I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers

[World Championship - Quarterfinals]
[Battlefield: Forest of Solitude]
[Rules: 5v5 Elimination]
[Acid Gaming vs Sigma eSports]

The Forest of Solitude is a field with a gentle slope. It lacks the monsters that are usually found in death zones and doesn’t have any special gimmicks like the fields of the Flower of the Western Sky. Instead, a thick fog envelops the entire field, drastically reducing visibility.

The terrain isn’t steep, but there are low hills scattered throughout. The trunks of the broadleaf trees are thick enough to be obstacles. Even if a knight in armor tries to hide, it’s difficult for the opposing side to notice from the other side.

The design almost feels malicious in its intent, blocking the sense of sight. Wrapped in this malicious design, an assassin prowls the white mist. Reaper moves silently through the fog.

[Passive: Threat in the Mist]
[All sounds generated in the mist are reduced by 30%, and attack power increases by 12%.]
[Target: Acid Gaming Ripper]

Reaper, appearing as a fog mage, uses claws in both hands.

Claws, compared to daggers, are less versatile as weapons. Because they follow the movements of the arms exactly, they are difficult to control for complex maneuvers. Against ordinary enemies, this might not be a problem, but against powerful opponents like Ga-wol or Cerberus, they can easily be disrupted, and their weaknesses are exposed.

Such weaknesses were made apparent during the battle in the arena. Ga-wol, usually not just any assassin, had struggled even in close combat despite wielding a chain sickle. However… Reaper was more specialized in team play than in individual combat.

The weakness of claws? It doesn’t matter since the fight won’t last long.
Reaper’s strategy is to briefly threaten at the right moment and then escape. His goal is to deal massive damage in a short burst.

And that’s exactly what happened.

“Reaper is once again targeting Rika!”
“Using ‘Emergency Escape’ to get away, but Rika’s precious survival skill is now used up.”
“Rika secures distance, but it seems difficult to catch Reaper as he retreats.”
“Wow… really tricky. How much advantage does he gain from just that quick attack?”
“As Rika’s pressure weakens, Blizzard’s casting has finished.”

Acid Gaming is an old, prestigious team. Many players have stayed with the team for a long time, and there are members who’ve worked closely with Reaper for years. Their years of experience have made the main team and Reaper work like well-oiled gears.

Reaper creates opportunities, and the main team capitalizes on them. One small variable creates the battle, and complex engagements lead to more openings. When Reaper re-enters, more chaos follows.

The sharp claws aim for Hekate’s neck.
The counterattack was much swifter than expected.
A staff blocked the steel blade. A protective shield created from her fingertips blocked even the second attack.

Reaper tilted his head slightly.
The second strike should have been in his blind spot.
The priestess, often criticized for her survival skills, had naturally prepared her defense.

“Good reaction. Much better than what I saw in the video.”
“Really? Da-eun never said anything like that.”
“Let me remember your nickname.”

Is the next spell a slow effect?
It would be troublesome if I take that too.
Reaper decided to retreat quietly.

Hekate’s spell was blocked by her summoned fog giant, acting as a shield.
From behind, Rika’s arrows followed like a storm, but once again, the fog interfered.
The fog, now stained red, further reduced visibility.

Once Reaper vanished from sight, it was impossible to track him.
Rika, reluctantly, turned her bow.

[If a certain amount of blood accumulates in the fog, the ‘Blood Mist’ effect activates.]
[All senses are slightly reduced, and you take 1% of your maximum health damage every 3 seconds.]

Despite excellent defense, Sigma’s situation worsened.

Instead, they were increasingly being pushed back.
The ice mage’s frozen spike pierced Hekate’s shoulder.
Even such an attack, Hekate couldn’t block… Sigma’s main team was cornered.

The opponent had even fielded two knights.
Normally, this composition would reveal weaknesses in range and mobility.
But Reaper and the battlefield removed these weaknesses, leaving only the raw strength of the combination.

“Ga-wol is continuing to shake up the enemy lines, but the situation isn’t going smoothly.”
“I can definitely say Ga-wol is performing really well right now.”
“Even in the data, it’s clear. Given Acid Gaming’s main team consists of knights, the accumulated damage is significant.”
“The problem is, the enemy main team is just so sturdy. They’re incredibly tough!”

The European league style is represented by knights and mages.

The most commonly used mage is the fire mage.
But Acid Gaming’s use of the ice mage today was clearly aimed at Ga-wol.

A slow mage could never hit Ga-wol.
So, they decided to counter with the ice mage’s indirect damage, which is difficult to evade or parry.

Other teammates’ builds followed the same logic.

A paladin fully dedicated to defense.
A priest who completely gave up offensive support and focused solely on healing.
An ice mage who trusted in the defense of their allies and unleashed magic without restraint.

No matter how wildly Ga-wol plays, it doesn’t matter.
The limits of the assassin class were clear.
And Sigma’s rigid composition was perfectly targeted by the enemy.

Traveler’s task of blocking both Luche and Camellia at the same time was burdensome…
But the knight and priest combo was a notoriously tough defensive setup.

“Ah... it really seems tough.”
“Could they have aimed to break through the potential weak point in Traveler?”
“Ga-wol really pushed through, but this will loosen the paladin’s footing.”
“They’ve been performing the shield’s role for a long time. It’s not something that can be breached easily.”

The heavy knight’s flail swung across my body.
The enemy isn’t fast or strong.
With my speed and reflexes, I could have countered that speed easily.

And yet, I kept reaching my limits.

Targeting the empty thigh and sides, I thrust my dagger several times.
The blade sank in deep. Blood surged.
Though the strike landed cleanly, I couldn’t deliver a fatal blow.@@novelbin@@

My opponent wasn’t the world’s greatest knight.
His movements were a level or two below Luche’s.

[Effect of ‘Sage’s Frost’ activated.]
[All action speed decreased by 12% for the duration.]

The cold continued to slow my movements.
Even though I avoided a direct hit, the damage gradually piled up.
Despite trading effective hits for indirect damage, I was still at a disadvantage.

Hekate supported as best as she could, but her health bar drained much faster.
Recently, the frequency of her support had noticeably decreased.
I didn’t need to see it to know what was happening.

This fog is way too favorable for Reaper.
As I stir up the enemy lines, Reaper must be doing the same.
It’s even more effective against Rika and Hekate than against me.

Cornered, I had no hope for long-range support.
Neither could I break through the paladin’s defense, standing right in the middle of the enemy formation.

“I thought you’d be impressive, but in person, you’re even better.”
“Huff…”
“To think I’m being outclassed by an assassin.”

He’s clearly complimenting me, but it feels insufferable.
How many times have I stabbed him, and yet he hasn’t fallen?

The paladin class, known for its resilience, is already tough enough.
With a priest dedicated to recovery and a paladin to back him, there was no way to finish this.
Had I had more firepower or freedom, I would have turned them into punching bags, but the situation didn’t allow it.

Even though I saw the blood, there was no sign of progress.
Eventually, disaster struck.

[‘Acid Gaming Ripper’ has defeated ‘Sigma Rika’.]

Even though the ranger is a long-range damage dealer with great survival skills, there’s a limit.
Especially when the opponent is one of the world’s top assassins, Reaper.
In this fog-filled battlefield, I should be grateful for how well I held out.

With the first kill coming from the opponent,
Our future was looking dim.

Hekate’s second death made maintaining the team’s endurance impossible.
By the time Traveler died, the toll on our team was too great.
Ultimately, Reaper and the ice mage finished us off, ending the first set in a loss.

Thrown back into the waiting room.
I too… made a decision.

《 The second set between Sigma eSports and Acid Gaming is ready. 》

《 We are currently leading 1:0. It seems that Sigma needs a change as well. 》

《 And Sigma's choice is... ... 》

《 Player Ga-Wol will appear as a swordsman in the ruins! 》