Lackluster Performance

"Begin!"

Finally, after a few more moments, the audience's most awaited words came out of the referee's mouth, prompting both rookies onstage to make their moves.

The highly anticipated match immediately left everyone dumbstruck as soon as it began.

Why? 

Well, the archer and the mage suddenly started charging at each other as though they were both warriors.

Shye wasn't really surprised as crossbows had a fairly limited effective range. Also, against mages, it would be advantageous for the users of the mentioned weapon to fight at a somewhat close range.

Typically, crossbow users had low-cooldown, short-distance repositioning skills that would help them easily outmaneuver warriors and mages while simultaneously peppering them with mana arrows, effectively turning them into porcupines.

This…was exactly Payne's plan, hence, he, like the crowd, was utterly surprised and confused to see Shye charging straight at him.