A New Strategy Unfolds

"Ladies and gentlemen, can you believe it? We've reached the halfway point of this match, and the intensity hasn't let up for even a second," Eric said, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. "Ten minutes remain, and if the first ten were anything to go by, this match is shaping up to be one for the history books."

Celine nodded, her tone equally excited.

"With the hill constantly changing hands, and let's not forget that massive team wipe by Korea, this game has been phenomenal. Both teams are putting everything on the line, and you can bet this match will make its way onto every highlight reel imaginable."

Eric leaned forward as the screen showed the current score: Korea: 110 | Afghanistan: 52.

"Still, Afghanistan has a lot of ground to cover, but if there's one thing we've learned from this team, it's to never count them out."

On the battlefield, Afghanistan regrouped near the edge of the map, their expressions steely and determined. Khalid, their captain and Tank, addressed his team with swift hand signals, a silent but clear indication that they were about to try something new.

"They're plotting something," Celine observed. "Look at their positioning. This isn't their typical approach."

The unpredictability of Afghanistan soon became evident. Instead of a straightforward charge, they split into two groups. Khalid and Omar took the centre lane, making their presence known with a loud and deliberate advance. The remaining three—Amina, Adil, and Soraya—vanished into the shadows, taking a route through the dense terrain surrounding the hill.

Korea immediately prepared for the frontal assault, positioning Hana and Chin-hwa to intercept Khalid and Omar. In-su readied his spells from a distance, while Tae-young and Kyu flanked to provide support.

But as the two groups collided, chaos erupted. Khalid's shield glowed as he activated a new defensive ability, sending a shockwave that disrupted Korea's formation. Omar followed with a sweeping attack that forced Hana and Chin-hwa to retreat momentarily.

"They're pushing hard down the middle!" Eric exclaimed.

At the same time, Amina emerged from the shadows behind the hill, targeting In-su. Her blades flashed as she closed the distance with alarming speed. In-su barely dodged the first strike but was forced to reposition, pulling his focus away from the front.

Adil and Soraya joined the fray, with Adil sniping from a high vantage point and Soraya casting area-denial spells that corralled Korea's team into tighter quarters.

"This is brilliant!" Celine marvelled. "Afghanistan has split Korea's focus completely. They're attacking from multiple angles, and Korea can't keep up!"

Overwhelmed by the coordinated assault, Korea made the call to retreat. Tae-young threw down smoke bombs to cover their escape, while Kyu used his blades to parry Amina's relentless pursuit just long enough for In-su to regroup.

"And Korea is on the retreat!" Eric declared. "This is the kind of strategy that makes Afghanistan such a formidable opponent. They've turned the tide once again."

With Korea temporarily pushed back, Afghanistan reclaimed the hill. The score began ticking in their favour as the crowd erupted into cheers for the underdog team. The hill was theirs once more, but the match was far from over.

Afghanistan moved in swiftly to secure the hill, their players spreading out across the area to ensure no lingering threats. Khalid stood firmly in the centre, his shield raised and ready, while Omar and Amina took positions at the flanks. Soraya began to prepare her support spells, and Adil scanned the area with his sniper rifle, ready to pick off anyone daring to approach.

It was almost too easy. The hill was empty, devoid of any resistance. The Korean team had retreated, leaving the area uncontested. The atmosphere in the arena buzzed with excitement as Afghanistan seemingly secured the hill without issue.

But something was off.

"Wait a second," Eric's voice cut through the crowd's cheers. "Afghanistan has the hill, but... look at the points."

Celine's brow furrowed as the scoreboard on the HUD remained stagnant.

"They're not gaining any points! What's going on here?"

On the battlefield, Afghanistan's players noticed the anomaly. Khalid opened the team comms.

"Check your HUDs. Someone is still here!"

A moment of silence followed as each member scanned the area. Then, Amina's sharp voice broke through.

"There!"

A shadow moved near the edge of the hill, crouched low behind a piece of rubble. Before anyone could react, the figure leaped up, revealing Chin-hwa with a wicked grin. Two modified pistols gleamed in his hands as he opened fire, forcing the Afghan players to scatter into cover.

"Chin-hwa!" Celine exclaimed. "He never retreated! Korea left him behind to contest the hill!"

The arena erupted in chaos as Chin-hwa dashed between the debris, his shots accurate enough to keep his opponents pinned but wild enough to keep them guessing. Khalid raised his shield and charged forward to corner him, but Chin-hwa's agility was otherworldly. He dodged and weaved, his movements impossibly fast for someone playing the Marksman role.

"He's baiting them!" Eric shouted. "Look at his positioning. He's drawing Afghanistan away from the hill's centre!"

The Afghan team scrambled to take him down. Amina dashed toward him, her twin blades glinting dangerously. But just as she was about to land a strike, Chin-hwa ducked low, rolled out of her reach, and fired a burst of shots that forced her to retreat momentarily.

Adil tried to line up a clean shot, but Chin-hwa's unpredictable speed made him an impossible target. The bullets whizzed past harmlessly, striking only the rocks and dirt around him.

"They can't pin him down!" Celine marvelled. "This is insane. How can a Marksman move like that?"

Unbeknownst to Afghanistan, their pursuit of Chin-hwa had led them into a trap. Korea's team, having regrouped during the retreat, had made a wide detour and was now closing in from behind.

As Chin-hwa made another daring escape, darting through the cover, Tae-young emerged from the shadows. Silent and deadly, the Assassin struck with precision, his blade cutting through one of Afghanistan's players before they could react.

"It's a trap!" Khalid roared, but it was too late.

Korea's sneak attack had begun. Chin-hwa's bait had worked perfectly, pulling Afghanistan's attention away and leaving them vulnerable to the ambush.

The ambush was devastating. Tae-young's blade struck fast and clean, claiming the first elimination as Soraya's glowing spell fizzled out before it could be cast. The Mage crumbled to the ground, disappearing in a flash of light as she was forced into respawn.

[Soraya Aini: Eliminated!]

"First blood for the ambush!" Celine exclaimed, her voice rising above the thunderous cheers of the audience. "Korea is striking back hard!"

With Soraya gone, Afghanistan's team momentarily lost their coordination. Khalid bellowed orders, trying to reform their line and protect Adil, who was still aiming for an opening to take down Chin-hwa.

But Chin-hwa wasn't done. His relentless movement kept Afghanistan on edge, preventing them from regrouping fully. Amina darted toward Tae-young, hoping to eliminate him quickly and even the odds. Her twin blades gleamed as she launched a flurry of attacks, forcing Tae-young to stay on the defensive.

Yet Korea had anticipated this. Kyu entered the fray, his dual blades a whirlwind of parries and counters. Despite being a Roamer, Kyu's unorthodox choice of weapons allowed him to disrupt Amina's rhythm, forcing her to split her focus between two skilled opponents.

"This is unreal!" Eric shouted. "Korea's support player is holding his own like an Assassin. Afghanistan can't find their footing!"

Meanwhile, In-su and Chin-hwa closed in from opposite sides, each targeting a key member of Afghanistan's lineup. Chin-hwa fired a rapid barrage of arrows toward Adil, keeping the sniper pinned behind cover. The Afghan Marksman tried to retaliate, but the suppressing fire left him with no clear shot.

On the other side, In-su unleashed a devastating barrage of magic, aiming directly at Khalid. The Afghan Tank raised his shield, the shimmering barrier absorbing the brunt of the attack. But the constant pressure from In-su's spells prevented Khalid from moving forward to support his team.

"They're splitting Afghanistan apart!" Celine said, her excitement palpable. "This is masterful coordination from Korea!"

Afghanistan wasn't out yet. Khalid slammed his shield into the ground, creating a shockwave that momentarily forced In-su to back off. At the same time, Amina found an opening, delivering a sharp strike to Kyu that sent him staggering.

But before she could capitalize, Chin-hwa struck again. He appeared from behind, his pistols blazing. The quick burst of shots landed cleanly, forcing Amina into respawn.

[Amina Daoud: Eliminated!]

Another elimination.

"This is bad for Afghanistan," Eric said gravely. "Two players down. If they lose another, they'll be vulnerable to a full collapse."

Khalid roared in frustration, rallying Omar and Adil to focus on Chin-hwa. The three of them converged on him, determined to eliminate the slippery Marksman.

But this, too, was part of Korea's plan. Chin-hwa led them straight into Chin-hwa's range. The Korean Marksman loosed a flurry of explosive arrows, forcing Khalid and Omar to scatter.

In the chaos, Tae-young struck again, eliminating Adil with a precise, lethal slash.

[Adil Bernlitom: Eliminated!]

"Three down!" Celine exclaimed as the last Afghan player fell. "Korea has secure it now!"

The hill was theirs once more, with Afghanistan's players forced to wait for respawn. The crowd erupted into cheers, the energy electric as the match continued to deliver highlight-worthy moments.

"This is the chance for Afghanistan to turn the tide," Eric said. "Yet they failed. It's unprecedented for such a new team to dominate like this on the world stage!"

Afghanistan's coach looked visibly tense, shouting instructions to the team through the comms. The players themselves were silent, a mix of frustration and determination etched on their faces.

As Korea regrouped on the hill, the timer ticked down. The score was now Korea: 150 | Afghanistan: 52.

"Afghanistan will need to let this match away. I don't think they had enough time to turn around," Celine said. "But if there's one thing we've learned in this match, it's that neither of these teams is willing to back down."

The camera panned over the Korean team as they secured the hill, their expressions a mix of confidence and focus. The chapter closed on the rising tension, leaving the audience and readers alike wondering if Afghanistan could mount a comeback—or if Korea's unyielding momentum would lead them to victory.