Kai's Persistence

Yuel prepared the board for the upcoming plan. Kai set out to clear Mid by herself, carrying a Checkpoint Ward in her inventory. Meanwhile, Lars and Luke were taking care of the Dragon, after which they'll head to Bot.

Everything was in place, but next came the hardest part. Yuel had to actually explain his plan to Kai and get her to agree to it.

[How exactly am I going to break it down for her?] Yuel gulped. He could already sense a storm coming his way.

Kai had been very competitive throughout the day, especially when it came to Renegade. So, there was no way in hell she'll simply go along with Yuel's plan. More than likely, his idea will tilt her to no end.

[She has just recovered from her slump when she killed StormMonster.] Yuel thought. [I'm not sure how stable she is, so it's dangerous to agitate her.]

In that case, maybe it was better to not inform her of the plan at all? Yuel could keep his true intentions under wrappers and make Kai dance to his tune without realizing it. By the time she figures it out, everything will be done and over with.

[It sounds like the safest bet.] Yuel nodded to himself. [This is pretty much how I used Julia as bait back in the selection match... oh.]

He shuddered. His entire body revolted against his own idea the moment the memory surfaced. That was one unpleasant memory...

During the second game of the selection match against Howard, Julia was severely underperforming. As a result of that and other factors, Yuel's team found itself cornered at its own Golem. They had little to no hope of fending off the pushers.

That's when an idea struck Yuel. By using Julia as bait, he created an opening that allowed the team to mount a comeback. It was an honorable sacrifice that allowed the team to regain its footing.

But of course, Julia would never agree to become bait out of her own volition. So, what did Yuel do? He lied.

The promise was that the team will keep Julia safe. But, in actuality, she was just bait for luring the attackers in. The top priority was to assault the overextending attackers, not to save Julia. In short, she was nothing more than a sacrificial goat in that play.

But, there was no need for her to know that. In fact, a bait looked more convincing when the bait itself wasn't even aware of its role.

So, keeping the details a secret from Julia was a rational and effective decision. At least, that's how Yuel saw it back then.

But, that so-called "ration and effective decision" blew up in his face later. Julia found out about it and seethed with anger.

In fact, she was probably still angry with him about this one incident to this very day, among the many other things she was mad about. Thinking back on it, that might have been one of the main catalysts for destroying their friendship.

[And, now I'm actually considering pulling the same thing with Kai, huh.] Yuel smiled wryly. [Then again, this bait plan isn't nearly as bad as it was with Julia. Kai won't be in actual danger of dying here.]

It was a fairly safe plan this time, one which didn't demand any big sacrifices. Nevertheless, it'll surely hurt Kai's pride to learn she was used as bait in a situation like this.

[So, should I say something?] Yuel wondered. [But, she's going to argue for sure. What if she refuses? The game might become unrecoverable if that happens...]

What was more important here? To gain victory at all costs? Or, to maintain good blood in the team even after this game? It was a tough call.

If they lose this game, they won't have another chance to recover. They'll lose the entire scrimmage, which will hurt their seeding for the regionals. On the other hand, if being secretive was going to hurt Kai as badly as it hurt Julia, it might cause a rift in the team.

Kai was already difficult enough to handle as it stood, but Yuel has been slowly getting on better terms with her. Alas, this one secret might destroy everything they've built up to this day.

[I can't make the right call. I'm not good enough with these things.] Yuel bit his lip. [I don't know what's the correct answer.]

The move that could potentially win them the game was right in front of him. It was so easy to set it into motion and claim victory.

But, his hand was shaking. He was afraid to grasp it. This move might lead to irreversible consequences.

[I'm sick of that. I don't want to lose any more friends to my inadequacy.] That was Yuel's entire career from the day he started Classmancers. All the way back then, his lack of consideration tore everybody apart.

From the moment Yuel picked up Classmancers, he was quick to religiously research the game. That allowed him to improve leaps and bounds above his peers in a short amount of time.

Using his robust knowledge, he had fun moving his teammates like chess pieces in order to mercilessly crush the opposition. But, it turned out he was the only one having fun. Neither his teammates nor his opponents appreciated any of this.

His opponents resented his high-level shot-calling and the way he consistently struck at their most vulnerable spots. At the same time, his teammates felt like robots following commands, so they didn't feel happy about winning.

Before long, Yuel found himself playing all alone. If he didn't meet Lars back then, he might have quit Classmancers right then and there.

With Julia joining them later, Yuel felt like he finally made friends again. That time, he promised himself he'll do a better job of treasuring his newfound friends.

And yet, he messed up again. He destroyed his relationship with Julia using his own two hands. And now, he was one step away from potentially destroying his relationship with Kai, and possibly with the rest of the club as well.

So, what would it be? Victory or friendship? Was there no way to get both?

[If only I knew how Kai will react to this plan...] Yuel sighed.

Kai was often hard to read. She typically appeared calm on the surface, but she was like a raging typhoon on the inside. She was a rollercoaster of a player, very much like Julia.

She started the day agitated, triggered by Taurus' provocations. Then, she recovered and played well, But, shortly after that, she lost herself again and fell prey to a slump.

And now, she finally seemed to recover again, but it was impossible to predict what'll happen next. When it came to Kai, everything could flip on its head at a moment's notice. As such, maximal caution was necessary.

[I'm not sure I can handle this…] Yuel frowned. He wasn't exactly an expert on reading his teammates' mental state. Not to mention, he had only known Kai for a few months. They trained a lot together, but it's not like he knew her inside out.

But, wasn't there somebody who knew her much better? A guy who had spent three years with her at the club? If there were anybody who could give Yuel any advice on the matter, it'd be that wise clown.

And so, Yuel briefly explained his plan over private communication.

"Hrm..." Vincent took his time to respond. "A tough one, indeed. I suggest you ask the test subject directly."

"Are you sure?" Yuel asked.

"The way Beat is looking right now, I believe she has finally come to terms with many things. She conquered the darkness that was trying to swallow her. As such, I argue she's more ready than ever to put everything on the line for the sake of the team! At least, that's my impression."

[That sure sounds reassuring, until you remember who the speaker is.] Yuel frowned.

"I'll back you up as needed," Vincent offered in a serious tone that only lasted for a moment. "So, go for it! Let us craft the Ultimate Teleportation Bait together!"

"Very well." Yuel took a deep breath.

Somewhere at the back of his head, he has already accepted this conclusion before he even spoke to Vincent. Perhaps he just needed a reassuring push, and Vincent definitely provided that. There were rare occasions like this when being a nonsensical clown was actually a positive trait, as unbelievable as it sounded.

"Kai, I have a plan you might not like."

"I already don't like it," Kai retorted. "I mean, if even [you] think I won't like it, then no way in hell I'll like it. But, I'm listening."

"So, it goes like this…" Yuel explained it to the best of his ability, focusing on the benefits of the play. Naturally, he avoided calling Kai a "bait", but it was no use.

"So, I gonna become a bait." Kai sneered. "Looks like that's all I'm worth this game, huh."

"N-No, that's not it!" Yuel stumbled over his words. [Drat! I'm knew this will happen! Now what!? If she refuses, it's all over! What am I supposed to do!?]

"Um, well…" Yuel tried his best to come up with something, literally anything. "I understand you don't want to do it, but-"

"Okay, let's do it," Kai said plainly.

"Eh...?" Yuel blinked in disbelief. For a moment, he was sure his brain was playing tricks on him. This had to be an auditory hallucination, right?

"I'll do it," Kai repeated. "I don't like it, but it sounds like a good plan. If it goes well, we might even win the entire game right there."

"Really...?" [Just like that? Does she actually agree?]

"C'mon, what's with that reaction?" Kai gave him a look. "Oh, I get it. You thought there's no way in hell I'd agree, right?"

"Well... yes."

"Heh, bastard. The way you say these things in people's faces kills me sometimes." Kai smiled wryly. "But, you're right. If you asked me to do this shit earlier today, I'd punch you in the face."

"And, now you don't want to do it anymore?"

"Nah, I totally still want to punch you," Kai said matter-of-factly. "But, I get where you're coming from. We're a team. Instead of worrying about my own achievements, I gotta prioritize whatever will help the team win."

"Oh, you finally realized that?"

"Hey kid, I seriously gonna punch your brains out!" Kai waved an angry fist. "But yeah, it took me a while to sort things out. This is actually a good opportunity to see how much I really learned today."

Kai took a deep breath and lowered her head. "Sorry for all the trouble I've caused!"

"Wha..."

"Whoa."

"Bruh..."

The entire team was speechless. Not only did Kai raise her voice for something other than being angry, but she also sincerely admitted her own faults. It was a rarity among rarities.

"I know I've caused a bunch of problems today," Kai continued. "I wanna blame it on the pressure of playing on a big stage, but excuses aren't going to help anybody. I'm the captain, so I'm supposed to set an example. But instead, I've been dragging everybody down most of the day. I'm really sorry for that."

Everybody remained silent as they listened. Even Lars and Luke listened attentively, even though they normally jumped on every opportunity to cause a ruckus whenever something dramatic happened.

"I've played like shit today, but I learned a lot," Kai said. "I might still stumble every now and then, but I hope you can bear with me. This is the final game, so let's win!"

"Heck yeah!" Lars pumped a fist.

"We got this, cap!" Luke also pumped a fist.

"Indeed, victory shall be ours!" Vincent made noise as usual.

"Now is our chance to turn things around," Yuel added. "I know my plan isn't the most pleasant, so thanks for bearing with it."

"Nah, I should be the one thanking you." Kai smiled wryly as she pulled her cap downwards as if to hide her face. "I've been messing up left and right, but now you're giving me a chance to make up for it. You also rescued me when I was about to die against the Lancer, so thanks for that too."

"I believe you already thanked me for that one."

"So what? I felt like doing it again, so shut up and accept it." Kai chuckled. [It really saved me, though. I probably would've lost all my will to keep going if I died there. So, even though Yuel may not realize it, he pretty much saved me from the brink of self-destruction. And, it was only possible in the first place thanks to Vincent stalling the enemy.]

"Thank you too, Vince," Kai said.

"Moi?"

"Yeah, you. You stayed behind to stall the enemy at the expense of your own life. I wouldn't have gotten away without your help."

"Please, you flatter me." Vincent pretended to be ambivalent, but he was smiling from ear to ear. [It's a cold day in Hell when the amazon sincerely praises me for my efforts. I shall indulge myself at this moment for as long as it lasts.]

Truly, it was an inspiring tale. Through blood and sweat, Beat crawled her way up from the pits of despair. And now, she returned to the surface twice as strong.

It was an amazing feat. Few could pull that off during such a critical match. That's why, despite her shortcomings, Beat deserved to be the captain.

["Hey Vince, why aren't you the captain?"] Luke asked such a thing last year. ["I mean, I know Kai is a good player and all. But, I dunno about her pulling the team. Honestly, I'd much rather follow you."]

At the time, Vincent couldn't provide a satisfying answer. It was something that couldn't be conveyed through mere words. Luke had to experience it first-hand to understand.

[It's her resilience and persistence.] No matter how many times Beat stumbled, tripped, and fell - she always got back on her feet in the end.

Of course, she was far from perfect. She got tilted easily, she sometimes lost sight of herself, and occasionally she succumbed to a slump. However, in the end, she'll always rise from the ashes like a phoenix, twice as strong!

It was something Vincent witnessed many times throughout the years. No matter how harsh and cold the club's seniors were, no matter how many times Kai lost her cool and said she'll quit - she always came back, twice as determined. She pulled through all the hardships and stayed true to herself until the very end.

[In my humble opinion, that's the most important quality for a captain.] It was a trait that a weak-willed person like him didn't possess. He couldn't rebound from the pits of despair the way Kai always did.

No matter how cheerful Vincent always acted, it was just a persona. Once cracks started showing up on this facade, Vincent was bound to crumble apart. A fragile player like him wasn't fit to lead the team.

That's why, between the two of them, Kai was the better fit for becoming the captain. Despite her numerous flaws, she had the strong will to overcome all advertisers on her path.

"Okay, I'm going in," Kai reported. "If Renegade takes the bait, we finish him off. Let's win this!"

And so, the baiting plan that revolved around Kai was set in motion. It was a crafty plan Yuel scrapped together from small pieces of information. But, will it work? Will the target take the bait?

The answer to that question might decide the fate of this game and drop the curtain on this entire scrimmage.