Jack’s speed had originally been less than Red Death’s. So when both of them were afflicted by the Disoriented status, the difference between their speed stayed the same. Red Death slowly put more distance from Jack. With great difficulty, she finally managed to break out from Arcane Turbulence’s area of effect. At that time, she was three meters away from Jack.
When she thought she was finally free, Jack swung her blade as a crescent light shot out.
Sword of Light!
Red Death had seen his hand movement before it swung. She had also seen the execution of this skill when Jack killed Warpath in the past. Thus she could predict the Sword of Light’s trajectory and made an appropriate evasive move.
The crescent light passed by her as she jumped to the side. But before she could heave a sigh of relief, Jack suddenly appeared before her using Flash Step. Jack’s Flesh Step was at level 3 and could cover a distance of 2.5 meters.
The instant movement caught her by surprise while she was still in the air. Jack kicked at her airborne legs and caused her body to flip. He then slashed at her while she fell. She was helpless as she was in the air, she had no foothold to perform a dodge. Jack had prepared to make a rapid second slash in case his slash swerved away from its target due to the Disoriented status, but luckily his slash hit.
Red Death was already wounded from Jack’s spell, and this slash further brought her HP to a critical. She would not survive another hit. Jack pointed the tip of his sword right at her neck once her back hit the ground.
She was pinned down. If she forced herself up, the sword would graze her and took her life.
“What’s the meaning of this?” She asked.
“It means I win,” Jack replied with a smile.
“Didn’t we agree that we fight until one of us perish?”
“You said that. I never agree to the rule. Of course, if you are so intent on dying. You can choose to be stubborn and force yourself up.”
Red Death was silent for a while as her gaze stayed on Jack.
“Fine, I lost,” she finally said. “But you will regret letting me live.”
“Perhaps. We will see about that.”
Jack removed his sword from her neck and stepped back. She pushed herself up as she took out a recovery potion to replenish her critical HP. Jack did the same.
“Don’t expect me to feel indebted to you for this. I will still kill you in the future,” she said before turning away.
“You are welcomed to try,” Jack said as he watched her departing back. He then walked back to where his friends were.
The leaders of the coalition did not find the result too surprising, as they had tasted Jack’s fearsomeness for themselves. White Scarfs and Saint Edge groups were slightly solemn. They had known a bit about Jack’s prowess but they had not directly witnessed Jack’s battle with the coalition. They were still reserved about their predictions on this match when it started. The independent players who did not know Jack, on the other hand, were completely blown away. They could not understand how this unknown player could defeat Death Associates’ well-known expert.
Even Jeanny herself was slightly taken aback by Jack’s display of prowess. The fight had only lasted for a short time, but it had been intense. The two challengers had both displayed unknown skills with profound executions.
“I didn’t know your friend to be so impressive,” Viral Cora said to her.
When Jack arrived at where his friends were, The Man exclaimed, “that was awesome, boss!”
Bowler, on the contrary, was expressing a rather sulky face.
“Someone dies when I was away?” Jack asked him after seeing his face.
“I don’t understand why you let her live. She will surely be a problem in the future,” he expressed his opinion.
“Oh, so that’s what you are brooding about,” Jack said. “Don’t worry. I will deal with her again if she causes trouble.”
“I still think it is unwise. You should have pulled out the roots when you have the chance, less the weeds will come back again.”
“Crap! I was expecting this from John. Are you trying to act smart?” Jack said to Bowler.
John joined in when he heard his name was mentioned, “indeed, coming from you, it does sound a bit second-rate.”
“Go f**k yourself!” Bowler said to him.
John acted like he did not hear him, he was speaking to Jack already, “retard as he is, he still spoke some sense. You should have just eliminated her when you have the chance. You have always killed the other challengers, why show mercy this time?”
The Man was holding Bowler who was trying to lunge at John.
Jack pondered John’s question for a bit before answering, “well, I guess I never really bothered about the other challengers, since they were too weak. I simply kill them since I thought it won’t make any difference. They will still be weak even if I let them go, so it is the same if I just kill them. While for her, I think you have mistaken my letting her go as a show of mercy. I just felt pity if a player as strong as her is killed and her growth is slowed due to it. I might not be able to enjoy another exciting fight like just now.”
Bowler immediately gave his response, “are you for real, bro? It is precisely because she is powerful that you should have killed her, in order to remove a future thorn. People might see you as weak for letting her go.”
“Heh, in my opinion. Not letting her go instead is the act of a weak person,” Jack exclaimed. “Only a weak person will try to remove all the difficulties just to pave an easy path forward. I’m not afraid of those that I have beaten to become a threat to me in the future.”
“You don’t? I clearly remember the story about you killing Warpath,” John said. “Ain’t that you removing a future threat?”
“Firstly, that guy was super annoying. He kept on insulting me for no particular reason as if he was the best player in the world. Secondly, I do admit I was still not particularly confident at that time. We have just arrived in this world not long, all of us were still learning the ropes. Hell, we still are now. But at least now I have a better idea of how to keep on improving in this world.”
“So you are saying you are pretty confident now?” John asked.
“Hell yeah, I am!” Jack declared strongly. “I feel like I am back to my old self.”
“Who is your old self? What is your nick in past gaming?”
“Who I am in the past is not important,” Jack avoided the question.
“What about Scarface then?” Bowler said, “You seemed to be very keen on killing him the last time you fought with him.”
“Dude, that was a battle. This is a duel. Big difference. We fought fair and square here.”
“So you are just gonna let her or other experts throw you another challenge next time?”
“A strong person will not be afraid of challenges! If she dares to challenge me again, I will accept her challenge any time and I will whoop her ass again! Only cowards fear the losers for overtaking them in the future. I am confident that I will stay ahead of her even in the future! I will pull even further ahead and… What’s wrong with your eyes?”
Bowler slumped down his shoulders, he had been trying to give Jack a signal using his eyes. He said with a helpless expression, “bro… she is still there.”
Jack turned around and saw Red Death who was glaring at him. “Oops,” he said. “I’m sorry, I thought you have left. Please don’t mind what I’ve said just now, it was the heat of the moment.”
Bowler facepalmed. Were those words supposed to make her feel any better?
Red Death did not respond. She looked away and really left this time. The coalition people followed her and left as well.
Hm… was she angry? Jack wondered.
The coalition leaders were silent as they left the clearing. When they entered the woods, some players came out of hiding from behind the trees to meet them. The ones leading them were Bigarm and Stonecleave.
Warpath was also amongst the hiding troops, he had deliberately taking the position close to the dueling ground, allowing him to watch the duel. He was especially irked to see Jack took down Red Death using a finishing move exactly the same as when Jack took him down. The difference was Jack didn’t slay her.
“Should we mount an attack?” Bigarm asked.
“No, there were too many people there. White Scarfs and Saint Edge might have people in hiding too,” Scarface told them.
“You are still scheming behind my back,” Red Death said.
“It was only a precautionary measure,” Scarface replied. “I let you have your duel. However, I never say I would let go of a chance to take him down after the duel if an opportunity arises. You should be familiar with our way. We strike when our enemies show weakness.”
“Hmph, I did not say I disapprove,” Red Death uttered. She was quiet for a while before saying, “you could see from our fight just now. At first, we thought he was simply a lucky player who encountered special items that gave him high attributes ahead of others, but it is obvious now he was not an amateur player.”
“Yes, I have caught glimpses of it during our battle with him at Crestfall Plain,” Scarface agreed. “But it was after witnessing this duel that I truly realized his capability. It will become more difficult to deal with him in the future…”
