Classmancers - A MOBA Esport Story

Vol.4 Ch.15: The Trickshooter Gamble

Friday arrived and the match for deciding the new first string was upon them.

"We'll use the computer rooms," Howard handed Yuel a key.

"How did you get the keys?" Yuel asked.

"Let's just say I borrowed them, alright?"

Borrowed. Even though we're supposed to keep a low profile about being at school without our advisor. Sure. Yuel wanted to retort, but that didn't really matter. Howard probably knew where to get the keys because StormBlitz held their entrance exams in these computer rooms. That's where Yuel met and fought Howard for the first time. And now, yet again, they'll be clashing with each other in these same rooms.

"Good luck," Howard smiled and stretched his hand.

"You too," Yuel accepted the handshake with a smile, but immediately applied some force behind it because Howard did the same. The handshake and smiles were just a sportsmanship formality. In truth, they both wished for the other to crash and burn in the upcoming match. Neither of them was allowed to lose today.

After a tug of war that felt like it lasted five minutes, neither of them managed to crush the other's hand and they let go. That's it. From this moment on, they were sworn enemies. No pity and no mercy. They silently approached their respective doors and went inside.

The two computer rooms were adjacent to each other, a single wall separated between them. Perhaps the two rooms were a single one in the past and were separated to make it look like this school had two computer rooms. That'd explain why each room was too small to house a whole class and students had to work in duos and trios.

Whatever the case, this arrangement of two rooms was convenient for them today. There were even five monitors already lined up in a row, just waiting to be used for a Classmancers match. Everything looked exactly the same as during the entrance exam.

Yuel booted the five computers and opened Classmancers on all of them. He and Howard organized everything by entering all game clients into the same room. Physically, each team was going to be in a separate room, but virtually, inside the game, they were all packed together into one space. Nothing new about that concept, but it felt funny somehow.

Before long, the other team members arrived. Howard and Yuel arrived early to set everything up but everybody was told to get here at 9 am.

"Yo," Lars greeted everybody by flashing his teeth. "Ready to rek these dudes?" He raised his hand.

"Of course," Yuel also raised his hand for a high-five. They were born ready for this.

"I'm going to play my best too," Julia interjected.

"Look who's all ya fired up," Lars grinned and huddled both of them. "We gonna do this, yo!"

"Definitely." "We got this."

Roi and Dan shortly joined them. Dan barely made it in time, whereas Roi was late by three minutes. There always had to be that one kid who comes late, right?

Anyway, everybody was here now. The stage was set. The match was about to begin!

"About the first game," Howard addressed his team. "We might lose because I plan to let them use Trickshooter."

"Kek," Gregory adjusted his glasses. "I see you like to live dangerously."

"Sounds like an unnecessary gamble," Gilbert said. "Reason?"

"Simple," Howard said. "We all agree their team gonna be at its peak if Lars gets Trickshooter, right? Which means: if we beat them in that condition, it's as good as winning the entire match right there. Think of the mental blow that'd deliver."