Chapter 48: A Publicity Chance
A few moments later, the figures of the three theater group leaders finally appeared on the dueling platform.
All the female members were watching from the audience seats, seemingly cheering for them.
Of course, when it comes to fighting, it’s best left to the gentlemen.
There were roughly three duel platforms set up. The theater group leader, the gentleman, and the fraudster each stood on their own platform.
Their opponents seemed to be new players just joining the game.
Although they were performers, they had decent combat skills and could easily overpower untrained civilians in terms of technique.
In this incredibly realistic game, one’s physical abilities could directly show up as stats.
Holding a game wooden sword, the gentleman looked at his opponent with a kind expression.
“This is a regulated duel; I’ll give it my all, honor at stake. Let’s begin.”
“What’re you mumbling about? So full of yourself? You’re that type who tricks girls in real life, right? Curse you, even if you’re gorgeous in real life, I can’t beat you, but I’ll defeat you in the game!”
And with that, the gentleman’s opponent rushed forward.
Hearing such impolite words, the gentleman’s initially kind expression turned impassive, and he stepped up to meet the challenge.
Bam!
Two or three sword flashes swept across, and the gentleman’s opponent’s health bar instantly hit zero.
The shocked opponent froze mid-expression.
“How’s this possible?! Our levels weren’t supposed to be too far apart. How could they finish me off so quickly?!”
“Sir, every move I made hit your vital points; given the game’s rules on critical hits, it’s not surprising at all.”
The gentleman calmly explained why.
“Damnit! This must be luck! Just pure coincidence hitting my vital spot. You’re just some lucky dog.”
“If you please, sir, be polite.”
The gentleman’s tone grew cold, his gaze turning icy. The feeling was chilling to the bone.
Following the rules, the defeated opponent left the ring, and the next duel began.
From her seat on the side, Night Star let out a breath.
“Huh~ I thought the gentleman would have lost his cool, but that guy’s really stubborn.”
Even though under Night Star and Kong Yu Bai’s influence, using star eclipse power wouldn’t severely affect ordinary people—just causing minor issues like temporary pain or confusion—it still did have consequences.
For instance, if the gentleman had used star eclipse on the opponent just now, it would’ve resulted in a severe headache, likely throbbing with agony.
Now that there was no risk of star eclipse contamination, it felt akin to how the stars used their powers—though they still held an edge due to higher levels.
Night Star turned to watch another duel, where the theater group leader and fraudster had also taken down one of their opponents.
It seemed performers of their era needed high stamina and some combat skills to avoid trouble, which the fraudster definitely possessed. Where he learned his skills was a mystery, but the opponents didn’t stand a chance.
For the theater group leader and his friends, dealing with these opponents was like squashing weaklings, leveling up fast.
Continuing their duels, the theater group members gradually improved their levels, often jumping tiers due to their abilities enhanced by star eclipse powers. Some higher-level players were skilled beyond their ranks, making it hard for the theater groupers to cross those gaps without their star eclipse advantage.
With Night Star and Kong Yu Bai’s help, they could use their powers freely without fearing repercussions on civilians. The night watchers stayed out of it too.
Thus, their opponents found themselves sometimes paralyzed, sometimes with sharp headaches, sometimes fooled, and always losing to people lower in rank.
Though bizarre, no one suspected cheating, given how game powers could evolve rapidly as a player progressed, transforming them into superhuman-like beings on the dueling platforms where these powers were allowed.
Facing opponents who saw only strange skills, the trio dominated each duel. Through continued efforts, their skill level reached the elite tier, becoming unstoppable champions.
Returning from the platform, the trio displayed modesty despite their achievements.
Nearby, Night Star praised them, “Wow! You guys are amazing, totally invincible! But using force against regular folks, isn’t it a bit bullying?”
The gentleman chuckled.
“During a formal duel, we can’t keep things reserved, and showing respect by treating it seriously is a courtesy. Also, this mission was from the audience performer, wouldn’t want to disappoint us, right?”
“Ahhh, you did great!”
Night Star tried to pat the gentleman on the shoulder for encouragement but gave up, unable to reach.
Suddenly someone approached.
Given the outstanding performance earlier by the trio, their presence was slightly heightened and observable now. If they’d been unnoticed before, they were now quite prominent.
“Hello, I’m a forum reporter from the gaming entertainment zone, gathering all sorts of news here for posting,” the figure said. “Can I interview you?”
Night Star’s eyes lit up.
This unexpected publicity chance presented itself!
She immediately stepped forward, not timid behind her mask.
“Let me do it! Let me!”
The reporter shifted attention to the petite girl.
“Are you with them?”
“Yeah, we’re partners.”
“That’s good. Here’s what I’m curious about: In such a short time, how did three of them rise from newbie to elite player status, taking less than an afternoon? That’s so impressive. Only a few players manage that, plus I witnessed their duels, continuously leaping tiers. It’s unheard of. Hidden skills?”
“In our troupe, we have even more capable folks. Like the three you see, they’re just a fraction of our total abilities!”
Night Star started speaking seriously yet fictitiously, weaving tales of prowess.
