Sunlight poured over the cobblestone square of the Town of Beginnings, where crowds gathered beneath the colossal Elder Tree, its leaves sparkling with a faint magical glow. A shimmering curtain of light hovered across the bark — a massive video screen conjured by the game's developers for the first major player event.
The countdown echoed across the land.
> [First Combat Event: Begins in 00:00:05...]
Roy stood in a wide, open field as the sun began to rise behind him. His armor was tight across his chest, his grip on the spear familiar now — the blade glinting in the golden light. On his hip, a dagger rested in its sheath, ready for tight scrapes and critical finishes.
> [First Combat Event: BEGIN!]
---
The world exploded.
All across the event zones, players appeared, swords drawn, spells cast, traps laid. Some screamed with excitement, others with panic. The peaceful game world transformed into a battleground where only the smartest and strongest would survive.
Roy didn't waste time.
He dashed into the nearby forest, using the underbrush to cloak his movements. He wasn't like the others charging straight at the nearest player — that was suicide. Instead, he crouched low, marked a trail with his dagger in tree bark, and set two tripwire traps behind him.
Let the greedy come first, he thought, vanishing deeper into the trees.
---
Five minutes in, a pair of players — a mage and an axe-wielder — passed near his trail.
Click.
Snap.
The tripwire activated. The axe-wielder fell into a snare trap, legs tangled. The mage panicked and turned — only for Roy to drop from a tree above, spear first.
> -210
-180
Critical Hit!
The mage vanished in digital sparkles before he could scream.
The axe-user barely looked up before Roy landed, rolled, and slashed across his chest with his dagger.
> -112
-75
KO!
> +2 Event Points
+Player Defeat Bonus: 5 Silver
Roy exhaled.
Two down. Dozens to go.
---
Back in town, the video curtain shimmered with rotating scenes from around the battlefield. One screen showed a tank absorbing twenty fireballs. Another showed a girl with a massive shield—Maple—letting monsters bite her just to trigger poison resistance boosts.
The crowd murmured.
"Did that girl just eat the boss?"
"She's not taking damage. At all."
"Who is this? Maple, right? She's insane!"
A different screen shifted to Roy—standing over two defeated players, wiping blood off his dagger.
"Whoa… Who's that guy?"
"Roy? He's not flashy, but look at that trap placement. He baited them."
"Dude moves like a hunter. I like him."
"Okay, I'm rooting for him."
---
Roy moved like a shadow through the warzone.
He avoided high-traffic areas, picking off loners and overconfident duos with clever traps and ambushes. He'd use Phantom Mark to tag targets from a distance, then wait until their HP dipped mid-fight before darting in to finish them.
At one point, he found three players arguing over loot.
He struck first.
> Skewer Drive!
> -256
-150
-112
Two down instantly. The third turned and screamed, but Roy was already in his face, dagger flashing.
> Twin Fang!
-180
-160
KO!
> +3 Event Points
+Rare Drop: Hunter's Emblem
"Thanks for the argument," he muttered, looting what they'd left.
---
The crowd beneath the Elder Tree kept growing.
Vendors had set up snack stalls as players sat on the grass, watching the highlights. Leaderboards updated in real time on the curtain.
> Top 5 Players – Combat Event
1. Paine – 38 Points
2. Mable – 26 Points
3. DreadHunter – 24 Points
4. Kuromi – 22 Points
5. Kasumi – 20 Points
"Paine's still in the lead, but Mable looks catching up fast."
"He's soloing like a machine. Efficient, precise."
"Did he just redirect a lightning spell with his spear? Who is this guy?"
---
Near the northern cliffs, Roy encountered a group of four players coordinating patrols.
No time for traps.
He stepped into view, tall grass brushing his armor.
"One guy?" the sword-user laughed. "Easy kill."
Roy didn't blink.
> Phantom Mark – Sword-user tagged.
Skewer Drive – Spear lunges forward.
Twin Fang – Switch to dagger.
Counter Blink – Dodges the archer's arrow.
In less than twenty seconds, the sword-user and mage were down. The healer ran.
The archer didn't.
Roy charged, spear twirling like a silver windmill.
> Spiral Lash!
> -130
-160
KO!
"Damn..." the archer muttered as he vanished.
> +4 Event Points
+Rare Drop: Feather Mantle (Evasion +5%)
+Temporary Skill Cooldown Reduction: 10%
Roy stood over the fallen gear, calm, breathing steady.
---
Even non-participants were now watching Roy's screen more than Maple's.
"Maple's funny and OP, sure... but Roy? He's like an Lancer general."
"His tactics are evolving. Look, now he's herding players into choke points."
"I have to make sure to avoid his trap next event."
"Honestly, the guy feels like a mastermind."
---
Unexpected E
An hour in, Roy entered an open field—and froze.
Across the meadow stood Maple, shield on her back, sword at her side, humming as she walked.
Their eyes met.
A heartbeat passed.
Then, Maple smiled and waved cheerfully.
Roy blinked... then smiled back.
She walked past, unbothered.
He turned to leave.
He knew better than to fight that right now.
---
With only thirty minutes left in the event, Roy was at 34 points, second only to Maple's 42.
The leaderboard shimmered with anticipation.
In a narrow canyon, he made his last stand.
A guild tried to ambush him. Seven players.
Roy didn't run.
He set three traps, then waited.
When they charged, he activated every skill in his arsenal.
> Spear Recall – Disarmed? No problem.
Phantom Mark – Multiple tags.
Spiral Lash – Area damage.
Skewer Drive – Pierces the tank.
Counter Blink – Evades the rogue.
Twin Fang – Ends the fight.
Five down.
The last two fled.
He let them go.
> +6 Event Points
+Massive EXP Gain
+Temporary Title: Lone Predator (Increased Crit vs. Solo targets)
---
Event End
> [Event Ended. Tallying Points...]
> Final Results:
1. Paine – 46
2. Dred – 40
3. Kuromi – 29
4. Roy – 27
5. Kasumi – 24
> Congratulations!
Roy receives:
– Item: Shadowpiercer Spear (Rare+)
– Bonus Skill: Trapmaster (Passive trap detection & setup speed +50%)
Roy materialized back in town, tired but grinning.
The Elder Tree's curtain showed his final moments on loop.
Dozens clapped.
Strangers approached to congratulate him.
A few guilds even sent private invites.
He declined them—for now.
---
The next day at school, Roy caught whispers.
A boy in the in the road of the game: "You saw the Lancer dude last night, right? Roy? That was him!"
Girl near the shop: "He soloed five people in a canyon. They say he might be the top player next event."
He walked past them, silent, shoulders squared.
Even Reina looked at him differently now—not mocking, but curious. Almost intrigued.
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