The Moment When the Storm Subsided
The muse’s eyebrows furrowed.
It must have been because she couldn’t see me in her line of sight.
Even a muse can’t maintain perfect visibility in a sandstorm.
While there are means to resist the wind, there’s no way to block the sand completely. She would have had to intermittently open her eyes to check her surroundings, all while dodging the gusts of blade-laden winds.
Just as the storm dissipated and the dark clouds were about to retreat…
I lunged out from the shadows, swinging my dagger wide. Black thorns erupted from the sand, and a thick darkness cloaked the tip of my dagger.
The strike aimed for her neck was narrowly blocked, but not without leaving a mark—blood trickled from the ground.
“Difficult. I expected this.”
“Ara, did you?”
Though the opportunity was slightly disappointing, there was no need to rush.
Hadn’t analyzing one’s opponent become second nature by now?
Rather, wasn’t it a fundamental aspect of being a pro?
Not long ago, the Traveler had also said that by this point in the tournament, no one would treat me as a mere amateur. From the moment I defeated the Reaper, every video of my match had surely been analyzed frame by frame.
The fact that my opponent defended their neck the moment my ambush began only confirmed this.
But knowing something doesn’t mean you can counter everything.
We were now at the same starting line. However, my positional and spacing advantages remained.
I managed to leave light cuts on her forearm and collarbone before quickly resuming my attacks.
Understanding her habits allowed me to break through her defenses swiftly, driving my blade into her side.
“First, I’d like to deal with that fan.”
The source of the muse’s ability to manipulate the wind lies in the fan in her left hand. If I don’t remove it now, I’ll continue to be harassed from a distance. Ideally, I should disarm her before the cooldown of her sword dance resets.
The cost I’m willing to bear… perhaps even one of my arms if necessary. If worst comes to worst, I’ll accept a trade while accounting for blood loss.
Feigning a strike to her lower section, I altered my grip and aimed for her chest instead. Her torso shifted quickly. I delivered a kick to the side of her knee to destabilize her, pressing in immediately to stab her forearm.
With her other hand blocked by a curved sword, our arms pressed tightly against each other. My attempt to stab her lung failed, leaving both our hands entangled.
My speed and strength seem to edge hers, but the slickness of her arm is somewhat bothersome. Both of us have been sweating and bleeding significantly, causing our skin to be damp.
“Fighting on my home ground, I really can’t afford to lose—it would be embarrassing, wouldn’t it?”
“You’re brimming with confidence. Although you look good, I’m a bit worried. I might break the spirit of this talented newcomer.”
“What? Do you recognize me as a junior?”
“To be sure. It’s not easy for a woman to survive in this field…”
A moment of vulnerability.
If only she’d fallen for it again.
The blade aimed at her wrist was blocked.
The iron plate at the end of the fan rattled as it met the blade.
“Your manners have been lacking since the start.”
“An incompetent amateur who doesn’t know any better.”
Indeed, her combat ability itself is below that of the Reaper.
Perhaps it’s time to turn this into a mud-wrestling match.
The greatest shock comes when one’s strength is countered.
And one of the strengths of the muse is her superior submission skills.
Ironically, this is a domain where I have no intention of faltering.
In the art of the sword, there is something called “Ashibarai” – the practice of sweeping legs with the sword. Though it’s often prohibited in tournaments, historical swordsmanship frequently incorporated techniques from jujitsu. Essentially, the study of force flow and body utilization; nothing but beneficial knowledge.
Eventually, as one delves deeper into martial arts, grappling is an area that can’t be avoided.
Extending my right leg as I stepped forward, I simultaneously swung with the remaining dagger, aiming for her wrist. Successfully breaking her left arm at the cost of a significant cut from my shoulder to my ribcage.
Both the muse’s fan and my dagger clattered to the ground.
Did she catch on to my intent? The muse’s expression darkened.
“Do you have any idea who you’re messing with?”
“Uh-huh. Though your colors aren’t hidden from me, I’ve got something else in mind.”
“Colors? Ah… You crazy woman!”
Now each of us has one weapon remaining.
Kicking the wrist holding the curved sword with my foot, I discarded the last dagger, succeeding in disarming her as the blade lodged into her wrist.
Now both of us are weaponless.
It’s time to engage in a pure physical confrontation once again.
We both crashed to the ground on the rock.
I’m on top.
The brown-skinned muse is beneath me.
Attempting a submission by pulling on my collar and arm.
The trajectory of her leg wrapping around my neck is clear.
A triangle choke, famously known by that name.
“Will that work?”
I defended by pinning her thighs with my knee, the slickness of our bodies aiding in movement.
As I press down on her leg, her copper-hued body shifts to adjust.
Reaching out to block, my hand is intercepted just below her breast.
The muse’s legs are gradually ascending towards my neck. Sensing the imminent danger, I change tactics.
Neither my nor the muse’s arms are in fighting condition due to injuries.
In this deadlock of body and technique, I had one significant advantage.
From the start, by slashing her Achilles tendon, I had subtly weakened her leg strength.
I pull the back of her neck with my left arm.
A full-force chokehold with her legs entwined around me.
Her body folds and curls accordingly.
If I press down on her shoulders while maneuvering inward…
Her lower limbs will rise and float into the air.
From the cameras’ viewpoint, I suspect it may look as if her buttocks are lifted skyward.
“Phh…”
Her flailing limbs, trying desperately to free themselves, appear quite pitiful.
The claws of the muse scratch my shoulders violently, but I ignore the pain.
However, this state alone can’t end the match.
I pull her jaw forcibly, opening her neck,
then interlock my fingers, pulling her inward.
The muse’s back arches as a sound resembling a cough escapes her throat.
“I used to do this all the time in high school. I miss it.”
“What?”
“Didn’t everyone try a guillotine choke at least once when they were younger?”
I’ve both applied and been subjected to them.
Back then, wrestling amidst the sweat with reckless sports teammates left a distinct odor,
but whether because it’s all digital here, or because we’re both women, no disagreeable smell is present.
“Ah, that was nice. Shall we wrap this up?”
Ground submissions filled with lethal intents are terrifyingly fatal.
Demonstrating why this submission is called a “guillotine” choke—
I conclude the match.
For the next bout, the Shadow Arena appears, favoring Assassins.
While the muse failed to replicate the first match’s impact, I secured my place in the semi-finals.
*
[Author: ㅇㅇ(422.99)]
[Title: Gawol’s Round of 8 Consecutive Blade-Blocking Highlight.mp6]
(Attached Video)
How is this even possible? I’ve been watching this several times.
The strikes definitely look like they’re happening at least 10 times.
But why were only 8 registered?
Turns out, the rest were evaded.
At 01:17, it’s clear the difference is just a finger’s width. Yet there’s no reaction.
It’s not like she didn’t see it—her eyes twitched slightly.
Is dodging purely based on sight even possible?
[Comment]
– It might be manageable in other maps, but a desert is tough.
– Pros usually just block with their guard.
– Honestly, an assassin fighting a muse in the desert should lose out of principle.
└ Indeed. Deserts give assassins very low chances of success.
[Author: DongtanMisichamEducation]
[Title: Gawol – Pilgrim’s Desert Highlights Compilation]
[Recommendations: 965]
(Attached Video)
Ground combat highlights focused editing.
Her ability in countering skills and applying submissions is impressive.
I made this for personal use, but uploaded it out of pity for you all.
(Attached Photo: Gawol pressing down with her knee from above)
(Attached Photo: Mashed chest due to both their intertwined arms)
(Attached Photo: Gawol applying a guillotine choke)
Good moments captured.
Although there’s footage of the muse, I won’t upload it as a matter of respect.
[Comment]
– I’ve been waiting for this!
– Thanks, it’s quite useful.
– I wanna die happily tangled between soft thighs… why is this never offered?
└ Uh… what is this person?
└ Sir.
└ Calm down man.
[Author: DongtanMisichamEducation]
[Title: Did You Know High Schools Also Have Wrestling?]
(Attached Video: Gawol mentioning high school guillotine chokes)
I attended a co-ed school,
and our girls didn’t do such things, right?
The boys used to throw dropkicks, and the girls seemed to like it secretly!
I wish I’d joined in then.
[Comment]
– No way you’d get me to do that.
└ You bastard.
– Ah, do you know? Female high school students typically have the combat prowess of two special ops soldiers.
[Author: ㅇ(258.78)]
[Title: Didn’t Expect Gawol To Make it This Far]
So you’re telling me this wasn’t just a sneak-attack assassin?
She’s really just good at fighting and avoided media and pro circuits?
And she happens to join an event tournament?
Why?
[Comment]
– So… it’s really hard to comprehend.
– Seriously, if she wins, she should start streaming.
– Could Elderlyn or Soobin recruit her?
[Author: ㅇ(382.161)]
[Title: Traveler’s Actually Quite Harsh, Isn’t He?]
[Author: ㅇ(311.138)]
[Title: This One Looks Tough]
[Author: PheroPhero]
[Title: Round of 8 – Cerberus’s Interview Translation]
