Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 82: Names, Part Eleven

{Lianna}

Despite the situation, Lianna could not afford to treat this as a friendly bout.

If her assumption was right, Zura had likely signed up for both the Combat and Support tourneys. If she won either competition, that would be a borderline guarantee that she would die, along with the president possibly.

For her own sake, Lianna had to pour everything into this fight.

Naturally, that meant using {Target Analysis} to its fullest potential.

She scanned both Zura and her partner.

Zura Hellan

MP: 20/20

---

STR: C (B-)

END: C-

DEX: D (C-)

MYS: D

L: F

---

Traits:

Determination - Passive

{Your relentless work ethic allows you to gain 10% more experience from all activities.}

---

Instincts:

Guardian’s Vigilance (Level 1) - 2-minute cooldown

{Focus on defense, increasing your Block and END stats by 25% for 30 seconds.}

---

Rylan Redburn

MP: 200/200

---

STR: C

END: C-

DEX: B-

MYS: C-

L: F

Something jumped out at Lianna as she scanned Zura.

[Her Strength and Dexterity were buffed somehow...]

Zura showed just how true that statement was as she dashed toward Lianna. Relative to her previous speed, it felt like she’d blinked through time and space.

[Crap!]

As per usual, rather than going for fancy, agile dodges, Lianna simply conceded the space and jumped back. But, Zura was right there with her, chasing Lianna before she’d even hit the ground.

Noticing how much trouble she was having, the administrator went to split them up.

She pushed Zura away, standing between them and giving Lianna some much-needed breathing space.

"Thanks."

"Don’t thank me just yet," the administrator responded with a smirk. "It’ll be up to you to figure out the way forward. I’m just buying you some time to do that."

"I think I’m-"

She’d been about to say, "I think I’m going to need a little more time", but Zura, perhaps understanding this, signaled to her partner that they needed to continue pressing the attack, and both of them dashed forward.

As Zura and Rylan charged at them, Lianna decided that focusing on offense was the last thing they could do.

[We’re not gonna win this through brute force. I need to get crafty here...]

"Administrator, stay on the defensive. I’ll, uh, I’ll think of something!"

The administrator, with a confident nod, adjusted her stance, ready to engage with a defensive strategy. Lianna, meanwhile, tried to piece together a course of action.

[Zura’s Strength and Dexterity have been buffed, but she’s still just as inexperienced as I am. If I can just trick her somehow, that would be ideal, right? Problem is, she’s not using any magic. My {Target Analysis} passive is useless here.]

As Zura closed in, the administrator parried away her mace swings. Rylan followed up, trying to create space for Zura to reach Lianna. Lianna dodged away a couple of times before the administrator intervened once again.

That pattern was followed a few times. Zura would go after Lianna, she’d back off, the administrator would intercept the stronger woman, and then they’d repeat.

Zura swung her mace with impressive force, aiming for the administrator. Anticipating the attack, the administrator blocked with her blades.

[Wait a second...]

As the pattern became clear, Zura’s frustration mounted.

Zura’s attention was slowly shifting to the administrator, due to the defensive performance she was putting in. No matter how hard Zura tried, she couldn’t break through.

"Hey, doesn’t this break the rules? You can’t just do everything for her!" Zura complained. Honestly, a part of Lianna was wondering the same thing.

"Indeed. But, that isn’t what’s happening here," the administrator replied.

Angered, Zura continued to press forward.

Lianna’s eyes widened.

[That isn’t what’s happening here? What does that mean?]

While the administrator engaged Zura in a defensive dance, Lianna considered those words.

[It sure feels like that’s the case... But, if she said that, then...]

Suddenly, it was like a light bulb popped up over Lianna’s head.

[I see!]

Lianna sensed an opportunity in Zura’s frustration. While the administrator continued the defensive dance, Lianna decided to use {Camouflage}.

She activated the ability, blending into the surroundings, and disappeared from Zura’s immediate view.

Borderline invisible and unnoticed, Lianna moved to the side, attempting to draw Zura’s attention away from the administrator. As Zura focused on the seemingly vanished Lianna, the administrator seized the moment to create an opening in her defense.

Lianna, hidden in plain sight, carefully observed the unfolding dynamics of the battle. Zura, determined to break through the administrator’s defense, searched for any signs of Lianna’s movements.

[Come on, Zura, take the bait.] Lianna thought, staying perfectly still within her camouflage.

Zura, driven by frustration, got sloppy.

The distraction ultimately worked, and the administrator exploited the opening, launching a counterattack with precision.

Lianna, still camouflaged, analyzed the situation, ready to reappear and provide additional support when needed.

That was the keyword here.

"Support".

If Lianna understood what the administrator was talking about, she figured that was why they hadn’t been disqualified even though the administrator was carrying this fight so far.

Rather, it was far more likely that Zura would be disqualified than Lianna.

The administrator’s blades danced gracefully, and Zura, momentarily caught off guard, struggled to defend against the renewed assault.

As the battle intensified, Lianna did...

Nothing.

Literally, she did nothing.

She remained with her back to a wall, sitting on the floor and crossing her legs.

Taking deep breaths, Lianna continued to allow the strategy to work its magic.

Zura didn’t even know she was currently causing her own downfall.

Zura, on the receiving end of the administrator’s relentless assault, struggled to maintain composure.

Funny enough, Rylan had stopped trying to help her too. He sat back, watching on, defeated.

Frustration etched itself onto Zura’s face as she tried to counter the administrator’s precision.

Finally, momentarily caught in a surge of frustration and desperation, Zura unwittingly left an opening.

"Well," the administrator said, "refs, I believe this is enough, isn’t it?"

On that note, the administrator finished the battle.

Zura’s virtual head left her shoulders with one swift slash.

The decisive strike landed, and Zura’s digital form crumbled, defeated.

On one hand, it did hurt to crush Zura’s hopes like this, but it was, of course, necessary.

"Hey dude, good job," Rylan said to Lianna, looking straight at her although she was camouflaged. "Zura kinda lost it."

"Yeah," Lianna nodded with a smile. "It, uhm, is what it is, I guess."

"That, ladies and gentlemen," the administrator declared, "is called ’understanding the assignment’. Something Zura clearly failed to do. Now, Lianna, let’s go finish the rest of this."

Lianna picked herself up off the ground.

"Right!"

And, with that, they proceeded through the Support tourney...

... And lost in their next fight, almost immediately.

---

The echoes of the virtual battle lingered as the scene transitioned back to the real world.

[AAAAGH!] Lianna put her hands on her head as she sat back on the stands. [We lost in like an instant. That girl was so fast! FUCK!]

The duo that took Lianna and the administrator down won the whole tourney in doing so. Lianna and her partner came in 2nd place.

[Well, at least Zura didn’t win. That’s step one of saving the president.]

Lianna rose from her seated position. She stood beside the administrator, who wore a satisfied yet subtly approving expression.

"Nice work, Lianna," the administrator commended, her words acknowledging the depth of the support rendered. "Don’t feel too sad about the outcome. You’ve still got a ways to go before you can overcome the natural talent we ran into."

"I know, but... I feel like I didn’t do much," Lianna replied.

"Support isn’t always about making flashy moves," the administrator began, a hand placed warmly on Lianna’s shoulder, her tone carrying the weight of experience. "Your choice to remain camouflaged when we fought Zura, to bide your time strategically, created the opportunity for my offensive. Sometimes, less is more. Your performance in that fight was genuinely stellar!"

"Really?"

"I’m not the type to give out empty compliments," the administrator replied. "Trust me. You did well."

Lianna absorbed the wisdom, recognizing that the subtlety of her actions spoke louder than any overt display of prowess.

"Now," the administrator said, "let us see how your wife does, shall we?"

As the digital cheers of the spectators echoed for the winners, Zura, seeking clarification, approached a referee with a furrowed brow.

"Why wasn’t Lianna disqualified? She didn’t do anything!"

The referee explained what happened with a measured tone.

"Lianna’s choice to disappear was a strategic move. She knew that, for whatever reason, you were putting everything you had into fighting her, and not her partner. So, she faded from your view and allowed you to dig your own hole, dropping your defenses until her partner finished the fight."

Zura looked downright heartbroken as she realized what had unfolded. What her determination hadn’t let her see.

"Support manifests in various forms," the referee continued, "and her decision ultimately contributed to the success of her team. In this context, her actions were a valid expression of Supportive adventuring."

Zura grumbled in discontent but walked away.

Now, it was time for the Combat tourney.

Unlike the previous one, this would be a series of 1-on-1 fights, in a proper tournament bracket style.

Lianna and Enverna found a moment to speak just before it was set to begin.

Lianna looked into Enverna’s eyes with a serious expression.

"Envy, we’re heading into the Combat tourney. That amulet, you saw that thing, right?"

"I did. What are we going to do about it? That woman is a walking bomb," Enverna whispered.

"I’m thinking of something. But, for now, listen. This is important," Lianna began, her voice carrying a weight that mirrored the gravity of the upcoming challenge. "You’ll be on your own in this tournament. If Zura is participating in this one too, you have to defeat her. Okay? Seriously, you need to go all out."

"I’d rather not get myself blown up, though."

"You won’t," Lianna replied.

She wanted to say "it’s not you the bomb is meant for", but was unsure as to whether that would break the rules. So, she left it at that.

Enverna met Lianna’s gaze with a determined nod.

"In that case, do not worry, Lianna. You can count on me."

Lianna smiled, grateful for Enverna’s confidence.

"I know I can. Just keep that in mind."

"I shall."

With that, Enverna walked to the lockers as the next set of players were told to prepare.

[Okay,] Lianna thought, sitting back down where she’d been before. [The next part of this is out of my hands.]