Chapter 3.2

Blue motes of light filled the air and eventually dissipated. That took longer than expected. He was a good shield user, and quite the team player too. After he realized he can't win against us, he turtled and played very defensively to buy time for his teammates by stalling us from getting the orb. A pretty good tactic if I might add. But the skill gap shows and eventually, Elizabeth beat him.

You ask what I'm doing during all that? Elizabeth didn't need my healing cause the guy never went on offensive.

That doesn't mean I'm useless, ok? I threw in some thorn burst here and there. Every cc helps...... even if he just easily shrugs it off...... my God, so this is what it feels like to be uselessly carried by my teamate like a luggage. How depressing.

"They were quite good." Elizabeth mused.

"Yeah, the fight would've taken us a whole lot longer if it weren't for your well timed 'Shadow Step'."

Shadow step is a skill of some legendary tier weapons. I fought few users of those weapons in the past. It is the skill she used earlier when the 'Crystal Nova' almost hit her. It allows its user to instantly blink to a short distance below 20 feet range. It is not a popular skill mainly because of its high cooldown(30sec) and its simpleness. Players like more flashy weapon skills but one cannot argue that a well-placed shadow step can change the tide of the match like what happened earlier.

"You know of it? I recently got it and wanted to test it in this match. I thought it's not a well-known weapon skill." Elizabeth inquired.

"I do my research sometimes."

Suddenly a message resounded through the team chat.

("Help! Chu is here need backup!") Beny cried

("Beny, are you guys alright there!") Elizabeth sent a message to the team chat for all of us to hear.

No response. They are probably busy engaging the opponent.

"We better hurry!" Elizabeth said worriedly.

Just then I spotted a figure heading towards us from a distance. It seems he came from the bottom orb. That means they did a 1 - 2 - 1 play. Chu came for the top orb and is fighting Benny and Romel for it. The two lovebirds who we just beat went for the Middle orb. And lastly, June who is approaching us who more than likely has the Bottom orb.

He probably came here to back his teammate up and stall us from taking the mid orb. That serves us better though, if we can defeat him now, we can take 2 orbs giving us the advantage of playing defensively. It seems Elizabeth noticed him too since she is looking at his general direction.

"Take the orb, I'll stall for time." I declared.

"A-are you sure?" she doubted.

I'm not that useless you know!

"Yeah, trust me."

"...Okay, be careful. Ill back you up as soon as I am able so just play safe and stall for time." she conceded

I dashed towards the figure. Every second counts, the sooner we get the middle orb, the faster we can help the other two. We can't let June distract us from getting the middle orb. I'll be the bait so it doesn't happen. There is no better bait than a support without anyone protecting her.

As I got closer, I saw June wearing a set akin to a street brawler. He's wearing only a black vest and a pants insinuating his bulging muscles and perfect figure. His weapon of choice is a pair of caestus equipped in his left and right hands.

June stopped running to conserve stamina and walked towards me when he is at semi-ranged distance.

I did the same.

"Oh? You're approaching me? Instead of running away you're coming right to me?" he taunted.

He must be wondering as to why a support like me is opting for a 1v1 melee combat. It is all part of my plan to bait him though so he would not run away with the orb he has.

"I can't beat the shit out of you without getting closer." I replied nonchalantly

Sorry, I had to say it.

"Oh ho! Then come as you like!"

When we both are near enough to each other at melee distance, I focused intently at the enemy in front of me. Time seemed to slow down as I take in every bit of information I can to predict his movements. I flawlessly entered what most people call the 'zone', a state of extreme focus, but to me, it's as natural as breathing.

He made his move.

His right foot left the ground while his left arm's muscles twitches ever so slightly. I saw his eyes lock on to my head without hesitation. Based on his small movements, I predicted that he's going for a dash and launch a quick powerfully straight at my head with a miniscule chance of it being a fake. I instinctually analyzed his motions based on my thousands of hours of experience in playing pvp.

He is underestimating me, opting for full forced aggressive strikes without any prompting jabs which leaves many openings to exploit. He probably thought that I have no means to inflict damage onto him this close because I'm a spellcaster.

I took advantage of his aggressiveness.

I calmly took a step forward while he stomped his right foot on the ground in front of me and threw his long reaching straight corkscrew punch at my head. As his attack was about to connect, I tilted my head ever so slightly while at the same time twisting my body in preparation for my counter attack. His punch barely flew past my face. I felt in my cheeks the air pressure of his punch, a testament of how strong and close it was to hitting but it didn't quite connect just as he had hoped.

I launched the counterattack I prepared at almost the same time I dodged his attack. I saw his eyes widen I shock at the realization as I twirled my staff for the added momentum then wacked his unguarded head.

*Whack*

"Guhh!"

GigaChad

Hp: 81%

I expected more damage than that since I have plenty of dex stats even as a support. It was a critical strike to the head with my full force. The fact that I am not a dps oriented character shows. If I just have one of my old red weapons, a hit like that would've been fatal.

"Wha- you!" he became agitated

I saw his facial expression shift into irritation as he prepared for another attack. He is at point blank range now since he had just taken a step closer to me in his last attack. He sent a quick 1-2 punch combo at my head. I titled my head slightly to my right to dodge his 1st jab then quickly bobbed down my head to dodge his second full swing punch while simultaneously delivering an elbow blow to his stomach. That made him flinch and take a step back giving me the perfect distance to swing my staff at his head for another critical hit.

*Whack*

"Ghaa!"

GigaChad

Hp: 57%

He took a distance from me and eyed me warily. It seems he's being cautious now. He's starting to see me as a threat that can kill him in melee combat and not just a healer that can be dealt with easily. I can't let that happen though.

"Are you sure you should be wasting time? Elizabeth is almost finished taking the orb."

His initial plan was probably to eliminate me fast enough before Elizabeth backs me up and then have a 1v1 match with her.

"Tsskk!"

He panicked since he realized he would not stand a chance in a 2v1 fight given my skills. Desperate and unfocused minds make unwise decisions. In his case, he used his trump card, his weapon skill. When his fists started to glow, knew instantly what his weapon skill does. Experiencing thousands of pvp matches back then makes it that nothing can ever surprise you. He lunged at me as his caestus glowed bright yellow and then threw a barrage of strong punches.

"Ora! ora! ora! ora! ora! ora! ora! ora! ora! ora! ora! ora! ora! ora!" he shouted

But it was still not fast enough, I've seen techniques that are harder to dodge far above his level of skill and utilization.

I dodged all of it.

"I-impossible!" He shouted

I saw his expression changed into a mix of fear and admiration as I prepared for my offence.

The weakness of his weapon skill is that there is 1 second after the barrage that he will be in a fatigued state, a state where he is unable to move. It might sound short but a second in a deadly melee can be the difference between life and death. I didn't waste the single second. I did a 360 sweep with my staff at his feet. He instantly fell flat on his back due to his fatigued state and I jumped as high as I could. With all my strength, coupled with all my body weight plus the gravity aiding me, I thrust the pointed end of my staff to his undefended head lying on the ground.

*Boom*

GigaChad

Hp: 0%

"...What a monst-".

He didn't get to finish his last words as he was immediately replaced by blue particles signaling his defeat. At the spot where his body was supposed to be, a glowing blue orb the size of a bowling ball appeared floating in the grave of its original owner. It was the orb located at the bottom part of the map that June took without any obstacle or threat. As I was about to take it Elizabeth arrived with her expression in complete shock and disbelief.

"What happened here....." she looked at the orb dumbfounded.

I remained silent as I don't know how to reply.

"Don't, don't tell me you beat him?" she inquired

"I was lucky."

"Lucky!? You beat him in short of a minute without taking a damage USING A SUPPORT character!" she exclaimed

Now that I think about it. If she put it that way, it does sound kind of suspicious.

I just shrugged.

"......Fine I wont pry if you don't want to tell me. Let us just take the orb then help Romel, I think he's in trouble."

"What about the other one?" Barry was it. Forgot his name.

"Beny? He's already taken out. Didn't you see the system notification?"

"Ohh, must've missed it earlier." I was too engrossed on the fight with my full attention on the enemy.

I took the orb so that Elizabeth won't be too bothered by the increase in stamina consumption of carrying 2 orbs and we prepared to leave the area. It will take a while to get to the top lane. I hope we make it in time.