Kurogiri’s smirk was as sharp as his blades as he spoke, his voice dripping with false camaraderie. "What an unfortunate coincidence... but aside from this little mishap, could you give us a hand?"
Hayato’s eyes narrowed as he surveyed the scene. TAKASH1 stood firm, his shield raised, eyes locked on Kurogiri. Hayato could feel the tension crackling in the air, the anticipation of battle weighing on his shoulders. "A hand? If I’m not mistaken, there can only be one winner… and there are two of you. Shouldn’t I be helping him instead?" He tilted his head slightly towards TAKASH1, gauging his options.
Kurogiri chuckled, his tone sly and condescending. "You really say that after witnessing this scene? Let me rephrase the question… What’s the bigger obstacle to your victory? An old, tired assassin and a blind, inexperienced sniper..."
"I already told you I hate it when you call me that!" Nagareboshi snapped, her pride flaring up. She quickly corrected her stance, tightening her grip on her rifle.
"Or that monster over there?" Kurogiri finished, ignoring her outburst and nodding toward TAKASH1.
Hayato’s expression hardened as he drew his sword, turning his attention to TAKASH1. His mind was clouded with a mix of anger and resignation. He had seen TAKASH1 fight—his skill was undeniable, and Hayato knew that taking him down would be no easy feat.
It doesn’t matter if it’s fair or not, he thought bitterly. In the end, I just need to win.
Kurogiri grinned, his voice taking on a mocking tone. "Time to hunt the monster."
TAKASH1 raised his shield, preparing for the onslaught. Hayato remained still, his face reflecting his inner turmoil, while Kurogiri and Nagareboshi moved swiftly to flank TAKASH1.
Eliminate the biggest threat first, then take care of the other two—simple, Hayato told himself, trying to ignore the knot in his stomach.
But before any of them could make a move, the GM Boss appeared, his presence as imposing as ever. The flames around them crackled and roared, trapping the four combatants in a fiery ring with no escape. The GM Boss stood motionless, seemingly uninterested in attacking, his gaze sweeping over the group.
"Well, well… The last player stuck in the forest fire has been eliminated," the GM Boss announced, his voice carrying an ominous calm. "Congratulations, you are the finalists."
Kurogiri clicked his tongue in irritation. "Tsk, way to ruin the fun."
TAKASH1, who had been ready to fight, relaxed his stance slightly, his expression determined. "It was never my intention to win by outlasting everyone else."
The GM Boss hummed in response, a hint of amusement in his tone. Without warning, he raised his staff and unleashed a massive fireball directly at TAKASH1. The warrior barely had time to raise his shield, deflecting the fireball’s trajectory, but the force of the impact was immense, and half of TAKASH1’s health bar vanished in an instant.
Hayato’s eyes widened at the sheer power of the attack, but he didn’t hesitate. The GM Boss's health was already down to 76%, having taken significant damage from other players during the event. Hayato knew he had to act quickly to make an impact. Charging forward, he dodged another fireball by using his dash skill, his movements fluid and precise. In a flash, he managed to land a glancing blow on the GM Boss, reducing its HP further to 74% as he rolled to safety.
Kurogiri, watching from a distance, chuckled under his breath. "Hmm, you’re better than I expected."
He and Nagareboshi had taken cover behind the remaining trees, observing the unfolding battle with keen interest.
The GM Boss, seemingly impressed, turned his attention back to the group. "It appears I have two capable finalists… as for the other two, they don’t seem very motivated. I think I’ll start by removing their hiding spots."
With a sweeping motion of his staff, the GM Boss launched a crescent-shaped wind spell slicing through the air, cutting down all the trees in the area where Kurogiri and Nagareboshi were hiding. Kurogiri leaped into the air, while Nagareboshi threw herself to the ground to avoid the spell.
Seizing the opportunity, Hayato rushed in from behind while TAKASH1 attacked from the side. But just before they could reach him, the GM Boss slammed his staff into the ground, creating a shockwave that sent them both flying. TAKASH1 managed to anchor himself by driving his sword into the ground, staying within striking distance of the GM Boss. The Boss responded by striking the ground again, raising a stone pillar beneath him that lifted him high into the air.
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The GM Boss looked down at the players with a disdainful sneer. "It saddens me to see such failure in the finals… Not that any of you could kill me anyway," he said, his gaze lingering on Kurogiri.
Anger flashed in Kurogiri’s eyes for the first time as he spat back, "Failures?"
"You’ve killed many participants up to this point," the GM Boss continued, "but few of them fought back. Deception is the tool of the weak."
Kurogiri’s fists clenched, his voice seething with anger. "I see. So why don’t you disqualify me then?"
The GM Boss gave a cold smile. "I didn’t witness it myself, but it seems you understand the rules well… However, nothing prevents me from correcting that now."
"Miss!" Kurogiri called out sharply, his tone suddenly serious.
Nagareboshi rolled her eyes but readied her rifle. "I already told you I hate it when you call me that."
Kurogiri grinned, his earlier anger replaced by his usual mischievousness. "Time to show him that his greatest failure will be underestimating us. Let’s fight!"
"It’s about time," Nagareboshi replied, a smirk on her lips. "I was getting tired of waiting."
Nagareboshi sprinted in the opposite direction of Kurogiri, firing off several shots at the GM Boss. One bullet found its mark, causing the GM Boss to step onto the edge of the pillar to dodge the next shot. TAKASH1 saw his chance and used his shield bash ability, slamming his shield into the pillar and causing the GM Boss to lose his balance and fall to the ground (HP 56%).
As the GM Boss got to his feet, Hayato was already upon him, slashing at his neck (HP 51%). The GM Boss stumbled back, attempting to use his repulsion skill to drive them away, but Hayato ducked low just as Nagareboshi fired three precise shots at his head (HP 45%). Kurogiri moved in from behind, but the GM Boss managed to teleport to safety before he could land his strike.
The GM Boss reappeared a short distance away, his expression now one of irritation. "I suppose I’ll have to take this more seriously."
Hayato, Kurogiri, and TAKASH1 wasted no time, rushing toward the GM Boss in unison while Nagareboshi searched for a better vantage point. The GM Boss raised his staff and unleashed the same massive fireball from earlier. TAKASH1 sprinted ahead, raising his shield and deflecting the fireball into the sky, this time without taking damage.
"That won’t work anymore," TAKASH1 said, his voice steady.
The GM Boss frowned, launching a barrage of ice spikes in response. Kurogiri, unable to keep up the pace, fell back, using his daggers to block the incoming spikes. Hayato pressed on, gritting his teeth as a few of the spikes grazed him, but he ignored the damage and delivered a deep slash to the GM Boss’s chest.
The GM Boss slammed his staff into the ground, creating another shockwave. TAKASH1, who was closer this time, anchored himself with his shield and grabbed Hayato’s arm with his free hand, pulling him behind the shield as he charged forward. Hayato emerged from behind the shield and used his thrust skill, driving his sword into the GM Boss’s chest. Kurogiri leaped over the GM Boss, landing a precise cut on his neck as he landed behind him. In a desperate move, the GM Boss swung his staff like a club at Hayato, but Nagareboshi shot his hand, stopping the attack. TAKASH1 followed up by striking the staff with his shield, sending it flying into the air.
The three converged on the GM Boss from different angles, their blades and bullets tearing into him. With his health reduced to a mere 5%, the GM Boss teleported away. Reappearing some distance from them, he began to form another massive fireball.
TAKASH1 quickly moved in front of the others, ready to block the attack, but just before the GM Boss could release the spell, he teleported again, this time directly in front of Nagareboshi. With no time to react, she took the fireball point-blank and was eliminated instantly.
The three remaining fighters stared in shock as Nagareboshi’s form disintegrated before their eyes.
"Dual abilities? You’ve got to be kidding me," Kurogiri growled, frustration evident in his voice.
The GM Boss began to teleport rapidly, launching ice spikes each time he reappeared, making it impossible for anyone to get close. With each teleport, he stayed just out of reach, continuously wearing them down. Hayato’s health was reduced to 20%, TAKASH1 to 15%, and Kurogiri to 18%. The shrinking red zone was closing in fast, leaving the GM Boss with less space to teleport.
Finally, the GM Boss made a critical error, teleporting too close to Kurogiri. Without hesitation, Kurogiri lunged forward, driving his dagger into the GM Boss’s left foot, preventing him from teleporting again. The GM Boss struggled to free himself, panic setting in as he saw the other two closing in.
Desperately, the GM Boss launched another fireball at Kurogiri, finishing him off. But Kurogiri’s death was not immediate, his body lingering for a couple of seconds due to the teleportation delay. His dagger remained lodged in the GM Boss’s foot, holding him in place.
The GM Boss quickly fired another fireball at Hayato and TAKASH1, who were charging side by side. Realizing he couldn’t block it in time, TAKASH1 threw himself in front of the attack, taking the full brunt of the damage to protect Hayato.
With one final, determined strike, Hayato rushed forward and slashed the GM Boss across the middle, splitting him in two. The GM Boss’s body fell forward, his final sight being Kurogiri, still in the process of teleporting, lying face down but flipping him off with a smirk.
As the GM Boss’s body disintegrated, the forest fire extinguished, and the red zone vanished. Fireworks lit up the night sky, celebrating the event’s conclusion. Hayato stood alone in the now peaceful clearing, his breath heavy, his mind reeling from the realization that he had won.
A system message flashed across his vision: Raylight now wields Lightning.
Hayato stood still, his breath heavy as the announcement lit up before him. The reality of his victory didn’t immediately register—he was still lost in the adrenaline of the fight, his mind replaying the last moments in slow motion. It wasn’t until the fireworks erupted in the night sky, signaling the end of the event, that it finally began to sink in. He had won.
The weight of the realization hit him all at once, and he felt a mix of exhaustion and relief wash over him. For a moment, he simply stared at the message, letting the magnitude of his achievement settle in. Finally, Hayato exhaled, a small, almost disbelieving smile forming on his lips as the intensity of the battle slowly faded from his mind.