The Grand Duelist

Chapter 168: Besieged by Three Guilds[9]

Without the main support, the winner of this battle was now unclear.

Would it be Joseph?

But he was alone and there was a well-known adage that said that no man was an island.

Could he really win against the remaining six members of Guild Strongest Under Heaven?

Furthermore, these players weren't average players that Joseph could easily defeat with brute strength alone.

Sure, Joseph's burst damage was quite strong that a single attack could possibly end the life of anyone in this battlefield.

But despite Joseph's powerful damage. His Health wasn't actually that high!

When the Grand Challenge was over he received some of the four main stats of Ama Namin and healed for twenty-percent of Ama Namin's Health.

Unfortunately, Ama Namin's class was Theologist and his Health also wasn't that huge.

The Health that Joseph recovered from killing him couldn't even compare to the damage that he suffered while fighting against the Gatling Gun of that Gunner and that Assassin earlier.

Of course, Joseph still had about more than half of his Health.

But Guild Knights of Justice and Guild Crimson was still here. They hadn't even participated in the fight, yet from the looks on their faces. It was clear that they were actually trying to find the best opportunity to enter the battle and deal a great deal of damage to Joseph and defeat him.

Joseph bitterly smiled.

He suddenly remembered the fact that when he was fighting Guild Strongest Under Heaven earlier.

They kept on trying to corner him towards the general direction of the two guilds.

If Joseph didn't retreat and kept on fighting them inside their encirclement then this battle would've been over right at that moment.

After all, even though Joseph was a Mythical Class Players.

These players weren't noobs.

They were quite experienced and in the face of about a dozen and a half experienced players all at once.

Even Joseph wasn't confident that he could defeat them all.

But didn't that mean that Joseph was quite stupid for even inviting them all to fight him at once?

Yes!

Joseph's move of inviting them all for a battle was definitely a bad idea, but only if...

He didn't have his own plans.

Of course, Joseph had his own plans on dealing against these bastards from the three guilds but the right time to unveil his plans still hasn't come.

For now, until that time...

Joseph planned on personally dealing against these bastards and whittle their ranks for as much as possible until that time arrived.

"Charge! He can't possibly use that strange skill again and again! It should still be on cooldown at this moment!"

Big Dipper raised his Flail and whispered.

"Relic of the Gods and Goddesses!"

[Relic of the Gods and Goddesses]

The Paladin will shine, becoming a beacon of light amidst the darkness. A large cross-shaped relic that is at least a fourth of his height will appear on his back. This cross-shaped relic will continuously pulsate with divine light, amplifying the strength of his allies while weakening his enemies.

*Allies affected by the pulse of divine light will gain a 30% bonus movement speed and 20% bonus attack damage. This effect is not stackable with the other Relic of Gods and Goddesses from other Paladins.

*The relic lasts for thirty seconds. Cooldown starts upon the destruction of the relic or its disappearance.

Skill Usage Conditions: Paladin

Skill Cost: 560 MP

Skill Cooldown Time: 20 Seconds]

Big Dipper while still under the reinforcement of the Divine Avatar rushed at Joseph with a stern look on your face.

The members of Guild Strongest Under Heaven who received an 80% boost of movement speed due to the effects of Divine Avatar and Relic of the Gods and Goddesses became as swift as the wind as they appeared right in front of Joseph.

Their movement speed startled Joseph as Fuurinkazan made his attack.

A thrust flew directly at Joseph's chest but Joseph merely swung his Rapier like a whip and fiercely deflected that attack away from his body.

However, Fuurinkazan whose attack was deflected by Joseph suddenly lifted a light smile.

He ducked his head down below and what came from behind him was a punch from the Barbarian, No Sucker Punch.

"Fist of a Barbarian!"

[Fist of a Barbarian] 

Takes a moment to deliver a powerful punch to a single enemy.

*Deals devastating amounts of damage if it lands.

Skill Usage Conditions: Barbarian

Skill Cost: 2521 MP

Skill Cooldown Time: 20 Seconds.]

Barbarians were known for their ability to deal devastating amounts of damage and the ability to inflict Stuns and Staggers to their enemies due to their innate class passive. However, despite all of these, No Sucker Punch's attack wasn't actually directed at Joseph's body!

Instead, it was at his Rapier!

Yes!

His attack was directed at the Nameless Rapier in Joseph's hand!

Even Joseph wasn't able to react to this change!

His Rapier was struck and even though he didn't suffer any damage.

The attack was strong enough to displace his Rapier away from his hands.

Joseph was quick to react and he was about to recall his Rapier back to his hand, when suddenly...

Cold killing intent came from in front of him and the Assassin, Slice of Life emerged from Concealment.

Slice of Life's eyes flashed with a dangerous light as he sent a punch towards Joseph's face.

Although confused as to why Slice of Life was punching him instead of stabbing him with his daggers. Joseph's reactions were quick as he swiftly activated one of his few defensive skills.

"Parry!" He softly uttered when Slice of Life's punch was about to hit his face.

But before the punch could even land on his forehead.

Slice of Life's clenched fist suddenly opened and revealed a handful of sand that he hurled directly into Joseph's eyes.

"AHHH!" Joseph cried out loud in pain, but the sand didn't take away his vision.

After all, being blind in the world of Victory was also a form of abnormal status.

He was immune to all sorts of abnormal statuses so he couldn't possibly become blind. 

But when Joseph blinked his eyes to remove the sand from his eyes.

He realized that Slice of Life wasn't standing in front of him anymore.

Where did he go?

Joseph whispered and a sense of dread suddenly came from behind him.

But it was already too late.

"Shameless Trick!" Slice of Life softly uttered as Joseph's blood scattered across his clothes.

[Shameless Trick]

After throwing any object that can block the vision of the enemy. Quickly move around him to deal 200% of your Attack Damage to the enemy.

*Bleed Status is guaranteed upon a successful attack.

Skill Usage Conditions: Assassin

Skill Cost: 25 Stamina

Skill Cooldown Time: 15 Seconds.]

Slice of Life's dagger plunged deep into Joseph's back as a system notification informed him of what happened.

[You suffered 30,506 damage!]

[You are bleeding!]

[Due to the effects of your title, The Sun that Overlooks Everything. You have resisted.]

"Fuck..." Joseph uttered a curse.

These system notifications had just appeared in front of Joseph's eyes when No Sucker Punch's elbow attack landed on his abdomen.

Then, afterwards...

"Soaring Swing!" 

[Soaring Swing]

Elbows an enemy before swiftly swinging the Axe to send an enemy into the air.

Skill Usage Conditions: Barbarian

Skill Cost: 231 MP

Skill Cooldown Time: 13 Seconds.]

His Axe swung upwards and sent Joseph flying into the air.

Fuurinkazan quickly took advantage of this opening as he leaped into the air and met Joseph in mid-air.

His sword gleamed in a dangerous light but Joseph was even faster than him due to the nature of his weapon and its length.

"Bite of Justice!"

[Bite of Justice]

A swift thrust with the Rapier. The attack will briefly stun every enemy struck by the Bite of Justice.

Deals 130% of your Attack Damage.

*Can go through objects and units

*Does not break Super Armor.

Skill Usage Conditions: The Grand Duelist, Rapier Type Weapon Equipped.

Skill Cost: 10 Divinity Stat

Skill Cooldown: 8 Seconds.]

Fuurinkazan's expression froze when he saw the system notification informing him that he was in a stunned state. 

Big Dipper saw that his comrade was in trouble.

"Unbreakable Will!"

[Unbreakable Will]

A buff that lowers physical damage and magical damage received from enemies by 30%

Skill Usage Conditions: Paladin

Skill Cost: None

Skill Cooldown Time: 60 Seconds]

A beam of divine light flew in high speeds towards Fuurinkazan and reinforced his body.

But Big Dipper wasn't done here. He pointed his Flail at Joseph and exclaimed: "Lightning Smite!"

[Lightning Smite]

Calls upon the might of the Seven Gods and Goddesses to strike a heathen with divine punishment.

*There is a certain probability of inflicting Electrified to enemies struck by the lightning bolt.

*Electrified - For every three seconds during the duration of Electrified. The user will be forced into a brief stun. 

*Deals 208% of your Attack Damage

Skill Usage Conditions: Paladin

Skill Cost: 4204 MP

Skill Cooldown Time: 32 Seconds.]

Lightning descended out of nowhere, but Joseph who was ready for any attack while he was still in the air was clearly prepared, he managed to perfectly deflect the attack back towards the ceiling of the Palace Halls where it came from.

Fuurinkazan was still in the middle of the Bite of Justice's stun.

Joseph quickly took advantage of this opening.

"Aim for the Skies!"

[Aim for the Skies]

A slash that starts from below and ends above. It will send a single targeted enemy up in the air.

Deals 105% of your Attack Damage.

*Cannot go through objects and units.

*Does not break Super Armor.

Skill Usage Conditions: The Grand Duelist, Rapier Type Weapon Equipped.

Skill Cost: 25 Divinity Stat.

Skill Cooldown: 12 Seconds.]

[You dealt 18,107 damage!]

Fuurinkazan flew even higher into the air instead of descending and with the help of the momentum from his attack, Joseph also flew upwards along with Fuurinkazan until no one below could possibly reach them anymore.

However, right at this moment, the Legendary Player, Kristian suddenly exerted his authority as the Absolute Monarch.

"I order you to come down!"

His words were only directed to Fuurinkazan for he was sure that he couldn't possibly affect Joseph with his skill.

After all, even though he was a Legendary Player.

Joseph was Mythical Class player, a player whose class was a tier higher than him.

He wasn't so conceited to think that he could compel obedience from such a figure. 

Furthermore, his order for Fuurinkazan to come down also had another purpose.

It was to prevent Joseph from attacking Fuurinkazan in mid-air where none of them could reach and help him.

The orders of the Absolute Monarch were absolute and gravity itself moved to drag Fuurinkazan as fast as possible down towards the ground.

Joseph was astonished by this change but he wasn't surprised.

He knew that Kristian's class gave him a strange ability similar to the Staff of Obedience that the City Chief had back at the City Perpetually Hidden from the Sun. Knowing this fact, Joseph wasn't that surprised when he saw that Kristian could even compel the forces of nature to obey him.

Kristian's intervention prevented Joseph from executing his plans, but Joseph had a few tricks up his sleeves. The moment Fuurinkazan rapidly descended from the skies. Joseph suddenly held his Rapier as if he was holding a harpoon before swiftly throwing it towards Fuurinkazan's direction.

"Post-humous Justice!"

[Post-humous Justice.]

From the air, throws the equipped Rapier towards a single targeted enemy. Deals 300% of your Attack Damage.

*Can go through objects and units.

*The knockback effect caused by the Rapier's impact negates Super Armor.

Skill Usage Conditions: The Grand Duelist, Rapier Type Weapon Equipped.

Skill Cost: 10 Divinity Stat.

Skill Cooldown: 25 Seconds.]

"FUCK!" Kristian loudly cursed when he saw Joseph's attack.

At this moment, he suddenly realized that what he did wasn't actually helping Fuurinkazan.

Instead, by forcefully dragging him downwards...

He rendered Fuurinkazan immobile and under the mercy of gravity as Joseph's incredibly sharp and fast Rapier flew towards him and burst his head open, killing him instantly.

Blood and brain matter spilled onto the ground as yet another member of the Guild Strongest Under Heaven met his demise under Joseph's fierce attacks.

"I'll kill you!" Kristian's eyes went red.

He stared right at Joseph as if he had gone mad.

"Space Collapse!"

Kristian flicked his sleeve and he tore the space surrounding Joseph through his understanding of the Concept of Obedience.

He compelled the space around Joseph to collapse on itself, but collapsing space was an extremely difficult task and even if it was possible, it wasn't one of the fastest attacks to execute.

As soon as Joseph felt the space around him contort.

He quickly turned to look at Big Dipper and fiercely whispered, "Dash!"

[The Grand Duelist's Dash Lv. Max]

Become briefly untargetable and dash to a targeted enemy. Upon arrival, your next skill or basic attack will unconditionally deal 200% of your Attack Damage stackable upon other effects such as skill effects, or on-hit effects. 

* When not using the designated class-specific weapon. The skill deals 50% reduced damage. 

Skill Usage Conditions: The Grand Duelist

Skill Cost: None

Skill Cooldown Time: 5 Minutes. ]

Kristian's attack was still successful and space had indeed collapsed around Joseph.

But since the Grand Duelist's Dash granted a moment of invincibility while it was being used.

His attack didn't deal any damage to Joseph at all.

Furthermore, when he blinked and opened his eyes once again...

He realized that Joseph had disappeared and Big Dipper's cry for help echoed from behind him.

The Knight, Big Boss, Kristian, and the Assassin, Slice of Life instantly turned around the moment they heard Big Dipper's cry for help. 

But it was already too late.

Joseph had already completed the initial stance necessary for the activation of the Grand Duelist's Divine Art.

"The Grand Duelist's Graceful Swordsmanship, Third Form..."

Joseph lifted a smile on his face.

"Dipper! Stance of Faith!" Kristian cried out loud.

[Stance of Faith]

Takes a deep breath and channels the power of faith to the Seven Gods and Goddesses to enter a defensive state that is canceled upon any movement input. Receiving damage while in the Stance of Faith will automatically reflect that attack to the enemy.

*Does not reflect attacks that deal True Damage.

*You will be invincible against skills with Crowd Control Effects for the duration of the skill.

*Stance of Faith lasts for six seconds.

Skill Usage Conditions: Paladin

Skill Cost: 3863 MP

Skill Cooldown Time: 75 Seconds.]

But Big Dipper only shook his head.

Stance of Faith could indeed grant him the invincibility that he needed to survive Joseph's incoming onslaught.

Its initial cast time may only be two seconds but in a battle like this...

Two seconds was far too long.

In fact, the moment Big Dipper shook his head in reply...

Joseph's Rapier was already heading towards him.

"Grace!" Joseph uttered.

His body turned into a blur and his Rapier followed.

[Grace]

A three-movement attack that ends with a devastating thrust.

Each strike deals 600% of your Attack Damage.

* Can go through objects and units.

* User must maneuver during the Rapier Dance.

* This skill is affected by Attack Speed.

* Can critically strike.

* When not using a class-specific weapon. This skill deals 50% reduced damage and cannot critically strike.

Skill Usage Conditions: The Grand Duelist, Rapier Type Weapon Equipped.

Skill Cost: 65 Divinity Stat

Skill Cooldown: 60 Seconds.]

The Grand Duelist's magnificence was perfectly displayed at this moment.

In the form of a Rapier Dance that no one could possibly forget.

[You dealt 318,420 damage!]

[Your party member, Big Dipper has died!]