The Villainess VTuber Rips People Apart

Chapter 4

Blood splattered onto my face.

Despite being a game, the depiction of blood was incredibly realistic. Maybe it was because I had verified my age during the registration process.

Without thinking, I licked my lips, and a metallic taste spread across my tongue.

"Ugh, where... where did this..."

The man grimaced as he gripped his greatsword.

Even though I had severely slashed his back, he hadn't died. I had intended to finish him off with a single blow.

It's probably because his stats are higher than mine.

The man standing before me must have arrived at the boss room later than I did, having fought his way through the mobs along the way. That would explain the difference in our growth levels.

And there's one more thing.

"You're a paladin, aren't you?"

I spoke in a gentle voice, but the man showed no reaction.

The paladin is a flagship character in the Labyrinthos series.

In the previous installment, he was practically the protagonist, and it seemed like he was filling that role again in this game.

And I, Laura Iris, was once known as the "Haughty Villainess," a notorious antagonist.

As a villainess, it was only natural that I had several confrontations with the protagonist's party.

As such, I know the paladin very well.

How many times had I faced off against the paladin over the past ten years?

"Hah!"

The man, appearing as a paladin, took a deep breath and swung his greatsword.

Compared to the "original paladin," his swordsmanship was rather crude.

It seemed that, like me, he wasn't a particularly skilled player, given that the matchmaking system had paired us together.

"Still, I shouldn't let myself get hit."

The paladin I know is a brute with overwhelming strength. The kind who could bring down a dragon with a single blow.

It's likely the same in this game.

Without any armor, if I took a hit from that sword, I'd be pulp.

That's why, in any battle with a paladin, the key was always "how to avoid the paladin's sword."

I lowered my stance and closed the distance.

"Huh?"

The paladin looked surprised as I advanced rather than retreating.

The greatsword is a weapon that's inherently large and long, and it's heavy.

This means that while its attacks can be devastating if they land, the risk is equally high if the attack misses.

The distance between us.

I dodged the greatsword by a hair's breadth and was already closing in on him. Now, what will he do?

From the paladin's perspective, responding to this would be extremely difficult. After swinging his greatsword once, it would be too heavy to swing again immediately.

To begin with, the greatsword isn't suited for close-quarters combat.

It's a weapon that excels at crushing from a distance, so once the gap is closed, it becomes little more than a hunk of metal.

Thus, the paladin had no choice but to respond in another way.

He raised his right foot to kick.

-Slash!

"Aaaargh!"

But it was the paladin's foot that went flying.

My sword had sliced through his ankle.

The kick was too predictable.

Given that he had allowed me to close the distance, the paladin's options were limited. He could shoulder-charge, backstep, or kick.@@@@

Among these, a kick was the most likely option.

Since both his hands were gripping the greatsword tightly, his arms were difficult to use, so it was natural for him to think of using his legs to somehow deal with the situation.

"Perhaps he's a novice."

"..."

There was a "feeling" to it.

While Leon's gaming skills weren't particularly impressive compared to Laura's, he couldn't help but feel something about her gameplay.

Leon felt as if he was standing at a crossroads of fate.

And, as if on cue...

♪♬♩♪♬♪

As always, the timing was impeccable.

Leon picked up his ringing phone.

[Boss]

The single word on the phone's screen.

Leon answered the call.

"Hello." [Leon, I'm sorry to call so late.] "No problem. I'm in the industry too."

In this industry, mornings start late, and nights go even later. It's not uncommon for people to stay up until 6 a.m. before going to bed.

Leon lived a relatively regular life compared to others in the industry, but it seemed that the boss was still working late into the night.

[I heard you want to quit.] "...Yes." [Why?] "Because I realized I don't have the talent for this."

As he spoke those words, Leon glanced at the monitor.

On the screen, Laura was getting ready for her next match.

[Talent, huh. Leon, I don't believe talent is everything in this industry. If you stick with it long enough, you'll make it somehow. Just like your seniors did.] "I think... even being able to stick with it is a form of talent." [You're not wrong. ...Are you really sure about quitting? Your fans will be disappointed.] "Fans..."

Leon involuntarily trembled.

The word "fans" made his throat tighten.

He suddenly felt like a criminal.

It was as if a weight had been tied to his chin, causing him to hang his head.

Being loved is undoubtedly a blessing,

but sometimes it's also a curse.

Only those who are truly deserving of love can bear this curse.

Or perhaps only those with ironclad talent can endure it.

After a few more duels, I started to get a feel for it.

There are three main strategies you can use in duels:

"Farm and get stronger," "Ignore everything and go straight for the boss," or "Just go kill the other player."

Of course, depending on the character, new strategies might emerge, and some strategies might be enhanced or weakened.

I liked it quite a bit.

It's not just about brute physicality; you have to use your brain to some extent.

That's what makes the taste of victory, won through cunning, so satisfying.

"If 1v1s are this complex, 6v6 battles must be on another level."

From what I've heard, the main content in Labyrinthos is the "Gate Conquest Mode," a 6v6 battle.

I definitely want to try out the "Gate Conquest Mode" as well.

"It was too easy to win, so I didn't even get to use my skills."

Maybe because I'm still a newbie. The rating must have been too low, so I ended up winning just with basic attacks.

As a result, I still haven't fully figured out my character.

Of course, I have ten years of experience as Laura Iris. So, I already have a rough idea of how each character plays.

But I can't just blindly trust my "ten years" of experience.

Some characters' abilities are bound to have changed with the new game. If I don't learn those differences, I'll pay the price later.

Especially in 6v6 battles, teamwork is crucial.

So, I need to at least familiarize myself with the skills each character has.

"I should force myself to use some skills."

And I need to closely observe what skills my opponents use. It's a shame I didn't get to see any of the paladin's skills in that first fight.

With those thoughts in mind, I queued up for another match.

Unaware of what was happening outside the game.