Streamer Crazy About Slaughter - Chapter 37

The word “handicap.”

The more I thought about the fact that it was genuinely offered from a place of pure consideration, the more I couldn’t help but laugh.

I knew the reason for addressing me with a word like “handicap” was clearly pure goodwill, and it wasn’t meant to belittle or mock my abilities.

Creak.

As I pulled the black cord tied to the Crescent Moon Blade, I could definitely feel another texture brush against my hand.

It was a unique texture reminiscent of the Crescent Moon Blade I had touched within the Black Ark world.

“…Are you really doing it then?”

In front of me, she spoke with an apologetic expression, but I merely nodded without saying much.

She kept asking why it bothered me not to take the handicap, but I refused every time.

It was about having a duel with no conditions between us.

In truth, regardless of handicaps or anything else, in the Black Ark world where I lived, I had to either grit my teeth and run away when faced with an overwhelmingly strong opponent or fight desperately, even to the brink of d*ath.

But now. Now that I had equipped the gear given to me by Plea, the talk of item tier differences didn’t resonate with me at all.

In fact, it truly felt like nothing.

Of course, I knew my opponent was a Challenger tier user, one of the top-tier players with exceptional talent.

Even if I was a hot topic in NewTube or the community, I could understand that Plea might feel we were on different levels, which gave a background to her remark about the handicap.

However, I had no intention of accepting that.

“So, you’re confident, right?”

Despite still looking dazed at my suggestion to have no handicap, she ultimately accepted and I could see her slowly increasing the distance between us.

Seeing her like that, I spoke without realizing it.

“But isn’t a single match a bit disappointing?”

I couldn’t foresee whether the upcoming duel would end quickly or drag on, yet a single match felt somehow lacking.

That thought came to me unconsciously.

The sense of omnipotence I felt from the newly equipped gear.

The omnipotence I clearly felt had a noticeable difference compared to before, and the fact that my opponent was truly a being within this world, meant I was free to unleash my abilities without worrying.

Competitive spirit.

Determination.

After a long time, those emotions stirred within me, and now to just have a single match felt like a disservice to my body buzzing with excitement.

Plea, realizing Serin’s intention, smiled once again.

Then, with no more hesitation, she spoke to me.

“How about a best-of-five match?”

“That sounds about right. Besides, with what I just received, if I disappear too quickly from the broadcast, it might look like I’m running off with a free meal, right?”

She pointed at her gear unnecessarily.

I had been a hot topic against the outlaw and the streamer I first faced, and thought certainly this moment against a Challenger would generate buzz.

This would give an opportunity to pull a little more footage for NewTube.

Plea smiled lightly at Serin’s demeanor.

At the same time, just when it seemed she had created enough distance, Plea began to manipulate a hologram.

Ding.

– ‘Plea’ has sent a duel request.

A small hologram adorned one side of my view, simultaneously showing an image of two blades crossing, something clearly different from the one Hana had shown before.

There was a golden insignia on the name ‘Plea,’ elegantly embroidered.

‘…Is there such detail at the Challenger tier?’

I wondered if such things were present among Challenger tiers, contemplating as I saw two options beneath the crossed blades.

Amid ‘Accept’ and ‘Decline,’ I placed my hand on ‘Accept.’

In that moment, an inexplicable smile formed at the corners of my mouth.

– The duel will begin soon.

A familiar system notification.

Gripping the black cord of the Crescent Moon Blade tightly, I slowly prepared my stance.

Creak.

The cord of the Crescent Moon Blade stretched taut, producing a strange sound.

My opponent was the real deal, someone who didn’t need to hold back against me.

Rather, I wondered if my skills could hold against a Challenger tier user, anxiously awaiting the countdown.

– 3. 2. 1.

As the countdown ended, announcing the start of the duel.

Plea’s figure scattered like smoke, disappearing from my view.

“…!”

Unconsciously, I sprang forward and stepped back.

My chest sank as I swiftly swung the Crescent Moon Blade straight ahead.

There were no signs or sensations, it was simply a hunch.

Clang!!

As our weapons collided, a sharp metallic sound echoed in my ears.

And there she was, a blonde woman leisurely holding up a rapier, staring at me.

Her gaze was entirely different from just moments ago when she had shown kindness towards me.

Adopting a stance that looked like she could thrust at any moment, it was as if she had removed all emotion from her demeanor; without hesitation, I activated my technique.

– Bloodstep.

The form of Lin, adorned in crimson cloth, darted towards Plea without any rules, moving quickly through space.

– Insulation.

I wielded the Crescent Moon Blade as if to slash diagonally down with all my might.

Creak!

At the same time, the cord stretched to its limit, receiving the massive force and pouring it into the swinging weight at the end.

Swoosh!!

With an eerie cutting sound, the black Crescent Moon Blade descended upon Plea, who was standing still.

Before long, a distinct red aura bloomed at the tip of the weight.

Seeing Lin, who was approaching me with an unusual gait while swinging the weight, Plea slightly raised her eyes.

However, Plea had watched everything unfold from start to finish, so there was no way she could miss the movement of the weight.

The sharply flying red aura, as she gazed upon it, Plea subtly shifted her arms, predicting the trajectory of the rapier’s tip that would drop right alongside.

– Riposte.

Clang!

A burst of colossal white light and a clear sound erupted.

A glorious effect indicated the successful parry.

– -!

At the moment the white light blossomed, Serin quickly scrambled to move her feet.

The success of the parry and the rebound of Serin’s form flying back occurred simultaneously.

For a moment, one foot of Serin, standing on the ground, hastily retreated two steps, but it was already outside Plea’s effective range.

The form of Lin, which sought an opening despite being parried, quickly kicked off from the ground and retreated.

In the location where she had disappeared, the rapier swiftly lunged forward.

Swoosh!

My anticipated strike hitting air confirmed my expectations.

Plea stood blankly, staring at the now distanced Serin.

Plea’s parry wasn’t a mere deflection; it was a parry using a ‘technique.’

A technique that accurately matched the opponent’s attack direction and timing.

While the mechanism itself certainly resembled a parry concept, it was a level of technique beyond it.

The reason the technique called Riposte existed as a technique rather than just a parry.

Because it quickly thrusts at the opponent who revealed an opening at the same time as the parry.

That was the technique of Riposte.

“…You’re saying you’d avoid this?”

Plea, sounding incredulous, looked at Serin with a smirk.

Truly beyond imagination.

Among users at the top tier level, there were always players who, even after being parried, fell helplessly victim to follow-up attacks.

Yet, despite using a technique called Riposte, the user Lin had dodged it as if performing acrobatics.

It was worthless to think that Lin had never been parried before, but in that moment, she had evaded with the instinctive reaction of knowing a parry was coming.

That realization was utterly absurd.

And it was a method Plea had never seen before.

In truth, she herself was just now realizing whether that was even possible.

If one were parried, they should reflexively take two steps back due to the system, so I wanted to ask how Lin had negated that and stepped back.

As Plea stood still, Serin slowly began to move her lips.

“…That wasn’t a parry, was it?”

A voice partially filled with conviction.

“No, it’s a technique called Riposte; didn’t you know and avoid it, Lin?”

At Plea’s question, suggesting disbelief at the possibility Lin could have avoided without knowledge, Serin nodded slightly.

It clearly looked to be a technique far more difficult than a parry.

It wasn’t simply placing one’s sword against the direction of the descending strike, but it involved guiding the very tip of the sword, something Serin thought was utterly insane.

“I didn’t know. But I felt like if I didn’t avoid it, I’d lose for sure.”

As those words ended, both stared at each other in disbelief.

An opponent using a technique beyond a parry.

An opponent who instinctively dodged that without knowing.

Serin let out a short sigh and collected her thoughts.

Although I didn’t show it outwardly, I was genuinely surprised.

I had acknowledged the possibility of my opponent parrying.

However, I never thought the match would move with the tip of the weight aligned, with no sense of backlash.

If a parry succeeded, my opponent would naturally take a step back, but Plea, moments ago, hadn’t moved even a single step.

She seemed to have been watching my every move right from the start, predicting the trajectory of the weight as she extended her rapier, sending chills down my spine without my realizing it.

I, who intruded into her space, simultaneously penetrated by the rapier.

Although I was unaware of my opponent’s technique, it felt like the moment I got hit, my defeat was already sealed.

Even with the unique set items equipped, increasing my health and defense, the rapier charging towards my heart felt like the instant I would be pierced through.

Thus, even with just two exchanges, Serin resolved to seal most of her techniques.

Plea was not an opponent to be faced with the kind of skill that could be parried.

As she quickly organized which technique to use, Serin grasped her Crescent Moon Blade with determination, focusing on Plea, who was slowly raising her rapier.

What technique would she employ, Serin gazed closely, eyes widening in the next moment.