[World Championship - Round of 16]
[Field: Shadow Hall]
[Rules: 5v5 Elimination]
[Sigma eSports vs Veiled Nightmare]

In the dark and quiet space, torches were lit.
No external light could enter this hall.
The only source of light in this field was the torches that ignited randomly.

It could be said that it was fate's joke.
This Shadow Hall was like a home ground for assassins.

A battlefield where you could even miss the appearance of an enemy fighting right in front of you.
During the "Dark Adaptation" phase, when the lights went out, vision was drastically limited.
In the end, the assassin with superior stealth would claim victory.

"The match has begun. Both teams are starting to move slowly."
"Is the first match really going to be classic? There doesn’t seem to be any major surprises in the composition."
"Right. Both Sigma and Nightmare are using setups we've seen frequently in the North American league."
"North American teams tend to favor high-endurance and attack-heavy frontliners…"

There was no need for extreme strategies from the very first match.
Such tactics are the weapons of the weaker teams trying to close the skill gap.
Naturally, it seemed that both teams were testing each other's skills.

Veiled Nightmare often favored a frontliner combo of a fighter and druid.

In the North American league's environment, ranged dealers prioritized survivability.
Since their firepower wasn't as strong, they didn't need guards like knight classes.
Instead, they preferred resilient melee dealers.

The fighter and druid, with their hexagonal stats, were the perfect fit.
Especially in North America, fighters often had a naturally high physique.
Players of African American, Native American, or Samoan descent were easy to find, all with larger builds.

INBL is a VR MMORPG.
The character's size doesn't always match the player's real-life physique.
But due to the motion capture technology used, the characters' sizes inevitably correspond to the player's proportions.

In intense close combat, even a few centimeters of reach difference can be crucial.
For fighters, whose limbs are weapons, size itself is a blessed condition.

"As expected, both teams are moving very cautiously given the nature of the battlefield."
"Both teams are prioritizing vision control and keeping detection skills active."
"This is a battlefield made for assassins. With the best assassins on both sides, vigilance is essential."
"However, even the assassins can’t move freely."

On the other hand, the assassins, finding themselves on their home ground, quietly held their breath.
Even as the two teams grew closer, they maintained their silence.
Not even when they entered the range of the enemy's ranged dealers did they make a sound.

There was no further preparation needed.
Ga-wol had already positioned himself behind the enemy lines.
If he wanted, he could have plunged his blade into the enemy's heart at that very moment.

Still, the reason he didn’t move was simple.
The moment Ga-wol revealed himself, Phantom would certainly make his move as well.

"Ga-wol seems quite frustrated."
"He’s always been a player who plays actively. But now, he has to wait."
"Neither assassin’s position has been revealed yet."
"If Ga-wol shows his position recklessly, Phantom will have far too much freedom to move."

The camera captured Ga-wol, frowning in frustration.

Until now, Ga-wol had never feared risks.
His boldness in diving into enemy territory and showcasing his skills was his trademark.
Drawing the attention of multiple enemies at once and achieving his goal was the strength of Ga-wol, the assassin.

But now, there was the variable of Phantom.
The moment Ga-wol revealed himself, Phantom would also get his chance.
An even more chaotic situation. With no uncertainty about the enemy assassin… it was a better opportunity.

Phantom is the assassin with the highest kill efficiency.
And this means that once he targets prey, he never lets go.
Any sloppy entry would cost an ally’s life.

A combat-based assassin like Hashashin had a natural counter relationship with Phantom.
And Ga-wol’s playstyle was quite similar to Hashashin’s.

"In the end, the fight at the main battlefront will decide everything."
"No matter how strong Ga-wol's assassin is… he will have a hard time moving freely against Phantom."
"This is the world stage. Ga-wol can only go so far with solo plays."

The battle was signaled by the sound of a gunshot.

The sniper rifle of the enemy gunslinger.
Although it wasn’t as powerful as a sniper shot, it was an incredibly precise shot that couldn't have been made with simple compensation.
The bullet nearly pierced Hekate’s heart.

No matter the angle, never expose a vital spot.
If it weren’t for the hundreds and thousands of deaths that had honed this instinct, it would have been a devastating fatal blow.
Thinking of Phantom’s presence... that shot could have led to death.

The bullet lodged in her shoulder, and the aftermath exploded, turning the surroundings into mush.
Hekate quickly tended to her wound behind Luche.

Honestly, I was impressed.
From the shooter’s perspective, it must have been an extremely narrow gap.
But he managed to land the shot perfectly.
Is this really a world-class team?

[‘Rite: Flying Bird Spirit’ effect is active.]
[All movement speed increases…]

In any case, a sniper rifle has a longer range than a ranger’s bow.
The enemy gunslinger’s ability to land a shot from this distance had now been confirmed.
From now on, stalling for time would only allow him to be eaten alive.

Hekate’s buffed team quickly moved toward the enemy.
While the shields stood firm and blocked incoming gunfire, the allied rangers began their covering fire.
Arrows shot high into the sky, splitting and raining down like a storm, but the priest’s shield served as an umbrella.

And when the frontlines of both teams collided, the lights of the Shadow Hall completely turned off.

An unexpected battlefield variable.

The only remaining light was the glow created by the players' skills.
As the vision of all players was narrowed by dark adaptation, the timing was perfect for me to move.

[‘Whisper of the Black Moon’ effect is active.]
[All attack power, movement speed, and counterattack effectiveness are enhanced.]
[Some skills are strengthened…]

I remembered the last position of the enemy.
The flame from the gunslinger’s gun, the priest’s holy spell, and the druid’s tattoos all shone even in the darkness.
Now that I had confirmed the enemy’s location, there was no reason to hesitate.

The target I most wanted to eliminate was the priest.
If the priest’s shield disappeared, the ranger’s arrows would have no means of protection.
This would force the enemy to rush and give us an advantage in a long-term battle.

But the position wasn’t ideal.
If I made a wrong move, the gunslinger’s bullets could turn me into Swiss cheese.
Even a few shots from behind would be enough to melt my health bar.

So, I reluctantly targeted the gunslinger.
My dagger pierced the gunslinger’s chest.

‘I was aiming for the neck... Did he sense something at the last moment?’

Shouting would be troublesome.
Instead of following up with another strike, I pressed my hand to my mouth.
As a result, his screams turned into muffled noises, like "Ugh, uhh-!"

But blocking his call for help wasn’t enough.
The gunslinger fired a few more rounds into the air, drawing the attention of other players toward me.

It was still okay.
The darkness was my cover, and I had enough distance.
With this timing, I could get in a few more stabs with my dagger.

[‘Vital Strike: Internal Organs’ effect activated.]
[‘Enhanced Hemotoxin’ effect applied.]

I roughly dragged the dagger from my target’s body.
The blade tore through flesh and sliced into the organs.
I couldn’t kill him right away, but it was enough to make him retreat from the battle.

At this distance, the fighter was like a primate in a zoo.
The druid was no threat to me since they had chosen a transformation build.
If it weren’t for Phantom, I would only need to worry about the priest.

The priest is an extremely competent class in terms of healing and defense.
But there was one flaw: the priest’s skills ultimately rely on “casting” in the system.

The last shot fired by the gunslinger had a slight stagger effect.
The thick tendons of the man’s arm were severed, and his gun was stolen.
I fired all my shots at the priest.

Due to the hasty aim, most of the bullets missed.
But a few hit him, and the system accurately applied the stagger effect.
This canceled the priest’s casting, and by the time the next skill would be ready, it would be time to fall back.

Things were going well.
Let’s destroy the gunslinger a little more.

Just as I thought that, the lights on the battlefield flickered back on.
A chill of danger crept up my spine.
A shadow was cast over me.

[Active: Silent Executioner]
[Descending from a high place, it inflicts powerful damage in the surrounding area.]
[All enemies within the attack range are silenced. The attack range and silence duration are proportional to the distance fallen, and a back-attack bonus is applied.]
[Caster: V Nightmare Phantom]

Had Phantom planned to consume me from the start?
This could be risky.