I Don't Think I'll Lose
“Because I don't think I'm going to lose.”
Hearing the answer, Vlack paused for just a moment to think.
But it truly was only a moment — nodding as if he'd already settled on an answer long ago, he replied.
“Hmm… very well. Let's give it a try.”
“You're choosing Player Lily, then?”
“Yes. I'll pick Lily. And—”
Vlack pressed a single button on the team captain's console.
In an instant, a verdant barrier began to descend over the miniature terrain modeled as flat ground — a space that immediately brought to mind the one-on-one Duel Arena.
“The team rosters have to be finalized by today, so once everyone's picks are done, how about you two settle it here?”
“Right now?”
“Yes.”
A duel in front of countless spectators.
She's put quite a bit of thought into this.
Strictly speaking, today was only for team selection — the actual matches wouldn't begin until a month from now. With an audience this size gathered, it would have been a bit of a waste to end things with nothing but a talk show.
Whether Vlack won or lost here, this match was bound to send expectations for the Mock Siege Battle soaring even higher. And once the outcome was decided, the meaning behind the 'just this once' I'd proposed would vanish along with it.
I nodded.
“Sounds good. Let's do it in a bit, then.”
“Oh… a match between these two! Even I'm excited now!”
“That's right. I'm sure the fans waiting for the Mock Siege Battle are in for a thrilling showdown! Now then! Let's move on to the next pick. Next up is Leo—”
The team selection passed by in a blur. Among the twelve players granted the General title, a few stood out as exceptional, but the rest each carried roles every bit as vital. Not a single one of them was the absolute best — yet every one of them was a ranker with real power of their own.
The team captains made their picks in turn, carefully weighing their own team against the opposition — the balance, the compositions, the synergies.
“…Mr. Iron?”
“YEAH!”
CRASH! Bellowing a roar as he flexed his hulking, mountainous frame, the tank — Iron.
With Leo's final selection, the team rosters were complete.
Three teams lined up neatly beside caster Kim Yong-woo, each one crowned with a row of the players' portraits, side by side.
“Alright! Team 1! The ChotaChokaChukaChip team! Yena, Raguel, Truck Shield! That makes four members in total!”
“I imagine quite a few people had questions about Captain ChukaChip's early picks — but honestly, I think this was exactly what she was aiming for.”
“Agreed. First off, Yena, Raguel, and Truck Shield all hold high rankings, and if the captain is first-tier, then these three are second-tier players! They're so dominant in both skill and raw power that they've earned the label.”
“Precisely. Truck Shield's versatility with that shield in particular ranks among the best of the rankers, so from ChukaChip's team's perspective, it's not a bad set of picks at all.”
The screen cut away as the commentary continued.
Yena's expression was a touch better than before, Raguel was whipping her head back and forth in disbelief, Truck Shield calmly polished his shield, and ChukaChip still wore that unreadable smile.
After a brief chat with the team, the commentary moved on to the next squad.
“And here we have~ the team that's been causing the most buzz of all! Team captain Vlack's team! The team of Lily, Redberry, and Devil!”
“This team is… if I may be so bold, the most likely candidate to take the whole thing.”
“Oh? There are two other teams — could you tell us why you say that?”
“First, if Player Lily's skill truly lives up to the Grand General title — or exceeds it — then this team has two Grand General-caliber fighters. On top of that, both Redberry and Devil are above-average in their own right.”
“I see. With so many viewers expecting big things from Player Lily, that's certainly a reasonable assessment.”
“And don't forget — there's still the match to decide who takes the Grand General title, isn't there?”
The camera caught Lily and Vlack.
Both sat there without so much as a flicker of change in their expressions. Behind them, Redberry's red hair swayed as she wore a thoroughly indifferent look — and at the very front, a tiny something was sneaking glance after glance at Lily and Lily alone.
“Miss Lily?”
“Yes?”
“How is it? Are you happy with the team?”
“Hmm… I like it. They're all skilled players.”
“That's a relief! Then how are you feeling about the match against Vlack — what's your mindset going in?”
“Since I'm challenging for the Grand General title, I intend to give it my all.”
But above all else.
“Because I don't think I'm going to lose.”
Just as I always had.
This time, too — I had to win.
“And what about you, Vlack?”
“Me? Same as always. I intend to take her seriously and hold nothing back.”
“Understood. We look forward to the match between these two.”
What could she be thinking?
Vlack, dressed not in casual clothes but in armor built for war, leveled his gaze at his opponent over his beloved weapon — the Greatsword of the Black Drake.
Before the verdant barrier stood Lily, readying herself for battle by polishing a spear that was, at best, of Rare grade.
It's not as if she wanted a ring…
If she had truly wanted one, she could have simply taken it. The other two players might have said something about it, but Redberry and Devil weren't the type to obsess over items in the first place.
Even if different players had joined as teammates, he would have been more than willing to hand over ample resources and gear.
And yet Lily had refused.
Not just the ring — she had willingly offered herself up for the role of Grand General as well, volunteering for a fight she didn't need to have.
As if she refused to owe anyone a debt.
…Then I suppose it's only right that I meet her in earnest.
─And now! The moment we've all been waiting for! The reigning Rank 9 Great Magic Swordsman, Vlack! Against the rising star, the up-and-coming powerhouse, Lily! The match is about to begin!
His opponent was still a low-level user who hadn't even completed her 3rd Advancement. The system here mirrored the Duel Arena exactly, so there was no real need to adjust the balance — but with the gap in equipment, it would be wiser for him not to use Mythic-grade gear or skills.
A Legendary-tier hidden piece carrying the world-unique 'Unique' trait, or anything of Mythic grade, was powerful enough to shatter the balance entirely.
For all his talk of giving it his all, using those would be going too far.
─Five seconds until the match begins.
Shhhk. He settled into the greatsword's ready stance.
Black mana seethed and boiled, and black traces of it began to bleed out from Vlack's dark eyes.
─Four seconds.
From the hilt rang out a strange, otherworldly cry — the roar of the drake, sealed within the blade.
The effect of that cry was Fear.
"…"
Yet Lily showed no change whatsoever, as if the fear hadn't touched her in the slightest.
─Three seconds.
“Miss Lily?”
“Yes?”
“I'm not holding back.”
─Two seconds.
Shrring.
─One second.
“Ah — neither am I.”
With those words, Lily smiled for the very first time.
A faint thread of mana began to seep from her as well.
Weak, as expected.
Should I hold back a little?
─BEGIN!!!!
But a match was a match.
Not the slightest thought of mercy crossed his mind.
A colossal greatsword wreathed in black mana, backed by a level beyond 80, carved through the arena.
A devastating single strike to any eye that saw it.
He was no mere swordsman but a Great Magic Swordsman who wielded mana at his core, so the damage was immense. For the briefest instant, the entire arena was drowned in black.
"…!!!"
And in that darkness, two blue eyes flashed alight.
"…Spear's Roar."
Over the arena, a storm made of spears erupted.