Seer's PoV

 

“I heard you guys are the best team in this tournament. Show me what you got!”

 

Renz, the username of the opponent in front of me challenged while posturing menacingly in an attempt to intimidate me.

 

Is he deliberately taunting me to put me into a disadvantageous emotional state?

 

...No, he seems to just be naturally obnoxious, a talent on its own. Nevertheless, his taunts won't work on someone like me who has a clear grasp of my emotions.

 

Seeing him here, the enemy team appears to be sticking to their usual rotation without making any drastic changes. It seems that their tactician shares a similar mindset to mine, which is to take this opportunity to enhance the skills of both teams and not rely solely on favorable matchups to secure victory. It's shaping up to be a head-on clash of skills, so to speak. Something I appreciate and am pleased with.

 

He has a huge disadvantage against me though, I have a reach advantage due to the nature of my long-ranged weapon, and my close-quarter combat skill is nothing to scoff at either. Is their tactician deliberately giving her own team hard matchups? I guess it is none of my concern nor does it matter. He would either need to fight me or Blitz in a 1v1, and nobody here can beat Blitz.

 

“What now? I don’t have all day. Is your weapon for decoration? Don’t tell me you don’t know how to use that?” he taunted.

 

He seems to be waiting for me to make the first move, how prideful, almost to the point of borderline arrogant. In a battle, giving your opponent even an inch of an advantage could cost you the game.

 

“Enough talk, let us get started,” I curtly responded as I aimed my cannon at him.

 

*BOOM

The loud bang signals the start of our match. Being too far away for me to hit him, he easily sidestepped the cannonball. He began to sprint, assuming I would take too long to reload my next attack. I must admit, he is one of the fastest sprinters I have ever seen with him already closing this much distance between us. Still, it doesn’t perturb me.

 

“Rearm!” I exclaimed.

 

Tactical taught me how he got his weapon skill, which is a huge secret in the community. Few only have acquired this type of weapon skill, and all of them are thankfully tight-lipped.

 

He slowed down a bit, noticing my Rearm weapon skill. He probably wants to dodge my cannonball again, too bad for him I already predicted his move.

 

Instead of aiming for him, I quickly aimed my cannon attack towards my back and then fired.

 

*BOOM

 

The ground beneath me shakes, and I feel the powerful force of the blast propelling me forward. I went with the flow, consequently timing my leap in coordination with the shockwave of the blast with practiced ease. As I did, the world blurs around me, the rush of the wind against my face. Time seems to slow down, and for a moment, it's just me and my target. I grip my weapon tighter, my resolve steeling myself for the imminent clash.

 

As I near my opponent, I see the shock in his eyes, his realization coming a moment too late. With a grunt, I swung my weapon, using the momentum of my flight to add force to my attack to bash him as hard as I could.

 

Renz

HP: 74%

 

Weapons in the game are designed to be indestructible, a mechanic implemented to prevent players from easily losing their weapons. While weapons do lose durability gradually, it is not enough for them to be destroyed in a single match. Tactical took advantage of this mechanic and developed a play style that revolves around using a cannon both as a shield and a melee weapon to strike his opponents. Although he may be rusty in close-quarters combat due to age and lack of practice, his teachings continue to resonate with me. I dare say that I am currently at the peak of my abilities under his guidance.

 

He was propelled backward by the force of my strike and the weight of my weapon. Seizing the opportunity, I quickly utilized Rearm to deliver a finishing cannonball shot while he was disoriented and off balance.

 

*BOOM

 

The cannonball flew towards him with immense speed. Unfortunately, he manages to regain his composure just in time.

 

As the cannonball hurtles towards him, his instincts kick in. He musters every ounce of strength and agility, evading the deadly projectile by a hair's breadth. With a swift sidestep, he narrowly avoids the devastating impact aimed at his head. The rush of air from the projectile tousles his hair, a testament to how close it was to hitting as the cannonball sails past him.

 

He does appear to possess a natural talent and instinct; I'll acknowledge that much. However, it's unfortunate that talent alone won't get him far without proper guidance.

 

I decided to conserve my mana and reloaded my cannonball normally. While doing so I tried to provoke him.

 

"Is that all you can do? How disappointing. You really are as weak as I expected," I tried to taunt him in an attempt to make him misplay.

 

"Tsk! Don’t underestimate me, you bastard!" he shouted, preparing a stance.

 

Looks like he is resorting to his trump card, how easily provokable. It seems that this fight is going to end without me even losing a bit of my HP, how disappointing. I knew for a fact that he was their team's weak link from my research, but I didn't think it would be to this extent.

 

Time to end this.

 

As he assumed a posturing stance, preparing for his weapon skill, I quickly recalled what I had learned about his technique from watching his replays.

 

His weapon has the weakness of having a long fatigue state after casting, and it also suffers from being too straightforward. He is unable to feign with this skill, which means that once he casts it, he is compelled to charge directly at his opponent. This predictability puts him at a significant disadvantage, much like a raging bull being toyed with by a matador.

 

Typically, only uninformed players or those who are unable to move due to circumstances such as suffering from a movement-impairing debuff or channeling are susceptible to these types of attacks. The best course of action here would be to dodge his attack and take advantage of his fatigued state immediately after using his powerful weapon skill to defeat him.

 

“Sovereign’s Charge!” he exclaimed.

 

He became clad in white flames, doubling his sprinting speed. It seems like I had also underestimated his sprint, it would be too hard for someone holding a heavy canon like me to dodge an attack this fast. I could also try to shoot him with my cannon, but given his current speed, it would be challenging. If I miss, it could spell my doom, especially with my pure damage build, should he manage to land a hit on me. The best course of action with the most minimal risk is to dodge the attack. Thankfully, I have a contingency prepared just for this moment.

 

As he closed the distance between us, I used my cannon attack to propel me to the side, easily dodging his trump card.

 

“Wha!” his weapon attack slowly dissipated without a target to hit, leaving him in a fatigued state, just as I predicted.

From here on out, it is child’s play for me to finish this.

 

“Rearm,” I used my weapon skill again to reload while he could not move properly. Hopefully for the last time against him. I need to conserve my mana just in case.

 

*BOOM

 

The cannonball hurtles toward its target with deadly precision. It connects with a thunderous impact, striking my opponent square in the head. The force of the blow sends him sprawling to the ground, his body crumpling under the weight of the attack.

 

Renz

HP: 0%

 

“Shit!” he cursed, before disappearing into motes of blue light.

 

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Lucy's PoV

 

How is this possible?!

 

I questioned the absurdity of the situation while staring at the source.

 

Novo

Hp: 41%

 

Ariadne

Hp:100%

 

Even a hasted Ariadne... cannot kill her.

 

After the haste buff on Aria ran out, she could not do any more damage to Miss Novo. How insane is this girl's survival skills?

 

No matter what Aria does, be it feints, misdirection, tempo changes, or combination attacks, none of it seems to work against her. This girl is honestly scary! How can such a skilled player get past the tournament radar?

 

With her skills, she could be just as famous as Arthur, Hana, or other high-profile players here! No wonder Aria holds her in high regard with how good she is.

 

Their dance continued for what seemed like an eternity. How long had it been? Ten minutes? Fifteen? Twenty? I lost track of time, captivated by the elegant and precise movements of both Aria and Miss Novo. It was as if they had rehearsed a theatrical performance, with Aria taking the offensive and Miss Novo flawlessly evading every attack, leaving the spectators in awe. I couldn't help but find myself momentarily rooting for the girl, but I quickly dismissed that thought. We might actually lose here if this keeps up.

 

I can feel my grip gradually weakening as fatigue sets in from the constant effort of containing Miss Lizbeth. She demonstrates a keen sense of when to attempt to break free, never giving me a moment's respite and forcing me to expend more stamina than I would prefer, all while conserving her own. Did she plan this strategy from the beginning? If so, her trust in her teammate to withstand a hasted Aria is truly commendable. The worst part is that whenever she senses even the slightest loosening of my grip, she seizes the opportunity to break free, effectively conserving her stamina while keeping me constantly on edge, resulting in wasting my own.

 

I became complacent when I successfully restrained her. I exerted too much stamina in keeping Miss Lizbeth in place, assuming that it wouldn't matter as I was confident Aria could defeat Miss Novo before I even began to feel the signs of fatigue. However, it appears I was mistaken. We are currently at a stalemate; no, on the contrary, we're actually at a disadvantage. If this continues, Miss Lizbeth will eventually break free. Once that happens, she could easily overpower me while I'm in a state of fatigue.

 

We cannot lose here. We cannot tarnish the reputation of the Paragons now that we decided to take on their mantle, even if it’s just a mere practice match.

 

“Hy-up!” As I was thinking that, Miss Lizbeth, sensing my grip weakening, suddenly tried to escape my hold.

 

I instantly tried to resecure my grip on Miss Lizbeth. She squirms and twists, trying to break free from my hold. Her muscles strain against me, but I hold firm, the training I received from my master kicking in.

 

I can hear her grunts of effort, and feel the tension in her body as she attempts to escape. But I've been in this situation countless times before, and I know how to maintain control. I adjust my grip, applying just enough pressure to keep her in check. Still, I can feel my stamina bar slowly diminishing, I can only keep this up for so long.

 

I can only trust my partner to defeat Miss Novo before that happens.

 

Seer warned us about her, but seeing it happen before my very eyes was truly shocking. I've never seen Aria struggle this much in eliminating solo support.

 

I've been partnered with Ariadne for a long time to know that she is not holding back. That girl truly is dodging all of her attacks. A truly aberrant scene unfolding right before my very eyes.

 

Aria doesn’t seem fazed by the abnormality either. It is as if… she was expecting this outcome.

 

Their back and forth continued for a while, with Miss Novo flawlessly dodging everything Ariadne threw at her. I was mesmerized by their display, a distraction I soon came to regret when Miss Lizbeth tried to break free again.

 

I adjust my grip, trying to keep her in place, but Miss Lizbeth is relentless. With a swift and powerful move, she manages to twist her body, using her strength and leverage to her advantage.

 

In a split second, I feel my hold loosen due to the telltale signs of fatigue. Miss Lizbeth seizes the opportunity, breaking free from my grip with a swift, fluid movement. I stumble slightly, caught off guard by her sudden escape.

 

I quickly regain my footing while quickly distancing myself from her, my heart beating fast at what just happened. I can't help but feel a surge of admiration for my opponent. Despite her lack of training, she managed to break free from my grasp by relying solely on her instincts.

 

She really has a good gaming sense. I was also surprised when she almost got me earlier using tempo change with her haste buff, an advanced technique not easily learned just by anyone. Luckily, Aria and I have been training together for a very long time. The only reason I was able to subdue her earlier was through my experience fighting a hasted Aria, and I doubt I can replicate it again while I am slowed by fatigue. While I am impressed by her resourcefulness, now is not the time to be amazed, as I find myself in a pickle.

 

“He hehe, looks like I finally got free!” she flashed me a predatory grin that, I must admit, appeared rather charming, thanks to her picturesque looks.

 

I gulped, dreading the fact that I was now helpless against her.

 

“Now it's time for a comeba-” she didn’t get to finish her sentence before a cannonball hit her in the side of her head, the force of the impact sent her flying.

 

Lizbeth

HP: 0%

 

“Wha- that’s unfair!” Miss Lizbeth complained before she disappeared into blue motes of light.

 

“…” I was left speechless, Seer did tell us from the team chat that he was on his way to back us up, but I forgot about him due to the current circumstances and distractions.

 

I’m sure he was just waiting for the opportune moment to eliminate the enemy carry once she had distanced herself from me to avoid friendly fire. It also worked to our advantage that Miss Lizbeth became complacent, sensing her imminent victory and letting her guard down. As a result, she failed to notice the trap that Seer had carefully set for her.

 

Still, there is one more problem we have to face. I focused my attention on the last remaining enemy. The two combatants separated themselves from their dance after the commotion.

 

In response, Miss Novo stared at each of us with cold, calculating eyes while remaining unperturbed, giving me the chills. Has she predicted this outcome would happen somehow? No that is impossible. She might just be naturally good at keeping an unreadable expression, the same as Seer.

 

Her demeanor even through all this is concerning. Still, it is only a matter of time before she becomes fatigued. Even if she is this good, she cannot possibly win against us three without a proper carry.

 

------------------------

 

Chu’s PoV

 

NambaWan

HP: 52%

 

Blitz

HP: 74%

 

My opponent lunges forward, the rapier slicing through the air with precision. I respond with lightning-fast footwork, my butterfly swords weaving a mesmerizing pattern of defense. The clash of metal reverberates through the arena, each strike a testament to our skill.

 

With every parry and counter, I feel the rhythm of the battle intensify. His movements are calculated and precise, but I match their every step, my twin blades. The clash of our weapons creates a symphony of steel, a testament to our expertise in the art of combat.

 

During the exchange, he exposed an opening that I couldn't resist exploiting. However, as I made my move, he swiftly countered with a riposte, skillfully redirecting the force of my attack and causing the butterfly sword to nearly slip out of my grasp. It became apparent that the opening was nothing more than a feint, designed to lure me into an offensive maneuver that he was well-prepared to counter. Sensing the need for some breathing room, I disengaged, and as usual, he chose not to pursue his advantage.

 

I couldn't determine the exact duration of this ongoing back-and-forth. However, what I can say for certain is that whenever I found myself at a disadvantage during the exchange, he consistently chose to withdraw, granting me some much-needed breathing room.

 

He is incredibly good. It became evident that he was toying with me, but I sensed no malice behind his actions. It appeared that his sole intention was to train me through this practice session. Nevertheless, I must admit that it became rather irritating to be constantly being on the mercy of my opponent.

 

“…When are you going to take this match seriously?” I asked sullenly.

 

“We’re just having a practice match though. It’s been so long since I fought someone this skilled in a one-on-one match, I want to enjoy it a bit longer,” he answered with a carefree attitude, giving me a friendly smile in the process.

 

Is he admitting that he is not taking this match seriously just to prolong it? I don’t like it, but my only choice is to get him to expose his true skills by putting him on the back foot during our exchange.

 

My thoughts became a blur when I noticed a notification that I never expected to see.

 

Teammate (Novo) has been defeated.

 

I was taken aback when I saw the notification that the girl, whom I had always considered to be unkillable, was defeated by this guy’s teammates. Throughout all the matches we've played together, this is the first time I've witnessed her being taken out. It left me feeling unsettled and distracted, as my thoughts wandered.

 

He sighed. “Looks like time for us to wrap things up,” he muttered in a regretful voice.

 

It seems that he also got the memo from his teammates that I was the only one left on my team.

 

I shook my head to regain my composure.

 

There is no time to have second thoughts. From what I learned, they have no healer, meaning that I still have a chance no matter how slim if my teammates succeeded in chipping their HP.

 

But first, I have to beat this monster before all that, which is a tall task on its own.

 

His demeanor shifted, a sign of him getting serious. He rushed towards me, His speed leagues different from before, catching me off guard.

 

*Clang

 

I parried his initial strike, but it did not stop there. He threw a barrage of thrust and combo attacks that left my posture and balance distorted.

 

This is bad, I will surely lose if this keeps up. I need to regain my tempo if we are to win this match. I cannot fall short here. I made a promise to myself, after all, that I would do whatever it takes to win this tournament in order to grasp my own future!

 

With newfound determination to carry my team, I muster the last of my energy for a comeback. I focus on my footwork and parry, trying my best to regain control of the fight. But my opponent is relentless, his strikes coming faster and more accurately, a clear sign that he was holding back earlier in our exchange.

 

I find myself on the defensive, desperately trying to parry and evade his attacks. Is this what it feels like to fight the strongest duelist in our generation?

 

Despite my best efforts, I can feel the tide of the battle turning against me. His skill and precision are overpowering, leaving me struggling to keep up. The weight of each strike takes its toll, and I can feel my balance waning.

 

In a final, decisive strike, he disarms me, sending one of my butterfly swords spinning out of reach. I stumble backward, my defenses shattered, right before he made a fatal blow towards my unguarded head.

 

*KACHACK

 

NambaWan

HP: 0%

 

“It was a good fight! You’re pretty skilled,” he praised my efforts before continuing. “I also didn’t expect your team to last this long against Aria. I’m honestly quite surprised,” he commended our team before the death screen enveloped my vision.