Reincarnated Avatar; I got 2 SSS-Rank Unique Skills
Chapter 218: Rivalry [10]

Chapter 218: Rivalry [10]

[English Pro Alliance League Table – Matchday 25]

Echelon – MP: 25; Points: 71 Scarlet Rose – MP: 25; Points: 70 Cyber Squad – MP: 25; Points: 70 Phoenix Rising – MP: 25; Points: 67 Juggernaut – MP: 25; Points: 58

It was pure drama in the English Pro Alliance after 25 matchdays. The league had never seen anything like it.

The fans, they couldn’t wait for what came next.

As for what came next? Absolute cinema.

Matchday 26 was dubbed the matchday of death. It was dubbed such because there were 3 different blockbuster top of the table clash in the matchday.

3 blockbuster return legs were scheduled for the same matchday.

Having played the first leg in Phoenix Rising’s stadium, Echelon and Phoenix Rising were about to play the return leg of the fixture, this time in the same London, but at the Stanford Bridge.

It was a derby game. The stakes were even higher after being fueled by the top 4 rivalry that was still ongoing.

The title race was still up for grabs. And to some fans, they felt like matchday 26 would finally decide who would pull ahead in the important title race.

The result of matchday 26 had the capacity to change the outlook of the title race between the top 4 clubs.

After all, the top 3 clubs were separated by only a point.

The second blockbuster encounter of the matchday was between Cyber Squad and Scarlet Rose. Having played the first leg of the fixture earlier in the season, where Cyber Squad went to the Crimson Arena in Leeds and created a miracle, the return leg was finally here and it would take place in Cyber Squad’s home stadium this time.

The third and final blockbuster encounter of the matchday was between Juggernaut and Steel Dominion, fierce candidates for the top 6 playoffs qualification battle.

Warstar fans? They stocked enough popcorn for the matchday.

And then it started.

It started in London, in Stanford Bridge.

Earlier in the season, Lord Doom and his clique tried to get their revenge for the Warstar RPG champions league final 2 seasons ago that they lost against Phoenix Rising in agonizing fashion.

Despite going to Phoenix Rising’s iconic stadium, Echelon stunned the English Pro Alliance with a dominant performance across 2 rounds of the game, dominating both the individual battle round and the 3 vs 3 battle round, ending both clashes with a stunning 0-5 scoreline.

Echelon was one step away from claiming a flawless victory till Dain Ironvalor and his team dug deep, going all out in the team battle.

The game ended 5-5, a draw.

It was an epic encounter and yet, Lord Doom and his teammates never quite got the revenge that they sought.

After all, Gabriel and his teammates didn’t lost.

Now, in their home territory, they had another chance at getting their revenge. Team Echelon prepared for the game like it was the Warstar RPG Champions League final all over again.

As for the home fans, they gave Phoenix Rising a sufficiently hostile welcome, turning Stanford Bridge into a fortress.

Boos and whistles rang around the stadium as Gabriel led his teammates into the pitch, climbing the stage to enter their player booth.

In contrast, when Noah led his teammates into the pitch, the stadium exploded.

"Lord Doom!"

"Lord Doom!"

"Lord Doom!"

Lord Doom chants reverberated like thunder, turning the 45,000 capacity stadium into a cauldron of noise.

And then, it started.

[LOADING...]

[FIRST ROUND: INDIVIDUAL BATTLE]

[Lord Doom vs Dain Ironvalor]

Personally for Gabriel, the first individual battle held a lot of meaning.

This was because he sought revenge after losing to God Noah and his Lord Doom earlier in the season. Gabriel was eager and extremely motivated to turn the tides, showcasing exactly what he was capable of.

The battle started, and all hell broke loose.

BOOM!

A Paladin vs a Combat Mage with a shapeshifting weapon.

A Combat Mage with access to high level and Awakened level skills of all other classes. Unlike Stinger of War, Lord Doom was not a Battle God but a War Demon. He was unstoppable with Aetherforge.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

The rhythmic sound of rapid keyboard tapping filled Phoenix Rising’s player booth, and yet it was not enough.

Gabriel broke his official APM record in this epic encounter. He went well and beyond his limits, but against Lord Doom and its controller, God Noah, it was not enough.

After one last clash and a bright flash of light, movement stopped in the 3-way holographic screen.

For a moment, the spectating fans did not realize what happened until the victory screen flashed.

---<VICTORY>---

[Echelon: 1 point]

[Phoenix Rising: 0 point]

Again, Lord Doom won.

Again, God Noah won.

Gabriel could not get his revenge. Behind his monitor, he clenched his fists tightly with bloodshot eyes, losing his cool, something his teammates rarely saw.

He gave his all, and yet, he still lost.

’What the hell!’ Gabriel was frustrated.

In the 3-way holographic screen, a familiar Avatar was the last man standing, holding his SSS-Rank weapon that was now in its battle lance state, still pointed at the fading figure of his opponent.

Beneath him, the Paladin gradually faded into motes of light.

"Lord Doom!" "Lord Doom!" "Lord Doom!"

The Lord Doom chants resumed in Stanford Bridge.

Gabriel was rattled, and his frustration also rattled his teammates. This was the reason why Aria won the second individual battle with ruthless efficiency.

It was not even 2 minutes when the victory screen flashed on the 3-way holographic projection, leaving Stanford Bridge briefly stunned.

---<VICTORY>---

[Echelon: 2 points]

[Phoenix Rising: 0 points]

Caleb claimed the last Echelon victory in the individual battle round, making it a clean sweep for Echelon in the individual battles.

Noah prepared for another grueling encounter in the 3 vs 3 battle rush but unlike what he expected, for the first time in 5 seasons, Phoenix Rising changed their battle strategy, taking the back foot in a heated end to end encounter.

Dain Ironvalor and the best Phoenix Rising combatants didn’t take part in the 3 vs 3 battle rush.

Immediately, Noah understood Gabriel’s plan.

’He wants to focus on the team battle’.

He was surprised.

At the end of the first individual battle, Lord Doom won with 21% of his HP remaining. It was one reason why the defeat hit Gabriel so hard.

After all, he was supposed to be the pinnacle of the English Pro Alliance. Losing already was supposed to be impossible, and yet, losing while his opponent had over 20% HP remaining was just humiliation.

Noah did it deliberately, exerting himself to make it possible.

It was part of his psychological warfare, he wanted Gabriel to be rattled in subsequent rounds of the game. But he seemed to have underestimated Gabriel again; he never expected him to have recovered so fast, already coming up with strategies to counter Echelon’s imperious momentum.

Noah didn’t make a last minute change though, rather, he let Aria loose.

The Sword Saint was set loose in the 3 vs 3 battle rush.

That night, Warstar fans across England saw the Sword Saint at the peak of her powers again, wreaking havoc in a high-stakes encounter.

Against the weaker players and Avatars of Phoenix Rising, Aria was imperious. With her twin blades, she cut any and every opposition down.

Her first opponent was an Elementalist.

As soon as the battle started, the Elementalist’s strategy was clear. She wanted to keep her distance while dealing as much damage as possible but against an opponent of Aria’s caliber, and when she was this fresh, such a strategy was a recipe for disaster.

Aria wriggled through the thick forest terrain of the arena like a panther, showcasing her experience and skill at its fullest.

She dodged the most destructive attacks of the Elementalist, letting the others hit and tanking them as she took the fastest and most efficient route to close the distance to the Elementalist.

In the end, all she took to end the battle was a sacrifice of 13% HP.

And all that HP was lost in the process of chasing the Elementalist down. Once she chased her down, the Blademaster was imperious.

Aria cut her opponent down, going on an incredible 53-hit combo till the Elementalist lay dead in a pool of blood.

Phoenix Rising’s second representative entered the stage, a Paladin.

Unlike the Paladin, he faced the Blademaster head-on but focused more on defense. He frustrated Aria with his defensive skills and abilities, dragging the fight out as long as he could, but at the end, he died and ended up taking even less HP than the Elementalist.

He took only 8% HP from the Blademaster.

Aria faced Phoenix Rising’s final representative in the 3 vs 3 battle rush with almost 80% of his HP remaining.

The last opponent put up a fight, taking the most HP by far, 33% as she pushed her slightly and yet, it didn’t matter because Aria won again.

Aria completed a stunning 3v1.

Stanford Bridge was stunned to silence, but then...

BOOM!

The stadium exploded.