Chapter 340: Super Rookie (3)
The power held by the champion on the island where the arena was located was immense because the title of champion didn’t come with just fame.
In fact, Katherine ruled like a queen, using all the facilities on the island with the single title of Champion. The top-tier resort overlooking the island and sea, exclusively for the champion, was one of those benefits.
Katherine was currently doing yoga on a terrace the size of a sports field, overlooking the sea.
At that moment, someone entered the terrace and approached her. It was Reload, the vice-master of the Limitless guild.
“Master, new information has arrived.”
“Can't you see I'm in the middle of doing yoga?”
“Ah, sorry. Namaste.”
“Namaste.” Recently obsessed with Indian greetings, Katherine finally responded, “So, what’s the news?”
“Unknown...”
While holding a cat pose, Katherine suddenly lifted her head and purred like a cat. “Yes! I knew this day would come! That bastard finally set foot in the arena, didn’t he?!”
“No, it's just a rumor about a player named Banish, who wears an Unknown Helmet.”
“Ugh, get lost. Are you a trash reporter or what?” Katherine snapped, feeling awkward, and then switched into a cobra pose.
But Reload calmly continued his duty. “He defeated the Swift Blademaster Luke in his debut match. He's currently on a hot streak by mimicking the skills of his opponents. And since the match with Luke...”
“Hold up, Swift Blademaster Luke?” Katherine’s eyes widened as she asked again. “That’s strange. I usually remember all the rankers. Who was that again?”
“He was a rookie with about 800 rank points, but he’s dropped into the 700s now...”
Catherine scowled and snapped irritably, “Ugh, do I really have to hear news about every nobody now? Get lost before I beat you.”
Having served a crazy master for years, Reload was used to insults.
He shrugged nonchalantly. “I watched a few matches myself, and they were entertaining. He’s already on an eight-win streak. For some reason, he’s only been matched against much stronger opponents with 200 to 300 points higher.”
“You're still here, are you? Fine, I'm counting. Ten, nine, eight...”
Holding his breath, Reload backed away and rapidly spilled the rest of his information. “Currently, Banish’s rank points are 1,441! At this rate, he might break your record and achieve 1,500 points in the shortest time ever...”
“Seven, two, one!”
Skipping several numbers, Katherine sprang up like a cobra and drop-kicked Reload’s side.
“Agh! W-why are you skipping numbers all of a sudden?!” Reload rubbed his aching side and looked at her with a resentful gaze.
“I said I'd count, not that I’d count ten seconds.”
Blowing her breath to lift her bangs, Katherine snatched the report from Reload’s hands. Despite everything, Katherine trusted Reload’s reports fairly well and eagerly read through it.
“Huh?”
After a moment, Katherine tilted her head.
“What’s this? He raised his points to 1,400 without revealing a single personal skill?”
“Yes... He's been copying all his opponents' techniques.”
“What if the opponent doesn’t use a sword?”
“He still replicates all their technical characteristics with his sword.”
“My, what a refreshing nutcase! I like him. I'm starting to get interested.”
“He’s scheduled to fight Breakwater Drok this afternoon. Would you like to go watch?”
“Let’s do that. By the way, who the hell is Breakwater Drok?”
Spectators often gave nicknames to active players in the arena. For example, Katherine was nicknamed the Undefeated Empress, and Luke was called the Swift Blademaster.
“Well, he once fought a water-element wizard and blocked all the tidal waves of magic. The spectators were impressed and started calling him Breakwater.”
“What the... that nickname sucks.”
The corners of Katherine’s eyes slightly drooped out of sympathy, but only for a moment, as curiosity quickly arose and she asked, “Then what’s the nickname for that Unknown Head guy?”
“Well, that is...” Reload put on an incredibly troubled expression.
***
“There he is! Copy Ninja Banish!”
“They’re still pushing that lame nickname? He doesn't even look like a ninja. I’m telling you, the perfect nickname for him is Unknown Junior!”
“These unimaginative bastards. If you guys ever have kids, make sure to visit a philosopher to name them. Since he raised his points to 1,400 without a single loss, the nickname should be Undefeated Banish.”
“That nickname only comes after you win the champion title like Katherine did.”
“Katherine was also called Undefeated starting from the 1,200 point range. She only got called Empress after winning the championship. Plus, Banish hasn’t even shown his real skills yet.”
“Real skills, my ass. He’s copying others because he doesn’t have skills of his own.”
It had been five days since Banish first appeared in the arena. He had already become one of the hottest players in the arena. The proof was clear.
“Banish! Banish!”
“Let’s go for nine wins!”
“Hyung! Marry me!”
Whenever Banish had a match, the once-empty spectator seats would fill to capacity. If one stopped any random person and asked who the hottest rookie in the ranked matches was, every single one would name Banish.
“Man, I’m jealous. Getting that popular in just five days...”
“I’ve been in the arena for three months, and I still don’t have a nickname, but he already has over ten nickname candidates.”
“His betting odds are on par with rankers above 2,000 points. My odds are close to 30:1... Nobody expects me to win.”
“If I had known he would blow up like this, I wouldn’t have laughed at him on the first day...”
Even other players in ranked matches were jealous of Banish.
However, the person in question, Kai, had his mind elsewhere.
Should I try combining the Phantom Sword from the third match with Luke’s Plum Blossom Sword this time? The combo worked pretty well during practice.
He was completely absorbed in honing his techniques.
In the five days since he debuted in the arena, he had fought a total of eight matches, which meant he had absorbed eight different styles. Of course, since he wasn’t a genius, he couldn’t perfectly mimic a skill just by seeing it once.
However, as the matches progressed, and time passed, he gradually began to naturally use the techniques he had observed and experienced against other players.
That was the reason the audience was going crazy over Banish. Because he continued to grow every match, and it was visible to everyone.
Of course, there was only one reason he was able to improve at such a rapid pace.
“Phew. Not sleeping properly is making me tired.”
Effort. Effort so intense that he cut down on sleep and invested every waking moment into honing his skills. From the moment he opened his eyes, while eating, while showering, even while using the bathroom, he constantly thought and thought again. That effort carried over into the game.
“Tough cookie...”
"It seems like he never even leaves the training room. It looked like he even ate his meals there."
“Geez, is this what it takes for a regular guy to be called a super rookie?”
Of course, if there had been no rewards, even Kai wouldn’t have been able to sustain such a lifestyle. But there was. A reward that made Kai continue living this insane life.
“Last time, he combined Rice’s vertical slash with Haroro’s deflection technique, right?”
“That was a masterpiece. Spinning the sword clockwise to deflect the opponent’s weapon while simultaneously slashing vertically. It was pure art.”
“Wonder what he’ll show us today.”
His rapidly growing skill was the ultimate reward. Banish’s matches were always refreshing, thrilling, and the best! Kai had firmly planted that impression into the audience’s minds.
“Banish! Banish!”
When Kai walked onto the stage, the crowd roared his name. With a casual wave, the cheering grew even louder.
At that moment, the announcer stepped up to introduce the players. “Breakwater Drok! With 1,629 rank points! A veteran of the arena boasting a 67% win rate with his ironclad defense!”
“Banish! The arena’s new rising star! With 1,441 rank points, specializing in mimicry!”
Then, the introductions ended, and the match began.
***
Sitting in the champion’s private seat, Katherine let out a long yawn. “Ugh. I’m dying of boredom here.”
She lifted her slender leg and poked Reload’s side with her toes.
“Hey, what’s up with this? You said he was a super rookie, but this match is boring.”
“Please be patient. You have to watch Banish’s matches for a while. Only then does the match become truly exciting."
“What is he, kimchi?”
Reload calmly soothed Katherine, who complained, and turned his head to look down at the arena.
Hidden from Katherine’s view, an uncontrollable thrill surfaced on his face.
Those who haven’t watched all of Banish’s previous matches wouldn’t know.
No, even those who had watched them all wouldn’t realize unless they had a sharp eye.
From the start of the match until now, Banish had only been using the techniques he had copied in the arena. That alone was entertaining enough, but the real highlight was yet to come.
It’s about to start soon.
The match had gone on for over thirty minutes. If things went according to his expectations, things would begin soon. And sure enough, there was a sign.
“O-oh?”
Breakwater Drok was a specialist in defense who repelled every incoming attack.
After observing Drok’s shield techniques for thirty minutes, Kai finally began to move.
“W-what is this?” Drok’s face became filled with bewilderment.
He was a unique warrior who wielded a shield in his left hand and an auto-loading crossbow in his right, and his combat pattern was simple. When the opponent attacked, he would raise his shield with his left hand to block, then immediately counterattack by firing his crossbow with his right. In fact, that battle tactic had persistently tormented Benish for the past thirty minutes.
Drok believed that if time continued to pass like this, he would win by decision. However, the flow of the match suddenly began to change.
Ting!
At first, he thought it was a coincidence, just a lucky fluke.
Ting, ting! Ting!
However, when the coincidence happened once, twice, and more than five times...
“Wooooooaaah!”
“This is crazy! Is this really just the skill of someone with only 1,400 points?”
“Banish! Keep climbing! You could easily reach 2,500 points!”
The crowd went wild as Banish, having stolen Drok’s shield techniques, deflected the incoming arrows nonstop with just a thin sword. Sword Parrying. That was the moment the advanced technique of using a sword like a shield to deflect or redirect attacks appeared in the arena.
“Huh...?”
Even Katherine, who had been sitting with her legs crossed, uncrossed them and leaned forward with interest. “Reload. What’s his name again?”
When Katherine asked that question, Reload was certain.
Master’s next opponent has been decided.
Everyone who had ever received that question from her had, without exception, reached the 2,500 point milestone.