Draped in ethnic attire, Shutora had pointed ears reminiscent of an elf. My first impression? Unremarkable, bland.
Once the three introduced themselves, the two senior members, Will and his friend, brought up the topic of This Way.
"How about a friendly match to get acquainted? Just our new recruits facing off."
"No way! There's no benefit to that!"
What a nuisance—it felt unnecessarily confrontational. Why did they insist on pushing?
I really didn't want to fight... I hoped Ivy would take my place... I continued listening to their exchange, lost in my thoughts.
"But there is a benefit! Let's make it interesting with a wager. How about 10,000G?"
"Huh! There's no way I'm making a ridiculous bet like that!"
"Oh? Are you backing out?"
"Uh..."
Will was skilled at this—truly a master of sarcasm.
Though their wager seemed equal on the surface, the stakes were entirely different. For Will, who belonged to a large guild, losing 10,000G was trivial. But for Violet, who managed a small guild, that same amount carried a heavy weight. The one who'd find themselves in a hopeless situation if they lost was clearly on our side.
If she refused, it wouldn't bother Will at all. He'd relish calling her a coward, relishing the chance to undermine her even further.
The best situation for us would be to win this challenge. However, Will would just brush it off, saying something like, "It was just a little show I put on for you poor folks," as if it didn't cost him a thing. He's wealthy, so it doesn't hurt him at all.
Now, how will Violet take this...?
"What's your level?" she asked.
"About seven," Will replied casually.
"Our level is only four! That's unfair!"
"By the way, these three just logged in yesterday. Sorry, but my talent is so great that I've outleveled your students."
"Grr..."
He's a sarcastic guy, but he's definitely more skilled at teaching than Violet. They must have logged in at the same time, yet the level gap is so significant. I'm sure Violet will take the bait…
Just as I was sure of that, Ivy suddenly interrupted their conversation.
"Wait a minute! It's unfair for you to only present your bets. We'd like to present our own as well!"
"Interesting. Go ahead," Will said, flicking his bangs aside with a nonchalant smile.
But the moment he heard Ivy's proposal, his expression froze.
"Let's bet a party member."
"...What?"
"...What?"
What in the world are you talking about? Sure, that might be a clever way to punish Will, but what do you expect to happen if you lose?
"That's...that's ridiculous!"
"Oh? Are you trying to back out?"
"Ugh..."
Earlier, Will's words had boomeranged back beautifully. This must be just the outcome Ivy anticipated.
It seems her provocation has fired Will up. Things are getting serious now... Guild Master Violet, please stop this!
"Hey, Little Ivy! What are you doing without consulting anyone?"
"Our guild will have Lenny fight. And if he loses, I'll join your team."
Wait, seriously? Are you actually offering yourself up?
And I'm the one who has to fight? Why do I have to bear such a heavy responsibility...
"Hey, don't just decide things on your own! If you lose...!"
"It's okay. I believe in Lenny!"
"If believing saved you, this world would be way too easy!"
This won't work. I can't rein in her reckless behavior. I need to rely on someone...
"Please, Violet, say something!"
At this point, I have to call on the Guild Master's authority. Even Ivy, with her boldness, should listen to the Master's orders.
Yes, if it's Violet, she'll definitely find a way to resolve this!
"Little Ivy, you can't just do as you please. This is an order from the Guild Master…"
"Then I'll resign from the guild. If Lenny wins, I'll rejoin. That should make the Guild Master's order invalid!"
"No, no, no…"
This is bad! Ivy's fervor has even caused Violet to falter. There's no stopping this now…
After all, what's at stake is Ivy herself. Since it's her choice, it makes sense she's going all out.
No one can halt this situation anymore. I can only lose my composure and shout at Ivy.
"Enough already! Ivy!"
"I'm being serious! I absolutely mean it!"
She stood tall and spoke firmly.
"Lenny, this is your chance to put your newfound power to the test. What's holding you back?"
"You… you're such a fool…"
Did she really create this ridiculous situation just to test my abilities? What an annoying person…
If I had just brushed off that sarcasm, we could have resolved this peacefully. It's clear this fool is only making things worse.
As expected, Will has also gone along with her proposal. The confidence he once had during the earlier moments is nowhere to be seen now.
"I understand… I'll accept those terms."
The condescending man before me was sweating and showing signs of panic. Thanks to him, I found myself unable to back down.
This situation was undesirable for both of us—a worst-case scenario where neither would benefit.
"Lenny, I'm sorry. I couldn't stop it… Do you think we can win?"
"Who knows..."
Violet asked me, but honestly, I had no idea how to respond. I felt utterly unmotivated for this fight.
Could I muster up the strength to save Ivy?
No, that was impossible. Right now, all I felt toward her was anger. I couldn't think for a moment about trying to save her—she brought this on herself, after all.
What about taking down that sarcastic Will?
No, I couldn't feel that way either. He might have a bad attitude, but he hadn't done anything wrong. The reasons for me to feel competitive were just too weak.
Could I fight seriously for the sake of guild master Violet's reputation?
Definitely not. Doing that would only inflate her ego and make things more annoying.
I simply couldn't get serious about this. Even if I lost here, he would probably just laugh and say, "If you've learned your lesson, never stand against us again. Aha ha ha!" They would likely drop the whole plan of pulling Ivy away. This situation had escalated too far; it wouldn't get any more complicated than this. With that certainty in my mind, there was no way I could take it seriously.
Unlike our completely disbanded guild, Will's team operates with impressive cohesion. Under his leadership, a Chinese-style boy steps forward.
"Huxley, things have gotten pretty crazy, but can you give it your all?"
"Sure thing! I'll go all out!"
Huxley performs a stunning acrobatic display, his movements fluid and graceful. He seems a bit reckless, as he appears eager to show off one of his skills—likely a technique that lightens his body and allows him to maneuver with agility.
He locks eyes with me, thrusts his fist forward, then opens it up to offer a handshake.
"You're Lenny, right?"
"Yeah."
"I know things are a bit wild, but let's have some fun with it!"
"…Huh?"
I'm completely taken aback. Does Huxley even grasp the situation? Around us, chaos reigns due to Ivy's actions, and our fight carries serious stakes. Yet here he is, suggesting we enjoy ourselves—it's utterly absurd.
This battle was decided by our seniors, with no regard for us low-ranking members.
Maybe we should just hold back. If we both take it easy, we can muddle through the confrontation. We could even abandon the fight altogether.
This struggle is pointless. Come on, let's just stop. Let's hold back.
That would be the best course of action, right? The ideal answer?
"I'll show you my full power! Let's battle, Lenny!"
It's just like Ivy. This guy is bound to lose out in life. Honestly, everyone is just so foolish—blindingly foolish.
Giving in to passion brings nothing but trouble. Yet, I might be a hundred times worse for complaining and tarnishing a serious match.
So, let's rethink this. Can I truly rise to meet Huxley's earnest challenge?
"Yeah, I can do this."
The answer is clear: I will win this fight. I respond to Huxley's handshake, having exhausted my complaints. I am resolved to give my all in this battle.
However, I have no intention of fighting honorably or fairly. Even if it's cowardly, I'm determined to win, so without hesitation, I pull information about my opponent's job—martial artist—from Violet.
"If that kid is level 7, she has learned the skills: **Hand-to-Hand Aptitude Up**, **Straight Punch**, **Inner Energy Technique**, and **All-Out**. Also, judging by her earlier movements, I can assume she's chosen **Acrobatics** as a selected skill. No doubt about it."
So, that acrobatics earlier is likely due to her **Acrobatics** skill. Her quick, erratic movements will be troublesome. I need to constantly be aware that any attack could be dodged.
In that case, the strategy becomes clear. The goal is to execute unavoidable, precise attacks. It's crucial to close the distance and leave no room for the opponent to evade.
Violet goes on to explain the techniques the opponent will use.
"Your opponent has three primary skills: **Straight Punch**, a high-damage attack with knockback effect; **Inner Qi**, which allows for slight recovery of one's own health; and **Full Force**, which reduces defense while boosting attack power. Be careful!"
"Surprisingly, this job has a lot of self-boosting abilities. I understand."
In my opinion, each skill is quite specialized and not easy to use. Although they are all early-game techniques, they involve advanced strategies such as knockback and status manipulation. The martial artist might seem like a reckless brawler, but in reality, it is a job for seasoned players who deftly drain the opponent's life.
The opponent is still a beginner and can't fully utilize those skills yet. Therefore, gaps will inevitably appear.
"Um, let me clarify something. Does the power of Ivy's attacks depend on level, STR (Attack Power), or INT (Magic Power)?"
"No, the damage from Ivy's attacks is basically fixed. You can increase its power through skills or enhancements from crafting, though."
"I'm relieved to hear that."
Additionally, there was a technique here that dealt massive damage, regardless of level.
The situation appeared dire, yet in reality, hope was abundant. It all depended on my strategy. The rest could take care of itself.
Huxley and I faced each other, bowing in mutual respect. I tried to adopt a timid demeanor to bait him into lowering his guard, but it was a failed ploy. Huxley radiated seriousness; there was no hint of complacency in him. I felt weakened…
"Duel start!"
At Violet's signal, the duel began—or rather, why was she in charge?
I chose not to make any brash moves and instead waited for Huxley's attack. It was essential to see if my training had paid off before anything else. Unlike me, who was playing it safe, Huxley seemed intent on a quick victory. Right from the start, he launched a powerful skill attack.
"I'm coming in hot! Eat this! Skill: [Straight Punch]!"
Faster than Ivy, but there were no tricky feints. His move was easy to read.
The moment Huxley's iron fist came crashing down, I deflected it with a wrench, sending his blow flying away with a satisfying "clang!"
"What the…? My attack was deflected!"
This type of assault was ripe for Just Guarding. It was a stroke of luck that my opponent was a brawler; bare-handed strikes were likely the easiest attacks to counter with a Just Guard.
Moreover, I was fortunate that he had been using his PP-consuming special moves right from the start. These skills are undeniably powerful, but they can't be used repeatedly; each use requires a certain amount of PP, which is a limited resource.
At this early stage, Huxley's maximum PP is quite limited. It might be a good strategy to play around carelessly and let him run out of PP.
"That's a Just Guard, right...?"
"Hey, Violet! I thought he was a beginner?"
"Total newbie... although I haven't taught him anything."
The two seniors are clearly surprised, but I don't care at the moment. What matters is that Huxley can hear this conversation.