I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers

[Infinity Arena Final – Match 5]

[Battlefield: Bamboo Forest]

[vs AT Kelberos (Amsalja)]

I thought putting the sword down for a moment might help, but nope. My mood is still as soggy as a wet noodle.

A sharp sensation climbed up from the hilt. At the same time, an uncomfortable feeling enveloped my arm. The gloomy air clung to me as I walked through the tranquil bamboo forest.

At least it’s a relief that I wouldn’t have a nasty seizure like before. The gravity of the final match might be keeping my sanity in check. Well, as long as it doesn’t interfere with my fighting, I suppose I’m fine with however I feel.

Still, a nagging feeling settled in my chest. Even deep breaths couldn’t calm me down, making me think about giving my arm a little nick. But I didn’t go that far.

There was a commotion on the other side of the quiet bamboo forest. The sound of galloping hooves thumping against the ground. Faster and more powerful than before, the sound echoed.

[‘Burning Evil’ effect is applied.]
[Damage dealt to the caster increases by 10%, and damage received increases by 15%.]
[This effect does not stack.]

An armored knight on horseback. Kelberos charged without a hint of hesitation. The combination of speed and mass propelled a power that was beyond merely strong— to devastatingly destructive levels.

Even before his weapon made contact, the wind brushing past me was enough to gauge its might.

The black horse, until now merely a means of transport, charged into the fray with tank-like ferocity. The outpouring of magical energy was substantial, and it seemed he was giving up on prolonged combat.

From the change in his weapon to a halberd, it seemed like this was Kelberos’s last stand.

Good focus. There was raw fury seeping into the spear tip, but the temperature surrounding it only served to chill the air.

It felt like a wounded pride of a beast, lowly growling in the shadows.

“Nice! There’s a surprise factor here, and you’ve picked someone who would be tough for a sword user like me to handle.”

I was pleased with that. Just clashing weapons made me feel a bit better. I hoped that attack would be powerful enough. If it made me scream out in pain from just blocking, that would be fantastic.

But… no matter how strong the attack, if it doesn’t land, it’s all for nothing. Without delicate control, power tends to scatter away.

No need to meet it head-on. As long as the enemy’s weapon doesn’t touch me, I’m good. An attack powered with force is hard to adjust mid-flight, making it easy to deflect to the side.

Or maybe not? Just watching each other spill blood could be fun too. A little pain right now wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

“Ugh…”

For some reason, my mouth tasted sweet. A faint warmth enveloped me, and it felt like something was tickling the back of my throat.

An instinct ingrained in my body stirred up. I tried to jab the horse, but killing a mounted knight with bare hands was definitely no easy task. Before Kelberos could charge again, I tapped my ear with the hilt.

“Shut it, Mom. I’m in the middle of a match!”
“I’ll cry and bang my head on the ground later, so can you be quiet for now?”
“Yes, I love you too.”

While gloomy emotions gnawed at my heart, Kelberos charged back in, spewing rage.

A clean downward slash that had no fluff. I thought I blocked it well, but the force behind that spear far exceeded my expectations. The back of my sword pressed painfully into my shoulder.

“Ah.”
“Focus! As much as I express my respect, you should show proper courtesy too!”
“Well… that’s true.”

He commanded me to pay attention— it was as if he was saying to concentrate only on the match. Throughout this hell of a mental breakdown, I’ve never let anyone’s words get through me. But today? Today felt like someone splashed cold water all over me.

It seemed the unidentified discomfort caressing my skin washed away.

Honestly, it didn’t completely disappear, but my mind was so fried, feeling this way for one day wasn’t going to be a shock.

I felt a bit guilty now. This guy was drawing out every shred of his strength for a top-notch match, while I was lost in my own weird thoughts, completely unfocused. In short, I was doing what I hated most.

Looking back, he was actually being quite gentlemanly, even. I had always been far worse in my manners.

– “Hey, you punk! You were thinking about something else just now, weren’t you? Do I look that easy to mess with?”
– “Um… that wasn’t the case. I’m sorry.”
– “Do it again. This time, I’ll make it different. Damn.”
– “Hey! Who swears during practice?”
– “I’m sorry!”

When I first faced a wall, I boasted my pride despite being pitifully beaten. And I often ended up cursing at the coach.

The gap was undeniable. I knew I didn’t stand a chance, but what about the guy on the other side?

But recognizing that was a whole different story. I stubbornly kept battling him.

And now, Kelberos charged at me just like I did back then.

That inferiority complex… or competitive spirit felt so welcome in my heart. It almost felt like I was traversing not just back to memory, but to the distorted timeline of that era.

So, for the first time after my legs broke—I felt like I could focus, sword in hand.

Incoming! Should I block and then strike the waist?

I had repeated this motion too many times to count. I swept to the side as the oncoming attack came down, steering the weapon to deflect it on impact.

Kelberos was on horseback now, so he was higher up than usual. I targeted the leg hooked on the stirrup.

A horizontal slash left a faint afterimage in the air.

A clean hit. Blood splattered onto the ground as the blade withdrew. The follow-up strike aimed at severing the horse’s leg just barely missed, but I hadn’t had high hopes to begin with.

“… Better than before.”
“Really? Thank goodness.”

Even now, despite getting pushed back, he still held a haughty demeanor. That reminded me of my past self, and I found it comforting.

Sure, the conditions may have changed a bit, but who cares about that!

Kelberos choosing horseback tactics wasn’t a mistake. It looked like a skill he’d honed for a long time that hadn’t appeared in the league yet.

He must have had it hidden away for a long time, ready to unleash at any moment.

But he was up against me.

The wall I had to break to start Kendo was not a mere friend. Back then, the coach himself was simply an unmoving wall.

I wasn’t the type to be physically inferior. At the time, my coach still had remnants of his prime. I was just entering middle school.

There are no weight classes in Kendo, but that raw power was a serious shock.

– “No, you just pressed down with strength even after I blocked!”
– “Yep.”
– “Isn’t that cheating?”
– “If you thought you couldn’t block it, you should have sought other methods. Just think of it positively; fighting while feeling this strength difference can be a good experience.”

Little did I know that experience would come back around right now. My Kendo began with learning how to handle strength.

I deflected the halberd’s blow.

I had to aim for the split-second moment when our weapons brushed against each other.

As I slotted my blade inside the curved spearhead, our weapons entwined, yanking my body roughly along.

I didn’t have enough strength to withstand it.

If this were reality, I’d have to give up. But here? This is a game.
If I lack strength, I just have to create it.

[Strength can uproot mountains, and spirit can cover the world—]
[You gain the effect of ‘Overbearing Might’]
[Sustained fixed damage until all stamina is depleted along with all stats…]

A common last-ditch effort for all warrior-type classes.

By burning my life force, I held onto the sword’s back.

If I couldn’t withstand it while standing on the ground, I would merely get dragged by the horse. But for Kelberos mounted on the horse, it was a different story.

As their strength flipped, Kelberos was suddenly yanked forward and fell off the horse.

“Let’s finish this here!”
“Ha…!”

He recovered his stance swiftly, seemingly predictable.

But it didn’t matter. I wasn’t someone who couldn’t push through in perfect condition.

Sparks flew as the sword met the shield.

Bending the blade, I twisted the spear away and slid inside to break through the armor.

I forced the shield aside, prying it open with my hand.

With an opening created, I pushed through the defense and went all out with my sword.

Before my mind could even process it, my body moved.

Where my sword naturally landed were the waist and head.

My instinctively struck blade reached first, following it hurriedly were the neck, heart, and other vital areas.

Then, I stepped precisely one foot forward.

As soon as I closed in, Kelberos’s spear smashed down onto my shoulder.

“I’ll make sure to see you again later. I won’t be the same as now, then.”
“Let’s do that.”

That blow held all my effort.

Squeezing every last ounce of strength and magical energy— even though I took a hit from the spear, my right shoulder crumpled painfully.

But that was it.

The spear that should have landed in the intended spot struck empty air, while the lost magical energy scattered into the wind.

The bamboo forest trembled for a moment, but my sword stood firm.

With my left hand, I shoved Kelberos away.

Leaning against a sturdy bamboo, the sword pierced through him precisely at the waist, leaving behind a crimson trail.

[You have won.]
[All matches are finished.]

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