Game’s Dogma

Handsome Scholar gritted his teeth. His personality forged during his days as a soldier had made him very reluctant towards doing such things.

‘Once this battle is over, I owe you nothing and we will part ways.’ Handsome Scholar repeated the statement, then plucked out a blowgun from his item bag.

Drako Yau was already ganging up on Thousand Scrolls along with a fire crystal giant, while the other giant was foolishly attacking Bookstore Clerk with simple attacks. The fire crystal giants were weak minions who could only perform basic instructions and use basic attacks without any technique. As such, it was impossible for it to win against Bookstore Clerk, but it could at least buy a bit of time.

When Handsome Scholar took out the blowgun, Drako Yau turned to look at the paladin in horror. The blowgun was as simple as it could get, dark and dull without any decorations, but Drako Yau recognised it right away.

Soul Snatcher! Shit, they actually got that encounter quest!

‘Soul Snatcher, a single-use attack item. According to legends, it is a disastrous assassination weapon crafted by the ancient Tong Clan. Through snatching the victim’s soul, death is ascertained.’

‘Greenstone! Run!’ Drako Yau cried out. Instead of turning his focus to Handsome Scholar, he stabbed Thousand Scrolls all the more quicker. He would be too late even if he tried to intervene when he was tens of metres away.

Handsome Scholar placed the blowgun to his lips and puffed it at the fleeing Greenstone’s back.

Thud.

A split second after he puffed into the blowgun, a dark streak tore through space itself and embedded into Greenstone’s vest. He shuddered and stiffened, his eyes filled with disbelief as he slowly tumbled to the ground, turned into white particles, and disappeared into thin air.

‘NOOO!!!’ Drako Yau roared with reddened eyes. He wasn’t even sure why rage was boiling within him. It was just a game and they would respawn sooner or later, yet he simply couldn’t stop anger and grief from stirring up whenever his companions died.

Not a word came from his mouth. That was Drako Yau’s style—the more furious he was, the more silent he became.

Rage exploded within him, but he felt exceptionally clear-headed. He activated the limit break skill Dying Precision which was also his trump card. Once he used the skill, the fight would only end in either his or the enemy’s death. The three seconds of immobility was enough for Handsome Scholar to shred him into pieces, yet he still used it decisively.

Setting his gaze on Thousand Scrolls whose Health was below half, his eyes flashed as he thrusted his spear at Thousand Scroll’s chest at lightning speed. The spear tip popped the orange mark on the cleric’s chest, instantly turning his Health zero.

‘How is this possible!’ Bookstore Clerk was utterly shocked. How could a single hit finish off someone at 50 per cent Health! It has to be a bug!

Before he could dwell on the thought, Drako Yau was already heading straight for him after killing Thousand Scrolls.

A single thought filled his mind: run away! As far as possible from this demon!

Bookstore Clerk could be considered an old-timer in gaming, but this was the first time he feared a player so much. Such fear, it was due to the killing intent radiating from that man.

Fury burned within Drako Yau, but he maintained a calm demeanour on the surface. His dormant killing intent completely awakened the moment Greenstone was killed. Those two years… those days which he had spent playing a game of deadly tag with the old geezer… the killing intent forged into his mind!

Handsome Scholar’s hands turned cold at the sight as well. Even in the army, he had only sensed the same degree of killing intent from veteran soldiers who had survived countless battles.

This man, how could he radiate such an atmosphere?

A fire crystal giant blocked Bookstore Clerk’s path and swung its gigantic fist at him. Somewhat absent-minded, Bookstore Clerk kept turning around to peek at Drako Yau who was on his tail and failed to notice the giant standing in his way.

The pot-sized fist hammered onto Bookstore Clerk without any chance of missing, shooting the hunter backwards like a cannonball.

Drako Yau leapt as his eyes flickered rapidly at various targets. The orange mark danced all over Bookstore Clerk’s body like an unruly fairy, staying for less than a second before vanishing and reappearing somewhere else.

At that moment, those orange marks seemed to be slowing down in Drako Yau’s eyes, but he didn’t bother to care about such a change when he was overcome with rage.

Kill!!!

Two thrusts almost landed on Bookstore Clerk at the same time, one on his neck and the other on his right rib cage near the right lung. The attacks were made in such quick succession that even Drako Yau could feel his arms getting sore. The thrusts pierced through two orange marks, turning Bookstore Clerk into a corpse which then scattered into white particles and disappeared.

Dying Precision: 4 seconds remaining.

Handsome Scholar had finally rushed over. For the first time, he felt his heart pound rapidly out of terror. He had never flinched his brows even when caught under crossfire as a soldier, yet the masked man was now teaching him what terror felt like.

The battlefield was an ever-changing place. In the mere second which he had been distracted by his thoughts, a red gigantic shadow had appeared above him and was dropping towards where he stood.

The fire crystal giant appeared out of thin air and fell like a meteor. Handsome Scholar focused his gaze and hastily pulled a few steps back.

The giant crashed into the vacant spot ahead of him, splattering shards of rocks everywhere along with a massive bam. However, the first thing Handsome Scholar noticed wasn’t the fire crystal giant.

Where’s Mask?

Handsome Scholar stiffened at the pop sound which came from behind him. Slowly turning his head around, he saw a fiery red mask gazing into his eyes like a demon, its legs shrouded in a visible layer of mist.

The spear stabbed at Handsome Scholar once again, triggering the Weakness Exploit effect and robbing him of his final bit of Health.

‘You…’

As Handsome Scholar dissipated into tiny orbs of white, Drako Yau also slumped to the ground. Dying Precision came to an end.

Zephyrwolf, Hades, and Soulsmith were all strung out upon seeing Greenstone appear next to them. Didn’t that mean Dragonspear had to take on three enemies all at once? Greenstone didn’t say anything and silently sat down in a corner. His eyes wandered all over the place, seemingly bothered about something.

Just a few seconds later, a streak of white light appeared next to Booksy Swordsman, revealing a dejected Thousand Scrolls who lay on the ground. Booksy Swordsman nearly jumped out of his skin as he yelled, ‘How did you die! Isn’t it a three versus one? How the hell did you die!’

Another lump of white light appeared next to Booksy Swordsman moments later. Bookstore Clerk had a similarly terrorised look as his comrade. No matter how hard their guild master screamed at them, they simply muttered like soulless puppets, ‘Demon… Scary…’

Idyllic Poet’s clear eyes contained a myriad of emotions as she looked on.

Zephyrwolf got all pumped up upon seeing what was going on at the other end. ‘Yeah! Boss sure taught them a lesson! Must’ve slain those plebs like butchering pigs! Ahaha!’ He then started celebrating to rub salt into Booksy Swordsman and his guild’s wounds.

When the final streak of white light appeared at Age of Scholar’s side, the system’s solemn voice could be heard.

‘Where Rivals Meet has ended. Dual Coalition is the victor. All members will be resurrected in five seconds to challenge the Demon Castellan. The losers will be teleported to the dungeon entrance in five seconds.’

Booksy Swordsman glared at the opposite end where members of Dual Coalition stood. All he saw was Zephyrwolf’s mocking smile and two middle fingers pointed at him before the entire group disappeared.