The Wanderer's Elegant Defeat
The sudden activation of a 10-star skill that wasn't in any scenario guide left not just Carpe, but even Cheonma, utterly flustered. That blunder shattered their rhythm, nearly costing Carpe his head to the assailant's ambush.
"Well, it all worked out in the end, so that's a relief."
-Worked out? You found two effects of that 10-star skill, and that's all you have to say?
With this, the revealed abilities of Unlock totaled three.
Appraisal of unidentified items, trap disarming, and status effect removal.
-Trap disarming, huh. Not exactly rare or unique. But wait—why couldn't you disarm that monster egg trap in the tutorial? Skill level too low?
"How should I know something even you don't?"
-Hmm. Trap disarming aside, status removal is straight-up broken. It can't possibly remove all status effects, right?
"There must be limits. I love freebies as much as the next guy, but full immunity to every status effect would be way over the line."
-True. That'd be ridiculous.
The overpowered 8-star skill Absolute Body, which reduces the duration of physical status effects like poison, bind, stun, and burns by 90%, was one thing.
And the 9-star Mirror Still Mind, granting immunity to mental attacks like charm, brainwash, and sleep, was another.
Even for a 10-star skill, combining both effects would cross the line by a mile.
-If it's really that OP, I'm storming RaSe HQ and burning it down. This game needs to die!
"How's a ghost gonna light a fire? Cut the nonsense and let's wrap this up."
Carpe pulled a sword from his inventory, equipped it, and approached the assailant. The stun should've worn off ages ago, yet the man stood frozen in place.
Carpe raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Quiet, huh. Not coming at me again?"
"Hah. Once I've exposed my vitals and fallen to stun, my defeat is sealed. I won't drag out a finished fight like some beggar."
"Ho."
The first Monkey Squad grunt he'd met was ready to hand over items or his contact info just to live. This guy was the total opposite.
"I like the clean attitude. Guess not everyone's a weirdo in Monkey Squad."
"I'm no Monkey Squad member. Merely a wanderer they hired temporarily."
"So, you want mercy?"
"Impossible. What matters is not my affiliation, but the fight. I fought. I lost. What choice does a loser have but death?"
Hanjo glanced up at Carpe slyly. From his earlier mutterings, she was sure he was streaming the whole thing.
Begging for life after losing a live-streamed fight? Unthinkable in her book of aesthetics!
No—this called for stoically accepting defeat and embracing death with grace.
"Heh. To think I'd lose to the same man twice."
"...Twice? What're you talking about? First time seeing you."
"Forgot your past life already? Ah, I see! You're beyond clinging to old glories. Truly, a Godslayer! A warrior's demeanor worthy of the title."
"..."
Correction: Monkey Squad was a freak show through and through.
"One request before death—will you grant it?"
"Nah."
"Haha! As expected of a great one. Such swift acceptance!"
"Sigh. You really don't listen, do you."
As Carpe, suddenly exhausted, raised his sword to end it—
Tado Tusin has sent you a friend request. Accept?
"..."
-...
"Friend... care to?"
"Hell no?!"
You have rejected the friend request.
Hanjo gave a wry smile at the sharp rejection, gazing skyward.
"A fine moonlit night to die."
Stab.
Opponent has died.
With the alert, Hanjo's body grayed out and slowly faded away.
The sky was clearer and bluer than ever.
Not long after Hanjo fell to Carpe.
"Guild master. Looks like there's a commotion in the beginner city."
"Hold on."
Thud!
The man receiving the report slammed his massive battle axe into the ground. Before him lay a colossal monster corpse—the elite Basilisk, notoriously tough to hunt in Kras Desert.
"Ah, tough bastard. Finally dead. Yeah, a commotion?"
"Yes. Trouble in the beginner city, Leisin."
"Leisin, huh. Gotta be one of two. Which? Guild? Or Monkey Squad?"
"Monkey Squad."
"Hmm. Monkey Squad."
The guild master, Mamon, half-listened while rummaging where the Basilisk's body had vanished.
"Damn. No drop again. Basilisk blood or whatever—drop rate's trash."
"Want me to have someone check the auction house?"
"Nah. If you solve everything with money, what's the point? Hunting and crafting yourself is the fun part. Right, Team Leader Gwak?"
"...Quite right."
It was absurd hearing the world's greediest man say that, but Gwak Museong bowed obediently. The man before him signed his paychecks.
"Another raid on Monkey Squad?"
"Yes. One guy stormed in and wrecked shop. Probably an alt, so they sent in... not the swordmaster, but Hanjo."
"Then it's over. Happens all the time. Why call it a commotion over that...?"
"They lost."
"What?"
"Monkey Squad's ranker fell."
"Hmm."
Mamon, Mammonism's guild master, perked up. That qualified as a commotion even by his standards.
"Lost? The Sword Emperor?"
"Yes. Total defeat. Got logged out by the intruder, then sent a mail: 'I lost, and now I'm leaving.'"
"Lost and leaving? What the hell!"
Thud!
Mamon slammed his battle axe again, this time with real emotion.
"Three fights, winner takes all—that was the deal, right? Gwak, am I wrong?"
"N-no, that's correct."
"And he's bailing?"
"Y-yes. Guy spouts nonsense, no clue what... "
"Show me the mail."
Mamon pulled it up and scanned it, his expression growing weirder by the line.
"...Met a comrade from my past life, my goal. Leaving to follow him. Will repay debts later. What the hell is this?"
"N-no idea."
"Goddamn concept freak."
It left a bad taste.
Unpredictable personality and a trash Patron Spirit aside, the Sword Emperor was top-ten in combat sense among those Mamon knew.
With the right setup, ranking top 20 was guaranteed.
That's why I dug a trap and forced a debt on him.
Mamon frowned. Now the investment was in the red.
"Sigh. What's done is done. Contact Monkey Squad. Who's the handler?"
"Team Leader Jung Woo-hyuk."
"Right, Jung Woo-hyuk. Tell him to group up everyone—at least 10 per party."
"That might leave gaps uncovered."
"Better than wipes. Sigh, annoying. Right when I need to farm coins."
The guerrilla quest exclusive to beginner cities.
Only a handful knew, and Mammonism practically monopolized it.
It respawned a week to ten days after the last—today marked exactly a week.
"Alert the guild to reinforce patrols everywhere. Spot any unfamiliar middle-aged male NPC, report immediately."
"Got it."
"Tch. How long do we waste manpower on a beginner dump?"
It felt excessive for a starter town, yet he couldn't quit. Mamon caressed his axe tenderly.
◈ Equip Req: Lv. 120+, Str 95+, Vit 80+, Battle Axe Mastery Lv. 10+
◈ Phys ATK: 550~980
◈ Str +15
◈ Vit +15
◈ Agi -5
◈ The great orc chieftain, Krandish Suheka's battle axe from his lifetime on the battlefield, imbued with his lingering grudge.
◈ Option 1: Immune to preemptive strikes from orcs Lv. ≤ yours.
◈ Option 2: Crit rate +10%, crit dmg +20%
◈ Option 3: Grows by absorbing specific items.
◈ Soulbound on acquire
Among all discovered items in RaSe, this was one of a handful. A true "another class" masterpiece.
Mamon recalled acquiring it—shaking like lightning struck. The thrill of his life.
He'd scoured the auction house for Axe Mastery cards, dumped bonus stats into Str and Vit.
And even shelled out a fortune for elixirs since stats fell short.
Higher stats meant more bonus points per gain. Elixirs that permanently boosted base stats were priceless.
Worth it, though—hunting grounds jumped two tiers post-acquisition.
And this Steel Song Chieftain's War Axe was why he couldn't abandon Leisin.
The guerrilla quest Scrap Dealer.
Hand coins to the random junk dealer in the beginner city, get a "gift" from his collection.
Mostly trash, but occasionally—like this axe—a jackpot lotto.
How could I quit?
He had to monopolize it. It'd leak eventually, just not now.
"Any traits on that Monkey Squad raider?"
"Male, handles various weapons well... that's it."
"Useless."
Appearance meant little in RaSe. Custom items allowed endless cheap disguises.
Tracking relied on fixed traits: gender, main weapon.
"Half RaSe users are male, and starters scavenge everything. This guy's targeting us, huh?"
"Agreed."
"Brazen bastards."
Only one force could disrupt a top-10 guild event.
Another top-10 guild.
"Doesn't seem to know about the junk dealer... Just poking 'cause we're squatting in Leisin."
"I'll check recent missing rankers."
"Yeah. To snag the Sword Emperor, they'd send a top alt. Look into it."
Whichever top guild—no matter. He'd collect on this debt.
"Even if he knows about the dealer by some miracle, no biggie. Just one guy."
Junk dealers popped randomly in town.
Leisin was Mammonism turf, patrolled corner to corner.
Outcompeting that many for first dibs? Novel stuff.
Though, who knows.
Maybe a regressor with future intel. Mamon chuckled at the fancy while resuming Basilisk hunts.
"Oh, right."
"Yes?"
"Tell Jung Woo-hyuk to submit a report. Dock his bonus too."
"I-it wasn't a mistake, more an incident—docking's harsh..."
"Huh? Gwak volunteering instead?"
"...Understood. Management takes responsibility, right."
Sorry, Woo-hyuk. Next month's our anniversary.
Gwak bowed, silently apologizing to his old coworker.
Meanwhile.
"Gahk!"
Another Monkey Squad member crumpled before Carpe.
"Whoa, Cheonma hyung! This guy's dropping coins too!"
-...I don't get it. Guy who eats that rare flame trap burn has luck like this? Do you have shit luck or god-tier?
"Beats me! Coin buffet!"
-Sigh. Stuff yourself.
Coincidentally, the two men with future knowledge had finished prepping.
The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw