Chapter 48: Two Classes Are Better Than One

King was still crouched when three notifications manifested across his vision.

[PLAYER ELIMINATED]

[PRUNING POINTS REWARDED: 20]

[PLAYER ELIMINATED]

[PRUNING POINTS REWARDED: 20]

[PLAYER ELIMINATED]

[PRUNING POINTS REWARDED: 20]

Sixty points, three bodies. King did not bother to be distracted, the notifications filing to the edge of his vision.

His core attention was split between two targets. The golden knight standing motionless ten feet away, its empty hands curled into fists, and the fourth player, the man with the massive crossbow, crouched behind the knight’s left shoulder. The man’s fingers trembled as he struggled to hold his grip.

King shifted his stance. In his right hand, the construct blade reformed. Blue energy condensed along his forearm, honing itself into a razor edge. In his left hand, he activated Ruin’s Touch. The Gauntlet of Ruin’s blazed to life, the interlocked segments shaking with unbridled power.

King turned his head slightly to the womanl. "Keep her safe."

The woman scrambled to her feet. She grabbed Maya’s hand and pulled the child behind her young dragon. The dragon’s chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. It was still alive and unconscious, but subdued.

The woman pressed her back against the creature’s flank and wrapped both arms around Maya.

Maya peered over the woman’s shoulder. Not minding the bruises she suffered, her eyes remained fixed on King.

King turned back to the golden knight.

The fourth player raised his crossbow and fired.

The bolt came faster than the knight’s siege weapon. It was smaller, sleeker and had a quick unexpected release.

King threw himself sideways, watching the bolt pass within an inch of his ribs and embed itself in the scorched earth behind him.

Another bolt followed. King ducked.

Another.

And another. King ducked , twisted..

The man behind the knight was beginning to feel confident. "Stand still, you bastard!" He laughed.

King did not stand still. He moved in a tight circle, keeping the knight between himself and the crossbowman. The bolts punched into the ground around him, each one kicking up dirt and dust.

The woman watched in awe from behind the dragon. He mouth hung open.

She had seen King cast Freezing spells from his staff, seen the Construct Net bind her dragon. She had assumed he was a mage, using high-tier spells, an expert in ranged combat, but fragile at close distance.

That was why she was bold enough to engage him.

And now, King moved like a combatant. His feet and body flowed around each projectile with the fluidity of someone who was an expert in melee training. He did not block. He did not parry. He simply was not where the bolts landed.

From what she witnessed, it was starting to look like King went easy on her.

Tck Tck!

The crossbowman clicked empty, he had ran out. Immediately he scrambled to reach for another bolt.

King closed the distance.

The golden knight stepped forward again to meet him.

The knight threw a straight punch. King slipped under it and drove his construct blade into the knight’s armpit. The blade scraped against golden plates but did not penetrate. King withdrew and sidestepped a follow-up hook.

The knight’s movements were in combinations. Each attack followed the last with rhythmic consistency.

Jab. Cross Hook.

Jab. Uppercut.

King kept dodging, finding small openings, and counter attacking

The knight went for a hook punch. King slithered past it, side stepping to it’s back and striking under it’s arm with the construct blade.

The knight turned with a roundhouse kick. But King leapt, striking the neck just beneath it’s helmet.

None of it did visible damage. The golden knight absorbed every blow.

But King was not trying to deal damage.

Not necessarily.

He was baiting it to give him a glaring opening.

The knight threw another straight punch. King dropped low and slid forward, extending his left hand. The Gauntlet of Ruin’ rattled with mana as King touched the knight’s chest plate.

Ruin’s Touch activated.

CRACK!

The golden armor cracked.

The cracks spread from the point of contact like a spiderweb as golden fragments splintered outward. The knight’s chest plate caved inward, and the giant staggered backward, its arms flailing for balance.

King stood still, watching.

Then, its legs buckled. The thirteen-foot suit of armor crashed to the ground, dust and dirt billowing around the impact.

The knight did not move again.

[NPC ELIMINATED: GOLDEN_SENTINEL]

[PRUNING POINTS REWARDED: 10]

King straightened his back. He dismissed the construct blade and let his right hand fall to his side. His breathing remained steady.

The crossbowman, frozen in fear, stared at the fallen knight. His hands went limp. The fresh bolt dropped from his fingers and rolled across the ground.

"No," the man said. "No, no, no."

King spared one last glanced, then turned away from him, moving toward Maya.

The man stood still for five full seconds.

Then his fear transformed into desperation.

He drew a short sword from his belt and charged.

He closed the distance in one soundless move.

Maya escaped in a blur.

King did not see her leave the woman’s arms, or cross the ground. He only heard the clang of metal striking metal and turned his head.

Maya hung mid air behind King. Her black-and-gold dagger met the man’s short sword at the crossguard. Then she dropped to the ground.

Her face remained blank without fear. And her eyes brimmed with focus.

King moved before the man could recover. He wrapped his right arm around Maya’s waist and lifted her off the ground. His left hand shot upward and closed around the man’s throat.

King raised the man in a one-handed chokehold, as the man’s boots kicked uselessly above the dirt. His short sword clattered to the ground.

He gazed at the man’s face one last time. The man’s lips had turned blue, his eyes bulging out of their sockets.

SNAP!

King twisted his left wrist.

The man’s neck broke with a sound like a dry twig snapping.

THUD

The body dropped, and King lowered Maya to the ground.

[PLAYER ELIMINATED]

[PRUNING POINTS REWARDED: 20]

King opened his interface. His pruning points total updated.

90 POINTS

He closed the interface and turned to the woman.

The woman rushed to her feet with her back pressed against her dragon. Her hands hung at her sides. Her red hair had come loose from its ties and fell across her face.

She stared at King like she was seeing him for the first time.

"How," she said.

King ignored her question.

"You cast mage spells. You bound my dragon, threw up barriers." The woman’s voice gained strength with each word. "But you move like a rogue. You fight like a combatant. You killed three men before they could blink. You brought down a golden knight with one touch."

She took a step forward.

"What are you?"

King looked at her, then turned to the child. "I’m a player, just like you."

The woman’s face hinted at restrained disappointment. Then she exhaled and nodded. She walked to her dragon and placed a hand on the creature’s snout. The dragon stirred and it’s eyes opened.

Then the woman turned back to King.

"Please, what’s your name?"

King paused, giving a thought to her question, then...

A notification blazed across their visions.

[GLOBAL ANNOUNCEMENT]

[PLAYER HUNT STARBUSTER HAS ADDED A NEW RULE]