"Well then… let the match begin"
As he heard those words, he adjusted his balance, he was not interested in making the first move.
Meanwhile the spectators outside were having a blast.
—————
[Colosseum— Live Stream]
Anonymous_008: It's Dringer… She's up against a newbie, poor guy.
Anonymous_034: Not necessarily, although he's new, he hasn't lost a single match.
Anonymous_142: Although the fighters here are Ascendeds, there are still some weak ones… maybe he was just lucky.
Anonymous_008: Well his luck just ran out… Dringer is a very skilled fighter.
Anonymous_271: I've watched most of her matches, anyone who tries to fight her in close combat because of her choice of weapon always ends up receiving a surprise.
Anonymous_034: Don't underestimate the newbie, I happened to watch his last match… he wasted the opponent by just pointing his finger.
Anonymous_018: Isn't a skill like that too op?
Anonymous_142: There has to be a catch to the skill… even if he's good at long range, Dringer is still a good archer.
Anonymous_008: Only one way to find out I guess.
Anonymous_034: Dringer said if he lasts a minute, she'll forfeit the match, that confidence might cost her.
Anonymous_200: But she also extended an invitation to him… it may be some legacy clan stuff…
Anonymous_008: Gherman Sparrow is about to lose if he thinks he can beat Dringer by going into close combat… her ability always catches everyone by surprise.
Anonymous_018: Gherman Sparrow hasn't made the first move… he's watching.
Anonymous_067: The guy wielding the mace looks strong…
Anonymous_200: Read the comments above before typing dumbass…
Anonymous_093: What's the hold up… why aren't they fighting?
Anonymous_108: No one wants to make the first move.
Anonymous_043: I vote Ghreman Sparrow.
Anonymous_008: Looks like he's making the move first… and it's close combat, a very big mistake, Dringer will win.
—————
Seeing that Dringer had no intention of attacking first, he made his move.
Judging by her weapon choice, she dealt with long range, so close combat was the natural solution.
He knew that she had a hidden move up her sleeve, because she was confident in beating him in under a minute. Either she had a move that would make her arrow always strike its target, or the arrow itself was a diversion.
He had scanned the weapon, a large amount of it had strong metal plating and its curved edges had metal protrusions.
In other words, her bow could be used in close combat, that's why she wasn't worried, whether it was long or close range, she was confident in her skill.
As he reached her side, he was about to make a move, but the next second, his danger sense warned him, he immediately halted and tilted to the side, just in time to avoid a swift attack.
Swish!
The attack hadn't come from a bow or an arrow, it came from Dringer herself, or rather her hair which had extended and shot out like a sharp dagger.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he took a few steps back, but Dringer had already adjusted her stance, her hand had released an arrow flying swiftly towards him.
—————
[Colosseum— Live Stream]
Anonymous_008: This guy actually avoided that hidden attack…
Anonymous_067: Woah… that attack caught even me off guard, how did Gherman Sparrow know to dodge in time?
Anonymous_271: Some people have also managed to escape Dringer's surprise attack, but now he'll be unable to get close to her, and she's good at long range, so he's at a disadvantage.
Anonymous_034: He can use long range too… his last opponent died like that.
Anonymous_271: This match is going to be tough, but Dringer has more experience.
Anonymous_008: Gherman Sparrow's battle IQ is also high… as he noticed Dringer didn't attack, he moved for close combat, but he didn't lower his guard in the slightest.
Anonymous_018: From Dringer's other matches, I can say that she still has the advantage…
Anonymous_142: But can she win under a minute?
Anonymous_008: Only one way to find out.
Anonymous_034: Dringer had already prepared a counterattack in case the first failed.
Anonymous_200: This match will be interesting.
—————
As the arrow reached him, he just casually tilted his head as the attack missed him by an inch.
"You're indeed skilled… are you not going to use your invisible attack?" Dringer spoke calmly.
Merlin didn't answer, he moved again within a breath, he had already reached Dringer, as he slashed with his sickle.
Clang!
Dringer blocked it with the plated part of her bow, her hair immediately elongated and shot at him again.
He side stepped and brought his weapon down on the hair itself.
Clang!
A metallic ringing sound echoed.
'Tough…' he muttered inwardly as he rethought his strategy.
This time, he didn't retreat, he kept up with the close range attacks, causing Dringer to continuously block and avoid his attacks, he also weaved between her hair attacks that moved like a scorpion's tail.
Dringer used a burst of speed to separate from him as she rapidly fired three arrows in succession.
He avoided the first and cut down the remaining two, however he didn't rush at her again, she continued to draw her bow, firing shots at him, but he repeatedly dodged and cut them down.
He then opted for using the chained part of his weapon for long range attacks, he threw the sickles and used the chains to direct them from afar.
Honestly, he could've ended the fight a while ago, but he was delaying it because of two reasons, one was the fact that he was learning ways to use his new weapon since he hadn't used it since he got it, and second, Dringer was constantly using her hair ability, which meant he was Recording a very generous amount of it.
After a while, he stopped his barrage of attacks and stood still, Dringer immediately knocked an arrow and sent it flying at his head, but he caught it mid-air.
"That's a minute…" he said calmly.
—————
[Colosseum— Live Stream]
Anonymous_017: Gherman Sparrow lasted a minute… Dringer lost.
Anonymous_060: He focused on winning by attrition, he couldn't beat Dringer head on.
Anonymous_271: Gherman Sparrow's versatility is on another level.
Anonymous_008: Well the time limit was tight, otherwise with time, she would've won.
Anonymous_071: Did you watch the same match I watched? Look how he completely had her on the defensive, her arrows couldn't even scratch him
Anonymous_008: I noticed, but neither side truly went all out.
Anonymous_018: But honestly, Gherman Sparrow didn't use his ability even once.
Anonymous_142: Dringer is going to forfeit…
Anonymous_002: Gherman Sparrow caught that last arrow without even flinching, showing that attacks on that level are nowhere near enough, plus he always kept out of her hair's reach, and due to the unique nature of his weapon, he could fight both close and long range, from the start, after her surprise attack failed, the initiative fell into his hands.
Anonymous_034: It felt like Gherman Sparrow was counting the seconds in his mind, exactly one minute has passed.
Anonymous_321: Dringer finally met her match.
Anonymous_271: Gherman Sparrow has piqued my interest.
Anonymous_039: Hopefully you're female, because if not...…
—————
The moment the words left his mouth, Dringer sighed and said.
"I guess that's my loss, you're really skilled…"
He flashed her a smile and said.
"Oh please don't forfeit now, if you manage to last thirty seconds against me, I'll listen to what you have to say"
He was simply ragebaiting at this point, although he wanted to oneshot this chick for underestimating him, as he saw her ability, he changed his mind.
Now after recording a fair amount, he was finally ready for his payback, and he was planning to stun her with it.
—————
[Colosseum— Live Stream]
Anonymous_030: 'if you manage to last thirty seconds against me, I'll listen to what you have to say'... Is this ragebait?
Anonymous_067: He's obviously doing this as payback.
Anonymous_056: Pride goes before a fall.
Anonymous_034: Yeah no shit Ben Carson…
Anonymous_271: Looks like he's about to use his abilities now.
Anonymous_078: even if she lasts 30 seconds, it won't change the fact that she couldn't beat him.
Anonymous_018: Let's just focus on the match.
—————
"I see… since I have no choice, I accept" Dringer said.
The moment she finished talking, he used blink and appeared right in her front, giving her no time to react.think
His left hand shot out, holding her throat, lifting her above the ground. Her scorpion-like hair shot out, but he immediately gripped it with his gauntlet hand, locking it in place.
He looked her right in the eye and said.
"As a parting gift, I'll offer you a surprise to think about when you leave this place"
His hair began to grow till it reached the length of hers, then he activated the ability he recorded.
The hair immediately moved upwards and at a sharp speed, pierced right through her armor.
He had used her own attack against her, he retracted the hair that then returned to its original length.
"Ciao…" he smiled as the automatic voice sounded.
"Gherman Sparrow has won!"
—————
[Colosseum— Live Stream]
Anonymous_030: Damn… it wasn't ragebait!!
Anonymous_018: Ragebait my ass!! He just stole Dringer's ability!!
Anonymous_124: Holy Shit!!!
Anonymous_034: Isn't this guy a little too op?
Anonymous_271: A little? That fight in the second round was as good as him oneshotting Dringer… and with her own skill at that.
Anonymous_078: Who the hell is this guy??
Anonymous_018: What is his ability?
Anonymous_050: He just used Dringer's ability and you're still asking what his ability is?
Anonymous_067: It should have a limitation, like physical contact, and maybe a time requirement.
Anonymous_56: Even if it does… he's still too op.
Anonymous_008: Dringer never had a chance against that…
Anonymous_207: I'm going to be following his match from now on, he's my second favorite after Mongrel.
Anonymous_078: With his ability, Gherman Sparrow would oneshot Mongrel.
Anonymous_018: Mongrel doesn't rely on abilities, so Gherman Sparrow won't have any chance.
Anonymous_030: Mongrel doesn't use them, doesn't mean he doesn't have them… if Gherman Sparrow relies on physical contact, then Mongrel choosing not to use his abilities would just give him a disadvantage.
Anonymous_097: But what exactly is Gherman Sparrow's ability, can he just copy any ability once, or do all of them stack with each other?
Anonymous_056: We'll have to watch more to find out.
Anonymous_008: Gherman Sparrow is good at close and long range, in a fight against Mongrel, even without the abilities, he has an advantage.
Anonymous_271: How did you move from glazing Dringer to Gherman Sparrow???
Anonymous_078: Opportunist…
Anonymous_118: Let's make a poll.
—————
Merlin, who had no idea of what was going on outside, sighed to himself and was about to disconnect when a certain fighter caught his attention.
He turned to see a gaunt man in a barbaric suit holding a mace looking around.
Merlin's eyes twitched as he read the fighter's information.
"Attendant Of Mysteries #15"
Victories: 13.
Defeats: 49.
'Imitating Sunny was one thing, but this… this is just a slap to my face'
"Gherman Sparrow has challenged Attendant Of Mysteries #15"
Merlin watched as the fighter turned around and saw him, he immediately moved with speed, in a breath he was right in front of the gaunt man, his leg whipped a sideways kick to the face that sent him flying backwards.
The gaunt man stood up and gripped his mace tightly.
"Who are you?" He asked in a grunt voice.
"A hunter I guess…" Merlin spoke with an emotionless voice.
He didn't wait for words anymore as he closed the distance again, he didn't even bother to summon his weapon, as he came face to face with the gaunt man, what followed next was a 'Thanos vs Hulk' beat down.
Even the weapon in the fighter's hand wasn't given a chance to be used. Merlin thoroughly satisfied the cringey feeling he had through pure violence, and he finished the fight by giving his enemy a 'Klein-style' death.
Hand right through the heart.
Satisfied, he smiled, scanned around for any possible offenders carrying the wrong name. After finding none, he then disconnected from the dreamscape and returned to his basement.
As he opened his eyes to the familiar basement, he sighed and stretched his body, although he was physically fine, he still stretched for convenience.
He left the basement and went upstairs to freshen up because he felt icky… the dreamscape was purely mental, but still that didn't change the feeling his body was giving him.
Normally back when he was on the Forgotten Shore, he could hunt for days without being bothered, but ever since he came back to the waking world, he had become domesticated.
After he showered and changed, he checked his communicator and saw no missed call, he picked up the phone and called Silver.
Earlier before he entered the basement, Silver and Ariel had left the house for their girls time, and now over an hour and hadn't shown any sign of returning.
Anytime Silver had something that would probably take her time, she always called or left a text, but this time there was nothing, leaving him worried.
Although the two of them were potentially some of the strongest people he had ever met, it still didn't ease his mind in the slightest.
Ring!
Ring!
"Hello big brother" as he expected, Ariel had answered the call.
"Hey Ari… where's Silvy?" He asked, then he heard the windy environment she was in "Ari where are you?"
"Um…" she sounded hesitant, then answered "I don't know"
"Huh? Where's Silver?" He asked, confused.
"I don't know… I left big sister and went off" Ariel answered shyly.
His brows furrowed slightly, judging by the sounds he was hearing, she was probably in a vehicles, or was moving very fast, so he asked.
"Ari… what are you doing?"
She answered cheerfully.
"Brother I'm flying!"
'The fuck…'