[Infinity Arena Semi Final – Match 2]
[Battlefield: The Quiet Coniferous Forest]
[Vs Team CP Crow (Necromancer)]
As the view cleared, cold air seeped into my clothes.
Under the gloomy sky stretched a dense coniferous forest. It wasn’t as fully covered with trees as the Great Elven Forest, and patches of pristine snowfields were visible here and there. Though snowstorms occasionally swept through these snowfields, it wasn’t a constant gimmick—nothing to fret about immediately.
I wasn’t sure what strategy Crow would bring after losing the previous round. Quickly surveying the battlefield for any signs of magic power, I found nothing so far.
Particularly, the necromancer’s magic power wasn’t easily detectable. Had I only spotted undead hiding in various spots? At this point, it’d be reasonable to conclude that magic detection was no longer an option.
But then something else had to serve as my eyes… just as an unnatural shadow fell upon the ground.
Not as massive as a dragon but certainly not small either, the revealed creatures were a group of partly decayed griffins. Crow must have been sharing vision with these creatures.
“Of course, surveillance from the skies. Just had to be in a forest, huh?”
Swallowing my doubts, my body continued moving in search of the opponent.
‘Finally, I found footprints.’
Trailing footprints through snowy or dirt-filled fields was basic. Naturally, Crow would also be aware of this, so many other sets of footprints were scattered around. Most were probably feints created by summoned undead.
Among this multitude of footprints, the trails left by the wizard would be singular. His feint, though crafted with care, wasn’t meticulous enough.
The depth of the footprints correlates with the weight of their makers. Ghouls are light for their size due to their rotting flesh, whereas high-tier undead like Dullahans or Death Knights carry heavy armor. Reflecting on the gait and weight observed in the previous match, I estimated the correct set of tracks.
As I gradually followed in Crow’s footprints,
a sharp shriek pierced from somewhere.
– Kkkyaaaah!
My body reacted faster than my mind. Instinctively throwing a dagger, it struck something. A grotesque lump of flesh thudded to the ground.
[A servitor ‘Watching Eye’ has detected you.]
[The dead are watching you.]
[All undead controlled by the necromancer…]
“Hmph.”
“Watching Eye,” huh?
An outstanding detection ability, but it also consumes a significant amount of points for such a servitor to appear. The opponent has abandoned the most convenient and efficient method of magic detection. Instead, they chose aerial surveillance and a servitor. The advantage of this combination over magic detection is that it doesn’t reveal the caster’s position.
The considerable effort put into hiding must imply a few things.
Crow likely has very few means to protect himself in this match. So, the moment I find the necromancer’s body, this match is mine. However, there is a high possibility that he’s brought an incredibly annoying strategy.
For how long have I been trailing the footprints?
Not long after, Crow’s undead reached me.
First to arrive were the flying griffins as expected. In the distance, hoof sounds could be faintly heard—they were louder and more chaotic than before. A build favoring high-tier undead.
The Death Knight in the distance was a matter for later. First, I needed to deal with the griffins.
The massive forest predator descended, casting a dark shadow. Its majestic beak and lion-like legs—its grandeur was undiminished despite its state of decay. As I prepared for an aerial assault,
a curse slipped from my tongue without thinking.
“What the hell…!”
The descending griffin shot back up into the sky. Neither its sturdy beak nor its sharp talons were heading towards me. Instead, my sight was filled with—about a dozen ghouls falling from the sky.
The bodies of ghouls falling from the heavens swelled as they descended. From their lifeless eyes and mouths erupted red flashes, turning ominous premonitions into harsh reality. Fragments of detonating corpses rained down on me mercilessly from all sides.
Overwhelmed by the forceful pressure, my body was pushed back. I only managed to halt when I collided with a tree as I was hurtling through the air. My guard had already been shattered, and I hadn’t prepared any shadows to conceal myself.
Though I managed to fend off a few visible fragments, my health bar was being drained—no way around it.
“Krahk!”
[‘Corpse Poison’ effect has been applied.]
[1.75% of your current health will be drained every second…]
[‘High-Concentration Toxic Corpse Blood’ effect has been applied.]
[All movement speed reduced by 16%, and defense…]
To top it off, hoof sounds were already close.
What had been delayed was now back to torment me. It was meaningless distinguishing directions—all sides were approaching.
Should I jump to the skies?
No. One griffin is still circling around.
Without wings, defending in the air is challenging. If attacked from above and I fell, it would be unrecoverable. Rather than risking getting battered senselessly, I should stick to ground defense.
The Death Knights that appeared shortly were overwhelmingly stronger compared to the previous match. The black aura enveloping their surroundings was exceptionally thick, more potent than anything I’d seen during the game. The extent of their enhancement was unimaginable.
Crow brought an extreme summoning build. Hence, he had to sustain the hiding while performing the insane task of carrying ghouls via griffins.
Had I known this from the start, I could have countered it.
If only I’d opted for a stealth-oriented build, I could’ve secured a victory without much trouble.
But when would I encounter such a crazy strategy?
In this arena. No, this can’t be reused in the future—an one-time strategy.
Still, this was undoubtedly the fatal blow he aimed for.
‘Supposedly, he was planning to use this in the finals. Is that what I’m acknowledging indirectly? Not like I really feel jubilant or anything, though.’
The visible Death Knights were five. No Dullhan was seen, and neither the Skeleton Soldiers nor the Lich appeared.
In the world of Infinity Black, there’s no such thing as an unbeatable strategy. To gain one advantage means sacrificing something else. Logically speaking, these creatures in front of me must comprise all his forces.
Let’s abandon the attempt to locate Crow’s body for now.
Considering the sluggish debuffs and the enhanced Death Knights’ pursuit, it’s an excessively dangerous judgment. Moreover, I still have no clear idea of his exact position, merely guessing somewhere nearby.
Then there’s another winning condition.
If I survive until all these undead are consumed, I’ll win. No matter how battered, I won’t lose to a necromancer without summons or magic.
[‘Whisper of the Black Moon’ effect has been applied.]
[All attack power and…]
I deflected an approaching spear thrust and invaded under the spear, aiming at my target. Trying to break the shinbone but quickly abandoned it—going further would expose me to side retaliation. Instead, I protected my rear with the conifers.
The movements of these Death Knights were excessively refined to be classified as regular. It couldn’t be the standard AI movement; Crow must be commanding them directly. That kid was risking everything on this too.
Not a bad judgment.
Instead of clumsily throwing bony spears, the intention to overcome me with wide-area bombing and sheer number was apparent. While it has been somewhat effective so far, it ends here.
Ultimately, if these Death Knights fail to kill me, all their efforts will be meaningless.
Setting up shadows between the trees, I evaded the incoming spear thrusts.
After thwarting one assault, the Death Knights withdrew to a distance. Taking their place was a rain of ghouls from the sky. The numbers seemed larger than before.
“Damn… garbage is falling from the sky.”
*
The halberd blade plunged with force. Although I deflected the spear blade to the side, the stiffness in my wrist persisted.
It was proof that I had weakened significantly. The accumulated poisons from the ghouls and the substantial injuries from my torn clothes were problematic. The pile-up of injuries was dragging my ankles.
Fortunately, the frequency of the ghoul bombings drastically decreased. A few griffins still carried ghouls in the sky, but their numbers appeared insufficient. It was obvious. They must be waiting for their last chance.
“Hmph…”
I understand the need for caution.
But didn’t they underestimate me a bit too much?
A creature with overly conspicuous weaknesses has its limits. Not because of the mere existence of weaknesses—after all, there’s no one supremely strong in all areas—but because of the tendency to overcompensate when overly conscious of one’s own vulnerabilities.
Conversely speaking, the direction in which one unconsciously overcompensates is often where their weakness lies. The nearly ten bombardments. The relayed attacks by Death Knights. If they thought I was merely fighting them off normally all this while, that would be their downfall.
As the Death Knights attacked, I moved into the shadows I had set up. Opening up a distance, I utilized my pre-set shadows.
“I’ve found you.”
The eyes of the undead blinked crimson. The rapid approach of Death Knights and the falling ghouls from the sky. I released my single smokescreen, briefly disappearing.
Soon, the assassin’s silhouette darted towards the necromancer’s body.
