Vol.2 Chapter 69

Hana’s PoV

The randomized stage teleported us to an ancient ruin. The wind howled through the crumbling ruins, carrying with it the mournful echoes of a forgotten past. The once-bustling ruins of an ancient city were now silent and desolate, their cobblestones worn smooth by time. Towering, skeletal structures cast long, ominous shadows across the barren landscape.

The only sounds were the mournful cries of the wind and the occasional rustle of leaves in the distance. It was as if time had stood still, preserving the town in a state of perpetual ruin. Although we are inside the eerie ruins, my attention is on a different matter, namely the important fight before us.

“Alright, let’s proceed as planned,” I said curtly.

We had already deliberated on our battle strategy the previous night, a plan that Sis had a major role in crafting. Therefore, my teammates didn’t need any more reminders on what to do. The twins, Ren and Rei, along with Kaito, quickly nodded in agreement before executing our specialized rotation for this match.

Kaito, our semi-tank fighter who is highly skilled in our team, second only to me, is assigned to hold off Blitz temporarily. Meanwhile, Ren, Rei, and I will head to the middle orb to confront their ace, Ariadne. I was against it at first since I wanted to fight evenly in numbers, but Sis eventually convinced me.

Although it is a bit risky to go all in for the middle orb and leave the other orb unattended, the higher the risk, the greater the reward. To defeat the top seed of this tournament, we must be prepared to take all essential risks, particularly for a team consisting of the proteges of the legendary team whom I idolize the most.

Upon receiving the confirmation from my teammates, the twins and I swiftly dashed toward our objective. We aimed to arrive before our opponents, willing to expend extra stamina if needed to set up an ambush if feasible. Although, as Sis had mentioned, they might already anticipate this move after their previous fight, so they could already be prepared for our ambush.

A few minutes later, we reached our destination earlier than expected, hastening our pace. Upon arrival, it appeared that our opponents were already present: a girl with cold glinting eyes, fiery red hair, and beautiful mature features, along with her partner, a blue-haired girl with a homely but determined appearance.

Ariadne

HP: 100%

Lucy

HP: 100%

They had likely anticipated our ambush and swiftly made their way to the orb, even though it couldn't be captured yet, to avoid falling into our trap. It's time for plan B. We had to win as fast as we could before their backup arrived, a fight against time.

“It seems that Seer’s prediction is correct,” Ariadne said in a calm manner.

“Forgive me for not fighting evenly. I know it might seem cowardly, but I must win at all costs,” I declared resolutely.

This battle is not just for my own sake but for all those who stand by me, so I cannot afford to lose.

With us in a race against time, I swiftly advanced toward our adversaries, aiming to secure victory as quickly as possible before their backup arrived.

Simultaneously, our opponents wasted no time. The mage, Lucy, swiftly cast her ‘Greater Haste’ buff on Ariadne, who then moved forward to intercept me.

We made eye contact as we were both near each other. Her cold and calculating eyes scanned my stance, searching for any vulnerability. I can feel the pressure just from her polished movements. She is definitely strong.

I gripped my katana tightly, the familiar weight reassuring me. It was all I could do not to fall into her pace, especially when she had the speed advantage due to haste.

Her first attack came swift and unexpected, a flurry of blows from a hidden dagger that seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly glow. I parried the initial strike, but her agility was impressive. With a flick of her wrist, the dagger vanished, replaced by a gleaming spear that seemed to dance in her hands.

I instinctively gulped. She knows my weakness. This would be a hard-fought battle.

I was caught off guard by the sudden change in weaponry. I managed to block a few, but her speed and precision were overwhelming. She knows how to keep her distance and is keeping me at bay with precise spear stabs. She’s even better with the spear from the cocky spear user I’ve fought from the Team Paradigm.

I tried to close the distance, hoping to force her to switch weapons again, but she kept me at bay with her deadly accuracy.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, her spear suddenly transformed into a long Bo staff mid-thrust. The sudden change caught me off guard as she easily transitioned her previous strike into an overhead blow.

Oh no! My balance is off, and I cannot block it!

Just as the staff was about to hit, I was saved by a sudden block from my teammate.

TACK*

The sound of steel meeting wooden Bo staff reverberated through the air. I was momentarily shocked but didn’t let the opportunity pass by. I made a counter slash towards her, but she skillfully evaded it and distanced herself from us to regain her composure.

“She is incredibly strong! Let’s fight her together as planned,” Ren suggested.

I almost forgot that I have two teammates now to help me. It seems that Ren was waiting for the perfect opportunity to support me. It was perfect timing, too; the last attack would’ve taken a large chunk of my HP due to my low survivability build.

Having a breathing room, I momentarily surveyed the battlefield. I saw Ren’s twin sister, Rei, using fireball attacks toward the enemy caster. Just as we planned, her aim is to isolate the caster and hinder her from casting further supportive buffs to help Ariadne. This means it is up to Ren and me to win this match and defeat Yuusha’s protégé.

Noticing she was at a 2v1 disadvantage, our opponent appeared content to observe and adopt a passive playstyle, biding time for her backup to arrive.

I won’t let her, though.

“Ren!” I signaled for us to charge at our enemy.

“Got it!” he responded in kind.

Just from our quick exchange earlier, I know now why my sister advises me against battling her 1v1. She is incredibly skilled. She is probably the strongest player here, excluding the two anomalies, Novo and Lua. Although, it’s no surprise that she is this strong. She is the 1v1 champion, after all.

This isn't a 1v1 match, though. Therefore, I— we will emerge victorious against her.

With my determination renewed, Ren and I charged at the opponent.

For her part, Ariadne's eyes gleamed with determination as she shifted her weapon into a razor-sharp scythe.

As I neared her, our blades once again collided.

TING*

As my katana clashed against the scythe's blade a couple of times, I felt the weight of each strike reverberate through my arms, a testament to her skill and control. Her movements were a dance of fluidity and precision, the scythe's blade flashing in the light as it arced through the air with deadly accuracy.

Not only that, she is also mindful of her distance. Fluidly maneuvering like a graceful dancer, she strategically positions herself in a way that would make me unintentionally obstruct Ren's line of sight, limiting his impact on the battle.

Our exchange continued for a while, but just as I began to adapt to her weapon, I was dismayed as it transformed once more.

In a swift blur of movement, her weapon shifted into a halberd, a weapon known for its lethal versatility and striking force. Not only that, but her combat approach also noticeably changed, throwing me out of my rhythm once again. The halberd's reach and striking power posed a new challenge for us; its versatile design allowed her to launch devastating attacks from a distance with swift and calculated movements.

In a brief interaction following her weapon switch, she launched an extremely fast overhead swipe.

TING*

I successfully parried it, but the force of her strike shattered my stance and caught me off guard as I was accustomed to defending against her scythe.

"Ugh!" I exclaimed in astonishment, determined to recover my footing.

As the halberd's blade arced towards me for a follow-up attack, I braced myself for the impact. Luckily, my trusted teammate was there once again to bail me out of the predicament. I would’ve lost by now if it weren’t for him.

This girl really is good. Deserving of the moniker ‘Armsmaster’. She comprehends the strengths of her weapons and adeptly leverages them to their utmost capability.

Sis was right. I cannot win against her with my skill for now, especially when she is under a haste buff.

Despite our best efforts to close the distance and press our advantage, we aren’t making progress. With each sweep and strike, she bought herself valuable moments to regroup and stall for time.

My guess was correct. She is really planning to use mid-range weapons and stall for a while. I need to make a decisive move, or we will run out of time, and her backup will arrive.

I signaled to my teammate, a gesture we had rehearsed extensively since yesterday following Sis's guidance. Having gauged her increased speed from our numerous prior encounters while hasted, I believed this was the opportune moment to implement our strategy.

I deftly adjusted my grip on the katana, a subtle movement noticed by both of them. While it may have appeared insignificant to the enemy, for Ren, it served as the long-awaited signal he had been anticipating—a signal for a combination attack.

As I charged toward our opponent, she once positioned herself so that I would block my teammate’s line of sight. It was the best move to do, given the circumstances. However, as Sis said, the best move is often always predictable.

"Shield Fissure!" a sound came from behind me.

It was Ren’s weapon skill. A ground using his shield that can momentarily incapacitate and damage the enemy. A skill he used against Arthur in our battle form before.

As a fissure tore through the ground behind me, a powerful force unleashed by my teammate. I reacted easily since I’d already prepared for it with countless trials and errors beforehand. With a swift and decisive leap, I dodged the fissure, propelling myself forward in a daring maneuver to evade the destructive energy that surged toward me from behind.

The ground trembled beneath me as I soared through the air, the force of my leap carrying me beyond the reach of the fissure's destructive path. In that split second of airborne grace, I felt a surge of adrenaline and focus. My senses heightened as I prepared to unleash a devastating attack of my own.

My opponent is not as prepared as I am, however.

As I landed, the shockwave of my teammate's fissure momentarily stunned Ariadne, creating a window of opportunity. She was caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events, her posture momentarily shattered by the disruptive force of the fissure.

“Ugh!” she exclaimed.

Ariadne

HP: 78%

Although Kudos to her, she minimized the damage by reacting quickly and dampening the blow, so the full stun duration didn’t take place.

But it doesn’t matter. This is more than enough. I will end it right now!

"Falling Rain Blossom," I muttered.

With a focused gaze and a steady grip on my katana, I prepared to unleash a rapid flurry of slashes, my trump card. The blade of my katana sliced through the air with a whisper of steel as I tried to deliver three lightning-fast attacks in succession.

As the first slash arced towards my opponent. She’s extremely good, though; she has already regained her posture, a tried-and-true veteran. She reacted swiftly, transforming her weapon into a shield in a split second to block the incoming attack. The clash of metal reverberated through the air as my katana met the sturdy surface of the shield, the impact ringing out like a challenge between combatants.

I expected this much, though I still had two slashes that I could do in this state, and she hadn’t fully regained her balance from our coordinated attack. She won’t be able to survive this. Given her low survivability build and my extremely high damage output, it is enough to win.

Undeterred by the blocked strike, I pressed on with my assault, the second slash following in rapid succession.

As my slash was about to connect for a critical strike, she suddenly vanished?!

No, she didn’t vanish. With a speed faster than I was accustomed to, she dodged my attacks by a hair's breadth, creating the illusion of vanishing before my eyes.

Her movements were a blur of agility and grace as she deftly sidestepped my second and third slashes, evading the razor-sharp edge of my katana with a fluidity that spoke of her skill and ferocity. Each dodge was executed with precision, her movements seamless and calculated as she danced around my strikes with deadly grace.

As the echoes of my slashes faded, she shifted her stance with a subtle grace, preparing herself for a counterattack.

Oh no! I cannot dodge since I am momentarily unable to move due to the backlash of my weapon skill! Ren won’t be able to help me either since I’m out of position due to my charging leap. I am now left at her mercy.

With ruthless efficiency, my opponent seized the opportunity presented by my momentary weakness, her weapon morphing into twin daggers.

I watched in dismay as the twin daggers flashed in the air, their gleaming blades aimed with precision toward my head. Swift stabs ensued in rapid succession, totaling about three to four strikes from what I could count. Not only her dodges but also her attack speed suddenly improved.

The searing sting of the dagger strikes pierced through me. Although it didn’t hurt as much as it would in real life, coupled with her cold, calculating gaze, it was enough to make me shiver in fear.

KACHACK*

As the final stab landed with fatal accuracy, my health depleted to zero, signaling my defeat.

Yatsufusa

HP:0%

"Hana!" my teammate exclaimed in shock, but I was too preoccupied to give it any heed.

"......!"

I was rendered speechless, engulfed in a whirlwind of mixed emotions encompassing fear, awe, and shock at the sudden turn of events.

Then, without batting an eye toward me or wasting a single movement, she swiftly directed her focus to Ren and then immediately charged toward him to capitalize on my teammate’s surprise and disbelief.

Left alone to contemplate the turn of events, I found myself questioning internally. How did she manage to accelerate so swiftly!? She was already remarkably fast when under the haste spell, but the sudden burst of speed was startling!

Then it suddenly hit me: I’ve been outplayed.

I was wrong in my initial assumption because she had no intention of stalling for backup to arrive.

Right from the start… she was always thinking of how to win against us both. I grew complacent, assuming that we had an absolute upper hand in a 2v1 scenario, failing to consider that she had been luring us… baiting us into her trap from the outset by concealing her true speed.

What a fearsome opponent. I’ve already known from the start, but I was reminded yet again.

She truly is Yuusha’s protégé.

That was the only thought that occupied my mind before I dissipated into shimmering blue motes of light.