The magical boar's strength surged by 30% upon entering its berserk state. It became overwhelmingly powerful, so much so that it managed to kill the Tank and push the remaining team members to the brink of death.
All three survivors had less than 25% of their HP left. As if the monster's relentless assault wasn't enough, they were also on edge due to the looming threat of Arsen's attack. Their anxiety was palpable; they kept glancing left and right in a desperate attempt to track his location, but no one succeeded.
The battle raged on, but the HP potions were no longer enough to restore their health or mend the severe injuries they had sustained. Without their Tank, it was clear—they stood no chance against the berserk monster. The thought of retreat quickly crept into their minds.
"What should we do, Leader? I'm out of HP potions, and I can't take another hit from that thing."
"Same here! I'm completely drained… even lifting my sword is a struggle. We have to retreat, if we stay, the consequences could be fatal."
When a player died, they didn't just lose experience, they also dropped items and were placed under suspension, preventing them from logging back in. Although revival was possible using monster cores, the cost was outrageously high.
The Leader gritted his teeth, finally accepting the harsh reality: this battle wasn't in their favor.
"Retreat!" he ordered. "But make sure you get that man's information. I'll show him what a true nightmare looks like."
His fury was boiling over, so intense, it felt like his head might explode.
The two players smiled, confident they had survived the battle. However, Arsen had been waiting for the perfect moment, and now he emerged onto the battlefield.
"Where are you going?" He asked in cold tone.
Swish! Swish!
He immediately stabbed their legs and ankle so they could not walk. With this, it would be easy for the monster to attack these players.
Bam! Bam!
The two players vanished from the game, their blood splattering across the battlefield. Arsen couldn't help but wonder what it must feel like to take that kind of damage. A chill ran down his spine as memories of the pain he'd endured from the Rabbier resurfaced. He hadn't intended to kill these players himself; instead, he let the monster do the work. Why? He knew there could be consequences if he killed another player. What those consequences were, he wasn't sure, but it was safer to keep things this way.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The leader swung his axe wildly, like a monster in a frenzy. He couldn't shake the feeling that the enemy was hiding somewhere, waiting to strike.
"Come out now! Hahaha!" He laughed, though his worried expression betrayed him.
Thud!
Urgh!
A couple of trees were shattered as the monster tackled him with all might. Now, he sat beneath a broken trunk, struggling to catch his breath. Blood soaked his body, and he could feel his health bar draining rapidly. Despite it all, a smug smirk tugged at his lips as he schemed.
"Hahaha! I may have lost today, but don't think this is the end! The Serpent Guild, my guild, will come for you! Whether in this game or in the real world, I will find you!"
Arsen felt a chill run down his spine at the leader's words, as if he had just killed a family member.
What the hell? Is he that obsessed with role-playing games?
The monster's berserk state faded, leaving it motionless in the middle of the forest, vulnerable to any attack.
I should finish this and log out.
-
On the other side, chairs were flying and glass shards littered the floor. A man with spiky red hair and a muscular build was smashing everything around him in a fit of rage. His fury stemmed from what had happened inside the game.
His name was Gordon, the party leader who had been killed by the magical boar. But it wasn't the death that enraged him—it was the fact that an unknown player had tricked him, making him look like a fool. He was a low-level player, and there were four of them in the party. If word of this got out, it would be utterly humiliating.
"You! If you hadn't died, we could have killed that monster—and that guy!" Gordon yelled, furiously pointing his index finger at the man standing in the corner.
In his mind, the Tank was the main reason they had lost so much in that battle, to the point where it was difficult for them to catch up to the other players. Yes, they were wealthy and could lift their suspension, but the real problem was that EXP couldn't be bought. It had to be earned through
"Calm down, Gordon. It wasn't James' fault. This all happened because of that guy. We should focus on getting our revenge," said a woman with brown hair, a seductive figure, and the appearance of someone in her mid-twenties. Her voice was calm, and she made subtle, seductive gestures to help soothe him.
James bowed his head. "I apologize for my incompetence. I thought the assassin had already left the battlefield and run away."
"Tch! I don't want to hear your excuses!" Gordon snapped, standing up as if he had been seduced by Lina's calm demeanor. "Get out of the room, and don't come back until I say so."
James and Alfred (the swordsman) left without a word, leaving the two of them alone in the room.
In the hallway, Alfred patted James on the shoulder. "Don't take it personally, James. Gordon's just frustrated because that unknown guy played him."
"But if I hadn't lowered my guard, I wouldn't have died. We had a good chance of killing the monster and taking down that guy," James replied.
Alfred slowly shook his head. "It seems like you don't understand the situation, James. By the time we even approached that guy, he was already planning to take down those monsters on his own. So, what do you think is that?" he asked.
James paused for a moment, trying to process Alfred's question based on the situation earlier. "Because he wanted to earn monster cores?"
"That's one of his objectives, like ours. But the real answer is, he was confident enough to fight those monsters alone." Alfred recalled their battle and shook his head, realizing he couldn't find a single weak point in that guy. "Yes, we had the advantage in strength, numbers, and EXP. But his movements were too precise—everything was calculated. We only managed to land a hit because of the difference in our strength and speed. But after that? He already knew exactly how to handle us."
James was astonished by how Alfred had assessed their battle. "Do you think he's using Console 2, Version 1, like we are?"
"Well, based on his movements, it seems like he's using the same console. But that's not what's bothering me. I feel like I've fought someone like him before, in another game, but I can't remember it."
James' eyes widened. Alfred had been a skilled pro player in the past. "Is he a pro player?"
"I don't know. If we face him again, I think I'll be able to figure out who he is," Alfred replied, lighting a cigarette. "In the meantime, we've got a lot of work to do once we get back. So forget about it for now, and let's grab a drink."
-
Arsen had killed the magical boar, completing the quest on his own despite Gordon's party. He now understood why Elder was so eager to gather other players for the task.
"What's wrong with this game?" he muttered. "The difficulty seems easy, but the monsters are as powerful as dungeon bosses." He sighed, then began roaming the area to do what he enjoyed most—collecting loot.
He gathered 10 low-level monster cores, a magic crystal, an axe, a scroll, and a ring, items dropped by both the monsters and the player who had died in the area.
Magic Crystal (Low-Level)
Item Type: Crafting Material
A faintly glowing crystal infused with weak magical energy.
Can be used in forging or synthesizing items
Grants +6% Magic Power when applied
Long Axe (Ordinary)
Weapon Type: Two-Handed Axe
A standard long-handled axe with decent reach and weight.
Deals +50 bonus damage
Knocks back enemies for 0.5 seconds upon hit
Ring of Power
Item Type: Accessory
A simple ring that pulses with latent strength.
Increases Strength by 2%
Adds +25 to Health
Skill Scroll (Ordinary)
Would you like to open it?
Yes.
Arsen didn't hesitate to open the skill scroll.
Chop (Level 1)
Skill Type: Melee / Utility
A simple downward strike used to chop wood or damage fragile objects. Weak in combat but helpful for resource gathering and light destruction.
Effects at Level 1:
Deals 25% weapon damage
+5% bonus vs. breakable objects (e.g., crates, wooden doors, tree trunks)
Can be used to harvest wood
1% chance to stagger basic enemies
Cooldown: 6 seconds
Stamina Cost: Very Low
Arsen looked at video representation provided by the skill, and it was not hard to learn.
"This skill can be useful, I should learn it."
...
"How's your progress so far, brother?"
"Well, it's been slow. Plus, I've encountered some players who like to steal my items and cores."
"Tch! Those kinds of players can't fight fair," Cain replied.
"Yeah, but luckily, I managed to survive. By the way, do you know the Serpent Guild?"
"What?! Did you say Serpent Guild?"