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The beginning of every season was a time of both excitement and pressure. For the fans, it marked the renewal of rivalries and the potential to see new stars. For the players, it was another chance to reach the top and prove themselves. For Conquering Clouds? It was the time for a brand new start.
Xia Ming could clearly feel the energy of the stadium crowd, even through the player booth insulating his station. This was their home arena after all, and after the promotional videos that Conquering Clouds put out, their fans had received a burst of energy for this first match. Now it was up to Xia Ming to keep that energy burning. As he slotted his character card into the reader, Xia Ming let out a long sigh as he steeled himself for the match to come. After all, this was Wind Howl that he had to fight against, and his opponent was no slouch either.
Lin Feng was his opponent for this first 1v1 match. Freshly transferred from Blue Rain and now the proud owner of the number one Thief, the analysis from the members of Conquering Clouds had too many holes. From the start, Lin Feng hadn’t shown an extraordinary talent when he was on Blue Rain’s roster, only showcasing the lesser seen Battle Thief. Combined with the fact that he now had a new character with superior stats to his previous, there was only one evaluation they could give.
Be careful.
Xia Ming’s eyes slightly narrowed as he saw his monitor showcase the loading screen, his fingers flexing in anticipation. The mid-level Guild Alliance that Conquering Clouds participated in after the level 75 update had injected a large amount of materials into their stockpile. With that, the R&D team had managed to upgrade their equipment to a far higher standard than before, with Xia Ming’s Careful Eye receiving a lot of changes, specifically to his weapon. Thinking about his new gear, a sense of giddiness briefly overcame Xia Ming before he reset his mental state once more, although a grin still remained.
After all, Lin Feng wasn’t the only one with some new toys.
“Welcome, viewers, to Cloudy Stadium’s first match of Season 10! We have an exciting 1v1 match that is about to begin, featuring the new owner of Doubtful Demon, Lin Feng, and one of the most noticeable veterans of Glory, Xia Ming! As usual, your casters are Guo Kang and Yuan Lan from the Xiaxing Insurance commentator desk.”
Broadcasts were the lifeblood of the Glory Professional Alliance, holding more weight than even the sale of stadium tickets. After all, not everyone could make the time and effort to travel to their favorite team’s stadium. A digital broadcast, however, was different. For most casual fans, sitting in the stadium was too much money for too little enjoyment, as opposed to being able to watch from their couch or bed. As a result, broadcasting viewership often exceeded the actual stadium count, and with the addition of advertisement deals, the broadcast revenue for the home stadium was usually several times over that of the ticket sales. As for broadcasters, they were usually retired professional players, or respected analysts. Conquering Clouds’ casters were no different, featuring Guo Kang and Yuan Lan, the previous captain of Conquering Clouds and a seasoned caster from the beginning of the Alliance respectively. Naturally, the two were proficient in Glory, and their casting displayed such experience as Guo Kang responded to Yuan Lan’s opening statement.
“Thanks for that introduction, Old Lan. As some of our viewers may know, Doubtful Demon experienced a change in players recently, falling into the hands of Lin Feng, a veteran of Blue Rain, now turned Wind Howl. Combined with his unique Battle Thief playstyle, there’s no doubt that we’ll being seeing a very different representation of the Criminal Duo this season. As for Xia Ming, there’s also been some exciting news circulating him. Have you seen the promotional material for this match?”
Yuan Lan tapped on the commentator desk, utilizing a touch display to display a video on stream, one that seemed to be nothing but smoke and clouds.
“I assume you mean this? I’ve gone over this video multiple times, but I’ve only noticed a few things, like the logo of Conquering Clouds appearing in the clouds and the sounds of machinery in the background. You still have connections with the team, right? Care to enlighten us?”
Guo Kang gave a slight smile.
“Your first detail is a given. Why would they not include their own logo in Conquering Clouds promotions? As for the other, you are on the right track. From some of my friends on the inside, I’ve heard that the sounds are a direct indication of how the equipment has changed. Unfortunately, the whole team has been rather tight lipped regarding the exact details, so I haven’t been able to learn any more.”
“How unfortunate…but! That’s why we’re here today. And as our two players load into game, let’s take a look at the map.”
The previous video spun out of frame as Yuan Lan pulled up a holographic cross section displaying what appeared to be a steampunk-esque factory scene. Two rivers divided the map into three parts, with ruined buildings and massive cogs littering the central part. A railroad track ran down the middle, bridging across both rivers to provide access from the outer islands.
“Conquering Clouds has chosen the map “Steam Factory” for their 1v1 map, evidently wanting to keep in theme with their previous teasers. The map displays a clear central area for the players to fight in, alongside two choke points presented in the track bridges. In addition, there is no clear high ground, not that it matters in our current match up. What other thoughts do you have?”
Guo Kang manipulated the map to zoom in on the center area from above, displaying the walk paths. Under his fingers, several lines were drawn on string, highlighting several paths.
“As a Thief, no matter what style, traps remain an essential part of your kit. As a result, you need to be aware of trap locations as you move through the area for the first time. Luckily, as a Battle Thief, the unfamiliar terrain poses less of an obstacle since you can fight directly, albeit at with a weaker strength. If you look at the map, I’ve marked possible flanking paths for Lin Feng to take using [Stealth].”
“However, even with Stealth, this central area isn’t too favorable. Each path is far too wide. Lin Feng will need to either lure Xia Ming into his setup or setup mid fight. The first has a lower mechanical difficulty, but has a low chance of success, the second vice versa.”
“Indeed, this match will be uphill for Doubtful Demon. However, I imagine Lin Feng is used to playing from a disadvantage, given the nature of Th-“
Guo Kang’s words were cut short as his eyes lasered towards the desk display. The map had disappeared, indicating that the players were about to start the match. On screen was the equipment display, showing both characters and their equipment. For Doubtful Demon, the equipment looked similar to the pre-season showcase. However, Careful Eye had been changed in a massive way. Previously, the account only had four pieces of Silver Equipment, including the weapon.
The screen showed eight.
Lin Feng watched the map load in around his character, nervousness plaguing his emotions. After all, this was his first game in public with Doubtful Demon, with some very heavy shoes to fill. He knew that when he had been approached by Wind Howl, it wasn’t because he was the best Thief available. It was because he was the best Battle Thief, which was a huge difference. The two styles had always been at odds, with forum posts and comment threads constantly embroiled in a bitter war over the superior playstyle. Now, all eyes were on him, eager to see if Doubtful Demon would flourish under the Battle style.
However, Lin Feng hadn’t been a part of Blue Rain for nothing, his emotions smoothing out as Doubtful Demon ran towards the center island. Assessing his surroundings, he moved deeper into the ruins, activating [Stealth] as he followed a side path. Naturally, he had maxed out the ability, so he was able to move at a decent pace through the ruins. Naturally, he didn’t move aimlessly, using his ears and experience to try and find Careful Eye. However, just as he was rounding a bend, a message appeared in chat.
Careful Eye: 25, -30
Doubtful Demon paused as Lin Feng’s mental state briefly froze in shock. His eyes darting to his map, he relaxed after he made sure that his coordinates didn’t match. However, a flash of irritation ran through him as he realized what they were.
There was a certain level of decorum between pros. Most wouldn’t chat with each other mid match, as it was easy to have words come back to slap you in the face. This was especially so for middle rank teams, as they couldn’t usually back up the trash talk. But to broadcast your own coordinates? This was especially provoking, as it indicated that the player didn’t care if their opponent knew and tried to flank.
Regardless of Xia Ming’s plans, Lin Feng had no intention of falling for the provocation and charging directly at him. Instead, he took a roundabout route with Doubtful Demon, his senses still on alert. However, for all his caution, he was rewarded with the back of Careful Eye, who was actually leaning on his sword in an emote. Another flash of anger appeared, Lin Feng not even bothering to squash the emotion. Doubtful Demon no longer moved with caution, leaving a few traps before beelining towards the exposed back of the Blade Master. Double daggers in hand, the Thief walked to within several body units of Careful Eye, who still displayed no reaction. Moving his camera, Lin Feng couldn’t see any traps or arrangements from the map, which solidified the belief that he was being disrespected. Doubtful Demon’s daggers plunged down as he dashed forward, breaking [Stealth] and activating [Ambush]. Even if Careful Eye heard the steps, it would be too late, as Doubtful Demon was too close. Once this [Ambush] connected, he would-
A sword arc fill his screen.
Careful Eye had not been lazing around. As spectators watched the replay, they saw what he had been actually looking at. A nearby metal sheet was leaning on a nearby wall, light reflecting from the surface. If you took a closer look, the reflection was actually displaying the ground behind him, and with it, the audience immediately realized.
Footsteps.
Steam Factory was, in the lore of Glory, an abandoned factory that had previously made a large amount of the firearms in Glory. As a result, metal shavings had piled up on the factory ground during usage. Now that it was in ruins, dust had also accumulated, combining with the metal to create a layer of powder. And now, there were indentations just shy of Careful Eye, exposing Doubtful Demon’s position.
The first swing had been a [Sword Draw], the broadsword of Careful Eye swinging through the Thief. Evidently, Doubtful Demon had activated [Escape], negating the attack. However, Escape could only negate one attack, and as Careful Eye pressed forward with a [Lunge], the Thief was forced to cancel [Ambush] and roll to the side. Unwilling to give up the pressure, Careful Eye proceeded further, stepping to the right and swinging down. Metal shavings and dust erupted in a cloud as the two characters were briefly obscured from the overhead view. However, on the health overlay, Doubtful Demon had a chunk of health missing, indicating the attack’s success.
Two figures slowly appeared as the dust settled, Careful Eye and Doubtful Demon now engaged in a stare off. Pressure began to mount in game as the two waited, trying to bait the other to move. Doubtful Demon was the first to break, rolling forwards and lunging towards the ankles of the Blade Master. In response, Careful Eye crouched while swinging in a circle, sword aura releasing from the blade to execute a [Waning Wind Fading Grass]. The sword aura struck first, biting into Doubtful Demon with a spray of blood. However, the skill lacked an additional effect, which meant that his daggers could continue, connecting with the arms of Careful Eye. Immediately, a sickly green glow began to emanate from the Blade Master’s wrists, indicating an effect of a Thief Skill, or more specifically, [Cripple].
Glory was a detail oriented game, with each part of a character having their own hitbox. Most players were aware of certain interactions, such as the Sharpshooter’s Thunder Snipe dealing extra damage to the head. [Cripple] was another such skill, reducing the speed of the area hit. Because most players struck at the body or legs, the most common effect was a movement speed reduction, which was what the common player base assumed to be the main effect. However, if a player were to deliberately target the arms, what would the effect be?
The follow up swing from Careful Eye immediately slowed down, allowing Doubtful Demon a few more swipes onto his torso before rolling away. The effects of [Cripple] became clear to see, reducing the attack speed of the Blade Master from 3 to 1, falling to the level of a greatsword. Despite this, Careful Eye continued to press forward, seemingly uncaring of the attack speed slow as he swung after the rolling Doubtful Demon. To the audience, it seemed to be a swing out of frustration, as the rolling Thief was just out of range of the broadsword. To Careful Eye, however, it was an opportunity as his sword suddenly erupted in smoke.
The sound of gears heralded the appearance of a greatsword covered in aura.
Xia Ming couldn’t help but let out a small laugh as his Rising Dragon Slash connected, the additional range granted from the sword aura snagging Doubtful Demon and lifting him up. Not wanting to lose this opportunity, Careful Eye followed up with a [Falling Phoenix Slash] to send the Thief plummeting instantly into the ground with no chance to Quick Recover. His sword shifting once again, Careful Eye plummeted as a broadsword let out a massive sword light, [Falling Light Blade] connecting with Doubtful Demon and shaving off another chunk of health. As Xia Ming moved his character back to dodge a dagger swing, he couldn’t help but marvel at the results from the R&D department.
Blade Masters had a tree of passive skills at level 20 called [Sword Mastery], consisting of 5 skills corresponding to the sword types: Broadsword, Greatsword, Short Sword, Tachi, and Lightsaber. Apart from a 2% increase in damage when using the appropriate weapon type, a set amount of points invested in a mastery would alter the effects of certain skills. For most Blade Masters, the additional skill effects weren’t worth the investment in other branches, as it was a net loss to use skill points in a Sword Mastery the character wasn’t going to use. That wasn’t to say there weren’t users that tried to utilize the investment by using different weapons, only that there weren’t many at higher levels of play. Careful Eye was one of the few Blade Masters that had a split Mastery investment, fully investing 10 points into both [Broadsword Mastery] and [Greatsword Mastery]. Before his upgrade, he had two weapons that he would swap between based on his opponents. However, he could never swap mid-battle in a consistent matter due to the cooldown of swapping items. However, after the introduction of Lord Grim and the Myriad Manifestations Umbrella, he had pitched an idea to the management of Conquering Clouds.
Combine the two weapons and give him his own transforming weapon, Vigil.
Careful Eye had never been meant to be another Lord Grim. Xia Ming knew his limits, and attempting to cross into other classes would definitely be beyond them. But a cross between swords? That was doable in his eyes, and it was apparently doable to management as well, as they agreed to his proposal. And after half a season and numerous materials, Careful Eye was now showing off the fruits of their work, having shaved off 35% of Doubtful Demon’s health thus far.
Eager for more and [Cripple] now gone, the broadsword swung out rapidly, releasing an flurry of sword arcs that threatened Doubtful Demon. Once again forced to roll, Doubtful Demon barely made it out of range of the initial [Headwind Strike], only to get caught in the final burst as Vigil shifted once more, the greatsword reach increasing the range of the sword cage and stealing another 5%. The digital blood from the rolling Doubtful Demon incentivized Xia Ming to push forward, as if he was now controlling a Berserker instead of a Blade Master.
Unfortunately, as he activated [Triple Slash] to catch up, Careful Eye’s third slash failed to complete. Or rather, it completed with no movement, as the Blade Master’s feet were impaled with spikes. In Xia Ming’s vision, he saw Doubtful Demon vanish, leaving a chill up his spine. He had lost himself in the fight and had forgotten a crucial fact.
Thieves had traps.
“And such brilliant patience from Lin Feng! Despite being caught off guard from Careful Eye’s weapon, he was able to keep a cool mind and place a [Shadow Trap] out of the way of Careful Eye’s movement. After luring him into a [Spike Trap], he was able to use [Detonate] to activate that previous [Shadow Trap], placing him behind Xia Ming. And now he’s on the offensive!”
Guo Kang watched Doubtful Demon’s movement as Yuan Lan continued to commentate, opting to analyze the events leading up to the situation. The caster desk had been in an uproar from the shifting weapon. After all, while it was only a shift between swords, there was still a major difference between a broadsword and a greatsword. Greatswords boasted the highest physical damage of any weapon, with broadswords taking second. At the same time, its attack speed of 1 was a huge disparity when compared to the latter’s attack speed of 3. But when given the ability to shift freely between the two, the damage output of Careful Eye had skyrocketed, taking 40% health with only a few skills. In addition, the usage of the different ranges to artificially boost [Headwind Strike]’s range was a clever one, placing less strain on the player while optimizing the entrapment.
However, all of these were gimmicks, things that would only be the most effective the first time, and now, it was Doubtful Demon’s turn. [Detonate] had actually been a brilliant usage, as despite [Shadow Trap] being out of the way, the Thief had still been able to appear directly behind Careful Eye due to the increased range given to the trap by the previous skill. And now, it was time for his offensive as both hands flashed out to stab into the Blade Master’s back, a blue light streaming from the daggers into Doubtful Demon as Careful Eye’s health plummeted. Yuan Lan didn’t hesitate to call out the play.
“Doubtful Demon finally lands a hit, and from the looks of his opponent’s health bar, it was a free [Sleight of Hand] hit. Typically we only see this skill in a head on confrontation, as the simultaneous attacks force an opponent to either dodge or block, the latter of which only blocking the stronger hit. But with his usage of [Spike Trap], Lin Feng was able to land both.”
“Don’t forget that blue light coming from his daggers, the Thief’s [Yoink] ability. As you can see, as Doubtful Demon continues to attack, his damage is ramping up, taking advantage of Careful Eye’s gear upgrade to boost his own stats by stealing them. Already we can see the health disparity closing, Careful Eye down to 68%.”
Doubtful Demon’s offensive was a fierce one, crushing the previous image of the Criminal Partner. Previously, in the hands of Fang Rui, spectators would have seen the Thief rolling around his opponent and consistently forcing them to readjust their camera to find them. However, with Lin Feng, Doubtful Demon was akin to the latter part of his name, ripping blood in a frenzy.
The two watched as [Spike Trap]’s root duration ended, which allowed Careful Eye to roll forward and bring his now greatsword up to [Guard], only for a Thief [Feint] to break through and forcibly knock him backwards. Doubtful Demon was in full control, controlling the pace of the battle and forcing his opponent into another trap, this time a [Spring Trap]. However, instead of excitement, both casters let out a sigh of disappointment. While most would see it as a continuation of Doubtful Demon’s offense, the more experience players saw an opportunity for Careful Eye, as did Xia Ming.
Instantly, Careful Eye’s body spun around, releasing a burst of sword aura from [Immortal Guides the Way] as Doubtful Demon’s follow up was disrupted, ruining the aerial offensive of the Thief. In addition, to the surprise of the onlookers, the sword aura from the previous skill did not disperse, instead converging back onto Careful Eye.
“What’s this? Was Doubtful Demon actually able to predict this and use [Pocket]? But this effect doesn’t look right…”
[Pocket] was a Thief skill that had a similar usage to the Brawler’s [Eye for an Eye], with a few caveats. The skill only worked on ranged abilities, with a 100% chance of “pocketing” the projectile to replace the [Pocket] skill slot. However, this didn’t seem to be the case as the converging aura pulled Doubtful Demon back towards the Blade Master. While Yuan Lan couldn’t recognize this effect, Guo Kang could.
[Greatsword Mastery: Immortal Guides the Way-Return Home]
Most Sword Mastery effects only amplified the existing damage and reach of their respective skills. However, [Immortal Guides the Way] was one of the few that added an additional activation effect. While most wouldn’t be willing to negate the space bought by the skill, this was the best play for the situation. Given enough space, Doubtful Demon had too many traps that could ruin another offensive attempt from Careful Eye, hence the activation. From this point, the match turned sloppy. Guo Kang and Yuan Lan went back and forth, shouting out skills and plays as the two engaged in what could only be described as a blood fest.
Sword aura, traps, and gleaming metal flew all over the place as Careful Eye forced a brutal offensive. In spite of Doubtful Demon’s attempts to disengage, the constantly changing Vigil in the Blade Master’s hands blocked every roll, trading health for health. As a result, after a brief minute, Careful Eye emerged bloody and victorious, sitting at a very precarious 4%. As the screen transitioned to the victory screen, Guo Kang took this chance to praise both Xia Ming and Conquering Clouds.
“What a brilliant display from the side of Conquering Clouds, and an especially strong start. I imagine most of our viewers were expecting Wind Howl to take this first point, considering the strength of the roster currently. However, Xia Ming and Careful Eye managed to blow our expectations out of the water with his unique Silver weapon, securing enough of an advantage to clinch a win in the end.”
“This victory was certainly well earned, but now I’m anticipating the coming matches even more. If Xia Ming’s equipment was changed to this extent, I can only imagine the state of the other players in the line up. In addition, I’m excited to see the map advantage utilized even more from Conquering Clouds. If you look at the…”
Yuan Lan began to dive into a full map analysis, killing time between the matches while Guo Kang took a look the players. If one were to look at the side of Conquering Clouds, the players on the bench were brimming with energy, patting Xia Ming’s back with full smiles. Xia Ming himself was laughing as he talked with his teammates, pantomiming a sword swing every now and then. With Wind Howl, there was only steel eyed looks from Lin Feng’s teammates, Tang Hao’s eyes looking especially cold as the Battle Thief player walked back to the bench. The battle may have been in favor of Conquering Clouds this time, but the war had just begun.
Post-Game Analysis: Conquering Clouds burst out with a surprising amount of energy this match. What was supposed to be a middle-ranked team ended up putting out energy and pressure that rivaled that of a playoffs team. The victory over Doubtful Demon only increased this energy, causing each player to play at a tier above their normal standard. However, apart from Xia Ming, it appeared as though the other members of Conquering Clouds had not adjusted completely to their equipment changes. In addition, Wind Howl had been provoked by their energy, playing with more aggression, even by the team’s standards. As a result, apart from the one point gained by Xia Ming, Conquering Clouds ended the match 1-9, losing their first home game of the season in a devastating fashion. However, despite the loss, Conquering Clouds’ members were seen cheering as they left the stadium while Wind Howl was somber, attitudes that should have been the opposite for both teams. Conquering Clouds showed surprising potential and ingenuity this match, and there may be room to grow for the players and characters of that team. I recommend that Xia Ming and Careful Eye be watched this season for their growth. With his new weapon, he may be worth poaching after he fully adapts to the weapon. See attached list for more targets.
-Xiao Shiqin