Black Online-Chapter 142: First Round!

"...The matches are starting!"

In the Smart Guy’s Gaming Land, the gamers gathered in their computers turned their attention to the televisions.

They also ordered some soda drinks, chicken buckets, and other snacks to enjoy while watching the tournament.

"I know some of the names in this tournament. Anselma won that one tournament like couple weeks ago. She is a really good Mage."

"I also know a couple of names, but also many that I don’t know."

Meanwhile, the tournament was also being broadcast to DeadPixel, but only to quite pathetic 30 viewers.

It was just a very small tournament without any big names participating, so most people didn’t care about it at all.

The prize money, while decent, was still negligible compared to the larger tournaments, and thus, none of the "Top Players" came to participate in this one.

...

"..."

Fang Raon opened his eyes.

He was standing in the middle of a treeless forest. All the trees had been completely obliterated, leaving nothing but stumps and splinters scattered around him.

’This is the private server... I guess it’s not in any of the Tower Floors either. It’s in a completely another place altogether.’

He thought.

At that moment, he looked at his body—noticed that he wasn’t wearing any armor—and he then opened his inventory.

There were on steel shortsword and steel shield—weapons that starting player shouldn’t have—but it looked like the tournament organizer didn’t want them to fight with wooden swords.

’If I had wooden weapons, the Mage would just completely destroy me. This makes it more fair, which I like.’

He thought.

[HP: 100/100]

’Interface...’

In that moment, he noticed that even the interface command didn’t work, and he could only see his health.

’We weren’t allowed to assign our own attributes, so does that mean our attributes are similar to our real-life selves?

’That would be quite interesting, but I don’t think my attributes would be any good. I really need to start going to the gym, but I mean... Isn’t training inside Black Online already enough.

’Somehow it is able to increase my real-life body, and I’ve noticed that my appearance has improved quite bit.’

Swoosh!

"Basic Parry!"

Fang Raon swung his shield, and swatted away a flying arrow that was aimed right at his face.

’Not even going to say hello? Very well.’

He looked over and saw his opponent—Eira Lung—holding a bow and arrow.

She didn’t have anywhere to hide since there weren’t any trees, so in a sense, this location was quite disadvantageous for her.

’She chose a Ranger as a class. I don’t think it is really good for one-versus-one combat, but it does make me remember that fight I had over at Training Hall.

’I fought Malik who was Ranger, and I couldn’t get close to him at all except with a sneak attack.’

Fang Raon thought.

He knew that he only had to do one thing—get close and hope her sword reaches—and that’s exactly what he was going to do.

He took a step forward. That was enough for Eira to react. She loosed her second arrow in an instant.

Swoosh~

It struck the shield with a sharp crack and bounced away. Fang Raon didn’t flinch. He kept walking.

Eira moved sideways, her boots brushing wet grass. And she released yet another arrow—and immediately another.

Both were blocked, each hit ringing like metal bells in a quiet woods.

"If you’re going to run out of the arrows, what are you going to do then? Keep running and running till the tournament organizers get tired of waiting and pull the plug?"

Fang Raon asked.

Eira didn’t answer. She waited until Fang Raon got closer—close enough to see the scratch marks on the shield. Then she aimed lower.

Swoosh~

Her next arrow went under the shield, towards Fang Raon’s thigh, but he then swung the sword with a whisper of "Basic Parry" flying out of his lips.

The sword cut the arrow in half.

Eira retreated, her fingers moving fast. She kept releasing one arrow after another, testing angles, and forcing the shield to go up, down, and sideways.

Fang Raon didn’t panic. He was composed. The shield was like an extension of his arm, and each arrow was shot down mercilessly.

In that moment, he charged suddenly, his boots pounding earth, and his shield raised like a wall in front of him.

With that charge, he got close.

Too close for Eira’s comfort.

"Basic Slash!"

Eira dropped her bow and rolled aside as the sword sliced air where her neck had been. She then came up with a dagger in hand.

A dagger... That Fang Raon hadn’t noticed just yet... He didn’t think that she could be in possession of another weapon.

She suddenly swung it at him, but Fang Raon reacted quickly, not lagging behind at all even though he was surprised.

Steel met steel.

’She got dagger as well? Ranger classes got a secondary weapon as well for close quarters combat in this tournament? I’ll need to keep that in mind.’

Fang Raon shoved forward with the shield, slamming Eira backwards. Breath left her lungs in a harsh burst. Then his sword came down.

Eira ducked low. The sword missed. She drove the dagger into the inside of the shield’s arm, and the blood trickled down.

[-25 HP]

[HP: 75/100]

’She is extremely agile. I wouldn’t have thought so when I watched her walk with those heels on, but appearances can be deceiving!’

Fang Raon thought with an ugly expression.

It turned silent between the two of them.

She noticed her bow lying near them. She had one more arrow in the quiver. A plan quickly formed in her mind.

As if she were using Dodge Roll, she rolled towards the bow, snatched it up, and reached out to her arrow.

In that moment.

Fang Raon thrust the sword through her throat. She froze. The health plummeted down until it went straight to zero.

"You knew that taking that bow was your only chance at victory. You were never going to defeat me with that dagger of yours.

"I also knew that bow was your only chance. I knew you would go for it. Unfortunately for you, you left yourself very exposed."

Fang Raon said, and he then pulled the sword out of her throat, and she fell down to the ground.

With a shocked expression, Eira vanished from the world—turning to pixels—and then it also turned dark for him.

...

Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Ah!"

Fang Raon slammed his eyes open, and noticed that he was back at the real world, lying inside the Virtual Reality Pod—or well "standing" because of the diagonal angle of the pod.