Chapter 77

‘Oh no, big trouble.’

I fell asleep after getting a massage. It felt so good that I dozed off deeply, but I woke up in the middle of it.

I tried to go back to sleep, but I just couldn’t, so I logged into Leore and queued for ranked matches.

Even though it was 3 a.m., Leore’s popularity is still pretty high, so I thought I’d get a match easily.

Luckily, I got matched, and as I hit the queue button, I was excited, wondering who my first opponent would be.

But…

The name in front of me was “Jeong Jin.” It was his real name, just like mine, so I wondered who he was. Then I saw the title above his name.

[2023 Championship Winner]

The Korean Arena Championship, held once a year. He was the winner.

‘I’m just a beginner, why am I matched with someone like this…?’

“Arang, Arang? Is that THE Arang? I heard you have the WFK title.”

It seemed like Jeong Jin knew who I was.

“Arang, known as the strongest physical player in Leore, I’ll take you seriously this time.”

‘Please don’t take me seriously!’

Just as I hit the queue button, I got matched with last year’s strongest player. What kind of luck is this?!

First, I quickly analyzed my opponent.

Light armor, a one-handed sword in his right hand, but no shield.

Luckily, his class was Sword Mage.

‘As long as he’s not a tank, I think I can win.’

Suddenly, I was in the arena with last year’s champion.

3

2

I stepped back with my right foot and raised my dagger.

1

I charged forward.

START!

The moment the countdown ended, I crossed the line in less than 0.1 seconds.

Perfect movement. Precise timing. Blazing speed.

The Assassin’s stab skill activated flawlessly, just as I intended.

Just as my stab was about to land, I noticed his foot starting to turn, so I canceled the skill and moved to the side, plunging my dagger into Jeong Jin’s body.

“Oh?”

Jeong Jin also canceled his skill, creating an opening, and slashed my right shoulder with his sword before retreating.

In just two exchanges, I realized that the player in front of me was indeed last year’s champion.

“This time, I’ll come at you.”

Surprisingly, instead of casting magic from a distance, Jeong Jin chose to close in on me.

This was the situation I wanted, so I charged at him too.

In the sudden close-quarters combat, I focused on what choices Jeong Jin would make.

A red glowing effect.

In Leore, the color of the weapon’s glow usually tells you what kind of skill it is.

Lighter colors mean multi-hit skills, while darker, redder colors mean single-hit skills with high damage. Black or pure white glows are usually ultimate skills.

The fact that Jeong Jin was emitting a red glow meant he was serious about close combat.

I used a corresponding skill and tried to parry his sword—

BAM!!!

‘It didn’t deflect!?’

The situation unfolded differently than I expected.

I had planned to parry Jeong Jin’s attack and engage in a messy close-range fight, but Jeong Jin had no intention of doing that.

Unbeknownst to me, he had a stun buff, so his sword didn’t deflect and clashed with my right dagger.

Grind.

A sudden struggle of strength.

I immediately realized I was going to lose, so I raised my left dagger to clash with Jeong Jin’s sword as he tried to bring it down on me.

‘Damn it…! This is bad…!’

I hadn’t noticed that Jeong Jin had used a stun resistance buff.

‘When did he even cast that buff? I need to get out of this situation!’

The strength struggle between an Assassin and a Sword Mage is pretty even. Physical prowess is key here.

As I tried to push back with all my strength—

My whole body lurched forward.

“Huh?”

I realized what was happening as my body was pushed forward.

A one-handed sword falling to the ground.

‘Did he drop his sword…!?’

In the even struggle, Jeong Jin suddenly let go of his sword, and the force I was pushing against sent me flying forward.

‘A Sword Mage dropping his sword?’

Thud.

Already losing control of my body, Jeong Jin grabbed my wrist as I was about to fall.

‘Damn it…!’

While falling, I tried to pull up my right leg to push Jeong Jin away, but he was faster.

Jeong Jin’s hand touched my waist, and a tingling sensation spread through my body as a paralysis CC effect took hold, and he kicked me away.

As I was flying through the air, I saw Jeong Jin’s next move.

He kicked the fallen sword up, caught it, and began casting.

A pitch-black effect, different from before.

An ultimate skill.

Probably the Sword Mage’s max-level magic skill.

I needed to cancel that skill immediately, but I was paralyzed and flying through the air, unable to do anything.

As soon as I hit the ground and the paralysis wore off, the Sword Mage’s max-level magic skill, [Dance of Swords], activated.

Massive swords made of magic pierced my body.

My health was dropping uncontrollably.

‘Is this for real…?’

In just one skill, 40% of my health was gone.

Starting at a disadvantage against last year’s champion was already bad enough, but this was a terrible start.

‘There’s still plenty of time. I can win!’

As soon as the stun wore off, I rushed toward the incoming magic, having finished casting my own spell during the stun duration.

I couldn’t dodge the magic at close range, but from this distance…!

I dodged, deflected, and slashed through the magic spells rushing to kill me.

“Wow… is this for real?”

Jeong Jin laughed in disbelief as he saw me breaking through his magic.

That’s what I wanted to say…

Physically, I’m overwhelmingly stronger.

In close combat like this, where we’re within range of each other, I’m clearly dominating.

My attacks are landing clearly, and I’m blocking Jeong Jin’s attacks perfectly.

But I keep getting flustered by Jeong Jin’s unexpected moves.

‘This guy has definitely trained in swordsmanship.’

Unlike me, who just relies on physical prowess in the game, he feels different.

He’s not using parries to block my attacks but using them as his own attacks.

The moment our swords clash, he naturally redirects my dagger and attacks my body. It’s no joke.

Even though I’m attacking and in a favorable position, I’m still taking damage.

‘Is this last year’s champion? He’s incredible.’

He knows the direction of force too well.

It’s hard to find a way to counter him.

My reactions are faster, my physical stats are better, and my skill timings are perfect, but Jeong Jin is still pushing me.

==

‘What is this kid?’

Jeong Jin was baffled by the girl in front of him, attacking him as if she wanted to kill him.

In a sword-binding situation, where swords are locked, he was overwhelmingly stronger.

Honestly, it felt like Arang had no knowledge of what was needed in a sword duel.

If this were a real fight, she’d be dead in seconds.

But this is the game world.

It’s not just about swords clashing; the game’s mechanics and physics engine are at play.

‘Her reflexes, physical stats, and situational awareness are all top-notch. If I hadn’t landed [Dance of Swords] at the start, it would’ve been dangerous.’

-Wow… what kind of fight is this?

-Arang is like a berserker or something.

-I can’t even see what’s happening lol

-Jeong Jin countering this is insane too.

-If he hadn’t started with an advantage, this would’ve been a mess.

She’s just a kid relying on her physical stats, swinging two daggers without any knowledge of swordsmanship.

At first, she was just an easy opponent, a child. But as time went on, she started changing.

‘She’s learning my attack and defense patterns.’

Her attacks are becoming more deliberate and sharp, and she’s even using feints to predict my defenses.

She’s deliberately avoiding sword-binding situations.

‘She’s a genius. If she keeps at it for a month or two, she’ll be in the top ranks of Challenger.’

She looks no older than 15, but her talent is insane. She’s already stronger than most adults at this level.

‘But she’s still young.’

Even with her game knowledge and physical talent, she’s not weak enough to lose to a little girl who knows nothing about PVP or real swordsmanship.

Jeong Jin blocked Arang’s attack, which was filled with killing intent, and then released the force on his sword, causing Arang to lose balance. He then spun her body and slammed her to the ground.

He was about to plunge his sword into Arang’s body as she lay on the ground—

“!?”

But as soon as she hit the ground, she disappeared, as if she had predicted it.

‘Did she use a movement skill right as she was being slammed…!? But…’

She teleported to the wrong place.

Instead of his shadow, he saw Arang’s shadow.

Jeong Jin, aiming at where Arang should’ve been on the ground, instead plunged his sword with full force into his own abdomen.

He felt his abdomen being pierced, along with something else.