NoveLight ™
[IKL Summer Round 1 - Match 62]
[Battlefield: Graveyard of the Order]
[Rules: 5-player Annihilation Match]
[Sigma eSports vs Eunha Gaming]
As expected, Eunha Gaming brought a 2-mage combination. While the main force took the wide path, I quickly moved through the side road.
[Team member ‘Sigma Outlaw’ requests activation of ‘Operator.’ Y/N]
[Accepted.]
[The communication range with ‘Sigma Outlaw’ has increased dramatically during combat.]
[Vision sharing and signal systems are activated.]
The battlefield luck wasn’t great. The battlefield, “Graveyard of the Order,” was an area with very few paths to move.
According to the game lore, it was the site where the Order, which fought against the Empire, met its end. They fought valiantly with a small group, but eventually, they were killed because the side paths were revealed. Perhaps because of that, there was only one side path in this field.
In other words, it’s a place where an assassin’s route can be easily predicted. It’s natural to expect that someone would be waiting on the path to block it.
What I was expecting was a straightforward fight with Nabileira’s offensive…
But if it really played out like that, it would be rather disappointing. If they were still thinking like that, they would have to hand over an entire set. Fortunately, my prediction was completely off.
“Enemies spotted. Two here. One’s a frost mage, and the other’s a fire mage. Both mages are here?”
At the end of the side path, Azure and Crimson were waiting for me. Both of the enemy team’s main damage dealers were here. Does that mean they intend to stall on the opposite battlefield?
I could be a little greedy here. Since I confirmed there are no other enemies, it would be fine to engage in combat if necessary. It was too far to turn back now.
The worst-case scenario would be if I hesitated and those two joined up with the others on the main battlefield first.
After taking a few steps forward.
[Passive: Crisis Detection]
[If detected by an enemy, movement speed increases by 5% for 10 seconds.]
[Target: Observing Eyes (Eunha Azure)]
It felt like a detection spell had been cast on me, as if they were timing it. The range was much broader than normal. It was clear that a significant investment had been made. Just as I was preparing for the enemy, they had also strategized to counter me.
Behind me, a massive ice barrier appeared, and in front, a fiery spell being cast emitted a threatening heat.
“Got hit. I guess I’ll have to fight now.”
The roles had reversed. Normally, I was the one expected to make an impact in a short amount of time. This time, I had to stall, and Luche’s main force had to break through the enemy.
The combination wasn’t one with a particularly strong offensive power from the start. It wouldn’t be easy to decide the game in one go.
The silver lining was that Luche had chosen the lancer class. Her high stature was a good choice to pierce through the enemy lines, and it was proving to be a good decision. Now, we all had to perform well on our own...
“We don’t just need to stall for time.”
I called over the two key damage dealers of the team to my side to make a decisive play. It was an interesting call but somewhat rash. I’d turn the assumption that they could beat me with two players upside down.
The stone wall, unable to withstand the explosion, collapsed. Before the broken rocks could hit the ground, a sharp ice spike came hurtling towards me, targeting Ga-wol.
The position didn’t seem favorable for evasion. I deflected it with my dagger to avoid a fatal hit, accepting the minor wounds. In return, I started to close the distance between me and the enemy.
[Eunha Gaming’s twin mages corner Ga-wol!]
[The strategy they prepared fits the terrain well. It’s hard for Ga-wol to break through such a narrow area.]
[Why isn’t Ga-wol using invisibility?]
[It’s likely because it doesn’t matter in this situation. Azure doesn’t have an exact read on Ga-wol’s position.]
In the chaos of dust and explosions, even the two mages were having trouble maintaining their vision. Crimson, the fire mage, was limiting their positioning, while Azure’s frost mage was inserting precise attacks. There seemed to be no place to dodge.
But an assassin couldn’t just take hits from a fire mage.
In this game, fire mages are unbeatable in terms of firepower. Even knight classes would prefer evasion over defense when possible. An assassin’s body could not endure such attacks.
[Effect: “Frost of the Sage”]
[During its duration, all action speeds are reduced by 12%.]
This was purely evidence that the synergy between the twin mages was good. The constant casting of spells was a clear indication of this.
They could skip all communication steps and still execute perfect coordination. Their magic circles were perfectly synchronized, and they could read each other’s intentions just by observing their positions. The synergy between the two players had been famous for a while.
[Effect: “Hellfire”]
[During its duration, the target suffers 0.15% of their maximum health as damage every second. It can stack up to 8 times, and at maximum stacks…]
[Current Stacks: 3]
[Ga-wol seems to be deciding something?]
[In fact, they’ve already held out quite well. They’ve avoided damage as best as they could, but the terrifying thing about mages is that the effects of their attacks cause damage even when you don’t get hit.]
[Also, Inbl is a game that emphasizes detail. As ice and fire magic collide, it creates mist that freezes again, adding up the accumulated damage.]
[Ga-wol probably doesn’t like the situation right now.]
In Inbl, parrying doesn’t make you invincible. While it’s true you get a massive damage reduction if you can land a successful parry, you can’t fully block damage from area attacks.
There is no attack that is universally effective against every defense, nor is there a defense that can completely negate all attacks. Some weapons, like the swordmaster’s Cut (抉), can cut through magic, but even that has its limits.
Even among top-tier pro gamers, knight classes are still consistently used because of their effectiveness.
An assassin cannot continue to take the combined attacks of the twin mages forever.
A dark shadow flickered at the edge of Ga-wol’s cloak.
[Effect: “Whisper of the Black Moon”]
[All attack power, movement speed, and counterattack judgments are enhanced.]
[Some skills are also enhanced...]
The fact that Ga-wol used the lunar buff meant they had drawn their sword.
At the moment the red magic circle exploded, fire surged through, revealing the assassin’s figure as it passed through the fire.
Ga-wol had been concealed until now. And this silvery-haired assassin was a predator skilled in psychological warfare. Azure’s experience led her to realize the trick, making her cautious of the clone.
Fortunately, Azure’s frost mage was in the perfect position to check for clones. Throwing small projectiles didn’t consume much casting time.
The ice shard that flew through the air passed straight through Ga-wol’s body, as if confirming her position.
It was a phantom, a clone.
On the path of movement, it was difficult for the clone to disappear from sight. The possibility of overlapping clones was quickly ruled out, so now the focus shifted to finding the real body.
Ice spears were floating in the air, ready to strike.
“Up, sister!”
The real body was hidden in the canyon’s wall. It seemed to have entered the collapsed area caused by the magic’s impact, concealing herself there. Her small size made her less noticeable.
Azure had adapted well, but the situation was much closer than expected. Nevertheless, I had prepared the spell I needed to use.
The ice spear flew, and a thick ice wall bounced off Ga-wol’s incantation.
An assassin is a class with many entry abilities. However, there’s always a delay after a charge, and only a limited number of useful skills are available at the pro level.
Ga-wol, rather than using ambiguous skills, usually invested in her stats and passives, trusting herself.
Her main tool was Shadow Movement, and Incantation Throw was used as an opening move. In other words, if the Incantation Throw was blocked, it would disrupt the entrance.
Up until now, it seemed like Ga-wol had successfully blocked it. But as she leaped over the ice wall, her figure melted into the shadow.
[Ga-wol strikes from behind! A single fire barrier seems inadequate to stop it!]
[With the Black Moon buff, Ga-wol’s attack power is immense. A guard break is incoming! A critical hit lands!]
[Azure provides support. Crimson narrowly escapes.]
[In a tough situation, she desperately protected her neck. The casting speed won’t be affected, but that must’ve been a chilling moment.]
Crimson’s right eye dripped with blood. It happened in an instant.
There was a barrier that obstructed her vision, and her health had been reduced by more than half.
How did that happen? Azure frowned.