Rebooting the Arena

Chapter 74: Alex’s Support Role

While the rest of Phoenix Reborn focused on honing their combat strategies and crowd control to neutralize waves of beasts, Alex was in the background, working tirelessly to refine his role as the team's support and healer. In every battle, especially against beast-heavy teams like the Crimson Reapers, the success of their tactics depended on Alex's ability to keep the team alive while they dealt with constant harassment from summoned creatures. If he faltered, the team would crumble.

The previous scrimmages had shown Alex how quickly things could spiral out of control if he wasn't positioned perfectly or if his healing rotations were off by even a second. The Crimson Reapers' beasts—wolves, bears, boars, and the like—targeted the backline, and Alex often found himself dodging attacks while trying to keep the team's health stable. Now, it was time to refine his support role to ensure that Phoenix Reborn could face the Reapers' relentless aggression without being overwhelmed.

In the training hall, Alex stood at the center, reviewing his skillset and planning how he could better adapt to the upcoming challenges. His primary abilities—Guardian's Grace, Time Reversal, and Celestial Salvation—were powerful, but they needed to be used with perfect timing and positioning to have their full impact.

Kai approached Alex as the rest of the team prepared for another simulated battle. "We're counting on you to keep us going," Kai said, their tone serious but encouraging. "We're going to be hit hard from all sides. Your positioning is going to be key—if you get caught by the beasts, it's going to get messy fast."

Alex nodded, his expression calm but focused. "I've been working on it. The trick is going to be staying mobile, using the terrain to my advantage while making sure you all stay within the healing zones. I'll also need to watch for when the damage spikes—Time Reversal has to hit at the right moment."

The simulation battle began. Just as before, waves of summoned creatures charged at the team, while AI summoners in the background continued to call forth more. Tariq braced himself at the frontline, holding the creatures back, while Lena used her crowd control to freeze and stun the advancing beasts. Kai and Nina were already moving through the battlefield, targeting the summoners to stop the endless waves of creatures.

But this time, Alex was determined to stay one step ahead of the chaos.

As the first wave of beasts hit, Alex activated Guardian's Grace, creating a radiant field around the team that boosted healing and absorbed some of the initial damage. The aura pulsed gently, restoring health to Tariq, who was taking the brunt of the attacks.

"I've got you, Tariq," Alex said calmly, his eyes focused on the battlefield as he kept an eye on the team's health bars.

Tariq, who was blocking attacks from multiple wolves and boars, grinned as his health stabilized. "Keep it coming, Alex. I'm going to need everything you've got."

But the battle was far from over. As more beasts charged in from the forest, some of them split off from the main group and began targeting the backline—where Alex was positioned.

"Alex, watch out!" Kai shouted as two wolves broke through the front and sprinted toward him.

Alex saw them coming but stayed calm. He quickly repositioned, moving into a healing zone he had placed earlier while casting Time Reversal on himself, undoing the damage from the initial strike. The wolves snapped at him, but with Guardian's Grace still active, his health was restored before it dropped too far.

"I'm good, but they're trying to split us up," Alex called out, moving again to avoid the wolves. "I need more time!"

Tariq, hearing the call, pushed forward with a powerful Earthshaker, stunning the wolves and giving Alex the breathing room he needed. Meanwhile, Lena unleashed Glacial Prison, freezing the wolves in place and preventing them from harassing Alex further.

"Thanks," Alex said, casting a quick healing burst on the entire team. "Back to focusing on the frontline."

As the battle intensified, Alex's role became even more crucial. The summoners had brought in a fresh wave of bears and boars, crashing into the team with devastating force. Tariq's health began to drop rapidly, the damage from the beasts overwhelming even his enhanced defenses.

Without hesitation, Alex activated Time Reversal on Tariq, restoring him to full health and negating the damage from the most recent attacks. "You're back to full, Tariq. Don't let them push you back."

But the creatures weren't giving the team a chance to regroup. Nina and Kai were still working on eliminating the summoners, but the waves of creatures kept coming. It was clear the AI had been programmed to simulate the kind of constant pressure Phoenix Reborn would face against the Crimson Reapers in a real match.

In the heat of battle, Alex knew it was time to use his most powerful ability—Celestial Salvation. He had been holding it back, waiting for the right moment, and now that the beasts had begun to overwhelm the team, the time had come.

"I'm activating Celestial Salvation!" Alex shouted as he raised his hands, summoning a glowing, ethereal field around the team. The resurrection zone flared to life, giving the team a temporary revival shield. If any member of Phoenix Reborn fell during the battle, they would be instantly resurrected with full health.

The effect was immediate. Kai, who had just been hit by a critical strike from a charging boar, collapsed for a moment, only to be revived instantly by Celestial Salvation. Kai blinked in surprise but quickly regained their composure.

"Back in the fight," Kai said, a grin forming. "Nice timing, Alex."

The team, reinvigorated by the resurrection shield, pushed forward with renewed strength. Tariq held the frontline, bolstered by Alex's healing, while Lena unleashed a devastating Elemental Cataclysm, wiping out the majority of the remaining creatures. Nina finished off the last of the summoners, and the battle finally came to a close.

When the simulation ended, the team gathered in the center of the training hall, catching their breath. Kai looked at Alex with a satisfied nod. "That was perfect, Alex. Your positioning was spot on, and you kept us alive through everything they threw at us. Celestial Salvation was a game-changer."

Tariq, still energized from the fight, grinned. "You saved me more times than I can count. We wouldn't have held that frontline without you."

Lena, her calm voice steady, added, "You kept the pressure off us, and that gave me the space I needed to control the battlefield. The timing on Time Reversal was perfect."

Alex, always modest, smiled but kept his voice calm. "It's all about timing and staying mobile. I knew they were going to come for me, so I just needed to make sure I wasn't an easy target. As long as I can keep you guys healed and avoid getting trapped, we'll be fine."

Nina, as quiet as ever, simply said, "You kept us alive. That's why we won."

With their tactics refined and Alex's support role fully integrated into the team's strategy, Phoenix Reborn was ready for the Crimson Reapers. They had faced the pressure of beast-heavy tactics in simulations, and Alex had proven that he could handle the relentless harassment from summoned creatures while keeping the team healed and stable.

The real challenge was still ahead, but with Alex mastering his support role, Phoenix Reborn had a solid foundation to build on as they prepared for the National PvP Circuit Qualifiers and their inevitable rematch with the Reapers.

Alex refined his support role during intense simulation battles, learning to keep the team healed while avoiding harassment from beasts. His precise positioning, timely heals, and use of Celestial Salvation were critical to Phoenix Reborn's success, making him the anchor the team needed to survive the chaos of battle.