Absolute Craft-Chapter 46: Superbia (3)

Chapter 46: Superbia (3)

Although many people have seen heads explode in gory detail in movies, comics, or even in livestreams of beta testers, witnessing it happen right beside them could unnerve even the bravest.

Kyria stood as though frozen, chunks of flesh trickling down his face. The system messages about his guild members dying did nothing to pull him from his stupor. Nothing could shake him...

Yet he felt a sudden jolt of excitement that pulled his lips into a wide grin. ’That was freaking amazing... and where did he get those arrows?’

This turn of events reminded him of the beta testers’ livestreams, brimming with struggle and exhilarating battles. Predicting what would happen next seemed nearly impossible. It was so damn exciting just to be somewhat close to the action.

He had been recruiting guild members, drilling them in his rules, and guiding the guild to the top with a flawless system. They had even secured a foothold in the Eternal Winter Graveyard. Everything had gone smoothly until he met that demonic-skinned player, who shattered all his expectations.

Kyria felt his blood heat up the longer he dwelled on it.

Right then, Blake landed not too far away. Kyria might have heard the impact, but he didn’t respond. His right-hand man tried to shake him back to reality, but it was no use. Kyria was so lost in thought and mounting excitement that he’d forgotten all his principles.

Turning aside, Kyria’s lieutenant and right-hand man, Wolfang, glanced at their main tank, whose face had turned as pale as a sheet. The man simply couldn’t handle the gore as well as Wolfang or Kyria.

With the healers finished, the rest of the guild stood at a distance, visibly shaken.

’One versus one, then,’ Wolfang thought.

He unsheathed his double-edged longsword. Clad in medium armor, he balanced defense and mobility. Gripping the hilt with both hands, he locked eyes with Blake. ’A katana user... and he seems skilled... Why am I so excited? It’s only a game. He’ll probably rely on abilities instead of raw swordsmanship to beat me.’

While Kyria appeared to be in his early twenties, Wolfang was in his late twenties and had trained in swordsmanship in the real world. He wasn’t sure why he felt so thrilled, assuming Blake would favor in-game skills and tricks over actual technique.

No sooner had Wolfang reached this conclusion than Blake charged. Without using any special ability, he thrust his blade, catching Wolfang off-guard. Wolfang sprang back and lunged in turn, but Blake effortlessly sidestepped.

Taking advantage of his double-edged sword, Wolfang followed up with a swift slash. Blake, however, was ready and countered, despite wielding a single-edged blade.

’He read that?’ Wolfang thought, his heart pounding for no apparent reason.

In the next flurry of moves, both fighters displayed pure swordsmanship, reading each other’s intentions and playing to their strengths. Wolfang did everything he could to maintain his preferred distance, searching for an opening to disarm Blake. Cutting through that armor seemed nearly impossible—likely requiring an epic-ranked sword or skill.

Blake’s defensive skill left Wolfang with no gaps to exploit. Before Wolfang knew it, he was caught up in the thrill of unadulterated swordsmanship, his old passion reignited. He even started unconsciously using abilities that boosted his thrusts and footwork, gliding away from Blake’s counters.

Suddenly, Blake threw himself into what appeared to be a reckless maneuver. Yet, in that risky moment, he expertly guided Wolfang’s blade onto his own, slipping into close range—the very gap Wolfang had tried so hard to prevent.

A series of fluid, crescent slashes followed—far more measured than his near-suicidal move suggested. Although he seemed to be slashing Wolfang’s armor at random, each swing was astonishingly precise and powerful.

Only those with real swordsmanship experience could fully appreciate the precision of this demonic-skinned fighter. Wolfang certainly did, and he was awestruck. But more than anything, the encounter fueled his desire to train and level up, to merge his passion for swordsmanship with in-game skills that could supplement what he loved most about swords.

For now, though, his sword clattered to the ground, shocking everyone in Anonymous House. Having no weapon at his disposal, Wolfang accepted his defeat and stepped aside, not wanting to hinder the only one who could turn the tide of this battle.

He smiled at the murmurs of his guild members.

"Am I seeing this right? Wolfang even beat an NPC instructor in the tutorial zone!"

"That was just luck! You saw how that demon slashed, right? Total RNG!"

"Yeah, who does that guy think he is?"

It seemed more guild members would be kicked out of the guild after today, as even Wolfang now felt a genuine drive to take Anonymous House to the top.

Across the way, Silver Dash and his friends watched with equally stunned expressions. Only the mage refused to acknowledge Blake’s skill, siding with Anonymous House’s members.

The tank said, "You really think that was just luck? You think luck got him this far?"

Silver Dash grimaced. "I doubt it."

"Oh, come on! If we had his gear—" the mage began, only to fall silent under everyone’s glares. He lowered his head in shame.

In that moment, though, he wasn’t the only one feeling discouraged. Facing Blake felt like challenging a boss with unknown mechanics—far too daunting. No one believed they could make a dent in the fight.

With his blend of in-game and physical skills, he was well beyond their reach.

Amid the chaos, Blake stood opposite Kyria, who still seemed out of it.

"Is that how a victor carries himself?" Silver Dash muttered, observing the pair. In the end, only Blake truly stood apart.

Just then, thunder rumbled from within Kyria.

Kyria raised his hand. "Everyone, scatter! He can boost his stats as long as you’re all targeting him!"

Blake grinned. "So you figured it out. That thunder... it’s exhilarating. What is it?"

While members of Anonymous House fled the scene, Kyria turned back and locked eyes with Blake. He smirked. "You’ll have to find that out on your own. It’s part of the game."

Blake’s eyes gleamed. "I respect that."