The battle opened with a sharp twang as the Hardcore Hero loosed a volley of arrows in rapid succession. The projectiles hissed through the air, tracking perfectly toward their target. The Rogue didn't panic. Utilizing his light armor and high agility, he dashed to the left, his golden boots kicking up blocks of dirt. He spun on his heel, dodging two arrows by a hair's breadth, and grabbed the crossbow from his back. With a practiced flick, he loaded an arrow, leveled the weapon, and fired a counter-shot mid-stride. THWACK. The Hardcore Hero tilted his head slightly, letting the Rogue’s arrow whistle harmlessly past his cheek. Without breaking his rhythm, the Hero nocked another arrow, channeling a subtle crimson aura into the bowstring to increase its velocity. Realizing ranging down an expert archer was a losing battle, the Rogue tossed his crossbow aside and reached for the golden sword at his waist. He deflected an incoming shot with the flat of the shining blade, the impact sending sparks into the air as he closed the distance. With a sudden burst of speed, the Rogue lunged forward, thrusting the golden blade in a swift, underhanded arc aimed at the Hero’s torso. The Hardcore Hero reacted with seamless survival instincts. Instead of retreating, he used the heavy wooden frame of his longbow to parry the sword strike. CLINK. The golden blade scraped against the bow's riser. The Hero twisted his torso, using his crimson arm to deliver a powerful, sweeping elbow strike that forced the Rogue to break his stance and step back. The Rogue smirked beneath his golden helmet. As he stumbled backward, he quickly drew a hidden potion from beneath his cape—a splash potion of swiftness. He shattered it at his own feet, a cloud of sparkling grey particles enveloping his golden armor. With his speed suddenly doubled, the Rogue became a yellow blur. He circled the Hardcore Hero instantly, approaching from his blind spot with his golden sword raised for a decisive strike. The Hardcore Hero's eyes narrowed. Unable to pivot his bow in time, he relied on pure spatial awareness. He leaped straight up into the air as the Rogue's sword sliced through the empty space beneath him. Mid-air, the Hero flipped upside down, pulling his bowstring back to its absolute limit, aiming directly downward at the overextended Rogue. The arrow loosed with a deafening snap, embedding itself into the ground right between the Rogue’s golden boots, unleashing a concussive shockwave that sent both fighters tumbling backward into defensive crouches, breathing heavily and preparing for the next exchange. The Rogue recovered from the shockwave instantly, the lingering effects of the swiftness potion pulsing through his limbs. Before the Hardcore Hero could even touch the ground from his mid-air flip, the yellow blur was already moving. With a massive burst of speed, the Rogue launched himself forward. He caught the Hardcore Hero right as his boots made contact with the dirt, completely bypassing the archer's line of sight. SHHHNK. The Rogue drove his golden sword forward, catching the Hardcore Hero squarely in the torso. The pixelated blade gleamed under the plains sun as the force of the strike halted the Hero's momentum entirely. The Hardcore Hero gasped, his grip loosening on his heavy longbow as it clattered uselessly to the ground. The crimson aura fading from his arms, he looked down at the golden blade, then up at the polished golden helmet of his opponent. His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the grass, his run finally coming to an end. The Rogue slid his golden sword back into its sheath at his waist and adjusted his teal cape. He looked down at the defeated archer with a silent nod of respect, then turned and walked away across the vast plains, his golden armor shining as the undisputed victor.
