I Have Reasons to Hate Streamers

[Infinity Arena Main Tournament Group E – Match 9]

[Battlefield: Duel Corridor]

[vs Acid Gaming Ripper(Assassin)]

“Ha.”

The corners of my mouth lifted as soon as I saw the selected battlefield.

Of all places, the Duel Corridor.

It’s a place to purely test capabilities without complex structures or gimmicks.

As we’ve chosen the same class, everything depends on my hands alone.

The chain sickle won’t work this time.

There were several dangerous moments even against the mist mage, so it goes without saying against an assassin.

There’s no need to freely give up the victory I’ve just earned.

I boldly gave up ambiguous skills.

Rather than investing points in means that won’t work, it was right to believe in myself.

As the scheduled time passed, my vision went dark, and when it returned, a long corridor was revealed.

[The battle has begun.]

The biggest feature of the ‘Duel Corridor’ is that you can see the enemy as soon as it starts.

Therefore, stealth play using obstacles is impossible. Naturally, search battles are also ineffective.

It’s a true men’s battlefield where all you do is engage in a bloody battle with your opponent.

Reaper and I ran towards each other at full speed as soon as the battle started.

At the moment when the distance was sufficiently narrowed.

As if by agreement, we both ‘paid respect’ to each other with ‘reverence’.

Ting- Ting!

While deflecting the incoming dagger, I throw a throwing knife with my other hand.

Black smoke rose from the throwing knife that fell to the floor.

It was due to the deadly poison generously applied.

‘He brought the same dual daggers as me. Then his most preferred opening would be… left-hand feint or low attack.’

I was right.

Because of my small body, Reaper swung his weapon first.

It seemed to aim for my left eye, but the opposite hand was secretly preparing to target my thigh.

I can’t dodge everything, so I’ll have to deflect.

We transition into a binding state with our blades interlocked.

Now that I’ve lost the advantage in strength, I couldn’t easily push back the blade.

If it’s a fight you can’t win, just don’t fight.

As I twisted the blade to aim for his wrist, blood flowed from both our arms.

Glance. Reaper’s gaze briefly turned downward.

I tilted my head back without needing to think.

A shadow that shot up like a thorn where my chin had been just a moment ago.

The two daggers aimed for the moment my attention was scattered.

The attacking blades looked like a spider’s venomous fangs.

Instead of clumsily blocking, I step back a couple of paces.

The moment distance was secured, I immediately threw a throwing knife.

The dagger deflects it as if it were natural. But thorns sprouted from the shadow of the dagger stuck in the ground.

It was the first score.

“Phew……”

Battles with daggers are inevitably intense.

An extremely close-quarters fight with both sides wielding short weapons. Not only is perfect defense impossible, but the short distance also means attacks land faster.

Moreover, both sides are currently using two daggers each.

It meant that even the hand that should be responsible for defense was holding a weapon.

Attacks continued without pause, and just as much blood was spilled.

My dagger grazed shallowly below Reaper’s chin.

A red line appeared on my shoulder that was leaning forward, and one arm of each of us was in a binding state, watching for an opening.

Not wanting to let go, I boldly went in and thrust the blade.

Reaper forcibly responded as well.

My dagger was stuck in his collarbone, and Reaper’s was lodged in my right shoulder.

Daggers deeply embedded in the body are difficult to retrieve at once.

A situation where we both had to avoid the next attack. Reaper and I pulled our bodies back simultaneously.

We used the daggers we couldn’t retrieve, pulling out the ones stuck in our bodies.

[Remaining HP: 34.8%]

The swapped daggers ravaged each other.

My dagger stabbed my body. Reaper’s dagger stabbed Reaper’s body.

We fought more aggressively than at the start. We boldly gave up defense if it meant we could inflict more damage.

I stamped on Reaper’s ankle and slashed his calf.

Meanwhile, Reaper created wounds on my cheek and nape.

The moment our daggers were about to clash, both assassins’ forms simultaneously slipped away through the shadows.

We reached the same conclusion while trying to offset each other’s defense.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity.

“Nice. This is fun. You’re definitely skilled, and definitely strong.”

Blood flowed freely from my body.

My clothes, torn in various places, were already soaked, and the cooling blood felt cold or hot.

The faint metallic smell of blood. Am I the only one smelling this?

Perhaps thinking it was a safe distance, Reaper briefly relaxed his posture.

I was wary for a moment, wondering what he was doing. Then the dagger we had swapped earlier was tossed in front of me.

I understood what he meant. I returned Reaper’s dagger as well.

After picking up our original daggers, words were no longer necessary.

This time when we clash, one of us will die.

Although we can’t see each other’s health bars, neither of us was unscathed.

[Remaining HP: 13.1%]

There’s no hesitation.

I moved towards Reaper, dragging my blood-covered body.

Due to high immersion, there wasn’t a place that didn’t hurt, but my mind became rather calm.

The kendo I had dedicated my life to is fundamentally a martial art (fighting technique).

Although it’s called a martial way of courtesy, in the end, it’s a sport where you aim weapons at a person’s body.

After hitting with a shinai for hours every day, it was hard to find a place that wasn’t sore.

That’s why I felt good.

This pain that feels like my whole body is burning.

This moment of burning my body for the sake of victory.

It felt just like I had returned to that time – as if every single cell’s sensation was being awakened.

‘It’s been a while, this feeling.’

The enemy’s figure, now close.

Once again, Reaper was the one to launch the first attack.

Just as inherent weight classes provide an overwhelming advantage in combat sports, it was natural for Reaper, with longer arms than me, to have the initiative.

But I could see it. As if the world’s time had slowed down.

The gaze that swept over my wrist before the attack, the back muscles twitching ready to pull the arm at any moment.

Having seen through all intentions, I could make a judgment.

I’ll give it to you.

[Remaining HP: 8.5%]

As the artery in my wrist is slashed long, unstoppable bleeding begins.

In exchange, I burrowed a bit deeper, and Reaper aimed for my heart.

I avoided it by bending my waist greatly.

I dodged as if doing a back tumbling – then planted my uninjured arm on the ground.

The upside-down view shot upwards.

With a slight floating sensation, my heel connects with Reaper’s chin.

It was the moment my trump card worked. Thanks to the accurate strong hit, a short stun judgment.

I wrapped my two legs around the falling body that had become defenseless.

Reaper’s neck came between both my thighs.

I tried to stab with the dagger… but it seems he had cut my wrist in that short moment.

My arm wouldn’t move properly. Well, does it matter anymore at this point?

“Ahah.”

While firmly fixing Reaper’s neck with my thighs, I twisted my body and waist greatly.

Crunch. With the sound of bones breaking – Reaper and I sprawled on the floor together.

I felt a weight on my lower abdomen, as if something was pressing down on it.

[Remaining HP: 0.6%]

I don’t know. I didn’t dare to lift my head.

I felt like I might die if I moved unnecessarily and increased the bleeding.

Even now, the amount of blood escaping from my wrist was not trivial.

If Reaper hasn’t died yet, it would be my defeat.

My vision darkening as death approaches.

Just as I closed my eyes thinking I might have lost, I opened them again at the sudden disappearance of pain.

A blue system message was floating in front of my eyes.

[You have won.]

[You have passed the Infinity Arena Main Tournament – Group Stage.]

[You have been given the 1st seed of Group E for advancing to the winner’s bracket.]

* * *

[Author: Gawol]

[Title: This turned out quite unfortunate]

[Recommended: 223]

Since I won, the pledges are nullified.

I was really surprised looking at the top comment.

I didn’t know so many people were curious about my face.

You weren’t hoping for it, were you?

[Comments]

– Rookie, know that I’m letting you off because you’re stronger than me
└ If you were weaker than me, I would have gone to kill you right away lol
└ For real lolololol

[Author: Gawol]

[Title: I forgot for a moment because of the pledge]

[Recommended: 790]

Thank you for congratulating me on my victory.

I’m very happy too.

I don’t know who my opponent in the Round of 16 will be, but I’ll do my best then too.

[Comments]

– Were you more excited about trolling than winning the Round of 16?
└ That can’t be
└ I think it’s wrong to slander

– This is driving me crazy

[Author: Gawol]

[Title: I’m waiting for TalkingPigeon and CoolShot]

TalkingPigeon to eat fried rice with mint chocolate.

CoolShot to add pine needle snow on top of that!

I believe you’ll keep your promises as you’ve made them to everyone.

However. In case they’re not kept..

I’ll have to find you in the game with tears in my eyes.

Looking at your previous posts, your in-game nicknames are the same, right?

I do what I say I’ll do.

I’ll give you exactly 3 days.

[Comments]

– lololololololololololol

[Author: TalkingPigeon]

[Title: Delicious Mint Chocolate Fried Rice]

[Author: CoolShot]

[Title: Please forgive me just this once]

[Author: CoolShot]

[Title: I will never speak carelessly again]

[Author: CoolShot] 

[Title: Mint Chocolate Pine Needle Snow Proof]