# Chapter 305
Day 9 begins.
Mount Kavero.
Three participants, wary of their surroundings, gathered at the field in front of Mount Kavero, which could be considered one of the starting points of the central mountain range.
All of them were nobles from Daran.
"The enemy will interfere with us. No, they'll be hunting us."
The enemy they spoke of was a single person. It was clear now.
No other participants had entered Daran. The possibility that someone had sneaked in?
It existed, but they judged it not even worth considering.
Even if there were, it didn't matter, as they had agreed to consider any unfamiliar person other than themselves as the enemy.
Regardless of this or that.
Kael would appear anyway.
"If we spot him, we avoid him first. What we can know through our GPS is the location of us four, and the locations of the Hounds. If it's the mastermind, their location might be displayed too."
But they couldn't tell the difference.
They might go to hunt a nearby Hound, and the one standing there could be Kael.
"Ugh, scary."
They all simultaneously rubbed their arms.
"Whether it's a Hound or the mastermind, we won't be able to distinguish them. Also, we still don't know if the real mastermind is displayed. So, it's essential to check that fact while looking at the GPS and share information. We all need to cooperate."
Sean continued explaining the strategy.
They wouldn't group together.
They'd lose anyway if they did.
Skill.
The mastermind's specs aside, that was the most important thing.
And their skills were lacking compared to Seojun.
Of course, there was some discontent about this.
"Why should we play like such cowards? Why don't we just fight the mastermind? If we defeat them now, even if they somehow survive and escape, it'd be a huge loss, giving us an advantage to fight later. Let's group up? How about using Aura?"
His name was Bradley.
This quest was one he had been progressing from the beginning.
He had a conflict of opinions with the two pros who were in Atura, and that still hadn't been resolved.
More precisely, he hadn't been convinced.
"We have to spread out anyway. We won't be able to collect enough energy within the time limit."
The number of Hounds they had to catch was large.
"Even if we spread out, we can spread out in a way that allows us to group up anytime—if one person holds on, the remaining three can gather. Not spread out completely wide like now."
"I'm telling you that's not possible."
"What isn't?"
"Holding on."
"... ."
Bradley swore with his eyes. Yesterday's conversation had flowed in this same way.
Five minutes later, the hermit Ava arrived at their location.
"In five minutes, the GPS device will turn on. You'll be able to see it through the system. Then, you just need to hunt the monsters called Hounds and collect the energy that comes out of their corpses. We can collect it later."
It didn't matter as long as the energy hadn't been extracted from the corpse, regardless of who killed it.
So, the opponent wouldn't kill all the Hounds or anything like that.
"What if someone dies? Didn't you hear any additional explanation from the guild NPC?"
"If I meet him, I'll hold on. I'll come to help."
The two casually ignored Bradley's words.
They had absolutely no intention of holding on.
Ava was in a state of ambiguity. Were those two really someone to be that scared of?
If you hold on, they'd gather, and if four people gathered, wouldn't they at least be able to chase him away?
But still, there must be a reason why those who had faced him were acting like that.
"I didn't hear any additional explanation. If someone dies, I guess we'll have to go and pick up items from the corpse or something."
"Okay. Then let's enter. Up the mountain."
---
Bradley muttered as he rapidly moved to a pre-designated location.
"I thought he might tail us, but he didn't."
He was talking about Seojun.
Mount Kavero was located in the northern part of the territory's center, and its area was quite vast.
There weren't even any hiking trails, let alone roads from the city to the mountain, so he thought the probability of them meeting from the start was low.
Unless someone tailed a person starting from the city and coming to the mountain.
'If he had tailed us and ambushed us, we would have caught him then.'
Everyone was too scared, but Bradley believed. He believed that when it actually came to a fight, they would fight well, and they absolutely wouldn't be pushed back.
What mattered was skill.
The mastermind's health? Stats? Damage?
Everything is only effective if you can land an attack.
'If I meet him, I'll immediately radio for help and grab his ankle.'
Then, kill him together with those who come to help.
The opponent would be confidently roaming around to ambush them.
So, Bradley wished to quickly meet Kael in this vast mountain.
'Come on, come at me!'
Green dots spread across the map of the mountain were moving incessantly.
The map was large, and the dots were small.
He had to zoom in and check the area around where he was.
So, while doing that, he moved incessantly. Towards the areas where the green dots were positioned.
'Of course, the opponent probably doesn't have a function to track us. So, the probability of me meeting the mastermind in a situation where we're spread out in multiple directions will be low.'
So, the green dot approaching him from the direction he was heading would be a Hound.
He would catch it immediately.
'How lucky.'
The reason he deduced the mastermind wouldn't know their location was simple.
If an ambusher overwhelmingly more powerful than them also knew their location, wouldn't the game become too easy?
And there were still 3 hours left.
So.
This guy who approached and then stopped!
"Huh?"
Just before meeting the green dot, Bradley, who had grabbed his sword and was preparing to fight immediately, stopped his steps in bewilderment.
There, in the gap of the dense forest, under the sunlight streaming in,
'Crazy bastard?'
there was a crazy bastard praying.
Soon, he realized the one suddenly praying in the forest was not a crazy NPC.
It was a participant, the mastermind.
He flinched in surprise, but they weren't that close yet.
It meant no incident would occur, and as if having encountered a dangerous wild beast, he started circling the surroundings without looking back.
Stealthily.
'Does he know the location? Or is it a coincidence?'
It was suspicious.
But he couldn't be sure yet.
And he quietly turned on his radio.
"I've encountered him."
-What? Already?
-I guess we shouldn't go that way then.
-Aren't you going to help him?
Ava asked, sounding curious. It was a touch-and-go situation, but.
"A fight hasn't started. He's praying."
-Geez... A prayer to repent for his murder in advance.
-Isn't it like crocodile tears?
-No, I'm asking if you're going to help him or not! Why is everyone's direction still the same?
It was a touch-and-go situation, but.
"What the hell is this."
A mission? Unique to the mastermind?
Has there ever been something like this before?
"He's not opening his eyes."
But why was it?
He didn't feel like getting closer.
His instincts were telling him not to touch.
To back away.
But he was rational.
"Did he log out?"
-Phew. That would be a godsend. Get out of there quickly!
-Right. That's fortunate.
-No, why am I the only one going that way! Sean!
-Ava, just give up and hunt monsters.
"Yes. Ava, you go hunt monsters."
He touched his radio. In a situation where no more words were being transmitted, he smiled.
"I'll try catching him. If it's an AI, alone."
If he logged out and dies, and the Chronicle ends like that, he knew how much criticism the opponent would get.
Nevertheless, this was an obvious choice.
Rather, it would be stranger to go easy on him.
An unprecedented event.
It was then.
Kael opened his eyes.
"Ahh."
And like a flash of lightning, he closed in on him.
There was no time to widen the distance.
Since he was already within range, their swords clashed instantly.
Because Bradley had also reacted.
Clang!
"Brother."
"Haha. Hello."
In the situation where swords met and eyes crossed, he opened the interface in his head and turned the radio back on.
"Please provide support quickly! Let's just catch him!"
"Brother, that's not it."
Clang!
Bradley, who blocked Seojun's sword swung once more, had this thought.
'This is doable?'
The attacks weren't so much extraordinary as they were within the anticipated range.
-Sorry.
-I'm really not going. Please just run away.
-No, why aren't you going, everyone! What can I do if I go by myself when you all aren't going!
-We already agreed on this!
-Did we?
While Darran's teammates were chattering, Seojun and he exchanged a few more bouts, and around then, Bradley was convinced.
"Kael. This, isn't this not going to work?"
Kael stopped his sword.
"What isn't, brother?"
"What if you get caught like this? Will you be able to play the game?"
He didn't need comrades.
No matter how much health he had.
"Hahaha. Fine."
"Let's fight properly? They're saying support isn't coming."
Because he could just deplete it all.
Kael looked at him with interest, then chuckled.
"Brother. Then how about doing it properly like this?"
"How, properly?"
"No skills. Sparring with only swordsmanship, and the first one to land six hits on the opponent wins."
"Is it a bet? What's the wager for the bet? I won't accept things like giving up the quest or self-termination."
"Oh, is that so? That's a shame. Well, you don't have to do anything, brother. I'll pay the price alone."
"Huh?"
"Giving up the quest as you mentioned is fine, and if you tell me to die, I will die."
"Huh. Are you serious?"
Was there any reason not to?
There was no price.
"Yes. I'm serious."
"Good. Don't go back on your word."
Though he'd just run away if he lost.
Bradley snorted.
"Yes."
He raised his sword again.
Six hits.
'Did he say six hits because of my skill? Whatever.'
He'll catch him!
The two blades touched and then began to separate.
No skills were used, and pure attacks continued.
'Attack speed is the same.'
The stat advantage would probably be in health and attack power, and if so, since they made a bet with a condition that ends before either dies...
'I'll win!'
Bradley's eyes widened, and he started pushing Seojun.
The attacks he continuously attempted were blocked by a hair's breadth, but he was composed.
And at that moment.
Suddenly.
So suddenly, naturally, their swords intertwined, and the prey put in a position of being chased became him.
Then, the attacks he had unleashed while pushing earlier began to unfold.
Returning from the opponent's hands.
"Ugh."
He couldn't block them. They were attacks the opponent had blocked by a hair's breadth.
"What kind of damage is this!"
He's dying!
Slash!
Every time the sword cut him once, a chunk of his health was sliced off.
Thrust.
A thrust that twisted the blocking sword to attack.
Clink!
The sound of shattering glass.
Amidst it all, a sound indicating a vital point was attacked.
"Six times. It's over."
It was a defeat that came before he could even collect himself.
'I was careless because of the damage. The situation reversed in an instant too!'
The opponent had aimed for this.
To kill him. To fight smoothly and shave off his health.
He hung a sweet bait, and he fell into the trap. Even knowing it.
'It was fine as long as I won. I actually thought that way.'
Bradley sat down, laughing in disbelief.
It was an attitude of accepting death.
Now the Chronicle was over.
But.
Seojun just stared at him, as if he had no intention of ending him.
"Kael? Why aren't you killing me?"
"I'm waiting."
"Pardon?"
"If you stay still, your recovery will be faster, so stay still."
"Huuh... You're not killing me?"
"Yes. Why would I kill you, brother?"
"You mean that's sincere?"
"It's sincere, of course."
In an instant, one hypothesis flashed through his mind.
Could it be, he can't kill?
If so, it made sense. The strong power. And being able to find his location quickly.
If it was all because of the restriction that he couldn't kill.
If so...
The moment Bradley quietly picked up his sword.
"Ah. Once you recover, you're going for round two, right?"
Seojun smiled a picture-perfect devil's smile at Bradley.
And Bradley immediately discarded the hypothesis in his head.
What he was experiencing right now was...
Harassment.
"Please recover quickly."
Seojun sat down beside Bradley and began praying again.
Somehow.
He didn't know what it was, but it seemed like he had firmly, very firmly, gotten himself into a bad situation.