NOVEL NEXT Chapter 25
On the spectator screen, Camelian’s energy gauge rapidly dwindled, heading straight for empty.
But the warrior’s attacks didn’t stop.
As if to showcase the skills they had honed, the storm of blades surged relentlessly.
Only a few seconds remained until the warrior’s energy was completely exhausted.
After unleashing a barrage of firepower, they would switch back to defense.
If they dragged this out too long or launched an easily countered attack, the warrior’s spear would shimmer once again.
So, the warrior’s defense was at its weakest right now.
It was the moment when the warrior thought it was “their turn.”
“B-back! The warrior will counterattack before their energy runs out!”
The noble spear thrust upward, and in that instant, a hidden shadow lurked, targeting Camelian’s ankle.
The chain changed direction using a tree, approaching stealthily to strike from behind.
However, the warrior wasn’t about to give up easily.
As if they had been waiting, they pivoted half a turn.
The spear, handled with utter finesse, changed direction and knocked the scythe away.
That was the plan, at least.
The chain, which seemed on course to approach without end, halted at a precarious distance.
Just a finger’s width apart. Since the weapons didn’t collide, there was no counterattack triggered.
In this unexpected situation, Camelian’s mind became complicated.
‘Was it lacking in length? Considering normally, that’s a calculation error. But…’
The dismal defeat experienced in the previous match.
The probability of an opponent with that level of skill making such an absurd mistake versus the likelihood of them having a different scheme.
Camelian believed the latter possibility to be overwhelmingly larger.
Her eyes, scanning the surroundings, suddenly shot up as if coming to a realization.
In the leaves of the dense trees, several shadowy chains, hidden from view, plunged towards her.
Where the warrior had dodged left a brutal crater.
It was dizzying.
If her judgment had been just a second late, she would have lost this match.
Just as Camelian sighed in relief, Sulbbang began shouting during the broadcast.
“It’s not over yet! That just now? Camelian really got through it well. But she lost track of Gawol’s position.”
“Doesn’t the warrior’s spirit passive also seem missing now?”
“Exactly. Just like at the beginning, she can’t rely on skills to defend against the ambush. She must cope solely with her skill!”
Barely having finished speaking, the chain scythe rushed in.
It was the ambush of a top-class assassin. No matter how much they prepared, perfect defense was unimaginable.
Despite that, the scythe grazed her forearm.
That’s alright. It only brushed against her; it wasn’t a fatal wound.
Thinking she’d done well to get past this, the attack didn’t end there.
Shadows created by a skill came plunging down.
Though Camelian successfully parried, the remaining skill tangled with the chains, redirecting the attack.
The weapon she just avoided soared back towards her once more.
Adding insult to injury, a horrifying system message appeared in Camelian’s peripheral vision.
[The ‘Curse of the Ancient Demon’ effect is applied.]
[All stats decrease by 8%, and movement speed decreases by 20% for 4 seconds.]
[Every second, you receive damage equivalent to 2% of your max health.]
Sometimes, there were such cases.
When users of certain weapon types were so few.
Or, when the efficiency was too low, overly high effects would be granted.
The chain scythe was one such case.
A weapon that hadn’t been mainstream anywhere in the world. No, simply one that wasn’t chosen at all.
Even if picked, it was never used as a main weapon, making its additional effects unignorable.
As a result, it came with a strong debuff alongside a lingering damage curse.
Time was not on Camelian’s side.
“This seems to have upset Camelian’s calculations? The situation has completely changed.”
“Is it because of the curse?”
“Yes. To be precise, it’s because of the attack range of the chain scythe. The damage from the curse isn’t that devastating considering her defense. Still, if the damage keeps stacking up, the story changes.”
Sulbbang calmly continued to explain.
Originally, this battle needed Gawol, the assassin, to close the distance.
The spear had a superior range compared to the dagger, and the warrior had excellent long-range control.
As the warrior’s energy filled up, they would unleash strong long-range firepower.
When low on energy, they switched to defense while looking for a parry.
Camelian likely intended to devour Gawol, who was at a disadvantage in a long battle if they forcibly approached.
But with the chain scythe entering the fray, that structure had fallen apart.
An assassin, piling damage with a longer range and a curse, made evasion or defense slippery due to the unfamiliar attack style.
Above all, due to the nature of chains, it was impossible to predict the direction of the oncoming attacks.
“The issue is… how on earth do you block that!”
“I think the slow curse looks painful. The assassin’s mobility is hard enough for players to manage, but can she catch up if they slow down?”
The warrior’s energy had long since reached maximum.
Camelian, renowned for her response speed, had succeeded in parries numerous times using her animal-like instinct and hand-eye coordination.
But PVP games are not solely about response times.
If an attack is blocked, can’t you simply strike back immediately?
There were limits to a defense that relied only on parries.
If she dodged the chain scythe, the next would be a skill.
Using the tree to redirect the blade again, she parried, but this time the chains themselves became the weapon, grasping Camelian’s arm.
Using the shadows, Gawol’s actual dagger — no, after exposing the trick of the clone — real Gawol’s ambush followed.
“Wh-what was that combo just now?”
“I don’t know!”
“Wha-?”
“I don’t know! Since Gawol’s the only one using a chain scythe, how would I know? It seems like a mixture of several shadow skills, but I can’t get a grasp on it!”
She was clearly engaged in a 1v1 duel.
Yet, as she moved her spear urgently, an unreasonable feeling of facing multiple enemies alone washed over her.
– Sulbbang declares defeat in commentary LOL
– So, what’s the deal, really?
– Can I play an assassin with the same character?
– Chain clone dagger chain clone dagger chain clone dagger
– I’m about to lose it, LOL
– Was this game always this brutal?
– Just… end me…
The health bar dwindled moment by moment.
The assassin relentlessly attacked, while the warrior barely hung on to life in a long conflict.
Eventually, Camelian pulled out her last card.
[Strength that can uplift mountains, spirit that can cover the world—]
[Sigma Camelian receives the effect of ‘Your Strength Uplifts Mountains, Your Spirit Covers the World’.]
A last-ditch effort that burned away her remaining life.
As the warrior’s spear spread a foreboding aura, all shadows surrounding it disintegrated.
When the menacing spear turned its gaze to seek its next prey…
A soft-footed, silver-haired assassin silently approached Camelian’s back.
Silence came to the battlefield.
A gentle palm covered the fiery eyes, slicing the throat as if parting the waters.
Crimson blood flowed, and peace descended.