Jin has already e up with a way to ter Ignis’s aggressive setup. So, with how obvious she was about going for it again, it should be easy enough to turables on her.

  The ter-pn was as such: First, he'll crash into Ignis's Fearless Charge with his Shield Bash. The two of them will collide and e to a halt. That'll successfully thwart the first step of Ignis’s pn.

  But, that's not all. Shield Bash also inflicted stun, unlike Fearless Charge that only stuhe enemy when it shoved them into a wall. So, Ignis should be stunned after the collision. Yes, should be.

  This iion be a little iffy sometimes. Jin admitted.

  Shield Bash failed to stu didn’t properly “move” the target. Therefore, depending on the specifigle of collisioween Fearless Charge and Shield Bash - there was a ce Shield Bash will fail to “move” Ignis in a way that’ll proc the stun.

  It would be a shame, but it’s not a big deal. Jin thought. I’ll just have to adapt accly.

  He already analyzed the two brang paths of the flowchart.

  If the stun takes pce, Jin will be in a great position for pressing the offense. He'd follow up with Bde Swing ounned prey, then drag her closer to his minions with his taunt skill.

  Iher sario, if Shield Bash fails to stun, then Jin will probably have to give up on Bde Swing. He'll most likely have to roll away to get out Ignis’s range, depending oher she’ll respond with her ult right off the gate.

  Both outes are manageable, so this is fine. Jin firmed. Though, I suppose there is one more sario, as unlikely as it is. I remember they patched Fearless Charge about a month ago, so she might take advantage of the new ge. But, that shouldn’t make a big differeher way.

  Jin ated for all the likely sarios that could develop from this py. Now, all that’s left was to execute his ter-pn.

  Here it es. Jin spotted the startup animation of Fearless Charge. His finger was already half-pressed on the key for Shield Bash, to unleash it as quickly as possible in respoo Ignis’s movements.

  And so, he fidently charged forth with Shield Bash, aiming to csh with the Fearless Charge! However...

  I see you there, kid! Ignis smirked. I had a feeling you'll try to pull something like this, so I'm ready!

  Ignis celed her Fearless Charge into Dodge Roll ihan half a sed. The timing for this specificel was really strict, but it was something she practiced extensively as one of the few pros out there who dared t Warrior to the petitive se.

  The startup of Fearless Charge gave her initial momentum, from which she further accelerated with Dodge Roll. In a blink of an eye, her body shot past the ining attacker!

  You didn’t expect this, did you? Ignis grinned. Of course not. They patched in this cel like a month ago, and almost nobody appreciated it back then. But, I did!

  As a Warrior enthusiast, Ignis saw the hidden potential of this tricky animation cel. It was a great tool for catg oppos off guard, just like this!

  Look who's behind you now! Ignis grinned as she recovered from the roll and booted Fearless Charge again, aiming at the target's back. Eat shit, you damn whippersnapper!

  This was the best ao attack from. Ignis was almost exactly behind the brat, so her Fearless Charge was going to push him deep into Ignis’s territory. There, she’ll force him into a fight and her minions will swarm the brat! Ignis was about to win this fight by a ndslide!

  Unfortunately, her imagination got too far ahead. Her oppo wasn’t the pushover she expected him to be, despite his young age.

  So, she really used the roll cel. Jin frowned.

  His Shield Bash pletely whiffed its intearget, hitting only the enemy swordsmen. He specifically aimed his Shield Bash in such a way that the strike will hit both Ignis and some swordsmen, but in the end, it only hit the swordsmen.

  So, the less likely sario happened. Jin thought. I see she is a real Warrior enthusiast. Her dedication is almost respectable. Almost.

  In the end, even this uurn of events was within expectations. Though Jin didn’t py Warrior, he always tested all the patch ges in Practice mode to better uand their implications. And, the same applied to the ret “buff” to Fearless Charge.

  This was his first time seeing somebody who actually employed the roll cel in a serious match, but he already practiced ao this py a while ago. So, he was mentally prepared for this “ued” attad his body remembered the practice he put himself through.

  She's probably going to charge at me from behind. Jin deduced as much as soon as he saw Ignis rolling past him.

  It'll be the worst-case sario for me if she pushes me toward her minions. And so, Ji for a Dodge Roll without batting an eye. He dodged sideways against an attack he couldn’t even see ing.

  The Fearless Charge arrived shortly. As expected, it was aimed at Jin’s back, but it whiffed.

  It was a 1-1 now. Each side whiffed one of their big attacks.

  Soon after Ignis ended with Fearless Charge, her shield exploded to deal extra damage. However, Jin was already far away from her, so the explosion only damaged the minions near her.

  All things sidered, Jin came on top in that exge, ever so slightly. Ignis burned both of her skills on this operation, whereas Jin still had Honorable Duel and hit ult at his disposal.

  Regardless, her ult remains the most dangerous tool here at the moment. Jin reminded himself.

  The existence of Swordwhirl made it practically impossible for Jin to directly test Ignis in a 1v1, not unless he first forces her into a very disadvantageous position.

  Fortunately, Honorable Duel was exactly the kind of skill that could aplish that. Jin simply had to sneak it in the middle of battle, then he'll have a anipute Ignis like a puppet and force her into a bad position.

  In a way, this oute is better than the sarios I simuted. Jin realized.

  Sih Jin and Ignis whiffed their charges, her of them nded a hit on each other thus far. In other words, despite their attempts at each other's lives, the minions pretehe ne eaceful at the moment.

  Thus, the two armies were casually bickering among themselves, paying o Ignis or Jin. This oute was the plete opposite of the setup Ignis was trying to achieve.

  The other factor that pyed in Jin's favor was the fact Ignis has spent both of her movement skills: Fearless Charge and Dodge Roll. As such, it'll be difficult for her to escape the range of Honorable Duel.

  If I take advantage of both these factors, I set myself up for a win. Jin dashed into eerritory. He had to reach Ignis before she realizes how grave her situation really was.

  Is he ing at me, or at the minions? Ignis cocked her head.

  In this chaotic situation, it was difficult to get a read on what was i. Ignis thwarted the kid's pn, then he replied in kind by thwarting hers. That turhe situation into a mess, so it was hard to tell what will happe.

  Oh shit, he's pnning to taunt! Ignis cluded via a process of elimination. But, she was a little too te to cat.

  Only now, it dawned on her how terrible her position actually was. She should've prioritized retreating from the se as soon as possible. But, instead, she stuck around and smacked some minions. Su amateur mistake!

  "Let us fight honorably!" the Knight shouted loudly while raising both arms into the air.

  "Fuuuuuuu!"

  Death was ing. Ignis could feel it creeping up on her.

  If the taunt lures her into eerritory and makes her strike the Knight, then all enemy minions will be on her business. They’ll tear her to shreds while the dang kid will be watg, ughing at her misery.

  I ’t let that hit me! Ignis instinctively went for the only answer she had at her disposal: her ult. She booted Swordwhirl and started spinning, being immuo all CC.

  The Knight’s loud yell vibrated across the area, but it had no effe Ignis. She tinued spinning as if nothing happened.

  So, she chose to ter it. Jin anticipated such a possibility. I have to admit, I’m a little surprised. I thought she’ll uimate me all the way and will let me taunt her. Yet, she chose to throw away her stro on just to ter me. Well, I’m not pining.

  Ignis turned into a living tornado, slig through everything around her. However, this lethal attack couldn’t reach its primary target, so it looked more like an unfortunate misfire.

  Damn it. I was saving this to kill the dang brat. Ignis grumped. Whatever. I’ll pressure him with ne advantage instead.

  Ignis hasn’t given up. Even though she prematurely activated her trump card, it was still possible to get a kill in this fight. And, to get closer to that goal, the first step was to domihe ne.

  Therefore, instead to reach the brat with Swordwhirl, Ignis directed her Beybde toward the enemy swordsmen.

  SLICE. SLICE. SLICE. She repeatedly cut through the entire pack, erasing their HP in a matter of seds.

  While she inning wildly like this, Apprentece couldn’t possibly approach the area to attack her minions. The kid had no choice but to watch the se unfold from afar, as Ignis was sughtering his precious frontline.

  Before long, the odds heavily tilted in Ignis’s favor. She wiped out the entire enemy frontline while her own frontline was fully intact.

  With three swordsmen and three bowmen at her disposal, Ignis was about to wage war against the kid’s lousy lineup of just three bowmen. Appreood no ce!

  Alright, now we're talking! Ignis nodded in satisfa. With this ne advantage, she'll smack the kid into submission in no time!

  Of course, her oppo uood the situation just as well. Will he run away with his tail between his legs? That'll be a disappointing oute, but it'll t as Ignis's victory all the same.

  The ball was in the kid’s court now.

  This isn't good. Jin frowned.

  Just a moment ago, he had the high ground in this duel. Then, Ignis's ult turhe tables on him.

  Now, Jin was the one in a disadvantageous position, and he didn’t have any tools to turuation around.

  How do I deal with this? It was a difficult question. For the first time in a while, the course of a didn't e to him immediately. That stood testament to how delicate the situation was.

  I retry this during the wave? Jin wondered. No, probably not. I already see pyers rotating.

  The enemy Support left Bot and headed to help out in Mid. This one small move effectively sighe beginning of the mid-game.

  Onebody breaks the established positions this boldly, it often caused a domino effect. As result, it threw the entire game into a ”disarray” known as the mid-game.

  My initial clusion was correct. I won't get another ce to show off my skill in a proper duel. Jin o himself. So, this is it. My st big duel opportunity. If I run away here, it'll leave a sting impression of me losing to Ignis, and I probably won't be able to fix that image for the rest of the game.

  Running away wasn't an optioe the disadvantageous position, Jin had to stand his ground and fight. He had to cause a miracle and win this ne exge with just three bowmen, against Ignis who was leading a full ptoon of minions...

  DarkestCymore