Phantom pain throbbed throughout my entire body.
Especially the heart, which had taken the last hit—it was beating faster than usual.
In the past, this would’ve been dangerous.

How long had it been since I last died in-game?
It had been a while since I’d tasted defeat. It almost felt nostalgic, and maybe a little frustrating.

…No, it was very frustrating.
If there’d been anything nearby to throw, I’d have smashed it without a second thought.
It felt like something was bubbling and boiling in my chest, but there was nowhere to release it.

If I’d been more conscious, I might have noticed.
I’d been so careful, telling myself not to get hasty.
But in the end, I’m only human. Maybe my focus narrowed at the thought that I had to gamble on this.

“What should I do? I really want to win.”

There was still an unresolved issue left inside me.
If I win this tournament, will I be satisfied?

As a player, I’d never been able to prove myself to the world.
Regardless of the reason, I hadn’t been able to participate in the World Championships, and the accident broke the clock within me.
Even now, I was stuck in that same time, like a lingering ghost bound to an unfamiliar land.

Please help me.
I want to keep going, too.

Saying something like that wouldn’t change anything.
I knew I had to quench this thirst somehow.
But the gap between the halted time and reality had widened too much.

If I win this tournament, will that gap shrink a little?
Will the stopped time start flowing again, and will I finally be able to catch up with the world?
Can I, who’s living with regrets, finally shake them off?

No answer came.

Even so, I hate losing as much as dying.
Even lying here at rock bottom, my pride remained intact.
I couldn’t just erase the screen before my eyes.

[Choose Your Class]

• Assassin
• Swordmaster

My choice is...

[Infinity Arena Final – Match 3]
[Arena: Ancient Weapon Hangar]
[AT Kelberos (Dark Knight) vs. Gawol (Assassin)]

《 All preparations are complete! 》
《 Both players have exchanged wins. Kelberos took the second match, tying the set score at 1:1. 》
《 Gawol, who was on a winning streak, has finally been stopped. The wall of the world is high indeed, and the pride of Europe has shown its true face. 》
《 But the match itself wasn’t bad! As the analysis desk mentioned, Gawol almost pushed Kelberos to the brink of death. The next match is worth looking forward to. 》

The official caster of Infinity Arena, Hoeun, spoke calmly.

The builds of both players were displayed on monitors for the broadcast.
There wasn’t much time left before this information would be made public.
It was up to the analysts on either side to dissect it, while Hoeun carefully observed Gawol’s expression.

It was a common enough occurrence.
A player, expected to be a star of the next generation, crumbling after just a few losses.
Especially the first loss, which often deals the biggest shock.

‘Is he shaken?’

Excluding the first preliminary match that aired on a private streamer’s channel, Hoeun had covered all of Gawol’s matches.

Before stepping into the match, the way players presented themselves carried a lot of information.
Their attitude toward the game, their condition that day, even their work ethic and confidence.
That’s why Hoeun understood Gawol as a player better than anyone else.

Gawol was someone with a tremendous obsession with winning.
It was enough to make one wonder why he hadn’t turned pro sooner.

His competitiveness against strong opponents and his desire for recognition were comparable to those of top-class players.
The analyst beside him would probably evaluate Gawol the same way again today.

《 Gawol has chosen the hand-to-hand Assassin he showcased in the first match! 》
《 You could sum this up with a single line: ‘I’m good at fighting.’ He wants a rematch! 》
《 It’s like he’s a player brimming with confidence. Just the fact that he’s trying this against Kelberos shows he has nerves of steel… 》

The hand-to-hand Assassin build is heavily reliant on physical prowess.
It’s difficult to create tactical variables, but if you’re confident in your raw skill, it’s a viable choice.
At a glance, Gawol seemed like a player with a strong ego and nerves of steel.

But Hoeun thought differently.

Her focus was strongly tied not to herself, but only to victory.
She had the physical abilities that even active players acknowledged and the psychological tactics Kelberos had once called ‘fox-like.’
All of it was built atop the singular goal of winning.

So, again, it was a common story.
A player who had been the subject of tremendous expectations crumbling after just one loss.

《 Kelberos stands firm! 》
《 This is what happens when a top player takes on the Dark Knight. If you can break through, go ahead and try! 》
《 It’s tough. Gawol is giving it his all to break through, but he’s finding no openings. 》

Before entering the match, players who were truly confident and composed would show it in their expressions.
Those who could enjoy the game might even wear a slight smile.

But Gawol had never once smiled in the waiting room.
When victory was assured, he could show a mischievous side, just as people thought, but that was a separate matter.
Left alone, Gawol was always a cold and calculating competitor.

And now, his expression had darkened even further since the last match.
It meant his psychological balance was broken.

• Looks like Kelberos won this one.
• Honestly, it was a tough fight, lol.
• Getting even one win was impressive~
• The last match drained his stamina, but this one was a complete failure.

As the match tilted, people gradually started to notice the shift.

Gawol’s signature physical skills were still present.
His momentary flashes of insight, his devious, almost malevolent feints—
It was hard to believe he was an unknown player with that level of skill on display.

If news broke that he was a promising player secretly cultivated by a pro team, Hoeun would nod and say, ‘I knew it.’
The same if he were scouted by a top team after this tournament.

Yet, it wasn’t enough to overcome Kelberos.

《 That last exchange was razor-sharp. Gawol exploited the gap when Kelberos’s mana shield expired. 》
《 Yes. It was a split-second moment, but he slipped in and opened the fight. However, Kelberos’s response was too clean. 》
《 Gawol must be feeling frustrated. He’s doing his best, but he keeps getting blocked. The hand-to-hand Assassin build he debuted in the first match was perfectly countered. 》

Kelberos had opted for a more defense-focused build than usual for this match.

Hoeun, a former player herself, was now a caster but could clearly read the intention behind the build.
Going head-to-head with Gawol’s speed and technique wasn’t possible.
But he could focus on defense and force Gawol into a difficult position.
Go ahead, break through if you can. I’ll take everything you’ve got.

The drawn-out nature of the Dark Knight class, coupled with Kelberos’s unique sense, had created an impregnable fortress.

《 Oh… the debuffs. The debuffs have stacked up too much. 》
《 Actually, the Dark Knight’s skills have been maxed out for a while. The fact that Gawol held up so well in this tug-of-war is impressive in itself. 》
《 It reminds me a bit of his match against Luce. He lasted a little longer, but his limits are showing. 》

The crumbling match was drawing to a close.
As Gawol’s strength waned, Kelberos launched his final assault.

A heavy, deliberate offensive.
Sharp counters amid the struggle.
The resistance was almost desperate, but the winner was becoming clear.

Kelberos’s sword pierced Gawol’s neck.
Blood spurted out, and the dagger aimed at his heart—slumped, unfulfilled.

[Match over.]

• AT Kelberos: 2
• Gawol: 1

It would be a lie to say it wasn’t disappointing.
But Hoeun had long been a caster, accustomed to leaving personal feelings out of the broadcast.

《 And with that, Kelberos delivers the final blow, ending the match! 》
《 It seems a change is in order. Gawol still has much to show… 》

Both players returned to the waiting room.
Gawol’s expression looked even darker than before.
Was it over? No way.

Suddenly, a spark of interest lit up in Hoeun’s eyes.

Those eyes. That expression.
They didn’t belong to someone who had given up.
They were the face of someone who would stop at nothing to win.

The monitor displaying the Assassin’s build information flickered briefly.
All information disappeared, replaced by new data.
Not only Hoeun but even the two analysts beside her looked visibly surprised.

And then, at the moment when the player had to make a choice,
Hoeun exclaimed something loudly.

On the arena screen, as always, plain text appeared.

[Infinity Arena Final – Match 4]
[Arena: Hall of Duels]
[AT Kelberos (Dark Knight) vs. Gawol (Swordmaster)]
__________________________________________________
TL notes:
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