Lightning Strike
Real talk, Noel is fucking good lmaoooo
How is her character that pretty...
Can't imagine bad words coming from that voice lmaoooo
Just provoking but lands personal attacks? Wonder what Noel's thinking ;;
500 games and still no Master... what?? (Diamond cert pic)
This... fucking bitch...?
Probably refreshing seeing that line-crosser get rekt?
Thought I could try Grease on charging rushers... it actually works??
At least as a swordsman I can keep up, if it was berserker or something...
Swordsman main skill just gets interrupted ;;
(Arkreil 1st person view of Noel's Fear gif)
Eye contact... despise me more...
What you going for you crazy bastard lmaoooo
"Noel-nim, wanna bet with me?"
Before the match started, Serinsel grinned at me with a proposal.
"A bet? What kind of bet..?"
"Just... winner gets one wish coupon?"
I tilted my head and looked into Serinsel's eyes. The handsome man was still staring at me with flushed red eyes.
"I already gave you one before?"
"Eh, that was a favor coupon. Favors and wishes have different weight, you know."
'Do they? I was gonna grant most things anyway.'
"Even so... I don't want anything from you, Serinsel-nim?"
"Later! Maybe... something'll come up later?!"
For some reason, Serinsel looked desperately serious about the wish coupon, so I eyed him curiously but soon nodded.
"Alright... fine. You're that confident, huh?"
"Of course. I was a condensation master back then? Sure, I mained gunner, but dual swordsman is pretty solid in PvP too."
Master tier—as I'd mentioned before—is one that requires both talent and effort, boasting a tiny top 4% population.
'This won't be easy.'
[Both players, if you're done talking, we'll start the match!]
The barrier blocking us lifted, and before my eyes stood a dual swordsman with black hair and flashing red eyes.
"Alright, here I come?"
With that, the dual swordsman charged at me. Red wind cloaked his feet as he locked eyes on my neck, slicing in fast.
Agile footwork, a common thief-class skill boosting movement speed by 30% instantly.
"Grease."
The ground's friction vanished. But the dual swordsman didn't lose balance, sliding toward me like skates.
"Get Behind."
His form vanished in a blink, teleporting behind me. I whipped around hurriedly. His red eyes met my purple ones.
A skill I'd used plenty in boss raids. As a thief-class dual swordsman, he had a passive for extra damage from the rear.
"Shield!"
A blue barrier formed around me as his attack hit. My mana gauge drained steadily. Proportional to damage taken, it shaved off 20% of my mana in seconds.
After that, he kept attacking to deplete my mana. I snuck in hits between, but witch magic damage was basically supporter-level.
'Not easy after all. Masters are on another level.'
"Blink."
Another 20% mana to widen the gap. He didn't give me thinking time, darting straight to my position.
"A Flash of Fire."
White mana enveloped him as he rushed me at blinding speed. My mind raced.
'How to block that? Long fight just disadvantages me.'
My HP at 50%, his around 40%. I looked better off, but reality was opposite. Half-HP mage was easy prey for an assassin.
'Think.'
Grease didn't faze him. Good control lets him approach while adjusting. Counter-spells lack damage to finish. Need long-cast skills, but...
'He won't give time.'
Answer: Debuff him, then land a long-cast finisher. I acted instantly.
"Threat variant incantation: Fear."
Noel casts Fear on Serinsel.
The dual swordsman burst through the black mist toward me.
Status ailment resistance successful.
As expected, not favorable position for me, so it failed. But that was a feint.
"Grease."
Ground friction vanished again. Serinsel, sensing victory, judged carefully.
'Same pattern as before.'
He readjusted and skated across the ground toward the witch. She drew an unfamiliar brown magic circle, her purple eyes glowing bright.
"Rock variant incantation: Land Modify."
Stone pillars erupted from the frictionless ground. Land Modify, an earth-attribute variant for minor terrain changes. Usually for mob farming.
'But PvP's a whole different story.'
Witches wield all elements but with way lower skill damage than mages. Same in PvP. That's why I favor variants over attacks.
Reason I beat the swordsman earlier: Magic Missile would've taken forever to whittle HP.
He slammed into my pillars, halting abruptly.
"Argh!"
Low acceleration meant minimal damage.
"Aqua variant incantation - Water Prison."
A water cage enveloped him. No damage, just immobilization for 5 seconds.
'Plenty of time.'
Among elements, pure damage king is lightning. And lightning...
'Synergizes massively with water.'
The witch's purple eyes gleamed as she drew a purple magic circle.
'3 sec cast, 1 sec output, 1 sec hit.'
Serinsel realized and struggled to break free faster.
'Useless effort.'
"ᚷᛟᛞ×ᛊ ᛚᛁᚷᚺᛏᚾᛁᛜ ᚦᚨᛏ ᛈᚢᚾᛁᛊᚺᛖᛊ ᛗᚨᚾ ᚺᚨᛊ ᚾᛟ ᛗᛖᚱᚲᛁ"
⟨ Lightning ⟩
I grinned mid-cast, murmuring softly to the dual swordsman.
"That was fun. I'll take that wish coupon."
"Lightning."
Krarung-!!!!!!
"Gaaaaah!!!!!"
His scream echoed as the noble witch stood amid lightning-scorched ashes and burn marks—the only remnants on the field.
IT'S OVER!!! Noel's Lightning synergizes with water attribute and completely incinerates Serinsel!!!
Winner of semis match 1... Noel!!!
"...Ahaha, seriously. Not easy at all."
Serinsel approached me after it ended.
"Really tough opponent. You were great."
This was sincere. That final Lightning poured out all my remaining mana.
"A loss is a loss. Thanks for giving it your all."
"Ahaha, good match."
We shook hands. A fine fight with a fine finish. This showdown would be talked about long after the tournament ended, etched as a classic moment.