Liam completely ignored the caster who began to hype up the audience with his jokes. His icy gaze was transfixed on Green Streaked Blood, pondering how to thoroughly destroy the opponent.
Green Streaked Blood had only stopped spewing insults when Zac appeared. Now he stood opposite Liam with an ugly smile on his lips.
Suddenly the landscape of the arena changed. Both contestants found themselves in a dark abyss. Fleeting shadows sent chills down one's spines. The only illumination were beasts looking like larger fireflies, spreading flickering lights with their rears.
Green Streaked Blood looked around with a frown, not expecting to land in such an unusual location. He feared that the audience might not be able to see clearly when he stomped Bleary Mirage into the floor.
This worry was unfounded however, as for the audience everything was crystal clear. If it weren't for the screens showing the point of view of the fighters sometimes, the audience wouldn't know that everything was dark for them.
Liam was also surprised for a moment but quickly adjusted his mind. He could think of a few places in Crunaboul that this battlefield might be modelled after.
Even the weird, sticky floor and the pungent smell in the air couldn't affect his mind.
His friends, however, didn't remain that calm.
"Ewww, what is that slime? Disgusting!", exclaimed Fortune. She felt like she could smell the odor even in the audience ranks, waving her hand in front of her nose.
"Damn, I hope I don't ever need to fight in such a place."
"Mirage will probably reek for days after this fight…"
Most of the audience reacted similarly and even Zac cracked a few jokes. But suddenly he heard a deafening alarm in his mind. His face paled as C warned him to start the fight or face punishment.
Zac couldn't be bothered to entertain any longer and hastily counted down.
Liam and Green Streaked Blood also saw the countdown in front of their eyes.
3, 2, 1… GO!
The audience watched with bated breath, but the fighters didn't move instantly.
Green Streaked Blood grinned as he took out his weapons. They were two black swords carrying an ancient air.
"Bleary Mirage! I will defeat you with your own weapons and show that you don't deserve your popularity!"
Liam rolled his eyes. He was just about to draw his weapons when a thought came to his mind. With a sneer he flicked his wrist, and an old fishing rod appeared in his hand.
Green Streaked Blood froze. Zac froze. And the audience froze.
After a moment of silence, fervent discussion immediately broke out.
"What is Mirage doing?"
"A fishing rod?"
"Is it some special, overpowered item?"
"But why would he show it now?"
Liam's friends were similarly puzzled.
"Isn't that Gabe's Fishing Rod?"
"Can it be used to fight?"
"What is Mirage trying to do?"
"Something must have happened that we didn't see…"
Green Streaked Blood stared wide-eyed before his whole body was engulfed in a blazing rage.
"Bleary Mirage! Are you making fun of me?! Bastard! Take this!"
The dark elf swung his swords and unleashed two black arcs, extremely difficult to spot in the darkness. They shot through the air, rotating slowly, their force pushing away the fireflies in the air, looking quite spectacular.
Liam narrowed his eyes as he counted down a second in his mind before rushing towards his opponent. He was quickly about to collide with the black arcs.
"Ah!"
"Mirage, watch out!"
"He doesn't see them!"
The audience screamed. Many thought Liam would lose the first exchange. But just then Liam pushed his feet into the floor and jumped high into the air.
When he did so it just so happened that the tips of the black arcs diagonally pointed at the floor, passing below Liam's body.
[Stance -14]
This first move instantly shocked everyone. Only Liam's friends remained calm without the slightest hint of worry. Earlier, Zac had announced Green Streaked Blood's class as a swordsman of Enahreohl. For Liam this was enough information to see through all of the opponent's combat tactics.
Liam landed back on the floor and continued his sprint. But just then Green Streaked Blood sneered. To everyone's shock the black arcs turned in midair and aimed for Liam's back.
The veteran felt the stinging feeling on his neck as if a magical knife was about to cut off his head. But his movements didn't change at all. He sprinted at top speed towards the enemy.
Just as the black arcs were about to reach Liam, he reached Green Streaked Blood first. Everyone was astounded as the black arcs suddenly veered to the sides, continued for a while, and then disappeared.
Liam didn't show a change in expression. Everything went as expected. He knew that the skill would divert its path before hitting its caster.
Watching the way Bleary Mirage dodged his attack, even Green Streaked Blood froze for a moment.
Liam instantly punished him. A faint golden light played around his skin as he activated his ultimate skill [Holy Tempest]. He moved his arm, and the fishing rod swung in a wide arc. Green Streaked Blood reacted at the last moment. He instinctively tried to evade but miscalculated due to the unusually long weapon.
[-2267!]
"What?!"
"So much damage with a fishing rod?"
Liam didn't care about everyone's shock and even Green Streaked Blood managed to focus his mind. The dark elf immediately swung his own swords in retaliation.
Two swords approached from the left and right like the poisonous fangs of a viper. Liam felt a pringling sensation on his waist even without being hit. He retreated with a swift step.
[Stance -18]
Green Streaked Blood grinned, feeling that he had taken the upper hand. Based on attack speed it was naturally him who would be able to attack next if no one used any skills.
And this was indeed the case. If Liam used his swords, his attack speed would be considerably faster than the opponent's. But the fishing rod had no stats suitable for fighting. It was as if Liam debuffed himself.
Green Streaked Blood grinned confidently as he attacked again, forcing Liam to dodge to the right.
[Stance -19]
Just then multiple things happened simultaneously. Liam's set effect luckily triggered, unleashing a small spear of blinding, holy light, which struck the enemy's chest without giving him a chance to react.
[-552!]
Green Streaked Blood flinched but he didn't get distracted from his plan. He instantly activated his skill [Triple Black], which could only be used after two consecutive normal attacks.
Horrifying dark magic began to erupt from his palm. But right at that moment, a wave of holy light struck him, and a crisp sound echoed through the arena.
A fishing rod came from a tricky angle and powerfully slammed against the dark elf's waist. Green Streaked Blood was stunned in place and his skill got interrupted.
The holy marks Liam applied to his opponent exploded in a shower of light, illuminating the darkness.
[-278!]
[-3491!]
[-875!]
"Damn, that was beautiful!"
"Nice combo!"
"Holy wave and brutal strike almost arrived at the same time. That's the Mirage we know!"
Liam's friends cheered happily. Even they were amazed as Liam seemed set on destroying his opponent, which was rather rare for him.
Green Streaked Blood's eyes also blazed with anger. He instantly activated a skin which allowed him to break the stun and enter a shadow-like form.
But Liam was unimpressed. He struck with a rod and hit the opponent on the back just as he wanted to slip away. Green Streaked Blood completely didn't expect it and was once again hit by the rod.
[-2267!]
Opening up a greater distance, Green Streaked Blood gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with anger. He wanted to spout all kinds of obscenities but held himself back. He was now a shadowy silhouette, hidden in the darkness. He couldn't give his position away.
The dark elf crouched down and adjusted his emotions while taking out an intermediate health potion.
Just as he was about to drink it, he had an ominous feeling as if a predator was aiming at him in the dark.
He glanced at Bleary Mirage and saw him holding a strange posture. The rod's line seemed to be moving on its own.
Suddenly Green Streaked Blood felt alarmed. A thin, almost invisible line sneaked through the air. It was about to curl around the health potion in his hand.
Although the man was shocked, not understanding how Bleary Mirage found his position, he reacted instinctively. He drew back his hand and saved the health potion.
Even Liam let out a surprised 'oh'.
The audience, watching the entire process clearly, had long been unable to stay on their seats. The top players present had solemn faces, asking themselves if they could have done what Liam was doing.
In the air, Zac had long realized that this match was extraordinary. He performed at his best, full of enthusiasm:
"Unbelievable! Can Bleary Mirage predict the future?! If feels as if none of Green Streaked Blood's moves can escape his perception. What an unbelievable combat instinct!"