The Grand Duelist

[Your Party Member, Mervin has succumbed to his wounds and died.]

This system notification simultaneously appeared in front of everyone from the Pro-NPC Alliance. 

Their figures visibly trembled, and their eyes widened in shock. Some of them even forgot to dodge the attacks coming for them and they flew backward in pain when the attacks struck.

"Mervin died?" After a murmur of disbelief. Jun Santos swiftly dismissed the notification in front of him before turning to glance at the hill right behind them.

Afterwards, he turned to look at Vanessa and it turned out that she was also looking at him.

The gazes of the two met in mid-air and they nodded in tacit understanding.

"Squad Bravo, control enemy main segment. Half of Squad Alpha will gather."

Jun Santos gave his commands and the movements of everyone from the Pro-NPC Alliance suddenly changed.

Xueyue and Laica who were locked in an intense dogfight against Emily and Sean momentarily glanced at each other before nodding their heads in understanding.

They jumped back and retreated.

"What's wrong? What's wrong? What's wrong, what's wrong?! Why are both of you retreating! I'm not done yet!" Sean hurriedly rushed at the two. 

"Impudent!" Xueyue coldly spat and she intercepted Sean's Axe before kicking him right at his chest, sending him flying backward.

"Do you really think that something like that is enough to stop me?!" Sean rushed once again, but this time.

It was Emily who stopped him on his tracks.

"Wait..."

"Huh? Why are you blocking me? Are you one of them?" Sean glared at Emily. 

"What are you saying?" Emily couldn't help but facepalm in the face of Sean's simplicity. Sean was always a simple young man who craved a passionate, and intense fight. This was the reason why the members of the Pro-NPC Alliance said that she was indeed suitable for the Destroyer class.

"Stand back! Let me crush these bastards!"

Sean shoved Emily to the side before rushing towards Xueyue and Laica.

Emily could only glare at Sean from behind before she decided to retreat and group up with Vladimir.

She decided that for the immature Sean to learn, he must first experience the pain of failure.

After all, even though she understood that Sean was a strong player.

Either Xueyue and Laica could easily compare to him, so in other words...

He'd be overwhelmed soon.

"Take this!" Sean leaped into the air and slammed his gigantic Axe in between Laica and Xueyue.

Bang!

A great explosion occurred.

Earth itself was torn as Xueyue and Laica gnashed their teeth in frustration.

"What an annoying guy!" They glanced at each other and nodded in mutual understanding.

"Diri sa atong kalibutan, ang nagsulat ra gyuy pinakagwapo..." Laica started preparing a spell while Xueyue stood in front of her.

"Storm of Vengeance." Xueyue activated a skill and the dark energy of the night gathered around her daggers. The night further boosted the effects of her skill which gave her more confidence in facing a powerful Destroyer like Sean. 

Assassin-type classes like the Keeper of the Night had stats comparable to a Hunter. Although they couldn't be considered as glass cannons like other classes that had the Magician class as its foundation. They were still squishy targets and could easily die if caught by their enemies. 

Of course, their burst damage was overwhelming.

Even a Crusader couldn't compare against them in that department.

But all of that didn't matter if they couldn't even touch their enemies. What use was their potential DPS if they couldn't even land their attacks anyways?

The intensity of the darkness that enveloped Xueyue's dagger further intensified. 

When Sean's attack neared her. She raised her dagger and blocked the gigantic Axe.

Clang!

"Now!" Xueyue cried out. 

"Imprisonment of the Mystics!" Laica screamed from behind and a magic circle appeared underneath Sean.

"You..." Sean's eyes widened in shock.

He didn't expect that Laica would complete her chanting this fast.

"You weren't preparing an attack?" He blurted out. The reason why he went for Xueyue who was the closest to him was that he thought that Laica was preparing for a powerful attack which would take too long to chant.

However, he didn't expect that Laica would instead prepare a skill with an excellent crowd control effect.

Something that could restrict, even a Destroyer like him.

"Roaaar!" Sean raised his head and unleashed an animalistic scream.

[You cannot resist.]

"Shit! Why can't I escape? Emily! Where are you? Come and help me here!" Sean violently cursed.

Afterwards, he turned to look at Emily's original location and requested her help.

But unfortunately, he found her missing.

"Fucking hell, that woman was sent here to sabotage me!" 

"Healers! What the fuck are you doing! Purify me!" 

Sean fiercely turned his head to look at the direction of the healers, but he was once again astonished when he found them missing.

"What is going on? Where are the healers?" Sean uttered in shock.

"You do not have to look for them... They are already dead..."

Xueyue's cold voice was the reply that he got.

Afterwards, Xueyue appeared right in front of him with her dagger ready to plunge deep into his chest.

Behind Xueyue was Laica, slowly preparing a spell.

"I really can't believe that someone as naive and a simpleton like you can become a member of the so-called Crimson Guild. Are they only keeping you because of your comedic value?" Xueyue coldly mocked.

Sean revealed a wronged expression: "Of course not! I'm also useful! They hired me not only for my jokes. But also because I am strong!" His face looked like he wouldn't rest until Xueyue understood the reason why he was in the Crimson Guild.

A strange expression appeared on Xueyue's face, 'Does he not realize that I am mocking him? He even took my question seriously... What a strange man.' She thought to herself. But Xueyue wouldn't spare him just because he piqued her interest.

In the next moment, her dagger was already moving and was now about to stab deep into Sean's chest.

But then suddenly...

A flash of light appeared behind her and she found herself unable to move.

"Yue!" Laica's scream rang out from behind, but it was soon silenced. 

"You see... I can't let you keep mocking our precious Sean like that... Someone like you that does not know of his worth, shouldn't even speak anything against him!" Vladimir's voice appeared from behind and Xueyue found herself floating in the air. Vladimir was holding her neck.

But immediately after, she rapidly descended as Vladimir violently slammed her, headfirst onto the ground.

"Guah!"

Xueyue coughed a mouthful of blood.

But Vladimir wasn't finished yet...

He grabbed Xueyue once again and raised her above his head.

"You see... Sean has that incredibly rare skill called, Rally To Me. It's a skill that could let several people that he chose to instantly teleport by his side without any channeling or cast time..."

Bang!

Vladimir once again slammed Xueyue onto the ground.

More blood shot out like a fountain from Xueyue's mouth as she groaned in pain.

But Vladimir wasn't done yet...

"It's such a cheat, right? But that is the reason why Sean is within our guild..."

Bang!

"But of course..."

Bang!"

"Apart from being our bait against the other guilds due to how simple-minded he is..."

Bang!

"He's also very useful for he's a decent Destroyer... You know?!"

Bang!

"Atomic Bomb!" 

Vladimir leaped into the air, hugged Xueyue's body, and then hurled her back onto the ground before kicking her stomach with a kick that started upwards and descended powerfully onto her stomach.

"GUAAAH!"

Blood dripped from Xueyue's seven orifices. 

Braum who saw what happened in the distance rushed at Vladimir's side in raging fury and anger.

"VLADIMIR! HOW DARE YOU HARM MY WIFE?!"

Vladimir made a sidelong glance at Braum and chuckled, "Oh, Braum? Took you long enough to notice. But now, do you understand how stupid you are for choosing such a niche class like that Spirit Dancer?"

"Hahaha, you really are hilarious. You can't even dance properly, yet you chose that class?"

"Emily, you go and handle him."

"Yes, sir."

Emily who was fighting against Laica nodded her head before proceeding to move towards Braum.

Braum's expression right now was terrifying.

Even Emily couldn't help but gulp a mouthful of saliva.

Braum's solemn visage, along with the fact that he was bald, reminded Emily of a certain protagonist from an anime whose main character one-shots everyone with a punch.

"I... I'm not going to be obliterated in a single punch too, right?"

Emily felt that what she was thinking was ridiculous.

How could a mere Spirit Dancer one-shot a Tempest like her?

In fact, maybe she was the one that would instantly kill him with a single kick.

"Stormy Kick!"

Emily rushed at Braum and unleashed a hurricane of kicks that anyone would find it hard to defend against.

But...

Pa! pa! pa!

Crisp sounds repeatedly rang out as Braum's hands turned into a blur.

He defended himself against Emily's kick without even stopping in his tracks.

"What are you doing, Emily? Stop him!" Vladimir noticed what was going on and he couldn't help but be angry.

As a Grappler, Vladimir could only suppress a single enemy. If he wanted to suppress Braum, then he must first let go of Xueyue whose class was Keeper of the Night.

Something like that must not happen for an Assassin-type Class was far terrifying than a player whose Main Class was a Spirit Dancer.

Emily knitted her eyebrows. She had thrown at least several dozens of kicks by now, and even though most of her attacks were blocked by Braum.

Some of them still managed to land...

But the sensation that she felt from her feet when her kicks landed on Braum's body was comparable to kicking a steel plate.

Braum's body was as hard as steel.

"You..." Emily whispered in shock.

"Are you really a Spirit Dancer?"

Braum turned to look at her... The same solemn expression plastered on his face.

"What a foolish question. Of course, I am a Spirit Dancer... How about you, are you really a Tempest?"

Emily's pupils constricted.

Anger flashed on her face and she rushed at Braum without saying anything.

"You want to know if I'm really a Tempest? I'll show you!"

"Dance of a Tempest!"

A greenish light of nature surrounded Emily's body. Her eyes flashed with the same light, as she leaped into the air and unleashed a barrage of kicks at Braum's body that almost couldn't be seen by the naked eye.

"Heh... Are you really kicking me? Are you sure that you're not trying to tickle me?"

Braum uttered these words in cold disdain when Emily's attack ended.

"You... Just what are you?"

Braum's expression finally changed when he heard Emily's question.

"I am nothing, but a husband that dances for a hobby."

"But before I became like this..."

"I was a world-renowned Champion of the popular virtual game, Tekkin."

"And in that game..."

"My main was none other than Eddy Giordano!"

Braum then took a stance and stood imposingly in front of Emily.

"I'll show you how strong Spirit Dancers really are!"

...

Meanwhile, near the carriage...

Joseph received a message from Jun Santos and then he decisively left the carriage while carrying Alice on his shoulders.

His expression revealed nothing but determination as he ran towards the direction of the Forbidden Region. Leaving the members of the Pro-NPC Alliance to fend off against the forces of the Crimson Guild.

'"I will remember this debt!" Joseph exclaimed to himself.