[IKL Summer Playoffs Final - Match 1]
[Arena: Fairywood Forest]
[Rules: 5v5 Deathmatch]
[Sigma eSports vs Eunha Gaming]

The towering ancient trees stretched high into the sky, thick with greenery.
An assassin moved stealthily among the fragrant trees.
Her lips moved as though speaking, but nothing could be heard over the broadcast.

For various reasons, in-game voice chats rarely become public.
But there was one thing for sure:
Gawol, as always, closed the distance to the enemy without hesitation.

“Yes. The much-awaited first match of the IKL Finals has begun.”
“The arena is Fairywood Forest, a battlefield where mana regeneration skyrockets. However, both teams seem to have some tricks up their sleeves.”
“Eunha Gaming has brought out a staggering lineup of four mage-type classes—an unexpected combination. Among them, three classes revolve around summoned creatures.”
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen such a lively match. Sigma eSports also has several classes that handle mana well, though not to the extent of mages.”
“Yes, it seems that Eunha Gaming has gotten off to a slightly advantageous start. That’s the way it looks.”

Eunha Gaming entered the first match with full force.
Having defeated Q Prime and ACL, they had kept their hidden cards well-guarded.
As soon as they arrived at the finals, they immediately pulled one of those cards.

Mage-type classes often bring summons with them.
Summoners and elementalists are obvious, and even the spirit mages summon hardy creatures.
Frost mages, depending on their build, could summon large creatures like ice golems.

A 5v5 battle unfolded on the battlefield.
The summoned creatures held the front lines with their toughness, while the magic rained down like a deluge.
In the midst of all this, it wasn’t hard to imagine Tuhui darting around, picking up kills.

“This is where all eyes are inevitably on Gawol.”
“Gawol is already patrolling the outskirts of the forest. She’s sneaking past observation summons, heading toward the enemy lines.”
“As always, her route selection is impeccable. With her speed, it’s clear she has a lot of advantages.”

Fairywood Forest is generally an arena advantageous for mages and warriors.
But it also had merits for assassins.
The vast Z-axis created by the giant trees allowed for smooth aerial mobility.

Gawol, leaping from tree to tree, concealed herself beneath the leaves.
It was due to the movement of the summoner's monstrous bird overhead.

There were likely dryads hiding in various parts of the forest floor.
Finding the roots of tree spirits in such a forest was an impossible task.
It was easier to deceive the ghostly eyes that hovered in the sky.

The ghostly spirits of the spirit mages had a 60-degree field of vision with a 2.4-meter observation range.
There were many blind spots on their flanks, and if you had the right information, avoiding them wasn’t difficult.

“Wow, she just easily bypassed that nearly flawless defense.”
“Wasn’t it the year before last? Phantom used this exact method to take on Eunha Gaming in the Prelude.”
“The number of summoned creatures is different now, though. Truly… an amazing player.”
“But Nabilella isn’t moving? The main teams must have already spotted each other.”

Gawol’s infiltration proceeded smoothly.
However, no match in the finals would unfold easily.
The commentators’ predictions began to veer off course.

First, even as the match began, Nabilella’s Tuhui stayed close to the mages.
Her role wasn’t to face off against Sigma’s main team.

Azur’s ice wall blocked Sigma’s retreat.
Though they immediately began working to break it down, the speed at which the summoner’s birds arrived was faster.
The fiery birds collided with Luché’s shield, bursting into red flames and sending a hot wind blasting out.

[Active: Sacrifice of Spirits]
[Command all spirits in the area to sacrifice themselves. The sacrificed spirit will approach nearby enemies and cause a mana explosion.]

The tiny spirits flying around the forest all turned red and came swooping in.
A chain explosion rang out inside the protective barrier that Hecate had hurriedly created.

This time, Eunha Gaming’s summoned creatures weren’t just shields to maintain the front lines.
Each one was like a loaded shell.
They had discarded any soft thoughts of attacking safely behind the summoned creatures and had planned a full-blown artillery strike.

Previously, Team CP’s necromancer ‘Crow’ had used a body explosion strategy in the arena.
That same strategy had been resurrected by Eunha Gaming in a different form.

Not far from the battlefield, a series of explosions rang out.
A spirit attached to an ice spear exploded, scattering shards that left scratches on the shield.
In the sky, the monstrous bird flew tirelessly, carrying lesser spirits.

“Gawol? We’re in a bit of a bind here. We need to fall back for now.”
“Looks like it. Should I do something to help?”
“Yes, please. We need your support.”

An urgent request for help came from Outlaw.
Well, I was already almost there anyway.

I gripped my dagger with both hands and leapt up high, investing a lot of mana into the jump.
With so many mages on the stage, it wouldn’t do to not take action as an assassin.

[Effect: Whisper of the Black Moon.]
[Increases all attack power, movement speed, and counterattack effectiveness.]
[Some skills are enhanced...]

The highest priority target was, of course, Azur.

I wanted to take down the enemy’s commander, but getting too close to the frost mage would be dangerous.
If I got frozen here, I wouldn’t be able to escape alive.
It was better to focus on a more probable target for now.

I dove down toward the ground, stabbing my dagger into Fiesta’s nape.
The crimson lightning struck, delivering a critical hit.
I yanked out the dagger, kicking the spirit mage’s bleeding body away from me.

There was now just enough distance to wield my dagger.

“I’ve come to keep my promise. I told you I’d send you off early.”
“Ha...!”

The moment of truth had arrived.
Should I commit to a few more blows to make sure they die, or should I retreat safely after one strike?
Both options had their merits.

Right now, the ones focused on me were the frost mage and Tuhui.
It would take time for the freeze spell to complete.
Tuhui’s damage wouldn’t be enough to kill me in one hit.

Alright.
I made my decision.

I slashed the spirit mage’s neck again, creating just the right gap.
I drove my dagger into her heart, pulling it out before slashing her abdomen.
I aimed for her eyes next... until Tuhui’s kick slammed into my stomach.

“Agh...!”

[Effect: Shattering Strike.]
[The penalty from physical damage is greatly enhanced. All stats are decreased...]

One hit had caused significant damage.
Originally, I had planned to disable the spirit mage, but that strike hit me in the lung.
I couldn’t move as freely as before, and blood filled my mouth.

Still, the objective was accomplished.

I couldn’t kill her immediately, but that was fine.
I had left deep cuts, and there was no way the enemy had a reliable means of healing.
With the spirit mage’s pitiful regeneration, she wouldn’t last long.

And since I was already this far...
I increased the distance, ensuring the mages couldn’t hit me with their barrage.
I made sure to relay the situation to Outlaw on the way.

“I scratched the spirit mage a few times. She won’t survive long.”
“You did it again. We’ve finished preparing here. Luché’s guard gauge is restored, and we’ll be re-entering soon. Can you hold out?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure. Tuhui’s right on my tail... I took a hard hit, so my breathing’s a bit off. Looks like I’ll have to fight.”
“Good luck.”

The Inbl system imposes debuffs depending on the damage area.
When I was slashed, I couldn’t move properly due to the penalty from the cut.
Right now, it felt like my lungs were damaged, restricting my mobility.

I had no choice but to wait here, slowly regaining my stamina.
After a little while, a tall woman appeared in front of me.

Tuhui. Nabilella’s base is kickboxing.
I didn’t think she was national team level, but I had heard she was a pro.
Her orthodox stance was precise and dead on as she aimed at me.

This was the opposite of ACL’s Donghae.
He was like me, someone who entered the sport late, so while his movements were good, there were many weaknesses in his game.

Nabilella grinned.

“I’ve been wanting to land a clean hit on you, and now I finally get my wish.”
“Yeah. Clean hit. If not now, when would you ever hit me, huh?”
“You... your tongue is really something else, huh?”
“Maybe it’s that your trigger point is just too low? Don’t athletes usually hate this kind of thing?”

There was no response.

The conversation ended.
With the sound of wind cutting through the air, her arms lashed out at me, sharp and fast.

It was a basic, solid attack.
Her strike had no excess motion, and she used her longer limbs effectively.
I had to admit it, but still... was she getting too cocky?

“Hey, I’m curious. When’s the next person coming?”
“What?”
“Aren’t you going to fight alone? That hit I took earlier? I just wanted to rack up a kill... it wasn’t because you did well or anything.”

The response never came.