Episode 12. Confrontation (2)
“What? A teddy bear?”
Porona, who had been chasing Ted, cocked her bowstring at him in puzzlement.
But then—
*Fzzzt—!*
An intense bolt of yellow lightning shot toward Porona just before he attacked.
“Ugh! *
Porona belatedly unfolded a footwork skill, escaping the lightning’s range. However, her opponent’s timing was half a beat faster. The intense lightning pierced Porona’s shoulder blade.
*What the hell! Crazy….*
Struck by the lightning, Porona collapsed on the spot. Afflicted by the abnormal status *
Soon, after two seconds passed, the stun wore off.
*Whew… Unbelievable.*
She could still chase him if she wanted. However, Porona didn’t move.
*What kind of attack power is that… Even with a grazing hit, my HP dropped by 70%?*
She was stunned to see her HP bar plunge, shocked by the incomprehensible damage output.
*If that had been a direct hit, I would have been logged out in one shot…. What the hell is that teddy bear bastard?*
“Are you alright, Captain Porona!”
“Shall we continue the pursuit?”
NPCs who arrived late spoke to Porona.
“No. It’s fine…. He’ll run into the bosses soon enough if he’s going that way. So go check the military provisions again.”
Frowning, Porona hurriedly infused mana into her *
* * *
*My luck is utter shit. Why did it have to be military provisions tied to a large guild…. And why did I have to show up now?*
They were provisions he could have taken for free.
But getting caught by the owner by sheer bad luck changed things.
Running, Ted analyzed the situation.
*They ordered to check the military provisions. That means they’re provisions belonging to a guild…. But why hide them in the Joint Mountain Range?*
He couldn’t shake off the unease.
PAPA was one of Japan’s five great guilds, a massive guild with tens of thousands of users. Why would such a guild hide military rations in such a secretive place?
*For now, the pursuit is broken off. If I just hide my identity well and go to Tomgrey, I’ll be done with my business in the Pixie Kingdom.*
Fortunately, this misfortune wouldn’t derail his plans.
It was the moment Ted thought so, turning the corner of the mountain trail.
“Yeah. Yeah. Right. He just showed up. Yeah, got it.”
Someone spoke as if on the phone.
There, five silhouettes stood holding their weapons, as if waiting for Ted.
*What? These guys?*
Ted tensed up instantly and sized up the situation.
*Those guys… they’re Japanese rankers. Martial Artist Paichi, Cannon Shooter Falcon Knight. Plus one NPC I don’t know and one ranker mixed in…. Huh?*
Even the ones Ted knew were all famous rankers within Japan, each exceeding level 600.
But the other one was a ranker on a completely different level.
*Miyamoto Musashi?*
Ted let out a gasp and faltered.
Former #2 on Japan’s official rankings. As Ted knew, a user who reached level 700 half a year ago.
That *
Ted hurriedly began analyzing the situation.
*Dangerous…. Musashi is famous for one-on-one duels. Considering attack power, HP, skills, etc., if I fought him one-on-one, my win rate would be around 70%, but….*
Against five, it was certain defeat.
Ted scanned them quickly, tense.
*Wait? These guys all belong to the Five Bons. But their guilds are all different. How can such a combination exist?*
The Five Bons. An alliance of five guilds representing Japan.
They maintained a fierce competitive relationship outwardly.
Yet five members from such guilds were standing together in one place?
Something Ted didn’t know—something very important—was going on.
“Are you the one who stole all the food from the Joint Dungeon?”
Just then, Musashi cut off Ted’s thoughts and spoke to him.
“It wasn’t me.”
A lie that wouldn’t fool anyone.
Well, it wasn’t Ted but goblins who had stolen it, so it wasn’t exactly wrong.
At Ted’s words, Musashi’s brow furrowed slightly.
“Lying before whom… Giyon.”
“Yes, Lord Musashi. *
But then—
The ranker Ted didn’t know well, standing beside Musashi, used *
A skill that reveals a criminal’s crime points and information!
Soon, Ted’s status window appeared before them.
“Hah! I thought this bastard was just a petty thief, but he’s no joke?”
“Crime points of 138,000?”
They alternated between looking at Ted and the status window in surprise.
Fortunately, *
In other words, Ted’s level—his strong identity—remained hidden.
*I’m screwed.*
However… for Ted, having his crime points exposed was already a fatal blow.
*Out of everyone, the ranker I don’t know had to have the Warden class…. And if he’s a third advancement Warden, with this party composition, I absolutely, absolutely cannot win.*
Ted gave up on fighting at that moment.
If he died fighting normal users, he could just revive.
But dying while fighting a Warden was different. Because he would revive inside prison!
In other words, even if he died, he had to die by someone other than the Warden.
“Shall we go and have a talk for now?”
Musashi stepped forward and extended his hand to Ted.
It meant to surrender willingly by taking his hand.
Moreover… it was a gesture completely devoid of tension, brimming with confidence.
*Have I lost my mind? Rot in jail for four years?*
But Ted didn’t take Musashi’s hand.
*I have to escape…. If I pass where they are, there should be a cliff.*
Rankers ahead, the Dragon Lair’s territory behind.
He had already run for over ten minutes from the lair, so heading back was impossible. With the level gap, there was no way to run for another ten minutes without getting caught.
Only one thing. On the Pixie Kingdom map he had seen in reality, if he broke through them and went that way… there was a cliff there.
Escaping there was the best option available.
“What are you doing? I think it would be good for both of us if you took my hand while I’m giving you a chance.”
“…Right. That’s right. I….”
Ted slowly raised his hand, then flipped it and aimed Black and White at him.
“Lost your mind?”
*Bang—!!*
A bullet fired at lightning speed!
However, Musashi twisted his body and dodged at the same time.
At that moment, as if he had been waiting, Ted unfolded *
“Getting fancy… *
“*
The rankers hurriedly poured attacks at Ted in mid-air.
Most were *
If hit, Ted would be stunned among them!
*I have to aim precisely.*
But Ted twisted his body in that instant and aimed Black and White at them.
And pulled the trigger carefully.
*Bang—!*
A crisp gunshot rang out, piercing the massive shell.
The bullet hadn’t lost its power, and at an exquisite angle, it also severed the *
A sharp angle and precise timing had created a perfect two-for-one.
“Catch that bastard!”
“*
The five users hurriedly unfolded footwork skills and rushed toward Ted.
*If I buy just two seconds… I’ll have the leeway to escape.*
Ted had been gathering *
And now. Lightning sprang from his muzzle.
*Fzzzzzt—!*
The Charged Lightning dug into the users.
Musashi and the other users cancelled their footwork and hurriedly deployed defensive skills.
But the attack tore through their defenses and inflicted damage. At the same time, they were afflicted by Stun and their bodies stopped.
*Now!*
Ted bolted at that moment.
However, the spiritist NPC who hadn’t been caught by the skill and Musashi, who had high resistance, began charging toward Ted first.
*Good enough!*
In ranker combat, two seconds was by no means a short time. Ted was already running with tens of meters of distance between them.
Musashi and the spiritist NPC belatedly unleashed supersonic footwork! The other rankers only started running a few beats later. By then, Ted had accelerated enough that the gap in distance had grown considerably.
“He’s not even that fast, but he runs like hell!”
“Get him!”
After running for a while, the difference in stats inevitably began closing the gap bit by bit.
*I have to widen the distance more… huh?*
But then something troublesome happened.
Musashi didn’t use ranged attacks. Because his class *
But the spiritist NPC was different.
“*
A spirit of ice shot toward Ted from his hand.
Ted hurriedly twisted his body to avoid the ice spirit, but couldn’t evade it completely. The ice spirit lodged in Ted’s elbow, freezing it solid.
Ted fired his musket, shattering the chunk of ice. But ice fragments still clinging to him made Ted’s elbow move unnaturally.
The problem was that those freezing spirits kept pouring down on Ted.
Moreover, supported by the spiritist NPC, Musashi alternated between several footwork skills and chased Ted with terrifying speed. At this rate, he would be caught before long.
*I have to widen the distance first. What method would be good.*
*Bang bang bang bang bang!*
Ted, who had been thinking briefly, continuously fired bullets at the rock walls on both sides while maintaining his running speed.
*What is he doing? That musketeer….*
Musashi, chasing Ted, wondered. To think he shoots at the cliff when he doesn’t even have enough shots for them?
Soon the question was answered.
*Rumble rumble rumble…!*
The cliff, having been precisely struck by multiple bullets, began to crumble and fall as if a cake were being carved out.
Soon a torrent of debris and rocks poured down before Musashi.
“This slippery bastard! *
Musashi swung his sword greatly at that moment.
A massive green sword aura sprang forth, splitting the debris.
Soon, in the place they passed, additional pouring debris covered the ground again. Consequently, the NPCs running at the very back faltered.
“I suppose it can’t be helped like this….”
Musashi’s speed had also slowed.
A countermeasure was needed.
Soon, massive mana spread out in all directions from Musashi. And gathered into his legs.
Meanwhile, Ted running far ahead was letting out a sigh of relief.
*Done! With this, I can safely reach the cliff.*
It went without saying, but Ted’s normal attacks carried damage equivalent to a normal ranker’s finishing move. With such attack power striking the rock walls multiple times, even solid bedrock couldn’t endure and collapsed.
At this rate, he could escape to the cliff easily.
But then something unexpected unfolded.
“Uh!”
Musashi jumped high and dropped down in front of Ted.
Both his legs were stained with green light.
*Damn, a supersonic footwork skill?*
It was a high-level skill of Musashi that Ted didn’t know.
“Let’s see you keep running if you can!”
Musashi charged at Ted from the front.
Tensing, Ted reassessed the situation.
Musashi in front. The spiritist NPC chasing from behind.
*…Now the goblins can draw aggro.
*Kyiiiiit!*
Soon three goblins popped out.
“Guys, I don’t need anything else. Just draw aggro twice.”
Ted whispered to them and gave a signal with his eyes.
*Kyiit!*
Understanding Ted’s intent, they scattered in different directions and ran.
*Bang bang bang bang bang—!!*
Soon the goblins, having put some distance, began firing muskets at Musashi.
*A musketeer summoning goblins…. Could this be.*
He had heard of it. From Tenichi.
*He said the demonkin who destroyed the Sauron siege was a musketeer…. Is it this guy? Interesting. However….*
Musashi dodged all the pouring bullets with acrobatic movements. And immediately dashed toward Ted.
*Kyiiik!!*
That was when. Dukkugi threw himself and took Musashi’s attack instead.
The powerful attack shattered Dukkugi’s body in an instant.
*Kyiiiiit…!*
With 100% of his HP reduced in one blow, Dukkugi was unsummoned, giving Ted a thumbs-up.
*You little…! Well done!*
Ted nodded at him. Thanks to that, Ted could move to his side.
However, Musashi’s onslaught didn’t stop. He flew at Ted again as Ted tried to pass by him.
Then Samkkugi hurriedly ran toward Musashi.
And….
*Ngh.*
He bowed his head and raised both hands.
*Hm? What is this, this goblin.*
Musashi faltered. He was bewildered by the unexpected motion.
*That little… no way?*
At the same time, Ted also faltered.
Samkkugi was originally one to read the room before scary things.
Could he be betraying him at a time like this?
*Kyiiiiit!*
But the moment those two faltered, Samkkugi, who had been reading the situation, shoved his musket at Musashi.
A backstab operation using cuteness and absurdity!
It was a cowardly but desperate strike from Samkkugi.
However… Musashi wasn’t a sloppy opponent to be hit by such an attack.
*Bam—!*
Samkkugi was struck by the sword, sent flying, and unsummoned.
*Good job, Samkkugi!*
But in the meantime, Ted had passed Musashi and escaped. It was precious time created by Samkkugi’s wit.
“I will catch him, Lord Musashi! *
The spiritist NPC, who had been running until then, hurriedly chased Ted’s rear.
*
*I can’t avoid this. Damn… If I get hit by that, it’s over.*
It was when the flustered Ted was grimacing.
*Kyiiiiiiit!!*
Ilkkugi, who had been clinging to Ted’s back waiting for orders until then, leaped with his mouth wide open.
“Hey you bastard! That’s not food!”
However… apparently in Ilkkugi’s eyes, they looked like ice candy….
*Crunch—!*
Ilkkugi sucked the shot ice spirits into his mouth as if absorbing them.
*Pop—!*
And then he was unsummoned.