The fifth game between StormBlitz and Leopards reached its final stage. After gaining momentum during mid game, StormBlitz maintaiheir lead and pushed the Leopards ba Bot and Mid. No matter how hard Jeried to turables around, her team was stantly overwhelmed.

  The main culprit was Gunz who dominated for the sed game in a rely thanks to the kill he scored on Jennifer. It gave him just enough lead to go on a wild hunt. Despite pying a defensive Carry, his super accurate super long snipes were the bane of existence for everybody.

  Dude was legit aim-botting, no joke. Like, how the heck was he nding every shot from across the whole ne? Hax!

  The enemy ancer, Average, was also a huge pain it. In term of skill, Average didn’t seem like anything special, just like his name. Yet somehow, he mao create trouble every time.

  In the first game, Average did a crazy switcheroo with his finished build and pulled a kamikaze stunt on Jennifer. In the previous game, he pyed a very nasty Beastmaster who pushed the speed of light. And this game, his ancer popped all over the map and burst pyers down, then quickly got out by rewinding time. That sneaky little...!

  Despite all that, the Leopards fought relentlessly till the very end. Jennifer’s performance was ckluster and she was aware of it, but that didn’t stop her fr. She kept trying and trying and trying, believing the Leopards break through.

  DEFEAT

  Damn. Jennifer sighed. They couldn’t do it, huh. Everybody must have seen this result from a mile away sidering her underwhelming performand how dominant Gunz and Average were, But, they all fought by her side to the bitter end.

  “Good game, guys.” Jeood up, f herself to smile. “These scrubs were kinda better than what we expected, right? But make no mistake: any other day we’d mop the floor with them. Today was just a hiccup.”

  “We went, 1-4, though.” Albert pointed out.

  “Oh shush you.” Jennifer made a face. “Every game today was hel close. If we subbed Alex earlier... ” She paused. “Anyways! We were real close! o feel bad!” She wasirely sure whose spirits she was trying to lift, the team’s or her own. “Okay guys, let's go ahe formalities doh.”

  Both teams gathered in the ter of the stage. There were some rules about how they were supposed to line up... probably. Jennifer couldn’t be arsed to remember. She just secured the beginning of the line. She’s the captain, so surely she gotta stand at the tht?

  “Good... Game...” The boy in front of her starched a shaky hand. Whoa, what’s this guy? He’s pale like a freakin’ ghost and looked like he could colpse at any moment.

  “Yeah, good game.” Jennifer shook the ghost’s hand. If memory served, this kid was the vice-captain of StormBlitz. At least, until these crazy guys decided to kick out their otain.

  So, did it mean this kid was the netain? Like, he’s just a freshman. Was Jennifer’s team really done in by a bunch of greenhorns? Bloody hell. How did her team lose!? How!? To a bunch of rookies! Dang it.

  But she had to admit, these guys pyed well today. They deserved at least some respect. Like, not TOO much respect but at least a little. Some of there were definitely worthy oppos to keep an eye on. Who knows, she may fae of them in high school.

  “Who’s Gunz?” Jennifer asked out loud.

  “Yo,” A blonde guy fshed his teeth and stretched his hand. “Breaker, right? Your bos were sick! Good game.”

  “Hm, thanks. Good game.” Jewisted her lips as she accepted the handshake. It almost sounded like he was making fun of Jennifer after beatiwo games in a row, but there was something ear about his smile and eidshake..

  Well, at least there’s no way this guy was a freshman, right? Like, he retty tall and all. It'd be the end of her if she learned she was beaten by a freshman in one of her main roles.

  “What year are you?”

  “First year.”

  “Wha-!? A freshman!?”

  “Yep, freshly baked. Haha.”

  “You shitting me...” Jennifer facepalmed. What the hell was wrong with this team? A freshman captain and a freshman meical monster? Daaaamn, these guys gonna rock the middle school se in a year or two. Too bad Jennifer wouldn’t be there to see it.

  “Two years,” Jennifer decred. “Once you get to high school, I’mma kick yo ass for real.”

  “Looking forward to it.” Gunz grinned, fident he’ll mop the floor with Jennifer without any trouble. Cocky kid, heh.

  Besides Gunz, there’s one muy who gave Jennifer a shitton of trouble today. I swear, if this guy is also a rookie...

  “Who’s the major leaguer wannabe?” Jennifer asked. “You know, the oh the parries.”

  “That's me, the one and only.” A guy stepped forward. Tall, tanned and got some thick muscle on him. Looking hel fine. Ah, ahem! That's beside the point.

  So this was CleaupHitter, huh. That pesky guy who pulled off miraculous parries, which put Jennifer’s anti-parry practices to shame. Even though his overall impa the games was inparable with Gunz’s, for Jennifer he was actually the greater mystery out of the two.

  Nobody bothered to learn parry. Like, nobody. Seriously. In her entire club, not a single pyer challehis beast of a meic. Many tried of course, because parrying was hel cool. It ended up as just a meme for them. A eme, but that's it.

  Yet, the guy standing in front of her made it work. He tamed this beast of a meid unleashed it on stage. His parries were even game gers on a few occasions. That's just amazing. Putting aside how he was some major leaguer wannabe, Hitter was a crazy guy.

  He wasn’t a freshman too, was he? Like, there’s no way anybody master parrying to this level on their first year. Besides, he’s too tall and buff to be a freshman. Though, the same kinda applied to Gunz too. Geh, so hard to tell.

  “Don't worry,” Hitter chuckled. “I’m not a freshman, so o feel bad about losing to me, lol .”

  “W-Wha!?” Jennifer felt her cheeks heating up. T-This freaking guy! She had to shoot something back! “Huh, using ‘lol’ in real life? That’s like super me. It’s even more embarrassing to know I lost to a guy like that.”

  “Says the girl who named herself after a meme from the previous millennium.”

  “Geh,” Jennifer ched her fists. “Don't wanhat from a guy who pretends he's pying baseball.”

  “I actually pyed in Little League though. Was even the up and everything. Pretty cool, huh?”

  “Wait, seriously?” Jennifer blinked. Well, Hitter was really kinda buff, so it’s possible. The up, huh. The fourth batter, the team’s best slugger. That’s really cool. Ah, like, not THAT cool or anything. Hmph.

  “So,” Jennifer tinued. “What the heck a ‘up’ is doing pying Mancers?”

  “Reasons.” Hitter shrugged.

  “Hmmmm.” Sounded mysterious, but Jennifer didn't pry any further. Bottom lihis guy really pyed baseball before and he probably carried over his batting sense in the form of parrying. Not bad. “Hey,” She pulled her phone. “Gimme your number.”

  “Lol, you hitting on me?”

  “Wha, no!” Jennifer waved her phone in denial. I-It’s not like that! And why was she even overreag in the first pce!? Dang it!. “I just wanna work on tering parries, and you’re like the only guy in the whole world who uses them.”

  “Impressed by my skill?”

  “Hmph, you’re not too shabby, I guess.” Jennifer crossed her arms and gnced away. “So , let’s exge numbers so we arrange games.”

  “I dunno, though,” Hitter rolled his eyes. “Sounds like you just gonna use me to improve yourself. What’s in it for me?”

  “Um,” Jennifer knitted her eyebrows. Right. Welp. What was there? Err. “Well, look at it this way: you gonhe number of a pirl. How’s that?”

  “Oh, you gonna introduce me to some chick?”

  “Wha, that's not what I...” Jennifer ched her phone. Yeah, my bad! Excuse for not being a "pirl”! Nobody eves me like a girl anyway, hmph! Dang it.

  “Okay,” Hitter took out his phone. ”I’m game.“

  “Seriously? I’m not introdug you to anybody, ya know.”

  “You’re also fine.”

  “W-Wha!?” Jeook a step back. Her heart squeezed. hat was going on here right now!?

  “I mean,” Hitter said. “You throw some tricky pitches, so batting against you gonna be good practie too.”

  “O-Oh, that’s what you meant. Huh, yeah. I, um, pretty good at that stuff.” Jennifer's words were a jumble. A weird wave of heat traveled through her body. What the hell was wrong with her? She shook her head tain her senses. “You better be grateful you get the ce to py to against an amazing pitcher like me. I may not look like it, but I pyed some baseball ba grade school. Was usually the pitcher and stuff.”

  “Lol, a girl pitcher? That’s hot.”

  “Y-Yeah, it sure damn is.” Jeuttered for some reason. Gah, every little thing this guy was saying ticked her off for some reason, “Anyway, what’s your number?” They exged numbers, the her phone away. “Okay, wrote you down as ‘Dat lol guy’.”

  “And you're ‘Dead meme chick’.”

  “Yeah, whatever.” Jennifer chuckled. “I’mma text you about practice ter, so make sure to cheessages.”

  “Sure. Wouldn’t want to miss any messages from a ‘pirl’, lol.”

  “You know it.” Jeuro her teammates and cpped once. “Okay, let's... Whatcha all ughing at?” Her teammates gave her funny looks, giggling for some reason.

  “We’re just happy for you,” Albert said with a stupid smile on his damn face. “You got yourself a boyfriend.”

  “Oh shut it.” Jennifer waved her hand. “Besides, he's one year youhan me.”

  “Already making excuses?”

  “You know, I think I liked you more when you talked less.” Jennifer gave Albert a look. “You’ve been kinda bossy st game too, nitpig every little thing I did.”

  “I just pointed out your what you could have doer. Not my fault there was a lot to point out.”

  “Snarklord,” Jennifer lightly punched him on the shoulder. “Well, let's go. Coach must be waiting to give us an earful.”

  “Guys, bme everything on Jenny.” Albert preteo whisper.

  “I heard that!” Jennifer waved an angry fist on her way out. Though, it's true she messed up a lot st game.

  By now, Jennifer came to terms with the fact she had a lot to lear came to non-bo csses. Basic practice wasn't enough. She had to go out there and fighting with her rank points at stake. Okay, the goal for tomorrow is a hundred matches as Pirate! No, a thousand! Yeah, that sounds good.

  As for practig anti-parrying teiques, she now had dat lol guy. Awesome. Everything was set. She kly what she had to work on, so she gonna improve a whole lot before the regionals. If anybody climbs from sed string to first string, it gonna be her!

  “That’s a good look you got.” Coaodded in approval.

  “I just figured some stuff.” Jennifer smiled wryly. For her, pying Cssmancers was about pying bo. Until now, she only focused on that art and treated non-eta csses as basic level stuff.

  But, Cssmancers wasn't such a simple game. Unless she genuinely practices all the important csses, she’ll never bee a truly godlike bo pyer. Even DimensionShift didn’t use bo every game, despite being ed as the top bo pyer in the world. Jeill had a long road ahead of her.

  “Finally,” Coaodded. “Looks like things I’ve been telling you from day one finally sunk in. Good girl.” He tried to pat Jennifer’s head.

  “Yeah, I guess.” Jennifer jerked away. She wasn’t some little kid, dang it. “We lost a buncha times today, but I really learned a lot. These were some good matches.”

  “True, true. But, that’s not going to spare you kids from a long review session about all today's losses.”

  “Fuuuuun.” Her shoulders dropped.

  The day, Jennifer arrived at the club room at 6am. They had optional m training, but that started at 7am. She had been attending that m practice every day, but it’s been a while since she got here so early. When was the st time, again? Probably sometime ba her first year, back when she was fighting her hardest to climb out of her noob rank.

  It’s been a long time since she felt like this: frustrated and hungering for improvement. There's tons of work to do and little time. She had to py at least hundred games a day with every meta non-bo Carry and Mid css, then she’d be ready fionals for sure!

  “Hm?” Something was off. Jennifer ied the key, but the lock didn’t turn. Huh? Oh, the clubroom’s door en. Did somebody fet to lock again? Seriously, these guys.

  Jennifer removed the key aered the room.

  “Oh.” Her bag slipped off and crashed into the floor. Even though it was 6am and even though actual m practice would only begin in an hour... somebody was already here.

  “You’re early,” Alex said nontly as if it’s totally normal for him to be here. Yeah, totally normal. Nothing odd about this situation. It’s just that the zy bum who always skips practice happeo e here at 6am. What’s ? Elephants gonna rain from the sky?

  “Is today April's Fool or something?”

  “Not really.” Alex looked away. “Just felt like practig a little. Feel kinda rusty.”

  “Rusty doesn’t even begin to describe you,” Jennifer gave him the evil eye. “It’s a miracle you even still remember how to py.”

  “Hey now. I’ve at least been pying some Ranked.”

  “With just one css, apparently.”

  “.......” Alex couldn’t e up with a retort. Ha! 1-0 to Jennifer.

  “I’ll do it.” Alex procimed. “I’ll practice as hard as it takes to make up for the time I lost. This time, I’ll definitely make it into the first string.”

  “Hmph, big words.” Jennifer shrugged. She itched to shoot some more thorny words at him but decided against it. This must be the first time in ages she didn't feel like pung Alex in the face the moment she saw him.

  Alex procimed he’ll get into the first string no matter what, just like he cimed ba first year. Back then, they often came to the clubroom at 6am like this and worked themselves to the bone. Fun times.

  “Well then,” Jennifer put her hands on her waist and lifted her . “I’ll be damned if you beat me to it. It’s a race! I gonna bee a starter way before than ya!”

  “I see that happening.” Alex shrugged. “So, you also figured something from that match?”

  “Not your business.”

  “I see.” Alex returo monitor in front of him. “I’m doing a warm up with my other main csses. Wanna join?”

  “Nah, I got something more fun,” Jennifer smirked and pulled out her phone. She called “Dat lol guy”. It took the call a while to get through.

  “... What?” A zombie answered from the other side.

  “GUUUUUTEN MEEEEEN!!!”

  “Agh! My ears- whoa!” A loud thump resounded.

  “Pft, you okay there?” Jennifer ughed. Did he drop his phone or something? The guy must have been spooked shitless, haha!

  “You just murdered my ear...”

  “That’s what you got another one for.” Jennifer snickered. That felt oddly satisfying for some reason.

  “What do you want anyway? It's like six now...” A loud yawn followed

  “What do you mean ‘what I want’? I texted you yesterday about practig parries today at six.”

  “I don’t remember replying, though...”

  “Yeah, exactly. So, it means you don’t have any objes!”

  “10/10 logic, much genius...”

  “I knht?” Jennifer ughed. Then, silence desded on them.

  Awkward. She actually started feeling a little guilty for waking up the puy like this. Like, she only met him yesterday and she’s already pestering him at 6am. “Err, so back to sleep.”

  “Like I could. My ear is still ringing.”

  “Haha, sorry, sorry.”

  “To hell with it. I’ll practice with you.”

  “Really!?” Jennifer jumped.

  “Yeah. Just gimme a few minutes. I gonna parry your attacks so hard they’ll fly outta your s and smack you in your stupid face.”

  “Hoho, we’ll see about that.” Jennifer grinned. “Call me when you’re ready. I’ll send you an invite.” All she received in response was a loud yawn that vaguely resembled affirmation. Good enough for her.

  “Everybody says you got yourself a boyfriend,” Alex said with a stupid smirk across his fabsp;

  “They’re just making shit up.”

  “You do look happy, though.”

  “Heh, of course, I am!” She poiraight at Alex, stabbing him with an imaginary ser beam. “I gonna perfect my anti-parrying teiques, the some experieh non-bo csses and shoot all the way to the first string!”

  “And then invite your boyfriend to a date? Sounds like a pn.”

  “Gah! Will you all drop it already!?” Jennifer waved an angry fist. She got no time for such stupid crap right now.

  The regionals are in a few months. She gotta practice, practid practice! This time, she had a clear idea what she was g and what she gotta focus on. It won’t be easy, but she’ll make it for sure! Her fight for a starter position gonna start for real today!