wearing.

"At the time, I didn't realize I was doing something wrong," Yuel said. "I was only thinking about winning the game, nothing else. I was sure you won't agree with that play, so I led you into it without explaining the details. I should've communicated better. I'm really sorry about it."

"You know, it's really nice to receive an apology a hundred years after the fact."

"Better late than never."

"Hmph, I guess." Julia finally threw a glance at him from behind her back. "Okay, fine. Apology accepted for now, but don't expect me to fully forgive you for it. You literally treated me like worthless trash with that dumb bait play."

"No, you got that part wrong," Yuel objected. "I do know you're a good player, but you were underperforming that game. But, I was sure you won't admit you're underperforming, so..."

"Oh, so it's my fault?"

"No, I didn't mean that..." Yuel felt like he was stumbling over his words.

Why did communication have to be so difficult sometimes? He was trying to clear things up, but it felt like he was only digging himself a deeper hole.

"Hmph, fine." Julia turned to face him, glaring right through him. "Then, come at me. Bring your sorry excuse of a team all the way to StormBlitz at the regionals. I'll be waiting. Once we fight for real, I'll show you how good I actually am. You won't even dare to think about sacrificing me like that ever again!"

[I already know that much.] Yuel smiled wryly. [Nobody who plays the game seriously should have to go through an unpleasant experience like that. I was just immature back then. I felt like I had to win, no matter the cost. It was wrong of me.]

"Okay, it's a deal," Yuel responded. "We'll get far enough at the regionals to play against StormBlitz, I promise. So, make sure to hold onto your position in the first-string until then."

"That goes without saying." Julia lifted her chin. "By the time we get to the regionals, I'll be known as StormBlitz's Mid Laner. Gilbert will just be the backup plan. Mark my words."

"I'm looking forward to it."

They parted on that note.

Until the very end, it was difficult to get a proper read on Julia's feelings. Did she forgive Yuel at all for turning her into a bait? At least a little bit?

[Probably not.] Yuel sighed. [But, I think this conversation made her feel a little better. At least, she wasn't as hostile as usual.]

The Julia he had just interacted with was relatively agreeable. On a scale of 1 to 10 in "how much she wanted to murder Yuel", this Julia was as low as 8/10. Normally, she was peaking 11/10 all day long, so this was progress!

[Did I grow up since the selection match? At least a little?] Yuel wondered. It was difficult to gauge these things for himself, but he nevertheless felt like he took a big step forward today.

He nearly succumbed to his usual immaturity and turned Kai into a bait without informing her, but he recognized his mistake just in time to avert a disaster. On top of that, he was resourceful enough to ask for Vincent's advice during that critical time. Truly, he did pretty much everything he could in that situation.

[I need to get more used to this.] Yuel thought. [Things like asking teammates what they think, discussing tactics with them, and etc. It'll be difficult to do sometimes, but I feel like I'm improving.]

This was an issue he had been wrestling with ever since he participated in StormBlitz's entrance exam. All that way back then, Aron fired harsh criticism at Yuel's shot-calling. And, for the longest time, it felt like Yuel hadn't made any progress in that area.

But, recently, he was definitely getting better. He had been improving his communication skills, one step at a time.

Hopefully, by the time the regionals arrive, he'll be as good as Howard with all this communication business. And then, with this team, Yuel will win the rematch!

[I'll make it work. Next time, we'll win!] With this renewed determination, Yuel caught up to the rest of the team

Shortly, they ran into Ms. Stone and Kai delivered the news of their victory.

"You... won?" Ms. Stone blinked. It was as if she heard something impossible. Rude.

"Yeah, we won," Kai repeated. "And, we gonna keep winning from here on out. After this year, Stratus will no longer be known as the 'weakest team'. We gonna become a powerhouse. We already beat Taurus, and we gonna beat the Leopards next."

"You said it, dude!" Lars pumped a fist.

"The underdog shall challenge the topdog." Vincent nodded dramatically. "It will become an instant classic that will be taught for generations to come!"

Everybody tuned in to show their determination.

With today's victory, it should be clear to everybody that Stratus was no longer the bottom-tier team it was used to be. This year, they'll reign supreme!

"Beat the Leopards? You?" Ms. Stone gaped like a fish out of water. "Are they the strongest in our region? You must be jesting."

"Yeah, they're the strongest." Kai nodded. "They're regional champions, but not for long. We'll soon be taking that title from them."

"And, we gonna mop StormBlitz too!" Lars added. "The regionals are ours, yo!"

"And the nationals too," Yuel added.

The team boldly expressed its convictions.

Contrary to what everybody expected from this tiny underdog team, today they seized victory from one of the better teams in the region. And, that was just the beginning.

There was no doubt that Stratus will take the regionals by storm this year! And after that, they'll dominate the nationals, too!

"The nationals..." Ms. Stone cracked a dry laugh. What was going on? These kids were out of their minds. And yet, she couldn't help but shiver as she looked at them.

Their eyes were unwavering. These kids were looking straight ahead, toward a goal far beyond the present. In the five years that Clara Stone had been supervising this club, she had never seen anything like this.

[Maybe these kids can really pull it off.] She never imagined such thoughts would ever cross her mind, but here she was, expecting something for the first time in years.

Perhaps, this year, the other teachers will no longer see her as the supervisor of a "laughingstock team". Maybe, just maybe, she'll be able to hold her head high while saying she was in charge of this team.

[I'm getting ahead of myself.] Clara cut her delusions short. [We'll see how they do in the next scrimmage.]

Either way, the fact remained that this year's Stratus wasn't filled with the usual, unmotivated younglings. This time, the team had passionate warriors who were willing to fight through blood and sweat to achieve victory.

So, at the very least, they should go beyond the first round of the regionals this year. And who knows, they might even win the whole thing! Yeah, right.