NoveLight ™
As the field of view cleared, the warrior came into sight at the end of the hallway. A woman in white silk robes reinforced with light armor, gripping a long spear in one hand. The silver-tipped spearhead pointed downward, gleaming ominously. The pale aura rising from her was filled with unmistakable hostility.
There was no need for words.
As if on cue, we both sprinted toward each other, closing the distance. The Hallway of Duels had no place to hide, nor any obstacles to hinder weapon swings. The first move came from her spear, its blade asking a clear question:
"Are you worthy of standing before me?"
The force behind that sweeping spear surely carried that thought.
'Impressive. Sharp.'
But not fast.
Taking a direct hit from that white aura would obliterate my health bar. I sidestepped lightly and stomped down on her spear shaft from above.
That sealed her weapon for now.
My strength couldn’t hold it down for long, but that didn’t matter.
Even in that brief opening, I could strike with my dagger.
Aiming for the neck was greedy, so I went for the forearm instead, but she ducked, causing my strike to miss. I was satisfied with the positional advantage I had gained.
Yeah, someone with potential like her should be able to dodge at least that much. After all, she’s on the same team as Luce. The spear shaft beneath my foot jerked as she attempted to pull it free.
She must think retrieving her weapon is the key to her next move.
Not a bad assumption.
Naturally, a warrior’s strength stat far exceeded that of an assassin’s.
If she was determined to lift it, I had no choice but to let go.
But most people tend to overlook one thing...
They don’t really know how strong they are.
“What the…!”
As her spear surged upward, I let go willingly and instead caught the back of my knee on the shaft, hoisting myself up. Folding my legs inward, I stabilized myself on the spear as my body was pulled into the air.
Riding the momentum, I slashed her neck with my dagger.
Slash!
Blood sprayed, marking my first successful hit.
[‘Sever Artery: Bonus Damage’ effect activated.]
[Enhanced Bleeding Poison applied to the enemy.]
In Infinity Black, the characters far exceeded normal human limits.
Someone as small and slight as me could easily be lifted with one hand.
No matter how much strength I put into my legs in real life, it would never amount to much. But in this world, things were different.
A warrior like her could easily handle several dozen kilograms without issue.
Given the right approach, climbing onto her weapon like this was a viable tactic.
“Never faced something like this before?”
Oh, that’s a face full of shock.
Her emotions were written all over it, and a grin spread across my own face in response.
Of course, I had no intention of ending things here.
We were within arm's reach, and I held the higher ground.
The warrior tried to shake me off, but it was already too late.
“You underestimated me.”
“Gah…!”
I leaped off the spear, landing a strike on her side.
With the other dagger, I stabbed her foot before vaulting away.
As I hopped over the spear shaft, it swooshed by beneath me.
[‘Vital Strike: Organs’ effect activated.]
[‘Enhanced Bleeding Poison’ applied again.]
[‘Enhanced Bleeding Poison’ has upgraded to ‘Unstoppable Bleeding.’]
This match was essentially over.
I delivered a parting stab to her shoulder before clinging to her back.
In such close quarters, a long weapon like a spear was more of a hindrance than a help.
Now I had the advantage from behind—a near-mount position.
Though she struggled, the situation had tipped too far in my favor.
I relentlessly stabbed at her abdomen with my dagger before finishing with a cut across her throat.
In the end, the warrior’s body collapsed.
The fight had ended faster than I anticipated.
[You have won Round 1-1.]
[The next match will begin in 3 minutes.]
[Battlefield: Fairywood Forest]
Before the second match began, the first thing I did was review the previous one.
What would my opponent think their mistake had been?
And what countermeasures would they take next?
The turning point was clear.
The match had been decided the moment she lost control of her weapon.
That overcommitted first strike cost her the fight.
If she had used her spear’s range from the beginning, the outcome might’ve been different.
She’d likely come to the same conclusion.
Powerful attacks don’t matter if they’re never going to hit.
She’d probably opt for a lighter build this time, focusing on counterattacks and keeping her distance.
But if that’s what she thinks, she’s in for a rude awakening.
I’m not the only one who can use long-range weapons.
She’d never encountered something like this in the pro leagues.
[Equipped: Cursed Chain Scythe of Ferhiden]
Meanwhile, the two streamers were getting increasingly fired up in their commentary.
Eldorin, in particular, was a pleasant surprise.
While Sulbbang had always been a respected streamer in his own right, Eldorin wasn’t known for her skills. But all the studying she’d done since agreeing to stream this event was paying off.
“We’re headed to the Fairywood Forest! Typically, this battlefield favors assassins, right, Sulbbang?”
“Absolutely. The use of stealth and elevation among the branches has long been an assassin’s domain, especially for someone like Gawol. Trust me, I’ve been on the receiving end of it many times.”
“Haha! So, does that mean Camellia is at a disadvantage this time?”
“Not necessarily. Last round, it was a close-quarters brawl with no room for skills, but this time things will be different.”
Sulbbang launched into a detailed explanation.
Warrior classes have a longstanding weakness: stamina.
Without proper defense or counterattacks, they struggle to regenerate stamina and can’t fully utilize their skills.
However, in the mana-rich environment of Fairywood Forest, their stamina recovery gets a boost.
Camellia had already switched to a build focusing on counters and utility.
There wouldn’t be another chaotic brawl like before.
If Gawol charged in recklessly, they’d be walking straight into a lion’s den.
Sulbbang chuckled as he spoke.
Both players had appeared on the screen.
“Hah, I can’t believe they actually brought it. See that? Gawol is using a chain scythe against a second-tier pro.”
“Wow! Any assassins out there know how tricky a chain scythe can be. It’s a weapon notorious for being hard to use effectively. Now we’ll get to see it put to the test.”
“This isn’t the first time a chain scythe has made an appearance. It’s popped up occasionally in the Japanese leagues, but it’s usually been a secondary weapon. But here, it’s clearly Gawol’s main.”
In Korea, Gawol was the only player known to use a chain scythe.
The weapon’s viability had always been doubted, especially in competitive settings.
Still, assassins had long begged for footage of its usage.
As word spread, the viewership skyrocketed.
The chat was moving so fast it was impossible to read.
The only way to keep up was to pause the scroll and catch glimpses.
Sweat beaded on Sulbbang’s forehead.
He’d expected this to become a hot topic, but not at this level.
It felt like the situation was spiraling out of control, but there was no stopping it now.
“The two players are closing in. As expected, Gawol has the high ground and spotted their opponent first.”
In a battlefield like the Fairywood Forest, where opponents couldn’t immediately see each other, assassins had the advantage of striking first.
And out of all players, Gawol had the most experience with ambush tactics.
The chain scythe silently dropped from the treetops, a deadly attack with no sound.
But Gawol’s ambush didn’t fail because of any lack of skill.
It failed because Camellia acknowledged them as a worthy opponent—her blood boiling with the desire for a fight.
[‘Warrior’s Spirit: Sixth Sense’ activated!]
[An enemy is within 10 meters.]
The system message flashed, and Camellia immediately spun around.
Her spear’s blade collided with the descending scythe, ringing out in a sharp, clear note.
As golden energy gathered at the tip of her spear, it drew a crescent arc through the air.
The wind that shot forth severed the branches of the Fairywood.
The assassin dodged to another branch, but Camellia didn’t stop.
Wherever Gawol moved, Camellia followed, slashing at each branch with unrelenting force.
“This time, Camellia is clearly different!”
“Indeed! In the second-tier league, her counterattacks were considered next-level. With a rookie’s reflexes and persistence, she never misses an opportunity. This will be a tough match!”