Chapter 329
Being loved by trouble means being far from boredom; in a way, I think that's a blessing.
But there are limits to everything.
We need to capture Boldrinde, and after that, we have to fight Azhdaha.
Considering that, I think Grundt's existence could be ignored if we didn't think about the future. But honestly, if we can defeat him, I want to.
I wanted to challenge him if the opportunity arose, but I want to shout, "Why now of all times?"
But I know saying that would put Loki in a bad mood, so I keep it to myself.
"Well, I just have to win, that's all."*`'Lost? I did? This easily?'`*"Yes, my victory."
Instead, I dragged him onto a battlefield where I could "definitely" win and claimed victory.The match ended in just a few minutes; I cornered him like a shogi mating puzzle and ended it by thrusting my spear into the black doll's heart.
Gods are arrogant and have ridiculously high pride.
So, a match won't be established unless you make the god believe they can win.
It's crucial to make the god perceive themselves as having the advantage and set the victory conditions accordingly.In this case, I made him mistakenly believe that while our bodies were equal, there was a difference in our inherent capabilities.
Basically, a god's specs far surpass those of a human.It's no exaggeration to say all their stats would be higher if displayed on a graph.
So, while they generally accept challenges, if even a slightly advantageous condition for the human is inserted, the god gets displeased and unilaterally proposes conditions heavily favoring the god.
Therefore, by acting humble, hinting that "we are at a disadvantage," and getting to decide the match terms, all that's left is to claim victory.
Losing a mirror match would make you prey in the min-maxer community with such half-baked skills. Moreover, since the performance is completely 'me', there's no reason to lose, even if the opponent is a god.
Plus, I know how gods fight.Gods are logical.They don't know proverbs like "more haste, less speed"; they seek victory with the shortest possible efficiency.
They are so logical, it's almost seamless, overwhelming you with methodical, puzzle-like attacks.
It's not that they lack a playful side, but their battle style could be described as arrogant, fighting as if victory is a given.
He started with an exchange of blows, and after just a few exchanges, as if declaring he had figured out my movements, he shifted to attacks he thought would counter my style, gradually moving to break me down.A tactic chosen to overwhelm me, to make me regret challenging him without letting me do anything.
When he employed such a strategy, I felt relieved.As expected, this existence is also a god.
There's a saying among hardcore fighting game enthusiasts:
*"Mastering one character won't make you the strongest."*
Essentially, no matter how much you master one character, you can't win unless you understand the habits, strengths, and weaknesses of other characters.
When it comes to VR fighting games, well, it becomes a world where anything goes, and so many techniques are created that it can only be described as "chaos."
My tactic this time was a feinting strategy honed in deceptive fighting games.Make the opponent think, "This person has this habit, this behavior pattern." It's a technique considered the very basics in VR fighting games.
High-level PvP is all about deception.A god who thinks he has me figured out is just like a beginner to be hunted by us veterans, who know the quagmire of battle, akin to a poison chalice.
I took his arm as he attacked, believing in my perceived habit. When he tried to recover in surprise, I took his ankle with an anti-air attack. Losing one arm and one leg meant his stats hindered handling a spear as a weapon.
Your movements are too textbook, God.Aiming for the heart for a comeback is fine, but that's the same pattern as a cornered beginner hoping for a reversal and aiming for a one-hit kill.
If you're accurately aiming for my heart, your movements become easy to predict.
I sliced his last arm, the off-balance black doll flowed to my back, exposing it, and I ended it with a single thrust to the heart.
And that brings us back to the victory declaration at the beginning.
*`'......'`*
For a match deciding Grundt's fate, the conclusion was reached all too easily.If FBO players tormented by Grundt saw this, some might have been furious, shouting, "You've got to be kidding me!!"
Some players swore to kill him with full gear, others went hunting laden with cash shop items.Yet, fulfilling the condition of sealing all blessings and skills makes him this easy to kill.It wouldn't be strange for them to be furious.
I thought I might get complaints from old friends from the past, and I stared at Loki's face, which wore an expression like a gamer holding a controller in stunned disbelief.
The lack of eye contact from the black doll was quite troublesome, but on the other hand, that was all there was to it.
"God Loki, the match is decided."*`'Y-yes, it seems I'm flustered from my first defeat in hundreds, no, a thousand years. Splendid, yes, splendid.'`*
He seemed unable to hide his shock at losing so utterly in a match he thought he could win.
"Please keep your promise."*`'Yes, that remains unchanged. But, lost one, how about another match?'`*"I don't have time."*`'I will keep the entity below suppressed! If you win again, I'll even add a prize!!'`*
Loki, who had been inside Grundt, took several deep breaths and regained his composure, accepting the result.However, having lost, he demanded a rematch to redeem his honor.
I thought about it for a moment, but since accepting extra prizes could lead to who-knows-what...
"Alright, if you'll answer a question, I'll accept one more match."*`'Hmm! I shall answer what I can.'`*"Why was Genjiro unaffected by your influence? Is something like you possessing Genjiro or something?"*`'Ah, that.'`*
I decided to ask about the other unexplained phenomenon.While Loki's interference was clear, Genjiro was unaffected beyond the skill seal.
If he had any idea about that, I wanted to ask. When I did, Loki nodded easily.
*`'That human has that kind of constitution. See, it's the same as the fox girl over there. The fox girl has a constitution that attracts both good and bad fortune, but that human has a constitution that determines fate.'`*"Determines fate?"*`'Once he decides something, he accomplishes it. If he decides it must be so, he will see it through no matter what. You could call it strong will, but usually, such will is hindered by external factors and leads to frustration. That human is resistant to the influence of gods like me regarding things he has decided for himself. Hmm. It's the lineage of an Archgod.'`*"Another Archgod?"*`'What, you didn't intentionally gather them? With two bearers of the Archgod Factor, I assumed...'`*
An Archgod Factor, different from Nell's.When Genjiro was insane, strategies to hinder him were indeed notably less effective.He charged headlong for the Evil God and to revive his family.
I never imagined there was such a reason.
Then, he eerily cut off the conversation and grinned using Grundt's face.
"Is something the matter?"*`'No? I thought this wasn't part of the prize, so I shan't say more.'`*
He cut off the information at such an ambiguous point.Even if I glared at him, Loki, who had started preparing for the next match, wouldn't listen.
In that case...
*`'Nugaaaaah! Cheating! You're cheating, aren't you!!'`*"Cheating? You're the one who sealed my stats, right? Where's the cheating in that?"*`'That's true!? It is, but!?'`*
I vented my frustration for that mean trick by utterly crushing him head-on.My bag of PvP tricks doesn't show its bottom after just one or two matches.
This time, I ended it quickly with a surprise blitz.I feinted a spear thrust, making him take defensive and evasive actions.In that opening, I closed the distance faster than the spear could, brought it to extreme close range, grappled him, transitioned from a judo throw to a reverse cross lock, put my full weight on the joint to break it, and while he was flustered, I broke joint after joint, immobilizing him, then leisurely picked up my spear and delivered the final thrust.
*`'Did you not say it was a spear duel!?'`*"I didn't. I specified the class and level, but I never mentioned anything about weapon usage myself."
I'm busy after this.I'm also prioritizing efficiency; what's wrong with defeating him quickly?
Loki, who was stunned before, now has the attitude of a gamer about to slam his desk.
*`'......'`*"Our agreement was for one match. I don't have any more time beyond this."*`'Muu, fine. It's becoming difficult for me to deceive the eyes of the other gods any longer. Let's call it a day for now.'`*
He reluctantly calmed down, sighed, and the battle ended.
After that, a single clap echoed once more.
*`'The status seal has been lifted.'`*
That announcement echoed, and vitality returned to my body.
Then, the black shadow crawled out of Grundt's body again and transformed into a small snake.
"Eh, I, what on earth..."
A few seconds after the snake appeared, Grundt, who had regained consciousness while standing, began looking around.
*`'I've retrieved the skill. Do as you please with the rest.'`*
Though protected by the barrier, he was surrounded by soldiers and had lost an arm.Comparing the events of moments ago with the present, his face paled again. Grundt, thinking he could manage by recalling his skill, slowly began to make a move to escape.
Seeing this, Loki, having lost interest, conveyed only that to me, leaped into the grass, and was gone in an instant.Getting further involved could literally be like 'stirring up a hornet's nest,' so I saw him off without objection.
And so, the calamity passed.All that remained was the shell abandoned by the god.
The moment the barrier disappeared, Grundt started running.
"Genjiro.""By your will!!"
Genjiro dashed after his fleeing back.Chasing the back of Grundt, who was fleeing while losing balance and missing an arm.
Without even looking back, Genjiro drew his sword and raised it against Grundt, who kept running.
And that blade...
"Wh-why?"
This time, it was not dodged and slashed Grundt's back.
Grundt's eyes widened in pain.His body collapsed, staining the ground red.
Even if he was a bandit, his blood was red.
"No, I don't want to die. I still, have things I want to do..."
Crawling through the pool of blood, he struggled forward, but the divine protection that had guarded Grundt was gone.
"I shall take that head."
Grundt looked up at Genjiro standing right beside him, shaking his head "No," but Genjiro swung his sword down, and thus, the life of the man known as Grundt came to a close.
For the end of an entity said to be unkillable in FBO, it felt rather anticlimactic.
"Enemy general!! Grundt has been slain!!!"
At Genjiro's triumphant shout, the red-armored warriors raised a war cry and began to slay the Serpent Dragon Kin, which had lost even more coordination than before.
As a result, the death of Grundt, who had been the ringleader of the bandits in this ruin, decisively crushed the enemy's will to fight.
The bandits chose flight over resistance, but it was already too late.
Duke Edelgard's private soldiers slaughtered the bandits one after another, and the emerging Serpent Dragon Kin were steadily reduced in number.
"All that remains are Boldrinde's private soldiers, correct?"
The only ones left resisting were Boldrinde's men, who had turned a part of the ruins into a fortress and were holding out.
The fall of that fortress was only a matter of time.
"Yes, it took extra time, so let's finish this quickly from here on out. We have the main event waiting too."
And so, having concluded one disturbance, we proceeded to challenge the main keep.