Time Attack (3)
“Yeah, exactly. Seeing stuff like that makes me wonder if I’m just wasting my energy on this time attack. How’s someone like me supposed to crack the top 100 when it’s overflowing with monsters like that... Sigh.”
I could hear two warrior players next to me muttering nonstop. I listened quietly for a bit but couldn’t hold back my curiosity any longer and finally asked.
“Excuse me, guys. I couldn’t help overhearing, but what exactly is this ‘cheat key’ thing? Mind filling me in?”
“Oh, first time challenging the time attack, huh? ‘Cheat key’ is slang us challengers use. Basically, it just means ‘gear rental.’”
It would’ve been kinda rude to butt into a conversation like that in real life, but hey, what’s the point of a game if not this? Even in VR, everyone kept it cool—me asking, them answering.
“Gear rental?”
“Yeah. Why do you think a holy knight ranker like Hidden Card suddenly shows up at this under-100-level quest spot? Obvious, right? He’s here to lend his gear to his guildmate, the current No. 2 on the time attack.”
“No way! He really is?”
Sure enough, right as the warrior finished speaking, Hidden Card stripped down to his underwear, and Last Chance beside him transformed into full Red Drake armor set.
So that’s what they mean by cheat key. Guess I’m not the only one who rents out gear. People really do think alike, huh?
“Truth is, pretty much everyone who challenges this daily comes loaded with top-tier gear. Hell, it’d probably be harder to find someone who isn’t geared up. Top 100 challengers are all rocking at least Unique-grade stuff, so records come down to that one tiny edge in skill or luck. That’s why they keep grinding it over and over.”
“Ah, yeah, makes sense. It’s been three years already, so everything’s gotta be super optimized by now...”
“Exactly. Most folks use their own gear or rent just a piece here and there, but isn’t full-on borrowing a ranker’s kit taking it too far? That’s not skill anymore—that’s pure gear carry. Right?”
“Y-yeah, you’re right. What a cheap bastard!”
It hit a little too close to home—like they were talking about me—so I joined in bashing Last Chance for no reason.
Ignoring my side-eye, Last Chance chatted briefly with Hidden Card, then dove into the time attack via the NPC and vanished.
“Whoa, he’s in! Guy shot up to No. 2 in days, so he’s probably snagging first today. Man, jealous!”
“Oh yeah? How much do you think he’ll shave off, then?”
“Dunno for sure, but if he gets super lucky, maybe 2 or 3 seconds? I’ve watched him for days—dude’s legit skilled. Climbing to No. 2 that fast? Gotta be a smurf on a new char.”
“Ah... I see. This time attack’s still cutthroat as ever.”
“Yup. Honestly, you could say this is the most rotten spot in all of Tayen—super elite, gone stagnant. Everyone stalls at level 99 for months. You’ll feel it the second you try.”
“Got it, thanks.”
“Your gear looks solid, but you a mage? If so, try once for fun and quit. Mages can’t crack top 100 no matter how good they are...”
No point correcting them that I wasn’t a mage, so we chatted about other stuff until—pop—Last Chance reappeared moments later.
“Yes! Nailed it!! Hidden bro! I’m No. 1 now! Hahaha!”
“What’s the big deal about something so obvious? So, how much did you shave? Gear help at all?”
“Brace yourself, bro. Five seconds! Huge, right? My setup clicked perfectly! This record’s safe for months—nah, years! Uwahahaha!!”
Last Chance was bouncing around like a kid; Hidden Card watched with a proud grin. Cute duo, but to me? Just tragic timing—right before my run.
“Whoa, Last Chance is insane! Top 12 were all within 2 seconds, and he shaves five in one go... Yeah, this won’t fall for years.”
“Tell me about it. Kills the motivation for anyone else. Ugh... total buzzkill. Huh? You heading out? Doing it now?”
The warriors were deflating mid-chat when they noticed me moving to challenge.
“Yeah. Seen enough—time to run it.”
“Fair. First-timers don’t care about ranks anyway, so go wild. Clearing in under 10 minutes is solid.”
“Ten minutes? Why bother if that’s all you got? Waste of time—go level instead. I’ll be back in 2.”
“Huh? What’re you on about? Even rankers take over 2 minutes just to hit stage 3.”
“Watch for 2 minutes and see. My ID’ll be carved on that leaderboard soon enough.”
“Gear looked decent, thought you were sane—turns out terminal case of bullshit-itis. Always one like this per batch of newbies.”
“Let him. He’ll bail after a few tries. Tsk tsk.”
I ignored the friendly-turned-snarky warriors and approached the NPC handing out quests: Senior Knight Eruld of the Imperial Knights.
Last Chance and Hidden Card, still nearby, glanced over thinking it was for them—but turned away when I took the time attack quest.
[Imperial Knights Enlistment Trial: Record-Breaking Quest]
* Clear Difficulty: C
* Enter the Imperial Royal Knights' training grounds and challenge the enlistment trial
* Reward: Chance to enlist in the Imperial Royal Knights, rank-based differential achievement quests
I’d gotten the quest, so I spoke to the training grounds director in front of the building to enter the instance.
[Enter the Training Grounds?]
I mentally reviewed my aggro path one last time. Simple setup inside: three big indoor gym-like rooms in a row. But NPCs got trickier each room, and the trial ended the instant you smashed them all.
[Entered Training Grounds. Time now counting down.]
The second I stepped into room one, I bolted straight for the right corner.
Room one had Imperial soldiers scattered around, each packing different weapons: longswords, daggers, axes, halberds, spears, bows. Textbook play was picking them off one by one before room two.
But I had no time—or reason—for that. Goal: overwhelming fastest clear. Plan: herd rooms 1 and 2 mobs together for a wipe.
Magic Missile!
First step in mob herding: aggro pull. Sprinting right, I fired long-range Magic Missile to yank aggro from soldiers in the far left corner.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
One-star skill boosted to four by the Holy Sword—perfect, snagged four soldiers in one cast. I circled the room, pulling every last one from the right without swinging once, then kept running.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Magic Missile alone couldn’t nab the left-side stragglers, so on Weapon Throw cooldowns, I hurled throwing knives to pile on more aggro.
Ideal would’ve been dragging all to room two, but stationary archers needed hands-on. Shadow Step would save pathing, but long cooldown—saving for endgame.
Continuous Slash!
Kraaack! One Continuous Slash dropped the first archer; the other two fell easy. Straight to room two, room one’s full posse on my tail.
Through the arched door: squads of four Imperial soldiers. Room two tested mob groups—no archers wasting pathing, thankfully. But 40 total—double room one—tricky for time saves.
That’s why even top ranks say over 2 minutes to stage 3.
Room one tailing me, I whipped room two into a frenzy too. More mobs here, but easier pulls: 10 parties of four meant short paths to aggro everything.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dashing left-right, flinging knives at distant squads. Hit the door to room three, glanced back: every mob from 1 and 2 swarming.
HP check: arrows and melees had chewed it to half. Fine by me—I’d held my ace, letting HP dip on purpose.
Mana Shield!
[Mana Shield activated.]
“How’s this? You level 99 scrubs maxed on Mana Shield? First I’ve seen in three years of NPC life!”