Streamer Crazy About Slaughter - Chapter 40

Chae-aeng!

Joy.

Pleasure.

As I continued to clash my weapon against my opponent’s, both I and my opponent gradually grew accustomed to my techniques.

Just like in the first game, the sight of her showing me openings so easily had almost vanished—Pleia seemed like a completely different person.

Chae-chaeng!

The black crescent moon blade, infused with bl**d-red energy, weaves through the air as if it is a given.

The rapier, enveloped in a golden light, follows closely behind, unraveling the techniques I had deployed.

It was the pinnacle of the ‘after-the-fact preemption’ technique.

That I was launching the attack, yet the rapier was successfully dismantling my techniques in real-time left Serin bewildered.

Unlike when I had yielded the initiative to my opponent, at some point, it was clear that I was in control of the offense and defense.

This essentially meant that I had the upper hand.

Moreover, the more I pressed the attack, the harder it became for my opponent to counter. This was the greatest advantage and characteristic of the crescent moon blade.

As the blade danced in the air, my opponent struggled to predict where I would aim for the head, neck, waist, wrist, shoulder, or whether I would suddenly target a vital spot—understanding the trajectory was incredibly difficult for her.

Once the blade was unleashed into the air, it represented a weapon with a thousand variations.

Chae-cha-cha-cha-chaeng!

And yet.

Strangely, my techniques were continuously blocked by the rapier wrapped in golden light.

—Red flower.

Once again, the bl**d-red crescent creates a flower in the air, continuously morphing in oddly peculiar angles.

It truly resembled a red flower being embroidered in the air.

While trapping my opponent’s body within the range of the blade, I was practically sketching out her demise.

But not only was my technique being blocked, the rapier was countering as if it were weaving its own floral pattern.

The rapier that encased my body mirrored the trajectory I had created, elegantly drawing a distinct golden trail that blocked all my movements.

“Huh?”

I let out a gasp of admiration without realizing it.

Each technique was distinctly different; they could not simply be dismissed as basic.

The meaning of ‘after-the-fact preemption’ was not limited to a single strike—it maintained its intricacies throughout. It was not merely within the realm of techniques.

At this moment, it felt as if Pleia instinctively wielded the rapier.

“…”

And for some reason, there were no signs of my opponent using her awakening technique.

Perhaps Pleia wanted to dance this sword dance with me for a moment longer; I thought this, and the doubt flickered in my mind.

—!

Suddenly, as she attempted to parry, I hastily twisted my arm, altering the trajectory of the blade.

Chae-aeng!

Under ordinary circumstances, the angle at which we would have parried altered enough for me to dodge the rapier and transform the clash into merely a simple impact.

“…Tch.”

Seeing her click her tongue, I stepped forward and urgently pulled on the black string connected to my other hand.

Simultaneously, I tilted my head to evade something invisible that was about to pierce me.

The silver hair fleetingly obscured my vision, and then a bright golden glow flashed past my face.

—!

But even then, I did not blink.

Entering the danger zone and closing my eyes would mean moving closer to d*ath.

Even as my body urged me to close my eyes, at this moment, with the weapons engaged at such close range, I maintained strict control, not letting anything slip from my sight.

Sweeaaaaaack!

The crescent, having left my hand, did not arc above or beside me but drew a small crescent downward before shooting upwards at a furious speed.

—Dark Moon Blade.

And what existed where it shot up was a blonde woman.

As I retracted the extended rapier, the crescent was already within striking distance.

In a moment I felt it was possible to reach.

Chae-aeng!!

She… blocked it.

Is this truly a reality that can exist within the realm of ‘after-the-fact preemption’?

“…”

I feel my smile slowly deepening.

Instinctively pulling my right hand back, I reclaimed the crescent and threw my body forward.

And thus began the countless exchanges once more.

Chae-cha-cha-cha-ching!!

The sensation vibrating through the hand holding the crescent. The impact of this moment was genuinely enjoyable.

Clashing swords.

Though I was wielding the crescent, the tremor as it connected through the string linked to the rapier was unmistakably conveyed to me.

And at some moment, I naturally came to a realization.

I had reached a level of ‘after-the-fact preemption’ that even I could not comprehend.

That this was the awakening technique of this Pleia user.

Even though my technique had ended, the rapier was still wrapped in golden light.

There were no warnings or feelings. It simply felt like another technique had unfolded, engulfing her in golden light.

But this was her class’s awakening technique.

“…!”

As I shook my head, a faint sensation flickered across my cheek.

‘It’s too late.’

The speed of the rapier was increasing beyond my recognition.

It was clear that the rapier was now crossing the concept of ‘after-the-fact preemption’.

—Explosive Drill.

Not aimed at the blonde woman, but she struck fiercely down toward the ground.

Simultaneously, it created a thunderous sound and shockwave.

Kwah-oom!!

The structures within the Colosseum were destroyed, kicking up dust.

Using that as an opportunity, I widened the distance significantly.

The hand holding the crescent trembled slightly.

“…Ah.”

Feeling something was odd, I checked my HP gauge, and it looked far too strange.

I had never allowed my opponent a proper strike or attack.

Yet now, my HP gauge was barely at 20%.

“…So, just being overpowered by her techniques hurt me.”

And only then did I realize.

The tremor felt at the moment the weapons connected was not simply a clash of weapons; it was the aftermath of damage from every single one.

I had thought that this was merely a weapon collision because it was virtual reality and I couldn’t feel pain.

“It’s already too late.”

Even though the distance had widened, the rapier now radiated a dazzling golden light.

As the smoke cleared, the revealed rapier naturally drew my gaze toward it.

And watching it, I felt certain.

“Awakening technique…”

At my mumble, the blonde woman nodded in agreement.

“Honestly… right now, you feel like nothing but a monster to me.”

Then, she said something I couldn’t comprehend.

“What do you know about ‘after-the-fact preemption’, Lin?”

Her words, seeming to slowly unravel an explanation, prompted me to grip the crescent tightly while responding.

“I know.”

“And yet, I can’t believe I’ve never landed a hit on you, Lin. It’s shocking to think that it’s a technique that’s half-countered, and yet I’m still surprised.”

“Considering that I haven’t hit you, my HP gauge should be hitting rock bottom.”

Can this be considered a block? If it were real, I would have been torn apart from the aftermath caused by her dismantling all my techniques.

The thought made me chuckle.

“You won’t be able to block this, either.”

As she slowly approached me, I nearly nodded my head subconsciously.

Despite the distance between us, the aura I felt from her was truly insane.

Even though I was the one who had tried to increase the distance, she was not pursuing me.

That was because the golden light accumulated to an excessive degree during the time she had dismantled my techniques.

This simply indicated that.

And yet I hadn’t felt any abnormalities while clashing with the rapier.

The golden aura surrounding it consistently emitted a steady level of light.

And now that I had widened the distance, it had somehow illuminated the entire Colosseum with a resplendent golden glow.

That meant Pleia, my opponent, had intentionally hidden this.

“…Meticulous.”

I muttered as I watched her approach slowly.

Was it confidence?

Could I block that with my awakening technique?

‘Jongyeon.’

The final stage.

That meant the last dance of a dancer. It did not imply merely delivering a single powerful strike.

That magnificent golden light illuminating the entire Colosseum must possess devastating power, capable of annihilating my opponent.

It was undoubtedly a technique overflowing with ‘power.’

“Ah.”

Then, suddenly, I succumbed to a thought.

The awakened dancer’s senses.

Could that allow me to parry?

Parrying was designed to counter all techniques.

However, there were exceptions: it couldn’t be applied to awakening techniques. The design of awakening techniques relies on multi-hits, making them immune to parrying.

Parrying was undoubtedly intended to block everything, but in reality, it couldn’t be executed against awakening techniques.

But if I were also using an awakening technique, could I not use parrying even within that overwhelming force of golden light?

And my thoughts turned into actions in an instant.

Serin’s body began to turn as red as bl**d.

Even my pupils were stained bl**d-red, and my entire body started to be consumed by that deep crimson.

—The ‘Jongyeon’ technique resonates with the ‘Frenzy’ quality, transforming into the ‘Dancer of Divine bl**d’.

At the same time, the crescent blade tinged with bl**d-red energy quivered strangely, and an indiscernible resonance began to fill the interior of the Colosseum.

—Kiri-ri-ri-ri-ring!!!