Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi
Fang Ruis Boundless Sea simply idled his time away at the spawn point, a bend in the canyon. He was showing that he intended on standing around and waiting there.
Zhou Zekais Cloud Piercer quickly made his way past the midpoint and then began paying attention to his surroundings. Although Fang Ruis Boundless Sea couldnt climb like a Ninja could, there were quite a few footholds on the walls. Reaching the top of the canyon wasnt a feat that only a Ninja could accomplish. It was just much easier for them.
The canyon walls continued to blur past him. Even though he had begun checking his surroundings, Cloud Piercer hadnt slowed down. He was already carrying his two guns in his hands. Boundless Sea hadnt appeared yet, but his guns were still pointed straight ahead, filled with killing intent.
The viewers watching knew that all of Zhou Zekais efforts right now were futile because Fang Rui refused to move. There was no need for him to be so vigilant.
When they thought of how unnecessary it was, Cloud Piercers biting cold killing intent didnt seem as imposing as before.
Closer and closer.
A player of Fang Ruis calibre would know how long it would take Cloud Piercer to reach him. Boundless Sea finally started moving. He moved left until he hit the canyon wall and then backed away. Just before he stepped into the Death to Intruders territory, he stopped.
Then, he started curling into a ball. But not completely. In the end, he waited there, maintaining a half-crouching half-standing stance.
What was the meaning of this?
Everyone was puzzled.
Did he think he could hide himself like this? Seeing Boundless Seas rather funny stance, everyone wanted to laugh.
To explore this point, the broadcast and the stadium screens got involved, showing a viewpoint looking towards this spawn point.
Boundless Sea could be seen as plain as day. Not a single part of him was hidden.
There were people in the crowd who were already laughing out loud. What was Fang Rui smoking?
At this moment, the camera began to pull back, gradually pulling away. At a certain distance away, everyone suddenly discovered that this half-crouching Boundless Sea disappeared.
It was a matter of angle.
Everyone understood. The canyon wasnt flat and straight. The twists and turns would have an effect on the players line of sight. No one really knew how exactly the line of sight was affected at this position, but in any case, Boundless Sea couldnt be seen.
But wasnt it too naive to think that you could hide just like that? Even if Boundless Sea was hidden at this distance, if you just took one step forward, Boundless Sea would be visible again.
The broadcast and stadium screens wanted to tell everyone this point. The camera moved forward and backward several times, and Boundless Sea appeared and disappeared several times.
Then, the camera continued to pull back farther and farther. The viewers didnt understand what the point was until it stopped. Soon afterwards, the image showed the distance between its current position and the spawn point.
Those familiar with Cloud Piercer suddenly understood. This distance was Cloud Piercers attack range. In other words, Zhou Zekais Cloud Piercer could start attacking from here, but he wouldnt be able to see him from here.
Cloud Piercer needed to continue forward if he wanted to find Boundless Sea. If he moved to the other side of the canyon, he would be able to find Boundless Sea sooner. However, the precondition was that he had this awareness.
Finally, a diagonal line was drawn in the canyon. With one glance, the diagonal line showed where Cloud Piercer would need to cross to see Boundless Sea. Right now, it was a question of whether Cloud Piercer leaned left or leaned right. If he leaned left, he would be able to find Boundless Sea from farther away. If he leaned right, then closer. The problem was that even if he leaned all the way to the right, Cloud Piercer would still be at least ten steps away from Boundless Sea. This wasnt a distance that posed a problem for Sharpshooters. In fact, this distance was a Sharpshooters optimal distance.
No one could understand what Fang Rui was trying to do. Was he hoping that Cloud Piercer wouldnt step into the area past that diagonal line? After not finding Boundless Sea, maybe Zhou Zekai would think that Boundless Sea had somehow gotten behind him without noticing and then turn back to investigate? Then, Fang Rui would make his move?
This...
It wasnt impossible.
When everyone thought about the view from that corner, it did have a faint feeling like you could already see everything from there. If you believed in that illusion, then it really would feel like there couldnt be anyone there.
What will happen?
Everyone felt uneasy as they waited. Zhou Zekais Cloud Piercer finally arrived.
After reaching here and not seeing anything in front of him, Zhou Zekai clearly paused and had a moment of confusion.
He looked to his left and right again, and then behind him. He slowed down, and it seemed like he was going to go with the possibility that everyone had been worried about.
Keep going!!
Countless people were anxiously screaming in their hearts. The Samsara fans in the stadium had started shouting Keep going!
Everyone was staring intently at that diagonal line provided by the broadcast. Zhou Zekai naturally couldnt see it, but the viewers could clearly see Cloud Piercer move closer step by step.
Keep going!
Keep going!
Keep going!
The crowds shouts were organized and powerful, but Cloud Piercers footsteps were moving in opposition to their wishes. With every shout, every step became slower and smaller as if he would turn around at any moment. It made everyone incredibly worried.
Keep going!
Countless people couldnt bear the anxiety. The shouts were starting to sound desperate.
Zhou Zekai seemed to have suddenly confirmed something.
Cloud Piercer didnt turn around. He kept going and sped up.
Hes crossed it!
The diagonal line was crossed, and not just by one step, but by two steps, three steps. Cloud Piercer suddenly accelerated, and Boundless Sea appeared in his sights. His two arms were perfectly straight, his dual guns aimed steadily at that corner.
Oh oh oh oh!
The crowd suddenly cheered. Their captain, their ace player wasnt going to let them down.
Slowing down? Was that hesitation?
No, he was still going forward, but he slowed down to mix up his speed to mess up Fang Ruis predictions. This was because Zhou Zekai understood Fang Rui. They had joined the pro scene in the same season. Even if he couldnt see Boundless Sea, he knew that Fang Rui must be waiting to ambush him.
That was why he slowed down and then sped up. If neither side was amply prepared, then the sudden clash would be a contest of their reaction speed.
Open fire!
Bullets flew out.
Boundless Sea scuttled out. Sure enough, Fang Rui had been waiting there for him. Even if Zhou Zekai had messed up the rhythm, Cloud Piercers sudden appearance didnt catch him off guard.
The bullets instantly set off sparks, but there was no sound of bullets hitting flesh. Boundless Sea had a Qi Wave Shield propped up, blocking the first wave of attacks.
Bang bang bang bang!
The dual guns fired again.
Even though the Qi Wave Shield wasnt shattered yet, the surface area was too small. It wasnt like Lord Grims Myriad Manifestations Umbrella which covered his entire body. Moreover, after a Qi Wave Shield was formed, it wouldnt move.
Roll!
Fang Rui tried to have Boundless Sea roll to dodge the attacks, but he didnt have much room to maneuver around at the moment. The area behind him was a forbidden zone. In other words, he was quite limited with his movements.
Pu pu pu!
This time, the bullets hit flesh. At this distance, in these confines, Fang Rui wasnt able to completely dodge all of Cloud Piercers attacks. However, he wasnt knocked back by the bullets. The force of the impact had no effect on him.
Reinforced Iron Bones!
Fang Rui had Boundless Sea activate Reinforced Iron Bones, but he still had Boundless Sea roll forward as a feint. It likely reduced the damage he received, but at the same time, he was also hiding his next move while rolling. This was a very common trick that he used when he played as a Thief.
Qi Bullet!
A blast of qi shot towards Cloud Piercers head.
But right now, the viewers couldnt focus on their fight because they realized that NPCs had spawned in the forbidden zone. After the NPCs spawned, all sorts of skills were thrown out.
Artillery shells, spells, curses, qi attacks flew out from the forbidden zone.
Knights Charge, Berserkers Colliding Stab, a tide of NPCs of all different classes had come charging out.
Event refresh?
It wasnt fixed? It was random?
It just happened to occur right now?
The projection technology and the broadcast split off a section, showing that the forbidden zone at Samsaras spawn point was quiet.
This wasnt happening randomly. Something had triggered it. Was it because they were fighting too close to the forbidden zone? There was a setting like that?
The viewers and the pro players were all trying to guess the reason. But the broadcast team and other staff members had other means to investigate the trigger.
And soon, the answer was found.
On the stadium screens and the broadcast small screen, a replay was given of what Boundless Sea was doing when Zhou Zekais Cloud Piercer rushed out.
Boundless Sea had formed a Qi Wave Shield and also rushed out, but for his very first step, he crossed over into Death to Intruders zone.
Boundless Sea wasnt immediately killed, but the NPCs had been summoned because of this small movement. It was a part of the map setting. It wasnt that complicated. If the entire character ran through the zone, that was trespassing. If a single foot stepped into the zone, that was trespassing.
And so the NPCs spawned and began attacking. Their focus was Boundless Sea, but they wouldnt intentionally avoid Zhou Zekais Cloud Piercer either.
The battle instantly turned into chaos. As for the step that triggered it, had it been intentional? Or a mistake?