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[Clearing Hostilities with Gundar from Today]

Starting today, I break free from my loyal ties, and Gundar and I become one entity.

Any attacks on Gundar will be considered an attack on me.

ㅇㅇ: Ah lol, I can’t hold back from cheering!

ㅇㅇ: Hang in there, Gundar!

Zickgaterbelt: You are a hero!

EatingMySisterMidir: I believe in you!

ㅇㅇ: Please win!

[Because I Love Friede, I Support Gundar.]

It’s an old sentiment I’ve held since before…

ㅇㅇ: You’re a fool.

SweetMan: “Before” my foot… starting with Friede’s cheerleading.

ㅇㅇ: Hand on your conscience, did you really like Gundar from before?

LAmpadu: Who the hell are you to say you love Friede, you arrogant punk?

The chat was overheated, blatantly biased.

The atmosphere clearly started with Gundar’s unilateral support for the match.

However…

—Thud!

“Ugghh!”

Seeing the fluctuating health bar, Gundar screamed.

The senses sharpened from playing ranked games till now couldn’t help him overcome such a ridiculous moment.

“Wait, time out!”

He shouted in haste, but it only echoed emptily.

[What the hell, you madman, is this a time-out during a game?]

[Do you recognize what this is? This is Friede’s solid backstab.]

[Gundar, let’s focus on the next game… or something.]

*Sigh, I can’t believe I thought he was a superhuman on a white horse.*

[When will we even see a Friede cheerleading again?]

The first face-off between Friede and Gundar drew attention from everyone.

From the moment it began, Friede’s sudden move of smashing into Gundar’s face resulted in a shocking 10-second match.

It broke the record for the fastest match in the STK Brawl Tournament’s history.

—

“Ugh!”

In the waiting room, Gundar frantically tangled his hair as he clutched his head, his movements wild.

It’s just virtual reality, no hair loss worries here, but he was on the verge of losing his sanity.

What a spectacle—screaming for a time-out after smashing into someone in front of so many people.

Was this really it for a proud high-ranking player who had reached rank 120 in Korea?

‘I’ve totally thrown away the first set.’

No need to see that loss again.

Who would’ve thought they’d bring a ranged weapon to a one-on-one match?

‘I really got hit hard.’

In one-on-one combat, especially in a coliseum, ranged weapons appearing is a rarity.

There are various reasons, but one primary factor is how difficult it is to create distance from the start.

Ranged weapons are limited to secondary melee weaponry like daggers, and the best strategy is to finish from afar.

But the opponent was acting in complete contrast to that.

‘To come right in from the start, what the heck is he thinking?’

Is there any reason to forgo the advantage of a ranged weapon and move in close?

No matter how much it was a rapid-fire crossbow, it seemed too off-strategy.

Originally, that weapon was meant to control approaches with a barrage.

But what’s the use of saying this now?

I couldn’t shake off the regrets for the first set, thinking about how the audience and fellow high-ranked players would tease me—it darkened my mood.

Initially, I thought this tournament, with all the Friede cheerleading, was just for fun, but now the situation had clearly shifted.

I could no longer slack off and wrap it up with a performance.

—

Time passed, and I redid my gear for the second set.

During the weapon-picking process, Gundar was extra cautious.

Up until now, I thought Friede preferred technical close-combat weapons, but I realized that was a serious misconception.

‘What should I pick?’

I closed my eyes for a moment and recalled the previous set.

Why did I die so emptily?

Was it because the gear I chose was countered?

‘No, the gear wasn’t the issue.’

I was just shocked and couldn’t respond when Friede smashed my face.

I could not predict how varied my plays could be, but at least I had to remain unwavering in spirit.

Resolving firmly, Gundar picked the same gear as before.

However, I switched my armor set to a defense set to withstand the onslaught of bolts.

‘I will definitely win.’

In pro gaming, doing the same initial pick head-on is called “Utter No.”

Gundar’s mind was consumed with that thought alone.

Friede’s weapons? Same dual Rapid-Fire Crossbows as before.

As expected, it turned out that way.

Looking back on past matches, he usually switched to the next weapon after using one solidly twice.

Clutching the dual daggers tightly, he stepped into the arena.

[Game Starting]

With the announcement from the game master, I quickly dodged with steps.

I swallowed hard, looking at the crossbow bolts lodged in the spot where I just stood.

I’d given the opponent room when I should’ve been pressing close.

‘No, stay calm.’

I had to be alert, or I’d get eaten alive by Friede’s plays.

With daggers gripped tightly, Gundar charged toward the incoming Friede.

‘If the opponent closes in…’

Dagger has the upper hand over the crossbow.

I would close in closer.

—

The early ambush seemed successful.

It reminded me of a dark-skinned character I played with dual pistols in a legendary battle long ago.

So I went on offense from the start, but the opponent couldn’t recover from it.

But it was too early to celebrate.

The second set was definitely showing above-average skill.

—Thwack!

Although I allowed a moment of ambush, I promptly dashed closer with side steps.

Pretty clean and stylish movements.

Even in close combat, while I need 2 steps of space, he was aiming to press tight.

What I had to watch out for was kiting.

—Thud! Thud!

With a dull impact sound, bolts flew scattered everywhere.

The momentum that had charged forward like a bull on fire faded into the corner, as I backstepped to maximize distance while firing bolts.

Was it the light armor and weapon he was using? His movements were unusually nimble.

At this rate, he should have been reduced to rags by now, but with proper rolls and steps, he was getting steadily closer.

‘Tsk, this is annoying.’

A Rapid-Fire Crossbow.

An inconvenient weapon that distinguishes between single and multi fire based on the trigger pull’s feel.

At a moment where I needed full attention on the opponent, worrying about the dual triggers was quite chaotic.

But what could I do? I couldn’t waste bolts carelessly.

Complaining about the weapon I was pulling out for the first time was quite ridiculous.

—Clang!

With a clear metallic clink, I tried to fire a well-timed shot, only to deflect it with a dagger.

—Whoosh!

I instinctively leaned back to dodge, and the stabbing blade of an Armored Breaker whizzed right above my vision.

As the unstable posture leaned back, a shot from the crossbow whizzed past his neck.

Right when I aimed to shoot the next crossbow, I was blocked by the opponent’s weapon.

It seemed like a back-and-forth, but it was evident I was falling behind.

‘This is it.’

The limits of the weapon might be unavoidable.

Though it’s a one-handed crossbow, it’s still a rather large item.

In just a step or two of close combat, I struggled to respond to my opponent’s quick attacks.

It was evident I was dealing with a top-ranked challenger.

The Armored Breaker in the left hand aimed to take a bit of my life again, but after backstepping and tumbling consecutively, I created distance.

But only 5 steps away.

Both Gundar and the watching audience would think it’s a pointless dodge.

—Bang!

His determination not to give me distance was palpable in that rush.

Watching the approaching opponent, I felt my mind becoming calmer.

Time flowed slowly.

I tried to take potshots, but there weren’t enough.

“Gah!”

—Crash!

With somewhat exaggerated gusto, —when I caught that look in his eyes, I couldn’t contain my joy—

I repelled the crossbow shot using the Swordbreaker.

Like a candle in the wind.

Well, it’s usually like this.

Giving so much distance with a ranged weapon was strange.

So, just as the last shot was aimed with the Armored Breaker to stab me!

—Bam!

With a thunderous bang, a puny little blade that hardly matched the crossbow deflected the swiping blade of the Armored Breaker.

Gundar, staggering like a marionette with cut strings, lifted the small dagger high.

—Stab!

The little dagger designated for ranged archers pierced through Gundar’s neck, and his totally depleted health bar collapsed onto the ground.

The last look in his eyes seemed to say… ‘Oh no,’ and for some reason, that made me feel good.

Sorry about that.

There was still one shot left.

—

[Amazing, Awesome, Awesome.]

[F*ck, you managed to pull a parry with that?]

[Crazy… obsessed with parrying, and yet I can’t hate that bastard…]

[Gundar you idiot, if you lose, you’ll be a traitor!]

[Seriously insane.]

[This is Friede!!!]

[Starting with boldly choosing the dual Rapid-Fire Crossbow to pulling off that parry with a secondary weapon in the end.]

[Gundar broke the shortest record in the second round, and now got wrecked in close combat by crossbows?]

[Is this… the dignity of rank 120?]

[Now, the pros below Gundar’s rank seem like a joke to me lol. First of all, me too!]

[You idiot, this is a chat, not a vote; take your voting somewhere else!]

In my hand, the smartphone’s screen displayed the scene broadcasted on the STK official channel.

“…Yeah, this is it.”

My eyes sparkled with joy over Friede’s parry.

My whole body was covered in chills from the artful parry he had just demonstrated.

Lotus, frantic with nerves, was nervously biting their nails.

To overcome a close-combat weapon with a secondary weapon meant for ranged attacks.

Sure, it wouldn’t often be seen, but simply succeeding was already remarkable physical prowess.

How many players of the same challenger tier could showcase such talent?

In the beginning, I thought maybe me or Warden, or a member of the STK Team would manage, but now I felt it might be time for a full reconsideration.

‘Oh, I’d rather…’

I wish I wasn’t that bum Gundar, but instead, I’d face the next opponent.

Lotus twisted their body, trying to tame the growing disappointment.

The match announced the beginning of the third set that could very well be the last for Gundar.

 

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