A Basement-Dwelling Loser, the Inquisitor – Chapter 189

“What the hell…?”

Edde let out a sigh.

It was because she lost the first match by a mere 0.27 percent.

Geibolg.

Its range is extremely short, and the casting time is 0.9 seconds. It has the tricky condition that being interrupted during the casting cancels the skill, but if it hits the opponent, it’s considered a victory.

And Edde had perfectly utilized the weapon, Warhammer, and the situation to strike first with Geibolg in the first round.

Yet, the outcome was a loss by just 0.27 percent.

If she had only succeeded in just one counter or twisted the spear once more at the last moment, victory would have undoubtedly been Edde’s.

“Are you kidding me…?”

However, the real reason Edde sighed was entirely unrelated to Geibolg.

It was the gamble made by Rene that resulted in victory. Rene’s strategy to raise sand dust to obscure vision and overturn the situation and initiative posed no problem for Edde at all.

Of course, Rene was much more accustomed to such situations, but Edde had ample skill to respond appropriately.

Despite that, Edde’s defeat was due to Rene’s abnormal bravery.

No matter how much New Dimension or PvP is just a game, when a real weapon comes rushing toward you, it’s natural for a person to hesitate even slightly.

Even if one anticipated the opponent’s attack, facing a situation where one’s body might be pierced would normally cause at least a bit of panic.

In fact, there were settings in New Dimension to adjust weapon graphics quality for that very reason.

But Rene showed no hesitation at all.

In the same situation where vision was obstructed by sand dust, Rene’s eyes had barely a hint of movement even when she saw a spear thrust toward her chest.

If Rene had taken even a single step back or hesitated in any way…

Victory would have definitely belonged to Edde.

“That’s such a loss…”

The weight of the crown of being ranked number one globally was heavier than imaginable.

Of course, the only reason Edde even occupied that position was that Ga-eun had no interest in global rankings, but even considering that, it was an undeniably significant position.

And yet, to grant points to a mere streamer who didn’t even participate in ranked matches…

With that alone, Edde already felt like she had lost.

“I must win the next round, overwhelmingly…”

To preserve at least a hint of her reputation.

With that thought, Edde waited for the start of the next match.

[Ah?! Rene has switched weapons!]
[Great Sword! It’s a Great Sword!]

Facing Rene, who had switched to a Great Sword.

‘Great Sword?’

When thinking of the streamer named “Rene,” the weapon that first comes to mind is undoubtedly the Warhammer.

However, after the event of the Crusade, the Great Sword also showcased immense impact, and many fans were eagerly awaiting Rene’s use of it.

“…This is getting interesting.”

Even so, despite the impact it made, Rene’s most accustomed weapon was still the Warhammer.

The fact that she took out the Great Sword could be seen as completely ignoring Edde, or as a provocation depending on the situation…

Edde wasn’t one to shy away from such provocations.

“I will definitely win.”

★

[And that! The skill created with the Original Connect System! It’s incredibly cool, right?! I hope you show that skill here!]

Huh?

Are they talking about Aphelia that was created with the Original Connect?

That skill is exclusive to one-handed swords, isn’t it…?

[It’s fine! What’s wrong with wanting to see something?!]
[Right?!]

…Should I switch to a one-handed sword even now?

[Are You Ready?]

I could manage something similar somehow…

[Fight!]

Before those worries could finish, the game began.

…Let’s just think about this after the current round ends.

“Ha…”

Edde maintained her stance, watching me while keeping her distance.

While she might want to see how I would move, the biggest reason was probably the field itself.

The Graveyard of Burning Wolves.

It’s a field with many obstacles that hinder movement, making it quite difficult to utilize weapons like spears or great swords, which have wide attack ranges.

If I had known, I would have picked a one-handed sword.

I could have showcased Aphelia as Tuni desired too.

Well, ultimately, what matters is the now.

Putting those thoughts aside, I focused on the present.

“Ha!”

As soon as that conclusion settled in, Edde moved.

Crash!

In an instant, a wolf’s bone obscured my vision.

And as that bone shattered, five stabs came rushing towards me.

“Ah…”

Although I reacted fairly accurately, I couldn’t perfectly prevent my HP from decreasing.

Perhaps she wanted to continue this wave of pressure?

Edde’s body turned dramatically and became stained red.

Kaan!

With a clear impact sound, my body was pushed back significantly.

I managed to block with the great sword, but my HP was greatly reduced.

Since I hadn’t been able to counterattack once, Edde’s HP remained intact, sustaining no damage at all.

“Ugh…”

Using obstacles to obscure vision while launching a flurry of attacks.

Afterward, she used a gust skill to push me back and maintain distance.

It was the movement of someone who had perfectly understood the spear as a weapon in New Dimension.

Well, of course.

If that weren’t the case, it wouldn’t be possible to hold the position of global ranking champion.

…However.

This time, I began to feel that it would be slightly easier to win compared to the last round.

If my prediction is correct, I’m confident I can win the next round as well.

“Let’s focus, shall we!”
“I’m doing it…”

Edde’s spear sharply penetrated towards my leg, but I slightly twisted my leg to deflect that strike and immediately leaned forward to push ahead.

“Tsk!”

Clicking her tongue, Edde promptly withdrew her spear and twisted her arm, positioning the pole of the spear horizontally in defense.

A perfect choice to deflect my great sword.

But that would only work if I decided how far I would attack with the great sword.

“Ha…!”

With a short shout, I literally charged at Edde.

“Ah?!”

She must have planned to use the spear’s length to deflect my swing.

But if I were to push you away entirely with that spear in hand, what would you do then?

The battle of great sword versus spear.

To put it more precisely, it was a battle of distance.

The sword had to get closer while the spear had to maintain its distance.

The side losing that distance battle would inevitably be at a disadvantage.

And in that distance battle, Edde’s weakness was already clear to me.

Eventually, a situation arose where Edde would be forced to stagger back.

“You won’t take me down that easily…!”

But she was also a clear expert.

No.

True to her position at the pinnacle of this PvP stage, despite being placed in an unfavorable situation, she began to calculate the best move.

Crossing great sword and spear.

The sound of the wind tearing past my neck and the spear brushing against me sent chills down my spine, even while wearing a helmet and full armor.

It was a pure clash of personal skills, not using any skills like magic.

As I dodged the venomous fangs launched from all directions, I too thrust forward with all my strength wielding the great sword.

It was a fight between Edde, who was desperately trying to create distance, and me, who wanted to dive in until the end.

But unfortunately, the end result of that fight had already been decided.

“…I’ll end this. I feel like the others are expecting something too…”

Boom!

“Ugh?!”

Creating a wall with the great sword, I pushed Edde away.

Given that she was already retreating, her unstable posture meant she couldn’t help but be pushed back significantly.

Using that momentum, I leaned back while stepping forward.

Twisting my shoulder forcibly, I brought down the great sword diagonally.

Body colliding with one of the field’s obstacles, the stone grave.

She didn’t give up until the very end, kicking one of the wolf’s bones, but along with that, I cleaved Edde’s body in two.

[HP: 29.43%]
[You Win!]

★

[The main event of Break The World! Edde VS Rene! The final match between Rene and Edde has concluded! The result is 3:1! Breaking everyone’s expectations, Rene wins!!!]

“Aaah…”

After the final match ended and Edde returned to the waiting room, she collapsed into her seat, clutching her head.

“I messed up…”

What flashed through her mind was her own image, provoking others even before the event began.

She had laughed off the idea of being a novice, yet all she managed to score was a meager point.

“…I should probably stop looking at the community for a while.”

Edde had already been frequently disregarded because Ga-eun didn’t challenge her.

Losing to a mere streamer who didn’t even contest in ranked matches, it was only natural for the community to be aflame.

“No. What the heck is that person?!”

First round with the Warhammer.

Second round with the Great Sword.
Third round with the same spear as Edde.
Fourth round with a one-handed sword.

In each round, Rene had appeared with a different weapon, showcasing absurd proficiency with all of them.

Even the third round victory claimed Edde, but not without the level of skill that would likely have defeated even a regular pro gamer.

In the final fourth round, Rene perfectly replicated the OC she created in past broadcasts with the one-handed sword.

Originally, the OC was a system designed so that movements that could only be performed in a perfect state without any interruptions could be registered as skills.

In other words, it allowed for the use of movements that could not be replicated in real battles as skills.

But in PvP, the OC system itself was surely blocked for fairness, yet Rene effortlessly reproduced that movement.

“What sort of beast is she…? Why on earth did they make me fight against such a beast? Does someone among the New Dimension staff have a grudge against me?”

“Um…”

As Edde swallowed such bizarre thoughts, the waiting room door opened and someone entered.

“…Rene?”

The person who had brought Edde an unforgettable humiliation was indeed Rene.