[Infinity Arena Main Tournament â Round of 16 â Match 11]
[Battlefield: Where the Storm Sleeps]
[vs. Qingyun Club Ape (Brawler)]
A fist tore through the air, slicing the stormâs rain with it. In the sudden lull, as the rain paused, I seized the moment and left a mark on his muscular forearm.
A minor wound like that wouldnât be enough to disrupt his attack. Brawlers like him, with their conditioned bodies, didnât stop easily.
The returning rain washed away the blood. I could see the glint of his fierce energy as his rock-solid muscles tensed up, moving with rough, armoured precision. He launched a swift, straight punch and followed it up with a kick, the force of the wind from it almost palpable.
The quick, short attacks came in rapid succession, each one creating shockwaves that hinted at immense power. If I took a direct hit from one of those spinning kicks, the game would be over in an instant.
But thatâs only if he lands a hit. Itâs one thing to attack, but those attacks are meaningless if they donât connect.
[Successfully triggered the âArterial Slice: Bonus Damageâ effect.]
[Enhanced Bleed Poison effect applied to the enemy.]
Each of the Brawlerâs moves was relentless. His body was not only tough but also had significant endurance, allowing him to stay in the fight. His agility was also remarkable, making Brawlers one of the top classes in terms of overall stats.
The problem, however, was the sheer simplicity of his attacks.
Even swordsmen wielding weapons have a few skills that can twist their positioning. They can break the ground when resetting their stance or forge a sword with magic for advanced sword techniques. As an assassin, I had even more tricks up my sleeve.
But Brawlers didnât have that versatility. Whether their fists were shrouded in fire or ice, a punch was still just a punch. Their techniques didnât extend beyond âhit fast,â âhit hard,â or âtake hits without pain.â
As a result, their fighting style lacked complexity. In this case, there was no reason for me to close the distance.
He was like an ape swinging his body as his weapon. When swords clash, they reach a stalemate, but when a fist meets a blade, the result is a wound. All I needed to do was avoid triggering his parry timing.
By following this rule, I could safely target the exposed areas he unwittingly offered. I could pick him apart bit by bit, starting from the extremities. After all, thereâs a reason why people invented weapons.
[Successfully triggered the âTendon Slash: Paralysis Poisonâ effect.]
[Medium Paralysis effect applied to the enemy.]
He was doing his best to overcome this disadvantage. His go-to strategy was feinting incessantly. But having faced Reaper before, I found his attempts less intimidating.
Honestly, what was with this guy going shirtless? It seemed like Brawlers had a penchant for exposing themselves.@@novelbin@@
Did he think it looked cool? If so, that was a shame. A martial artistâs grace and poise should start with a clean uniform. This bare-chested look might appeal to some as a display of masculinity, but as a martial artist, it was the worst.
You could see every movement of his musclesâhis back, chest, armsâall on display. How did he expect to win like that? Covering up wouldnât have made it any easier to avoid my gaze, though.
âHeh.â
I kept my distance precisely. I stayed just out of reach of his fists, positioned so that I could dodge a kick or throw myself out of a ground attackâs range.
With the bleeding and poison effects applied, time was on my side. All I had to do was dodge his attacks, then land a few dagger strikes on his limbs. Just like that.
âYouâre really stretching out those hands. I feel like one of those old-school teachers now. Back in the day, theyâd smack palms with a ruler. Saw it in a movie once.â
âUgh...!â
Ah, looks like heâs angry. My light chuckle seemed to have made him a bit reckless.
He went for a spinning kick aimed at my midsection. My target was the inner calf muscle. Next, I adapted a Taekwondo move to sweep his Achilles tendon. Getting greedy, he tried for a stomp on my headâsince he overreached, I took out his thigh and side.
[Successfully triggered the âCritical Strike: Vital Organsâ effect.]
[The âEnhanced Bleed Poisonâ effect has stacked.]
[Increased damage from âUnrelenting Bleedâ effect.]
[Paralysis Poison effect stacking...]
Honestly, I felt a little insulted. I had clearly demonstrated in the qualifier how to handle Gunlance. Did he really think he could beat me with his fists?
Wasnât this just him underestimating me? Then I had every right to toy with him a bit, didnât I?
He wouldâve done better to go with an engineering build like last time. At least then, there couldâve been some back-and-forth. His attempt to compensate for his lack of general combat ability with a strength build was his undoing.
âAha! Almost slipped there, didnât you?â
When his kick came, I swept his ankle out, making him fall. I toyed with my dagger while he tried to get back up. As he charged, I threw it toward his eyes. Then, leaping up, I landed a kick right to the back of his head.
I was going to continue playing with him. But a few minutes later, he forfeited the match. How boring.
And just like that, my Round of 16 match ended with a lackluster conclusion.
ãIt seems this match doesnât require much analysis. Gawol simply dodged every attack, using her agility to create an overwhelming result.ã
ãThese kinds of matchups have often been seen at the top levels. Eventually, characters as straightforward as Brawlers hit their limit. Gawol capitalized on that well.ã
ãRight. Ape had been surviving with his natural physical prowess, but Gawolâs no slouch in that department either. Perhaps this was a foregone conclusion.ã
ãThere are some doubts about Apeâs preparation for this match...ã
Watching the commentators trying to sugarcoat things was almost pitiful. In reality, my opponent had gotten this far because of lucky matchups, and now it was his time to go. The official broadcast couldnât exactly put it that way, though.
With my personality, I probably wouldnât handle broadcasting well if I had to hold back like that. I mentally crossed âcommentatorâ off my list of things I wanted to try one day.
After that dull match, I wrapped up the interview. The Chinese reporters seemed a bit edgy, but I kept my answers within acceptable bounds.
By now, the articles mustâve been published. I skimmed through the strategy sites and found my interview featured at the top.
Gawol defeats Ape 2-0, advancing to the Quarterfinals unbeaten
What Sets Blinkâs Dark Swordsman Apart?
Gawol: âThe Opponentâs Arrogance Determined the Outcomeâ
[Title: Ape Complains About Unprofessional Match]
[Author: Myojiki )]
In the Round of 16, Qingyun Clubâs Ape voiced his displeasure with the match, acknowledging his defeat but implying that his opponent lacked professionalism. During the match, Ape had his vision obstructed and was kicked in the head over five times.
In her interview, Gawol commented, âThe opponent was arrogant, which sealed the result,â and added, âSince he wasnât prepared, there was no way he could win.â
Netizens reacted with comments like, âGawolâs not even a pro, whatâs he talking about?â, âHe talks a lot for someone who put on a lousy match,â and âIâd be mad too if that happened to me.â
It seemed my opponent was quite upset. Since I probably wouldnât face him again, I didnât bother reading the full interview. Better to spend that time watching Luce or Travelerâs matches.
Iâd need to start analyzing Cerberus soon, too. Heâs an annoying guy, but undeniably one of Europeâs strongest. In terms of reputation and career, heâs no less formidable than Reaper. With the semifinals being best-of-five, Iâd need to prepare thoroughly.
During the Round of 16 draw, Iâd ended up with the worst possible result imaginable. This match had me facing one of the weakest players, and my next opponent wasnât exactly a threat either. Though Iâd prepare carefully, I couldnât say I felt any real danger.
Yeah, the problem wasnât my bracket. Iâd gotten one of the easiest runs possible. At this rate, Iâd likely make it to the semifinals, or even the finals, without any major obstacles.
The downside was that the opposite bracket was hell. Assuming both advanced, Traveler was set to face Cerberus in the Quarterfinals. Luce would likely have to contend with Cerberus before I did.
Even Reaper was slated to clash with Luce in the Quarterfinals. As for me, I could only sit back and watch their matches.
I shouldâve brought Luce over during the group stage. I wanted to kick my past self for not thinking ahead.
ãNext up, we have Sigma Esportsâ Luce versus Blink.ã
ãWhat a coincidence! It looks like weâre about to witness a showdown of offense versus defense.ã