Mediocre!

Low tier!

Rubbish!

My current team is the worst.

Amateurs!

How can they even dare to participate in Avenguard's member recruitment when they don't even have the slightest clue about the basics of clash battles?

Unacceptable!

So here I am spouting nonesense to myself all while enduring the relentless attacks of my opponent. A sorcerer. Furiously shooting fireballs from a distance.

I knew it was nonesense for it won't change the fact that we're doomed even before the match started.

Our chosen avatars are clearly countered by the enemy team and on top of that, we don't even have anything to counter them!

It was a VERY bad start.

Worse, this match is my precious ticket to enter Avenguard. The guild I admire the most among all the guilds that exist in the region.

I even hopped a few towns when I got the news that they were recruiting.

I even used up a part of my savings just to prepare for this match.

But this is nuts!

All of that went into nothing because of these trash ethereals I got teamed up with.

I very much wanted to impress Captain Cethro first hand so I picked the avatar ABJURANT.

Its a Fender that has a high difficulty rating being considered to be very challenging to use but very rewarding when mastered.

Fenders focus on defense and teammate protection. Something like a meat shield that can absorb all the damage the enemy throws out while enabling the rest of the team to safely land an offensive.

The Abjurant basically does that but among all Fender avatars there is, it has the lowest health and defense. It was so squishy that one can even compare it to an average Caster.

What's great about this avatar though is its innate ability to generate an tough shield that can deflect all forms of attack.

•••••

FOREGUARD

Type: Innate - Passive/Support

Description:

Abjurants are former mages pledged to reject their roots and surrendered their superior power to destroy inexchange of an inferior but noble ability that protects.

Abjurants can generate a magical shield made up of fragments that can be controlled, moved and transfered to an ally. Each of the shield fragments have a durability rating equal to the Abjurant's Heart attribute multiplied by 4% of their Spirit Attribute.

One shield fragment automatically regenerates every 8 seconds.

•••••

Twelve transparent hexagonal screens huddled together hovered in my front blocking the magical projectiles the enemy Sorcerer casts. These screens are the Abjurant's so-called shield fragments.

An Abjurant can freely control the spatial position of a fragment and it was the other reason why this avatar is considered difficult.

Mentally controlling a single fragment is as easy as a cake but having more than five? Its a hasssle.

Initially starting as nine fragments with a capacity of up to twenty six, each of the fragment can absorb damage eventually breaking apart once their durability depletes.

The Sorcerer can averagely destroy a single fragment using two to three normal projectiles. Although that lost fragment generates back after a few seconds, I still had to move another fragment to cover the position of the missing fragment.

I have recently improved my innate skill so I currently have twelve fragments. With the Sorcerer's attacks though, I already lost four. At this rate I will loose all of my fragments before I can even strike back.

How can I even strike back?

Fenders have excellent defense and protection however they are lacking in terms of attack. That issue is usually taken care of by the other roles.

In team fights, Fenders are often paired with a Ranger or a Caster providing these avatars a sturdy wall while giving them opportunity to unleash devastating attacks. Raiders and Seekers, although able to hold on their own, can also gain benefits from a Fenders' help. Well, aside from defensive skills, Fenders are also equipped with abilities that can strategically control the battle; those that can inflict BIND, slowdown opponents or knock them off from their feet. All the more reason why its a super great role to team up with.

Its a basic knowledge but still...

Our stupid Raider here doesn't know it or perhaps he does but he didn't care. That Spearman simply rushed forward as soon as he had a glimpse of the enemies which of course resulted in getting himself killed.

He was probably thinking that he doesn't need a Fender. We could have safely slain at least one of them if he just told me his plan.

There he went trying to impress the members of Avenguard by doing a swift and unexpected assault but it simply made him a fool.

Aggressively closing in with a Sorcerer is a very wrong decision especially around this point when that Caster is able to activate ICONOCLAST.

The Spearman was able to land a surprise attack luckily wounding the Sorcerer but the enemy immediately released his ultimate skill wiping this fool's ass clean.

He also didn't thought about the Cavalier guarding the Sorcerer.

The Spearman was able to avoid him when he sneaked from behind but after he was thrown away by ICONOCLAST, the Cavalier never gave him a chance to come close.

This specific Cavalier has heavily built himself for defense judging by the items he was carrying. A Demiplate on his torso, Pauldrons on both shoulders, a Vambrace and a Gauntlet on one arm and a Durahelm covering his face.

Durahelm doesn't only provide protection for the head but also raises the Wisdom requirement to be able to check the wearer's various information such as Health Percentage.

And here I am thinking how I could strike back the Sorcerer when I know I won't even be able to get pass that Cavalier.

So where are my team mates?

I believe there was a Mender nearby so I briefly turned my head to check.

And there he is! A Chaplain tackling some pawns showing no sign of care to what's happening to his matey.

What in the world is he even doing?

Menders are supposed to provide assistance! Not to pick a brawl with the minor characters.

The guild captain hinted in his speech that our goal is not to entirely win the match but to gain scores of kills, saves and assists. We are being judged by our own individual performance. In other words, what this Mender is doing at the moment is pointless!

Heck he even dared to pick Mender when I already locked in Fender! Its a common knowledge that having both a Fender and a Mender in a team means there would be less chance to deal more damage. Especially in this situation where the Spearman, the one capable of dealing damage, died first.

Well, the other two members of our team are currently defending their respective golems so I have no other ally to rely on other than this Mender.

Putting aside the assistance that I need right now, I haven't saw him casted heal since the beginning of the second match.

Does he even know how to use Chaplain in the first place?

[i]Ugh. This is bad. My ticket to join Avenguard is doomed. I am not going to get a good score for my performance. I won't ever be accepted in the guild.

My dream of fighting alongside Cethro and Gamma, my dream of protecting the beautiful Mystel, the rare chance to experience being healed by the saint Reveri herself!

Bam! Bam! Bam!

I was thinking too much that I failed to notice that the Sorcerer has activated ENSORCEL. He quickly shot multiple fireballs and directed them towards a specific spot on my defense enabling some of his projectiles to get passed as the fragment breaks faster before I could cover it.

[ Status: Burn ]

A panel appeared on my vision as I felt a mild searing sensation on my wound. My health bar slowly dwindled down.

It was the effect of those fireballs. The Sorcerer's projectiles are boosted by another skill enabling such status afflictions.

•••••

COVENANT

Type: Secondary - Passive

Description:

Having born with such power, Sorcerers are able to gain contact with mysterious forces allowing them to harness elements to even increase their destructive ability.

Select a pact and gain a permanent effect depending on their respective nature.

IGNIS - attacks are imbued with FIRE increasing damage by 2% with 12% chance to inflict BURN

ZEFIO - attacks are imbued with ICE increasing damage by 2% with 12% chance to inflict RIME

DRUD - attacks are imbued with VOLT increasing damage by 2% with 12% chance to inflict JOLT

BA'AM - attacks are imbued with DARK increasing damage by 4%

•••••

A pact with Ignis transformed the Sorcerer's usual projectiles into missiles made of flames. The slight increase in damage of those projectiles isn't much concerning but its rather different when paired with ENSORCEL.

Upon gaining COVENANT, casting the Sorcerer's primary skill gives them an option to either temporarily double its damage output or ensure that the skill inflicts a status affliction.

Status affliction is a kind of condition that causes negative effects. BURN for example causes damage for every few seconds. It only lasts for a short amount of time but this certain damage ignores defense. The protection provided by the items I am wearing is basically useless.

[ Health 48% ]

Oh great! I better retreat. If only these two would let me.

Clang!

The Cavalier suddenly came from my side grazing my Pauldron. I had my fragments focused on blocking the side that is being attacked by the Sorcerer so my defense is weak for those coming from the other directions.

The Cavalier then activated EMPHASIS swinging his sword on me but fortunately I was able to stop it with a parry.

My sword softly glinted as I swung against the his blade. It caused a small spark which then threw his arm off and made him stagger.

Welp, that was my primary.

•••••

ABOLISHER

Type: Primary - Combat

Description:

An Abjurant frowns upon destruction such that their doctrine teaches them how to reject and restrain those whom they deem capable of causing it.

Consume 1 shield fragment to activate. Increase damage by 12% for the next 5 seconds. The next primary/secondary combat skill that your weapon directly contacts with for the duration will be cancelled/nullified simultaneously dealing 165% weapon damage to the source of the skill.

Cooldown: 6 seconds

•••••

Abolisher has surprisingly short cooldown time but I will loose a fragment whenever I use it. I'd rather not loose a fragment but I also need to defend from the Cavalier.

Ugh. Fighting two opponents at once is a pain. I better call that Chaplain to back me up.

I tried to slash back at the armored Cavalier a few times to make him step back for a moment but just when I was about to call my teammate, something suddenly flew passed me. It directly went straight to the Cavalier knocking him down.

To my surprise I could not believe it was the Chaplain. He continued to charge at the fallen opponent pinning him into the ground with several punches.

The Sorcerer noticed it so he deviated the direction of his fireballs towards them but the Chaplain was quick to jump back evading the projectiles.

My team mate moved behind me protecting himself from the vicious attacks of the Sorcerer but right at this moment, the Cavalier was able to go back in his feet. He then activated ARC TURBO swiftly dashing to the Chaplain afterwards.

I divided my concentration between carefully blocking the Sorcerer's attack and watching the Cavalier as he zip and zoom around swinging his sword.

Apparently the Chaplain can hold on his own either dodging the tip of Cavalier's blade or slightly deflecting them with his vambrace.

I noticed he was wearing a Talareon, a pair of boots designed with white little wings which greatly increases Speed and provides a movement skill called AIR DASH. This item enabled him to almost match the Cavalier's LINE DRIVE.

It sure is working but I believe its not enough. I raised my sword and pointed at the Cavalier following him as he move around. As soon as he paused for a second I activated my skill.

"Abnegate!" I shouted triggering a faint glow to appear on my sword. Something exploded within the Cavalier's body shortly stunning him and removing the lines of light traced around his body.

•••••

ABNEGATE

Type: Ultimate - Combat

Description:

The Abjurant's absolute doctrine of protection opposes the use of all forms of magic of destructive nature. As such, practitioners are bestowed a special spell of prevention.

Completely cancel/nullify the activation of an ultimate skill of a target enemy. Deal 180% weapon damage and inflict 3 second stun if succesful.

Cooldown: 32 seconds

•••••

The Chaplain took the opportunity to attack the stunned Cavalier hitting him with his paper-covered fists that seemed does no damage. The Demiplate at the Durahelm is a tough defense but then the Chaplain threw a strong punch enough to push the Cavalier off.

"Was that a--!?" I blurted as I noticed the item on his shoulder. A Power Crank.

The Cavalier then activated EN GARDE to further increase his defense but it was washed off by the Chaplain's ASPERSION.

As the Cavalier attempted to flee, the Chaplain casted ENLIGHTEN creating a sphere of light in his path.

As he struggled to run off in slow motion, the Chaplain came in with another barrage of punches chipping off the durability of his defensive equipment.

The Sorcerer then repositioned himself from a distance to be able to assist his team mate. Few of his projectiles reached the Chaplain dealing him some damage but I was certain that the Sorcerer's actual target was the sphere of light.

It would be dangerous for my team mate if the sphere explodes so I began manipulating some of my shield fragments to protect him. Sadly though he was a little bit far. The range of my skill isn't enough so I have to move a few steps but suddenly the sphere of light exploded.

The sphere spreaded out into a soft swirling wind which absorbed the Sorcerer's fireballs. I recognize it as the Chaplain's ultimate skill.

•••••

HOLY LAND

Type: Ultimate - Field

Description:

Ordered to travel to different places, the Chaplain's primary mission is to propagate the teachings of the Great Divine. In connection, they are also given an authority to declare a specified location as a sacred ground.

Create a special area with a three meter radius. For 8 seconds, allies within the area will be healed equal to weapon damage multiplied by 3% of the Chaplain's Spirit Attribute every second.

Combat skills within the area will have their effects nullified and their damage will instead heal every ally unit in range by 30% of their original value.

If Enlighten is active within 5 meters, this skill will automatically replace it and gain an additional 2 second duration.

Allies within the area gain 1 Faith attribute every 4 seconds. Faith can stack up to 5 in a single instance and fades away after 10 seconds.

Every point of Faith grants the Chaplain and the ally with +1 Spirit and increases the effects of any healing skill targeted on them by 2%

Cooldown: 25 seconds

•••••

With the effects of Enlighten removed, the Cavalier was able to retaliate. He activated EMPHASIS in frustration but under the effects of HOLY LAND, the skill simply healed the Chaplain instead of dealing damage.

I heard the Sorcerer cursed as he watched his team mate battered by the Chaplain. He won't be able to help him but I understand he still has to do something. He faced back to my direction and continued to shoot his fireballs.

I was planning to help the Chaplain after the duration of his ultimate ends but with the current situation, I'm afraid I might run out of fragments for myself before I could protect him.

HOLY LAND lasted shortly but unexpectedly it was enough for the armored Cavalier to fall. The Chaplain ended him using another strong punch boosted by Power Crank.

[ Greed has slain Beagle ]

As the panel appeared, the Sorcerer knew he has to run. There's technically no good reason for a Caster to retreat from a Fender and a Mender, they are just supporting roles but heck, my team mate is a monster.

I was still surprised that he attacked the Cavalier out of nowhere and even able to defeat him afterwards.

Now what? He's charging towards the Sorcerer?

Madness. This is madness!

The Chaplain aggressively moved forward. He managed to evade a few fireballs and was able to land a direct hit in the enemy's face.

Moments ago I have been wondering how I would strike back at the Sorcerer. I was even hopeless about it considering the formidable Cavalier in my front.

"Not bad," I grinned as I thought, "He does need some support though."

I rearranged my shield fragments and readied my sword running to join them after. The Sorcerer is a tough opponent but before I knew it another panel appeared.

[ Greed has slain Warlock ]