Timeless [Yuuki Konno X OC]

Chp. 30 - The Cold Sniper

[Alfheim Online, New Aincrad, Floor 1 Coliseum]

[Malzeno's POV]

Many tuned in for the live streams covering the tournament, others took up every space in the stands, even the very top of the arena's walls. Down below, however, it was complete pandemonium. From all sides, I had four players immediately turn their blades on me. "Aw, they put aside their differences just to kill me, that's so sweet," 

"I bet all my money on you!" "Let's crush this rat here and now!" "Die, you scumbag!"

The first was a greatsword, one I spun around to release Buckshot, the green arrows exploding on contact with his sword, throwing it back, the shrapnel lacerating his frame. I climbed up his shoulders, diving upside-down to fire a purple-charged Threaded Needle, the puncturing arrow skewered through the first man, he's dead on the spot due to a lack of heavy armour.

Landing, I dove backward from two scimitars, rolling left from a spear, all their skills causing a combustion, kicking up a dust cloud where my eyes flickered between the strokes of sword skills sweeping the smog.  I continued to fire off arrows, twirling out from the cloud before it settled, revealing the trio and two more that had joined in.

All they saw was my smirk, a finger pointed at the ground. When the dust levelled out, only the dozen blast-tipped arrows could be seen. Within that frame, all of them were engulfed in a large blast, two surviving but having taken serious damage. Rushing them, their pleas went unheard, silencing them with well-placed headshots as I avoided the various battles erupting across the arena in massive clusters, embers of the dead tossed around with shards of red glass. 

I ran up another unsuspecting player, gaining the height advantage to launch Thunder Crash's crackling shot, the roaring arrowhead tearing through a small group of players, blasting them to their stomachs, paralyzed and left helpless to the slaughter. While I never took the kills, it lessened my burden, more were gunning for me, seeing an archer as a 'weak link', how unfortunate.

A blade nicked a few strands of hair, so I wrapped around the sweeping claws, pivoting under twin axes, then the series of heavy slams from a great-ax and a thunderous crash from a single greatsword. These guys were relentless. Running in an arc, I slid below a hail of arrows from afar, seeing them puncture two guys to my left. Rolling, I hopped up and over another player, his sword missing my heels with several within my sights. 

Slicking several arrows with various vials on my belt, I pulled back the string with a great deal of strength, I handled five arrows, all beginning to hum a deep blue. Grinding my boots into the earth, I raised them high and released, then another five to follow in rapid succession. The ten-hit skill, Deluge. A barrage of arrows hailed a line of players, all now flinching, inflicted by various elemental statuses that left them weakened to others, myself giving a mocking bow. 

Turning, I raised NTB to tank a Vertical Arc that was close to tearing out my back, belonging to another would-be assassin. "Tch, you really thought a little runt like you even had a chance here!?" He howled, lunging again while I kept on the defence, evading his vicious strokes.

~Oooh, with that massive upset, there's only 72 players remaining in only five minutes!~ Cliffheart exclaimed. ~Seems a few have teamed up to take out certain targets, who could've expected that!?~

"Someone like you should've stayed in the towns with the other brokers - Ack!" Before I could listen to his wonderful points any longer, I watched as an arrow lodged itself through his chest by hand, the person behind him walking out in front with a stare that could freeze a target with a mere glance. "Y-Y-you, bitch!"