Chapter 714 - The Tank Advances
—Second round, second match, B-Block: [Wolf Pack & Heavy Tank] vs. [Great Tiger & Twin Fists].
Following the match that many considered an accident, this was a matchup between the tag team of the second-ranked members of the North and South, considered the next 'no-go' pair, and the two martial artists from the North and East who had brilliantly won their first match.
And so, three shadows danced upon the stage.
The [Great Tiger] wielding his spear, and the [Twin Fists] throwing his punches. Despite being a hastily formed team, their individual, extraordinary senses allowed them to display a seamless coordination, as if they had been comrades for years—
And facing them alone, dancing on equal footing, was the small figure of the [Heavy Tank].
"—Hah…! K-kiiiii… tough…!"
The rushing spear, the roaring fist—the pitch-black arcs drawn by his flashing twin short swords parried them all.
Without a moment to breathe, without a moment to blink, Uni, who continued to perform at his absolute limits, cheerfully shouted how 'impossible' it was—but as everyone watching knew.
"—Seriously, this guy…!"
"—…!"
The ones having a hard time were the 'enemies' attacking with a numerical advantage.
Though his frontal spear thrust was easily deflected by the short sword, with its 'disguised' super-heavy weight property, it was merely the opening move and a feint in their coordinated attack.
His crown's power, unleashed from the start of the match just like in the first round, was already at full power and in its second stage. The invisible great jaws had reached the state of [Toragasan], and even the law-defying [Starfall Twin Black Steel] would take some damage from its extraordinary power.
While not enough to clash evenly, it transmitted an impact that couldn't be ignored, causing the [Heavy Tank]'s hand to lift—switch. The fighter who had slipped past his partner from behind unleashed a punch so fast it couldn't be seen, and at the same time, the sound of a cannon roared.
It was the two of them who grimaced.
The right fist of the [Twin Fists] was knocked upward, unable to continue its straight path. And the body of the [Great Tiger] was sent flying, letting out a cry of anguish… The [Heavy Tank] looked on.
"—P-phaaaaah…!"
He let out a breath that sounded genuinely pained, as if he were dying, while smiling wickedly under his crown.
He held two short swords in his hands, but Uni carried four weapons. That is, two blades and two 'cannons'… the fingers of both his hands, which housed the enhancement effect [Pygmalion, Dwarf Gunner] from his unique title, 'Heavy Tank.'
The invisible cannonballs, generated by the universal 'power' he absorbed and accumulated, were a lethal weapon that could be fired from his fingertips at his will, exceeding the speed of sound for an instantaneous hit.
Furthermore, as another wicked characteristic,
"Guh… [Truth's—"
"—Like I'd let you!"
That which pierced the earth and shattered steel was a recoilless cannon that was not bound by its power. In other words, even this finishing blow, which could be activated with the mere movement of a fingertip—had no post-attack recovery.
He threw his left sword, using a weight camouflage.
With his right arm thrown up along with his body by the cannon blast, the [Twin Fists] was sent flying high into the air. Before he could land, and before the incantation for his troublesome crown could be completed.
The thrown blade headed straight for the center of his chest—the critical point.
There was no way to block the blade that feigned extraordinary weight, no way to parry it, and no time to evade. Thus, Genkotsu's split-second decision to throw out his left arm was, without a doubt, the best possible move in that moment—
"[Regalias]!"
"—Guh… mgh…!"
However, it only served as a life-extending measure that barely increased the options for the South's second-ranked member as he moved in for the kill.
With one of the [Starfall Twin Black Steel] blades embedded in his left arm, the fighter fell, exposed to its feigned super-heavy weight and the power that drained his agility in proportion to his avatar's vitality.
And then,
"Sorry, Genkotsu—I win this time."
The small warrior, dancing ferociously, pointed his 'cannon' at the fallen man without mercy or compassion.
"'Full Burst.'"
He unleashed everything he had, eliminating his enemy without hesitation.
Because the successive roars violently shook the stage, the stunned silence of the audience seemed to be emphasized as it reached Uni's ears… but he shook his head as if to say it couldn't be helped.
It wasn't as if he was rampaging at full power for no reason.
"Alrighty… one more to go. Are you ready, Tora?"
"Gah… Well now. What's gotten into you? You're more fired up than I've ever seen ya."
"Aha, well, you know. The number one showed off, and the number three showed off, so—"
It was a simple matter.
"The number two has to look cool, too, you know?"
"…………What's that supposed to mean?"
Secretly, but surely, the one who valued his 'position' more than anyone else had let his pride run wild… and that was all. It was just something that happens.
Meanwhile, behind the small, ferocious warrior.
"—Owah… PvP players are terrifying after all…"
The [Wolf Pack], who had been supporting his partner without directly intervening or showing his hand, let out a dazed voice as he casually…
Foretelling the end of the match, he called back the countless presences around him to himself.
The meaning of remaining rank #2 with an ability that excels in PvP.
What I'm trying to say is that the idiot who fought this on sight in the 10th Four Pillar War and the idiot who challenged and defeated it head-on are both, quite simply, insane.