Vol.2 Chapter 62

Clarissa's PoV

The stadium buzzes with electric energy, and a palpable sense of anticipation and excitement hangs heavy in the air as the participants are transported to the arena stage.

The moonlight filters through the canopy of trees, casting a silvery sheen over the water's surface and illuminating the surrounding landscape with a soft, ethereal glow. It was an alluring stage, a tranquil forest lake that seemed more suitable for relaxing rather than a battle.

My little brother, Colin, and I cheered at the top of our lungs as Big Brother, Novo, and the rest of their teammates were featured on the big screen.

The match started as usual, but something caught the caster's attention as it progressed. Novo was facing off against the enemy team’s super-scary player, Ms. Lua—someone who even beat Ms. Ariadne, the tournament's 1v1 champion.

"Folks, it looks like Paradigm plans to stall for time," Mr. Riot surmised as the two faced off against each other.

Following the caster's analysis, the audience vocalized their sentiments, resonating with his observations.

"It does seem that way. None of their team members stand a chance against that player, after all."

“Indeed, that seems to be their best course of action..."

“I can't blame them; Variable's ace is extremely strong.”

“Poor girl, she became the sacrifice of their team.”

“It would be a miracle if she even lasted a minute alone against Variable's ace player.”

Hearing the crowd's input about the upcoming fight made my heart sink. Does Novo really have no chance against her current opponent?

No, I believe in her. Novo always has a plan for what she does, and she never loses! I'm sure she will somehow emerge from this victorious.

"Novo, I trust in you..." I whispered as I closed my eyes, offering a silent prayer for her well-being and victory.

As the two faced off, it was evident they were friends with each other. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest that they seem very close, but what caught me off guard was that Ms. Lua commented something really concerning.

“Oh my~ it feels like we're on another session of our nightly rendezvous," Ms. Lua said flirtatiously.

“Mom? What does she mean by that?” Colin asked innocently.

"T-that's not something you need to worry about, Colin," Mom attempted to deflect his question.

“Hohoho! Kids these days really are getting more and more vivacious, huh?” Dad made a teasing comment, which made me blush further.

"N-novo is not like that! I'm sure there is some sort of misunderstanding!" I tried to defend my friend.

As if on cue, Novo rebuked Ms. Lua's earlier statement.

"Please don't say something that could easily be misunderstood," Novo said calmly, almost dismissively.

I sighed in relief as Novo confirmed my assumption. Ms. Lua was probably just messing around with her since they both seemed so close.

Their chat continued for a while, delving into aspects of the game, namely about haste buffs, that I didn’t quite understand just yet, and moments later, it finally began with Novo casting her usual haste to herself along with a spell I only saw her cast once when we were up against a strong monster that would’ve taken us ages to beat: her unique skill, ‘Blood Curse.’

From what Novo told me, it sacrifices her HP for a momentary damage boost. It was evident that she was truly set on emerging victorious, which made me cheer for her even louder.

Having cast all her self-buffs, Novo approached her opponent with calm and collected steps, as she usually does.

The first strike came without warning as Novo got in striking distance. Novo’s daggers flickered as her hands darted, and Ms. Lua moved with inhuman grace and speed to counter Novo.

I couldn't follow their movements at all! It was as if the world had slowed down for everyone but them. Their bodies were a blur of motion.

Then, as suddenly as it began, it was over, with Novo seemingly landing a critical blow too fast for me to follow with my naked eyes.

Lua

HP:0%

“W-what… happened,” I murmured in disbelief.

It was apparent that the entire audience mirrored my astonishment. I swear I could hear a pin drop amidst the bustling stadium if someone did happen to drop one.

Shortly after, a hushed murmur cascaded through the audience, almost as if they sought confirmation that they were experiencing reality and not observing an illusion in the slightest.

"What just happened?"

"She perished... just like that..."

“O-oi, did she exploit a bug or something? That's cheating!”

“No, I don't think anyone would blatantly cheat in this tournament. And I'm pretty sure there are no exploits on CoA, and the developers crack down on those things hard.”

“It feels like I just saw two pros fight; they both moved so fast…”

One thing is for certain, though: Novo once again surpassed expectations. I let out a sigh of relief, a breath I didn't know I was holding for this long. She did it again. She won.

As if the silence spell on the caster had worn out, he finally spoke.

“W-what did I just see, folks?! Please tell me I’m not dreaming! The fight ended so fast, with both contestants moving at insane speeds, that I’m sure we are going to need an instant reply to know exactly what just happened!” Mr. Raze said in awe.

I'd like to see the replay of what happened, too, since it was too fast for me to follow with my eyes. But for now, I'm just glad my prayer was answered.

Novo won.

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Murasame's PoV

“W-what did I just see, folks?! Please tell me I’m not dreaming! The fight ended so fast, with both contestants moving at insane speeds, that I’m sure we are going to need an instant reply to know exactly what just happened!”

“What the heck? She suddenly moved so fast! Does haste really give that much speed?! Was that a bug or something?” Hana said in astonishment, which was mirrored by every one of her teammates, as evident by their curious eyes that were seeking an explanation from me.

"No, it is not a bug. It's an advanced technique used by the best professional players who dabble in speed-enhancing buffs. She strategically refrained from utilizing the full extent of the haste and then abruptly altered her pace to surprise her opponent. This is what created the impression of a sudden acceleration. Based on your responses, it seems you guys were also caught under her spell," I elucidated.

“Team Paradigm hiding a monster like that?! How come no one ever heard of her before?!” Kaito exclaimed in shock.

"...That is a question that piques my curiosity as well," I remarked contemplatively.

Executing countermoves with such precision demands an extraordinary level of focus. Every action she took was calculated and purposeful, to the point where I believe she possesses the ability to effortlessly enter the zone, much like myself.

It's a deception within a deception, a stratagem of multiple layers. Such a maneuver is nearly impossible to execute when fighting against a seasoned pro-level player like Lua.

Is her current account a Smurf? With her still not being on a max-level account and already this knowledgeable in the game, it would make perfect sense. A professional player in disguise, perhaps?

No, the tournament organizers run a thorough background check on the participants. There is no way a pro player could join this tournament unannounced. Although, with her in-game knowledge, I'm sure she has a main account, at the very least.

However, why does she not use it? My assumption is that she has refined this style of gameplay based on her previous experience with her first character. That means her current character is a culmination of her past experience, a character she made to tailor her current style. Alternatively, she may be reserving it as her ultimate trump card, a prospect that raises significant concerns for us if we were to battle against her.

I have so many uncertainties about this girl, but what I am sure of is that I do want to fight her at least once.

"L-Let's save the replay for later, allowing the panelists to dissect the gameplay as I'm certain they will relish the opportunity to explain to us what unfolded! But for now, there is a 3v3 battle in progress over the middle orb!" the caster quickly regained his composure to continue casting for the remainder of the match. One can't fault him; witnessing such an extraordinary display must have left his mind reeling.

Following the caster’s prompt, the screen shifted to the ongoing 3v3. It was an ambush against an ambush, and the paradigm completely predicted their opponents' move.

The engagement commenced with Paradigm's tactical edge, launching a surprise assault with Lizbeth as the decoy. Team Variable found themselves momentarily caught off guard by the unexpected counter-ambush, but a swift and strategic move by their captain averted a definitive loss.

The battle remained balanced until the moment when news of their ace's defeat likely reached them through a notification.

Subsequently, their morale clearly plummeted upon learning the unexpected news, resulting in their defeat in the three-versus-three encounter against Paradigm.

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Tactical's PoV

“A-and there you have it! Against all odds, the team everyone thought to be the weakest has proven to us time and time again that they are indeed a top contender in this tournament! Their efforts definitely paid off, as they would be the first team eligible to fight for the championship! Folks, please give it up for team Paradigm!” the caster hyped, resulting in a resounding cheer for the unexpected underdogs.

However, I tuned it all out and focused my thoughts on the player who wildly surpassed my expectations, the girl Katherine. Those moves, those deliberate shifts in momentum to shake off the opponent's rhythm, her refined playstyle, her purposeful sleight of hand to mislead her opponents—she reminded me of someone I know all too well.

“Hehe, I told you so! I knew she would win in the end!" Calah’s celebratory brag caught my attention.

I observed her expression attentively, keenly searching for any subtle cues or telltale signs of her emotions.

"W-why are you staring at me like that?" she inquired, taken aback by my scrutiny.

“Is there something you're not telling me?” I asked suspiciously.

"W-what do you mean?" she responded, looking uneasy.

"...You know, I've been pondering why you have such unwavering faith in the girl's abilities, considering you likely haven't had ample time to evaluate her true potential," I remarked.

“Call it a woman’s intuition,” she rebuked playfully.

It is evident that she intends the subject, but I’m not letting her.

"You also appear to have a soft spot for that girl," I inquired further.

“Of course! She is a good kid, after all. It helps that Aria is also extremely fond of her,” she retorted.

“That does pique my curiosity as well. According to what Seer shared with me, Aria has never shown such fondness for anyone, especially for a relatively unknown player she only met for a few weeks. Seer also conveyed his astonishment when he witnessed Aria hold someone in such high esteem, even more than you and I,” I gave her a knowing smile.

“W-what are you implying?” she said nervously.

“That can mean a lot of things, but from all the conjectures I've gathered and how you and Aria act around her, I can summarize that both of you already know of this girl, Katherine, and were close to her beforehand,” I pressed further.

She swallowed nervously; from her body language, it seemed like I was edging closer to the truth. It was time for the decisive move.

“She is Yuusha, right?” I threw a sudden curveball to gauge her reaction. My intense gaze fixed on her. I was vigilant for any subtle shifts in her body language.

“T-thats! Of course not!” she denied immediately.

I can feel that she knew she made a mistake, as well as she tried to recompose herself after her sudden burst of emotions. This is too easy. I was already aware of this fact, but she truly does exhibit her emotions openly. It's somewhat miraculous that our guild has not fallen apart under her leadership yet.

“I can tell you're lying,” I said bluntly. “Yuusha is not the only one on our team who is good at reading body language.”

“Huh? What makes you say that?” She said innocently, or should I say tried to act innocently.

“For starters, I know your habits. You always twiddle your left thumb when you try to lie.”

“Ack!” she recoiled after hearing the truth.

“You were also too evasive. You tried to change the subject too fast, making me more suspicious of you. You're also too uncomfortable throughout our exchange. You could've-“

“Alright, already, no need to rub it in! It’s a failed attempt to lie to you anyway if you already suspect this much about her.”

As if finally accepting the outcome, she let out a defeated sigh.

“Do not worry. If it's someone else, I'm sure they would not easily find out like I did. However, I analyzed her plays countless times to improve our team synergy. I also helped her perfect her playstyle, so I doubt anyone else could decipher Yuusha’s real identity with just a short exchange of moves with Lua.”

Feeling a bit bad about my actions thus far, I reassured her.

“I see. That’s good to hear,” she smiled in relief. “Oh, but don't tell Kat you found it through me! She would massacre our guildmates one by one as payback!” she exclaimed, panic evident in her voice.

"I believe you may be over-dramatizing things. As far as I'm aware, she's not that unhinged... I think," I responded hesitantly.

"You think?! Where's your usual confidence? The 'Mr. Know-It-All'?" she countered.

“D-don't give me that! It's been almost three years, and I can't say for certain if her personality has changed," I admitted.

She sighed again in defeat. "So, what do you plan to do now with this knowledge?"

"Do you even need to inquire? Naturally, I intend to recruit her," I declared confidently.

"If I recall correctly, she turned down your offer before," she reminded me.

“Back then, I was unaware of her true identity. I'm confident my chances are better now."

"You're as unwaveringly persistent as ever..." she sighed.

"Absolutely. Perseverance is crucial, especially as I strive to leave a mark in the world of CoA by creating the strongest team. And Yuusha would play a pivotal role in realizing that aspiration," I sincerely affirmed.

She let out another exasperated sigh, "Knowing you, I doubt anything I say can sway your determination... Just remember that you didn't hear anything from me, and don't push too hard in your recruitment efforts, or it could backfire."

"Understood, I'll keep that in mind," I acquiesced.

My heart races with anticipation at this newfound insight. Now more than ever, securing her presence on my team is imperative, regardless of the sacrifices required.

She is Yuusha, the Untouchable, after all.

The strongest player I know.

Upper Bracket:

Lower Bracket: