As the vision cleared, a warrior appeared at the end of the hallway.
A woman in a white silk robe, adorned with light armor. She held a spear taller than herself in one hand, its blade shining silver as it pointed downwards.
The white aura slowly rising was clearly laced with hostility.
There was no need for conversation between them.
With what seemed like a promise, they dashed towards each other, closing the distance.
In this Arena of Duel, there was nowhere to hide and nothing that could hinder their weapon swings.
Finally, the blade of her crescent moon sword posed the first question.
Are you worthy to stand before me?
That powerful strike surely carried such doubt.
Nice form. Sharp too.
But not fast.
If I allowed that white attack to hit me, it would surely wreck my health bar.
I gracefully evaded to the side and pressed down on the spear from above.
Sealing your weapon for a moment.
I couldn’t hold it for long with my strength, but it should be fine.
In this fleeting gap, I could still swing my dagger.
Going straight for the neck was greedy. I aimed to scratch the forearm instead, but the opponent ducked away.
I decided to be satisfied with having gained positional advantage.
Right. It would be troubling if the promising candidate couldn’t even avoid this.
After all, this was a team with Luce on it.
Now, it seemed like she was trying to pull out her spear, as the weapon I was standing on shook.
First, gotta recover the weapon before anything else.
Not a bad judgment.
Of course, the warrior’s strength stat was significantly higher than an assassin’s.
If she intended to lift it with determination, I had no choice but to let go.
But there was one thing most overlooked…
They don’t know how strong they truly are…
“What the…!”
I willingly released the spear that was trying to ascend and instead stood atop it, securing my stance by bending my legs inward.
As soon as I steadied myself, my body shot upward at a rapid pace.
Using her strength to propel me, I swiftly sliced her nape with my dagger.
Swoosh-!
Bright red blood sprayed as I secured my first hit.
[‘Laceration: Additional Damage’ effect successfully activated.]
[Enhanced bleeding poison effect has been applied to the enemy.]
Characters in Infinity Black are superhumans that far exceed the biological limits of human beings.
A body as small and thin as mine could be lifted with just one hand.
In reality, no matter how much force I put into my legs, I would struggle to lift my own weight, but in this world, it was a different story.
With that much force applied, my weight posed no obstacle.
The opponent was a monster capable of moving weights of dozens of kilograms effortlessly.
With the right means, riding on such a weapon is indeed possible.
“Have you never faced anything like this before?”
Ah, that’s a bewildered face.
An expression brimming with raw emotion.
Naturally, I couldn’t help but smile in return.
Of course, I didn’t intend to end it there.
We were at a distance where we could reach each other’s fists. However, I was at a slightly higher position.
The warrior hastily tried to shake me off, but it was already too late.
“You underestimated me.”
“Ugh…!”
I leapt from the spear, delivering a blow to her side.
With the opposite dagger, I struck her foot and jumped up.
As I hopped over like skipping rope, the spear passed beneath my feet.
[‘Vital Hit: Internal Organs’ effect successfully activated.]
[‘Enhanced Bleeding Poison’ effect has been applied again.]
[‘Enhanced Bleeding Poison’ effect has been changed to ‘Unstoppable Bleeding’.]
This game was practically over.
I gifted a dagger to the back of her shoulder while clinging to the warrior’s waist.
In such close combat, a spear-like weapon becomes more of a nuisance.
Since I had reached behind her, it was essentially a mount position.
There was some resistance on her end but… the situation had already tipped too far in my favor.
I stabbed her belly with my dagger repeatedly, and as my hand moved downward, I cut her throat to finish.
Eventually, the warrior’s body crumbled.
To put it bluntly, it was faster than I expected to determine a victor.
[You have won Round 1-1.]
[The next battle will begin in 3 minutes.]
[Battlefield: Fairy Tree Great Forest]
Before the second match began, the first thing I did was review what had just occurred.
What did the opponent think was the reason for their loss?
If so, what solutions would they bring for the next?
The moment that determined the fight was crystal clear.
The first attack, thinking they could test my skills, was the offensive that lost them the weapon’s control.
That was when the unfavorable battle began.
If they had just used the long reach of the spear from the start, the story might have gone differently.
I bet you reached the same conclusion.
There’s no need for an attack, which won’t land, to be powerful.
So, let’s lighten the body a bit and focus on counterattacks and distance maintenance to rebuild.
But if they truly thought that way, they would soon end up regretting it.
Long-range weapons aren’t exclusive to just you.
You probably never experienced that in the Pro League?
[Equipped the Cruel Gale: Pehidin’s Cursed Chain Scythe.]
*
Meanwhile, the two streamers broadcasting the match were getting hyped up.
Especially, Elderin showed unexpected talent.
Sulbbang was already a recognized streamer in their own right, but Elderin wasn’t known for her skills.
But since the moment the broadcast was decided, her diligent studying paid off.
“Ah, the Fairy Tree Great Forest! Generally considered a battlefield favorable for assassins, what do you think, Sulbbang?”
“That’s generally accurate. In fact, the concealment and elevation advantages of the Fairy Tree have long been the turf of assassin classes. Especially Gawol—don’t even get me started. I’ve experienced it plenty myself.”
“Aha! Then does that mean Camelian is at a disadvantage this time?”
“Well, not quite. The first round had both sides engaging in close quarters with limited opportunities for skill use, but I think this one will be different.”
Sulbbang went on with his lengthy explanation.
A long-standing drawback of the warrior class is the special cost known as stamina.
If they can’t recover stamina with proper defense or counters, they can’t utilize their skills effectively—a major limitation!
However, in the mana-rich Fairy Tree Great Forest, they benefit from accelerated stamina recovery.
Coincidentally, Camelian came with a build focused on counterattack and utility.
The kind of close-quarters chaos we saw earlier won’t happen again.
If Gawol carelessly charges in, they’re practically showing their head to a lion’s maw.
As soon as he said that, Sulbbang chuckled.
It was because both players were visible.
“Hah, I was just joking, but she’s really using that. Do you see? She brought a chain scythe against a secondary pro player.”
“Wow…! For those who’ve ever played as an assassin, everyone can relate that a chain scythe is a really tricky weapon. It’s been controversial in terms of practical use, but now it’s on the test bench.”
“Actually, this isn’t the first time a chain scythe has appeared. It’s popped up occasionally in the Japanese League, but usually as a supporting role. However, Gawol’s build…it’s clearly focused on the chain scythe as the main weapon.”
In the domestic scene, only Gawol uses this weapon.
That’s why its practicality was frequently questioned.
Meanwhile, assassin users were urging for published gameplay footage.
As soon as this news spread, the viewer count skyrocketed.
– Wait, Gawol won the first match?
– Seriously? Camelian lost when it wasn’t even on the field?
– No way, it’s really the chain scythe!
– Is there no way to watch from Gawol’s perspective?
The speed of the chat was too fast.
It was beyond ordinary reading ability.
To check the public opinion, I had no choice but to pause scrolling for a moment.
Sweat trickled down Sulbbang’s forehead as he continued the broadcast.
I thought this would cause some stir. But I never expected it to be this big.
The situation was escalating too fast. Once spilled, water cannot be picked back up.
“The distance is closing, and look! Gawol from the high ground spots the opponent first.”
In battlegrounds like the Arena of Duel, where opponents can be seen directly, finding and attacking first is generally the privilege of the assassin classes.
Among all users, Gawol had ambushed more opponents than any other assassin.
While pro-gamers dedicated time to battle, Gawol focused solely on killing the opponent.
A chain scythe struck down under the fairy tree without a sound.
So, Gawol’s ambush failing wasn’t due to quality but simply the acknowledgment of the opponent.
Fueled by rising competitive spirit.
[‘Warrior’s Spirit: Sixth Sense’ effect has been activated!]
[An enemy has approached within 10 meters.]
As the system message rang, Camelian turned around.
The blade rising from below collided with the chain scythe, producing a clear sound.
As golden energy gathered at the spear’s tip, the warrior drew a crescent arc.
The wind shot out, slicing the branches of the Fairy Tree.
The assassin moved to another branch, but the warrior’s attack didn’t cease.
No matter how they moved, the warrior’s momentum soared, determined to cut down any branch they land on.
“You can definitely feel the difference this time, Camelian!”
“Camelian’s counters have been regarded as another level in the 2nd league. Her unprecedented reaction speed and relentless pursuit of opportunities! This match won’t be easy.”
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