Chapter 157: Solo. The Art of the Bait
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 157: Solo. The Art of the Bait
“Dammit!!”
Seo-un charged up the steep, wooded slope.
Crack!
Branches and vines clawed at his limbs, trying to snag him, but Seo-un didn't slow down, snapping through the overgrowth with brute force.
Step, step!
He leaped high to avoid a cluster of persistent vines reaching for his ankles, just as a Flame Bird lunged at him.
Whoosh!
Seo-un burst through the bird’s inferno as it tried to swallow him whole, a bow already gripped in his hand. Before his feet even touched the ground, he drew the string to its limit and loosed a pyeonjeon infused with internal power.
With his refined energy control, the pyeonjeon was shrouded in a sharp, tangible force—the precursor to a true Aura.
Shatter!
The arrow punched through the enemy’s barrier in an instant and tore through the mage's thigh.
Crash!
The young mage, clad in robes, tumbled forward with a heavy thud. By the time he scrambled to his feet, Seo-un was already standing in his path. Seeing the lethal Aura shimmering at Seo-un’s fingertips, the mage gritted his teeth and held his staff across his chest.
The moment a pulse of mana rippled from the staff, Seo-un moved.
Slice.
The staff was severed into three pieces, clattering to the ground. Stunned, the mage’s hands trembled as he stared at the useless fragment remaining in his grip.
Clink.
Only after the staff hit the dirt did the delayed sound of the barrier shattering finally ring out. The mage swallowed hard, looking up at Seo-un, who hadn't delivered the killing blow yet.
“I have a question.”
“...”
The mage glared at him with a scowl, remaining silent. Seo-un continued.
“Why did you run the moment you saw me? You didn't even try to fight.”
Seo-un recalled the brief chase. While running along the main road toward the boss monster, he had spotted an Eye of Distortion floating in the air. He had destroyed it instantly with an Ice Lance and kept moving, only to see about a dozen players immediately turn tail and flee.
More than half had escaped using Teleportation Scrolls, and the rest had scattered in all directions. In the end, he had only managed to kill two. He had pursued this mage into the forest as a last resort. Considering their numbers, it made no sense for them to flee from a single person.
“...Unless they’re idiots, no player in this game is going to face a solo player head-on,” the mage said, his voice thick with resignation.
“There’s no guarantee that the solo player is me.”
“Even so, as long as there’s a chance it’s you—the one who crushed a guild of over a hundred members alone—no fool is going to risk their life just to catch one player.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
Thud.
As soon as he finished speaking, the mage’s head fell.
“This is becoming a problem,” Seo-un muttered, his thoughts deepening as he looted the body.
Since he had no intention of dragging the game out, he wanted as many players as possible to attack him. However, if everyone avoided him because his reputation was too intimidating, the game would naturally take longer.
The first magnetic field hasn't even started shrinking yet...
He couldn't just wander around hunting players aimlessly. If the object monster happened to fall outside the magnetic field, he would be eliminated, making this his final game. While the chances of the magnetic field excluding the object in the early stages were virtually zero, he couldn't afford to show even the slightest opening while being targeted by the Operator.
After finishing his farming, Seo-un swept the decent items into his subspace and began moving, lost in thought. As he ran back onto the main road, he pondered how he could lure more players to him.
After a while, an interesting object caught his eye: a roofless carriage he had seen once before. The moment he saw the vehicle, which was powered by mana, Seo-un leaped onto it without hesitation.
With a pulse of mana, the carriage sped down the main road. It was slightly slower than his Lightness Skill, but Seo-un was satisfied. He could travel while saving his internal power, and the mana pulses he emitted would act as a beacon for attention.
This should draw them in like flies to honey.
*
Three days had passed since he started heading toward the boss monster. Seo-un was starting to get annoyed; his prediction had been wrong. Aside from one reckless player who didn't know his place, it had been a peaceful journey without a single attack.
Finally reaching the boss monster’s territory, Seo-un stepped off the carriage with a sigh.
“Tsk.”
He looked back at the carriage with regret before entering the boss zone—a region of rugged, rocky mountains. Hoping that players were hiding somewhere in the crags waiting for an opportunity, Seo-un began searching for the boss.
Sitting on a high rocky hill, he ate a light sandwich while scanning the surroundings. He then called out to Hamit.
‘Hamit.’
—Speak.—
‘Do you feel anyone watching?’
—The only gazes I feel are those filled with hostility. I don't think there's anyone here who would look at my master any other way.—
Seo-un nodded.
‘It’s already like this... I’ll have to be careful not to let my face get too well-known.’
One of the main reasons he was careful about his face being recognized in reality was the risk of being targeted. Since guilds existed across dimensions, it was only a matter of time before his identity spread once it was exposed.
After finishing his meal, Seo-un began moving again. He finally discovered the boss monster when the sun reached its zenith.
Standing four to five meters tall, the creature was a walking nightmare: a massive greatsword in one hand and a heavy gauntlet on the other. It practically screamed "boss monster." The most striking feature, however, was the wings on its back. It looked like a perversion of an angel, but its white wings were damaged—one side was torn away, leaving only a single, tattered wing.
Watching the creature leap across the treacherous terrain on legs that bent backward like a deer’s, a brilliant idea flashed through Seo-un’s mind.
With a twist of his lips, Seo-un transformed Hamit into a chainsword. He pulled a decent shield he had farmed from his subspace, equipped a breastplate to protect his chest, and donned a helmet that covered most of his face. He now looked like a typical, run-of-the-mill warrior.
Shing!
Leaping down toward the creature, Seo-un swung the chainsword while keeping his left eye closed. The creature blocked the attack with its massive greatsword and let out a roar, glaring at him with solid white, pupil-less eyes.
Krrraaaaah!
The creature spread its single wing and roared, its long, yellow fangs bared.
Seo-un began the battle, bracing his square shield tightly against his body as if he were extremely tense. Given the unstable terrain, Seo-un allowed himself to be pushed back, using his shield to deflect the creature’s rage-filled strikes.
Clang! Clang! Boom!
The creature grew increasingly frustrated as Seo-un skillfully deflected every downward strike. Finally, it slammed its gauntleted fist into the shield, sending Seo-un flying backward.
Thud!
Seo-un crashed into a stone wall, his face contorting in feigned pain as he blocked the greatsword lunging from above.
Crash!
Cracks spread across the shield, and Seo-un sank to one knee. It was a strike so powerful that the ground beneath him buckled. However, Seo-un didn't just settle for blocking; he swung his chainsword at the creature’s ankle.
Slash!
The moment blood seeped from the cut, new flesh began to sprout—a recovery rate befitting a boss monster.
Clang! Rip!
The exchange continued for some time. Whenever the creature launched a major attack, Seo-un would barely block it and counter-attack through openings. Gradually, his shield began to break apart. The boss monster was also covered in blood, suffering numerous small wounds that repeatedly healed.
Driven to a peak of fury by this stubborn human, the creature let out a roar and leaped into the air. As it plummeted toward the ground headfirst, Seo-un discarded his cracked shield and pulled out a new one.
K-boom!
The moment the creature landed, emitting red energy, the ground shattered. A massive explosion of energy swirled, cracking the surrounding mountains and causing rock walls to collapse.
Just before impact, Seo-un had activated the unique skill of his new shield: ‘Solid Pillar.’ His entire body was bathed in golden light. The skill granted significant immunity to attacks for a short period, provided the user didn't move their feet. If not for the limitation of three uses per day, it would have been a top-tier item.
Seeing Seo-un crouching behind his shield, the creature lunged again. Miraculously balancing in the air with its single wing, it flew in, and another fierce exchange began.
Eventually, the second shield was ruined and tossed aside. By the time Seo-un’s third shield shattered, the creature’s wing and legs were bleeding profusely. Seo-un was also limping, tearing recovery scrolls whenever he found a gap.
It was clear the battle was nearing its conclusion. Just as they were about to unleash their final, decisive attacks—
—I feel a disgusting gaze.—
Simultaneously with Hamit’s warning, magic exploded.
Whoosh! Bang! Shaaaaa!
An intense Flame Drop and a Wind Shadow rising from the base of the mountain engulfed Seo-un. As the two spells detonated, creating a massive inferno, even the boss monster hurriedly retreated.
Thud.
Seo-un barely escaped the flames and dropped to one knee, his equipment scorched black.
“Huff... huff...”
Seo-un panted, his shoulders heaving with exhaustion, as sixteen players appeared before him.
“You’re lucky to be alive.”
“He’s a knight with solid basics. His defensive skills are tough, and his mental strength to challenge a Nephilim alone is commendable.”
As they stood there commenting on him like they were at an auction, the boss monster let out a roar of fury.
Krrraaaaaah!
“For a Nephilim whose recovery has dropped this much...”
Just as the knights, mages, and martial artists were about to pour their attacks onto the creature, its head suddenly fell to the ground. Blood geysered into the air. As the fountain of blood weakened, the creature’s body tilted and collapsed.
For a moment, the players couldn't grasp what had happened. Then, they spotted Seo-un standing behind the fallen creature, drenched in the Nephilim’s blood. Just as their eyes widened in shock, a notification rang out, draining the color from their faces.
[Ding! The boss monster has been hunted! Glory to player Jin Seo-un!]
“Jin... Seo-un?!!”
“Everyone, run!”
The moment a knight shouted, veins bulging in his neck, Seo-un’s figure blurred. The distance wasn't great, and despite the rough terrain, he had no intention of letting them go.
Slice.
The shield and armor of the knight who had shouted were pierced, and a hole was blown through his heart. By the time three more players were cut down, the others finally began to put some distance between themselves and Seo-un.
Loosing pyeonjeons, Seo-un began hunting the martial artists who had the best mobility. Before long, thanks to the terrain preventing the use of Air Boards, he managed to wipe out even the mages.
“Fewer than I thought.”
Since it was a boss hunt, he had expected more vultures, but that wasn't the case. It seemed that since it was still early in the game, players were focusing on farming rather than high-risk bosses.
“Is this really a solo game? Tsk.”
In fact, if it had truly been a solo game, many more players would likely have been hovering around. The presence of teammates clearly influenced the decision to pursue stable farming rather than taking a risk for a boss that dropped only one or two items. In team games, players often preferred buff mobs over bosses; dividing boss loot was always complicated.
“And the chances of getting crap like this are high.”
Seo-un shook his head as he held up the item dropped by the Nephilim. It was a pure white scroll emitting a faint silver glow. He sighed. A scroll was a single-use item.
[Ding! You have obtained a Holy Spirit Buff Scroll. Holy Spirit Buff: Grants the user the protection of a holy aura for 3 hours.]
“What kind of dogshit is this... sigh.”
Seo-un trailed off. Is that bastard Operator even manipulating the item drops? If so, it was a serious matter. He tucked the useless item into his subspace and examined the other drop: a silver metal rod about 30 centimeters long.
[Ding! You have obtained a Barrier of Protection. Barrier of Protection: When planted in the ground, it creates a holy barrier around the area.]
“At least you’re a bit better.”
Seo-un stood up and began looting the boxes left behind by the dead players. After collecting their items, he moved quickly. Behind him, a ball of green light lingered over the dead boss monster for a moment before vanishing.
Entering a secluded forest, Seo-un looked around and ran his hand through his hair. He plucked three hairs and scattered them into the air; clones instantly appeared.
Seo-un began equipping the clones with items from his subspace. He gave one a robe and a staff, another a set of thick armor and a large axe, and the last one martial arts attire and a spear.
Then, Seo-un put on his Redo Armor and pulled on a black hooded jacket to hide his face. With a bow slung across his back and a subspace quiver strapped to his thigh, he looked exactly like an archer.
“Alright, let’s go. Time to go fishing again.”
He had now completed two of the three penalty rules. All that remained was to finish this damn Penalty Game as quickly as possible.
Day 4 of the game. Remaining survivors: 279.