How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

How could I have forgotten?

Was it the heat of the battle?

The sheer chaos of the situation?

Or maybe I had just automatically dismissed the idea, assuming it wouldn't work against these guys.

Whatever the reason, it didn't matter now.

What mattered was that I had remembered—and I wasn't about to waste this advantage.

"Haha…"

"This fucker!" the spear-wielding Riley snarled, his frustration palpable. "This is why you don't give any damn tips, Fifth!" He shot a glare toward the crossbow-wielding Riley, who merely smirked in response, unbothered by the reprimand.

Blood trickled down the spear-wielder's arms as he gripped his weapon tightly, his stance shifting cautiously.

He was clearly trying to minimize the damage he inflicted on me, fully aware that every strike would now hurt him just as much.

And yet, there was a strange gleam in his eyes—a satisfaction in the challenge, as though he had been waiting for a real fight all along.

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stay focused.

He's wary, but he's still confident. It wasn't hard to see why.

Up until now, they had been overwhelming me effortlessly, treating this battle like a game.

For them, it must have been fun—dominating me without a scratch.

But not anymore.

With [Skill: Empathic Pain (S)] fully active, every blow they landed on me now reflected back to them. No exceptions.

Sure, I'd taken the brunt of the damage in the earlier stages of the fight, but I was still standing.

My endurance and overall toughness far exceeded the bow-wielding Riley, and even the spear-wielder would struggle to match my resilience in a prolonged battle.

The spear-wielding Riley, despite his tank-like build and formidable strength, was clearly optimized for speed and precision.

His piercing attacks were lightning-fast, and his footwork was impeccable, but the toll of the reflected damage was starting to show.

I wiped the blood off my chin, my grin growing wider. "What's wrong? Not so fun when you're on the receiving end, huh?"

The mage Riley, still standing in the back with that insufferable smirk, adjusted his glasses. "Don't get ahead of yourself," he said calmly, his wand drawing more intricate runes in the air. "You've only managed to level the playing field. Nothing more."

'Level the playing field, huh?'

If anything, it felt more like I was outright cheating to win—but could you really call it cheating when I was fighting three monstrous versions of myself?

Somehow, I doubted anyone would argue against bending the rules in my favor under these circumstances.

For now, my attention was locked on the spear-wielding Riley.

His relentless assaults kept me on my toes, but I knew I couldn't afford to fixate solely on him for too long.

Sooner or later, I'd have to shift my focus back to the mage and the crossbow wielder.

Sure, I had the advantage right now. [Skill: Empathic Pain (S)] was turning their attacks against them, and as long as they continued to engage me recklessly, I could chip away at all three of them.

But no advantage was foolproof. If they decided to switch tactics or force my hand with overwhelming firepower, my position could crumble in an instant.

Think, damn it.

Fortunately, I'd noticed something that gave me a sliver of hope: the mage and the crossbow-wielding Riley were holding back.

The mage hadn't fired off another one of his devastating explosive spells, and the rate of arrows from the shadowy sniper had slowed considerably.

They were being cautious.

It wasn't hard to see why.

The spear-wielding Riley had taken the brunt of the reflected damage so far, and it was clear they were concerned about his safety.

The other two were playing more conservatively, likely waiting for an opening.

'Good. Stay cautious. Stay hesitant.'

If things continued at this pace, I might actually stand a chance in a battle of attrition.

My stamina was holding up for now, and as long as they didn't go all in, I could keep wearing them down.

But I wasn't naive enough to think that would last forever.

All it would take was one of them stepping back to regroup or switch to a support role, and the entire dynamic would change. If that happened, I'd be doomed.

I gritted my teeth, dodging another swift thrust from the spear-wielding Riley and countering with a well-placed punch.

My fist connected with his side, but as expected he just gritted his teeth and tanked it.

'Maybe this guy really has S-rank Strength'

Blocking the spear strike aimed at my shoulder, I smirked, watching the frustration flicker across the spear-wielding Riley's face.

He clenched his jaw and retaliated with a swift punch to my gut—but of course, the pain rebounded right back at him.

SMACK!!!

"Ugh…! You fucker!" he growled, clutching his stomach as the reflected damage hit him full force.

His rage was palpable, but I knew better than to let it cloud my focus.

If anything, his anger gave me the opening I needed. It was now or never to get some answers. Continue your journey with empire

"You three…" I began, dodging another jab of his spear. "You're not here to kill me, are you?"

"Huh?" His expression twisted in confusion, but I pressed on, keeping my tone steady despite the chaos around us.

"From the first Riley—the clown—to you guys, it's been clear. Gifts, trials, prowess... you're testing me, not trying to finish me off. You're trying to help me. Isn't that right?"

His glare deepened, and for a moment, I thought he might deny it. Instead, he clicked his tongue in irritation.

"Tsk! Are we that obvious now?"

I couldn't help but chuckle. "No, not really."

As his eyes narrowed, likely trying to decipher my next move, I seized the moment. Pivoting sharply, I infused my leg with aura and delivered a devastating kick to his stomach.

The force of the blow created a shockwave that sent him tumbling backward, coughing as he struggled to regain his footing.

The spear-wielding Riley wasn't about to let me get away unscathed.

With impressive reflexes, he tried to counter mid-air, thrusting his spear upward in a desperate attempt to strike me.

But by then, I was already gone.

I twisted my body in mid-air, propelling myself with a burst of mana toward the mage Riley.

My eyes locked on him, his wand still glowing with cryptic runes as he prepared another spell.

The spear-wielding Riley's voice echoed behind me. "Damn it! Stop him!"

Arrows whizzed toward me in rapid succession, but it was clear the crossbow-wielding Riley had become more cautious with his shots.

Their paths were easier to predict now, though deflecting them was still no simple task.

SWIISHHH!!

I managed to redirect the trajectory of one arrow;

"Do I seem that weak?"

The voice cut through the chaos like a knife.

The mage Riley smirked, clearly unimpressed by my decision to target him first.

He adjusted his glasses with a casual flick, runic letters glowing and swirling ominously around him like a living shield.

"Going after Fifth might've been a better solution," he said, his voice dripping with condescension.

Even without his taunt, I could feel the layers of defensive spells woven into the air around him.

My mana sense painted a vivid picture: protective barriers cloaked his body, the ground beneath him pulsed with magical traps, and the space itself seemed ready to retaliate the moment I got too close.

Reaching him would be a death sentence if I didn't have a plan.

Stopping my momentum abruptly, I planted my feet and forced my body to a grinding halt.

Dust erupted around me, the sharp winds generated by my movement kicking up debris and loose fragments from the sanctuary's floor.

The settling dust formed a makeshift smokescreen—not much, but just enough.

Milliseconds.

That's all I need to hide that little thing.

The mage Riley didn't move, his confidence radiating through the barrier of spells surrounding him.

To him, I was just stalling, desperately grasping at straws.

Positioning myself firmly, I settled into the martial stance of the Hidden Blade technique.

My grip tightened around the hilt of my sword as I channeled both aura and divinity into the blade.

The faint hum of power resonated through the air, the blade glowing with an intense golden light.

As the dust cleared, I wasn't surprised to see the mage Riley already preparing another spell.

His fingers moved deftly, weaving complex runic symbols in the air.

A shimmering barrier of energy began to materialize between us, its presence almost suffocating.

But he hadn't accounted for the arrow.

The one I had re-adjusted earlier came hurtling through the haze, its trajectory now aimed at me.

It struck true, piercing my shoulder.

"Ugh—wha?!" he groaned, his focus faltering.

The intricate runic symbols around him shattered like glass, their protective energy dissipating into nothing.

I grimaced as the same arrow's pain coursed through me, the Empathic Pain skill ensuring we both shared the injury.

But between the two of us, it was clear he bore the brunt of the damage.

"Spatial—"

"It's too late."

My blade sang as I moved, executing the technique I had prepared.

[Hidden Blade: First Form]

[Blue Moon]

-FLASH!!!

The golden glow surrounding my sword flared brightly before condensing into the shape of a crescent moon.

With a swift, fluid slash, the crescent shot forward, crossing the ten meters between us in an instant.

The impact was as silent as it was devastating.

The aura-infused blade left an afterimage of light before the spell dissipated, revealing the aftermath.

Blood rained down as the mage Riley's head hovered briefly in the air, a faint, satisfied smile on his lips before his form dissolved into darkness.

"Such a shame I wish I could've shown you more~"

Were the last words he said before disappearing.

System messages appeared in front of my vision, listing rewards and progress updates, but I ignored them.

Not yet.

There's still work to be done.

Turning slowly, I met the astonished gazes of the two remaining Riley's—the spear-wielding one and the crossbow user.

Their expressions flickered between shock and wariness, clearly shaken by the sudden loss of their companion.

"Who's next?"