Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 357

359

“Captain, I’m sorry. I just wanted to see Phillip to renew my fighting spirit. Seeing him seems to give me strength.”

That didn’t matter. Liza could be nervous since it was her first game today. Watching Phillip to calm her trembling heart didn’t seem like a bad idea.

Bumseok sat next to her and said in a calm tone.

“Hmm. Well, it’s okay. Athletes use all sorts of methods to relieve the tension of a match. If seeing Phillip brings you peace of mind, that’s good.”

Liza slyly turned the screen back on.

“Ah. Really? Then can I keep watching Phillip?”

“Yes. As long as it doesn’t interfere with the match.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Good. Then make sure you’re fully prepared. You’re the main force today.”

Liza clenched the sword in her hand tightly. Diana had decided to put her in as the main force today.

Liza had a high probability of performing well in today’s match. Despite her outstanding swordsmanship skills, no data about her had been exposed to the opposing team. In addition, she had surprise quick-draw and hidden blade techniques, so she could easily defeat her opponents in a short amount of time. If she played as a free-roamer, she might be able to inflict a significant blow on the opponent early in the game.

“I know.”

“Good. I’m looking forward to it today.”

Bumseok returned to his position to prepare for the match. He was also going to be a main force today.

– Both teams of gladiators! Please gather in the center of the arena.

Finally, the tournament to the World League was about to begin. Bumseok walked to the center of the arena with his teammates, glaring at the Flying Ogres team gladiators approaching from the opposite side. It was to win the pre-match momentum battle.

‘Hoo. So, you’re saying you won’t back down easily?’

The Flying Ogres gladiators responded without backing down an inch. As they stood at the crossroads of becoming gladiators in the best league, the World League, they had no intention of giving up today’s game easily.

Bumseok smirked as if he found it ridiculous, leveled his spear behind his back, and prepared to charge. Since the Lima City Colosseum had a wide stream running through the middle, it was better to cross the iron bridge for safety.

The problem was that the opponent was trying to defend this iron bridge to force a draw. If that was the case, it would inevitably lead to a physical fight, so it was better to quickly enter the iron bridge and occupy as much area as possible when the game started.

He said to Liza, who was standing behind him.

“Liza, you’re a free-roamer today. You know that when the game starts and we head towards the iron bridge, you break away from the formation and cross the river, right?”

She touched the sword and hidden blades she wore on her waist and said.

“Yes, I know.”

“Good. Then I believe you’ll do well.”

Bumseok nodded and looked at the clock on the electronic display board. Then he slowly counted down, and the moment it hit 0, he leaped out forcefully.

“Everyone, advance to the iron bridge!”

At the shout of the team leader, the number 1 gladiator, all the Flying Ogres team gladiators headed towards the iron bridge at once. Liza broke away to the outside as if trying to play as a free-roamer, but they didn’t care at all. They seemed to have judged that it was more beneficial to block the Gods Knights’ main camp than to send a marker [a player assigned to closely guard a specific opponent] to a rookie gladiator.

“You can’t come any further!”

Bumseok, who arrived at the center of the iron bridge first, stepped on the bridge railing and jumped, forcefully swinging his spear at the front of the approaching Flying Ogres team gladiators. As they hesitated at the tip of the spear that swept by with a rough wind sound, the Gods Knights’ gladiators crossed the middle of the iron bridge and began their attack.

“Bumseok, nice one!”

Shayla expressed her respect for Bumseok’s performance and rushed towards the opponent’s formation with Oscar and Rafine. She greatly pressured those who had the positional advantage by occupying the center, swinging her sword, and engaged in a physical fight with the mid-tier gladiators who followed.

The number 1 gladiator, who watched this from behind, shouted to the Flying Ogres gladiators.

“It doesn’t matter! Keep moving forward! We have the numerical advantage, so we absolutely can’t be pushed back!”

But unlike her thoughts, the Flying Ogres gladiators slowly began to be pushed back. No matter how numerically superior they were, the physical abilities of the Gods Knights’ gladiators were bound to be higher than theirs. They were all naturally strong and had good stamina, and thanks to Diana and Bertia’s traits, everyone’s stats were +5.

The embarrassed number 7 gladiator shouted to the captain.

“Captain, this isn’t going to work! At this rate, we’re going to have to give up the entire iron bridge to the Gods Knights!”

The number 1 gladiator bit her lip. She thought they were formidable, but she didn’t expect it to be this bad.

‘Gods Knights. They’re a stronger team than I thought. At this rate, we’re going to be defeated.’

The Flying Ogres met the Gods Knights in the first match and activated all their strategic personnel to collect data. Although they had never clashed before, they knew that they were much stronger than themselves. To beat the Gods Knights, they had no choice but to thoroughly analyze their weaknesses and latch onto them.

But unexpectedly, it was very difficult to obtain the Gods Knights’ data. Habits and types of martial arts could be identified by watching the game scenes, but no matter which team they asked, they could not obtain the stat data.

This was because all of them were promising prospects whose physical abilities were developing day by day, and decisively, they never sold affiliated gladiators to the outside. When an affiliated team sells a gladiator, they are required to provide the purchasing team with stat information obtained through physical tests, but since the Gods Knights had no intention of selling to the outside, there was no need to provide gladiator stat data to other teams.

In other words, it meant that they could not obtain accurate data on the stat side.

“But we have no choice! We have to hold on! We’re done for if we go out to the flatlands!”

The number 1 gladiator continued to maintain the strategy of defending the iron bridge. The Gods Knights’ biggest weakness was their home ground, which was advantageous for defense. If they defended only this iron bridge, the opposing team would have to attempt a dangerous jump across the river, making the attack very difficult.

But there was one person she was forgetting. It was Liza, whom they had left to cross the river, calling her a rookie.

“What? They’re completely ignoring me.”

Liza frowned. She was waiting firmly, expecting a marker to come, but there was no news at all. Phillip would be watching her game with the nanny elf right now, and she couldn’t show such a powerless appearance. Somehow, she had to make a performance that she could be proud of when Phillip grew up in the future.

She took out two hidden blades that she had stuck behind her waist and secretly gripped one in each hand. If they didn’t come, she would make them come.

‘Okay. Shall we go then?’

Liza slowly walked towards the Flying Ogres’ main camp. The number 4 gladiator, who was in the rear, was glancing at her, but she didn’t care. It would be good for her too, as she would have a chance to perform if she came to stop her.

Liza stopped in her place, looked at the back of the head of the number 12 gladiator, who was at the forefront, and smiled softly. He was so busy blocking Rafine that he didn’t look back at all, and he was far enough away from the number 4 gladiator, who often monitored her, that it was difficult to get help.

The moment the number 4 gladiator turned his gaze back to the battle in the main camp, she strongly flicked her right wrist.

Whoosh! Thud!

With a dull sound, the number 12 gladiator knelt on the floor as if he couldn’t believe it. He had been attacked from the rear so suddenly that he mistook it for a team kill. But the number 1 gladiator, who clearly saw the hidden blade hitting the back of the number 12 gladiator’s helmet and bouncing off from behind, hurriedly turned towards Liza.

She was the only one who could attack them from behind right now.

And looking at Liza juggling with two hidden blades, she shouted to the number 12 gladiator.

“Go mark her! That cyborg. She knows how to handle hidden blades!”

She had also seen the scene of the hidden blade bouncing off, so she immediately raised her shield to the front and started running with all her might. In gladiator matches, free-roamers who handle throwing weapons or use bows were classified as the most dangerous gladiators.

If left alone, they would constantly launch ranged attacks and harass the rear. No matter how much of a rookie she was, if she was an ability user who could hit vital points at once from this far away, she had to be marked.

‘Hehe. Here he comes.’

Liza pulled out one of the hidden blades and slightly drew the sword she wore on her waist. The energy that was emitted by the sunlight pouring into the arena, but the number 4 gladiator did not see it. This was because the sword surface exposed on the guard was covered.

She fiddled with the hidden blade and swung her arms as the number 4 gladiator came within reach.

Clang. Bang. Squeak.

The two clashed in an instant. Liza smiled faintly, with the sword she had drawn at some point raised high in the sky. On the other hand, the number 4 gladiator had a shocked expression as if he couldn’t believe the current situation, and slowly collapsed his body.

She used her shield and one-handed sword to block the two daggers that Liza threw towards her head and lower body. But she couldn’t react at all to the quick-draw technique that followed. She couldn’t have imagined that the technique that Bumseok had recently brought out would be unfolded in Liza’s hands, and the perfection and speed were not at all inferior to his.

The number 4 gladiator regretted his actions of ignoring Liza as a rookie and stiffened his body.

– Amazing. Gladiator Liza. She knocked down two Flying Ogres gladiators with hidden blade techniques and quick-draw techniques early in the game. I really doubt whether she is a rookie who has just entered the pro gladiator world.

– That’s right. With this, we can say that this round is over. How can they withstand the Gods Knights with two people missing?

As if to prove the commentators’ words, the Flying Ogres’ formation completely collapsed. As soon as one more marker was put in to block Liza, the Flying Ogres’ gladiators, who were significantly pushed back in terms of strength, completely gave up the iron bridge to the Gods Knights’ main camp, led by Bumseok. If so, now the vast flatlands. The Gods Knights, who had the advantage in terms of numbers and power, had no choice but to become fish in water [being in a situation where they are easily defeated].

“Okay. Let’s end the game here!”

Bumseok, who instantly subdued the number 10 gladiator, ran towards the number 1 gladiator, who was guarded by the number 2 gladiator in the rear. He was relieved that Liza, who was skilled in hidden blade techniques, was there, but it became a bit annoying if they took a jumping strategy. The promotion tournament didn’t end with the first match, and they had to end the game as quickly as possible to conserve their stamina.

“Block him!”

Bumseok forcefully struck the number 2 gladiator, who was blocking him at the command of the number 1 gladiator, with his spear. So much fierce power was put into it that the shield bounced off as if it would fall off, but she more actively blocked the way to protect the captain. She was the only gladiator who could protect the number 1 gladiator right now.

At this time, Shayla, who had defeated the number 6 gladiator with Rafine, approached Bumseok’s side and attacked the number 2 gladiator together. The sight of the great sword and long spear embroidering the sky as they were swung was quite a sight to see, but it came to the number 2 gladiator with a fear that made her body tremble. It was impossible to face two of the Gods Knights’ core gladiators alone.

She quickly tilted her head back and shouted to the captain.

“Captain, run away!”

The number 1 gladiator, who had the same thought, hesitated and stepped back, but she could never run away. Liza was blocking her retreat right behind her.

Inevitably, the number 1 gladiator rushed at Liza. She couldn’t carelessly show her back because she was good at handling hidden blades.

It was obvious that a hidden blade would fly as soon as she turned around. The role of the jumping strategy had to be after defeating Liza.

“Get out of the way!”

“Would I get out of the way if I were you!”

Liza, who had clashed swords, pressed the number 1 gladiator by sticking close to her body. But she never tried to knock her down recklessly. In a situation where her teammates were taking down the Flying Ogres gladiators from all directions, there was no reason to take a risk.

It was more effective to hold onto the number 1 gladiator as it was, and then knock her down with the teammates who would join in the future.

“Liza! Nice one!”

Bumseok, who had knocked down the number 2 gladiator, praised Liza loudly. He didn’t think she would lose to the number 1 gladiator, but in the current situation, it was right to safely mark her. He soon approached the number 1 gladiator with Shayla and began a joint attack.

“Iyah!”

The flashing spear blade and great sword flew towards the number 1 gladiator. Surrounded by three enemies, she tried her best to block, but it was not enough. Her neck was immediately cut by Liza’s sword and she fell to the cold floor as it was.

Wow!

The audience’s shouts erupted at the same time. They were swept up in excitement as they won the first round in a refreshing way. No matter how strong the Gods Knights were, the outcome of the match was unpredictable. If someone made a mistake and was defeated by the opponent early in the game, they could have a hard time solving the game.

And worryingly, a rookie named Liza participated as the main force in this game. It was completely incomprehensible, so the home fans who visited the Colosseum were very worried.

Because of her, the Gods Knights could have struggled greatly in the first round. But when they opened the lid, the story was different. Liza, who had been ignored as a rookie, achieved the feat of scoring 3 kill points with her outstanding hidden blade techniques and swordsmanship, greatly contributing to the Gods Knights’ victory.

The name Liza was already clearly imprinted in the fans’ minds.

“Liza! You did very well! You’re the MVP of the first round!”

“Awesome Liza! Keep playing like this next time!”

Liza, who was returning to the dugout while listening to the fans’ cheers, looked at Bumseok and smiled brightly. She had played her debut match wonderfully, so she could be proud in front of him and Phillip.

============================ Author’s Afterword ============================

I drank alcohol and came home late, so I’m out of my mind. I can’t write well either. ㅠㅠ. My body seemed to be a little better, so I drank too much… ㅠㅠ Thanks to that, I’m a little late. I ask for your understanding.

Then have a nice day. I’ll see you again tomorrow.