158 Initial Clash of Peak Experts

... The WolfKin Master Berserker in front of Lawless' group is wearing a capital letter 'M' on the left side of his chest, indicating that he is a member of one of the Powerhouse Guild based on the Holy City, the Miracle Guild. But this guy is not an ordinary member of the guild, because he is the officer-in-charge of the Miracle Guild branch here in Holy City and a famous Godlike Player, the `Royal God` Azacel. He is a Godlike Player famous for his cunning styles and way of fighting.  Originally he is addressed as `Cunning God`, but he shamelessly called himself as `Royal God` since most of the Godlike Players of the Miracle Guild have majestic title unlike him. The people only accepted his title when he brutally slaughtered three equally famous Godlike Players all by himself. Behind Azacel is another pair of Titled Rankers. They are Azacel's trusted aides, the `Hunting Brothers`. Azacel left stood a WorlKin Master Hunter; he is holding his dual-daggers in a reverse-hand grip manner while looking fiercely at Lawless' group. He is `Grimgaw`, the `Life Ripper`. On the other hand, a TigerKin Master Hunter is silently standing on Azacel's right side. There are a pair shortswords hanging on each side of waist. This guy is known as the `Brutal Killer` Sabertooth. These two brothers are very strong pair of Titled Rankers. And even if they are slightly weaker than the Godlike Players, they are still able to hold themselves against them. In fact, these two are quite a famous duo. They are able to take down some Godlike Players when the two of them teaming up with each other. Meanwhile, there is another group behind Azacel's. And they are from Skyline Guild this time. One of them is a Swordmaster with a greatsword hanging on his back. This guy had a quite ordinary aura, but when Lawless saw the face of the man, he can't help himself but to turn even more serious. This Swordmaster is one of the famous swordsmen in the entire gaming world. He is even ranked 17th on the Greatest Swordsmen List of the All-Gamers' List, the `Sky God` Rayford. `Why the heck is this guy here? I thought 'Kashino' is the one managing the Skyline branch on this Kingdom.` Thought Lawless while looking cautiously at Rayford. Then Lawless turned his eyes at man standing beside Rayford. And when he finally saw who it is, and confirm the identity of the guy, the expression on his face become even more solemn. The man standing beside Rayford is another great swordsman. And this guy is even in a higher ranking than Rayford. He is Credo, the Swordsman that is placed on the 13th rank of the Greatest Swordsmen List, and bore the title of `Heavenly God`. Even if Credo is a Paladin, he is still recognized as one of the greatest swordsmen because of his skillful swordsmanship. And he is the initiator of the swordsman-paladin play style. "I guess you can already recognize us since we are not wearing any concealment cloaks. Then how about you remove your cloaks too? At least give us some face," Said by Azacel while looking at Lawless. "Tsk! As if we are going to give you face when you can't even fight fairly," Replied Lawless. Azacle raise one of his brows before saying. "Is that so? Well, it is too bad then-..." Then is Lawless immediately cut in and said. "Enough with the chit-chatting, and stop buying time for your people to regroup, I know how play so stop pretending." Azacel clicked his tongue before replying. "Looks like you are an Old Soul. I wonder who you are. But since you don't want to waste much time, then let's get down to business. But aren't you in the losing side now? We have the quality after all." Lawless smirks after hearing those words. Especially because read Faker's message. Faker: The other side is clear. Let me join the party now. I'll take Credo as my opponent. I pretty much itching to find a suitable to test some of my new skills. In fact, Faker arrived here for quite some time already. He just didn't reveal himself because he wants to observe how things will work. But when he saw Credo and Rayford on the group, he can't help but to join on this upcoming battle. Then Lawless added Faker on the party once again before replying to Azacel. "You can never be sure at the result unless one of the sides really won. And who knows if you really have that so-called quality." After that, Lawless gave an order on the party chat channel. Lawless: Faker will take on Credo while you can leave Azacel to me. Hayden, Stephanie and Morgan will face the `Hunting Brothers`. Miss Charlotte can take Rayford, right? Charlotte replied with `No Problem` while the other three, on the other hand, just nodded their heads as conformation. The same time that Lawless was giving some orders, Azacel's group is also deciding on who are they going to pick as their opponents. Azacel: Leave that Berserker to me. Let me teach him a lesson. You guys can take whatever you want. Rayford: Then let me take on the Elementalist girl. Credo: I'm going to join the fun if that Twilight didn't appear. You guys can take on the other guys. Grimgaw: Tsk! This is not fun. Why are the weaker ones left to us? Sabertooth: Because we are the weakest here. …. The next moment became a complete silence. The two groups looked at each other as if they are doing some kind of mental-image battle. And this also the time when Shin arrived at the scene, he looked at the details of the opposing group to see how strong they are. But the moment he saw their `Player Recognition` on their details, he can't help himself but to have a shiver on his spine. The two Hunters have a `Player Recognition` of `Highly-Titled` while the other three are all Godlike Players.  One look at their titles and Shin knew that his is not hi battlefield. He might get lucky earlier when he is fighting against Vega, but if got involved this fight then can already saw himself being beaten so badly by any of those guys. Shin looked left and right to make sure that there are no other enemies on the vicinity before spreading his spying stones around. This is are rare opportunity so he needs to make sure that can get the most of the benefits he can get on this battle, especially that he can see that the other side have a pair powerful swordsmen on them, and maybe he can even learn some of their battle styles too. .... …Going back to the group... The atmosphere is starting to reach to its peak, and when it achieved its boiling point, an imaginary spark suddenly appeared in the middle of the group. And that is when Charlotte made her move! She didn't do anything but a dozen of fire balls with a size a basketball appeared behind her before flying towards Azacel and the others on his group while arching with tricky angles. 'Advance Combat Technique: Silent Casting' 'Elementalist Skill: (Modified) Fireballs' Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Rayford smirks when saw the incoming fireballs as if mocking Charlotte for her chip tricks. He jumped in the air before pulling the greatsword hanging on his back and swinging it multiple times in the air on his front, sending a bunch of sword waves. 'Swordsman Skill: Sword Qi'  Boom! Boom! Boom! All of the sword waves sent by Rayford successfully hit all of the fireballs sent by Charlotte, making all of them to explode and lighting up their surroundings with fire. But the flames created by the explosion suddenly started to gather once again while creating a ring of fire around Azacel group!  'Advance Combat Technique: Flame Control' Then the ring of fire suddenly transformed into flame walls that are entrapping Azacel and the others in the middle of it. 'Elementalist Skill: (Modified) Fire Cage' And this is the time when Rayford landed on the ground. He frown his brows when he saw how skilled the Elementalist with her Elementalism. After that, he held his greatsword with both of his hands while channeling a bunch of Mana on it. Then he swings it powerfully, sending a horizontal crescent sword Qi towards his front. 'Swordsman Skill: Sword Splitter' Swoosh! The section of the firewalls in front of them was cut by the sword Qi sent by Rayford. But when the severed wall of fire revealed the view on the other side, Lawless and the others are nowhere to be found. But Azacel and the others didn't panic when they saw that. Both Grimgaw and Sabertooth simultaneously entered stealth before rushing out of the firewall using the gap made by the severed wall. Bang! Bang! But two consecutive gunshots were immediately sounded the moment the `Hunting Brothers` rush out of the wall of fire. The timing of those gunshots is too perfect catching the duo off-guard. What's more, the magic bullets are coming directly at them. Fortunately, the two of them are experts of they own field. The duo forcefully stopped their tracks before taking a single step backwards. After that, both of them jumped to their left and right sides respectively, barely dodging the attack. Then the duo swiftly rushes towards the direction where they heard the gunshots from. But the moment they entered the woods on that direction, a brilliant white light suddenly appeared above the two and revealing their figures in the process. 'Priest Skill: Illuminating Light' The duo immediately pause their movements before doing a consecutive hops backwards, trying to distance themselves from the floating ball of light above them. But when they move backwards, they felt that there is someone rushing towards their backs. Left with no choice, Grimgaw and Sabertooth dodge to their left and right sides once again. Hayden, who just is charging towards the duo, immediately cancels his charge skill before throwing his round-shield towards Sabertooth. 'Knight Skill: Shield Throw' Swoosh! Sabertooth just finished his roll and about to stand when he saw the Hayden's shield flying towards him like some sort boomerang. Without further ado, Sabertooth immediately use one of his escaping skills. He suddenly disappeared from his location and reentered stealth. 'Extra Skill: Gale Steps' Grimgaw, on the other hand, is busy hopping left and right as he dodged the magic bullets that are coming his way. The he felt that there is a single bullet that is coming on his way on a tricky angle and traveling with a strange trajectory. He frown his brows before disappearing from his spot and reappearing few meters away. 'Extra Skill: Immediate Retreat'  Hayden catches his round-shield before scanning his surroundings carefully. At the same time, Stephanie appeared behind the Knight while also scanning their surroundings.  "Tsk! These guys sure are not easy target. Their reaction speeds are too fast," Morgan on the other hand, is currently jumping from a tree-branch to another while trying to locate the location the `Hunting Brothers`. ... Going back in time, the same moment when the `Hunting Brothers` enter the woods, Azacel, Credo and Rayford were left at the center of the `Fire Cage`. And while they are getting ready for any incoming ambush, they felt someone falling from the sky. And when Azacel saw who is it, he immediately squatted his hips while say to the two beside him. "That guy is mine." After that, he immediately jumped upwards, trying to face Lawless head-on! Bang! The two Berserkers collide in the air for a brief moment before sending each other on opposite directions. Lawless was sent flying in the air while Azacel was sent falling on the ground. Credo and Rayford, who are on the ground, swiftly get away from their previous places, dodging the falling Azacel. BOOM!!! A crater was created when Azacel fell on the ground. He gritted his teeth as he redirects the force of impact towards the ground. A when he raise head once again, saw Lawless falling toward him for the second time while swinging his battle-axes downwards. His lips suddenly curve upwards and shouted while welcoming the attack of his opponent with a powerful upward-diagonal swing with his greatsword with both of his hands. BOOOOM!!!! A very strong explosion were created when the two opposing powers collide, and create a powerful shockwave that was sent on all directions and killing burning ring of fire. After that, the two started having a melee exchange with their weapons, and each collision created a deafening sound. Bang! Bang! Bang! Meanwhile, Rayford finally found Charlotte who is currently looking at him provokingly. From the brief exchange earlier, it is clear that he is in the losing end since the Elementalist managed to do a flawless Skill and Combat Technique combo. "Tsk! don't let me catch you, or else I'll chop you to death," Rayford clicked his tongue when he saw the look at Charlotte's yes. Then he rushes towards the latter while swinging his greatsword on this front, sending a crescent sword wave at the Elementalist's direction. Charlotte just waves her left hand to send a powerful gust of wind forward. After that, she flicked here left wrist in a counterclockwise direction, turning the gust of wind in to a mini-tornado. Bang! The sword wave that were sent by Rayford was destroyed when it collide at the mini-tornado. But he didn't intimidated, he enfold his body with a bunch of sword Qi before accelerating forward fearlessly. But when he passed through the mini-tornado, a bunch of tri-colored icicles greeted him! Bang! Bang! Bang! Fortunately, he enfolded his body with a defensive sword Qi before jumping through the tornado earlier. All of those tri-colored icicles can only hinder his movements. After that, he gritted his teeth before thrusting his sword forward while dashing towards Charlotte's direction. Charlotte started to kite Rayford. She blinks away while sending a bunch of tri-colored icicles at the Swordmaster. ….. Meanwhile, Credo is just watching all of it calmly. It is as if he doesn't care even if his comrades died. Or, maybe he is just too confident that they are not going to lose. A moment later, he felt a presence few distance from him. He turned his head to his right and saw a person leaning on one of the trees with crossed arms in front of his chest. The corners of Credo's mouth suddenly curve upwards when he saw the person. "Looks like you don't have a dance partner. Shall I dance you to your death?" said by Faker while looking calmly at Credo. Credo smirks at Faker and said. "Are you sure that you are not going to regret wasting the perfect time to ambush me?" Faker chuckles at his words and said. "I'm not someone that is fond of attacking secretly since a real assassin can turn a brawl into an assassination." One of Credo's brows suddenly curves upwards after hearing that. Then he said with a smirking grin after. "Oh~ ♪. Then let us see about it, if it is true." ...….