Villain Ch 53. All Bark, No Bite!
Allen casually twirled the dagger in his hand, a smug grin spread across his face, like a hunter eyeing its prey. “Well, except for a noob,” he mused aloud, “Noobs are just looking for fun. But real gamers— real gamers aren’t.” His hand stopped its playful movements, and he gripped the handle of the dagger tightly, his gaze fixed on the male swordsman who stood before him.
His eyes glinted with a challenge, his words laced with venom as he continued, “They accepted the challenge and proved their value as players. Since you are doubting yourself, I assume you are noobs then,” he sneered, his voice oozing with disdain.
He was once a toxic player, he knew how to ignite the nerves of other players, how to push their buttons and make them react. And no one liked to be called a noob, not even the true noob himself. It was a term of derision, one that stung like a thousand bee stings. .
The swordsman, bristling with anger, refused to take the insult lying down. He stood tall, his posture stiff and proud, and returned Allen’s gaze with one of his own, filled with equal parts challenge and rage.
Allen could see the anger in their eyes, it was clear as day to him. It was always the melee fighters that seemed to be the most furious, their eyes filled with a fiery rage that burned bright like the flames of a dragon. And he knew why.
The players who chose melee fighters as their characters were fighters, and they relished the thrill of battle. They were fierce, strong, loved the feel when they charged headlong into battle, never backing down from a fight, and always eager to test their mettle against the toughest opponents.
On the other hand, the players who chose healers as their first character usually had a peaceful nature. They liked to take care of other players, to make sure that their teammates were healthy and in good shape.
The ranged fighters were a different story. They were the ones who liked to stay out of the fray, avoiding the frontlines at all costs. They were the ones who valued strategy over brute force, always looking for the best way to take down their opponents without risking their own lives.
Well, not all, since some of them might choose a different class for the change of pace, but most of them yes.
The healer and mage were quick to notice the tension rising amongst the group. They knew that they had to diffuse the situation before it spiraled out of control. The swordsman’s hands were trembling with anger, and they could see the fury building up inside of him. The healer tried to calm him down, gently pulling his hands away from the grip of his sword. “Just leave him be. We’re here to hunt. Don’t waste your time,” she pleaded with him.
But it was too late. The anger of the melee fighters had reached a boiling point, and there was no stopping it. The male swordsman glared at Allen, his eyes filled with fury. “You know what, you’re right. Why should I be afraid of fighting unethical players like you?” he spat out.
The mage tried to remind them of their original goal. “What about our hunting?” he asked, hoping to bring them back to their senses.
The swordsman’s attention shifted to the mage. “All of us have saved our positions in front of the dungeon, right?” he asked the group, his voice cold and menacing. Then he returned his gaze to Allen, a dangerous glint in his eye. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”
Allen couldn’t help but smile slyly, the adrenaline pumping through his veins as he looked at his opponent. “Right, it settles then. Let’s make it 3 vs 3. You can choose who goes first,” he said, his voice calm and collected.
He knew that this would not be an easy challenge. His team had no healers, and he would not be able to access his demonic skills. But he didn’t care; he needed the thrill of the fight to keep him going. He craved the challenge, the rush of adrenaline that came with it.
The male swordsman stepped forward confidently, a look of determination in his eyes. “Me,” he said, his voice firm. “I will be your opponent.”
“Great,” Allen responded, his smile growing wider. “Since I proposed it, I will be your first opponent.”
“Buff,” the male swordsman asked the healer without taking his eyes off Allen.
The healer immediately used her skill. “Agility!”
[Your agility has increased!]
The tension in the air was palpable as the two combatants squared off against each other.
The swordsman had a confident smirk on his face as he pointed his sword at Allen. “Just a reminder, Al. My healer has Detection skill, so your Hiding skill will be useless,” he taunted.
Allen simply smiled in response. “Don’t worry, I didn’t plan to use it in the first place,” he replied calmly.
The swordsman’s smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered.
Then an announcement appeared in front of Allen.
[DragonKnight69 sent a duel request to you. Did you accept his invitation?]
[Yes/No]
Without hesitation, he made his choice. ‘Yes.’
Although his opponent had a healer by their side, in a one versus one duel, the healer would be powerless to assist their companion. She couldn’t Heal him at all or give him buff once the duel started. It would be different if they were engaging in a guild battle or a party battle.
The only thing that bothered Allen was the healer’s Detection skill. It was the skill that belonged to a mage and healer. He knew that this ability would allow the user to see through his stealthy moves and locate him no matter where he tried to hide. It was a bit annoying since he should have been able to kill the swordsman much quicker with his Hiding skill.
Then another announcement appeared in front of both of them
[Duel will start in 3… 2… 1…]
[Start!]