Chapter 32: Meeting a rival
1880 Words
With the unfamiliar girl's sudden appearance.
Kaede turned toward Yuki’s face and noticed how much it change. Not only that, the whole cheerful mood earlier already disappeared into the cosmos.
“What's the deal with these two.”
Clover whispered beside Kaede. Kaede shook her head and replies.
“I don’t really know. But they seem to know each other.”
Yuki and the unknown girl stared at each other like they are gunslingers from the west whose about to have a duel.
The tension in the atmosphere was very heavy.
“I always thought for this moment to come. I know that you're playing this game. Just like me, you're into this kind of RPG’s that deliver great freedom.”
“I can’t say that you're wrong about that. Or maybe you're still bitter on that day. Did you join this game just to follow me? Do you hate me that much? I’m already moving one you know.”
“This is perfect timing… I’ll have my revenge from that day!”
Yuki pulled her two daggers from her waist and pointed them toward the unknown girl’s face.
She closed her eyes and then grinned.
“There is a very slim chance of me winning against you… Therefore, I don’t want to have a duel with you. I’m just here to enjoy the scenery of this lake and picnic with my friend.”
“Eh?! Are you having cold feet?! Fight me! Fight me!”
The girl shook her head and turned around and wave her hand to another player whose doing her best to move.
“You walk so fast Elise… You know that I don’t have much Agility on my status.”
“Well, that’s not my fault.”
Right at that moment, Yuki was ignored. The girl named Elise walked to her friend.
Yuki lowered her weapons and look at them.
The girls noticed Kaede and Clover. Walking toward them they made their introductions.
“Sorry, are you two my self-proclaimed rival’s friend. My name is Elise nice meeting both of you.”
“My name is Melida.”
Kaede doesn’t notice any ill intent on them and steps closer with Clover. In reply, they also introduced themselves to the two new girls.
“My name is Kaede.”
“I’m Clover I’m a support mage.”
The girl named Melida leap in front of Kaede and held her hands in excitement. Her eyes were sparkling while looking at Kaede’s face.
“K-Kaede?! You are real! You are very real!”
“Y-You know me?”
“You’re very popular! Seeing your highlights before is the one that makes me play this game. I thought you're so cool. Your one hitting all those monsters and players in the first event and the hunting event. I’m your fan!”
Without Kaede knowing her popularity is always at its peak. Many people like her overpower skills and unique game style. Because of that many players started being imaginative on their builds just like Kaede.
“Is that so, I didn’t know about it.”
Kaede was flattered and it's written all over her face.
“Melida is your fan but she doesn’t want to copy you so she did the opposite.”
“Opposite of me?”
Kaede and the rest were puzzled for a moment.
Melida nodded her head and say.
“My build is all-out defense… I find out that you're an attack expert. That’s why I’ll become a defense expert.”
Kaede looking at her noticed the huge shield on her back. Her armor is all white compare to Kaede whose black. Looking at them. You can have a sense that they are both polar opposite types of players.
But Melida is not an enemy. Just like Kaede, she is an incredibly good girl.
Elise turned her head to Yuki.
“Would you stop looking at me like that? I can’t battle you because I'm playing this game only for a week now. I'm only in level 16.”
“It's still frustrating. I thought I’m able to battle you again and have my revenge.”
“What is this revenge thing? I didn’t know about it.”
“Why Yuki is very angry with Elise?”
The one who said this word was Kaede and Clover while looking at Yuki with puzzled faces.
“Yuki and Elise are both rivals in gaming competitions. And for some reason in the very championship. Yuki never won agaist Elise. The biggest event they participated in was the junior cup in a shooting game. The battle was close, but Elise became the champion and Yuki was the second place.”
Melida explained.
Shaking in embarrassment Yuki covers her face.
“I see, she is not moving on yet.”
“So childish.”
Clover muttered.
“It pains my heart please don’t say anything like that… It’s true but I still can’t believe that I made that mistake before. It's a big event and many people are watching.”
“But you're not really a loser Yuki.”
Kaede said to Yuki’s face.
“... You’re not a loser, I mean you climb your way to the top and reach the grand finals. I think that’s a great feat for a middle schooler like us. I saw many players participating in esports and they are all adults. But still, most of them never win or reach the championship. I think you're really great Yuki.”
With Kaede’s words, Yuki can’t hold her feeling any longer and embraced Kaede with a tight hug. Resulting in Kaede being squeezed very hard.
“Ka-Kaede! I love you! Kaede!”
Kaede struggles and taps out.
“Yu-Yuki I can’t breathe…Yu-Yuki.”
The three girls seeing what's happening smiled at each other.
“Expected from my idol. She’s really kind-hearted like everyone says.”
After a while of experience grinding. Elise and Melida invited the three to joined their little picnic together. And talked about lots of fun stuff. Most of it was about Yuki’s past. First Yuki was embarrassed about her being talked to.
But little by little she grows accustomed to it and laughs at her past mistakes.
Kaede then got curious about Melida.
“You said you're a defense expert. How did you do that?”
“Instead of Melida answering that question. I guess both of you should have a battle. Melida plays this game earlier than me she’s in level 33. That’s the reason I’m able to reach floor 2.”
“That’s true level 15 will never gonna be able to reach this floor easily.”
Yuki said and then took a pie and have a huge bite.
“Don’t worry I’m just in level 38. I think the level gap is not that great for us to have a duel. Also, I’m wondering what kind of build a defense expert has on her sleeves.”
“It’s an honor for me to battle my idol! I’m gladly taking the challenge.”
Two girls walked a distance from each other. Three girls were on the sideline to become spectators in the duel. In front of the giant lake, the duel between Kaede and Melida is about to begin.
The duel is normal. The first player that got her HP down to zero was defeated.
Kaede chooses her moon piercer and her black robe knight armor set.
Meanwhile, Melida’s equipment and skills were still unknown.
With Elise's calls, the duel has started.
“Duel start!”
Kaede who has a faster build compare to Melida charges first and swings her sword at Melida. Melida quickly intercepted Kaede’s sword with her shield.
“Gong!” A sound was heard from Kaede and Melidas shield intercepting each other. Kaede’s sword bounces back. Something she never thought happening.
It's weirder because normally her moon piercer can create critical damage that multiplies her normal damage.
Kaede stepped backward and retreated for a moment.
My sword boost is not working against her. Could it be that she didn’t meet the requirements of my skill? Could it be that four of her stats are in the same number as mine?
Kaede thinks. But looking at her stats. She knows that she has four zeros on her stats.
“Sword s***h!”
Made her move again and attack Melida directly. The shiel Melida was using was too big it covers all of her. The attack was them blocked once again.
“She withstands Kaede’s sword s***h!”
Clover shouted in surprise.
“She is an odd player. Her inspiration is Kaede. It's normal to expect something very unexpected from her. But in the same way, This battle will surely gonna be fun.”
Elise muttered while watching Kaede and Melida battle each other.
Kaede attacks her and does her best to attack Melida with all of her strength.
“Bizzare eater!”
Kaede’s sword transformed into a dragon's fang and tried to chow down Melida.
“Kaede’s unique skill… I’m happy to see this in person! But that’s not going to beat me.”
“Huh?”
The skill timeout and the sword goes back to normal like Melida said it's a skill that won't work on her.
“Bizzare eater is a skill that eats a player or monster. That has lower VIT than users STR. The skill can be applied with some skills but not in every skill.”
“Wait? Kaede’s STR is very high. Does that mean…”
Yuki froze upon her sudden realization.
“That’s correct, Melida’s VIT might be higher than Kaede’s STR. I always find it weird, but Melida purs all her stats on her VIT and does her best to polish her defense specialization.”
Kaede is already exhausted. With a lack of MP, she’s not able to cast another skill. All she can do for now is rely on her normal attack until her MP replenishes itself.
Using items is illegal during a duel.
“It's my turn to attack now. Time to use the power of my shield!”
Melida’s shield glows blinding light. When the light faded, Her body was covered with white mecha armor. Canons and a rocket launcher on the body.
“Why there is Mecha in this game?! This is supposed to be medieval fantasy world right?!”
“White Fortress!”
Kaede’s started to have cold sweat seeing Melida’s transformation.
The true battle is about to begin.
- Writer
