The Valkyries' next scrim will be against StormBlitz. Following the announcement, the club shifted its focus toward training for this difficult challenge.

To kick it off, they held multiple review sessions in order to extensively study StormBlitz's lineup. In each session, they focused on one player from StormBlitz and analyzed them in depth: their playstyle, habits, strengths, weaknesses, preferred classes, and so forth.

For most of the members, there were less than ten official games to study. Especially, there was very little data on Adapting and Venus due to how often they switched around.

However, Aegis and Athena were different. These two played on StormBlitz’s first-string in the previous year, so lots of data was readily available.

As such, a large portion of the reviews focused on this dynamic duo. It was up to Karen and Lua to handle these powerful adversaries in Bot.

"Heh, bring it on!" Karen exclaimed. "I'mma beat the shit outta these Greek myth bozos!"

"Karen, language."

"Yeah, yeah." Karen rolled her eyes and smiled mischievously.

"Um, actually," Lua started. "My nick is also from Greek mythology..."

"Huh? You mean 'Nike'?" Karen asked. "I thought it was a reference to the shoe brand."

Lua narrowed her eyes. "Why would I name myself after a shoe brand..?"

"Pft, I dunno. I figured it’s because you like them or something? Haha.” Karen burst out laughing. “So, who's this 'Nike', anyway?"

Before Lua got to answer, Andria had already taken the stage. “Nike is none other than the goddess of victory!” Andria spread her arms theatrically as she spoke. “She is closely associated with Athena, as both of them promise to bring victory in war!”

“Wait, so the Greeks made up not one but TWO gods for winning wars?” Karen asked. “Damn, they sure want to stay winning, huh. I like that attitude.”

“Athena is associated with other subjects as well, such as wisdom and handicraft,” Andria explained. “On the other hand, Nike is all about the raw concept of victory, regardless of the field. It can be war, it can be arts, and it can be games. She would bring victory in just about anything.”

“Heh. And here I thought Aegis and Athena were pompous names.” Karen smirked. “Turns out our Lua over here has the most holier-than-thou nick, haha!”

Lua pouted in response. “T-That wasn’t really the idea behind this name…”

“Oh?” Karen raised an eyebrow. “It’s not for asserting dominance?”

“No, it’s just that I was inspired by the way Athena played last year, so...”

“Oh, so it’s like a declaration of war.” Karen nodded in understanding. “I see, I see.”

“Eh, not quite…” Lua was getting tired of trying to explain it at this point. A part of her was willing to just let Karen weave whatever fiction the girl wanted, just so they could move on from this topic.

Thankfully, Andira came to the rescue. “Allow me to clarify. You see, it is a well-known fact that many ancient gods can trace their origins back to other, older gods. Over time, myths and traditions evolve, and so do the gods the people worship.”

“Huh.” Karen tilted her head. “Okay?”

“While some regard Nike as her own separate entity, others believe her origins trace back to Athena. In other words, they believe Nike is merely a facet of Athena herself.”

“I’ll be real, I almost wanna say this sounds like a conspiracy theory… except neither of these gods is real in the first place so it’s kinda dumb lmao.”

“Yes.” Andria nodded. “To the modern person, it may seem silly to debate the origins of two fictional gods. However, the subtle historical connections can add undertones to stories, and even to nicknames.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Karen merely shrugged in response. It was unclear whether she actually grasped the entire picture behind Andria’s explanation.

“Gotta say,” Karen continued. “You sure like this kind of fiction, huh.”

“But of course!” Andria asserted. “Theatre originates from Greece and many of the early plays were related to the gods. So, it’d be blasphemy for an actor like myself to not be well-versed in the history of my own craft.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Karen shrugged. “So Lua, why did you pick Nike anyway?”

“Um, well…” Lua glanced aside, her cheeks tinted pink. It was clear by now that Karen completely missed the memo during Andria’s explanation, which surprised absolutely nobody. But, maybe it was for the best. “I-I just thought it was a reassuring name.”

“Reassuring?”

“Um, you know, the goddess of ‘victory’ and all…”

“Oh, I see.” Karen nodded in understanding. “So basically, you wanna be the goddess of GG EZ GAME.”

“Um, not exactly like that...” Lua made a face. “But yes, I wanted a nick that radiates confidence. I actually came up with the name after watching Athena in last year’s regionals.”

“Oh, so you’ve been following the competitive scene for a while now?”

“Just a little,” Lua said. “Back then, I only checked out the finals between Leo and Storm. I was curious about the skill level of other middle schoolers around here.”

“Heh, I bet you were disappointed, right?” Karen shook her head. “I mean, this region’s level is pretty meh apparently.”

“Not at all!” Lua said. “I thought it was amazing!”

“Oh? Really?”

“Yes!” Lua insisted. “It was amazing to see that other players my age can play so well! Before, I’ve always thought only adult pros can play at that level.”

“Yeah, I guess Leo and Storm did put on a decent performance that year,” Karen agreed. “I didn’t watch the whole thing, but there were some nice rounds there.”

“That’s where I came across the name ‘Athena’,” Lua explained. “Just the name alone already made the player seem strong, and her playstyle fit like a glove.”

“Fit how, exactly?” Karen asked. “Was the Athena from mythology also a lame zoner who ran away from opponents 24/7?”

“She wasn’t ‘running away’, these were ‘tactical retreats’.”

“Uh-huh. That’s what people in denial always say.” Karen rolled her eyes. “All I saw was the girl running away like a pussy.”

“Karen, language.”

“Whoopsie, heh.” Karne playfully stuck out her tongue. “Anyway, I don’t see it. If being a hardcore turtle matches the image of ‘Athena’ for you, then I’m sorry to say that Athena must’ve been a hella lame goddess, haha.”

“Them’s fighting words.” Lua pouted. “I'm sorry to say, Karen, but it seems you don’t understand the finesse of it.”

“Oh? I see somebody suddenly got defensive.” Karen smiled confidently. “Okay, then explain to me like I’m five. What’s so cool about running away 24/7?”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"She didn’t run away," Lua insisted. "Athena has a defensive playstyle despite being a Carry. It's an atypical approach that requires a lot of game knowledge and adaptation to execute."

"More like, it's just straight-up bad," Karen argued. "A defensive Carry? How’s that even supposed to work? It’s all backward! The Carty's job is to carry, it's literally in the name. You can't carry when you play passive."

"Except, Athena can make it work. That's why it's impressive."

"That kinda thing can only work when the rest of the team does all the legwork,” Karen claimed. “I mean, if the Carry isn’t the one pushing things forward, then somebody else is gotta do it instead, right? I wouldn’t call that kind of arrangement something that ‘works’.”

"To remind you," Fiona said. "One of the Leopards' Carries plays in a similar fashion. Though, you did not get the chance to play against him in that role in the scrimmage."

"You mean that Merlin guy, right?" Karen recalled. "Yeah, he also reeks of the same lameness as Athena. I looked over some of the games he was in and all I can say is BORING."

"You just don't understand." Lua puffed her cheeks and turned away. This was a surprise. The girl was usually fragile as a leaf, but she showed some backbone when it concerned things she cared deeply about.

“Heh, somebody’s getting emotional here I see.” Karen smiled wryly. “But, you’re right. I really don’t get how it works. The entire idea of that playstyle clashes with the fundamentals of carrying the game.”

"Fortunately, you will have the honor of playing Athena soon," Fiona said. " That will be your chance to show us just how 'bad' her playstyle really is."

"Bring it on!" Karen puffed her chest. "I'll show you how a REAL Carry should be playing!"

"I am looking forward to it."

"Also, Lua," Karen called out. "It’s fine that you're fangirling Athena and all, but make sure you help me beat her in the actual match, okay?"

"Of course." Lua nodded. "It'll be a great honor to play against her, and I’ll respect the occasion by giving it my all!"

"Good, that's what I wanted to hear."

"In fact, I have done lots and lots of research on her playstyle and quirks!" Lua's eyes lit up. "So, I'm sure I know everything about her! Maybe I even know her better than she knows herself!"

"Eh, cool...?" Karen was taken aback by that explosion of passion.

"I definitely know her strong points, weak points, her preferences, etc. I can teach you eeeeeverything!" Lua's glittering eyes were turning crazier by the moment. The girl was legit obsessed. Talk about a big yikes.

"Alright, alright, I get it already." Karen nodded repeatedly to get that obsessed fangirl off her. “I don’t need that much info. I already know the gist of her playstyle, so it’s all about cracking her turtly defense!”

“It isn’t that simple,” Nakajima said. "Make sure you study your opponent well, Karen. I suspect Athena will prove to be a difficult opponent for you in particular."

"Huh? Why's that?"

"Because you have a bad habit of picking fights,” Nakajima explained. “No matter how many times I point it out, you refuse to learn."

"Well, if there’s a good opportunity to fight then I fight, you know?" Karen said. “It’s impossible to get anything going until I commit to an attack at some point, right?”

"That’s exactly the kind of mentality Athena likes exploiting the most," Nakajima said. "She will make you believe there’s a good opportunity to fight her, only to lead you into a trap. Or, she will run away from you to make you believe you're in control of the situation, only to turn the tables on you the moment you carelessly give chase."

"So, what you’re saying is that she plays dirty.”

"Call it what you wish,” Nakajima said. “The fact remains you must be vigilant against her at all times. Lua, make sure to supplement Karen with private lessons on this topic.”

"Gladly!" Lua smiled from ear to ear.

“Ugh…” Karen groaned. Lua’s obsessed smile scared her for real. This fangirl was more than ready to preach about her lord and savior for days in a row.

"In general," Nakajima continued. "Lua and Fiona spent the last couple of weeks looking into everything related to StormBlitz together with me, so make sure to discuss all the important details with them. If there’s something they don’t know, that’s where I’ll step in."

As a rule of thumb, Nakajima preferred to let the kids figure things out on their own. Analyzing opponents was an important skill that every player should be accustomed to, and there wasn’t a better opportunity to practice it than the regions.

On that note, the Valkyries started today's review session by talking about none other than Athena, the slippery snake of StormBlitz. As the Carry, she was a high-priority target and she was very aware of it. So much so that she used this fact to her advantage, luring enemies into traps.

Together with her on the same lane was Aegis, the ever-trusty shield that protected her from all threats. He was StormBlitz's captain and shot-caller, which made him Fiona's main rival in the tactical warfare department.

Under Aegis's command, StormBlitz boasted a defensive playstyle, similar in some ways to Leo’s. Nonetheless, there was a fundamental difference between their approaches. Cato used defensive strategies to slowly strangle his opponents, whereas Aegis focused on ensuring his team had no openings.

On the surface, it looked as if both teams had the same game plan in mind. They both took things slowly as they gradually adapted to their opponents. However, while Leo often dragged the game out to exhaust, StormBlitz was more than willing to take the offensive after they’ve finished building up their advantage.

For Fiona, it was crucial to understand the minute differences in the mentalities of the two shot-callers. By deconstructing all the details, she could form optimal countermeasures against their respective teams.

Still, there was no question that StormBlitz was also ultimately a hyper-defensive team just like Leo. The match the two teams had a few months ago must have been one of the most drawn-out matches in Classmancers' history. Merely thinking back on that tedious scrim made Fiona sigh.

Cato employed his typical approach on that day, hoping to corner his opponents and slowly strangle them like a snake. However, this time, his opponents were just as good as the Leopards in playing the long game.

In the end, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, both sides stuck to their preferred playstyles. It was essentially a cold war out there.

Expecting that kind of development, both teams picked late-game comps in advance. As a result, the early-game and mid-game were very uneventful. Karen was yawning nonstop throughout these segments.

The only players who tried to get things going before the late-game were the Leopards' Bot duo: AbsoluteWinner and AbsoluteChallenger. However, their attempts saw little in the way of success, for they were up against the enemy’s most formidable wall of defense: Aegis and Athena.

In the end, not much happened during the early phases of any of these games. The entire outcome of a game was usually decided by one or two decisive moments in the late-game.

And so, due to how fatal a single late-game mistake could be, both teams were extremely cautious and compact with their plays. This only dragged out the games that much longer. Admittedly, even Fiona was struggling to maintain her interest the whole time as she watched.

Of course, she understood that many fine details went into the defensive tactics of both teams even during the stale parts of the games. Even though both sides refused to commit to any big plays, they kept wrestling over resources while prioritizing safety. There was much to learn from that cold war.

In particular, this tactical warfare showcased the key differences between Cato and Aegis’ shot-calling philosophies. Cato insisted on maintaining an unbreakable defense all the way through, whereas Aegis at least attempted to deliver low-risk attacks every once in a while.

Nonetheless, in practice, any clash between the two defensive forces boiled down to a battle of attrition. Many of the shot-calls were not designed to win, they only tried to “not lose”. So, while there was much to learn from these high-level tactics, the core mindset behind these plays was not Fiona’s cup of tea.

I would much rather play to win than hole up in a defensive position. Fiona thought. There are surely ways to launch low-to-medium risk attacks that would strike true even against this level of defense.

But, that was easier said than done, especially for teams that had already polished their defense to such an extent. For them, it must have felt most reassuring to rely on what they perceived as their greatest strength, especially in this important clash between titans.

All in all, StormBlitz and the Leopards were evenly matched on that day. Each game could go either way and was ultimately decided in the late-game, either by somebody's blunder or by somebody's masterful strategic decision.

StormBlitz won the first game. After that, the Leopards adjusted by changing their lineup, replacing Winner and Challenger with Rook and Merlin. This won them the second game.

For the third game, StormBlitz subbed in a new player for the first time this year: Venus. The girl’s performance did not seem very stable, perhaps the nerves were getting to her. Nonetheless, her occasional bursts of explosive aggressiveness proved difficult for Theorist to handle.

Overall, the game was neck-to-neck, but StormBlitz ultimately came on top by having access to better offense. And so, the match was at 2-1 in StormBlitz’s favor.

Apprentece subbed into the game in response to this development, probably against Cato’s will. This move was equivalent to gaining supernatural aid, which was going to diminish the achievements of the rest of the team.

Naturally, with Appretnece on the team, the Leopards had no trouble winning. They focused Mid in particular, which exposed many flaws and instabilities Venus had. This led to her being replaced by Adapting for the final game.

Adapting had a more stable performance in Mid, he managed to deflect most incoming attacks. However, his offense did not pack nearly as much power as Venus’, so StormBlitz could not find a way to mount any powerful attacks until the very end.

And so, the scrimmage ended with a 3-2 in the Leopards’ favor. StormBlitz was in the lead early on, but all their chances went out of the window the moment Appretnece subbed in.

Meanwhile, our team could not even force Appretnece to take the stage. Fiona thought. But, we have come a long way since then. I will prove that by defeating StormBlitz.

That was when the idea of facing StormBlitz sprung to mind for the first time. It was Fiona’s idea to make up for the terrible performance against the Leopards, as the two teams were evenly matched.

But, will the Valkyries be able to measure up to the 2nd strongest team in the region? With optimal preparation, victory should be possible. At least, that was what Fiona firmly believed.