Vol.2 Chapter 50
Murasame’s PoV
“WHAT AN INSANE SAVE! That was an incredible play coming from team Paradigm’s support, Novo!” the caster hollered at the top of his voice.
"What!"
"S-she blocked it?!"
"Whoa!"
"Whoa..."
The caster's astonishment and incredulity was echoed by Hana, Kaito, and the twins, who were all present in the special room designated for players where I am currently situated.
I comprehend their astonishment. The ‘Guardian Angel’ skill has diminished in popularity and fallen out of favor due to its stringent limitations and difficulty of usage, making it seldom used or even seen, especially by newer players like these guys. Only veteran players who are nostalgic for the time when the skill, long before it was nerfed in the patches, still utilize it to a certain degree.
The underlying reason for this is that the skill consumes a significant amount of mana and has an extended cooldown following the Nerf, allowing for only one use per game. Even seasoned professionals I have encountered rarely employ it in the current patch unless they are absolutely certain of an imminent major attack; otherwise, it would be a waste of scarce skill points, especially for dual caster mages to learn, and also a waste of casting time since only one spell can be precast at a time, preventing the casting of any other spell until it is used.
One thing's for sure. On top of having a high survivability for a mage, she is also adept at outplaying her opponents. I was right in my initial speculations. That girl, Novo, is dangerous.
"What an unexpected turn of events, folks! It looks like the middle orb would be hard for Arthur to contest alone now that his duo partner had just been defeated!" the caster remarked, stating the obvious.
“You got that right, Riot. And look at the bottom orb. It seems like ZiJi is dominating his opponent, Xeno. While on the top orb, it seems like it is a stalemate for both players,” the other caster added.
I see what they mean. Renz, the spearman for Paradigm, is adopting an exceedingly defensive approach, merely probing at his adversary, Gwyneth. It's evident he's employing a stalling tactic for the team's benefit. On the opposite end, ZiJi, potentially their most formidable player in one-on-one scenarios, is nearing victory against his opponent, Xeno.
“Look! The contest for the bottom orb is extremely one-sided!” Hana exclaimed.
I focused my attention on the screen featuring the battle for the bottom orb.
ZiJi
HP: 84%
Xeno
HP: 49%
“Yeah, I don’t get why the other guy isn't using his weapon skill now that he is at a disadvantage?” Kaito asked.
“He is in a bad matchup," I blurted out.
“Bad matchup?”
“Bad matchup?”
The twins probed in unison.
I pondered for a moment and decided to provide some insight and fulfill my role as their coach. "He is outmatched, and his broadsword’s weapon skill, as far as I'm aware from their qualifiers match, is a single formidable attack that can be parried. It's a disadvantageous matchup against someone as skilled in parrying as ZiJi. Xeno is likely aware that ZiJi is anticipating his weapon skill. Hence, he is mirroring the tactic by waiting for ZiJi to unleash his 'Reversal,' a potent defensive weapon skill first, to gain the advantage."
“Oh, I see! It has turned into a game in which the first one to use their weapon skill loses!” Hana said in understanding.
“Precisely,” I agreed.
As I was explaining things, ZiJi pressed the attack. His movements were graceful, with each thrust and slash a precise extension of his butterfly sword. In contrast, Xeno from the Round Table appeared inexperienced. Despite showing promise, his lack of experience was evident when facing someone of ZiJi's skill level.
Following a swift exchange of swordplay, ZiJi identified the opening. Employing a deceptive move that caught Xeno off guard, he executed a riposte, piercing through the vulnerable gap in Xeno's armor with the tip of his butterfly sword. A direct strike landed on Xeno's chest.
"Guh!"
Xeno
HP: 39%
"Y-you're pretty good. It looks like I need to take you seriously," he said with such assurance that even I became more vigilant about what he would do to turn things around.
Was what he said a fluke, or is he really holding back? If that's the case, it was a bad move to let his HP dwindle that much, especially when he will be fighting the other members of the Paradigm, who will be in full health due to having a healer.
As I was thinking that, ZiJi lunged at him and executed a disarming maneuver. One butterfly sword expertly hooked Xeno's blade at the base, the other a blur as it shot up Xeno's arm. With a twist and a yank, the broadsword clattered to the ground, leaving Xeno staring down the points of ZiJi's twin blades.
"W-wait! Time out! I wasn't ready yet!" he protested.
…That’s ...I doubt you can request a pause from your opponent and expect them to comply in the middle of a match. Nonetheless, it appears the battle has concluded. What a masterful disarm maneuver that was from the Paradigm's player. He certainly improved compared to his gameplay from the qualifiers. Did he hide his skills, perhaps? If not, what kind of drastic training did he undergo the past week to exponentially grow this much in such a short time?
And not just him. From what I've seen in their gameplay in the qualifiers, all of them drastically improved since back then. Each member of their team appears to have undergone a remarkable training regimen. Additionally, having an exceptionally skilled strategist on their side plays a crucial role. Their meticulous preparation and thorough memorization of backup plans and contingencies give them a notable advantage over their current opponents, who are less prepared. This situation parallels what unfolded in my sister's match, a reason why she lost to their spearman. I'll have to look more into their team in preparation when we go up against them.
"I didn't think they were this strong..." Kaito muttered.
"...Why is that?" I asked curiously.
“Um... Because everybody is saying they are the weakest participant here?” he responded.
“That is a bad take on things. People often adhere to prevailing opinions and follow them blindly, particularly when a significant number share the same viewpoint, without even questioning or verifying the accuracy of the information. I hope this will be a lesson to you to not rely on what the majority thinks. It is always best to be skeptical and confirm for yourself whether what you hear is really true or not…”
I paused, noticing the expressions of admiration and wonder on everyone's faces in the room.
Hmm... I realize I'm not typically this chatty. It seems like I might have been adopting the role of their coach a bit too earnestly. My abrupt change in demeanor might have caught them off guard, especially considering they appear to be enthusiastic fans of mine, as per Hana's accounts.
“Ahem... Let's redirect our attention to the match at hand,” I redirected the conversation.
As I said, it seems that Arthur is the next to be defeated, prompting shock from the announcers and viewers. He didn't stand a chance two-on-one to begin with, especially when his ace in the hole, his weapon skill, was on cooldown, so it was expected.
It seems like the only remaining player from the Round Table team is Gwyneth.
Gwyneth
HP: 92%
Renz
HP: 71%
Observing their relatively healthy status, it seems that Renz, the player who defeated Hana, is still intent on his stalling tactics, which is quite commendable. Despite holding the upper hand, their team still refrains from underestimating their adversary and opts for strategies where success is most likely.
"I give up..." Gwyneth suddenly proclaimed, shocking the audience.
"W-what? Why?" Renz exclaimed in disbelief.
"All my allies have fallen, and you're simply buying time until reinforcements arrive," she replied nonchalantly.
"That's true, I guess..."
"So adiós... Good game. I'm going to sleep for a while after this..." she stated with a yawn as she logged out, initiating a surrender that left the audience in incredulity at the unexpected turn of events.
"...A-and we have a victor! What an unforeseen outcome and an impressive performance from team Paradigm!" the caster hastily announced to redirect attention from the unconventional conclusion of the match.
"W-why did she surrender? Isn't that a poor display for her?" Hana questioned.
"I believe she made the right choice," I countered.
"What? What about her honor and integrity as a warrior?" Hana contested.
"While integrity is significant, strategically retreating to regather and refocus for the upcoming match is a more prudent use of time. Expending all effort in a battle where victory is unachievable against all four opponents may inadvertently disclose details about your strengths and vulnerabilities to future adversaries. Additionally, persisting in a losing battle also has its drawbacks. As the saying goes, it is wiser to lose and retreat in a single battle than to lose the war,” I gave my honest opinion.
Hana contemplated my response before acknowledging, "That's true... I suppose."
“Well, it ultimately depends on the individual, but if I were in her position... I'd do the same,” I added.
"But in your case, you can easily defeat them 1v4, right?" Kaito inquired.
Glancing at the Team Paradigm's support player, Novo, I pondered momentarily.
"...Who knows," I responded vaguely.
---------------------------------
As my VR pod opened, the world around me slowly came back into focus, and the transition from virtual reality to reality felt almost surreal. The crowd's cheers swept over me with a wave of energy and excitement that filled the air with electrifying enthusiasm but also didn’t help at all in the transition.
I take a moment to adjust to the sudden change in atmosphere, the echoes of the previous match still lingering in my mind. The cheers grow louder, a cacophony of voices that blend into a symphony of celebration and support.
“PARADIGM! PARADIGM! PARADIGM! PARADIGM!”
The resounding cheers were overwhelming. It felt somewhat peculiar, considering that moments before the match, the cheers were not in our favor. Our dominant display of strength must have influenced the shift in support. The match unfolded favorably for us, almost too seamlessly for my preference. I am certain that the other team’s attention will now be focused on us, a prospect that I am not particularly keen on, as I’d like to stay the underdogs of this tournament.
As I got out of the pod, an immediate whirlwind of blond tackled me from out of nowhere. I almost fell to the ground but held on my center of balance. Not today, Liz, not today!
“What a nice save! I thought for a second I was a goner, but I knew I could count on you!” she said while gripping me tightly, her overwhelming emotion from the win evident in her actions.
I can't breathe! And stop it with the hugs! We're live on broadcast! It's embarrassing! I get that she is overjoyed since this is a big match... But still!
In my peripheral vision, I noticed Clarence extending his hand, awaiting Chu's response for a high-five.
"Come on! Don't leave me hanging!" he exclaimed, holding his hands up in anticipation of Chu reciprocating the gesture.
Chu, who is in a good mood because of the win, stared at him for a bit before he reciprocated. The result was a satisfying crisp and sharp high five, like the crack of a whip that echoed throughout the booth.
It made me smile. We really did win. It has been so long since I felt this way again. The overwhelming sense of exhilaration that courses through my body, a rush of adrenaline and euphoria that fills every fiber of my being. This is a moment of pure joy and elation, a culmination of hard work, dedication, and determination paying off in the most rewarding way possible.
The thing is, despite all these positive circumstances, one major downside is that I find it difficult to breathe!
“L-let’s go and shake hands with the other team first,” I managed to articulate with the limited oxygen in my lungs.
Liz finally released me from her death hug and then flashed me a dazzling smile. “Sure! Let’s go!”.