NoveLight ™
[Posted by: DongtanMisInformed]
[Title: Gawol’s opponent tomorrow is Muse?]
Does that mean we get to see a sub-mission with them entangled up close and personal?
Is this finally the moment I can ascend?
Now, this is what a proper tournament looks like.
[Comments]
[Posted by: Anonymous (478.417)]
[Title: I’m honestly hyped to see Gawol vs. Muse]
Muse’s matches are always fun to watch.
Both Gawol and Muse are good at grappling, right?
This is going to be so good, so so good.
[Comments]
[Infinity Arena Quarterfinals - Match 1]
[Stage: The Pilgrim's Desert]
[Opponent: Latin V7 Muse]
Of course, my luck with the battlefield is terrible again today.
It feels like the entire tournament has been against me. Even when I got the Shadow Hall, the lighting only served to mess me up.
And now, here I am on my opponent's home turf. It’s starting to feel like the world itself has some grudge against me.
The Pilgrim’s Desert. And Muse.
A class that relies on wind has found itself on a field covered in harsh sandstorms. Muse’s attacks are hard enough to track visually, and this arena will make it that much harder.
“Hah…”
Annoying.
My feet are sinking into the ground, making it feel like I’m walking through a swamp. The blazing sun is the last thing an assassin wants, and the desert offers barely any cover.
And it’s hot as hell.
If this were a lava zone, I could invest in some fire resistance. Unfortunately, as a playable character, this level of heat falls into the ‘bearable’ category. Even if I end up with heatstroke, I’d be better off just toughing it out.
[Exposed to intense sunlight.]
[Warning: Prolonged exposure may lead to heatstroke.]
But since my sensory synchronization is high, I feel it differently. The desert dust gets in my mouth, making it dry, and as I keep moving, sweat starts sticking to my skin. It’s uncomfortable, and there’s no in-game merit to this; they just keep piling on these inconveniences.
At least I managed to find my opponent early.
In the middle of the desert stood a woman with bronzed skin. True to the “Muse” class, her outfit barely covered her chest, adorned with hanging chains. The transparent chiffon fabric revealed her curves without restraint, and she held a scimitar and a fan in each hand.
‘The blade looks heavier than I expected. Seems like it’d be awkward for stabbing,’
I quickly closed the distance, taking a loop around the sand dune for cover and sneaking behind her.
The first strike is always an assassin’s privilege.
My dagger slashed at Muse’s Achilles tendon. The chain around her ankle snapped as well, though the impact was lighter than I’d hoped.
She reacted faster than expected.
‘Pity. I was hoping to cut through her ankle entirely.’
It seems like that was too much to ask in broad daylight. If I could have bound her mobility, this match would’ve been much easier, but the plan was foiled from the start. My opening move was over, and now it was my opponent’s turn. Her scimitar whirled toward me immediately.
I dodged backward, only for Muse to follow up with a kick aimed at my head or neck.
…But at this range, it shouldn’t reach me.
My instincts are rarely wrong. But there’s no way her distance calculations were off, either. If she didn’t have that level of spatial awareness, she wouldn’t be standing here.
Is she attacking with the injured leg?
I thought of something and decided to cut my dodge short.
A breeze lightly grazed my cheek, leaving a small scratch. Blood splattered under my eye, carrying a faint metallic scent. If I hadn’t anticipated it, my vision would’ve been blocked.
“Ha. I knew it.”
“Not bad, huh? Guess you didn’t just get lucky with Reaper?”
“Don’t look down on me like that. It’s rude.”
“Oh, my.”
Being short is nothing new, but I really hate it when strangers look down on me and judge. This tiny girl—if only I were in full form, tch.
No use dwelling on things that have already passed.
Infinity Black doesn’t show brutal details like bodily destruction or dismemberment. However, it does have fairly realistic blood effects. Clothes get soaked, and cuts stay visible on the skin.
And Muse is a player who makes excellent use of blood and environmental elements. She’s not just popular because of her alluring looks or play style. As I said, if she lacked skill, she wouldn’t have made it to the quarterfinals.
A gust from her fan destabilized my stance. Sand blown by the wind blocked my vision, and in an instant, a deadly blade was slicing straight for my head.
I deflected the blade’s edge, but as I pulled back, it left a cut between my thumb and forefinger. It wasn’t a significant injury, but it would make fine control of my sword difficult.
Did she find it annoying that I got the upper hand in the first exchange?
Muse unleashed a flurry of aggressive attacks.
“Are you angry? Kinda cute.”
“Cu—cute? You have got to be kidding me…”
An opening.
You shouldn’t lose focus, even while talking.
I ducked low and stabbed her thigh. Twisting my grip, I slashed at her neck, though I only managed to cut her veil.
No problem. If there were no rewards, I’d make some.
Drawing back her head meant she’d be leaning forward slightly.
I left a long cut on her exposed abs and then threw a hidden blade from my other hand.
It would have been nice if it connected, but her fan’s wind cleared the daggers, allowing her scimitar to follow through.
‘Here it comes.’
Muse’s scimitar sent sharp wind blasts down its path.
The gusts were only visible by the slight shimmer they left in the air—nearly impossible to track in this blazing heat and shimmering mirages.
Thankfully, the wind itself wasn’t strong enough to deal much damage. Originally, it was a gimmick designed to deplete the guard gauge, but that’s not a tactic assassins use. I’d have to read her blade movements instead of the wind.
The blade moved gracefully, like a dancer, reflecting light every so often, glimmering. It’d be a great sight if I could just stand back and watch, but if I spaced out now, I’d pay for it with my life.
I matched my dagger to the path I’d memorized. The clear ring of metal confirmed my parry. After eight successful parries, Muse went for a low attack.
“Your skills are impressive. Too bad your luck’s awful.”
“Remember what happened to the last girl who said that to me?”
“...?”
“Actually, you don’t need to. You’ll get to experience it firsthand.”
The desert being in her favor is nothing new.
So her mentioning ‘bad luck’ now must mean a sandstorm is coming. I was already feeling the sand shifting beneath my feet.
Sure enough, a sandstorm rose on the horizon, a yellowish storm swiftly closing in.
Our clothes and hair whipped in the wind for a moment, then Muse smirked and prepared for her sword dance. I had to use my ace card.
[You are blessed by the Red Moon.]
[You receive all defensive and survival benefits.]
[Detection capabilities... enhanced.]
Muse’s silhouette disappeared into the storm. For me, moving properly within that inferno was nearly impossible. But Muse was different.
I can see her.
Through the sandstorm, I could make out her shape, dancing. Using the storm as a curtain, her blade advanced.
Using my main buff for defense was not ideal. But this was the only way to turn the tide in this battleground. The winds from her sword scraped along the sand.
I drove my dagger against the oncoming wind, dispersing it. The broken breeze caressed my clothes, while the powerful gust from her fan smashed through my guard, leaving a shock.
Health bar is mostly intact. But I’ll avoid that next time.
‘17 seconds until the sandstorm ends. Her sword dance will wrap up two seconds before that.’
An assassin is at a disadvantage in a desert due to limited shadows. With the glaring sun and sparse cover, it’s like fighting without a weapon.
But this storm changes things.
Thanks to the dark clouds and dust, there were shadows to exploit.
It’s always like this.
Opportunities come at the most dangerous moments.
Accepting Muse’s wind blast, I edged closer.