Karen and Lua chose to fight against Athena and Average instead of heeding Fiona's advice. It was definitely a suboptimal decision but there was a faint ce they would make it work.

  "You're toast, bitch!" Karen barraged Athena with bullets. She pletely ighe fact that the Drow was behind her. Her only target was the foxy Seraph.

  Likewise, Lua also fired her icicles at Athena and Athena alohe duo's sole goal was to take down that Carry ASAP!

  But, the enemy didn’t take this aggression lying down. Average drilled Karen from behind with bck bolts while Athena attacked her from the front. Basically, it was a race to see who'd take out the other's Carry first!

  Oh, my roll is finally back! Karen noticed that the pesky cripple status finally expired. Now, she could roll out of this sticky situation and maybe make a break for it.

  Nah, it’s pointless. Karen dismissed the thought and tinued shooting. I bet that damn Drow is just gonna push me back with his ult. He's standing over there on purpose.

  After stabbing Karen in the back, Average actually distanced himself a little. He was now a couple of steps behind her, probably expeg her to roll in that dire. And, if she were to do it, he'd smack her back with Force of Reje.

  So, let's not do that. Karen thought. Instead, I do this! She rolled, but not in the dire Average expected her to.

  Instead to escape, Kare all in by rolling at Athena! And, in the process, she also distanced herself from Average. Two birds with oone, easy!

  Ha! That's what you get for stalking me from behind, stupidface! With this roll, Karen put herself outside the Drow's attack rahe idiot reaped what he sowed, he now had to waste time oing closer to Karen again. Outpyed like a fool!

  But, that dumbass doesn't matter right now. Karen shifted her focus back to the primary target. Athena was on the brink of death at 20% HP, but she was still very much alive.

  She's like a damn cockroach! Karen ranted. She was at like 40% whearted and we only damaged her this much. What the actual fuck?

  Seriously, what was going on? Athena's bat skills were hardly "impressive". Karen was supposed to mop the floor with that fox!

  But, bitch keeps dodging shit! And, she also somehow messes up my flow. Karen ranted. I just keep failing to firm shots that I should have no problem firming.

  Many things were odd about the way Athena pyed. It’s not like she did anything outstanding per se, but somehow her movements were dodgy and shifty.

  One moment, it looks like she's backpedaling, but then she suddenly shoots! Other times, it feels like she's pnning to go all in, but then she doesn’t! It doesn’t make any sense!

  It was like dealing with a cockroach. The damn thing just refused to die!

  Iime it took t Athena’s HP from 40% to 20%, Karen fell from 70% to a whopping 20%! From a pletely advantageous position, the whole fight came down to the wire!

  And, her damn wings are charged up now... Karen gulped. This might be where it ends.

  There were four white angeligs popping out of the Seraph's back. This meant Athena finished charging up her passive. Now, the bitch's four attacks will e out at lightning speed!

  Crap. Karen started sweating. There's no way she would have been able to sidestep that shit even if she were a pro pyer. The barrage was gonna be insanely fast!

  However, there was one way to tank the ehing. "Lua, ult me!" Karen shouted.

  "Y-Yes, right away!" Lua cast Cryo-Freeze on her partner, log Karen ihick ice. This should keep her safe for the entire onsught.

  As, it was o think this would solve all their problems. WHISH! A white beam of light pierced Lua's chest! Then, not even a split sed ter, another WHISH! A bck bolt stabbed her side!

  "E-Eh!?" Lua jumped. "T-They're targeting me now!?"

  In a way, this was iable, sidering Karen was invulnerable right now. Still, the enemy shifted gears way too quickly! It's like they kly when Lua was going to cast Cryo-Freeze aally prepared in advance.

  "W-Wah!" Lua was so startled she struggled to properly aim at Athena. T-Take this! She tried to retaliate but her icicle shot was pletely off the mark. Athena didn't even have to do any sophisticated to dodge this one.

  WHISH! WHISH! The enemy duo assaulted Lua again! She was on the chopping block here. Her HP dropped from 100% to 80% in a matter of seds.

  "Damn, seriously...!?" Karen gritted her teeth. They’re gonna run all over her at this rate! It’s like they’ve been waiting for this!

  Seriously, the enemy’s adaptation was stupidly fast. They switched targets in a split millised. It was insane!

  Or, maybe it’s because it’s Lua? I swear girl has a talent fetting herself into trouble, haha… Karen ughed dryly in a weak attempt to liven up her spirits. Hint: It didn’t work. The situation was far too dire.

  Okay, so, what do we actually do ? Karen knotted her brows. Do I tell Lua to cel the freeze so I rejoin the fight? But, then they’ll just switch bae, right? Ugh…

  It was so frustrating. The goal was right in front of them, damn it! Athena was below 20%. It should take like 3~4 more hits to finish off that bitch. It was supposed to be so easy! A, even with Karen and Lua’s strengths bihey struggled to seal the deal.

  Maybe sis was right about and Lua should’ve retreated instead… Karen bit her lip. Actually, who am I kidding? Of course sis was right. She’s always right. I was just stubborn because I wahis kill so badly. I mean, it looked so easy to firm!

  They came so close. Their target was almost dead. So, why? Why couldn’t they just finish the job!? Why was it so hard to kill this damn cockroach!? That frigging Athena didn’t evehat good at the game, yet it was so frustratingly hard to finish her off!

  While Karen was rag her brain about what to do , the enemy duo screwed Lua from both sides. In a matter of seds, they delivered more than 8 shots on her!

  During all this time, Karen was locked away inside a block of ice, uo aid her brutalized friend in any way. It was maddening!

  I should be out there, fighting alongside her! But… Karen knew all too well what’d happen the moment she stepped outside. At her current HP, she’d be er than a dead man walking. The enemy duo would finish her off in an instant.

  Therefore, it robably better to stay put in this ice blod recover some HP. But, every sed she spent ihe ice was another sed during which the eore Lua to shreds. It ainful to watch, and no doubt painful for Lua to gh.

  “I-I have to run!” Lua’s self-preservation instincts kicked in. Her HP dropped to almost 10%, which put her in a critical range. She had to get a!

  At this point, it was clear that she would not be able to strike Athena down. She somehow ma that fox’s HP down to 15%, but that’s the most she could achieve. This was a good time to call it quits.

  “I-I’ll retreat,” Lua informed as she activated her Dodge Roll, evading the ining shots while simultaneously creating distance from the two assaints.

  “Yeah, I also think you better run at this point…” Karen twisted her lips in annoyance. “I don’t see us achieving anything here at this point.”

  “I-I’m sorry…”

  “Meh, it’s not your fault. These guys are just too freakin’ good at this shit. I wasn’t expeg them to do us in like that.”

  In this particur py, Karen really felt the experience gap between her and StormBlitz’s pyers. It was almost like greenhorns challengierans.

  And to think that I’m actually one of the veterans pared to the rest of the club. Karen thought. Seriously, how are we supposed to beat oppos who are so many years ahead of us? That’s just impossible…

  At least, the duo avoided the worst-case sario of double death. Lua smoothly slipped out of the area with 5% HP remaining.

  It was quite the feat. If there was ohing Lua excelled at more than anybody else, it was definitely self-preservation. The girl was oh’s door but she was very much alive. She’d probably eve Athena at Survival Olympics.

  The enemy needed like 1 or 2 more hits to finish her off, so it would’ve made sense for them to chase her all the way. But, her Athena nor Average left the area. Instead, these fuckers stayed right there and waited for Karen’s Cryo-Freeze to melt.

  Tch, seriously? She clicked her tongue. Well, it makes seo prioritize me but that doesn't ge the fact it's hel annoying.

  Athena and Average stalked the lump of ice like two predators waiting for their prey to emerge from their hideout. Was there anything Karen could even do in this situation?

  Well, I try to shoot for that kill on Athena again. Karen thought. My skills are off cooldown, so I actually have something to work with here. I like this optio.

  The fact Karen’s Trickslide came online was likely the reason both oppos decided to stay behind to secure the kill. It meant they were wary of what she’d do . In other words, she still had a ake something happen!

  Unfortunately, Athena had around 15% HP left, so a single basic attack wouldn't be enough to kill her. Likewise, a regur Trickshot won't quite cut it, either.

  I either have to hit her with a Trickshot and a basiake my Trickshot bou least once before hitting. Bleh. Both options souoo difficult to execute in a critical situation like this. The two predators were so anxiously waiting for Karen to e out of her haven that they would waste no time in shooting her down.

  Let's see here. I slide to the side, then shoot, and then... Karen tried to simute the whole thing in her head. On paper, it seemed feasible. But, could she really trust her judgment at this point? Earlier, she was vihat she and Lua would score a kill on Athena, but look how that turned out.

  Still, that's the best I do. Karen asserted. I just have to pray Athena won't move mud that my shots would actually hit her.

  The ice was about to melt. The big moment on them. And, sidering the high level of the oppos, these mfs probably kly when it'll happen. They were 100% mentally prepared for it.

  So, I have to throw off their timing! Karen thought. "Lua, that's it. Let me out.”

  "O-Okay..." Lua pressed the button, clearly nervous about the whole thing. It’s like she was sending Karen to her death.

  In truth, it barely made a differe was just about a sed earlier than scheduled. I hope this will be enough to throw them off. Karen thought.

  A momehe ice melted, and Karen burst out of it with a Trickslide! The show was on!

  In such a cramped area it should be pretty easy to firm a quick bounce. Karen fired a Trickshot at the nearby wall as she slid forward. The shot hit the wall and bounced right back!

  I 't see shit behind me, but these mofos should be after me right now. So, this gotta hit somebody!

  Ideally, it'll hit Athena and wipe that bitch out of existence. But, hitting Average would be alright, too. At this point, just going out in a bze of glory was good enough.

  So, who would it be!? Karen turned around after finishing the slide. She saw the Trickshot flying across the area at lightning speed... but it hit nobody.

  Average was chasing Karen but he must've rolled out of the way as soon as he spotted the Trickshot ing. But, then what about Athena? Where was that slippery bitch?

  Huh…? She's literally o be found. Karen looked left and right but there was no trace of Athena anywhere in the viity. Did that fox slip deeper into the jungle? In such a short time? Nah, that didn't make any sense.

  Then, where is she!? Karen had a bad feeling about this, and she was right. WHISH! An arrow of light pierced through her!

  That arrow didn't e from her left, her right, her front, and not even from behind. No, this shot came... from above!

  "Oh, shit!" Karen realized her mistake. Yes, of course! She's in the air!

  Athena used Angelic Grace to take off into the sky. She floated up there, looking down on everybody as if they were no more than worms.

  I should've figured. Karen clicked her tongue. Irospect, this was an obvious move. This damn wench!

  BAM! Karen fired a shot toward the sky in frustration! Naturally, it ected perfectly. After all, Karen wasn't some skill-issue pyer, she had no problem hitting enemies in the air.

  Unfortunately, this basic attack wasn't enough to achieve anything. It hit that smug Seraph but then Athena just fired one more shot. Meanwhile, Average also caught up and started needling Karen with bolts. It was over...

  You have been killed!

  "Welp..." Karen had nothing more to say here. She fucked up, pin and simple. What should have been an easy chase to secure a kill turned into a total mess. Athena pyed them for a fiddle there.

  I wonder, at oint did her "bait" had already started? Whereated into the jungle instead of running to the tower? Or, was it all the way back when Aegis left her alone on the ne? Or, maybe even before that...?

  Perhaps Athena has been hatg this pn all along. She might’ve even allowed herself to get hit in the ne, all for the sake of rolepying as a “helpless prey” ter on.

  The main reason we went all was that she was below half HP. Karen thought. So, it looked like a great opportunity to finish her off, but what if that whole thing was staged from the get-go…?

  Thinking of it, it felt easier than usual to nd shots on Athena in the past few waves. At first, Karen thought it was because she switched from Impaler to Trickshoter, but maybe that wasn’t it.

  Maybe she let me hit her on purpose…? Karen wao doubt that very hard yet she couldirely deny the possibility. Like, it sounds hel dumb and I don’t think any sane person would ever do something like this, but…

  There was an uny gap between how easy it was to nd shots on Athena at the start of the day pared to now. It’s like the girl underwent a whole damn 360 and suddenly became a pro at dodging attacks. This was actually more in lih how she pyed in the first two games.

  So, did she lead us by the nose all along? Karen wondered. Nah, no way, right? Like, there’s no point in doing something like that. It’s super ineffit.

  Like, what kind of sane person would allow themselves to get hit in the hope to eventually, MAYBE luring the attackers into overextending? That shit sounded backward as heck.

  Like, I know Athena be a weirdo sometimes, but she’s still a first-string pyer in StormBlitz, so she ’t be this mentally ill, right?

  Ahat hypothesis became increasingly believable as the game progressed. Ever sihis i, it has bee incredibly hard to damage Athena again, just as in the previous games.

  Nah, no way. I bet she just adapted to us after that py, right…? Yeah, that’s probably all there is to it, haha… To keep her sanity intact, Karen stuck with that on sense narrative. It was simply too absurd to believe that spiracy theory she came up with…

  DarkestCymore