Chapter 13

"Five kills! Six kills!"

Really, the encounter rate is amazing.

Everyone must prefer the mountains with more obstacles over the plains.

We all think the same way.

However, when they spot me, most players try to put some distance between us first.

This isn't so much about underestimating archers as it is about instinctively avoiding combat with other people.

In regular battle royale games, you're just fighting characters, but in VR games, you feel like you're fighting yourself.

I can understand why there's resistance to fighting other people.

Well, I'm racking up kills by shooting players in the back...

"Hmm, battle is merciless... I've always wanted to say something like that."

Despite everything, I managed to survive and reach the mountaintop.

At the summit, there's a stone tower.

The entrance door is closed.

Chips are scattered around.

It doesn't seem like any other players have arrived yet.

"Should I make this my temporary sniping point..."

I opened the door and went inside, then closed it.

Chips are scattered inside the tower as well.

I collect them while climbing the spiral staircase.

The rooftop offers a panoramic view of the entire mountain.

It's also an excellent sniping point.

"Before I start attacking, I'll check the chips I've collected."

So far, I've collected 47 chips.

30 for stat boosts, 13 for recovery, and 4 for special actions.

Among the stat boost chips, there are not only the common +10 but also rare +20 and +30 chips.

When you add up all their effects...

Attack +70, Defense +30

Magic Attack +40, Magic Defense +10

Speed +80, Range +200

It seems I'm really blessed with range.

Adding the chip boosts to my original stats and activating the "Immovable Sniper Stance" will extend my range to over 1000 meters.

In other words, I can now hit targets a kilometer away.

It might be difficult to hit at such a long range, but I'll do my best.

I didn't find any status recovery chips.

But I'm glad I picked up a lot of MP recovery chips.

Skills generally consume MP.

The special action chips include two "High-Speed Dash," one "Short Warp" for instant short-range teleportation, and one "Magic Mine" for invisible landmines.

Actually, I had another "Magic Mine," but I accidentally blew myself up when I tried it out.

However, I learned that it has a low power but a very loud explosion.

I've already set up a "Magic Mine" at the tower's entrance.

Not to kill enemies, but to alert me when they enter the tower.

I don't want anyone to climb up while I'm sniping.

"Well, everything is ready. From here on out, it's my killing show... I hope."

I look down from the rooftop at the mountain slopes.

A player is moving through an area with few trees, being careless.

*Click, click, click... Whoosh!*

I can't hear the sound of the arrow hitting.

The player just collapses silently and disappears in a flash of light.

I ignore the "Kill!" notification in my head and aim at the next target.

*Click, click, click... Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Sometimes I miss from a distance, but if a player is panicking and can't figure out where the attack is coming from, I can finish them off with the next arrow.

The problem is with tough players and calm players.

Especially those who quickly determine the direction of the arrow and hide behind cover are skilled.

They'll judge that I'm a dangerous enemy and come for the tower.

*Click, click, click... Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

However, the closer they get, the easier it is to hit them, and the arrows become more powerful.

As long as they don't get too close, I won't be at a disadvantage.

There's nothing to hide behind around the tower.

Even if they manage to avoid the arrows and reach the tower, I can shoot them while they're climbing the spiral staircase.

*Click, click, click... Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

"50 kills! Kill leader!"

*Ping!* I've acquired a new skill: "Sniper's Eyesight."

◆Reason for Acquisition

"Far-Seer"

Used range-increasing skills and hit distant enemies multiple times.

"Sniper's Eyesight"

Enhances vision to the maximum range.

I can see distant enemies much more clearly now!

This must be the power of the new skill.

By the way, the rules state that "you can use all the skills you have acquired."

So, even skills acquired during the event are fine.

This will further improve my accuracy.

This is fun...!

It's really, really fun!

But, aren't too many players gathering around me!?

This isn't a battle royale; it's a tower defense.

Why is this happening?

"Oh, could it be the area...!"

That's exactly what it was.

In battle royale games, the area shrinks over time, and being outside the area deals continuous damage, making it impossible to survive for long even with recovery items.

Thanks to this area rule, hiding in a hard-to-find spot won't guarantee victory.

I was lucky this time.

The area's position is randomly determined, but I happened to stay within it the whole time without leaving.

Conversely, because of this, I didn't receive any warnings and, absorbed in the kills...

I didn't notice that the area had shrunk to a small circle centered on the tower where I was.

Everyone wasn't just rushing to the tower randomly.

They were trying to eliminate the annoying player in the most advantageous position within the area.

"This... I must have accumulated a lot of hate, huh."

Still, I can't stop attacking.

That would mean giving up.

In this situation, I have no choice but to accept being the bad guy!