Chapter 106: Overwatch Winter Tournament Finals – 3

R̈ea​&d;& ;ｏn̂​ ​Ǩa&t;R‌ea​đί​ñģCa​fｅ​

The Modified 3-3 Utilizing Sombra.

The ‘Blue LUV’ team, fully leveraging this composition, successfully secured the first set with ease.

The team’s morale soared accordingly.

However, Da-jeong remained calm until the very end, resisting the urge to get overly excited.

“They’re not a team that will go down so easily.”

While waiting for the opposing team’s strategy timeout to end, Da-jeong fidgeted with her hands, her subdued eyes fixed on the monitor.

Having a former pro-level coaching staff is a tremendous advantage.

Especially in a multi-game series where analyzing the opponent’s strategies and strengths is crucial.

That’s why Da-jeong had no doubt that the opposing team would come up with a solution.

『The match will begin shortly! ‘Blue LUV’ team, please prepare!』

『Yes!』

As the strategy timeout ended and the tournament organizer’s announcement echoed, the ‘Blue LUV’ team finished their preparations and lightly stretched their hands.

【The ‘Nyangtamon and the Butlers’ team struggled significantly against the Sombra composition prepared by the ‘Blue LUV’ team. I’m really curious how the second set will unfold!】

【That’s right. Especially since they chose Volskaya, their preferred map, through the map selection advantage. If they win this set, they can reset the momentum. It feels like a crucial turning point!】

【I see. Then, as you mentioned, Volskaya has been selected for the second set! What countermeasures has the ‘Nyangtamon and the Butlers’ team prepared for this map? Let’s dive right in!】

As the commentators continued their discussion, the match began, and a snow-covered base map unfolded before their eyes.

『Are we going with the same plan?』

『Yes, we don’t really have other options.』

Starting on defense, the ‘Blue LUV’ team once again chose the 3-3 composition and exited the base.

One might wonder why they would abandon Sombra after using it so effectively.

But in this case, it’s not that they’re choosing not to use Sombra—it’s that they can’t.

The addition of Sombra is fundamentally designed to disrupt the fast tempo of a 3-3 composition, quickly charging her ultimate to secure team fights with EMP.

While this strategy works well when attacking, where capturing a point can be done in a single push, it’s a different story on defense.

When constantly fending off the opponent’s onslaught, Sombra often struggles to charge her EMP before the sheer force of the 3-3 overwhelms the defense, leading to defeat.

In fact, during the first set, the ‘Blue LUV’ team had switched back to the standard 3-3 when they had to defend after the attack-defense rotation.

Fortunately, the opposing team, perhaps wary of Sombra, had brought out a standard composition instead of a 3-3, allowing the ‘Blue LUV’ team to secure a win with their 3-3 strength.

However, this also meant that observant players could spot the weakness of the modified 3-3 utilizing Sombra.

[The attack has begun. Capture the point.]

【Oh?! This time, the ‘Nyangtamon and the Butlers’ team is using Sombra!】

【It seems they’ve judged that Sombra is more effective on attack! Given that Haru, who plays D.Va, originally mains damage dealers and has extensive experience in Overwatch, it’s a viable pick!】

• Wow
• Your comp is insane lol
• They’re copying it already? Crazy

As if to prove this point, the ‘Nyangtamon and the Butlers’ team, now on attack, brought out Sombra.

The commentators and viewers alike expressed their excitement at this development.

While it’s impressive to see the opposing team reverse-engineer their secret weapon, it also raised questions about how the original architects of the 3-3, the ‘Blue LUV’ team, would counter Sombra.

『Alright, let’s go for it!』

『Let’s go, let’s go!』

As the ‘Nyangtamon and the Butlers’ team emerged from their base with high tension, Da-jeong, who was guarding the front, widened her eyes momentarily before regaining her composure.

‘……!’

The opponent playing D.Va was nowhere to be seen.

This likely meant they had also picked Sombra, just like her.

She had considered the possibility, but she hadn’t expected them to change their strategy and deploy Sombra after just one set.

『Everyone! They have a Sombra! She probably flanked us!』

『They have a Sombra?!』

『They’re using Sombra too? Oh no, this is bad.』

As Da-jeong’s urgent briefing reached the team, sighs echoed from the ‘Blue LUV’ team.

This was understandable, as they weren’t particularly adept at countering Sombra themselves.

After all, the ‘Blue LUV’ team was the first to use the modified 3-3 with Sombra.

While they had plenty of experience using it offensively, they had little experience defending against it.

『I’ll go look for the flanking Sombra! The rest of you, just hold the front! They’ll have to wait for their Sombra to engage anyway, so stalling is enough!』

『Got it!』

Fortunately, there was at least one person on the team who knew how to counter Sombra.

However, this was only theoretical knowledge.

Given that the 3-3 composition relies heavily on team synergy and mechanical skill to dominate, it’s difficult to gain an advantage against a Sombra-based modified 3-3 at a non-professional level.

Knowing this, Da-jeong had deliberately chosen Sombra earlier.

‘First, I need to find the Sombra.’

Knowing the general flanking routes Sombra would take, Da-jeong left the team fight to her teammates and circled around to search for Sombra.

Of course, since Sombra can remain invisible while moving there’s no way for D.Va, without special skills like Hanzo’s Sonic Arrow, to visually spot her.

However, there is a way to force her out of stealth.

Bang bang bang-!

【Huh?! Is Lulu shooting randomly into the air to try and find Sombra?】

【That’s a common flanking route for Sombra! She’s actually right next to Sombra! Haru might get caught!】

That’s right.

By utilizing D.Va’s wide shotgun spread and unlimited ammo, Da-jeong fired randomly into the air, hoping to land a lucky shot and reveal Sombra.

Sombra’s stealth is merely a means of hiding her body—it doesn’t grant invincibility.

If hit by a stray bullet, her stealth is forcibly broken.

Zing-

[Were you looking for me?]

As bullets sprayed like pepper in all directions, the Sombra passing nearby was eventually hit, revealing herself with her stealth-breaking voice line.

『Hey! I’ve been spotted! D.Va is behind us!』

『No wonder I couldn’t see her.』

『The D.Va is missing, so she must’ve gone to find Sombra. Lulu is seriously amazing….』

• She found her lol
• Wow lol
• This disrupts Sombra’s tempo, crazy
• I really want to praise her lol

However, thanks to Sombra’s overpowered escape tool, Recall, she managed to survive and retreat.

But the problem was that if Sombra was temporarily forced out of the fight, D.Va could rejoin the main team and turn the tide.

『I’ve pushed out the Sombra! We need to push now!』

『Okay, let’s push!』

『I’ll speed boost us!』

With Da-jeong rejoining the team after chasing out Sombra, the ‘Blue LUV’ team, boosted by Lúcio’s speed, surged forward.

Facing a 5v6, the opposing team had no choice but to retreat.

Fortunately, due to misaligned focus fire, no casualties occurred.

Drrrrr-

『Sombra is behind us!』

『I’m hacked! I can’t enter the barrier!』

『Ah…! I’m the one hacked this time?!』

Even though Da-jeong had managed to chase out Sombra once, given Sombra’s ability to stealthily flank from anywhere, it was impossible to catch her every time.

Eventually, the ‘Blue LUV’ team found themselves experiencing the same difficulties the ‘Nyangtamon and the Butlers’ team had faced earlier, as they were pincered by Sombra’s backline harassment and the opponent’s frontal assault.

Especially since Sombra’s hacks primarily targeted Reinhardt, Ra-hee, who was playing him, was on the verge of losing her mind.

With hacks coming in at intervals of less than 10 seconds, her barrier kept dropping, leaving her as defenseless as a turtle without its shell.

『My ultimate is almost ready! Get ready to fight!』

『Call out when you use it! I’ll dive in right away!』

Amidst the stalemate with no casualties, Sombra’s ultimate charged up unilaterally, just as Da-jeong had done earlier.

It was clear that if this continued, they would be hit by EMP, leading to a repeat of the first set.

In this situation, Da-jeong desperately called out to Yuna, trying to find a way out.

『Yukiko-chan! EMP is coming soon! Hide near the health pack on the left!』

『Huh? M-me…?!』

Why was it not Genji, the primary assassination target, or the low-health healers, but rather herself that Da-jeong told to hide?

Yuna, who didn’t understand the reasoning behind this, expressed her confusion.

But Da-jeong paid no heed and continued to calmly relay her orders.

『If you’re the only one who avoids EMP, we can manage! As soon as you hear the EMP sound, run out and give Lucretia-unnie a barrier to save her!』

『Uh, okay. Got it, I’ll try!』

Hearing this, Yuna quickly hid in the left room.

And just as she did, the opposing Sombra perfectly timed her ultimate, throwing her Translocator high into the air.

Sombra’s movement skill works by teleporting her to the location of her Translocator, and she often uses this to drop from high ground while activating EMP.

Whoosh—!

[Apagando las luces!]

『EMPPPPPP!』

『Everyone except Lulu and Yukiko got hit by it! What do we do now?!』

As expected.

When Sombra appeared mid-air, spreading her arms to unleash EMP, everyone except Da-jeong, who was positioned at the far right of the second floor, and Yuna, who was hiding behind a wall, was hacked and unable to use their abilities.

[The hammer is coming!]

To make matters worse, taking advantage of the lack of barriers due to the EMP, the opposing Reinhardt followed up with his ultimate, Earthshatter, leaving four members of the ‘Blue LUV’ team flat on the ground.

At that moment.

Zing—

Yuna, who had been hiding, rushed out and shielded Lucretia, the Reinhardt at the front, with Zarya’s barrier, successfully enduring the burst of focused damage.

『Hey, they’re trying to save Reinhardt!』

『No, I’ll charge in!』

But the fact that they were still unable to use their skills remained the same.

Nyangtamon’s Reinhardt attempted to use his Charge skill to pin the defenseless opponent against a wall and secure a kill.

However, the care for Lucretia didn’t stop there.

Whoosh—!

As Nyangtamon’s Reinhardt charged forward in a straight line, Da-jeong’s D.Va, who was on the second floor, used her Boosters to dive down to the first floor, positioning herself like a wall in front of the fallen Lucretia.

『……?!』

Reinhardt’s Charge skill only affects the first enemy it hits, pinning them against a wall for massive damage.

So, of course, Nyangtamon had no choice but to drag D.Va, whom she hadn’t even targeted, all the way to the wall and slam her into it.

『No, we can still do this! Just push the main fight!』

『Focus Zarya first! If we take her out, it’s over!』

Haru_is_Haru > BlueLUVYukiko

It was a perfect counterplay, but the ‘Nyangtamon and the Butlers’ team wasn’t fazed at all.

Instead, they quickly focused and eliminated Zarya, who had rushed forward to save Reinhardt.

In the end, while Da-jeong’s first plan was executed flawlessly, her second plan—keeping Zarya alive to quickly charge her ultimate and win the team fight—failed.

【Ah, the ‘Blue LUV’ team! It was a perfect counter, but they fell just a bit short in the follow-through!】

【Losing Zarya was a big blow! Despite Lucretia’s Reinhardt receiving care, the intense focus fire made it hard to hold on. It looks like the ‘Nyangtamon and the Butlers’ team will narrowly secure the first point!】

Thanks to Da-jeong’s orders, they had briefly found a way out, but falling just short in the team fight cost them the first point.

With the opposing team quickly pushing into the second point, the ‘Blue LUV’ team ultimately lost the second set.