『DEFEAT』

The disheartening message appeared on his screen. It was a message that every player was familiar with, yet Cato found himself staring at it in disbelief as if it was some sort of alien creature.

That wasn't supposed to happen. Cato closed his eyes and opened them again, hoping it was all a dream. But no, this was reality. He lost to none other than Fiona Landberht, a fledging rookie.

"Hahaha!" Karen's laughter only further mocked him. "Get dunked, boi!" 

"Karen, that is inappropriate," Fiona scolded.

“Yeah, yeah, sorry, sis.” Karen barely held in her muffled laughter. “But real talk, you just wrecked the so-called ‘captain’ of the Leopards! That’s so awesome!”

“Yes, that is quite the achievement indeed. It shows I am improving, slowly but surely.”

I’m sure they’re laughing at me deep down. Cato grumped. And, I deserve all that mockery. To think that the captain of the Leopards would lose to some newbie like this. I know duels aren’t my expertise, but that still shouldn’t happen. Coach would’ve lectured me to death if this was an official game, haha...

"That's some nice plays you had there," Cato said. "Did you prepare them just for me?" 

"Not quite," Fiona answered. "I researched situations such as these while learning Lionfolk's matchups."

"Is that so.”

Even though Fiona denied it, much of her research probably focused on countering Cato’s favorite classes. Sure, that still counted as "learning matchups", but she most likely prioritized certain matchups over others.

Of course, learning how to defeat Vampire was always important due to the class’s popularity. So, Fiona really had a good excuse here. She was like "I did not prepare for this matchup to beat YOU in particular. Vampire is a common pick that I must know how to deal with."

In short, Fiona exposed how big of an impression Cato’s Vampire left on her. She lost to it the last time they played, so she thoroughly researched the class since then.

But, in the end, she's still a greenhorn. Cato cracked his neck. Time to expose her for what she really is. I think I got a good understanding of the “solution” she came up with for this matchup, so I just have to adjust accordingly.

Fiona’s strategy boiled down to preparing for the mid-game. She built power and cooldown reduction, but she didn’t take much advantage of them in the early-game. She carefully hoarded an arsenal of guns, waiting for the right moment to go in with her guns blazing.

That approach was far more effective than trying to assault Cato at any good opportunity that presented itself, which was Fiona’s game plan before that. It made sense to assault him frequently due to his passive playstyle, but that’s exactly what he wanted his opponents to do~

Cato's poking playstyle, the so-called "Esmeralda Strat", was specifically designed to counter aggressive opponents like that. Fiona always came swinging at him but he retreated and countered with a couple of jabs, slowly withering her down.

It took multiple crushing defeats, but it seemed Fiona learned her lesson that day.

Or, maybe somebody gave her a few pointers. Cato thought. I can see Coach, or even Esmeralda herself, advising Fiona to play like that against me. That's the kind of fast progress you can make when you have a good tutor. I know that much from experience.

As the chit-chat died out, it was time for Game 2.

"I believe giving you a one-game advantage will suffice." Cato smiled impishly. "From here on out, I'll come at you with everything I got."

"Seriously?" Karen was the one to respond to that provocation. "You got royally mopped there, don't even dare to deny it. Sis is a million times better than you!"

"I would not be so sure about that," Fiona objected. "I believe I caught him off-guard, but I'm sure he will adapt. It is after he adapts that he will pose the greatest threat." 

"So, you understand." Cato smiled confidently.

Even for high-level competitive players, mistakes and blunders were unavoidable. They were only human, and humans erred every now and then. As such, Cato's defeat in Game 1 was just that, a mistake.

What separated a casual from a competitive player was their ability to adapt to the unfolding situation. Instead of admitting defeat, they sought solutions to the problems that stumped them. And, if they were proficient enough at the game, they should be able to come up with some sort of answer.

Her strategy is solid, but I know how to play around it. Cato already figured an answer. In fact, he found a couple of those and simply had to pick the most reliable one. Game 2 won’t be anything like Game 1, that’s for sure.

And so, they played once more. This time, Cato integrated more power in his build early on. This way, he secured a much better position for contesting Fiona’s mid-game aggression.

Normally, that wasn't his preferred way to build his character. Alas, faster development was necessary for situations like this.

The same way he couldn't kick back and slowly develop his pawns in every chess match, he also couldn't take his sweet time building power in every duel. Sometimes, it was necessary to speed in order to match the opponent's pace.

I got you this time. Cato pushed Fiona back, time and again. He didn’t give the lioness any chances to deliver strong attacks or to steal the power buff.

On top of that, Cato built just enough power to make it risky for Fiona to directly confront him. At the same time, he didn't neglect to buy his favorite items, the ones that powered up via permanent stacks earned throughout the game. Items like that always turned extremely powerful in the late-game. That secured him a good position for the endgame.

In short, Cato was dominating against the greenhorn on all fronts. As the veteran, the adjustments he made on the fly were far superior to his opponent's.

Fiona tried as hard as she could to keep up with adjustments, but she was always a step or two behind. Even for a genius, there was a limit to how much experience she could accumulate in just half a year.

『VICTORY』

Cato secured the second game, as well as the games that followed afterward. And so, the final result of the day was a 4-1 in his favor.

In the end, his adaptation proved superior to Fiona’s. Though, that was to be expected from a veteran who spent the past two years training in the Leopards. Not to mention, he also received professional tutoring even before that.

So, no matter how many mentors Fiona hires, she wouldn’t be able to catch up to Cato in just half a year. It was simply impossible.

“Guuuuh!” Karen was the one who exhibited the most frustration at this turn of events. “Lemme play him, sis! I’ll avenge you real quick!” 

“I am sure you would.” Fiona nodded. “But, there is no point if I cannot defeat him myself.”

“You can totally beat him! You’re way better than this nerd!”

“I wish that was true, but it appears I still lack the necessary experience to match the level of the Leopards.” Fiona seemed to understand her shortcomings all too well from the few matches they played. “Fear not, I will be up to the challenge by the time the regionals come around. Let us topple the Leopards together.”

“Yeah, we’ll do it!” Karen pumped a fist, then boldly pointed at Cato. “You better watch your back at the regionals! We’re coming for that ass!”

“Karen, language.”

“Whoopsie, hehe~”

The two “sisters” exchanged confident smiles. Though their newly founded team had no records to speak of, Fiona and Karen alone were already a force to reckon with. So, if their team has are any other promising players, they MIGHT have a chance to become a key player at the regionals this year. That’s a big if, though.

“By the way,” Cato started. “Does your team already have an official name?”

“Valkyries,” Fiona answered.

“Hehe, pretty cool, isn’t it?” Karen snickered. “I helped sis come up with it.”

“I suppose it’s fitting.” Cato nodded.

As the name implied, Valkyries was an all-female team. However, unlike some other such teams that popped up in the past, this one wasn’t formed as a publicity stunt. Fiona definitely wasn’t trying to promote gender equality in gaming or anything of the sort.

The team was formed this way out of necessity. After all, it was born within the suffocating environment known as St. Mary’s Junior High for Ladies.

I’m really curious how Fiona convinced a traditional school that esports is a fine activity for a “proper lady”, or whatever nonsense that school preaches. But, at the same time, I’m a little scared to ask.

It was probably all about money anyway. The Landberht family has been making very generous donations to the school for generations, apparently due to some ties to its foundation or such.

So, even when the Landberht Princess came forth with such an “absurd” request, the school couldn’t turn her away. At least, that’s how Cato pictured it going down.

Ultimately, what mattered was the end result: Fiona’s participation in this year’s Classmancers regionals, alongside her “sister” and some other unknowns from a prestigious all-girls school. So, regardless of whether the Valkyries will grow strong enough to rival powerhouses like the Leopards and StormBlitz, the freshly baked all-female team was bound to make waves in the scene. For one, they’ll attract lots of media attention for sure.

And, I’ll make sure to be there to watch them crash and burn~ Cato smiled impishly. He wished for Fiona’s success as much as he wished for her inevitable failure. As unlikely as it is, I sincerely hope she climbs all the way to the finals this year. Then, I’ll have the pleasure of tearing her apart in front of the greatest crowd~

With that, the weekly meeting with the Landberht Princess came to an end. The final score of their chess matches was as depressing as usual, but even in Classmancers Cato found himself stumbling a couple of times today. Truly, what a long and exhausting day it was.

"Karen, can you please escort our guest out?" Fiona requested.

"Eeeeh?" Karen sulked.

"I am sorry. This took a little longer than I expected, so I have to start getting ready for swimming practice."

Is she still not done “practicing” for today? Cato made a face. This girl is a machine.

Before meeting up with Cato, Fiona was apparently taking piano lessons. After that, she played chess and Classmancers, both on a fairly high level. And, next, she’ll go swimming? Truly, there was no rest for this superhuman.

"Okay, gotcha." Karen saluted. "I'll escort this loser."

"Thank you." Fiona smiled warmly and patted her sister's head. 

"Okay, let's get going!" Karen led the way with great enthusiasm.

My, wasn't she bummed out about this task just a moment ago? Cato made a face. It appears that when it's for the sake of her dear "sister", this brat is hyper-motivated to do absolutely anything. So simple-minded~ I'd even dare to call it cute.

"You don't have to escort me if you don't want to," Cato said. "I've been here enough times. I know where's the exit."

"No can do," Karen said. "Sis's orders are absolute. Well, I mean, I also think it’s kinda unnecessary, but I guess it's etiquette or whatever?" 

"How very noble of you." Cato smiled wryly. Even in this modern age, the Landberht family cared a little too much about its noble image. Though Cato was a frequent guest, the household never cut any corners with hospitality... aside from Karen’s shenanigans, of course.

"So, how was it?" Karen asked with a wide grin. "Sis is getting better and better, right? Right?" 

"Yes, she is. Frightenedly so," Cato admitted. "She felt like a completely different player compared to the last time we played, and it wasn’t even that long ago."

"Hehe~! Amazing, right?" Karen smiled proudly as if she was the one who deserved the achievement. "Looks like all the extra lessons paid off. And, of course, she had plenty of practice with yours truly."

"I figured you spar a lot," Cato said. "Some of her plays reminded me of the tricks you pull. Though, too bad I'm used to them by now."

"Hmph. You ain't used to shit, boy. C'mon, first-to-ten me once you get home! I'mma run all over you!" 

"Spare me, milady. I'm but a human, so I need to rest sometimes." Cato sighed deeply.

Today's schedule was so packed it sucked all his energy dry. He had the usual intense Classmancers practice at the club, which was cut short for the sake of a far more tiring strategy meeting, which was followed by chess, and then followed by Classmancers duels. There was no rest for the wicked.

"Hmph, weak. And you call yourself a boy?" Karen placed both hands on her waist. "Just so you know, sis practiced track after school, then piano, then she played you, and now she got swimming. AND, after all that, she gonna have a chess match against a grandmaster."

"My, what a schedule. There’s no doubt in my mind she’s a machine.”

"Sis is just that amazing~" Karen's eyes sparkled as she talked. She sounded like a fanatic worshipping a goddess.

Well, it's not like I don't understand. Cato thought. Even he, who has known Fiona for years, felt a little bit of reverence in Fiona's presence. The Landberht Princess was like a real royalty, with a majestic aura that submitted everybody around her.

Karen continued raving about her dear sister even as the two of them reached the gate.

"It's fine to worship your sister, but what about you?" Cato asked. "You got such a great environment for developing yourself. Why don't you also practice track, piano, swimming, and especially chess?" 

"Are you implying I'm being lazy?" Karen shot him a glare. "Just so you know, I join sis for jogs and swimming most of the time. Even now, I'd rather join the swimming lesson than escort some eyesore."

"Is that so. What about chess, then?" 

"Dodge me with that shit. Some things are just too nerdy. And, piano isn't my thing either."

"I hope you join her Mancers lessons, then." 

"You bet I do." Karen nodded. "Rodriguez is real good at teaching, totally different from that weird witch. Like, she's sorta good at teaching I guess, but that playstyle... ugh."

"I get what you mean." Cato smiled meaningfully. "Esmeralda's playstyle is definitely an acquired taste. You need a really good understanding of the game to consider playing like that."

"Nah, it's just lame," Karen argued. "What's the point of playing like some wuss? It's just lame. It's like you're giving the opponent the upper hand for no reason. That shit is dumb."

"It works for me."

"Yeah, because you play like a pussy. Real talk, first-to-ten me after you get home. I'mma mop you ten times straight!"

"If I feel like it." Cato ignored the provocation. They've faced each other frequently enough for him to know their standings.

Their BO10 tournaments usually ended with at least 6-4 in Cato's favor. Though recently, there has been a couple of 5-5s in the mix. 

Unlike the "newbie" older sister, Karen was a player with years of experience under her belt. And, when it came to barbaric combat like the one promoted in Duel, this girl had what it took to rival Cato.

Karen and Fiona alone already make the Valkyries a dangerous team. That’s good, very good. The stronger the enemy, the more satisfying it is to crush them to bits~

"Well then." Cato passed through the gate. "I hope Fiona will get even better by next week."

"Just you wait. Sis will kick your ass all the way to the moon by then! And, I'm ready to do the same right here and now, so stop running away and come BO10 me!" 

"My, do you really want to play with me so badly? I'm honored."

"Hmph. Who'd want to play with a scrub like you?" Karen shoved her finger into Cato's face. "I just wanna avenge sis for today, that's all. I can't let you go to sleep thinking you won today, you know." 

"Heh, alright," Cato said. "I'll hit you up later if I feel rested enough."

"You better do, or I'll go over there and stab you in your dreams."

“With the toy knife, I hope.”

“Who knows~”

"I'll report you to your dear sister." 

"Dead men tell no tales, biach."

On that note, the two of them parted ways. It was the end of Cato’s busy schedule for the day... or, at least, that’s what some would think.

In truth, with or without Karen's invitation, Cato intended to practice Classmancers some more in the evening. The word “rest” ceased to exist from the moment he donned the mantle of the Leopards’ captain.

From the moment school ended, it was all about Classmancers, Classmancers, and some more Classmancers. And, occasionally, he managed to slip in some chess into the mix.

Perhaps, a machine like Fiona would merely sneer at a schedule like this. But, for the average middle schooler, it was quite the job.

With that said, Cato wasn't the only member of the Leopards with such a packed schedule. While he was busy playing against Fiona today, another member of the club was partaking in an important battle elsewhere...

He was the last member of the Leopards, the mysterious "Emperor" nobody outside the club has seen on stage so far. And, his opponents? None other than the Sweepers, the region's C-League team starring familiar names such as Ignis and Esmeralda...