Round of 16 (2)

Evaluating coolly, Luche’s skill level isn’t yet world-class.

While she’s undisputedly at the top in the domestic league, the story changes when we broaden the view to a global scale.

Of course, I believe Luche can grow much higher than she is now.

But that’s just about potential. If I speak coldly, removing my fan sentiment, she’s a player staying in the upper-middle ranks.

If she faces Cerberus in the semifinals, wouldn’t her win rate be around 20 to 30 percent?

But I don’t like Luche because she’s the strongest player.

Not long ago, at the restaurant, I mustered up the courage to ask a question.

– I’m curious about something. Why did you want to become a pro gamer?

– Well, I don’t really remember the trigger. I think I vaguely knew such a world existed even before the accident.

– …?

– Is that surprising? But it’s like that, isn’t it? Dreams don’t need grand reasons. What can I do when I’ve already started dreaming?

Only after hearing her answer did I realize I had asked a stupid question.

Indeed, it was true. You don’t need a great reason to dream.

What was the reason I first started kendo?

If I had to pinpoint, wasn’t it watching historical dramas with my parents?

At that time, I was a young boy, and I instinctively felt the “coolness” of swords.

A little later, I realized that kendo wasn’t the martial art of swinging real swords as I had thought.

But it didn’t matter.

By then, I was already so immersed that I couldn’t stop.

– People say everything changes when you fall in love. They say it’s an emotion that comes without reason one day and changes people at will.

– I still don’t know well. Well, I’ve never experienced it. How could I know an emotion I’ve never felt?

– Still, the more I hear about love, the more something comes to mind. Such an illogical yet destructive emotion.

– Isn’t that the same for dreams?

As she said that, her brightly smiling face looked so radiant.

As someone who had once been immersed in a dream. And as someone who had started dreaming again.

She was a person I couldn’t help but admire.

…Anyway. Blink was a good opponent for a rehearsal before facing Cerberus.

A first-tier pro in the Japanese league. When listing magic swordsman players in Asia, his name was always included.

To face Cerberus, preparing against magic swordsmen was essential.

[Infinity Arena Main Tournament Round of 16 – Match 12]

[Battlefield: Seething Lava Zone]

[Sigma Luche(Holy Knight) vs JWM Blink(Magic Swordsman)]

The battlefield luck didn’t favor Luche.

The ‘Seething Lava Zone’ is a battlefield with hot heat spread across the entire map.

True to its name, boiling lava flows, and all fire-based skills receive a slight enhancement effect.

It’s an environment slightly more advantageous for magic swordsmen who can handle elemental magic.

Moreover, the periodically overflowing lava was also a problem.

Gimmicks that force movement are, of course, easier to handle for those with better mobility.

It’s not that holy knights have no ways to use it, but the number of cards they hold is different.

《 The match has started. We can see both players immediately beginning their search. 》

《 Oh. Luche’s weapon has changed. She usually preferred swords or maces, but she’s brought a flail for the first time? 》

《 It’s a point to watch. Due to the chain-linked characteristic, flails have the advantage of longer attack range than maces. They also receive many bonuses for holy spells. 》

《 However, the problem is that they’re difficult to handle. They’re also a bit slower weapons as it takes longer for attacks to land. As it’s the first time Luche has brought out this weapon, we need to pay attention. 》

As the commentators said, it was indeed the first time she had brought out the flail.

I can be certain. I’ve watched all the videos I could find of Luche’s matches.

On her personal broadcasts, Luche is very experimental.

She practices not only builds that people don’t use, but also weapons and skills sufficiently.

That’s why Luche’s meta adaptability is quite high.

However, she tends not to bring things to official matches until they’re properly proven.

So surprisingly, the variety of weapons she actually used wasn’t that diverse.

《 Luche seems to be moving towards the ravine terrain. It’s likely an intention to secure safety in the rear or flanks, wary of the magic swordsman’s mobility. 》

《 The magic swordsman’s ‘Blink’ is indeed a powerful skill. And this opponent is particularly strong in utilizing blink, isn’t he? 》

《 Haha, that’s right. You can see the confidence from his nickname. 》

The two who found each other immediately engaged in battle.

The first attack, of course, belonged to the magic swordsman with superior long-range checks.

As a fiercely burning flame spear flew in, Luche also charged boldly with her shield in front.

The spear that collided with the shield disappeared, leaving an explosion.

Three spears flew like that. And then another three.

Lastly, multiple fire arrows rained down from the sky.

All the magic was blocked by the stably raised shield.

However, the holy knight’s guard gauge isn’t infinite, and Blink’s class was magic swordsman.

Not a mage.

《 Blink dives in simultaneously with the impact! 》

《 It doesn’t look like the guard will hold? 》

“It will hold.”

An attack method like the basics of a magic swordsman.

If you strike with a sword slash timed with the concentrated firepower, it’s hard to withstand with ordinary defense.

However, Luche isn’t one to fall for such simple methods.

Of course, the magic swordsman must have prepared for the next move as well.

Bright holy light descends on Luche.

A moment of invincibility judgment. The sword slash was blocked powerlessly, but magic calculated to the second followed again.

The response was a risen wall of holy light. The thick curtain collided with the magic and then opened a path.

She spreads holy power by slamming the shield on the ground.

The flail is swung at the slowed opponent.

The trajectory itself was accurate, but it was hindered by the weapon’s own speed.

“Hmm, I think a mace would have been better after all.”

That attack just now. If it had been a mace, wouldn’t it have managed to hit somehow?

Even if not a critical hit, it’s better than not hitting at all.

Holy magic and dark magic clash on the burning ground.

The result was predictable. Holy magic specialized in defense and support. And fire magic specialized in destructive power.

With the battlefield bonus added, there was no way it could be a match.

The fortunate thing in the misfortune might be that the holy knight’s magic resistance is exceptionally superior.

Considering how much she was hit, Luche’s health bar didn’t move much.

Not that it meant the situation was good.

《 Blink’s attacks are quite flashy. It looks difficult to secure vision due to the focus on fire magic. 》

《 Luche seems to need a chance to reverse the situation. 》

《 Guard break! The solid shield finally shows its limits. 》

The tide of battle gradually tilting.

Yet, there seemed to be no wavering in Luche’s gaze.

Both the chat window I bothered to check and the commentators were all talking about Luche’s disadvantage.

Luche always blocks the opponent’s attacks in the optimal way.

But saying she blocks well isn’t synonymous with fighting well.

Specifically, she was at a disadvantage in the number game.

Although she’s growing little by little, Luche’s way of fighting isn’t perfect yet.

Especially in cases like now where the opponent holds more means, this gradually drying up picture appeared quite often.

Well, this is also a common point of slow warrior-type classes.

She recovers the guard gauge with the holy knight’s unique skill.

However, the magic swordsman still had plenty of magic power left.

If she raises her shield, just make her lower it again.

The shield quickly lost its strength to the alternation of magic and sword slashes.

As if to drive in the wedge, the magic swordsman aimed for Luche’s abdomen.

“Huh?”

And I felt like I received another gift.

The moment the flame-imbued blade pierced the armor.

Luche’s flail wrapped around the magic swordsman’s arm as if drawing a spiral.

A method quite familiar to me. It was the technique I used against Reaper in the group stage.

Magic swordsmen don’t have an immediate survival skill like the mist mage’s ‘Mist Form’.

There’s no class with only advantages in Infinity Black.

Magic requires chanting, and chanting is interrupted when taking damage above a certain level.

That’s why magic swordsmen must be thorough out-fighters.

Getting tied up like this is the worst-case scenario.

《 Luche has caught the opponent! 》

《 A swift throw follows! This is big! 》

《 No, Luche! Was she this good? She’s thoroughly showing why she brought the flail! 》

《 It reminds me of Gawol’s match last week, doesn’t it? 》

The heavy shield was slammed down on the magic swordsman lying face down on the ground.

The mass of the tower shield plus the holy knight’s strength.

As it was a power hard for a magic swordsman to withstand, Blink’s health bar decreased significantly.

Still, the situation wasn’t exactly the same.

I had wrapped the chain sickle multiple times so it couldn’t be undone, but Luche’s flail was limited to wrapping once.

Blink, having freed himself from the constraint, tried to widen the distance again.

But Luche didn’t allow it.

Let there be light, and light descended on the battlefield.

In the scorching light beams, the magic swordsman couldn’t escape far enough.

If the light was ‘divine punishment’, the flail’s iron piece was human punishment.

The magic swordsman wasn’t sturdy enough to survive being hit in the head by the heavy piece of iron.