Game’s Dogma

Words couldn’t describe how stunned Windstrider was as he realised the masked man somehow dodged his certain kill technique. However, he reacted just as quickly, immediately retreating while firing his rifle at Drako Yau.

It was almost impossible to dodge the incoming projectiles at such a close range, but luckily Drako Yau still had Windstrider skewered on his spear like a kebab so the ranger couldn’t cast skills. Still, bullets clashed against his armour like raindrops.

While armour didn’t provide additional defence in Casual mode, basic attacks still couldn’t puncture armour and only caused blunt pain. Typical players would still lose Health, but for Drako Yau, it protected him from the searing pain of bullet wounds.

Windstrider knew he would be caught in a passive position if this went on. He decisively kicked at Drako Yau’s stomach and launched himself backwards to remove himself from the spear tip.

Drako Yau wasn’t going to let him escape that easily either. With shadow-esque steps, he closed in on Windstrider and thrusted his spear again, this time with even more speed and accuracy straight at Windstrider’s heart.

This thrust is 20 per cent quicker, why is that? Oh, because of my momentum. Right, right. The enemy’s movements are 30 per cent slower. Why is that… Pain, he probably set his pain perception to max as well.

A torrent of information flooded into his brain. He instinctively analysed even the tiniest of motions of his enemy to deduce what the enemy’s next move was. While he was fighting an intense battle, he still focused partly on himself—because he knew the battle was over once he entered the weird state.

Everything seemed to return to normal speed as his spear pierced its target once again. Windstrider tumbled horribly to the ground, yet he wasn’t giving up just yet. He quickly swapped to his dagger and tried to force Drako Yau back with Dual Slash. As long as he could put some distance between them, he was confident that he could rise again.

Although his gunfighting style could handle melee fighting, it still required a bit of distance for it to work. Melee combat at striking range was gunfighting’s nemesis, which was exactly what was going on right now.

Drako Yau, after entering his weird state, easily saw through Windstrider’s weakness and gave him no chance for a comeback. Windstrider was halfway through casting Dual Slash when Drako Yau seized and twisted his wrist.

Plak!

‘Aargh!!!’ Windstrider screamed in pain.

It felt even more painful than getting stabbed by a spear. Despite turning up his pain perception, the system still offered some protection for vital parts of the body, but that didn’t include the wrists.

The next moment, Drako Yau looked at Windstrider from above and thrusted his spear at the ranger’s throat.

‘…’

After a good while, Windstrider opened his eyes to find the spear pointing at his neck, the sharp edge of its tip pressing against his skin to give a vague sense of pain.

‘How do you usually farm experience?’

Windstrider was startled by the weird question as he replied, ‘By myself.’

The spear tip left his neck. He looked at the mask but couldn’t see through the masked man’s emotions.

‘Go to Yoda and look for Zephyrwolf. He’ll bring you to me.’

‘Why?’ Windstrider couldn’t help but ask.

‘Do you want to get stronger?’ The question hit him right in the soft spot. ‘I can help you.’

Under the cheers and exclaims of everyone spectating, Windstrider surrendered.

Thirty nine consecutive wins!

The whole world went crazy about it. Every thread on the official forum’s ‘Popular’ list was about Drako Yau.

‘On the path to becoming a legend, how far can he reach?’

‘Analysing Mask’s Unparalleled Spearmanship.’

‘Is Yoda the Place Where Real Gems Hide In?’

Countless threads stormed the forum. Apart from the original poster’s personal views and comments, the link to Drako Yau’s battles were also included in every post.

Everyone called him lucky for getting 38 noobs in a row. However, Windstrider had proven how powerful his ‘Gunfighting’ style was in the Arena, which only served as Drako Yau’s stepping stone to fame after their battle.

As Drako Yau’s follower count continued to rise, he was already at 56 consecutive wins. At the same time, he was learning more and more about his weird state.

The Arena turned out to be the perfect place to investigate his own body. After every battle, players were teleported back to the lobby hall in a fully recovered state, and that also applied to Drako Yau. He had originally thought that he would experience the weird state’s side effects after the fight with Windstrider, but after a bright white flash, his body returned to its original state; even the forces sucked into the Cryoflame jade returned to his body.

It was as though the battle never occurred. That, for Drako Yau, was a godsend because he could take advantage of it to analyse his own condition.

There was another issue though—his subsequent battles went too smoothly. When the opponent was too weak, Drako Yau simply couldn’t enter that state, because it only triggered instinctively when he was in an urgent or life-threatening situation. At least not until he could manipulate the forces within himself.

He had also noticed several features about his state: it enhanced all his abilities, including motor functions, vision, speed of thought, and many more. At the same time, it robbed him of all emotions, and all his decisions were self-centred. Also, the state never lasted for over 10 seconds, at least he had never experienced it before.

Back when he had fought Handsome Scholar and the rest in the Demon City, he triggered it for the first time, though it was just a touch on the surface. He only truly entered the state during the fight with Nin; only then did the forces of ice and fire within his body clashed against one another at full strength. Despite bringing him powerful effects, they were beyond dangerous due to their uncontrollable nature. That was why Drako Yau was dead set on taming and controlling them.

When Drako Yau entered his 67th battle, he met a familiar face: Bloodless Bladester of Underworld.

Bloodless Bladester was a friendly and courteous person. As such, he was basically in charge of all external affairs of Underworld, including communicating with other guilds. He was quite frankly Underworld’s public ambassador.

However, no one spent the effort to learn more about his strength in combat. Even back in War of the Daemons, most people thought Hades recruited him because of his communication skills.

‘Ohoho, Mask, my friend. Do show me some mercy.’

‘I’m just trying to complete a quest’, Drako Yau said. He had a good impression of Underworld; unless it was absolutely necessary, he didn’t want to endanger their friendly relationship.

Bloodless Bladester smiled. ‘I knew it. Why would Mask, who has always kept a low profile, stand out so much? Normally, I’d simply quit to avoid wasting your time. But this time…’

The translucent barrier disappeared, and Bloodless Bladester took slow steps forwards as he unsheathed the katana from the sheath on his waist.

‘I really want to experience first-hand how great the person who can even make our guild master yield and compromise actually is.’

The moment he unsheathed his weapon, an imposing atmosphere surrounded him.

Bloodless Bladester was no weakling. It was just that whenever his blade left its sheath, he could no longer hold himself back.

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