Vol.2 Chapter 32
Ariadne’s PoV
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yes, forgive me if it affects any plans you had,” I replied, expressing my concern.
Seer looked at me with his usual analyzing gaze. “…It's fine. I think it's probably for the better. Everyone would have expected Blitz to be our representative and would have prepared for it. They won’t expect it to be you, adding to our advantage. Winning this 1v1 tournament also gives us a huge advantage in choosing our opponent for the main tournament,”
Seer paused for a second before continuing. “…And I’m sure you have your reasons.”
“…Yes, albeit a selfish one,” I confessed, acknowledging my decision was driven, at least in part, by self-interest.
Seer gave me a shocked look. “That’s rare. If that’s the case… then it must be important to you.”
I nodded. “It is.”
She is watching right now. I want to show her how strong I’ve become and prove that her time spent teaching me wasn’t for naught.
“Then, good luck,” Seer cheered me on.
I nodded in gratitude and proceeded to inform the staff that I would be assuming the role of our team's representative in the upcoming fight.
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Tactical’s PoV
"That was indeed an exhilarating match! It was truly eye-opening to witness the clash of contrasting personalities and their steadfast beliefs on the line. But please hold on to your seats as we have yet another highly anticipated battle coming up next!" the speaker hyped up the crowd.
Exhilarating and eye-opening, huh? Kids these days sure are vocal with their thoughts. They may tend to think that their beliefs are inflexible and unwavering. However, as they mature and accumulate life experiences, their perspectives will likely undergo transformations, becoming more encompassing and adaptable to their lifestyles. Even someone like me, at my current stage of life, constantly engages in a process of learning and reevaluating my opinions on a wide range of subjects. But I guess that is just how life is, a never-ending series of lessons to help us grow as a person.
I sighed, I’m getting sentimental now… and did I really just admit to myself of being old? Being in my late 20’s is still young… right?
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves for the moment we've all been waiting for," booms the lead panel's voice, filling the e-sports stadium with a palpable sense of anticipation.
"Here in the world of CoA, rivalries run deeper than just friendly competition. And nothing exemplifies that more than the upcoming clash between two of the fiercest guilds in the realm!"
The crowd roars with excitement, the atmosphere saturated with electricity.
"Rumors have swirled, challenges have been thrown, and now it's time to put their skills to the test. This isn't just any fight — this showdown could change the power dynamics within the game!"
An image of the guilds lights up the massive screens overhead, the anticipation reaching a fever pitch as the crowd roared even louder. They sure like to make things dramatic.
"Let's start with the first team, a guild all of you know: The Paragons, one of the most famous guilds whose popularity rose on top of their founders winning the very first AC tournament!”
Observing the enthusiastic roar of the crowd for our guild's banners, and the glow sticks waving in support of their favorites, I can't help but feel a sense of pride. It's apparent that our guild has maintained its fame over the years, which is quite impressive. Although I must admit, I haven't contributed much in that regard since I handed over key responsibilities to Celeste ever since I turned pro.
"That's an enthusiastic cheer for the crowd favorites for sure! However, don't underestimate their challengers just yet. Please welcome the second team: The Shadow Vanguard. Famous for their formidable defense and relentless assault strategy, their popularity is nearly on the same level as the Paragons. That is a significant achievement in itself!"
Another wave of cheers resounds as the Shadow Vanguard fans vocalize their support. I almost miss the times I was one of the participating teams in a private room instead of being one of the audience given how noisy the crowd is.
“It’s just in, we have confirmation of the participants. It will be Ariadne vs Watcher! What do you think of this matchup, Mr. Bogdan?”
“Hmm, the Shadow Vanguard’s representative is to be expected since their ace, Sentinel, is a pure defensive stalling specialist. If they send him, he has little chance to win against a proper DPS in a 1v1 without a support DPS on his own. What intrigues me is the choice of the representative from the Paragons. I initially thought that Blitz would be their chosen fighter given how good he is in 1v1. But, it appears that the Paragons have the advantage in this matchup. The Shadow Vanguard's expectation of Blitz as the representative led them to send Watcher, a ranged specialist, to engage in a battle of attrition and gradually chip away at Blitz's health in a ranged duel. Ariadne being the paragon’s representative sure puts a large dent in their plans.”
Astute as always. Along with her innate dodging skills she had honed through her training with her mentor, Ariadne is also quick enough to catch up to Watcher, making it near impossible for a ranged DPS to win against her. Unless there is a large discrepancy in skills of course.
“Do you think Ariadne would win the fight?” the other panelist asked Bogdan.
“I hate to be biased, but I would be lying if I said no. I wouldn’t bet against Yuusha’s protégé, after all.” he gave a sentimental wan, smile after that statement.
“I completely agree. For the newer players watching this, what Mr. Bogdan referred to as a "protégé," he was actually referring to the CoA Mentor system. This system offers numerous benefits to players who team up with a protégé and guide them through the intricacies of CoA, which is known for its challenging gameplay. Mentors typically follow a customary practice of imparting their knowledge and skills to their protégé, establishing a special bond between the two players. And for those of you who don’t know, Ariadne’s mentor was the MVP of the first AC cup, Yuusha!”
The crowd became elated, making even more noise at the mention of Yuusha. That girl is as popular as always, even after all these years of inactivity. Call me biased, but our run in the 1st AC tournament was legendary if I do say so myself.
“Speaking of Yuusha, you have fought against her in the first AC right? Could you tell us more about it?”
Bogdan paused for a second, reminiscing before answering the question. “That girl is impossible to beat back then. I’m pretty sure she is the strongest opponent I’ve fought in my entire time playing CoA. That is why I was quite disheartened when I heard the news that she stopped playing. I wanted to see her win a couple more AC tournaments.”
So, we both share the same sentiment, huh? I also do sometimes wonder what that girl is up to now. I hope she is doing alright, wherever she may be.
“I’m sure our fans are eager to see how her protégé would fare. Will this be the start of a new legend? And now here are our favorite casters for the match commentary!”
As the screen transitioned to the casters, signaling the imminent start of the battle, excitement filled the air.
"That's a great question, and I'm certain our viewers are eager to find out if that's the case, right, folks?!" Riot exclaimed, fueling the anticipation for the forthcoming clash.
“YEAAHHH!” the crowd responded with a resounding cheer, brimming with excitement for the battle that awaited between these two formidable powerhouses.
“What do you think of the matchup ParaTrooper?” Riot queried his partner.
“I do think the panel made some valid points, but let’s not forget that Watcher is still an incredibly skilled archer. There are even rumors that he never misses against his opponents. The game would be decided if Ariadne can dodge while closing the gap between her opponent, which is admittedly a hard feat to do,” ParaTrooper aired his thoughts.
“Well, you’re certainly right about that. It seems the participants are ready, let’s see what will happen in this match, Paragons vs Shadow Vanguard!”
The view then switched towards the match, where a familiar red-haired girl stood on the opposite side of her opponent with a determined look.
Ariadne
HP: 100%
Watcher
HP: 100%
The starting distance is quite far, but I think she can manage to close the distance between them eventually, no matter how skilled her opponent is at poking tactics. She is her protégé, after all.
3…
2…
1…
Match Start!
As the battle begins, two things happen at once. Ariadne quickly rushed towards her opponent while Watcher, relying on the accuracy and range of his bow, unleashed a flurry of arrows towards Ariadne.
That was some fast shooting, I can see how he would be effective in a one-on-one by spamming fast arrows against his opponents, making them unable to move easily.
For her part, Ariadne executed a series of agile maneuvers. She gracefully sidestepped, ducked, and weaved, seamlessly evading the incoming arrows. Her body moved with fluidity and precision, allowing her to close the gap bit by bit.
“What a move! Ariadne's lightning-fast reflexes kick in as she gracefully dodges each arrow with incredible precision! Her calculated movements allowed her to evade the arrows flawlessly!” the caster hollered as if it was the best move, he had ever seen, effectively hyping up the crowd.
That was some fluid dodges, but nothing to write home about. I guess casters just hype everything they see nowadays. Nevertheless, what truly stands out is the precise execution of her dodges, efficiently minimizing any extraneous movements. This enables her to effortlessly close the distance and pursue her opponent. The only person I know who does that kind of dodge is Yuusha, and it seems that her protégé demonstrates it too.
“Tsk! Multi-Shot!” Watcher exclaimed.
Seeing no way to distance himself from his opponent’s skillful dodges, Watcher showcased his weapon skill, unleashing a barrage of five arrows in a single shot, aiming to overwhelm Ariadne with sheer firepower and slow down her movements.
The arrows soar through the air, a deadly volley hurtling toward Ariadne. However, in a display of insane athleticism and agility, Ariadne leaps into the air, twisting her body mid-flight with remarkable precision finding the gap between all five arrows in an attempt to dodge the weapon skill without slowing down the slightest.
As the arrows close in on her, Ariadne's body twists, her movements seemingly defying gravity as she is mid-air. The crowd watches in awe evident by their sudden silence as she dodges the arrows with incredible finesse.
“Holy shit! I apologize for the language, but that was an absolutely fucking incredible play!" exclaimed the caster, bursting with genuine excitement.
Hoh? I must admit, that was an incredible move. She effortlessly evaded all the arrows without even the slightest pause in her pursuit of her opponent. The decision-making thought process, and trust in her own ability to even attempt that kind of maneuver in a high-stakes match such as this is admirable as it can backfire badly if she misplayed.
It's clear that she has reached a whole new level compared to what I remember from her past performances. One can only imagine the amount of dedication and hard work she must have put into her practice to achieve such a drastic improvement.
The audience witnessing the play erupts in cheers and applause, recognizing the sheer skill and athleticism required to dodge all five arrows flawlessly as she did.
“What the fuck?! Did you see that move?!”
“I know right how skilled can you be to dodge that well!?”
“So that is Yuusha’s protégé…”
“I think I became a fan!”
“I want to dodge like her!”
The comments from the audience range from disbelief to awe. To be fair, it was a move you would only expect from a pro, so I guess the hype is warranted.
Seizing the perfect opportunity with her outplay, Ariadne closed in on Watcher, her daggers poised for a critical strike. With a swift and precise movement, she struck her opponent, landing a fatal blow that dealt a ton of damage.
Kachack*
The resounding sound of the daggers cutting through the air and piercing their target reverberated throughout the arena, marking the beginning of a relentless onslaught. An archer who cannot keep their range from their opponent always faces a grim fate.
“Urk!”
Watcher
HP: 68%
Not letting her opponent regain some distance even for a moment, it didn’t take long before Ariadne fully depleted her opponent’s HP with her constant aggressive attacks.
Watcher
HP: 0%
As Watcher turned into blue motes of light, the caster finally signaled the end of the one-sided match.
“A-and there you have it, folks! The winner of the battle is Ariadne from team Paragons!”
That was quick. I already anticipated this outcome, but I didn’t expect her to win the match this fast and without even taking a single point of damage by flawlessly dodging all her opponent’s arrows. On top of it all, she did not need to use her weapon skill at all, which leads me to suspect that she is hiding something.
It was a result of both a disadvantageous matchup and a significant difference in skill level. The combination of these factors ultimately led to the conclusion of the match in her overwhelming favor. I’m kind of regretting I turned down Seer’s suggestion to recruit them with that kind of performance. She kind of reminds me of her, with how determined and driven she looks coming into this tournament.
It seems like your protégé does resemble you a lot, Yuusha.
