Chapter 10: Preparation for the First Raid(3)

The sun was beginning to set.

A red sunset started to cast over the southern gate of Lunaris’ capital city.

The southern gate of Lunaris was a wide open area, which made it a popular gathering spot for users interested in PvP.

As usual, flags fell from the sky, signaling duels between players.

People started gathering at the southern gate.

At first, no one noticed.

The players gathered here were typically focused only on themselves and their duel opponents.

But as it passed 5 PM, there were so many people that proper dueling was impossible.

A player with the nickname “Franche” looked around, frowning.

This was a designated area, a place where PvP players had an unspoken rule to gather.

But suddenly, many people had shown up in this area.

There were two possible scenarios.

First, a famous streamer might have arrived here.

Second, a specific guild might have selected this as their event area.

However, after checking the players’ nicknames and guilds, he shook his head.

It wasn’t one guild showing up in force.

Many unaffiliated players had arrived at once.

It looked like a popular streamer was here.

Franche didn’t like streamers.

If his strategies were exposed on a broadcast, it would be a severe disadvantage as he was preparing for a PvP tournament.

“Do you think they’ll really show up?”

“They will, right? They seemed confident.”

He focused on the conversations around him, trying to pick up on recurring words used by players.

Raid leader, kid, middle school girl.

Then, in a moment, everyone’s attention turned to the entrance of the southern gate.

A group of players began walking through the entrance.

There were ten of them, all members of the same guild.

[Ssingssing]

Whether for good or bad reasons, it was a well-known guild.

The Ssingssing Guild had arrived at this place.

“They’re here.”

“Where’s the raid leader? Isn’t the kid here yet?”

Finally, Franche understood the situation.

It was a duel.

Someone had agreed to duel the Ssingssing Guild and had chosen this spot as their meeting place.

“A big crowd, huh?”

“It’s certainly enough to draw attention.”

A paladin clad in full plate armor and a knight wielding a massive shield were talking.

Both were members of the Ssingssing Guild.

Jimin, a priestess of the goddess Lunaris, looked around at the bulls who had gathered for her.

They were all players who could put up a fight.

The bulls thrived in numbers.

Each would compete to show they were the strongest bull, leading to results Jimin hadn’t anticipated.

Most of those results worked out favorably for Jimin.

Today would be no different.

Jimin didn’t like the raid leader who had promised to come here.

The player, with the nickname “Yeon,” was likely a student who could only play between 5 and 10 PM.

At first, Jimin had just been curious.

She had only recently surpassed level 20 when one of her bulls mentioned something.

—Shouldn’t Jimin start looking for a raid group?

That’s right.

She knew she’d hit max level soon, so she’d have to find a raid group.

But there were conditions.

It would be hard to carve out a space in any established raid group.

So, she’d have to find a new one, somewhere she could bring along her bulls.

That’s why she had applied to the raid group that had made waves last night.

The message, which had been written somewhat cutely and politely, was bluntly rejected.

“Your level is too low.”

“But… I can level up quickly…”

“Can you reach max level in two days?”

“No? Is that even possible for anyone?”

“Then, sorry. Other members will be able to join.”

Her bulls were accepted, but she was not. This bruised Jimin’s pride.

“Fine. I don’t need a raid like that.”

“I don’t need low-level players either.”

She didn’t back down. Her pride was stung, and the conversation continued like this.

As a result, a duel was scheduled here at the southern gate.

The loser would strip off all their gear on the spot.

It would be an enormous humiliation for the one defeated.

Jimin was confident she would win. After all, she had a group of bulls ready to fight on her behalf.

Thus, they had gathered here, her 10 guild members.

As Jimin bit her lip in irritation, everyone’s attention once again turned to the entrance of the southern gate.

Small. It was a small girl. Incredibly small.

While she had expected the raid leader to be young, this was beyond her imagination.

However, with the customization features, a player could set their height as they pleased.

Jimin narrowed her eyes as she looked at the girl clad in full plate armor.

Standing before her was an unforgettable opponent—the girl who had once shot her down with a single arrow.

How could she forget?

But it didn’t make sense. That player had been level 15 back then. It shouldn’t have been possible to gain 10 levels in just two days.

Distrust, denial, suspicion, jealousy—various negative emotions surfaced.

The full plate armor made the girl’s build appear slightly larger, but her height was likely just over 140 cm.

All eyes were on the girl’s face.

Her sleek black hair flowed in the wind. Her slightly unfocused eyes scanned the surroundings carefully.

Her slightly tilted smirk seemed to say she was not pleased with the situation.

She didn’t wear a helmet, which meant she was confident in her character’s appearance.

Those who saw the girl’s face nodded in approval.

The mood shifted to one of accepting her since her character was so pretty and cute.

Jimin led her guild members and approached the girl named Yeon.

“Is it you?”

The girl’s arrogant voice drifted out.

Though it wasn’t loud, the beautiful tone etched itself into everyone’s ears.

“It begins…”

“Who do you think will win?”

“Probably Ssingssing.”

Quiet murmurs spread, and Jimin smiled as she heard the comments from behind.

It was a confident smile.

“You’re quite cocky, aren’t you?”

“Cocky?”

The girl’s smirk twisted. She tilted her head slightly and glanced over the guild members.

“Ah, the priest from back then.”

Jimin’s eyes widened. She had denied it, insisted it was impossible, but indeed, her opponent was the same level 15 player from that day.

The image of her wielding a Highlander and charging at her was still fresh in her mind.

“Are you going to step forward? Planning to die in one second, like last time?”

At Yeon’s words, Jimin’s face flushed red. The advanced technology detected her emotions and expressed them through her character.

At that moment, a paladin, who looked twice as big as the girl, stepped forward.

“That’s pretty harsh, don’t you think?”

Yeon didn’t respond, only slightly moving her fingers in the air to adjust the interface.

A flag dropped from the sky.

“Did you come here just to argue?”

“How old are you?”

The sudden question was enough to fluster Yeon.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the little girl’s answer.

“4… no, 15.”

As soon as Yeon answered, murmurs erupted around her.

The paladin in front of her checked the duel’s terms.

The duel settings were displayed to everyone.

The stakes were all equipped items.

It was a high-risk, high-reward condition, but there was no reason to decline. There was no reason not to accept it.

“This brat… Talking like that, and hasn’t even served in the army?”

The paladin assumed that the young girl before him was a male in real life.

His assumption was natural. It was rare for girls of that age to reach max level.

“What… What? Army? Damn it… I did my service!”

Barely finishing her flustered reply, Yeon’s answer again spread murmurs through the crowd.

“A middle school girl who’s completed her military service…”

“Must be part of her character setting…”

“Her character’s so damn cute.”

But her embarrassment didn’t last long.

Yeon took a calm breath and looked at the paladin with a steady gaze.

“Draw your sword.”

The paladin silently drew his sword at her words.

It was a short-ranged, one-handed sword.

The paladin’s equipment consisted of a large shield and a one-handed sword.

Yeon also drew her equipment.

Her loadout included a kite shield of modest size and a Highlander sword that seemed too big for her small frame.

The duel began.

Yeon made the first move, swiftly approaching the paladin’s side with nimble agility suited to her small frame.

The large shield began to move, blocking her anticipated point of attack with just a slight shift of his arm.

One of the strengths of a large shield.

But Yeon didn’t care. Her goal wasn’t to attack.

“Haaat!”

With a flushed face, she let out a cheer that sounded faintly exhausting.

To others, it may have sounded cute, but the game system activated her skill.

One of the Highlander’s skills, Intimidating Shout, which taunted the opponent and applied a debuff that increased the damage they received.

A murky-colored effect swept across the paladin’s body.

As swords clashed, intense sparks flew.

Yeon’s swift chain of attacks poured from her sword, but they couldn’t break through the paladin’s solid guard.

However, no matter how well he blocked with his shield, the damage was accumulating.

The paladin’s gaze became calm and focused as he hid behind his large shield, observing the girl’s movements.

He, too, had talent for the game.

He could read her moves.

To the right.

He tilted his hand slightly to change the direction of his shield.

Clang!

Again to the right.

Clang!

His defense was flawless.

But the paladin’s face remained tense.

There was no opening to counterattack.

For him to swing his sword, he’d need to lower the large shield.

Yet, the girl’s movements were faster than he anticipated.

The moment he lowered his shield to attack, her sword would come flying, targeting that gap.

Each time Yeon’s sword struck the paladin’s large shield, bursts of light erupted.

It was her passive skill, triggered repeatedly by chance.

A massive impact accumulated.

Just blocking would lead to defeat.

The paladin made a decision.

He slammed his large shield onto the ground.

His first-rank job was Knight.

The skill he used now, Shield Tremor, would stun the opponent for a set period.

A powerful shockwave, originating from the shield, shot out along the ground.

Yeon’s gaze caught the movement.

An old memory brought forth a familiar skill.

Yeon was a veteran PvP player.

She could identify a skill’s effects from its animation alone.

She immediately began to move, her slightly jumping legs landing on the paladin’s large shield.

Her foothold was set.

She activated a skill.

Charge.

Two skills were cast nearly simultaneously.

The skill, which should have been used on the ground, shot toward the air.

Engulfed in blue mana, the girl rotated her body mid-air.

The tiny girl’s body suddenly soared upward.

Naturally, everyone’s gaze turned skyward.

Basking in the soft moonlight, the small knight rotated her body, wielding her sword.

The descent toward the ground only added force to her strike.

Just before impact, Yeon let her kite shield drop from her hands, casting it aside to grip her sword with both hands.

Her weapon was a Highlander, one that could be wielded with either one or two hands.

Boom!

A powerful blow landed.

The paladin, staring blankly upward, couldn’t even react to the tiny girl’s attack.

With that allowed strike, his helmet shattered and scattered, and his body collapsed.

The duel’s outcome was decided.

The paladin began to revive from death.

As his once-vanished head regenerated, the duel system began to collect the items staked in the match.

His enormous full plate armor disappeared, along with his large shield and sword.

The man who had been a paladin was now left sitting on the ground in his default gear: plain pants and a white shirt.

“Next.”

Yeon’s voice pierced the silence.

With her sword resting on her shoulder, she looked down at her opponent.

She looked undeniably arrogant.