Annihilating the Onipdan
Onipdan members approached cautiously, spreading out widely to slowly tighten their encirclement, clearly worried that Carpe might try to bolt.
But that was their first mistake. Carpe had zero intention of running.
Without a moment's hesitation, Carpe charged straight at the user on the far left of the group.
"Ugh, what the—?!"
"He's fast! Watch out!"
Their panic was immediate—Carpe's speed was twice what they'd expected. As he closed the gap in an instant, the targeted user flailed his dagger sideways in a desperate swing.
Whoosh.
No chance it'd land. The stat gap was one thing, but a panicked reflex swing was predictably straight-line garbage.
Carpe ducked his waist effortlessly, and the dagger sliced empty air.
"Hah!"
Not stopping there, Carpe's palm rocketed toward the guy's jaw. Smack! It connected dead-on, sending the user's brain rattling—he staggered, stunned.
"What the hell?! A single palm strike caused a stun?!"
"Hey, snap out of it!"
The rest of the squad rushed in with horrified shouts, but Carpe was way faster. He slipped behind the stunned dagger guy in a flash.
"Gahhk!"
Locking his right arm around the guy's exposed neck, Carpe stomped down hard on the back of his knee—the crook of it.
Thud! The Onipdan member's knee hit the dirt, and Carpe followed up by slamming his foot into the man's back.
Then.
Crack.
A sickening snap of breaking neck bones. The Onipdan member grayed out, crumbling to ash. A lone dagger clattered to the ground where he'd been.
Opponent has died.
"……."
"……."
……Holy shit.
The seamless combo left not just the remaining two Onipdan members speechless, but even Cheonma stunned for a beat.
"……What did I just witness? Is he ex-special forces or something?"
"I-I think I've seen that in a movie. Like John Wick."
X, we're done for.
They were just newbie bullies in a starter village, but these guys had solid PK experience under their belts.
Which was exactly why that sequence told them everything. No way we beat that guy, even if we die trying!
"Run!"
"What the hell is that?! Did he hit level 10, get a job change, and snag a hidden class?! How's he moving like that?!"
The pair spun and bolted.
And that was their second mistake. Fighting even one of them might've bought escape time.
"Gurk!"
Carpe scooped up the dropped dagger and hurled it with vicious force at their backs. It nailed the left guy's spine dead-center; he crumpled.
With another comrade down, the last Onipdan survivor panicked so hard his footwork tangled—he tripped flat.
Carpe picked up the dagger again and strolled toward the final man. A young guy, about Carpe's age.
"W-wait a sec. Spare me, just once! If I die again, I'm logged out for three days…… I'd have to survive on cup ramen that whole time."
"Hilarious. When you were PKing, did you ever spare someone begging for their life even once……?"
"Yes. Twice."
"……What?"
It was a throwaway line, but the guy's dead-serious reply left Carpe dumbfounded. The dude kept going, earnest as hell.
"Twice total. Once, the guy offered all his items if I let him go, so I did. The other was a cute female user—I spared her and got her number instead."
"……I see."
Carpe let out a dry chuckle and gripped the dagger tight.
"So spare me! I'll give you all my items!"
"Don't need 'em. You'll drop them anyway when you die."
"I'll give you my number too!"
"Die!"
Stab.
The dagger sank into the last guy's chest like butter. He glanced down at it, then glared at Carpe with bitter resentment.
"……Every time I eat cup ramen from now on, I'll curse your name."
"What a psycho."
Opponent has died.
With those parting words, the guy grayed out and vanished. A pair of wrist guards lay in his place.
"Phew. All done."
The whole skirmish lasted under five minutes, but fatigue hit hard. Or maybe it was just that last guy's mental assault.
"Alright, time to loot……."
Hey, what the hell are you, really?
"Huh? What's that out of nowhere?"
Out of nowhere? You're the one who's full of surprises. How are you this good at fighting? Ex-special forces for real? You said you never even worked out.
"Special forces? Haven't even gotten my draft notice yet. And yeah, never really exercised. But am I good? No idea."
You just mulched three guys in seconds and ask if you're good? All I can do is scamper for excuses. But why didn't you use that sword from the tutorial?
"Thick forest, right? A dagger's fine, but a long sword gets caught on all the trees—hard to swing."
……You sure you're new to RaSe? Most people don't think like that till they've experienced it. Oh, right. You grinded arenas non-stop in Real Fantasia, yeah?
It wasn't ancient history. If Cheonma's memory served, Carpe had mentioned grinding duels in the first full-dive VR game before RaSe.
What rank did you hit in those arenas?
"Rank? Peak? Or final before quitting?"
Both.
"Peak was 2nd. Dropped after a few hours, though."
……What?
Cheonma freaked. 2nd?!
I never tried it myself, so I dunno…… But that's the global server, right? World #2?
"Yeah, but not as impressive as you think, Cheonma hyung. By the time I hit 2nd, word was out it was a trash game—mass exodus."
Still…….
Mass exodus meant the holdouts were hardcore. Sure, some like Carpe might've been bored with nothing else to play, but most stuck around from love for the game—diehards.
Cracking even temporary #2 among them was no small feat.
"That peak day? Perfect condition, good luck too. After that, I slid down…… Kept going till arcade costs got too steep, then quit."
Still, #2 is impressive…… Wait. What'd you say?
Cheonma's jaw dropped again.
Arcade costs?
"Yeah. Family's not loaded, y'know? Allowance as a college kid only stretches so far. VR arcades are pricey as hell."
Was it a luxury premium spot at least?
"Nah, just a regular one near campus."
……Hah.
Cheonma barked a hollow laugh. Too absurd for words.
And why not? Carpe had played on a "budget" VR rig.
You grinded on a Mark-1 "tin can," huh?
The entry-level VR machine, Mark-1. Nicknamed "tin cans"—first-gen budget gear that filled most neighborhood arcades.
Reason? Dirt cheap, obviously.
And cheap meant trash sync rates. Cheonma had tried one once by chance and nearly smashed it from frustration.
Low sync = input lag. Brain keeps up, body lags—frustration turns to straight stress.
Every pro gamer used top-tier rigs without exception.
#2 global on a tin can…… Gotta be kidding. Wasn't it laggy?
"Never used anything else, so no comparison. Felt normal."
Still on a tin can now?
"RaSe Korea HQ building, first-floor arcade. Budget Mark-3. Oh, that explains why movement felt smoother."
Still budget…….
He'd sensed Carpe was no ordinary guy, but a physical monster? Off the charts.
Mix in his own experience and future knowledge……? Carpe might actually end the game.
Cheonma thrilled with unprecedented glee.
To make it happen…… That dungeon first—no, other hidden pieces…… 10-star skills too…….
"Muttering to yourself? Loot first, yeah?"
Good. Plan's shaping up. First, get a premium VR rig.
"Premium? The pro gamer ones? Stupid expensive."
Yep, those.
"Want one bad, but broke. How's a normal college kid from a normal family afford a hundred-million-won machine?"
Ways abound. Leave it to me. Five regressions and money's pocket change…… Hm?
"Huh?"
It was when Carpe grabbed the wrist guards and checked the items from the back-stabbed guy. An unexpected drop.
Coins.
"Not just gear—misc drops too, huh."
Everything except bound or special items. Hmm, changes things a bit.
"Problem?"
Problem? Opposite. What do you think Mammonism guild does with all those coins?
"Obvious…… Wait, huh?"
Couldn't say.
Per that trash-haired Rohan, they collected coins, sold 'em via a merchant's haggling skill.
"Total BS, obviously. Farming junk for pennies, while questing and running Onipdan? Labor costs alone……."
But the newbie best guide clearly said…….
You're surprisingly naive sometimes.
"Huh?"
Who wrote that newbie best guide?
"Uh? Figured it was that 'LuckyTrashGame' guy or whatever."
RaSe IpVen's got how many users? Think he's the only one posting guides?
"No way……."
Yup. Mammonism guild wrote it. Guild master himself.
"Whoa. 'Best guide' just anyone's for the taking?"
As if. It's well-written—that's why it topped. Sure, early recs were botted, but solid overall. Even I, with 10+ years, nod along. Only one lie in it.
Cheonma grinned.
"Coins are junk—sell to shops for starter potion cash."
Mammonism's single lie, buried under mountains of truth.
The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw