Chapter 72 - The Knight's Duel (2)

Lee Kyung-bok scanned the attackers.

‘I would have let it slide if it were just a minor thing...’

While being sniped is annoying for a streamer, it can also be an opportunity to create content for the broadcast.

But this situation was different.

‘They’ve gone too far.’

It wasn’t an online game but a story-driven package game, and he had announced the live broadcast in advance. The broadcast team had even explained it at the start.

Despite such clear announcements, the snipers still came, which meant they were the worst of the worst.

‘I’ll eliminate them at the root.’

Eradicating the source.

Lee Kyung-bok prepared this place to deal with the snipers so they wouldn’t interfere with his future play.

“Charge!”

“Anyway, our stats are higher!”

“Kill him!”

The initially flustered snipers shouted and charged.

“Ah! The melee has started! Whether by numbers or stats, the situation is unfavorable! How will they overcome this obstacleee!”

Jinom didn’t forget his duty. As he said, unlike duels, sniping doesn’t receive stat adjustments, so the snipers’ stats were clearly superior.

But that didn’t guarantee victory.

“This is... I don’t even need to focus.”

Lee Kyung-bok chuckled.

Before the chat window filled with question marks, he activated his incantation. As he moved his hand,

“Ugh!”

“Choke!”

“Eh, eh!”

“What are you doing!?”

The snipers’ voices erupted simultaneously. Their appearance was truly a spectacle.

They stumbled and rolled on the ground, suddenly grabbed their throats and stumbled backward, and even swung their weapons at their allies.

“Ah, what’s happening here! Do modern snipers not practice? They’re completely a ragtag group!”

Jinom shouted excitedly. Having suffered from snipers during broadcasts, he found this situation thoroughly enjoyable.

-Really lol, what are they doing lol

-So funny lol

-They’re clowns, not snipers

-Is this a flash mob?

-Oh lol, they came to celebrate the duel

The viewers didn’t hide their ridicule. However, the snipers weren’t just equipped with melee weapons.

“Idiots! What are you doing!”

“Fire!”

Sharp ice crystals shot out, and crossbows were fired. Projectiles flew toward Lee Kyung-bok with a sharp whistling sound.

But that wasn’t enough to make him budge. The red trajectories from his hand intercepted the projectiles in an instant.

“Ah! He intercepted them precisely with the witch’s incantation! But, how did he control all of them simultaneously?! Viewers, this is the moment for a ‘Game Over’!”

Jinom spoke urgently. The chat window responded as if in agreement.

-(Game Over)(Game Over)(Game Over)

-What? Why did the number of incantations increase?

-It increased due to stat adjustments!

-Controlling six simultaneously, for real?

-Not quad-core, but hexa-core lol

-Wow lol, and he controls them directly?

-What kind of adaptation speed is this!

The number of incantations increased due to the stat adjustments from the duel, but what was more astonishing was that they moved as if each had its own will.

“What...”

“Unbelievable...”

Lee Kyung-bok smiled at the stunned snipers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’ll permanently ban you.”

With that, he lunged forward.

“Purple’s counterattack has begun!”

“Wow! What is this! The snipers are being scattered in an instant. It’s like a red storm, a whirlwind of incantations named ‘Dragon Rise’!”

Lee Kyung-bok’s sword and the six red trajectories began to devastate the snipers.

The snipers hastily switched to a defensive stance but couldn’t hold out for long.

-Here it is! The killing smile!

-What’s a killing (预告) smile?

-Controlling incantations while engaging in melee combat?

-Not hexa-core, but octa-core lol

-Oh lol, banning snipers is a rule!

-But lol, if you feed them so much in the appetizer, what’s left?

-How did Eclipse win?

Shin Hye-rim was startled and turned her eyes to the chat.

“Ah! How is the situation with Eclipse?”

Lee Kyung-bok’s battle was so dazzling that she had completely forgotten about the other side.

Fortunately, the broadcast team didn’t need to worry about which side to watch. Lee Kyung-bok had quickly dispatched the snipers.

He sheathed his sword and turned his gaze.

“Oh...”

Lee Kyung-bok let out a small exclamation as he observed Eclipse.

“Gah...!”

“What the hell!”

Most of the snipers had targeted Lee Kyung-bok, but a significant number had also attacked Eclipse.

However, six bodies already lay around him, and Eclipse was facing four opponents simultaneously.

“Ah! Amazing! Eclipse is overwhelming them with sword skills alone!”

As Jinom described, Eclipse didn’t rely on spells. He parried the snipers’ attacks accurately.

And surprisingly,

“Just now! Did you see that!?”

“What? What’s wrong!?”

“The system didn’t register a parry, but he created an opening purely with his sword skills!”

Eclipse cut through the snipers with his skill alone, not relying on the system. His accumulated experience, honed senses, and sword skills didn’t betray him.

-Wow;; He’s amazing

-This is a knight!

-Wow lol, look at the snipers’ weapons being pulled

-God Purple is flashy and bold, but Eclipse is heavy and solid

-There’s no business in front of a gank lol

The viewers were also amazed. The snipers’ defeat was becoming more apparent on Eclipse’s side.

“Ah, another one of those, no, another sniper has fallen!”

-Clown lol

-What’s the real intention?

-Hey!? This is a broadcast!

-It’s an accurate commentary, what’s the problem?

-Clowns are being stuffed lol

Jinom’s mockery and the almost decided outcome left the remaining snipers with only one choice.

“Damn...”

“What a dog’s life, really.”

“You’re playing the game like a dog.”

They cursed and disappeared. How could they stop a mid-raid?

“Ah! Forced quit, forced quit! A dirty and ugly pants-down! Is this the dirtiest ending?”

-Forced quit lol, so funny

-LOL, pants-down

-The pinnacle of clownery!

-Kya lol, it’s a perfect match

-Yeah~ They’re already stuffed

-They even left a compliment before leaving lol

Eclipse sheathed his sword with precision after the enemies disappeared. He maintained his composure until the end.

“Worthless things, even worse than the dead.”

His comment filled the chat with laughter. With the situation resolved, Shin Hye-rim sighed in relief.

If the two had performed poorly, it could have been a broadcast disaster.

But that was just a worry.

Now it was her turn.

“Alright! There was a bit of chaos before the duel.”

Her voice drew attention. Shin Hye-rim cleared her throat and spoke clearly.

“To the uninvited guests who caused the chaos, you probably thought it wouldn’t be a problem since we allowed the raid function.”

“From your reaction, it seems that was a miscalculation?”

“Yes. Purple and Eclipse, and all of us Metagamers, had announced the live broadcast in advance. Interrupting the event clearly shows an intention to disrupt. Our legal team will consider a response.”

Jinom smiled brightly.

This meant Metagamers wouldn’t tolerate this chaos.

“Ah, this could be considered obstruction of business. Just like how entering a house without permission is trespassing.”

-LOL, the analogy is perfect

-For clowns, financial education is a rule

-What a satisfying appetizer service lol

-???: Officer, well, there’s this raid function. It’s not my fault... Yes? The red line?

-???: Mom, why are you calling suddenly? Do you have some money? I, I’ve been sued... No, don’t cry...

-The future of clowns is clear lol

-As long as it’s not me, I’m fine!

The viewers were thoroughly satisfied. Shin Hye-rim and Jinom exchanged glances.

“Great! Now, let’s refocus on the main event.”

“Purple and Eclipse, would you like to continue the duel, or take a short break?”

The question drew attention back to the two protagonists.

“No problem! If Purple is ready, I’d like to start immediately.”

Eclipse showed his determination. Lee Kyung-bok smiled faintly and shrugged.

“This is a bit of a dilemma.”

The broadcast team’s eyes widened. Eclipse also turned his gaze.

“The level of the snipers was so low that my body didn’t even get warmed up.”

-LOL, he’s still mocking the clowns

-So ruthless! So ruthless!

-Didn’t he almost take out 15 of them?

-LOL, that’s not even enough to warm up

-But it’s true lol

-LOL, he swept them away in an instant!

Lee Kyung-bok’s playful comment filled the chat with laughter. Shin Hye-rim also smiled brightly and continued.

“Lucky for us! Now, to make the event more enjoyable for the viewers, we’ll start the point betting!”

[Who will win the duel?]

[1. Purple] [2. Eclipse]

[Submission closes in 1:00.]

A voting window appeared at the bottom of the chat. The voting time was one minute.

-Oh lol, betting!

-This is definitely Purple lol

-All in with the memories of God Purple!

-This is a sure bet lol

-Points can be duplicated!

-But Eclipse was also amazing?

-This is a bit of a dilemma...

-Seeing his sword skills, I’m swayed lol

-Should I go for the underdog for a big win?

The chat flooded with comments as the voting began.

“Ah, this was originally planned to start after the duel, but we’ve moved it up?”

“Yes! Since they’ve shown their skills in the melee, let’s see what the viewers predict!”

Both Lee Kyung-bok and Eclipse turned their attention to the voting. They couldn’t help but be curious about the results.

Finally, the voting closed, and the results appeared.

[1. Purple – 62%]

[2. Eclipse – 38%]

More than half predicted Lee Kyung-bok’s victory, thanks to his impressive performance in the melee.

-Wow lol, the underdog is over 30%?

-Thanks to this, I’m building good memories ^^

-770 million points, sweet and sour

-The underdogs are definitely the ones with the red line lol

-Seeing God Purple fight, the answer is clear lol

-But this is a significant increase lol, it was almost 50-50 in ElsMeta

-The favorites are thrilled lol

-Eclipse’s sword skills are amazing

-I just hope romance wins lol

-The calm before the storm... The results will speak for themselves

Before the chat overheated, Jinom quickly stepped in.

“Great! No reason to wait any longer! Both sides, please return to your designated positions!”

“Purple and Eclipse, Eclipse and Purple! Who will be the victor?”

Lee Kyung-bok and Eclipse nodded at each other and headed back to the golden circle.

The moment both stepped into the circle,

“Now, the duel begins!”

“Who will make the first move!?”

Eclipse was the first to move. Sparks flew from his hand, and a bright yellow lightning spear was formed. Eclipse charged forward and threw the spear.

“Ah! Hand of Heaven! It’s Hand of Heaven!”

“Hand of Heaven!?”

Jinom immediately recognized the spell. A spell used by characters with a cleric background, ‘Hand of Heaven’s Wrath.’

But explaining its utility was more appropriate than its name.

“It’s the fastest spell, though weak! Did he hide this to fight with sword skills in the melee!? An ordinary person might hit, but can Purple?”

As he explained, the lightning spear closed the distance in an instant. But Eclipse expected Purple to dodge it easily.

‘He’s aiming for the aftermath of the dodge!’

The lightning spear was merely a medium to provoke the opponent’s action. Eclipse focused on predicting Lee Kyung-bok’s direction.

‘...Not dodging?’

But Lee Kyung-bok didn’t move from his spot. Was he planning to take the hit?

No, that wasn’t it.

Lee Kyung-bok simply raised his hand lightly.

With a crackling sound, the lightning spear dispersed.

“Ah! Incantation! He neutralized it with an incantation!”

“Incantation?”

“Yes! Just like he deflected projectiles in the melee, he cut through Hand of Heaven! Truly amazing, no, incredible skill!”

“Isn’t it similar to what he showed in the melee?”

“No! Hand of Heaven looks big, but it’s all about the visual effects! The hitbox, the actual point of impact, is as small as the tip of a spear, and he neutralized it precisely!”

Jinom couldn’t hide his excitement. The viewers were also amazed.

-Amazing lol, the hitbox of Hand of Heaven is like a single point

-Did he aim for that?

-(Perfect Defense)

-He just went for the perfect defense!

While everyone was in awe, Eclipse didn’t lose focus. He immediately rolled on the ground as the lightning spear disappeared. The spot he was in was struck with a thud.

“Wow, good instincts. You’re truly a seasoned player.”

Lee Kyung-bok opened his eyes wide and smiled. Eclipse couldn’t hide his joy.

“Indeed, you’re worth the challenge!”

He burned with even more determination.

Lee Kyung-bok was pleased with Eclipse’s attitude.

He charged forward, moving his hand to launch a whip and following up with a sword strike. He intended to bind Eclipse and deliver a decisive blow.

But Eclipse quickly dodged by throwing himself to the ground.

“Ah, was he wary of the incantation? He rolled first!”

“Indeed, he’s threatening!”

-Even I would roll first lol

-LOL, you never know where it might come from

-Invincibility frames are the only hope

Lee Kyung-bok’s judgment was different from the broadcast team and the viewers.

‘Not to the sides, but rolling backward, it’s not a coincidence.’

He had already anticipated where Eclipse would dodge and launched the whip in that direction. But Eclipse moved to a safe spot.

“Can you see it?”

Lee Kyung-bok asked directly. Eclipse corrected his stance and replied.

“Of course. I’ve been training for this duel, anticipating your skills.”

“Training?”

“Something you might not know. I specially modified a spell to make the soul whip transparent.”

Eclipse had studied the incantations Lee Kyung-bok had acquired and thought of a countermeasure. The idea was to make a similar spell, ‘Soul Whip,’ transparent.

“Ah! Sir Eclipse! Did you even practice with a transparent whip?! That’s an incredible level of dedication!”

“Amazing!”

-Wow lol, he even trained for this?

-Did he take a break yesterday for this?

-Indeed, a hard worker lol

-His dedication is amazing

-A true duelist lol

The broadcast team and viewers were equally amazed. Lee Kyung-bok smiled and replied.

“Then there’s no reason to hide it.”

At that moment, the whips glowed red. If Eclipse could predict their direction, it was better to increase their power.

Lee Kyung-bok