Kashmiri: Please keep our deal, Aspect, and I shall uphold it as well.
Key couldn't help but grin while looking at her colored screen after she won over Aspect in their second match.
In the first match, she drained and contained Aspect's shinigami, Blitz, to frustrate him, then she snatched the Hydra from his team just when they're about to claim it, she sent an in-game chat telling the Evocatrice-user to paralyze Aspect, and finally, she left his shinigami alive as they dealt the final blow on his base tower.
The final move was quite similar to what she did to Flack, only that she wasn't the one stunning Aspect's shinigami this time.
In the second match, she used Blitz and Aspect used Chasseur, this time she didn't contain him, but that doesn't mean she didn't snatch Hydra from his team again, she just finds it very entertaining to watch Aspect's team do all they can to deal damage on the Hydra only for her to steal it.
Her in-game teammates also snatched the Kitsune and the Manticore from Aspect's in-game teammates, as if taking after her example, which planted doubt in Aspect's system that Key might've colluded with her in-game teammate but he can't call that out since he's playing with substitutes for their team.
As if watering the seed of doubt planted in Aspect, the off-laner from Key's team chose Ausu in the second match and began doing the stun-attack combo that Key usually does when she's using an assassin-type shinigami.
Who played as the off-laner for Key's team in the second match?
The very first troublemaker that Key contacted; TL.
TL stumbled upon the invitation for the match between Key and Aspect and decided to join, as he is the one whom Key entrusted with sending the hardcopy of the agreements to the base of Dominant Rooks, he knew the situation and decided to play with Aspect's mind.
Usually, TL would stay in the shadows and would only move according to his primogenitrice-mere's orders and just send the invitation to the troublemakers who have been playing with Key since her match against Flack.
The four troublemakers who have been playing alternately with Key are Nova, Sigrid, Coeus, and Coda, though they aren't always awake at the same time because of the difference in time zones, and only two of them are awake most of the time, TL only contacts the troublemakers who are on shift to play with their primogenitrice-mere.
While Key's shinigami was in the Hydra's Lair in the second round, she didn't notice that El passed by behind her and saw her screen, he was about to remind her to eat lunch.
He noticed that the username of Key's opponent is similar to the forward of Dominant Rooks, but because the other names in the Hydra's Lair were unfamiliar, he thought it's just a fan's account.
After eating her lunch, Key checked her phone that she left in the gaming area and saw that she received a message from TL.
He reported about the current movements on Dominant Rooks' side.
TL: They don't have a choice, mere, the last clause is basically a trap because of the breach of contract fine.
Key chuckled when she saw TL calling the last clause a 'trap', but she can't deny that indeed, she had weaved the non-disclosure agreement between her and the four remaining members of Dominant Rooks to her favor.
In the contract between Key and Flack, there was no fine stated, and that's fine because having them know she studied law was enough for her to stand her ground.
As for Aspect, Sythe, Lynch, and Ratchet, the contract is slightly different.
Key still finds it amusing that these four attempted to intimidate her by suggesting a fine should they break a contract, and yes it wasn't Key who suggested the fine, it was these four who suggested it.
In Key's understanding, they must've been thinking that even if they bullied Key, she wouldn't have any choice but to stay silent unless she'd like to pay a fine, and it never crossed their mind that Key might actually have assets worth hundreds of trillion.
According to their negotiation, with the assistance of the corporate lawyers from Dominant Rooks' side, the fine for breaching the contract between Key and Aspect is three million, between her and Sythe; it's four million, between her and Lynch; it's three million as well, and between her and Ratchet; it's five million.
A sum of fifteen million if one of the five of them fails to comply with one of the clauses, and even if it's just one of the four players who complained, the three other members of Dominant Rooks who signed the agreement with Key will be breaching the non-disclosure agreement as well.
This fact meant that Key can mock, frustrate, and torment all four of them while playing and they won't be able to do anything, they can't exchange information or express irritation to the other members, not even Flack because secrecy is covered by their non-disclosure agreement, so they will have no choice but to bottle it up.
Bottling up frustrations, added with the seed of doubt that TL's movement planted on Aspect, will surely push their mental endurance to the limit until they burst open, and when that happens, the troublemakers involved will have the fifteen million for themselves, and Key has another bullet to shoot at the Dominant Rooks.
They breached the contract, not only will their ego as players be bruised, but their dignity and reputation in the E-sports Social circle will also be affected, in short, they have more to lose than to gain in this match against Key.
They just don't know and realize that yet.
"You're done?" Opal asked and Key smiled before nodding
"Yeah, I already collected twenty gold medals and twenty silver medals today," Key smiled
"You didn't go play in the Beast Classic?" Alexei, who had just finished his Beast Classic Match, asked
"Nope, but I might next training," Key said and logged out of the game
"How much airtime have you accumulated today, Key?" Opal asked and Key looked up
"Just four hours this afternoon, then two hours in the morning, which makes six hours so I just need to stream for twenty-five more hours," Key replied
After lunch, she went streaming while playing in the server classic, the comments are not as fiery as they used to be but from time to time, there are some nasty and mean comments that Key just ignores.
To avoid stirring suspicion, Key would often stream very early in the morning to make up for the time she spent in her secret matches and so she won't have to cram and experience the 'hell week'.
"Oh, you only need five more days, huh?" Alexei said
"Hmm, maybe on the day after tomorrow and the following days, I'll complete it," Key replied
"Team," Bright called their attention
"Once you're done with your matches, we have some things to discuss with you in the strategy area." Bright told them and Key stood up
"You're done already, Key?" Dewy asked and Key nodded
"Me too," Quant said and stood up
They turned off the computer before they followed Bright and Dewy to the strategy area.
"You haven't been going on air frequently." Quant opened up a conversation as he opened a pack of nuts
"I'm trying new combinations I can use in matches," Key said while smiling
"What for, isn't Chasseur the only shinigami you have a love-hate relationship with?" Quant asked
"My usual gaming routines are getting easier to read for our opponents since I always use it, I thought I should try making new ones," Key replied
It's not entirely a lie, but instead of trying, she's actually practicing her old and almost unused gaming tactics while playing against Flack and Aspect.
"That's a good idea, Key," Dewy commented and Key smiled
It didn't take long before they were complete in the strategy area, with Rasheed arriving last.
"Okay, now that we're complete, you are all aware of who we will be facing tomorrow, right?" Bright asked and they all nodded
"We've faced them in the Autumn Play-offs," Dewy said
"They're our first opponent, and our match against them is the first match of the Autumn Play-offs." El recalled and everyone else nodded
"We'll be switching Alexei as off-laner," Bright said
"Since Key has played with them before, they are aware of her gaming tactics, so Alexei will be playing instead of her," Dewy said
"This is also to prepare for the International Prometheus League since we are most likely to reach the IPL Qualifiers." Bright said
"Any questions?" Dewy asked and no one spoke
"Alright, then, let's talk about our strategy for tomorrow's game," Bright said
They spent the next two hours discussing their strategy for tomorrow's game.
Key did not mind that Alexei was switched in for the next match, she thinks that this would be better for JLNC because she is very aware that what she is doing can get her in trouble.
She's moving independently and secretly, and this could get her contract terminated and she might be fined for breaking the contract with the company but money is never an issue for her.
"Good luck, good sir," Key told Alexei who smiled