The Grand Duelist

"Why won't you die?" His grip on Joseph's neck tightened. Veins bulged on his arms as he poured everything that he had into crushing Joseph's neck. But no matter how much he struggled, it felt like Joseph's neck was reinforced with heavenly concrete. He couldn't strangle him.

"What is going on? Why can't you die?" He pointed at Joseph and unleashed a bolt of darkness. But when that bolt of darkness struck Joseph. A system notification appeared and informed him about what was happening.

Joseph wore a smile on his face as he felt his senses coming back to him. The world that turned black and white when he was on the verge of death, returned to normal as he stared at a series of system notifications floating in front of him.

[The effect of the Title, "Watched by the God of Fighting" has been activated.]

[The God of Fighting, ??? acknowledges your persistence, determination, and hard work. He sees that you're in an uneven fight and intervenes.]

[The God of Fighting, ??? invalidates the strength of you and your enemy to create an even fight. He raises both of your Health and Mana to the maximum and refreshes your cooldown.]

[The God of Darkness, ??? served by the Apostle of Darkness, Abyssal Flame Master senses the disturbance and intervenes for the sake of his Apostle.]

[The God of Fighting, ??? is persistent.]

[A concession is made.]

[The Hidden Quest, "Impress the God of Fighting" has been created!]

[Impress the God of Fighting

Quest Difficulty: ???

This is a preliminary quest linked to a series of hidden quests.

The God of Fighting has observed you from the start of your journey. He saw that you transcended your limits and defeated the Great Magician Lilibeth. Amidst all of these, he has also seen your courage, persistence, and determination.

All of these combined attracted the interest of the reclusive and eccentric God of Fighting. However, before you can thoroughly impress him. You must first defeat the great enemy standing before you and vanquish the evil forces born from the God of Darkness.

Defeat your enemy, a powerful apostle of the God of Darkness! If you defeat him, you will impress the God of Fighting and great rewards are promised!

Quest Clear Conditions: Defeat the Apostle of the God of Darkness.

Quest Rewards: ???

Quest Failure: The God of Fighting will consider you unworthy. You will be stripped off your title, "Watched by the God of Fighting". The Apostle of the God of Darkness will continue his silent slaughter.]

[The Quest is automatically accepted.]

"Hahaha... God of Fighting? No matter who he is, the fact that he helped me this time... I really appreciate that..." Joseph laughed inside.

Meanwhile...

His opponent couldn't properly strangle him anymore due to his shock.

"What, what is this? What's going on?!" Joseph's opponent cried out.

[Your level has dropped to 1.]

[A Hidden Quest is generated.]

[Impress the God of Darkness

Quest Difficulty: ???

This is a preliminary quest linked to a series of hidden quests.

The God of Darkness has observed your loyalty from the start. He had always held you in high regard for whenever you accepted his missions. Your success rate was always higher than average. However, what you did from the start until now wasn't enough to thoroughly acquire his impression.

But the God of Darkness is giving you a chance. He has reached a concession with a fellow God and you are tasked with defeating your enemy in an even fight.

Defeat your enemy, and impress the God of Darkness! Great rewards are promised!

Quest Clear Conditions: Defeat the enemy in front of you.

Quest Rewards: ???

Quest Failure: The God of Darkness' affinity to you will sink to the lowest. You will be stripped off your title as an Apostle of the God of Darkness and deemed worthless. Hidden stats that you have unlocked through the use of Dark Energy will disappear. Level -5.]

[The Quest is automatically accepted.]

Seeing his opponent's panicked expression...

Joseph reckoned that both of them should be in the same circumstances.

Both of their levels should be at Level 1, and all of their skills should be lost apart from the basic skills that one could learn as a new player. Since Joseph was a Mercenary.

He had the skills, [Slice], [Thrust], and [Slash].

These three offensive skills and some movement skills such as, [Roll], [Forward Leap], [Evasion Counterattack], and [Backward Leap]

Even though Joseph didn't know much about some mechanics of Victory...

As the sole winner of the Festival of Battles, Joseph felt confident about his skills.

A light smile appeared on his lips. Earlier, his opponent most certainly had a level that was dozens of times higher than him. Because of that, Joseph didn't have that much of a will to fight apart from the fact that he wanted to cause some trouble to his opponent before he died.

But right now, the tables were even. Furthermore, Joseph had nothing to lose as a Level 1 apart from some Experience so why would he be afraid? He stared directly at his opponent.

His opponent that was clad in black was now revealed in front of him. Earlier, he couldn't quite see his enemy due to his enemy's assimilation with the darkness. But now, he could finally see his opponent clearly.

His opponent, that had the name "Abyssal Flame Master" according to one of the system notifications that Joseph saw earlier held a staff on his right hand. Judging from the wise vibe that his opponent gave off, it was safe to think that his enemy was a Magician.

Even though Magicians were a force to be reckoned with. They were still squishy targets that would absolutely be destroyed in close-quarter combat. Even more so when that Magician's opponent was Joseph that defeated the Great Magician Lilibeth at the Festival of Battles.

Knowing all of these facts, Joseph dramatically relaxed. His posture looked calm and his smile looked leisurely.

It was as if he was facing an enemy that he would surely defeat...

"You... I really want to thank you for giving me such an opportunity..." Abyssal Flame Master said with a smile on his face. He never expected that he could acquire an express ticket towards his goals.

Although he couldn't see what exactly were the rewards offered by the Hidden Quest.

He was certain that once he succeeded, he would surely soar towards the skies and become one of the top-ranked players of Victory.

He stared at his opponent and sneered.

Even though Joseph's movements looked experienced... He couldn't find any technique behind his movements.

In other words, he was still undoubtedly a beginner.

Joseph was a beginner in the game, but not in fighting.

But Victory was a game so, Abyssal Flame Master held the absolute advantage.

But why?

It was because he had richer experience than Joseph when it came to Victory. He believed that he could easily suppress Joseph using his knowledge of the game.

Unfortunately, Abyssal Flame Master never expected that his enemy transcended the common sense that he expected within the game.

"I thank you, too..." Joseph replied with a smile on his face.

He assumed a stance and dashed towards Abyssal Flame Master.

Words were useless in battle, a true fighter talked with their sword!

This was what Abyssal Flame Master thought as he braced himself for his enemy's attack. But what came towards him wasn't a sword.

But a fist...

Pa!

A crisp sound rang out, Joseph's fist that descended turned into a slap.

"What the... What's going on?" Abyssal Flame Master shook his head and he saw his vision swam and darkened. His instincts made him jump backward to retreat as he chanted a Fireball and hurled it at Joseph's direction.

"Sidestep." Joseph stepped to the side and evaded the Fireball. He stretched his hand forwards and flicked a rock towards Abyssal Flame Master's direction.

"A rock? Why is he throwing a rock at me? Why won't he use his sword?" Abyssal Flame Master was in disbelief. But his experience made it so that his disbelief wouldn't turn into panic.

He calmly observed his opponent that used every trick in the book when it comes to...

Wait...

This guy is fighting me like a hooligan!

Abyssal Flame Master screamed inside upon such a realization.

But he still kept his cool as he mumbled.

"He's using every shameless trick that he knows instead of drawing his sword... But why is he doing that?" Abyssal Flame Master didn't even move anymore. He just swayed his body according to the trajectory of the rocks that Joseph continuously threw at him.

An annoyed expression appeared on his face: "Enough is enough... Let's finish this!" He glared at Joseph before silently chanting a spell.

"Your girlfriend left you because your junior is small!" Joseph suddenly insulted him. His chanting came to a halt, and confusion flashed within his eyes.

"What in the actual fuck is he doing?" Abyssal Flame Master's confusion continued. Joseph was a Mercenary, yet why was he acting like a thug on the streets instead of drawing his sword and fighting him using it? Not only that, why did he suddenly insult me?

Sensing the confusion of his enemy. Joseph lightly chuckled to himself. Back at the Festival of Battles, he had an enemy called, "The Spiteful Tongue". Although his insults didn't really have any profound effect on the battle. It caused enough confusion that Joseph found it hard to concentrate.

He couldn't help but chuckle when he remembered how he suffered from the hands of that particular NPC...

Now, it was his enemy's turn to experience what he suffered back then at the Festival of Battles.

He moved forward and sent a punch at his opponent's face. Why was he using his fists instead of his sword, you ask? It was to further increase his enemy's confusion. But why was he trying to confuse his enemy? It was because he wanted to render his enemy's spells obsolete.

Even though both of them were Level 1 and had the same points in all status. Magicians still possessed far powerful attacks due to the special scaling of their spells. For example, a Mercenary's attack dealt on average, about 110% of the player's Attack Damage towards his enemies.

How much damage do Magicians deal through their spells? They deal about 150% of their Magic Attack on average towards their enemies. Of course, the drawback was they needed to chant. They couldn't cast those powerful spells instantaneously.

Abyssal Flame Master jumped backward and chanted. He stared right at Joseph and observed him for any kind of attack that would interrupt his chanting.

Not all attacks could interrupt a Magician's chanting. After all, it wouldn't be nice if a Magician's chanting could be interrupted by a small piece of rock that their enemy hurled at them.

Their chants could only be interrupted by attacks that dealt significant amounts of damage or attacks that had crowd control effects. Including, but not limited to Silence, Stiffness, and Shock.

An attack that dealt a few chunks of damage towards the Magician's Health was enough to interrupt their chanting. Abyssal Flame Master knew this so, he didn't care about his enemy's rock-throwing anymore as he continued his chanting.

After all, what Joseph was throwing were mere pebbles, how could those deal enough damage that could interrupt a Magician's chanting?

But unfortunately, he made a fatal mistake by making this decision.

True, a Magician's chanting couldn't be interrupted by some rocks thrown by their enemy towards them. But that was only true if the Magician had the skill, "Chanting Mastery". Which could only be acquired when a Magician was Level 20.

And what level was the current Abyssal Flame Master at?

He was Level 1.

It meant that anything could interrupt his chanting...

And so...

Joseph took advantage of that opening.

He scooped some dirt and rocks on the floor and hurled it at the Abyssal Flame Master's face.

"Throwing dirt at me? How shameless! But I'm not going to fall to that trick!" Abyssal Flame Master angrily cursed, but he didn't plan on moving and interrupting his own chant. After all, his enemy was just throwing some dirt and rock at him that wouldn't do any significant damage.

Due to that, how could his chanting be interrupted?

After all, he had the...

Wait...

I don't have the "Chanting Mastery"!

Abyssal Flame Master inwardly screamed.

Panic flashed within his eyes, but before he could even move...

The dirt arrived on his face and entered his eyes.

"AAAHHH!!!" He screamed in pain, his vision turned black and he couldn't see anything.

[Significant amount of dirt has entered your eyes. You are blinded for a few seconds!]

[This is caused by a natural phenomenon and so, your skill: Favored by Darkness cannot resist it!]

[You cannot resist!]

His screams turned into the signal that started Joseph's onslaught.

He first approached his enemy and attacked with [Thrust] directly on Abyssal Flame Master's heart.

[You suffered tremendous damage in an instant and your body is in a state of shock.]

[You are stiffened for a few seconds...]

Blindness usually lasts only for a few seconds, so Joseph attacked Abyssal Flame Master's heart and added a Stiffness debuff on top of the Blindness. He pulled his sword out and used, [Slice] at his enemy's neck causing a great deal of blood to spill out from his enemy's carotid artery.

[You suffered tremendous damage!]

[Your skill: Favored by Darkness has resisted Stiffness and Bleeding.]

"AAAAAAH!" Abyssal Flame Master stared right into Joseph when the effect of Blindness disappeared.

Joseph's expression turned serious when he realized that his enemy resisted the effects of Stiffness and Bleeding once again.

"He has a passive resistance to most debuffs? What is going on? I thought we're in an even field?"

Joseph doubted and he widened his distance from his enemy as he revised his strategy.

An enemy that could resist debuffs...

Fighting against such an enemy and emerging victorious was difficult.

But it wasn't impossible.

Joseph believed that if he had enough information about his enemy. He could eventually win. But this wasn't the Festival of Battles where Joseph could just die for the sake of gathering some information and return at a later date. Dying here meant that everything would be over.

This was the first time since fighting the Great Magician Lilibeth that Joseph felt such pressure. The light smile that he had on his face earlier on the fight was now replaced with a bitter one.

Abyssal Flame Master stared at his enemy and found his enemy's heart falter. A light smile appeared on his face as he casually opened his skill tree. What he found within his skill tree shocked him but he quickly recovered and laughed.

"Hahaha..." His laughter made Joseph frown.

"Why are you laughing?" Joseph asked in a cold voice.

"Nothing... It's just, everything is too funny." Abyssal Flame Master replied.

"Funny? What's funny?" Joseph's frown deepened.

"Well, it's funny that I'm trying so hard against such a weakling like you when I could just easily win this fight, get over this and claim my rewards." Abyssal Flame Master replied in a teasing manner. His eyes now filled with pride and arrogance.

Joseph felt confused about the source of Abyssal Flame Master's confidence.

Why was he speaking in such a tone as if he has already won the fight?

"Talk to me like that when you have won," Joseph replied and Abyssal Flame Master laughed out loud.

"Hahaha... This is really too funny... The reason why I am talking at you like this... Is because I have already won!"

Abyssal Flame Master's mocking expression deepened and Joseph couldn't help but feel uneasy. Such a sudden change in the attitude of his enemy meant that he had a solid basis about what he was saying.

But still, he asked...

"You have already won? On what basis?" He asked in a challenging manner.

"On this basis!" Abyssal Flame Master cried out and pointed at Joseph.

A thin line of darkness flew from his fingertip towards Joseph's chest and penetrated his heart.

"Guaaah!" Joseph coughed a mouthful of blood and his body directly fell on the ground.

[You suffered tremendous damage in an instant and your body is in a state of shock.]

[You are stiffened for a few seconds...]

The effects of Stiffened made it so that his body wouldn't move no matter what he did.

"The God that I serve really is the God of Darkness. An even fight? To hell with that! Why should my hard-earned strength be suppressed just for the sake of fighting evenly against a weakling? Hahaha!"

Abyssal Flame Master laughed, he walked towards Joseph and looked down on him from above.

"You are weak... I don't understand why someone like you would have such a privilege of being favored by a God. But still, I must give you my thanks... If not for you, then I wouldn't be able to accomplish my goals faster than what I expected before..."

"Thank you... Really, thank you... As thanks, I must offer your soul to the God of Darkness. Who knows if my compensation becomes better if I did that..." Abyssal Flame Master chuckled and he pointed his finger at Joseph's head.

"Well... This is goodbye." Abyssal Flame Master then silently whispered into the air: "Darkness Beam."

A beam of darkness formed on his fingertip, but before it could fly and struck its enemy. A scream of desperation rang out and shook Abyssal Flame Master's body to its core.

[You heard a devastating cry of desperation. You are shocked to the core by the scream and your body is unconditionally stiffened for three seconds.]

[You cannot resist.]

"That strange skill again?!"