Thud-!

I squared off against the shieldbearer directly ahead, keeping a close eye on the situation.

‘This is a bad matchup…!’

It was a brute-force deck composed entirely of shieldbearers, but the moment I saw the enemy’s unit composition, a knot formed in my stomach.

Kkaeng-!

The absence of a rear line meant that the assassin Kajik had no choice but to attack the enemy’s shields.

Whizz- whizz-!

Even the archers serving as rear-line dealers couldn’t deal proper damage, all thanks to the shieldbearer (4) synergy that reduced all incoming damage by 20.

Of course, the enemy had no proper dealers either, and the brawler Preta was the first to use a skill.

“Uwooooh-!”

<<Throw (★)>>

Hurls the target at the farthest enemy. The enemy struck by the target takes 100 physical damage.

A woman with lake-like eyes and hair like blue ripples. As she swung her shield, the mysterious letters overlaid on it blazed with light.

[Immune due to item effect.]

…What?

“What is this…!”

Not only was there no status ailment, but the skill’s damage didn’t even register.

This wasn’t conditional immunity—it was complete immunity. Was it even possible for such an item to exist?

The absurdity of it left me utterly speechless.

As if nothing had happened, she focused her attacks on Aurion, the shieldbearer of the Sun, who held the frontmost position on the battlefield.

By my calculations, he should have had enough defense to buy time to gather mana for a skill.

Boom-!

He was already dead?

Something had exceeded all expectations. Aurion was reduced to light on the battlefield without even getting to use a skill. Ironically, it was the enemy champion on the receiving end of the focused assault who activated theirs.

“Break their formation!”

<<Single Point Breakthrough (★)>>

Moves to the farthest enemy, dealing 50 physical damage to all enemies along the path.

The enemy shieldbearer pierced through the thick wall of tanks in the front and reached the archer positioned freely in the rear.

But the situation was actually favorable. The shieldbearer’s attack had filled the archer’s mana, allowing them to use their skill even faster.

<<Last Whisper (★)>>

Fires an arrow at the enemy with the lowest current health, dealing 150 physical damage.

Bang-!

Yurai’s powerful skill shattered the head of the shieldbearer in front of me.

Now it was 4 against 5.

Given the difference in numbers, trading evenly was a positive outcome.

But the rigid expression on my face showed no signs of easing.

The silver-armored monster with flowing blue hair was already searching for her third target.

Preta, who had become her next mark, collapsed after failing to withstand even a few attacks.

She scanned her surroundings as if hunting for her next prey. The moment her predator’s gaze landed on me, I flinched involuntarily.

But something moved before she could strike.

<<Invisible Threat (★)>>

Enters stealth for 1 second. The first attack after stealth is guaranteed to hit and is applied as a critical strike.

Having eliminated his first target, the assassin Kajik had reset his aggro. His covert strike pierced through her opening.

Squelch-!

‘It landed clean!’

Kajik’s attack targeted the vital point with precision, and since she hadn’t anticipated it at all, it dealt significant damage.

Stagger.

The impact was so powerful she couldn’t even steady herself.

Kajik pressed the attack, riding the momentum, and his dagger plunged into a gap she couldn’t defend in time.

Clang-!

Then her body flashed with light and deflected Kajik’s dagger.

Steel (2): Steel champions become immune to damage for 1 second when HP drops below 50%.

As if she had been waiting for exactly this. She thrust out her shield, exploiting Kajik’s broken balance from his dagger swing.

Boom-!

The power behind it was beyond imagination, born from raw force that disregarded all defense.

The assassin Kajik, who had taken the hit, was reduced to light on the battlefield.

It was true that assassins had low health and defense by nature. But even for a critical hit, dealing 160 damage in a single blow defied all common sense.

The balance was completely shattered.

<<Piercing Arrow (★)>>

Fires a piercing arrow at the farthest enemy. Deals 70 physical damage to all enemies along the path.

The battle had progressed enough that champions with full mana used their skills in succession.

[Immune due to item effect.]

But the skill vanished without a trace against the shield she casually raised, and the follow-up attacks were merely blocked by her thick shield.

“Are you kidding me?”

A hollow laugh escaped me.

The gap was far too vast to overcome through skill alone.

No matter what composition I built, I couldn’t imagine winning. The blue-haired shieldbearer was unmistakably an out-of-spec champion.

Her gaze met mine.

Chill.

“Oh- A fellow shieldbearer junior! Aren’t you happy to see me?”

She was the one who spoke first.

Her words dripped with ease. She must have already secured her victory.

The monster drew closer, step by step.

I raised my shield against the mounting pressure of her slow approach, but she merely smirked.

“A heater shield, huh? Pretty textbook. But holding a shield like that won’t do you any good. You need to keep your elbow tight against your body—otherwise, this happens!”

Fast.

But…-!

“Heup-!”

I could still react somehow.

Under normal circumstances, it would have been impossible for me, but this was the battlefield.

My stats, enhanced through champion augmentation, were on par with the monster’s.

The loose grip on her shield had created a gap. I kicked off the ground and drove my shoulder hard into that opening.

Shield Charging.

The latter half of the shield techniques I had learned from Hans.

A difficult technique I had never successfully pulled off even in practice—I executed it now, aided by champion augmentation.

‘I’ll reach her!’

The moment I was certain my shield would connect with its target.

“Your movements are too obvious.”

‘What…?’

My body floated up into the air.

A searing, bone-snapping pain shot through my ankle, and my mind went blank from the sudden turn of events.

Before I could even process what had happened, her shield was already in my face.

I instinctively tried to raise my shield.

But it was already too late.

Boom-!

The sheer force slammed me into the ground, and pain tore through my entire body as if every bone was shattering.

“Keuk-!”

My back arched like a bow.

The shield I had raised in an unstable posture only amplified the impact.

Crash-!

I planted my shield on the ground and tried to force myself up, but my body refused to obey.

The direct hit to my head left my stomach churning.

“Heok- Heok-“

My nose was completely shattered, making it hard to even breathe.

‘Fuck-!’

What kind of champion was she, to have such monstrous abilities?

She hadn’t even used a skill.

This much damage from a basic attack alone?

It defied all common sense.

I may have been a 1-Cost Shieldbearer, but I was currently in a champion-augmented state.

She was on an entirely different level from any champion I had encountered before.

The helplessness I felt was the same as when I faced the Adjudicator Ariel in Luteran.

“Hmm, you’re quite sturdy?”

The monster’s expression soured, apparently because the recoil from her shield was more than she expected.

It was thanks to my layered items and champion augmentation that my body had become so durable.

I couldn’t easily collect myself, but there was one piece of good news.

Enough time had passed since the battle began, and my mana was finally full enough to use a skill.

<<Solid Exoskeleton (★★)>>

Gain a shield that absorbs damage for 10 seconds. The shield is set at 60% of maximum health.

As I activated the skill, an opaque magical barrier formed around my body.

The shield value of 210 was essentially an extra life.

It wasn’t a remarkable skill, but one that was extremely defense-oriented—which meant I had another chance to face her.

I took a Defensive Stance, resolving not to let another critical hit through.

‘If I can just hold out…!’

No matter how devastating the damage, there had to be a limit to her health.

The fact that the Steel synergy had triggered was proof that her HP was below 50 percent.

It was thanks to Kajik’s critical attack piercing through her immunity and dealing damage—not from a skill check.

But she only smiled.

I had forgotten.

If I had mana to use a skill, then naturally, so did my opponent.

“We are the Indomitable Vanguard!!!”

Shrrk-!

<<Bond of Steel (★)>>

Creates a chain connecting Para to the enemy with the highest current health, dealing *96 magic damage to enemy champions between them. If the target is an ally, grants *96 shield instead. The shield lasts for 4 seconds.

A silver snake erupted from her body and lunged at me as if alive.

‘I can’t dodge it!’

Skills couldn’t be evaded. However.

Thud-!

I slammed my shield into the ground and locked my stance.

Screech-!

A powerful shock engulfed my entire body.

I gritted my teeth and endured as the chain of steel raked across my body.

I absolutely could not let my stance break.

Because that was the only way I could react to the monster’s attack!

She charged the instant she activated her skill.

I widened my eyes and focused on her movements.

The shield swung.

It was aimed at my head, and I slid my shield into its path.

‘Now!’

Teong-!

This time, I had the feel for it-!

Unlike me, who had simply held my shield in place, her attack carried centrifugal force. Even though my shield absorbed some of the impact, the blow still sent my shield flying skyward.

Both my arms shot up, exposing an opening—but a shield was not a weapon suited for quick follow-up strikes.

Thanks to champion augmentation, I was faster in transitioning to my next move.

“Huaaap!”

I let out a battle cry and surged forward.

Then I brought my raised shield crashing straight down.

Boom-!

Her thick defense blocked it, but I managed to shatter a portion of her protective barrier.

The exchange was dead even.

The only reason I could stand against such unreasonable power was entirely thanks to champion augmentation.

In that moment, I was certain.

The essence of a shieldbearer was tanking.

And I could fulfill that role to the fullest.

Which meant…-!

If the front lines were evenly matched, then the battle would ultimately be decided by the dealers.

Confirming a chance at victory, I stole a glance behind me.

“Huh?”

What entered my field of vision was the archer Peiri, her neck pierced through by a silver chain.

The enemy champions, now without a target, were closing in on me. The moment I turned my head back.

Vroom-!

A shield filled my entire vision—and like a fuse being cut, everything went dark.

***

…

… …!

In pitch-black darkness.

A single ray of light descended to pierce the gloom.

With a hazy mind, I followed the light to its source, and where it led me, I found.

Ding-!

None other than my Device.

What roused my consciousness was the notification sound emanating from it.

“Umm…”

Barely managing to open my eyes, I checked.

A message had arrived.

Yuuuki : Are you busy? It seems like you haven’t replied in a while.

It was a message from Yuki.

Clank-!

I flicked the light switch, revealing a neatly organized room and a linen shirt hanging on the clothes rack.

With a groggy mind, I tapped at my Device.

2Seen : I just woke up.

Yuuuki : Aha! I’ve just arrived in the northern region! But the atmosphere here is intense. The people who arrived first are desperately holding their positions.

2Seen : Please stay safe.

Yuuuki : Oh! Are you worried about me? Thank you 🙂

Shrrk-!

After finishing my overdue conversation with Yuki, I pushed aside the blackout curtains covering the window.

As if it had been waiting, the morning sunlight poured in through the gap.

It was a peaceful morning, but.

A single message displayed on my Device kept nagging at me.

“Huu-“

I couldn’t keep avoiding it forever. I needed to check.

When I clicked on the message, a number appeared.

‘2’

Knowing what that number signified, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

Final ranking: 2nd place.

That was the result of my first battlefield—the Placement Exam.

***

Round 5-2.

Player 1, and the owner of the monstrous shieldbearer—Player Cindy.

“Hahaha-!”

She laughed heartily as she watched the battlefield.

It was an expression tinged with madness that would have startled anyone who knew her.

Perhaps wanting to see the battlefield up closer, Cindy craned her neck far forward.

The intense stimulation from the battlefield was coaxing Cindy’s twisted inner self back to the surface.

The battle would naturally end in victory, of course.

But.

“Who on earth is that?”

The opponent she had first encountered in Round 3-3, player 6.

Bang-!

Lost miserably every time they met.

“Keuk-!”

Yet kept changing something, little by little.

“This is fun, this is fun, this is fun-!”

And eventually succeeded in taking down Para.

At this point, Para was equipped with three core items.

“A shield, a shield. You like shields too!”

The corners of Cindy’s mouth curled up, revealing gleaming white teeth.

It was a smile brimming with ecstasy.

Player 6, who had remained on the battlefield until the very end, had flailed and fought, changing everything they could to keep clashing.

But the one thing that never changed from start to finish in that person’s battlefield was.

“It was a 1-Cost Shieldbearer!”

Player 6, who stubbornly clung to the trash-tier 1-Cost Shieldbearer until the end, finding the right answer however they could, had finally succeeded in taking down Para.

Could even Cindy have shown that level of stubbornness?

Cindy gnawed at her fingernails.

Her eyes reflected the spectacle unfolding on the battlefield.

“You like shields too, don’t you? You love them, don’t you? You want them, don’t you? Me too… Me too, me too, me too-“

Of course, taking down a single Para didn’t change the outcome of the match.

After all, player 6 didn’t have a single Item combination formula.

“Para, you worked hard all this time~”

She recalled the three years of memories she had shared with Para.

She had chosen Para simply because it was a shieldbearer, but Para had treated her like a younger sibling.

A smile formed on Cindy’s lips unbidden.

Cindy loved shieldbearers so very much.

The reason was nothing complicated.

Swords were scary, and everything else lacked flair.

A shield that blocked every single attack!

That alone was what could stir her heart.

But a shield that had been pierced once could no longer move her heart.

In that case.

She had no choice but to change shields.

“Ah- So this was the last one.”

For Cindy, the regret that the battlefield was now over outweighed the joy of victory.

After all, she had finally found someone who shared her taste—someone who understood her feelings.

“To never show your face until the very end…”

She had finally discovered a player she liked, after so long.

Yet player 6, for some reason, never revealed themselves.

“Then I have no choice but to find out.”

A single person came to mind in Cindy’s head.

The 1-Cost Shieldbearer who had been on player 6’s battlefield from start to finish.

Wouldn’t that man have seen player 6’s face?

“He must have, right? He definitely saw it.”

The catalyst that had exposed Cindy’s hidden inner self was nothing extraordinary.

A pathological obsession with shields.

That was Cindy’s sole flaw.

But if there existed someone who could fill that flaw…

Then she could finally become perfect.

A Player’s tier ranged from Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, all the way to Diamond.

That was the commonly known extent of it.

But if someone were to ask whether anything lay beyond that…

It did exist.

A term for a player who transcended the framework of tiers.

Heavenly Person^[note].

Cindy’s eyes held the image of the 1-Cost Shieldbearer who had remained until the very end.

The one who was only now fading away.

“Wait for me. I’ll come see you soon.”

For Cindy, something like that wasn’t difficult at all.

After all, Cindy was…

“Hehe- I should ask Daddy for help.”

The daughter of a Heavenly Person.