In a winner-takes-all match, the vanguard is mostly handled by hexagonal classes. It’s a timing where the type of enemy that will appear is the most unpredictable. Classes with stable combat abilities and durability, like martial artists, are generally preferred.

From this perspective, assassins are a class that’s difficult to use as vanguards.
They lack any self-healing abilities and have a significant disadvantage against knight classes.
Usually, they’re positioned as disposable cards to take out ranged classes.

Well, that’s what most people say.
But I’m not an ordinary assassin.

In the realm of invisibility, there are no absolute weaknesses.
To discuss weaknesses, one must first be of equal skill level.
If there’s a difference in ability, any weakness can be overcome.

Once all preparations were complete, the system message rang out.

[…20 seconds until deployment in the battlefield.]

[IKL Summer Round 1 - Match 39]
[Battlefield: Cradle of the Fallen]
[Rules: 4-Person Winner-Takes-All]
[Sigma eSports vs ACL]

The Cradle of the Fallen is a battlefield newly integrated into this summer league.
Unlike the original, which was a high-difficulty dungeon, it has now been revamped for PVP.
Naturally, the boss monster “Father” does not appear directly.

Instead, the area-of-effect attacks that had troubled users before have manifested as battlefield gimmicks.
Their power is significant enough to differentiate them from the previous battlefields.
Since they pose a great threat even in high-tier games, there are teams that use freeze mages and grapplers, like Galaxy Gaming.

As I walked down the corridor, I heard a familiar voice.

“Warning. This entity ‘Father’ is responsible for the protection of this cradle.”
“Withdraw. Further approaches will result in the use of force.”

What an unpleasant dungeon it was.
Both the intertwined story and the boss monster’s gimmicks were disturbing.
It felt horrifying, as if it were forcibly tearing away my past.

But now… it seems I’ve definitely improved compared to before.
I’ve overcome the fears I couldn’t back then.

The professional entry proposals that I had only kept in storage were the same.
They were a testament to my lingering attachments.
But now, I am truly a professional, participating in the matches.

Today, I must show proof here, not in the cradle.

“You’ve finally arrived. The guardian ‘Father’ will fulfill its duty.”

Once the battle begins, powerful area-of-effect attacks will be unleashed across the battlefield.
Cold weapons like great swords or axes, as well as high-heat lasers and magical bombings.
The usual countermeasure is to hide in the safe zones scattered around the battlefield.

However, I began to run through the dangerous area where the area-of-effect attacks were pouring down.

A Cradle without Father is a completely open battlefield.
Aside from the structures on the ceiling and walls, the entire field is visible at a glance.
If I start normally, there would be no way to conceal my position other than invisibility.

With area-of-effect attacks pouring down across the entire battlefield right now.
Excluding the time when Donghae’s swordsman is quietly nestled in the safe zone.

“I can do this. I’ve practiced this many times.”

The Cradle has a total of 7 area-of-effect patterns.

Out of those, only 4 are survivable patterns.

The way to distinguish them is to check the types of weapons that rain down in the initial field.
This time it was spears, so it was a challenging yet possible difficulty.

Don’t be deceived by the sight before me.
Magic pouring down like rain. Weapons flying incessantly.
At first glance, it might seem like they fall randomly, but there’s definitely a way to counter them.

Stepping on the memorized platforms in order, I approached the enemy lines.

As soon as the ice magic poured down, I parried the three swords that flew towards me in succession.
I dodged two spears, and after the laser passed, I needed to pick up one of the spears on the ground.
My target is the structure on the ceiling that is zeroing in on me.

Before arrows are fired, I threw the spear.
There’s no time to check the result.
All I can do is believe that I hit and move forward.

I closed the distance with minimal parrying.

“Confirmed overheating of the intruder repulsion system.”
“Entering alert mode until cooling is completed.”

There’s no way to avoid the next explosion from the ground.
It’s fine. I’m almost there.

Jumping while tying the chain to the ceiling.
I lost a bit of health due to a slight miscalculation in timing, but it was the last attempt anyway.
Right below me is Donghae’s spawn area, so all that’s left is to hold my breath and wait.

Surely, he couldn’t have imagined this.

Donghae stepped out of the corridor and scanned the surroundings.
Front, back, left, right. He even checked the ceiling where I might have gone up.
I was already behind Donghae, so it was a meaningless attempt.

“Invisibility? There’s no way it would come out at this distance.”
“Wrong answer.”
“What the…?!”

With two daggers, I struck both sides of his neck.

He looked stunned, his expression blank.
But it seemed he decided to resolve his doubts later.
One of Donghae’s hands reached for my arm, while the other elbow struck my side.

Was his reaction good?

The swordsman is a class within the samurai lineage.
His strength stat is superior to mine, and he also has an advantage in physique.
If he catches me, it’s likely to be the end.

I withdrew the daggers to control his hand.
Flying upwards using the chain I had bound.
The sword energy flew up, tracing my body, but there was no problem in parrying.

“How the hell?”
“Just as you wouldn’t believe.”
“Really? Can you use such tactics here?”
“Since everyone will find out eventually anyway.”

It’s a special move possible only in a newly released battlefield.

What I can think of, others can think of too.
It’s just a matter of timing.
If I let it rot, thinking I’d use it at a critical moment, it would only serve others.

Moreover, it was not meaningless.
I have now gained enough of a price, haven’t I?
Blood dripped from my dagger.

[‘Lacerate: Additional Damage’ effect has successfully activated.]
[Enhanced bleeding poison effect applied to the enemy.]

I’m quite satisfied with my first achievement.
The swordsman class has meaning only when it can parry attacks.
Its durability is only slightly better than that of an assassin.

Though not as effective as when strengthened by the white moon, it was undeniably an attack that hit a vital point.
It should have been a valid hit.

Kicking off with the toe, I re-entered toward the enemy.

Donghae’s breath quickened.
While my dagger pierced his thigh, my other aimed for his abdomen.

The opposite dagger clashed with the blade.
The swords’ paths twisted, and the thrust missed by a hair’s breadth.
As if to pay the price for his clumsy counter, a throwing knife lodged itself in his knee.

‘What the hell? Is it this hard against an assassin?’

Originally, the swordsman should have a slight advantage against an assassin.
In essence, he isn’t a difficult opponent.
Yet, against Ga-wol, it was even challenging to swing the sword once.

Every attack is blocked time and again.
No, it’s not just a matter of that.
Even before I could properly initiate an attack, I was already being blocked.
With just my ready stance, Ga-wol seemed to know what I was going to do, preparing for a counterattack.
Donghae felt as if he were walking into the jaws of a beast.

Moreover, this person… is incredibly annoying!

“Your low stance is a mess. It’s not very good.”
“I didn’t. I didn’t ask.”
“Is this your first time using a real sword? Blood flows when it matches my body.”

I hadn’t noticed this while watching the commentary or broadcasts.
There have been many players who use trash talk well, and some have even been more forceful than Ga-wol.
Although they all managed to provoke well, I genuinely thought, ‘Huh, is that all?’

But this was different.
Donghae felt genuinely irritated.

Provocation is not something that can succeed simply by being eloquent.
To shake emotions, one must be able to forcibly expose what the opponent doesn’t want to reveal.
But Ga-wol was truly playing as if he could see right through me… each word ignited my frustration.

“Oh, swordsmen aren’t supposed to do that.”
“...Ugh.”
“You really have no sense of how to hold a sword.”

Calm down. If I get caught in this, it’ll be the end.
He, too, is a first-string professional gamer serving as the ace of a team.
Donghae barely managed to settle his mind.

He’s no fool.
The strong opponents he met in international matches were on a different level, and Ga-wol was a monster who had taken them down.
The thought of winning alone was abandoned long ago.

In times like this, one must attempt plays for the team.
I had intended to force a depletion and take the loss from the start.

‘But what should I do if my attacks just can’t reach?’

I was ready to give up flesh if it meant I could take some bones.
The reality was that I was just offering up my bones.
There was nothing but air cutting through with my sword; it felt so futile.

Moreover, even time was not on my side.

“Cooling of the intruder repulsion system complete.”
“Guardian Father. Resuming mission.”

The white lasers began to heat up various areas of the battlefield.
Hearing Father’s voice signified the imminent bombardment of area-of-effect attacks.

Ga-wol already had a record of surviving within these area-of-effect attacks.
A skill he couldn’t replicate.
In any case, the gimmicks of this battlefield were no longer in his favor.

If he made a mistake, he would run into Ga-wol, who hadn’t even lost his moon buff, and the next opponent would be confirmed.
I must accomplish something, anything.

Donghae threw in his gamble.