Chapter 11

Hanjo received the predicted movement path of the intruder from a member of the One-Pi-Dan. Then he started setting up the trap.

‘Even a lion puts its best effort into catching a rabbit.’

No, given that the One-Pi-Dan members were caught off guard, the intruder must be more like a wolf. Of course, even a wolf would be no match for him.

This was not out of arrogance. In fact, Hanjo was far from such a word.

Hanjo, who had once ranked within the Top 100 in Lase, a game with over 500 million users, was a true powerhouse.

‘But only up to there.’

He could not climb any higher.

The Top 20, a realm where one needed a perfect combination of talent, luck, and effort, was a place he could never reach.

‘And to draw such a background spirit!’

The background spirit Hanjo drew was a 6-star, which was not bad in terms of grade. However, that was only on the surface.

A background spirit that neither cared nor helped with the player’s actions, a so-called "ignore and skip" type, one of the spirits users often complained about.

Not only Hanjo, but during the open period when game information was scarce, this was a common occurrence.

The frustration of seeing players who lacked both talent and effort rise due to their background spirits was indescribable.

Snap.

‘Heh. A mere commoner got excited after all.’

The moment he recalled his previous character’s background spirit, the trap broke. Hanjo calmed his mind and set up the trap again.

‘But that is now at an end.’

In fact, he had agonized a lot before deleting his character. After all, it was a character that ranked within the Top 100.

However, Hanjo had a reason to climb even higher.

‘Toushin (Fighting God).’

From his previous life... or rather, from the game "Real Fantasia" he played before Lase, a user he met in the arena.

A legendary fighter who suddenly appeared like a comet, wreaked havoc in the arena, and climbed to the second rank.

Hanjo had also fought him in the arena and was completely defeated.

‘Truly overwhelming talent.’

Hanjo was proud of his combat sense, which he believed was unmatched by anyone, but there was a subtle gap he could never bridge.

‘One more time!’

He wanted to fight him again after his defeat, but it was impossible. Just as suddenly as he appeared, Toushin vanished like a mirage.

However, it was not difficult to guess his whereabouts. There was the ultimate masterpiece game, Last Savior.

‘Toushin must be here.’

There was no way he would let such talent go to waste.

He might even be among the Top 20... no, the Top 10, known as the "Heavenly Ten." And the Heavenly Ten were mountains too high for a character ranked 100th to even consider challenging.

‘I want to fight Toushin again.’

This desire ultimately led Hanjo to the major decision of creating a "sub-character"... and the result was very successful. He drew a background spirit so good that it was embarrassing to compare it to his previous one!

Ding.

[The Flame Trap has been successfully installed.]

[When the target steps on the Flame Trap, flames will erupt, dealing fire damage. The target has a very low chance of being inflicted with the abnormal status ‘Burn’.]

“Done.”

After completing the trap installation, Hanjo hid his body on a nearby tree. This was the final task.

‘Even though it’s a contract, it’s not right to torment beginners.’

When he played with his previous character, he had owed a significant debt to the Mammonism guild leader. To repay the favor, he had agreed to fight for Mammonism three times, and this was the last one.

Just like the previous two times, he would subdue the target, add them as a friend, and then give the reward. That was Hanjo’s plan.

Rustle.

A figure emerged, pushing through the bushes. Hanjo instinctively knew this was his target.

“So, there are a lot of mutant deer this way, right?”

He was a man with an ordinary appearance, of average build, and a kind face, embodying the image of a harmless person.

However, Hanjo narrowed his eyes slightly.

‘Is he a streamer?’

When someone talked to themselves like that with no one around, they were most likely a streamer. Or, they might be talking to their background spirit, but there was no way a user could have such a high intimacy level with their spirit here.

“Hopefully, the One-Pi-Dan members won’t show up too soon. I want to gather more items.”

By now, it was clear.

The intruder was a streamer, and he was almost certainly broadcasting content about eliminating the One-Pi-Dan with his sub-character!

‘Great! If the opponent is also a sub-character, I might have a bit of fun...’

Hanjo thought this but quickly shook his head. The opponent was unlucky. If it were his previous self, the "Sword Master," there might have been a fair fight.

‘A ninja’s battle is all about ambush!’

Unfortunately, the opponent would not even realize Hanjo’s presence before falling. Hanjo watched the man, holding his breath.

“Hmm. So this is the place?”

Thud.

The man took another step, directly toward where Hanjo had set the trap.

‘The Flame Trap will activate now.’

The moment the flames should have engulfed the man, Hanjo would rush in and target his vital points. He silently drew his dagger.

Thud.

The moment the man stepped into the trap’s range.

[The Flame Trap has been activated.]

Flames began to rise beneath the man’s feet.

‘Now!’

Hanjo leaped down from the tree, aiming for the man’s back. Perfect timing!

However, as he approached, he realized something was wrong.

‘Why are the flames...?’

The man had clearly stepped on the Flame Trap, and the notification had definitely appeared.

But the flames’ output was off. Normally, the Flame Trap would instantly produce a large enough flame to engulf an adult male.

An efficient trap that combined fire damage with a vision-obscuring effect, the Flame Trap was known as the ultimate low-level trap.

But... why were the flames not even reaching the man’s knees and instead fading away?

[The Flame Trap has been forcibly disabled.]

“Crap! Disabled?!”

He never expected the trap to be detected! Hanjo was taken aback by the unexpected situation. He had already committed to the attack and could not hide again.

‘No choice. In this situation... hmm?’

Hanjo, who had intended to switch to a frontal assault, sensed something odd. The man, who had successfully disabled the trap, seemed flustered for some reason. He looked as if he had been caught off guard by the Flame Trap.

‘Why?’ This question filled his mind, but his body reacted first. Hanjo had too much experience to let such a large opening go.

[Special Skill ‘Shinpu (Divine Wind)’ activated.]

[Agility status increases by 20% for 20 seconds.]

Hanjo pulled out his trump card, a Special Skill that could only be learned after achieving a certain level of intimacy with his background spirit.

Perhaps because his previous background spirit had been a proper partner, Hanjo and his current spirit had an excellent synergy. He had obtained both a job and a Special Skill at level 10!

‘I couldn’t max out my agility because I didn’t expect to get such a skill.’

Still, he had poured all his stats into agility. His agility value was 25, and with the effect of Shinpu, it would reach exactly 30.

An overwhelming agility value compared to other players at the same level. Combined with the physical prowess of a former top-ranked player, it was virtually impossible for a level 10 player to dodge his attack!

Swish!

Hanjo’s dagger, which had approached the man in a smooth arc, aimed for his neck. As Hanjo had boasted, it was a swift slash that no other level 10 player could react to.

But Hanjo had overlooked one thing.

In the world of Last Savior, there were countless hidden pieces, and as a result, irregularities that defied the norm could emerge.

For example, a physical monster with stats approaching 30 at level 1.

“Huh?!”

Hanjo’s prediction was wrong again. Just as his dagger was about to slice the man’s neck, the man tilted his head back, dodging the blade. A small drop of blood splattered into the air.

And the next move left Hanjo in shock.

The man with an ordinary appearance, Carpe, kicked Hanjo’s weapon-holding hand precisely. Hanjo was seized by a strong sense of déjà vu.

“Could this be... Weapon Drop?!”

This was an unfamiliar concept in Lase, where one-on-one PVP was not yet very active. However, it was a well-known technique among veterans of another virtual reality game, "Real Fantasia."

As the name suggests, it was a trick to strike the opponent’s hand and make them drop their weapon.

Yes, it was a trick, not a skill.

A technique that required the player to perform it intuitively, without being registered as a skill in the system. It looked simple, but it was far from it.

It required excellent dynamic vision to track a rapidly moving weapon, as well as the judgment and focus to predict the opponent’s movements.

“Unbelievable!”

Hanjo was not shocked because the opponent used Weapon Drop. While it was a high-difficulty technique, it was not uncommon among top-ranked players in the arena.

What shocked him was the quality of the technique.

It was cleaner than any Weapon Drop he had ever seen. As far as Hanjo knew, only one person could use Weapon Drop this cleanly.

A user in Real Fantasia who was a symbol of Weapon Drop, a fighting machine who executed it more precisely than anyone else!

Hanjo, forgetting the battle, hastily shouted.

“Could it be, Tou...”

But his cry was cut short.

Crack!

[You have been hit with a powerful blow to a vital point!]

[You are stunned for 7 seconds.]

Carpe’s kick had landed precisely on Hanjo’s temple.

* * *

Thud!

“Ah, that was a shock.”

Carpe sighed in relief as he looked at the stranger who had been kicked to the ground. If the opponent had been just a bit faster, he might have lost his head. It was all due to the unexpected situation that caught him off guard.

-But, does it really work like that?

“Yeah, I was really surprised.”

In fact, Carpe had already noticed the stranger’s presence. He had also figured out that the stranger had set up a "Flame Trap." All thanks to the keen eyes of his background spirit, Tenma.

So, he had pretended to fall into the trap, stepped on the Flame Trap, and then planned a simple strategy: "Wait for the enemy to rush in and ambush them!"

-It’s like a cheat skill.

The moment he stepped on the Flame Trap, a series of notifications appeared before Carpe’s eyes.

Ding.

[You have stepped on the Flame Trap. You will take fire damage and have a very low chance of being inflicted with the abnormal status ‘Burn’.]

[You have been inflicted with the abnormal status ‘Burn’.]

Up to this point, everything was as expected... except for the "very low chance of Burn," which he had not anticipated. Despite the ridiculous luck, he managed to suppress his shock, trusting Tenma’s assurance that he could endure it.

But what truly flustered him came next.

[Skill ‘Kaikin (Release)’ activated.]

[Trap ‘Flame Trap’ disabled.]

[Disabling successful!]

[Skill ‘Kaikin (Release)’ activated.]

[Abnormal status ‘Burn’ disabled.]

[Disabling successful!]

“What, what is this?!”

-What? Disabled? Are you kidding?!

The secret of the initial 10-star skill ‘Kaikin’ was being revealed, layer by layer.

A player who had become strong through a lucky draw.