“…Uh?”
As the not quite signal from Sehee unni began, the enemies moved, and Dayoung was flustered.
The momentum approaching while lining up wasn’t normal. No matter how seductive the temptation attack was, wasn’t this too overpowering?
Leading the charge were clan users who had rolled around in the war countless times.
They were renowned for optimizing the build, equipment, and formation required to overpower enemies as a military force.
Rumor had it that some clan leaders were well-versed in military strategy, particularly formations, and seeing them now assured me that it wasn’t mere boasting.
Clearly, they were gathered in ranks, but that didn’t interfere with their movements.
The tankers and assisting spearmen resembled hedgehogs, while quickly approaching elites held their weapons tightly as they advanced slowly.
‘Is this going to be okay?’
This was my first debut on such a big stage, and the nerves tightened my chest.
As a hero, I never thought I’d feel heavy with such a burden. If I were alone, I wouldn’t have felt this pressure.
Sighing, I firmly gripped the staff known as the “Left Arm of the Apostate.”
Thanks to the magic skill that emerged in the pre-season of Soul Warfare, Dayoung had instantly shifted her growth direction to become a magician.
Compared to her past where she played as a technical swordsman with curved swords or self-swords, or even as an archer or crossbowman, the position change was indeed extreme.
However, considering that her affinity was with magic alongside the gradually released Hero’s Power, this pre-season could very well be a season for Park Dayoung, also known as Poming.
Until now, Sehee unni’s Friede play was in the spotlight, but among the viewers focused on Poming’s broadcasting, her reputation was quite notable.
Her combat style utilizing magic skills was famous enough to even make top-ranked players nervous.
“The spells are… ‘Surge of the Wraith,’ ‘Very Powerful Magic Arrow,’ ‘Pillar of Light of the Saint,’ ‘Blink of Light.'”
Having registered the spells in her skill book, Dayoung shook her head at this nonsensical build.
Excluding the survival skill, Blink of Light, the others were all focused on decimation, aimed at large masses.
‘No matter how much I fought with a similar style during my hero days…’
There had been no instance of such an extreme glass cannon like the one I just chose.
On the surface, these seemingly powerful skills looked good considering the large number of enemies, but the more powerful they were, the more upfront damage they required, meaning the frontline had to support them to be effective.
However, Sehee unni’s Friede, positioned as the frontline, was by no means a tanker. Rather, she was more of a bruiser type that relied on mobility.
So, for basic survival, some investment in defense or health stats was necessary, but…
“Oh, this is despair.”
Feeling desperate over her own low stamina and health stats, Dayoung barely kept her dizzy mind together.
Well, for repeatedly ‘raining down’ such grand spells, she had to fully invest in intelligence and faith stats.
The sole reason for preparing such an impossible, excessive build and spells, which would never typically cross her mind, was one:
“Unni.”
“Yeah?”
“After all this time together, I thought there was surely a reason for what you do, but… is this really okay?”
“Yep, I’ve got an amazing plan, so don’t worry.”
“That sounds exactly like the introduction to a failed plan.”
It was, after all, unni’s request.
Moreover, it was right after Dayoung had heard the praise that she was skilled as a magician.
The issue was that the content of that plan was utterly unconvincing and incredibly unsettling…
The anxiety that unni might end up being completely messed up by some hypnosis app or Golden Sun, Annamdae struck her entire body.
‘I have to stop it.’
Didn’t unni say it? She said her hero was me.
The warm feelings from earlier had turned cold, and now I stood resolutely.
“This time, the protagonist isn’t me but you, Dayoung. Let’s do our best.”
“Really… unni can’t do without me, huh? Well then, make me shine!”
With a style of bombardment against multiple enemies.
A skill not even dreamt of in a game with system limitations.
Even if trying to wipe out enemies with such magic in the labyrinth, she’d likely have been powerless against the archer’s precise sniping.
Over there, not only the frontliners but also archers and magicians had countless damage dealers on hand.
Neither ordinary users nor even high-ranking players could muster any fighting spirit against such a number.
But…
“Alright, let’s go?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
As a hero, it was only natural to face great challenges.
At Dayoung’s reply, ready to go, Sehee, who had finished her jump and stretching, drew her Holy Sword as they approached the enemies slowly.
***
The archers who caught the new type of Friede rushing in all simultaneously drew their bows.
With a very direct trajectory, it was easy to predict despite the fast approach. One person might have been a mystery, but with such numbers, landing a hit was simple.
Some aimed at Friede’s main body, while others anticipated her path and set their sights…
“Fire!”
At the signal from the clan leader in charge of the archer front, a volley of arrows was unleashed.
“Wow!”
Jiyeyang, who was broadcasting live, exclaimed in astonishment at the hundreds of arrows flying.
It was her first time watching a war battle, but the sight of thousands of grouped arrows felt like a natural disaster falling from the sky like rain.
Could any human body evade or block such torrential downpour?
At that moment, Friede’s body sharply turned, altering her path.
Having seen it countless times, the way she defied inertia, her body balance looked like a character from a 3D graphic gone haywire.
–Paf!
Randomly changing her trajectory, arrows fell behind Friede like they were drawing a bizarre line of no entry.
Was she really going to dodge all of them? No, it was too early for that.
Over Friede, ten or so arrows approached.
So, was her graceful evasion powerless against sheer numbers?
‘Can she deflect them all? But there are too many arrows.’
Though I thought she wouldn’t go down like this, when the crisis approached, I could only look at it with a mix of anxiety and doubt.
Then it happened.
–Kuwaaa!
A huge and vivid surge of white magical light passed over Friede, deflecting all incoming arrows.
No, it would be more appropriate to say it annihilated them. Everyone was taken aback as Poming shot down each arrow with precise control.
That magic skill resembled a particle cannon, a very direct piercing skill.
Until now, I never could have imagined shooting down projectiles outside fixed emplacements.
[What the heck, what was that just now?]
[That skill looks like Surge of the Wraith but wow, she can deflect arrows, lol.]
[Hey, Poming. Could you be from the same line as that useless joker?]
[Shut up. If you all watched Poming’s broadcast, you wouldn’t say that.]
[For real, Poming’s magic skill usage is insane. In skill accuracy and utilization, she ranks up there with Friede.]
[Friede definitely had trust in her for a reason.]
As interest in Poming’s skill stories filled the chat, just then, the second shot from the enemy attack team followed.
Though surprised by Poming’s firepower, that didn’t easily fall due to the difference in numbers. They had to move swiftly.
With Poming’s support fire, Friede closed the distance enough that they would meet within moments.
Which meant that if they didn’t take her down this time, she would rush to the enemy base to wreak havoc.
There was concern they might be eaten up, but that was a problem for later.
Just then, a multitude of light orbs passed over Friede, deflecting arrows one after another.
“Very Powerful Magic Arrow…”
The name slipped from Jiyeyang’s lips, who knew of the skill.
With a single short casting, a flurry of six light arrows was unleashed.
Typically, it was a technique used for barrages, scattering across multiple approaching enemies without precise aim.
At least in Jiyeyang’s understanding, there was no way such refined control could be applied to deflect such many arrows.
But what was that? It was almost like a homing technique, her skill in catching and dropping them was almost magical.
[Wow, this can’t be real, right? Lol.]
[For real, it’s another unbelievable play after Friede.]
[Both may have impressive physics, but it’s different. If Friede is the beast type, Poming is the intelligence type.]
[Didn’t Poming used to not have such skills? Why is she so good all of a sudden? This makes no sense.]
[Poming was only okay when dealing with melee weapons; still, she only crawled up thanks to the Friede bus.]
[She’s a case that blossomed into magic after the pre-season’s magic traits were released. Occasionally, there are those who show incredible growth after the new skill meta opens up, and it seems Poming is one of them.]
[But she’s doing too well for that!]
“Everyone seems to be saying that Friede’s strategy centers around Poming.”
Now I finally understood why Friede recruited Poming as additional power; it was for this reason.
Following the hero of light and the Holy Sword, now, a hero of magic was appearing.
***
