Just as he turned, Pat saw Lin Mo swing his Short Knife and plunge it into his companion's heart.
"In a team fight, you're supposed to take out the ADC first. Don't you guys know something so simple?"
Lin Mo quickly withdrew his knife, dodging a slash from the rapier as he spoke.
In fact, his opponents weren't completely unprepared. Merlot, a Ranger who specialized in Agility, had been assigned to guard the other Ranger, while another Warrior from their team confronted Evan.
However, while Merlot's Agility was nearly on par with Lin Mo's, the Level 2 Stealth was completely unexpected. Besides, protecting someone else and launching a counterattack yourself are two different things.
As a result, Lin Mo had already killed his target by the time Merlot's Sword came swinging. Lin Mo anticipated the move and dodged it with ease.
"Merlot, what are you doing?"
Pat shouted angrily.
As a fellow Assassin, allowing the enemy to kill a teammate right in front of him was, without a doubt, deeply humiliating.
Especially after he had just boasted about taking care of Lin Mo himself.
But Merlot had no time to answer. After dodging the rapier's attack, Lin Mo had turned and launched a fierce assault on him.
They were now at close range—precisely where a Short Knife had the advantage.
Lin Mo's Short Knife flashed, his attacks coming in relentless waves. Merlot, already terrified of him, fought timidly and was forced onto the defensive, completely drawn into Lin Mo's rhythm.
CLANG—! CLANG—!
The tip of the knife clashed against the blade of the sword, ringing out sharply again and again. After all, Merlot was a Ranger who specialized in speed, so he could just barely keep up with Lin Mo's movements.
But...
His feet left clear drag marks in the mud. After another direct clash, Merlot stumbled backward, unable to stop himself. A numbing ache shot through his arm, leaving it trembling uncontrollably.
Rangers didn't possess the brute Strength of a typical Warrior. And while Lin Mo's own Strength was originally pathetic, even after increasing it by one point, it only reached a normal level of 5—no higher than his opponent's. But Lin Mo had Skills.
After every one or two blows, he would suddenly use a "Slashing," catching his opponent completely by surprise.
Much like a video game boss mixing up fast and slow attacks, his tactic could be described as alternating between heavy and light strikes.
Merlot had no way of knowing which attacks would be light and which would be heavy. It was a complete guessing game, and in just two or three seconds, he was already in a flustered panic.
Fortunately, his predicament didn't last long. A Flying Knife shot in from the side, aimed straight at Lin Mo's temple.
Lin Mo had no choice but to retreat, his assault broken.
'I wanted to risk it and see if I could take one of them out first. Looks like I was getting ahead of myself.'
'These guys aren't scrubs. In terms of Attributes, they're not any weaker than I am. A surprise attack is one thing, but a straight fight won't be easy to win.'
Pat, who had finally arrived, was burning with fury. He brandished his Short Knife and charged straight at Lin Mo. His movements were so sharp and decisive that they reminded Lin Mo of the old Assassin he had killed the day before.
Lin Mo raised his arm to block the blow, but just as he was about to counterattack, Merlot, having had a moment to catch his breath, recovered and thrust his Rapier toward Lin Mo's waist.
"Thrust!"
The attack was clearly faster than a normal one. Lin Mo's pupils constricted as his body reacted before his mind, dodging on pure instinct.
Even so, the Sword's edge grazed his waist, leaving a thin, bloody line.
What followed was a relentless barrage of attacks.
Outnumbered, Lin Mo was no match for them. He was forced into a steady retreat, accumulating more and more wounds as several close calls occurred one after another.
Meanwhile, Bain was also locked in a bitter struggle, completely overwhelmed by the enemy captain.
Knight Professions were already at a disadvantage in one-on-one fights, and his opponent was even a fair bit stronger. The fact that he was holding his ground without being broken was already an impressive feat.
The only good news, it seemed, was on Evan's side.
Lin Mo had successfully taken out the enemy Ranger, so it was now two against one. With Millian's help, Evan was not only weathering the attacks but had even seized an opening. While his opponent was dodging an Arrow, Evan landed a vicious Sword strike on his arm, leaving a deep gash.
Already at a disadvantage fighting two against one, and now with an injured arm, his defeat was only a matter of time.
'As soon as Evan and Millian are free, the tide of this battle will turn in our favor!'
As this thought crossed Lin Mo's mind, he parried another Sword strike from his opponent. He reflexively prepared to dodge the other Assassin's attack but realized the man had vanished at some point.
'Not good!'
A jolt of alarm went through Lin Mo, and his gaze snapped to the center of the battlefield.
"Uncle Bain, watch out!"
Pat was no fool. He knew the situation on the battlefield was unfavorable for them. If things continued this way, they would likely lose. So, he quickly regained his composure and gave up on his deathmatch with Lin Mo.
The instant Lin Mo's voice rang out, Bain felt a chill assault him from his rear flank.
At that very moment, the captain in front of him roared and brought his Sword down in a heavy blow.
'No time to dodge!'
In that instant, Bain's years of accumulated combat experience allowed him to make the perfect split-second decision.
"Shield Strike!"
He stomped hard on the ground. Instead of retreating, he charged forward.
CLANG—!
With a heavy clang, the veins on Bain's body bulged and his face turned red with exertion, but he had somehow blocked the captain's blow.
In the next instant, a Short Knife struck his shoulder blade, only to be stopped by the hard bone beneath.
Bain's reaction had completely defied Pat's expectations. Even though Pat had adjusted the angle of his blade at the last second, he still failed to hit a vital spot.
Just as he was about to press his attack, an arrow from Millian forced him to fall back.
That was all the time Lin Mo needed to arrive.
Watching the perilous scene unfold, Lin Mo broke out in a cold sweat, both for Bain and for himself.
'I've been taking this fight too lightly,' he thought. 'I was only focused on my own side of things and forgot that the enemy can think, that they can make plans of their own.'
Pat's idea was to take out the leader to cripple the group. He would ambush Bain first. As long as Bain was dead, it wouldn't matter if that useless Merlot was dealt with. Once their captain was free, the rest of them would be no threat at all!
'And he was right,' Lin Mo thought. 'I can handle the Fine Sword Warrior, and I'm not afraid of the other Assassin. But their captain... I have almost no chance of winning against him, whether in a straight fight or an ambush.'
'Thankfully, Bain's response was perfect, and their plan failed.'
Even so, the situation on the battlefield had become incredibly grim.
Their greatest combat power, Bain, was now injured. With another enemy closing in, their corner of the battlefield had turned into a two-on-three fight—him and the wounded Bain against three opponents.
'I have to risk it all!'
Riding his forward momentum, Lin Mo lunged with his Short Knife, aiming straight for the enemy Assassin's throat. At the same time, his left hand crept toward his waist…
Pat wasn't the least bit panicked. Their brief exchange had given him a good read on Lin Mo's strength. 'He's definitely not weak,' he thought. 'It's no wonder Master Tai'en died at his hands. But that's all there is to it. He's on my level, so there's no reason to be afraid.'
'Besides, what Lin Mo is doing right now is just asking to die.'
'Maybe you should take a look behind you.'