The Reaper Priestess

Ding.

"Hmm. From 1-star to 7-star, huh."

Since the Intermediate Skill Pack went from 2-star to 8-star, it made sense.

So, did the Advanced Skill Pack pull from 3-star to 9-star?

-Nah. Advanced pulls from 4-star to 8-star. 9-stars aren't that easy.

"Ugh, this game's just jealous of players getting ahead. Here goes!"

With a rip!, Carpe ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tore open the pack with all his might. Five cards shot up into the air from inside.

"Starting from the leftmost one."

He'd check them all with Repeat anyway, so he'd open them in order.

The first card.

"Damn it. Repeat!"

He didn't even bother reading the description before repeating it. The second card.

"……Repeat."

The third card.

"……This game is insane. Repeat!"

By the time he opened the fourth card, Cheonma finally let out a sigh of admiration.

-Whoa, four 1-stars! That's four aces in poker, right? Man, we should've hit the casino with this luck.

"……I wanna grab the devs by the collar."

-Hey, one's still left. No way it's another 1-star, right? Heh.

"Your words and your thoughts don't match, y'know? You're such a troll."

Carpe shot Cheonma a glare before using Repeat.

The moment of truth—the final card!

-Oh?

The last one hit big.

"Whoa! Jackpot!"

Of course, to Carpe—who owned 10-star skills and had pulled 7-stars before—5-star was no big deal. But after four straight 1-stars, this felt like a fairy tale miracle.

"No brainer. Picking it!"

-Not bad at all. Go ahead and learn it.

Lightning magic boasted top-tier damage and often came with Paralysis, making it hugely popular among players.

No wonder the all-lightning Lightning Sorcerer skill tree was all the rage!

And Calling Thunder was one of its core skills.

"Hmm."

The requirement was fine too.

Carpe's Elemental Mastery was an upper-tier skill that covered mastery of all elements anyway.

He could learn it right now, but...

"Bro, what do you think of this?"

-Huh?

Carpe held off on learning it and shared his idea with Cheonma.

After hearing him out, Cheonma pondered briefly before nodding.

"It'll work, right?"

-Good thinking. Way more efficient that way.

"Right? Let's do it now."

Confirming the notification, he pressed on into the dungeon.

The monsters were the same: enhanced skeletons and archers.

"Fire Arrow!"

After clearing a few skeleton packs and picking up the junk loot, the timer had dropped by 30 minutes.

One hour and thirty minutes left.

"Bro, this quest is about catching an intruder, right?"

An enemy after the Magic King's relic had broken into the ruins, and the story was about stopping them.

Here, "enemy" meant otherworldly beings like the ones from the Arkram fight—Patron Spirits.

Players' companions, that is.

"So the intruder's a player? Did their Patron Spirit tip them off about the Magic King?"

-Doubt it. Patron Spirits don't just possess players.

"Huh?"

-Some NPCs get chosen too. Act just like players.

For example, the king of the knight nation, Gilliant Kingdom.

It was common knowledge in RaSe that his Patron Spirit was a 9-star knight-related one.

Though the king probably saw it as his nation's guardian deity, not a Patron Spirit.

"So that priest has a Patron Spirit?"

-Probably. Timing's too perfect for a player. Who queues up for scenario events like that?

"True…… ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Glad it's not a player, then."

If it were, info on the Magic King could spread like wildfire among users.

-Keep it under wraps for now. RaSe is full of psychos.

Just having a hidden class or quest was enough to get ganked on sight in RaSe.

No reason needed.

Jealousy!

Why can you do it and not me? Pisses me off. Let's kill 'em.

Astonishingly, tons of players PK'd for that reason alone.

And for plain hidens? If a Mythic-grade quest got out...

-Say goodbye to a chill game life. You can hide looks and gear with custom, but not skills or weapons.

"……They'd swarm and pick fights. Keep hiding forever?"

-Just early game. Won't take long.

Cheonma already had blueprints in mind for the "Project: Turn This Rebellious Fun-Seeker into a Physical God."

Probably under a month.

-Then you can brag all you want. Swarm? Make it a massacre movie.

"Whoa…… Sounds like experience talking."

-It is. Anyway, don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fail the quest. Could shorten that timeline big time.

"No doubt— whoa!"

Whoosh.

Carpe jerked his head back, dodging an incoming arrow.

The dungeon crawl resumed, and Carpe pushed forward at a faster pace.

Another thirty minutes down, another level up to 16. Timer at exactly one hour.

"Whew. Almost there, right?"

-Yeah, gotta be.

A massive stone door loomed before them.

One side ajar, hinting someone had entered.

"Now the real game begins. Kinda boring till now."

Words that'd give others whiplash, but luckily, no witnesses.

"Alright, let's go!"

Pumped, Carpe shoved the door open and stepped in.

Inside was a vast, clean chamber. No deathly aura like outside.

But something besides undead.

"Oh, you got here faster than I thought."

The priest.

The blonde priestess from the graveyard smirked at Carpe.

She swung her legs playfully atop a massive stone coffin.

"Was getting so bored waiting I nearly died. Glad you came quick—I'm not patient. Was gonna smash this and bail in like 57 minutes. Lucky you made it."

She tapped the coffin lid casually.

"……57 minutes? Oh!"

-Hmm. So that's what the timer meant.

If he hadn't reached here in time, she'd have smashed the coffin and left.

Quest failed.

Meaning that coffin she sat on held the Magic King's relic.

"My orders were just to smash it, y'know? But then I thought, what a waste. No idea what's inside, but it's gotta be valuable. Better to take it than destroy, right? You think so too?"

"Thief either way."

"Then just get the owner's permission and take it."

She hopped down.

Slamming her staff down with a thud!, a massive blade sprang from the head.

-Not a staff—a scythe disguised as one. Scythes are pretty niche weapons.

'Wait, how's that huge blade fit inside the staff? Physically possible?'

-What physics in a game? Prep to fight.

White priest robes, but with that giant scythe on her shoulder, she screamed reaper.

"Got the key to open it? Hand it over?"

"Nope."

"Then as a servant of god, I'll guide you to him. Ask your soul after."

"Not a priest or reaper—just a bandit. Why beat around the bush if you wanna kill me for it?"

Carpe gripped his sword.

That instant.

Ding.

Her name "Mainades the Fanatic" popped up blood-red.

"Whoa, what a level gap."

-That color means 35+ levels difference…… Careful. One slip and you're done.

Her name glowed an insane crimson, nothing like the skeletons'. Thick, viscous blood-red.

"Hoo."

Carpe steadied his breath.

Bam!

He blasted toward Mainades at full speed.

"Haaah!"

First strike wins!

Closing in instantly, he swung with everything.

A perfect vertical slash straight at her forehead.

From leap to strike—in the blink of an eye.

But.

Clang!

"Pretty fast, huh?"

"Guh?!"

Mainades parried effortlessly.

With one hand on the scythe!

"My turn now."

She gripped it two-handed.

Flashed a grin at Carpe, then swung for his neck.

"Urk!"

Fast.

Faster than expected. Carpe desperately swung his sword.

His resolve paid off—he blocked just before it hit.

-Duck!

Whoosh!

Carpe's dodge was paper-thin.

If not for his top-tier Artemis capsule's sync rate, that would've ended him.

The moment Cheonma yelled "Duck!," instinct took over.

Nearly reflexive.

Saved his life.

"Good instincts? Most end there."

Clang.

The broken blade hit the floor.

Her scythe cleaved his sword like tofu, aiming straight for his neck after.

"Crazy."

Shocked, Carpe leaped back.

Mainades just watched with a smile, not pursuing.

-What a troll. That scythe's at least Unique with cleave option. Or Legendary.

'This possible? Weapons breaking?'

-Of course. You did it to skeleton shields.

'Me?'

-Same thing.

'Whoa.'

Never thought it'd boomerang from trash mobs.

Ambush failed, then one counter shatters his weapon.

Absurd.

'This meant to be beaten?'

One exchange, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Carpe knew.

This priest was a monster.

-Seems you're right.

'Huh?'

-Not meant to be beaten.

With Three Firsts title, Carpe had +33 all stats.

And he could barely evade? Even with Artemis?

Any other player getting Magic King would've died to that counter.

Meaning: avoid combat altogether.

-Invincible boss. Can't kill normally.

Some games had those.

Bosses near-invincible by design.

No damage possible—clear via objects or events.

-See that? Indentation in the coffin's center.

And Cheonma was RaSe's fossilized expert.

While Carpe focused on her, he'd scanned the whole room.

Occupational habit!

Spotting the coffin's groove quick.

-Got the token from the graveyard keeper, right?

'Yeah, in inventory.'

-Fits perfect, doesn't it?

'Now that you mention...'

Carpe got it.

Quest clear wasn't killing the boss—it was "relic recovery."

Dodge the psycho priest, reach the coffin.

That was victory.

-Now we know—lure her out and— what're you doing?

'Bro, just had a genius idea.'

-No, don't think. I'll think. Please. Don't think!

Carpe chuckled at Cheonma's plea and summoned Mukhyang from the shadows.

'Invincible boss—does that mean zero damage in system terms? Or just stupid tanky?'

-Why ask?

'Curious?'

-……Both exist, but she's the latter. If immune, no need to block.

'Knew it. Mukhyang, if you please.'

"Kyuu!"

Mukhyang flipped in midair, activating the skill.

All buffs ready.

Cheonma clutched his head watching.

-Easy path right there, why…… You crazy fun-seeker!

'Be honest, bro. Met tons of invincible bosses?'

-So what if I have?

'Ever just brute-forced one?'

-……

Cheonma went silent. But silence was answer enough.

'You did it too, now telling me not to.'

-Mine was barely in regress 3……

'One more question.'

-What?

'Beating those the hard way gives better rewards, right?'

Carpe nailed it.

Game history proved it.

Perverted players always found wild ways to beat "unbeatable" bosses.

And hidden rewards/easter eggs followed. Common knowledge!

-……Damn.

Cheonma closed his eyes.

No convincing him now.

'Think positive. Gotta surpass you anyway. Can't if I bail here. Nonsense.

-Whatever, punk. What karma from last life……

'Not confident? Wanna bet?'

-Bet?

'I die, you control me till game ends. Cheonma avatar born.'

-For real?

Cheonma's eyes widened at the unexpected offer.

-Wait…… Dying might be the win.

Magic King quest gone, but it wasn't in Cheonma's old route anyway. Other paths existed.

Trade quest for reins on this wild colt...

-Sweet deal. You win?

'Hmm. Nothing good to bet.'

-Cash? 10 billion?

'Too real-worldy. One wish on hold instead.'

-Wish? Hold? What weird crap you planning……

'World's Cheonma got a long tongue? Scared?'

-Gah! You punk! Scared? SCARED? Fine, call. Not scared!

'Deal. I'm taking her down.'

To Carpe, Mainades now looked like a treasure goblin granting wishes.

"Don't like that look."

Sensing his shady gaze, Mainades frowned and advanced.

Carpe charged again, same as before.

"Same trick?"

She scoffed.

One clash gauged the heretic's level.

Impressive potential, but way below her. Filthy heretic.

No weapon this time?

"Hmph!"

No block needed. Counter at charge timing—done.

"Huh?"

But weird.

'Why's the heretic's fist right in my face?'

Her judgment erred.

Not the same. Speed incomparable to before.

Hiding power? No, that desperate block wasn't acting.

Then why?

Confused, but reality was simple.

Ding.

Just popped the held bonus again!

Thwack!!!

Carpe's fist nailed her face, and Cheonma yelled.

-You ate that?! Idiot! Don't let your guard down!

The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw