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

  Everything was in pce, but came the hardest part. Yuel had to actually expin his pn to Kai a her to agree to it.

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

  Kai had been very petitive throughout the day, especially when it came tade. So, there was no way in hell she’ll simply go along with Yuel’s pn. 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 pn at all? Yuel could keep his true iions under ers and make Kai dao his tuhout realizing it. By the time she figures it out, everything will be done and over with.

  It sounds like the safest bet. Yuel o himself. This is pretty much how I used Julia as bait ba the seleatch... oh.

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

  During the sed game of the seleatch against Howard, Julia was severely underperf. As a result of that and other factors, Yuel’s team found itself ered at its own Golem. They had little to no hope of fending off the pushers.

  That’s when aruck Yuel. By using Julia as bait, he created an opening that allowed the team to mount a eback. It was an honorable sacrifice that allowed the team tain its footing.

  But of course, Julia would never agree to bee 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 py.

  But, there was no need for her to know that. In fact, a bait looked more ving 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 ter. Julia found out about it ahed with anger.

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

  And, now I’m actually sidering pulling the same thing with Kai, huh. Yuel smiled wryly. Then again, this bait pn 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 pn this time, one which didn’t demand any big sacrifices. heless, 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 tue for sure. What if she refuses? The game might bee unrecoverable if that happens...

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

  If they lose this game, they won’t have another ce to recover. They’ll lose the entire scrimmage, which will hurt their seeding for the regionals. Oher hand, if beiive was going to hurt Kai as badly as it hurt Julia, it might cause a rift ieam.

  Kai was already difficult enough to handle as it stood, but Yuel has been slowly getting oer terms with her. As, this o might destroy everything they’ve built up to this day.

  I ’t make the right call. I’m not good enough with these things. Yuel bit his lip. I don’t know what’s the correswer.

  The move that could potentially wihe game was right in front of him. It was so easy to set it into motion and cim victory.

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

  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 Cssmancers. All the way back then, his ck of sideration tore everybody apart.

  From the moment Yuel picked up Cssmancers, he was quick tiously 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 fuher his teammates nor his oppos appreciated any of this.

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

  Before long, Yuel found himself pying all alone. If he didn’t meet Lars back then, he might have quit Cssmancers right then and there.

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

  A, he messed up again. He destroyed his retionship with Julia using his own two hands. And now, he was oep away from potentially destroying his retionship 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 pn... 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 pyer, very much like Julia.

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

  And now, she finally seemed to recain, but it was impossible to predict what’ll happe. 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 hahis… Yuel frowned. He wasly 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 i.

  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 advi the matter, it’d be that wise .

  And so, Yuel briefly expined his pn over private unication.

  “Hrm...” Viook 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 e to terms with many things. She quered the darkhat was trying to swallow her. As such, I argue she’s more ready thao 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,” Vi offered in a serious tohat only sted 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 clusion before he even spoke to Vi. Perhaps he just needed a reassuring push, and Vi definitely provided that. There were rare occasions like this when being a nonsensical was actually a positive trait, as unbelievable as it sounded.

  “Kai, I have a pn 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 expi to the best of his ability, fog on the bes of the py. Naturally, he avoided calling Kai a “bait”, but it was no use.

  “So, I gonna bee 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 khis will happen! Now what!? If she refuses, it’s all over! What am I supposed to do!?

  “Um, well…” Yuel tried his best to e up with something, literally anything. “I uand you don’t want to do it, but-”

  “Okay, let’s do it,” Kai said pinly.

  “Eh...?” Yuel blinked in disbelief. For a moment, he was sure his brain ying tricks on him. This had to be an auditory halluatiht?

  “I’ll do it,” Kai repeated. “I don’t like it, but it sounds like a good pn. If it goes well, we might even wiire game right there.”

  “Really...?” Just like that? Does she actually agree?

  “, what’s with that rea?” 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 ing from. We’re a team. Instead of w 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 learoday.”

  Kai took a deep breath and lowered her head. “Sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused!”

  “Wha...”

  “Whoa.”

  “Bruh...”

  The eeam eechless. 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 tinued. “I wanna bme it on the pressure of pying 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 listetentively, even though they normally jumped on every opportunity to cause a ruckus whenever something dramatic happened.

  “I’ve pyed like shit today, but I learned a lot,” Kai said. “I might still stumble every now and then, but I hope you 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!” Vi made noise as usual.

  “Now is our ce to turn things around,” Yuel added. “I know my pn isn’t the most pleasant, so thanks for bearing with it.”

  “Nah, I should be the ohanking 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 yiving me a ake 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-destru. And, it was only possible in the first pce thanks to Vi 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 ftter me.” Vi preteo 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 sts.

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

  It was an amazi. Few could pull that off during such a critical match. That’s why, despite her shortings, Beat deserved to be the captain.

  “Hey Vince, why aren’t you the captain?” Luke asked such a thing st year. “I mean, I know Kai is a good pyer and all. But, I dunno about her pulling the team. Holy, I’d much rather follow you.”

  At the time, Vi couldn’t provide a satisfying answer. It was something that couldn’t be veyed through mere words. Luke had to experie first-hand to uand.

  It’s her resiliend persisteno matter how many times Beat stumbled, tripped, and fell - she always got ba 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 Vi 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 Vi always acted, it was just a persona. Once cracks started showing up on this facade, Vi was bound to crumble apart. A fragile pyer like him wasn’t fit to lead the team.

  That’s why, betweewo of them, Kai was the better fit for being the captaie her numerous fws, she had the strong will to overe 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 pn that revolved around Kai was set in motion. It was a crafty pn Yuel scrapped together from small pieces of information. But, will it work? Will the target take the bait?

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

  DarkestCymore