"I really didn't expect to run into you this soon."
In the middle of the forest, a small figure dressed head to toe in vivid red spoke with an imposing voice, her penetrating and cautious gaze fixed on the newcomer.
"The strongest player… Payne."
Stepping out from the shadow of a nearby tree was a blond young man with a calm, relaxed demeanor.
He wore finely crafted, ornate armor, and a serene smile rested on his face… a smile that made it strangely difficult to feel any hostility toward him at first glance.
"I didn't expect it either," Payne replied lightly. "I didn't think we'd meet so soon, No Flames."
"Don't call me that, Fireball!"
A flaming projectile was launched toward him without warning.
Payne didn't even bother drawing his sword. He simply raised the scabbard, intercepting the attack head-on.
The fire dispersed on impact, sparks scattering harmlessly through the air. Not a single burn mark appeared on his armor.
The girl clicked her tongue in irritation.
"Fire resistance… numbers."
Payne smiled. "Basic PvP preparation. After all, you're one of the top candidates for the championship. It would be careless not to prepare countermeasures against fire magic."
"Tch."
She shot him an annoyed look. "If we're talking about winning the championship, you should be worried about someone else, not me."
Payne's smile faded slightly. His brows furrowed.
"Someone else?"
Her irritation vanished in an instant, replaced by clear amusement.
"What, the so-called strongest player hasn't even been keeping track of the real competition?"
"Everyone's talking about it. The big question is whether you, or Blank, will take first place."
"Blank?"
The name meant nothing to him.
Payne hadn't earned his reputation easily.
He wasn't just a compulsive spender; he was a dedicated player who had invested practically every waking hour into the game since launch.
Forums, speculation, rumors… he rarely cared about any of it. Most discussions revolved around things he already knew or information that was far behind his own progress.
Three days ago, he had even asked his guild to compile a list of serious candidates for the championship.
There was no one named Blank on that list.
Had someone really risen that fast… in just a few days?
Without realizing it, Payne had guessed the truth.
"...It doesn't matter," he said at last. "Whoever it is, I won't give up first place."
He drew his signature weapon, the Holy Sword, its blade catching the light.
"Before I run into this Blank," Payne continued calmly, "I'll end your run right here."
"Only in your dreams!"
As he spoke, she had already begun murmuring something, her hands hidden behind her back.
The instant he finished, she unleashed her most powerful single-target spell.
"Flame Emperor!"
A massive wave of fire surged forward.
This was her signature skill, an advanced evolution of a fire explosion spell.
The ability offered extreme damage against a single target, a short cooldown, and exceptional casting speed.
These traits stemmed from her rare high-level fire caster class, specialized in amplifying fire damage while drastically reducing casting time.
Even at this close range, normally a nightmare for magic users, she showed not the slightest hesitation.
Payne did not dodge.
A golden light ran along his holy sword as he swung it toward the incoming fireball.
Boom!
The spell detonated in a violent explosion, flames and smoke engulfing the clearing.
Then, a figure suddenly emerged from within the storm of fire.
Payne was already closing the distance.
Against a fragile class like a mage, allowing a high-attack-power swordsman to reach melee range was practically a death sentence.
The Flame Emperor had no intention of letting that happen.
She snapped her fingers, then thrust them forward.
"Repelling Ring of Fire!"
A flaming ring erupted outward, rapidly expanding as scorching heat burned everything in its path.
Golden light flashed once more along Payne's blade.
"Magic Break!"
One of the core signature abilities of the Holy Sword of Retribution, a direct countermeasure to magic.
With sufficient precision, he could even cut spells apart with his blade.
Of course, this worked perfectly only against lower-tier magic. Against high-level spells, the magic could still be interrupted, but some damage would inevitably remain.
That didn't matter.
His objective had already been achieved.
The Repelling Ring was a mage's lifeline, designed specifically to ward off melee attacks.
It dealt damage and, more importantly, created distance through a powerful knockback effect.
Once that opening was created, the mage could resume an unrelenting barrage of spells against the enemy.
Payne wasn't going to allow that.
The radiant arc of his holy sword cleaved through the ring of flames.
The backlash hit him head-on, carving deep chunks from his health, but he didn't falter.
He wasn't pushed back.
"My turn."
The tip of his sword pointed directly at the Flame Emperor.
"Divine Charge!"
An explosion of light burst beneath his feet as he surged forward in a sudden burst of speed.
And for the first time, panic crossed the Flame Emperor's face.
She had never heard that the Holy Sword of Retribution could directly sever magic. Even so, her experience as a top-tier player allowed her to react instantly, twisting her body and lunging to the side as her staff swept low across the ground.
"Lingering Fire Steps!"
It was a mobility skill that temporarily reduced the user's weight, indirectly increasing movement speed. In addition, her class possessed a special variant of the technique. As she moved, a trail of flames ignited beneath her feet, scorching the ground she passed over.
Anyone who tried to pursue her directly would be forced to step into the flames and suffer continuous fire damage, while those who wished to avoid being burned would have to circle around the burning path.
Payne's attack cut through empty air, allowing the Flame Emperor to escape his effective range, something he regretted slightly.
Originally, he had planned to end the fight with a single decisive blow. After all, once a mage managed to create distance, a melee fighter like him would be at a severe disadvantage.
An assassin would be a different story. Their speed made them a natural counter to fragile, slow classes like mages. Payne, however, had chosen a path that heavily prioritized raw attack power to maximize damage output.
Despite his efforts to compensate for his relatively lower agility through equipment and attribute distribution, he still couldn't compete with classes entirely specialized in speed, such as rogues or assassins.
"Oh? Hello. You two?"
A cheerful voice suddenly came from the jungle on the opposite side. The bushes rustled, and a figure dressed in white emerged, revealing himself to be a swordsman—yet one completely different from Payne.
He wore no heavy armor, carried no massive blade, and emanated none of the imposing presence one might expect. At first glance, he looked almost like a passerby who had simply wandered over and decided to greet them casually.
However, the moment their eyes met his, both Payne and the Flame Emperor felt their bodies tense. The strange presence emanating from him was unmistakable, like a sword hidden in its sheath… silent and restrained, yet capable of bringing anyone down with a single swing if drawn, sending a chill straight down their spines. For the first time since they had begun playing this game, they felt something they had never experienced before. (I'm starting to get the hang of writing like a xianxia novel after reading so many of them LMAO)
Fear.
No matter how fierce the battle became, this was still supposed to be just a game. However, that man clearly didn't see it that way. He wasn't playing; he was fighting as if death were real, actively seeking opponents who could face him in a true fight to the end. That was precisely why he had greeted them so politely.
Because to him, they were already enemies.
Payne and the Flame Emperor realized this almost at the same time.
The ID floating above the man's head left no room for doubt.
Blank.
Payne immediately connected the name to what the Flame Emperor had mentioned earlier. He knew nothing about this player until now, but that no longer mattered. One look was enough to confirm it.
This opponent was a threat.
Their eyes met for a brief instant, and no words were needed. A rare alliance, between two of the strongest players in the tournament, both serious candidates for the championship—was formed right there. Under normal circumstances, such cooperation would have been unthinkable.
Yet the presence of a single person made it inevitable.
"So this is it…!"
Arthur let out a laugh, feeling the sword in his hand vibrate with his own excitement, as if it shared his thirst for battle. This was the first time he had faced opponents who truly challenged him, forcing him to give everything he had. With every clash, his mastery of My Style Swordsmanship sharpened, evolving through real, life-and-death combat.
There was no faster path to strength than this.
And in a world like this, an online battlefield where death carried no penalties, it was the ultimate training ground.
"Come together," Arthur said calmly. "Show me everything you've got."
Payne and the Flame Emperor responded at the same instant, their movements perfectly synchronized as their most powerful skills were unleashed.
"Flame Emperor!"
"Holy Sword of Condemnation!"
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The chapter I owed you yesterday was delivered today, and two more will be released later.