Chapter 95: 8-Quad. Fair or Foul
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 95: 8-Quad. Fair or Foul
Drip.
“R-Run!”
The nauseating stench of scorched blood wafted from the glowing blade as six players scattered in all directions.
However, three of them didn't even manage a few steps before their torsos were split open, and they collapsed.
The knight, who had carved through three players in an instant, flipped up his visor.
“Tsk. They had Teleport Scrolls, too?”
It seemed they had torn their scrolls the moment they saw their three companions get shredded.
As he stared regretfully at the space where his enemies had vanished, a companion behind him spoke cautiously.
“Skus-nim. I think it’s about time we headed back.”
“Already?”
“The Epic Monster has opened the sixth auxiliary island.”
[Survivors: 390/800]
After checking the survivor list for a moment, Skus spoke with a look of disappointment.
“If we could just cut down forty more, it feels like we’d have a real hell of a fight on our hands.”
—Skus. You checked the map, right? Get back here.
As if he had been listening in, Verus gave the order through the Team Voice Chat with uncanny timing.
At that same moment, a flash of sunlight reflected off armor in the far distance. Seeing this, Skus twisted his lips and replied via voice chat.
—I’m in the middle of a battle. I’ll finish up here and then return.
His two companions looked uneasy, but Skus put a finger to his lips, silencing them.
“Let’s go. If we clear out that spot over there, something else might turn up.”
The expressions of the two men darkened as they followed Skus, who trudged along with his sword resting on his shoulder.
* * *
“Looks like that Skus guy is roaming all over the place.”
Seo-un nodded at Li Min’s remark.
“It seems they’re operating in split teams.”
“It would be great if we could pick him off at a time like this,” Dump spoke, gripping his shield tightly.
Juriel shook her head. “The brothers Skus and Verus aren't just ordinary regular knights. It’s better to assume their skills are at the Sword Transcendent level.”
At the mention of 'Sword Transcendent,' Dump, who had been speaking boldly, flinched and stepped back.
Seeing that reaction, Seo-un tilted his head. “Is a Transcendent more impressive than an Emperor?”
Since Seo-un wasn't well-versed in the knight ranks of their world, she explained it to him.
“Usually, the stage where one begins to wear thin armor and possesses the skill to dominate a battlefield with a single blade is called a Sword Emperor. They are regular knights who can fully imbue their weapons with Aura. And…”
As she took a breath, trailing off, Dump finished the sentence for her.
“A Sword Transcendent is someone who has surpassed the highest peak a human can reach. Usually, they are treated with the highest honor as knights, often serving as Knight Commanders of a nation. And the last is Sword Unique.”
Listening quietly to the two of them, Seo-un thought it all sounded rather grandiose. Of course, he didn't say that out loud. Instead, his curiosity shifted to the 'Unique' rank.
“Then what about a Sword Unique?”
“Well, from what I’ve heard, they’re knights of unparalleled skill who appear once in a blue moon. I’ve never seen one myself. There are plenty of pleasant rumors about them fighting dragons one-on-one and winning, but… well, it’s probably just nonsense spread by people who like to tell tall tales.”
“Is that so?”
Even Juriel nodded, lending weight to Dump’s words.
“It’s like an 11th Circle Mage. A sort of longing for a stage that doesn't exist? Think of it as a glorification of a level that no one has actually seen.”
“Anyway, if they’re Sword Transcendents, it means those two are much stronger than an Emperor, right?”
“Probably. It doesn't seem like they’ve reached the definitive stage yet, but within the Empire, it’s said that even the Royal Knight Commander couldn't guarantee victory if those two attacked together.”
Since this was coming from the daughter of a powerful family, Seo-un figured it wasn't idle gossip and nodded.
And the time to verify that strength came sooner than expected.
—Enemy!—
At Hamit’s warning, Seo-un’s head snapped around.
The moment he saw the knight in red armor charging as if tearing up the ground with every step, he recognized the man’s identity instantly. He knew that in this game, there were only two men who would charge with such confidence, outstripping even their two struggling companions, while wearing armor that didn't quite fit their compact frames.
“Take your positions!”
With a shout, Seo-un also charged toward the knight. He couldn't let the man reach his teammates.
The two collided as they rapidly closed the distance.
Clang!
Along with a metallic screech that rang in his ears, Seo-un was pushed back violently, losing his balance and tumbling across the ground. Even after springing back to his feet, Seo-un, who had been pushed back quite a distance, scowled.
It still wasn't easy to go head-to-head with these absurdly strong knights in terms of raw power.
The knight, who had blown Seo-un away in a single exchange, was also scowling. Looking down at his feet, which had come to a halt, the knight finally took a proper look at the enemy before him.
“A Crown…”
He recalled seeing him briefly during the commotion in the waiting room. Of course, he wasn't particularly intimidated just because the enemy was a Crown. He was merely a bit curious.
He believed that rank was something that would naturally rise as one gained experience in the game. Thinking that those with higher ranks were stronger just because his own was currently lower was a thought reserved for the truly weak.
However, meeting him face-to-face, it was clear that the Crown rank hadn't been earned for nothing. He had intended to split the man in half in one go, but he never imagined the man would block his sword with bare fists wrapped in mere scraps of cloth.
His face contorted, the knight lunged at Seo-un once more. Seo-un also charged back at him.
Just as the knight’s sword left an afterimage, poised to cleave Seo-un in two, Seo-un’s form split into three right in front of the knight’s nose.
Swish!
The flaming, flickering sword instantly cut through the three Seo-uns and rose above the knight's head.
Clang!
This time, it was the knight who staggered under Seo-un’s attack.
Having leaped above the knight and flipped mid-air, Seo-un thrust his Blood Bone Claw toward the crown of the knight's head. As Seo-un dropped to the ground, the knight retreated.
‘He withstood an attack using Thousand Pound Drop?’
Seo-un had expected to at least force the man to his knees, but the opponent had absorbed the attack by simply backing away.
In the meantime, the mages began their assault. As Li Min and Jin Long blocked the knight’s flanks to apply pressure, the knight’s companions began to panic.
—We have to retreat now!
—We’ll be too late if we stay!
Until now, their hunts had ended the moment they intruded and slaughtered enemies before they could even maintain a formation. But being pinned down, even for a moment, caused the tide of battle to turn against them, and the numerical disadvantage became glaringly obvious.
Whoosh! Fwoosh!
The knight sliced a Flame Bird in half as it flew toward him with wings outstretched, caught a Fire Burst in his palm, and then began to retreat rapidly, dusting off his hands.
Seo-un was the one taken aback when the knight, who had seemed so heated, retreated without hesitation.
‘He’s just leaving like that?’
It was absurd that a guy who looked like he’d fight to the death would back off so easily.
“Don't let him get away! We have to finish him here!”
One of them was already a handful; he couldn't allow two such monsters to roam around together.
As they pursued him relentlessly, the total offensive of all eight members poured down on the man who was facing the squad alone to protect his two companions.
Cr-cr-crack!
The ground beneath him split, flames engulfed him, and a Wind Hammer struck him down. Li Min and Jin Long’s swords flew in, and attacks from Seo-un and Li Lingwei rained down without pause.
Clang, clang, clang!
However, after a faint green light began to shroud his body, the attacks often slid off as if his body had been coated in oil.
“It’s Attack Slip! It’s a skill with a short duration!” Dump’s briefing rang out loudly. “No one can withstand a coordinated assault! Keep pushing!”
With four martial artists surrounding and attacking him at close range, and magic striking whenever there was a gap in the melee, it seemed difficult for even a great knight to hold out.
—Get back!
Then, Gi-chan gave the order, sweeping his staff down as if his preparations were complete.
Rumble!
As the martial artists retreated, a bolt of lightning fell from the clear sky and struck down.
“Aaargh!”
Even for a great knight, taking a direct hit from Call Lightning seemed to be a shock. In the midst of that, seeing the man pull something out of his Subspace, Seo-un quickly lunged at him with his Blood Bone Claw.
Thwack!
The man twisted his body, taking the Blood Bone Claw—which had been aimed at his heart—in his side, and his form vanished instantly.
Seo-un, who had been preparing a follow-up strike, stared blankly at the space where the man had disappeared.
“Random Teleport Scroll.”
A beat late, Gi-chan’s hollow mutter echoed.
“That’s a shame. We should have finished him for sure this time,” Dump said, patting Seo-un on the shoulder.
Only then did Seo-un regain his composure and nod. He looked around, but the man’s two companions had long since vanished.
“If I’d known this would happen, I would have focused on killing that shielder and mage for sure.”
Seo-un shook his head at Li Min’s regretful comment. “If we had split our forces like that, we might not have been able to overwhelm him. We could have even been counterattacked.”
As if trying to shake off the remaining regret, Seo-un hurried to check on his teammates and began to reorganize the team.
* * *
“Huff… huff…”
Seeing the knight appear while clutching his side, Verus ran over in a single bound to support him.
“Skus!”
Among the mages who arrived late, one who had learned healing magic poured heals onto him.
“Huff… Ah, it’s nothing. I teleported, but I happened to land right where some tough enemies were. I’m a bit late because I had to kill them all before coming back.”
“You idiot! Then you should have called for backup! What do you think the Team Voice Chat is for?”
“A knight has his pride. It would look bad if I went out on a kill mission and then started screaming for help.”
Not satisfied with just receiving heals, Skus only stood up after tearing a recovery scroll handed to him by Verus and healing his wounds.
“Phew. I really thought I was a goner. Still, you guys managed to return safely.” Skus smiled broadly at the two teammates who had gone out with him.
“You said they were tough. Did you run into a Sword Emperor or something?” Verus asked, inspecting Skus’s armor, which was shattered, leaving his side exposed.
“Ah, this. The guy who forced me to teleport did this. I underestimated him, but he didn't earn that Crown for nothing. He seems to be a martial artist base, but he’s no ordinary guy. It’s been a while since I faced an enemy that Aura didn't work on.”
At his words, the face of a young man he had seen in the waiting room flashed through Verus’s mind.
Clang!
A sound like a tin can being kicked echoed as Skus’s head snapped back. Startled by the sudden ambush, Skus scowled and shouted.
“What the hell was that for!”
Clang!
Verus, who had slammed his own helmet against Skus’s, spoke with cold eyes. “If this were a real battlefield, you’d be facing disciplinary action regardless of rank.”
Seeing his younger brother speaking so seriously with a suddenly transformed gaze, Skus felt awkward and his lips twitched.
“I know. I get it, so take it easy. It’s just a game.”
“No. I’m worried because I feel like you’re going to cause an accident in reality someday.”
“Stop talking nonsense. What’s the plan? How long are we just going to guard that Seondong Stone?”
Verus looked at the Seondong Stone as his pathetic older brother naturally shifted the topic.
“Well, originally I was thinking of waiting until there were fewer than a hundred people, but things are turning out strangely. There’s no need to activate it, so shall we just move into combat mode quickly? That Epic Monster will be coming to the central island in a few days anyway. It’s better to reduce the variables before then.”
“And if something goes wrong?”
“Game clear? In the current situation, it’s unlikely. Unless we kill the Epic Monster… Ah!”
Curiosity rose in Skus’s face, as he had often seen Verus come up with brilliant ideas accompanied by that exact expression.
“I think we can use the Epic Monster.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, you see…”
* * *
“They’ve swept through over fifty people in just two days.”
“Looks like they’ve made up their minds.”
“If they were going to do this, they should have stepped up sooner.”
Seo-un was contemplating the survivor list while listening to the conversation between Li Min and Dump.
[Survivors: 299/800]
“It seems they’ve completely shifted their focus to combat. What changed?”
“Maybe they’re trying to secure their survival rights before that crazy monkey intrudes and creates more variables?”
Even while listening to his teammates, anxiety filled a corner of Seo-un’s heart.
‘It bothers me that he survived and then suddenly changed his behavior.’
—Master. In times like this, running away is the best option.
‘That crazy monkey outside is even more dangerous than those brothers.’
It was a situation where a crazy monkey was outside, and the Devil Twins were running wild inside.
‘If there are two Sword Transcendents, the same scene as last time definitely won't happen.’
—That man hasn't reached that level yet. He’s just an Emperor.
‘One is hard enough, but two is just as overwhelming.’
As he was exchanging thoughts with Hamit for the first time in a while, a notification rang out.
[Ding! The clone of the Epic Monster, Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, has lifted the restrictions on all auxiliary islands. The restrictions on the main island are beginning to lift. The game is entering its final act.]
“It’s finally happening.”
“How about we escape to an auxiliary island right now?”
At Li Min’s suggestion, Seo-un turned on the map and shook his head. “I knew it.”
Li Min, who turned on his map as well, barely swallowed a curse. The shape of the peculiar magnetic field was changing, rapidly swallowing up all the auxiliary islands.
“It means they’re going to trap us in this area with that crazy monkey!”
“Wouldn't it be better to form a Teaming alliance now to have at least some chance of winning?”
“Every squad will be camping because those twins are running wild. There’s no time.”
At that moment, a new notification was heard.
[Ding! Skus’s squad is activating the Seondong Stone on the central island. If not stopped within 30 minutes, a powerful buff will be granted to that squad.]
Seo-un’s gaze sank heavily at the chilling news.
“I didn't mishear that just now, did I?”
Jin Long nodded. “It seems that just activating the central island’s Seondong Stone provides a buff.”
“And why are they announcing it so openly?”
Narrowing his eyes, Seo-un replied with a hardened expression. “They want us to fight to the death. This is some sick manipulation. Those damn developers.”
He never imagined they would leave such a mess on the final island. The buffs given by regular buff monsters were already significant, so if they emphasized the word 'powerful,' it certainly wouldn't be an ordinary buff.
“Are you going?”
At Li Lingwei’s question, Seo-un nodded. “I have to. If I don't… there’s no other way.”
If the twins’ squad even got that buff, there would be no way to stop them.
As they ran toward the center where the Seondong Stone was located, they encountered other squads here and there. At first, they were wary of each other, but a silent alliance was quickly formed among them. As soon as a common goal was established, Teaming was naturally created.
‘But why activate the Seondong Stone at this point?’
That question remained, but Seo-un continued to run toward the Seondong Stone for now. In about twenty minutes, over a hundred players gathered at the center where the Seondong Stone was.
“Quite a lot of you showed up.”
Looking at the enemies surrounding them, Skus spoke and then took his hand off the Seondong Stone.
[Ding! The activation of the central island’s Seondong Stone has been thwarted.]
The moment he took his hand off, the players scowled, trying to figure out the enemy’s intentions.
“What are you just standing there for? Since you’ve swarmed here like this, you should attack!”
Seeing him draw his sword and shout boldly, the players, who had been hesitating, charged all at once. It was like a pack of dogs caught in an area-of-effect taunt.
“Something’s wrong. Let’s back off for a moment…”
—So, you’ve all gathered here!
At the thunderous voice, the swarming players flinched and looked up at the sky. With the illusion of hearing entrance music, the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, appeared in a magnificent form, floating gallantly in the air.
“Damn it! Fall back!”
Just as they were about to retreat, Skus and Verus simultaneously slammed crystals pulled from their Subspace into the ground.
Vrrr-zzzzzt!
With a peculiar sound, an intense, dome-like barrier surrounded the area, trapping everyone inside.
“W-What is this…”
A few players managed to escape via teleportation, but the majority, who lacked scrolls, stared at the squad led by the two brothers with bewildered eyes.
“Well then, good luck to you all.”
With those final words, the twins’ squad tore their scrolls and vanished collectively.
Bang! “Those bastards!”
Seo-un struck the barrier from the outside. All his teammates, except for Seo-un, who had quickly pulled back, were trapped inside the barrier, facing him.
—Junior. This is as far as we go.
—Brother, it’s about survival rights anyway, so I’ll leave the rest to you.
—Just hide and hold out as best you can.
—Seo-un hyung! Don't overdo it.
His teammates smiled calmly, turned around, and ran toward the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, who was brutally slaughtering players.
Seo-un, who didn't even have time to watch his teammates die, turned and ran, grinding his teeth. It felt like hell to be on the receiving end of a tactic he would usually use himself. He finally realized that while it felt great when he was the one doing it, it was maddening to be on the receiving end.
‘Those bastards… with that kind of skill, they’re going to play this dirty?’
As the sun set, he donned his Cloak of Stealth and cursed incessantly under his breath.
‘Those guys who were always talking about honor and whatnot! Fine, so you want to play crazy? You picked the wrong person to mess with.’
He was more confident than anyone when it came to crazy plays. In a situation where nearly 200 people remained in an 8-player game, he was now Solo-Quad. With his chances of winning being infinitely low, he had nothing to lose no matter what he did.
‘I’ll show you exactly what a crazy play looks like.’
Clearing the game, aiming for the top ranks—all of it vanished from Seo-un’s mind at that moment.