The Bottom Lane had become a battlefield of patience.
Neither Ruko nor Inori was willing to give the other even the slightest opening.
For several long minutes, the two former Nerva players continued their relentless exchange from opposite sides of the lane. Neither committed fully to an attack. Instead, they constantly tested one another, throwing abilities, retreating, repositioning, and waiting for the smallest mistake.
Estan's mobility allowed Ruko to repeatedly step forward, release a burst of magical energy, and immediately retreat before Yamashiki could punish him. Every movement was calculated. He never stayed in one place long enough for Inori to capitalize on his positioning.
But Inori was doing the same.
Yamashiki's greatest strength was her versatility.
With four different weapons at her disposal, Inori could constantly alter the way she approached the fight. Depending on the firearm she equipped, her effective range, attack pattern, and pressure changed. Ruko couldn't simply memorize one pattern and react to it. He had to read her weapon choice every time she switched.
Gamma rattled through the lane in a rapid burst of gunfire.
Ruko immediately shifted Estan sideways.
The bullets tore through the space where he had been standing only a moment earlier.
Inori instantly followed with another attack.
Beta's rifle flashed.
A single sniper round screamed across the lane.
Ruko barely moved Estan out of its path.
The projectile passed through the empty space beside him before disappearing into the distance.
There was no hesitation.
Ruko counterattacked.
Estan surged forward, closing the distance with a burst of movement before releasing another spell toward Yamashiki.
Inori reacted immediately.
Yamashiki stepped backward, narrowly avoiding the projectile as it skimmed past her.
Ruko attempted to follow.
Inori repositioned again.
Another shot.
Another dodge.
Another exchange.
Neither player could establish control.
Yet while the battle remained perfectly balanced in terms of positioning, their health bars told an entirely different story.
The constant trading had slowly chipped away at both heroes.
Ruko's health had fallen dangerously low.
So had Inori's.
The colors of both health bars had shifted toward red.
Approximately ten percent remained.
One mistake.
That was all it would take.
The audience recognized it at almost the same time.
The atmosphere inside the venue changed.
The cheering gradually faded as thousands of spectators leaned toward the screens, unwilling to look away. Even the commentators lowered their voices, understanding that the next few seconds could determine the outcome of the entire exchange.
"They're both at critical health!"
"Neither one can afford to get hit now!"
"One ability could decide this!"
"And neither player is backing away!"
The tension spread through the venue.
From Mid Lane, Hikari stared at the enormous screen in disbelief.
"They're still fighting?!"
Her eyes remained locked on the Bottom Lane.
"At that health?!"
Nearby, Kana had been moving through the bushes around the river when she noticed the situation. She stopped in place, staring at the screen.
"They're seriously going to keep fighting?"
Risa remained much calmer.
Her attention moved between the battlefield and the minimap as she carefully studied every movement.
"They're waiting for the other person to make the first mistake."
Kana glanced toward her.
"But they're both almost dead."
"That's exactly why."
Risa's voice remained composed.
"Neither of them wants to retreat first."
On the Bottom Lane, however, Inori wasn't thinking about any of that.
She was smiling.
Her fingers moved smoothly across the controls as Yamashiki shifted from one position to another.
Despite having barely any health remaining, Inori wasn't nervous.
She was enjoying herself.
In fact, she was enjoying herself more than she had expected.
Every exchange demanded her complete concentration. Every movement Ruko made forced an immediate response. Every ability he cast presented her with another decision.
There was no room to think about the audience.
There was no time to worry about the school.
Her teammates, the exhibition match, the expectations surrounding Seishin Academy—all of it had disappeared from her mind.
There was only Nervanox.
Only Yamashiki.
Only the opponent standing across from her.
And, for Inori, that feeling was intoxicating.
She had missed it.
She had missed the sensation of being completely absorbed in a match, where every second mattered and every decision carried consequences.
More importantly, she had missed facing someone who could actually challenge her.
Someone who could force her to think.
Someone who could keep up with her mechanics instead of simply reacting to them.
One mistake could decide everything.
That possibility didn't frighten her.
It thrilled her.
Inori's smile widened slightly as she stared at the screen.
"Ruko..."
Yamashiki moved forward.
Almost simultaneously, Estan shifted into position.
Another exchange began.
Ruko released a skill.
Inori dodged.
Yamashiki fired.
Estan barely avoided the shot.
Ruko countered.
Inori moved again.
The two heroes continued dancing around one another, each attempting to predict the other's next movement.
Their health bars remained dangerously low.
Neither player was willing to blink first.
Then—
Something moved inside the nearby bush.
It was barely noticeable.
A faint rustling sound.
A subtle flicker.
Nothing more.
Neither Ruko nor Inori reacted.
The sound was too quiet to immediately register as a threat.
The audience didn't notice it.
The commentators didn't notice it.
Even Inori, whose entire attention was focused on Ruko, failed to notice the danger.
Then a sudden flash of light erupted from the edge of the bush.
Inori's eyes widened.
"What—?"
Yamashiki turned.
But she was already too late.
A burst of energy shot out from the concealed position and struck Yamashiki from the side.
The attack came from an angle Inori had completely neglected.
Her remaining health vanished.
The screen flashed.
FIRST BLOOD!
For a single second, the entire venue fell silent.
Then the audience exploded.
"FIRST BLOOD!"
"WHAT?!"
"INORI?!"
"WHO KILLED HER?!"
The camera immediately shifted toward the Bottom Lane.
Yamashiki's character collapsed.
The attacker was revealed.
Kazuha.
She had been hiding inside the bush.
She had been there the entire time.
Inori stared at the screen.
For a moment, she didn't say anything.
Then her expression softened.
"...Ah."
She understood.
Kazuha had been there.
The entire time.
She hadn't disappeared from the battlefield.
She had simply concealed herself, patiently watching the fight from the shadows and waiting for the exact moment when both players had exhausted themselves.
The kill notification appeared across the screen.
Kazuha has slain Inori!
A second notification immediately appeared beneath it.
Assist: Ruko
The audience erupted once again.
Even the players on Ishika High's side looked stunned.
Sukachi stared at the screen in disbelief.
"...What?"
One of his teammates looked toward the others.
"Where did she come from?"
"Was she there the whole time?"
"How did we not see her?"
Their confusion was understandable.
Everyone had been focused on the duel between Ruko and Inori.
The two former Nerva players had been exchanging attacks for so long that the battle had begun to look like an isolated confrontation.
Kazuha had been nowhere on their screens.
At least, that was what they thought.
And that assumption had been exactly what allowed the ambush to succeed.
Inori leaned back slightly in her chair.
Then she laughed.
It wasn't a laugh of frustration.
It wasn't disappointment over losing First Blood.
She was simply amused.
Of course.
She should have known.
Ruko understood her too well.
He knew that once Inori found a fight interesting, she wouldn't willingly leave it.
He knew that low health wouldn't be enough to convince her to retreat.
Most importantly, he knew that once she became absorbed in a battle, her attention would naturally narrow toward the person standing directly in front of her.
Ruko had used that against her.
He had kept her occupied.
Kazuha had waited.
And together, the two had created the perfect opportunity.
Ruko had never intended to win the duel against Inori outright.
He had simply needed to keep her attention long enough for Kazuha to arrive.
The moment the realization settled in, Inori couldn't help but smile.
She looked toward Ruko's side of the stage.
"You really haven't changed."
Now she understood the strategy.
From the moment the match began, Ruko had deliberately challenged her.
He had drawn her attention toward the Bottom Lane and encouraged her to commit to the exchange.
Meanwhile, everyone else had assumed the battle was nothing more than a duel between two former Nerva players.
But Seishin Academy had been preparing something else entirely.
The bright glow surrounding Yamashiki's fallen body slowly faded as the death animation ended.
The respawn timer appeared on Inori's screen.
Her character would soon return to the Base Camp.
Before that happened, however, Inori noticed something that made the entire sequence even clearer.
Kazuha's battle spell.
Arrival.
Inori's eyes narrowed.
Arrival allowed Kazuha's hero to teleport to another location on the battlefield after completing its channeling period. It was a spell designed to provide additional mobility and allow a player to quickly reposition themselves when necessary.
And Kazuha had used it.
She hadn't remained in the Bottom Lane after securing the kill.
Instead, she had immediately begun repositioning herself, preparing to return to the opposite side of the battlefield and continue clearing her lane.
Inori watched the minimap.
Kazuha was already moving.
Only then did Inori fully understand how carefully the sequence had been constructed.
Kazuha hadn't gotten lucky.
She had been patient.
She had allowed Ruko to engage Inori.
She had remained concealed.
She had watched both players gradually reduce each other's health.
Then, when both heroes had reached critical health, she had finally revealed herself.
Her first skill—
Flash Strike.
The ability allowed Kazuha's hero to suddenly close the distance and strike an exposed opponent.
And at that exact moment, Inori had been completely exposed.
She had been watching Ruko.
She hadn't been watching the bush.
The commentators immediately began analyzing the play as the audience continued to roar.
"That was incredible!"
"Kazuha was hiding there the entire time!"
"She waited until both of them were almost dead!"
"Ruko and Kazuha planned that together!"
The excitement spread through the venue as the replay showed the sequence from another angle.
Ruko engaged.
Inori responded.
The two continued trading.
Kazuha remained hidden.
Both health bars dropped.
Then, at the precise moment they reached critical health, Kazuha emerged.
The attack connected.
First Blood.
Risa watched the minimap carefully.
Her eyes followed the movement of every player.
"That wasn't simply a kill."
Kana turned toward her.
"What do you mean?"
"They gained Tempo."
Kana blinked.
"Tempo?"
Risa adjusted her glasses before continuing.
"The elimination gives them gold and experience, but that's not the most important advantage."
She pointed toward the battlefield.
"Inori has to respawn."
Her finger shifted toward Kazuha.
"Kazuha can return to her lane."
Then toward Ruko.
"Ruko can reset his position."
Risa's eyes returned to the minimap.
"Those actions give Seishin Academy control over what happens next."
Kana slowly nodded as she understood.
"So even though it was only the first kill..."
"It changes the flow of the entire map."
"Exactly."
The distinction was important.
First Blood wasn't simply a number appearing on the scoreboard.
It had created time.
Inori had been removed from the battlefield.
Kazuha had already begun rotating back toward her lane.
Ruko could use the opportunity to recover his position and prepare for the next phase.
For several precious seconds, Seishin Academy possessed the initiative.
On the stage, Ruko quietly watched the respawn timer.
He didn't celebrate.
He didn't raise his fist.
He didn't even smile.
His attention remained fixed on the minimap.
The first exchange had gone according to plan.
But there was no reason to celebrate yet.
The match had only just begun.
Across the stage, Inori continued staring at her screen.
Her smile hadn't disappeared.
She should have been frustrated.
She had given up First Blood.
Her hero had been caught while she was already at critical health, and the kill had gone directly to Kazuha.
Instead, Inori felt something she hadn't experienced in a very long time.
Excitement.
Real excitement.
The kind that made her forget everything outside the game.
The kind that made her heartbeat quicken as she waited for the respawn timer.
The kind that reminded her why she had started playing Nervanox in the first place.
She rested her fingers against the controls.
Her smile gradually widened.
"...This is it."
The venue continued roaring around her.
Her teammates were still discussing the ambush.
The commentators were analyzing Kazuha's positioning.
The crowd was celebrating Seishin Academy's first kill.
None of it mattered to Inori.
Her attention had already returned to the battlefield.
For years, she had continued playing after Nerva dissolved.
She had competed against countless players.
She had faced talented marksmen and battled professionals who possessed incredible mechanics.
She had won.
She had lost.
She had improved.
She had continued moving forward.
But something had always been missing.
There had been no spark.
No sense of unpredictability.
No opponent who could make every second feel important.
Until now.
Ruko was different.
Facing him didn't feel like another ordinary match.
Every exchange felt meaningful.
Every movement demanded an answer.
Every mistake carried weight.
And even after losing First Blood, Inori wasn't disappointed.
If anything, she was more excited than before.
Because now she knew exactly what kind of match this was going to become.
A real battle.
A battle where neither side could afford to relax.
A battle where one player would have to outthink the other before they could claim victory.
Inori leaned slightly closer to the screen.
Her eyes sharpened.
"Come on, Ruko."
Her smile remained.
"Let's keep going."
Somewhere across the stage, Ruko was already preparing for the next exchange.
The first kill had been secured.
The first strategy had been revealed.
And now both sides knew that the other wasn't going to play defensively.
The match had finally shown its true nature.
The real battle had only just begun.