Fear Of Pain?

Steelish dashed forward, he was aware something was coming. Yet was completely unsure.

He jumped, dodging a bullet of water aimed towards his legs. The moment he landed he immediately continued running. This time in a zigzag pattern.

A large fireball headed towards him, but its slow speed made it easy to dodge. As he approached his gut alerted him. The confident smile on Setting Star's face. The easy trip to get close. He was being lead into a trap!

He jumped back, completely trusting the gut feeling. Which was a good thing, for several runes appeared underneath his feet. A pillar of wind swirled, powerful enough to cut skin.

Setting Star was still confident. A strange mechanical orb floating above his left hand. His eyes narrowed into a playful look, "As expected, you dodged right into the main attraction."

Henry spoke with a hint of surprise, "As if having a sixth sense Steelish has dodged the trap!"

John continued with excitement, "But he's fallen right into another one!"

Steelish' senses were ringing bells. He felt even more danger than before.

His eyes widened as he noticed several runes appearing around him. He had fallen right into another trap! Steelish reacted quickly, he didn't have the means to fully escape the trap. But he could reduce the damage taken!

~ ~ ~

In one of the private chatrooms…

-Anon626: As expected Setting Star is leading this battle.

-Anon888: The fight's outcome is clear. Steelish isn't quite living up to the expectation of Raven Thread.

-Anon432: Tsk Tsk, I was looking forward to this match too.

-Anon771: A bunch of nonsense being spouted by those who want to seem smart.

-Anon626: And?! You clearly don't know the game much. It's obvious from looking at it!

-Anon771: From a surface glance yes. After all that's what it seems to look like to the majority of the average players.

-Anon626: You're picking a fight aren't you?!

-Anon771: No, I'm simply here to provide a much more professional and clear look to the battles. Unlike your quick assumptions.

-Anon626: You are!

-Anon771: How about a bet then? On who will win this battle?

-Anon626: Ha, deal. What do you wager?

-Anon771: I only deal in the exceptionally rare of items. How about.

-Anon432: ?

-Anon626: Did you chicken out?

-Anon771: Apologies, I was looking at my items. How about an Incredible Accessory?

-Anon432: !!

-Anon888: Woah, this is the big leagues!

-Anon626: . . .

-Anon771: Did you chicken out?

-Anon626: Fine, I'll wager an Incredible helmet. Does this suffice?

-Anon771: No, you should be aware of the difference in value.

-Anon626: I'll add an Exceptional Accessory on top. This should suffice?

-Anon771: Alright deal. I do believe the rest of everyone here will serve as witnesses so neither party backs out?

-Anon432: Aye!

-Anon888: Definitely

-Anon362: I can do that

-Anon592: Same!

-Anon626: You can't run now.

-Anon771: hehe ;)

-Anon771: Shall I explain why I'm going to win this wager?

-Anon626: Do tell

-Anon771: Does anyone know Steelish' speciality?

-Anon592: I've seen some of his clips, dodging right?

-Anon771: Close, but not quite.

-Anon888: ? I was going to guess the same thing.

-Anon771: His speciality isn't dodging. It's "minimizing the damage he takes"

-Anon626: Isn't that the same thing?

-Anon771: Not quite, what if you can't dodge a move? Are you forced to take it?

-Anon626: You can block it?

-Anon771: Sure, that's one way. But what is it comes from all around you?

-Anon626: . . .

-Anon771: Steelish is exceptionally skilled at minimizing the damage taken in any situation. As if he's scared of getting hurt. "Almost as if he is scared of feeling pain"

-Anon888: That's dumb. Just turn down the pain setting?

-Anon771: That's what you would think to do. However I believe Steelish has never done that. In fact, I believe he has it set to max and has never turned it down since he joined the game.

-Anon626: Bull, no way would anyone do that. I highly doubt masochists would go so far.

-Anon771: But he has, and that's why he had gone so far. The greatest moment for human potential to explode is at the verge of death. Your brain starts working overtime, trying to save your body. You'll start seeing things you normally wouldn't, sensing stuff that was normally never there.

-Anon771: When you're in a world so incredibly realistic it would be easy to confuse reality from the game. With the pain setting set to maximum. Anyone's potential would explode.

-Anon626: That's as if saying all you have to do in order to get good at the game is to turn up the pain setting.

-Anon771: No. Like you said no ordinary person would go so far. But because Steelish is exotic, he's broken past what an ordinary human can do. He's stimulated his potential and grasped it fully. Even if he isn't aware of this.

Anon626: I doubt that much.

Anon771: Well you will just have to watch ;)

~ ~ ~

Steelish moved forward towards the spell directly in front of him. Soon a cyclone of flames sprout from the runes. Using his dagger he charged forward and cut through the flames with a Skill.

[Fleeting Winds]!

Wind circled around his dagger and rapidly exploded, pushing away the flames. He then jumped through it, gritting his teeth. The flames scorched him slightly, making him wince in pain. However he felt far worse pain before, and this much didn't breach his limit.

John spoke with excitement, "With quick reactions Steelish jumped through the trap and is rushing towards Setting Star!"

"Setting Star is looking a little concerned that his trap didn't work, and is quickly retreating!"

Setting Star quickly unleashed some of his prepared spells, but they were dodged!

He was frustrated that his trap didn't work! It was almost as if Steelish wasn't concerned at all! Normally people would panic! Moreover the speed of Steelish wasn't something he could compete with. By retreating he merely was delaying the inevitable! Steelish reached a proper distance and swung his knife. The edge scraped across a magic barrier which pulsed in response.

Henry quickly spoke, "As expected Setting Star has barriers set up already! However can it last long enough for him to regain control of the battle?!"

Steelish swung downwards, a cross of wind smashing into the barrier.

[Twin Wind Laceration]!

He then stabbed quickly and repeatedly at the barrier. Wind encompassing his movements.

Setting Star grit his teeth and activated a spell. It appeared right where Steelish's dagger was about to pierce. However completely against his expectation Steelish quickly changed direction and stabbed somewhere else!

'Such reaction time?!'

His shield shattered with a sound similar to a plastic wrap being crinkled.

Just as Steelish was about to deliver a critical hit he noticed changes to Setting Star's weapon.

The strange mechanical orb suddenly expanded, showing inlaid beautiful gems.

Setting Star shouted in anger, "I can't believe I have to use this already!"

A gem shattered to pieces and a massive fireball appeared above Steelish. He immediately understood, the strange orb must store spells of some kind.

He retreated quickly, the fireball no match for his speed.

Setting Star grinned menacingly, "You're very confident in your speed aren't you?! Try this then!"

Several gems shattered at once and incredibly quick spells were shot towards Steelish.

John spoke, "Using his weapon Setting Star is unleashing several high level spells! It seems it had the ability to store spells at a certain cost!"

Steelish narrowed his eyes, his senses were tingling. He could see the patterns of the spells, the openings they had.

[Lightfooted]!

His speed increased by a decent amount and he dodged between the spells. Between tornados made of wind and even basic water bullets, all sorts were used up and sent towards him.

Yet it was all for naught. As he dodged between the spells as if it was easy. Silencing the crowd with awe.

Henry wasn't about to not commentate on such a scene, "With a spectacular set of dodges Steelish remains unharmed!"

Gemstone after gemstone was shattered as Setting Star grew more panicked. Just who was this guy?! He had spent so long studying Steelish's play style in order to come up with a foolproof solution. But this guy was just too extreme!

Steelish leapt over a blade made of wind and rolled through the air. Fireballs and lightning bolts flying past, as if their target wasn't him.

He was now in attacking distance!

His dagger swung down horizontally. Two blades of wind forming in an X shape.

[Cross Wind Laceration]!

Setting Star's attacks were interrupted as he stepped back from the knock back.

Steelish rapidly executed a combo of various attacks and Skills, quickly eliminating Setting Star.

John announced, "And the victor is Steelish! With a quick combo Setting Star was quickly annihilated!"

Henry nodded to himself, "It was as we predicted. The majority of the combat was whoever struck first."

However he was drowned out by the cheers of the crowd.

~ ~ ~

Akiol looked at Steelish with an amused expression, "This guy. . . really doesn't want to get hurt!"