As the field cleared, the figure of a warrior came into view at the far end of the corridor.
A woman dressed in white silk, wearing light armor. She held a halberd equal to her height in one hand, its blade aimed downward, gleaming silver.
A rising white aura emanated from her body, clearly carrying the intent of enmity.
There was no need for words between the two.
As if by a prearranged signal, they both charged and closed the distance.
After all, in this arena designed for duels, there were no places to hide and nothing to obstruct their weapon swings.
Then, the curved blade of the halberd landed the first strike.
“Are you worthy to stand before me as an opponent?”
The confident swing of the spear certainly carried that unspoken question.
“Her momentum is impressive. And sharp.”
But not fast enough.
To withstand that white attack would surely deplete my health bar.
I lightly sidestepped and pressed my foot down on the shaft of the warrior’s halberd.
That should immobilize her weapon for the moment.
Even with my strength, I can’t hold it down for long, but that’s fine.
Because daggers can strike in the briefest of openings.
Aiming for the neck would be greedy. I went for a scratch on the arm, but it missed as my opponent crouched down.
Still, I was satisfied with maintaining the advantageous position.
That’s right. If the promising young lady can’t dodge a move like this, she’d be in trouble.
She’s on Luche’s team, after all.
Her halberd, which I was stepping on, began to shake, likely an attempt to retrieve it.
She seems to think that regaining her weapon is the next step.
Not a bad judgment.
Of course, warriors have superior strength stats compared to assassins.
When she tries to lever it up with full force, I’ll have no choice but to let go.
But there’s one thing most people overlook…
No one really knows their own true strength.
“What…!”
I willingly released the rising halberd and instead swung one leg over it, mounting atop the weapon.
I fixed myself in position by folding my legs inward. Once stabilized, my body started rising rapidly, utilizing her own strength.
Riding her upward momentum, I carved my dagger across her neck.
“Chaaak!”
Red blood sprayed, marking the first successful hit.
[‘Artery Slice: Additional Damage’ effect activated successfully.]
[Enhanced Bleeding Poison effect applied to target.]
The characters in Infinity Black surpass human biological limits, transcending into superhuman territory.
A frail woman’s body like mine could easily be lifted with one hand here.
In real life, no amount of effort from me could match my body weight, but it’s different in this world.
Even with full force, my weight poses no hindrance to her.
She’s a monstrous warrior capable of easily wielding dozens of kilograms.
With the right method, riding atop a weapon like this is entirely possible.
“Is this your first time experiencing something like this?”
Ah, that’s a look of surprise.
Her emotions are clearly visible on her face.
Naturally, a smirk formed on my lips.
Of course, this isn’t where I intended to end things.
We were now at close quarters, though I had the slight height advantage.
The warrior tried to shake me off, but it was too late.
“You underestimated me.”
“Ugh…!”
I kicked off from the halberd into a side body blow.
Then used the opposite dagger to push off her foot in a jumping motion.
As I leapt like skipping rope, the halberd passed harmlessly beneath me.
[‘Vital Point Targeting: Internal Organs’ effect activated successfully.]
[‘Enhanced Bleeding Poison’ effect reinforced.]
[‘Enhanced Bleeding Poison’ effect transformed into ‘Unstoppable Bleeding’.]
Essentially, the game is over here.
I perched behind by gifting another dagger wound to her shoulder.
At this range, her long weapon is more of a hindrance.
Effectively, I’ve secured a mount position behind her.
Though she resisted, the situation had already turned too strongly in my favor.
My daggers stabbed wildly at her abdomen, then redirected upward in a throat slash to finish.
Eventually, the warrior’s body collapsed.
The match concluded more quickly than expected.
[Victory in Round 1-1.]
[Next battle begins in 3 minutes.]
[Battlefield: Fairywood Primeval Forest.]
Before the second match begins,
The first thing I do is review the previous battle.
What does she think was her reason for defeat?
What solutions might she bring next time?
The turning point was obvious.
The first strike when she tried to show off her skill was the critical moment.
Losing control of her weapon there led to the unfavorable battle.
Perhaps using the long reach of her halberd from the start could have changed the outcome.
Surely you’ve reached the same conclusion by now.
An attack that won’t hit doesn’t need to be powerful.
Let’s rebuild focusing on lighter movements, counterattacks, and maintaining distance.
But if you really thought that, you’ll soon regret it.
Long-range weapons aren’t exclusive to you, you know.
Something you’ve likely never experienced in professional league play?
[Equipped: Brutal: Fehidin’s Cursed Chain Scythe.]
Meanwhile, two streamers broadcasting the match were heating things up.
Especially Elderlyn, who displayed unexpected talent.
While Soobin was already a respected streamer for his skills, Elderlyn wasn’t known for this.
Her diligent study since being chosen as a commentator has finally paid off.
“This is the Fairywood Primeval Forest! Generally considered advantageous for assassins, what do you think, Soobin?”
“Generally correct. The forest’s cover and varied elevation have always been territory for assassin class specialists. Especially Gawol – I’ve been on the receiving end plenty of times and know well.”
“Ahaha! So Camelia is at a disadvantage this round?”
“Not necessarily. In the previous match, skills weren’t fully utilized due to the close quarters, but this might be different.”
Soobin continued his detailed explanation.
The warrior class’s traditional weakness is special ‘spirit’ cost.
Without proper defense or counterattacks to recover spirit, there’s a strong limitation on effective skill usage!
However, in magic-rich Fairywood, spirit regeneration gets a significant boost.
Camelia has built her character around counters and utility.
There won’t be a repeat of that chaotic close-quarters battle.
If Gawol comes in too confidently, it’ll be like sticking her head into a lion’s mouth.
He chuckled awkwardly as he spoke.
The sight of the two players appeared on screen.
“Wow, I thought it was unlikely, but she really brought it. Can you see that? She’s using the chain scythe against a lower-tier pro.”
“Wow…! For those who have played an assassin, you’ll all understand – the chain scythe is notoriously tricky. A weapon often debated for its practicality, and now it’s being put to the test.”
“Actually, the chain scythe isn’t a completely new sight. It occasionally appeared in the Japanese league, usually in a supporting role. However, Gawol’s current build… clearly focuses on the chain scythe.”
A weapon used exclusively by Gawol in domestic play.
The chain scythe’s practicality was often questioned.
On the other hand, assassin players frequently pleaded for her to release gameplay footage.
Naturally, once this news spread, the number of viewers exploded.
“What? Did Gawol win the first round?”
“Even without a field advantage, Camelia lost?”
“Wow, it really is the chain scythe.”
“Is this impossible to view from Gawol’s perspective?”
The chat scrolled by far too quickly.
Impossible to read under normal conditions.
To check the public sentiment, I had to pause the scroll momentarily.
Sweat poured down Soobin’s brow.
He expected some attention, but not to this extent.
The situation was spiraling out of control, but spilled water can’t be gathered.
“Both players are closing distance. Unsurprisingly, Gawol, positioned higher up, spotted the opponent first.”
In battlefields where direct sight of the enemy isn’t possible,
The ability to discover and strike first is usually the privilege of assassin classes.
Of all users, Gawol is the assassin who has performed the most ambushes.
While professional gamers dedicate time to the battle itself, Gawol focused solely on killing her opponent.
The chain scythe descending from the fairy tree made no sound at all.
Thus, Gawol’s ambush failed not because of imperfection,
But because Camelia detected the enemy.
With the sound of a system message,
[“Samurai’s Valor: Sixth Sense” effect activated!]
[An enemy within 10 meters has approached.]
As soon as the system message rang out, Camelia turned around.
The spear ascending from below clashed with the chain scythe. A clear ringing sound echoed.
Golden energy gathered at the spear tip as the warrior’s spear traced a crescent moon.
Fairy tree branches were severed by the released wind force.
The assassin moved to another branch, but the warrior’s attack didn’t cease.
With every movement, every branch crossed, her overwhelming force pursued relentlessly.
“Indeed, this is different, Camelia!”
“Camelia’s counters are regarded as another level in the secondary league. The tenacity of a rookie’s reaction speed and refusal to miss opportunities! This match will not be easy.”
