Chapter Ten [Overpowered Gladiator] Figaro
PK Clan [Mad Castle] . Owner [Full Armor Giant] Barbarian . Bad Burn
There are two ways to fight between players in [Infinite Dendrogram].
One is dueling.
Duel is a mock battle at arena where you decide rules with opponent and gamble items .
You will not die even if your HP hits 0, and there will be no damage at the end of this “child play”.
Another is PK.
Attacking players in the open grounds, eventually killing them and making them suffer death penalty.
Those dead players randomly drop money or items.
Like when you are farming mobs.
You lose your wager when you lose a duel, and you drop item when you die from PK, there isn’t much different either way.
You will lose something if you suck at this game.
It is an undeniable fact.
(what items drop are random tho).
A big difference between duel and PK is whether you die or not when you lose.
That’s the reason why scaredy cats favor in dueling.
That’s the reason why we are hooked in PKing.
I’m the leader of PK Clan [Mad Castle].
Bad Burn the Barbarian and I love to PK.
I am PKing together with my friends even now.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Ah ah ah!”
A noob with a mental age of a grade-schooler holds his low-level weapon while crying.
He is trembling like crazy but he try to cut me again and again.
Doesn’t he know? No matter how much he cuts me, the damage is 0.
“Huh, what’s wrong? I told you I will forgive you if you deal even 1 damage.”
It is impossible.
I have an advance level Durability Specialization of [Full Armor Giant].
Since I also have [Damage Reduction] and [Damage Negation], it will be 0 Damage even if this low-level noob trigger a critical hit.
Sucks to be him.
By the way, [Damage Reduction] reduces damage by percentage, [Damage Negation] negates damage by numbers.
More specifically, I have 20% reduction and 500 negation.
Since this beginner can not do 500 damage, Negation alone is plenty.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.”
Heh. This noob is trying to escape as attacking me won’t do shit.
However, little does he know that even if he tries to escape, I can catch up with him in no time.
I have a slow natured job class.
Still, it is much faster than a beginner and I have my [Embryo] ability too.
I will not let him escape by log-out either.
In this game, log-out takes about 30 seconds.
In that 30 seconds, if you are touched by anyone or get in a combat, you can’t log-out.
Although it is intended for crime prevention, it can also be used for crime.
PK is not considered as a criminal act as it is not prohibited.
By the way, “Shake-down” is possible even tho there are countermeasures.
For example, some noobs think they can immediately escape death penalty if they give a compensation.
You don’t have to move even one finger if you meet suckers like them.
There are few dudes doing such things as they got more money and items than when they PK.
We don’t usually do it tho.
We do not let beginners escape from us nor give them 30 seconds to log-out.
I catch up with him, but now I am tired.
“Okay, timeout. Time-O-U-T!”
“Ahhhhhhhhhhh.”
I press down my big shield with both hands upon this pitiful noob who is uselessly struggling.
My 2-meter giant has a circular shield with a diameter of 1 meter.
Now it becomes a huge stamp leaving a red mark on the ground.
And this noob is the ink I used.
He will disappear without a trace as soon as he get death penalty.
But there is too much gore.
Even if it is CG, it is still disgusting.
What do you think what will happen to guys playing with life-like visual?
It will be an everlasting memory of being killed.
“Ehe-hehe! really the besttt! That boy is damn cuteee.”
“Hahahaha. So disgusting. Seems like I can’t eat any tomatoes today, don’t you think so?”
“Then, wanna eat cheese burger for dinner? I can make some minced meat for you.”
“Ewww. Pardon me from that. Lol.”
Who will guess that clan members PKing together are just playing hockey.
Role-playing as bad guys sure is fun huh.
Hmm, as I don’t usually go out, may be I will order a take-out.
Just now, Night Bull is mocking with a big grin on her face.
She should be an office worker who has a husband and a child in real life.
But… that real life does not matter now.
“Forget about real life, enjoy PK”.
That is the motto of [Castle].
Having fun.
Those who get done by us will not have any fun, but who care about those noobs.
A weak fellow is at fault for playing a game of combat power.
“I heard some guys stop playing the game with PK trauma.”
“There isn’t anyone like that from my friends”.
Really, there isn’t anyone like that from my friends.
Killing or being killed, it is just a game.
“Boss, with this kid, I wonder how many people we have killed here.”
“Shit. I lost count at fifty.”
Me and my [Castle] are now at [Sauda Mountain Road], southside of the Kingdom of Alter,
and we are killing the players leveling in the broad day light.
I’m only killing after killing.
Including those who try to get a revenge for their friends’ PK deaths, me and the clan members killed all of them.
“But, this job is not so bad.
I can hear money cashing out just by PKing.”
“Oh no! Our PK here feels like we are actually working. Haha.”
A reward of ten thousand Rirs per a player’s death penalty.
The deadline is one month in-game time.
It is a favorable condition.
The situation is even better as we have to kill noobs at beginner hunting grounds.
Especially in the first day, we got over 1 million Rirs on that day alone.
Ten millions in Japanese yen.
Laughters can be heard from my friends.
It is interesting that our PKing become big news.
Unlike the guy at the north, we don’t usually hide our appearances so we are well-known for our dirty works.
But it truly is tiring to live a life of villain huh.
“But I don’t see many players recently, I guess they all leave here in disappointment.”
“Yea. I heard it at the bar about that yesterday but they seem to be having some lee way in the east tho.”
[Mad Castle] hails here at[Sauda Mountain Road].
However, other PKers are spreading across the Kingdom’s other hunting grounds too.
We have the south and the east and west are infiltrated by clans, too.
The north? Well, by a troublesome nut-job.
“But [Goblin Street] in the west seems to rake in profits by side-income.”
“Nah. They are just targeting without caring players or NPCs.”
“They are daring.”
“Yep. typical YOLO guys.”
PK is not a crime.
Even in the official setting of [Infinite Dendrogram], it says the conflict between [Masters] shouldn’t be interfered.
But killing the NPC is a crime.
Tho there are exceptions like the NPC who is attacked is a criminal, justified defense, war event etc.
If you kill NPC without solid reasons, you will be wanted from the country as a criminal.
You can not use savepoints in that country if you are wanted there.
If it is only one country, you can just change your base of operation to other countries.
But if you kill NPCs too much, there is a chance you will be wanted in every countries.
It would be bad if you are wanted in all seven countries.
Savepoints cannot be set anywhere if that happens.
Risk is too high.
Let’s say you are sent to “Otherside” suddenly and you can not return to a safe savepoint when death penalty is over, what will you do?
Those guys from [Goblin Street] are already taking savepoints around Caldina probably, but we do not intend to go kill NPCs as they do.
Frankly, aiming the NPC do not feel good.
I have killed a criminal NPC before, but I feel bored because it didn’t have the high tension.
They don’t give the same feeling as players.
That’s why our hunting ground is skipping NPCs.
Well, both players and NPCs are scared and do not come often here tho.
“The most easy and pleasant thing to do is PK after all.”
“Yeah but [Goblin Street] seems kinda dangerous…
They are in the same PK business but I dont want to be put in the same categories as them.”
“…”
But northern hunting ground is even more scary than the west where they aim at NPCs.
The guy who is covering [Noz Forest] is the most dangerous one.
Yea. The north is covered not by a clan but a single PKer.
I don’t even know his name actually.
Also, I know that he is good at hiding his figure, only basic knowledge about him.
He sounds like a man of mystery lol.
He seems to be playing [Hitman Play] all the time in this [Infinite Dendrogram].
Some players have grudges against other players.
With petty reasons such as being attacked by someone, being harassed, etc.
He is usually killing players at the request of those guys.
Once, I even heard he had been asked to assassinate a [Super Class].
[Super Class], the strongest player layer that has evolved [Embryo] to the seventh form.
For such a guy?
I am sorry but I think I will refuse the commission without thinking twice.
But that crazy dude, he accepted that commission.
He took some great damages on himself, but he also brought down [Super Class] into the death penalty and sent him to the “Otherside”.
Yep. His tale widespreads in the streets as [Giant Killer].
He is like a colleague of us in this job, but I don’t want to see that guy if I can.
I don’t feel like losing to him if I have to fight him all-out,
but weird guy like him is even worse than your everyday PKers or NPC killers.
Not being involved with that kind of guy may be the right choice.
“Boss, the next prey has come.”
Oh, one clan member contacts us.
Using an item that can only use to talk between members of the clan.
We have parties of six, we organize to include one surveillance guy in each six people group.
In this formation, even if a group in one area is destroyed instantaneously by surprise attack,
the other party member can immediately sense that there is an abnormality from the simple status.
It’s a familiar multiplayer strategy.
“Oooh, he is equipped with pretty good equipment. This delicious smell of dessert.”
“Well, It is clear he is not a beginner. May be he come to hunt us?”
“I don’t think so. Coz there is only one person.”
“Just one person? Well, it’ll be okay. You should surround him quickly, threaten him to give up his equipments and kill him.”
“Hee hee, sounds good. If I sell those equipments, there will be wild partying today.”
[Party member [Jordan α] died.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[[Jordan α] has logged out due to the death penalty.]
What the f…?
“Hey, hey! Jordan, just answer it! What the hell happen so suddenly…”
[Party member [Loward·Belmar] died.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[[Loward·Belmar] has logged out due to the death penalty.]
In addition, another party member died.
Resurrection time is the time that resurrection items and magic are effective.
If you can revive the person within that time there won’t be a death penalty,
but this grace period depends on the condition of the corpse.
Two deaths just now are instant deaths with almost no time lag.
How much things go wrong in an instant?
I also check my clan members who are at the same location as me, but they have an identical dumb look.
Now, all the guys who were in the same place as the two seem to have died.
Twelve members are killed in unbelievable speed.
Those who are supposed to be in different places are being hit at the same time and at high speed.
Simultaneous raid by player group?
Impossible.
At each party, we include a guy with [Enemy Detection] skills.
How is it possible for them to prepare for simultaneous attacks before we notice it?
Actually, we already know who the killer is.
That one person.
“Arrr, you’re that player! A player from Alter Kingdom! Shit, it is a chain! The chain goes around…”
[Party Member [Devil Mode] died.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[[Devil Mode] has logged out due to the death penalty.]
The screams and the silence following the screams of more members tell me the third location is wiped out too.
But now, dead members left usable information.
Chains.
A player with chains.
And he is exactly that dessert with good equipment we found just before.
Killing our members so far alone.
He is not an ordinary guy.
And in the Kingdom of Alter, there is only one player famous for using chains.
That name is…
“Shit. He is Figaro ayaa ah!”
“[Overpowered Gladiator] Figaro!!! Why is he here? Guh…”
[Party members [Mohawk X] is now died.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[[Mohawk X] has logged out due to the death penalty.]
[Overpowered Gladiator] Figaro.
In the Kingdom of Alter, he is known by many names.
[Infinite Chains], one of [Three Kings of the Kingdom of Alter], [Wild King of the Battle City] etc.
He is known as one of the most powerful people in this game.
He is one of those[Super Class] and a weirdo who is rumored to enter dungeons solo.
Such a person is in this mountain…
Obviously with hostility towards us.
It is not impossible.
We were playing as terrorist players against the Kingdom.
It is not a surprise the rankers of the Kingdom for coming here to destroy us.
However, the usual tale of Figaro would have been far from such an action.
I heard that he is a man who is farming dungeons or just dueling at the Coliseum.
I heard he didn’t even participate in recent war…
[Party member [Dream Killer] died.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[[Dream Killer] has logged out due to the death penalty.]
Rustle… rustle…
“Shit.”
The announcement of fifth party getting wiped is heard.
I feel a bloodthirst aiming towards me just now.
I don’t know where it comes from.
However, as I know it will come aiming at me, I can deal with it.
Suddenly, chains approach me from four directions.
“[Astro Guard]!”
I invoke a specific defense skill of [Armor Giant] instantly.
By giving up my movement, it doubles Defense, [Armor Giant]’s strongest defense skill.
By doing this, my defense power exceeds 15,000 and it becomes the hardest.
The chain crashes into the shield with a terrible shape.
“Damn!”
HP is decreasing alot.
Plain defense of 15,000 and skills that reduce damage by 500 points and 20%, and I get this much damage.
Damn, it is reasonable that our members placed elsewhere get wiped without delay.
I reflect the chain but,
“Guhhh.”
The chain hits Night Bull who is by my side and crushes.
Not only Night Bull but people who were nearby are assaulted by the chains.
Leaving me alone, they disappear one by one.
Sorry guys. As I cannot move, I cannot protect you guys.
Well, I am out of any shitty luck.
Then there are no survivors in the surroundings.
no message can be heard anymore.
Apparently all members are annihilated … …
It seems like everyone except me are embracing their death penalties.
I stand there alone without leaving the position of [Astro Guard].
What I am facing now is a chain that gives creaky sounds of metal and slight damage every time it clashes me.
And the owner of the chain, [Overpowered Gladiator] Figaro.
He appears across the mountain path following the chain.
He is in my line of sight now.
The face is in right place, unlike me it does not need additional making.
Even if that face is default, it will be a good looking from the beginning.
He is wearing a light armor, a hakama, greaves, a ring, a long coat and a feather hat.
For me who had [Eye of Appraisal] skill to judge the name and value of the item, they are all powerful and rare they must be special equipments.
There are even things that are too rare and can not detect the performance with my [Eye of Appraisal] level.
“Surely he has multiple MVP buffs from [UBM] as usual too… …”
MVP benefits of [UBM – Unique Boss Monster] are not transferable and do not drop in random.
They are tough to beat but it just shows how delicious they are, isn’t it.
There is an important element that cannot be overlooked on Figaro’s body now.
These are numerous red strands entangled in both arms.
There are limits to the number of weapons and armor that can be equipped in this game.
Usually two weapons, or with one shield, one to the right and the other to the left.
In addition, there is a limit in number of usable weapons such as thrown weapons and items such as [Gem].
But he has three chains on each arm, a total of six chains.
Looks like six chains but all the chains are in fact one weapon.
It is an independent weapon named [Crimson Death Keeper].
Although Figaro isn’t moving his hands,
the six chains move automatically in the wind, they stretch and attack me.
I don’t know what to do.
According to my appraisal result [Crimson Death Keeper] has two skills [Automatic Enemies Searching] and [Range Extension].
It is such a convenient weapon.
And as [Eye of Appraisal] is showing its effect, it also shows that it is not [Embryo].
It seems he really is using a total of six weapons.
Obviously it is over the usual number of equipments but I remember.
There must have been a skill to increase the number of equipments for certain jobs of the [Gladiator] series.
Although it is limited to three at best, there is no wonder if [Super Class] can equip more weapons as a reinforcement type.
In other words, he isn’t using his [Embryo] yet.
He is annihilating us just by skills of [Overpowered Gladiator] and equipments in his possession.
Scary guy.
“Today, I meet someone who can prevent my chains as well.”
Figaro speak some gibberish line to me first.
“[Armor Giant].
You are doing good with your defense skill.
This toughness is moderate, is your [Embryo] also good at defense?”
“…”
He is talking about me while comparing with the others.
I have no reason to answer him.
May be he is bluffing, but i think he has a skill [Authenticity Judgment].
if you have a sense skill like that it informs its skill owner when the opponent lies.
The fact is that my [Embryo] ability is not a defense system.
“After all, it seems that PKers other than you get the full burn.”
He tells me he didn’t see the signs of living anywhere and the chains of [Automatic Enemies Searching] reacting only to me.
This guy, are you still targeting all PKers near the kingdom?
“By the way, is it okay to assume that you are the leader of the PK group in this area?”
“If I say so?”
“My purpose is to normalize the trading route between the Battle City and the Kingdom.
So I will let you off if you promise to withdraw from this [Sauda Mountain Road].”
“What are you saying after killing our clan members?”
“I won’t negotiate, you know.”
Nope.
The one that won’t negotiate is me.
As this shit-head only think us as desserts being served, even if he try to negotiate, I will hit him first.
I don’t know how much difference in fighting strength between one [Super Class] and our members, but I don’t even care.
“……”
I am a [Master]. I have my [Embryo] of the sixth form with me, how much difference will be there?
I will try something.
If you are hit by the [Finishing Skill] of my [Embryo] directly, you can be killed, I guess?
As one of [Super Class], his level will be far superior than me.
It won’t be a surprise even if he has double of my level or advanced over 500 levels.
However, the battle between the players is not all about level and status.
It is all about how to strike down your enemy with your own trump card without giving your enemy any time.
They say [Giant Killer] can destroy [Super Class].
Yea, I dare to try this dude.
“Alright. Alright. I will leave here now.
We [Mad Castle] will no longer hunt beginners here.
I don’t make up a lie, it is coming from the bottom of my heart.
This time PK here is already over as a guy like you appear for the suppression.”
I will withdraw after killing him.
“I have [Contract], wanna use?”
I took out a piece of parchment from the item porch.
This is an item type [Contract] and is used as a convention between players.
To those who breaks it, it give status debuff for a certain period of time, status abnormality, and give a penalty.
“That’s good. It is convenient, I think it is okay if you can use it.”
“Well, I wrote them. Please check it. ”
I say so and approach [Figaro] with [Contract].
Five meters.
Four meters.
Three meters.
Two meters.
In a range.
The magic is shining from my feet.
My [Embryo], Atlas, is invoked.
“…”
“[Heaven’s Weight]!!!”
One of the characteristic skills of my [Embryo], Atlas, is activated.
Increasing the gravity within the range and deals continuous damage.
The closer the target is to me, the more powerful weighing effect can be exerted.
The maximum 500 times gravity at 2 meters.
At the same time, the status abnormality of [Restraint] strongly affects the target, I doubt he cannot move a fingertip anymore.
The chain moves automatically to try to attack me, but crawls the ground because of 500 times gravity.
There is no one who has broke this synergy effect of [Restraint] and super gravity so far.
Even if you are an advanced level player, you will be pressure pretty hard at this point.
But I don’t think [Super Class] in front of me will be the same.
It is the assault of Atlas from here.
“[Astro Guard]!”
Again, pulling up to five times the defense force to trigger the [Astro Guard].
“…”
“I release it in the name of the giant, Atlas.”
I cast the special skill with the name of Atlas himself.
Convert your defense ability to attack power.
Then ten times attack power by ten seconds.
Attack power over 150 million.
If you are hit by it directly, you should get killed instantly whether you are a [Super Class] or not.
Atlas, my strongest blow against Unstoppable Figaro, strikes again and again.
“Break him until he dies!”
The ground cracks.
It is collapsing.
Now it becomes a huge crater.
But, is that all?
I don’t know how many accessories he has that has Resurrection and Substitution abilities.
In this ten seconds, I will stomp this ass-face with all my attacks until I die!
“…”
Suddenly the chains keep stabbing me repeatedly. It is strangling me.
“……!”
I notice it.
The earth on the ground was broken down by my attacks … …
But there is no Figaro there.
Where is Figaro? Where is that guy?
The answer is simple.
I am at the end of the chain tangled to my neck.
The tip of the chain is seen.
And Figaro is there about ten meters away.
“Heh, Impossible!”
Received a weight of 500 times, there is no reason to be able to jump.
And including the status abnormality of [Restraint].
“… … Ah.”
I noticed it too late.
I should realize something keeps bugging me.
I know that.
I should know that already.
[Overpowered Gladiator] Figaro is known to do solo dungeon capture as a business.
There is one essential condition to do stupid things like solo dungeon attacks.
High status, nope.
Recovery means, nope nope.
It is having countermeasures against status abnormality.
[Paralysis], [Sleep], [Petrification], and [Instant Death].
In these solo circumstances where there are no friends who will recover you, it is death to take these condition abnormalities.
That’s why the guy who plays with solo certainly has status abnormality countermeasures.
It is impossible for the [Super Class] known as a solo expert not to have it.
Perhaps from one of the equipments I could not appreciate.
It is probably an item to nullify [Constraint].
“Damn, it can’t be!”
I am convinced momentarily, but it can’t be.
My [Restraint] of [Heaven’s Weight] is not a normal debuff.
A unique characteristic skill my [Embryo] releases.
For this skill to be so badly suppressed…
Again, I noticed.
I thought that he was not using [Embryo].
But may be it is a mistake.
Just because I don’t know if he already uses his [Embryo] or [Super Class Embryo]…
Negating my hundreds of times gravity effect he now leaps …
“…!”
I look up to Figaro above.
I can’t see his expressions because of lights.
However, there is this blistering chill.
And when that guy lands the chill intensifies.
I’ve seen it.
“…!!!”
Those narrow eyes are opening.
His mouth that is smiling.
Smiling so much the mouth split, even all his teeth can be seen.
The sound leaking from that mouth is not that of a person.
It is mumbling and murderous sound similar to the groan of monsters.
“Shit!”
The moment I scream, he swings up both hands connected to the chain.
At that moment my neck that is tied to the chain is pulled up.
Both legs leave the ground and the earth moves further from me.
A rubbing sound of the air echoes to my ears.
The chain continues to grow whether the [Range Extension] skill is activated or not,
and continues to extend even if it reaches to an everlasting altitude.
Figaro on the ground became a point, I reach to the clouds, I doubt it is even beyond that.
Eventually the air is lost.
Even if I try to work my lung, I can breathe nothing.
Suffocation cross the brain.
Unless you set the sensor by yourself, pain sensation is replaced with a painless tingling sensation.
But suffocation will not change that much.
Damn. I don’t have time to worry about a mere suffocation.
Because more terrible things gonna happen to me than just to suffocate.
The chain is pulled back to the ground.
Even faster than when he is lifting me up.
The sight that looks like a reverse turn is coming back at doubling speed.
“Haaa ah ah ah … … “”
My scream of despair leaks in th air.
It doesn’t matter whether it is a game or not.
There is a fear of death in this fall.
The form of fear that all creatures feel when death is creeping in.
It doesn’t matter if it is without sense of pain or not.
At reproducing the fear of death, this unreal game passes with flying colors.
And I am falling from the altitude with a speed at which life can escape the body at any moment.
And Figaro is waiting at the landing point flashing me a disgusting smile.
“!!!”
Instead of his usual chains, the dude holds another weapon, a chain-saw shaped sword.
He swung the chain-saw towards me who is falling.
At the next moment, my body is becoming a bloody painting accompanying a bone shrieking sound ……
[Lethal Damage.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[Party Wiped.]
[Death Penalty: Login Limitation 24h]
~~~~tbc~~~~
TN
It is from another person’s POV this chapter.
I change some words and comparisons for easier reading.
For side-characters’ names in this chapter, I just use them without thinking much.
Btw the word count is like twice of usual chapter, I think. Pretty tiring this week.
Battle scenes are really hard to describe, but exciting to read. I will fix some word usage later but now I am too tired.
Estimated time for next chapter: May 11th
Something about this chapter:
1. [Overpowered Gladiator] – furinaga reads [over.gladiator] when author first introduced this character.
This character has setting like Arena/Coliseum and Battle City, so [Gladiator] part looks legit.
For [Over] part, i just guess it from some words like overlooked, overshadowed, overpowered ,overgrown .
2. [Sauda Mountain Road] – I think [Sauda Mountain Path] makes more sense, but I will leave it as it is for now.
3. Altea and Drif or Alter and Drive I don’t know what would be better. Alter and Drive are true meanings btw.
Chapter Ten [Overpowered Gladiator] Figaro
PK Clan [Mad Castle] . Owner [Full Armor Giant] Barbarian . Bad Burn
There are two ways to fight between players in [Infinite Dendrogram].
One is dueling.
Duel is a mock battle at arena where you decide rules with opponent and gamble items .
You will not die even if your HP hits 0, and there will be no damage at the end of this “child play”.
Another is PK.
Attacking players in the open grounds, eventually killing them and making them suffer death penalty.
Those dead players randomly drop money or items.
Like when you are farming mobs.
You lose your wager when you lose a duel, and you drop item when you die from PK, there isn’t much different either way.
You will lose something if you suck at this game.
It is an undeniable fact.
(what items drop are random tho).
A big difference between duel and PK is whether you die or not when you lose.
That’s the reason why scaredy cats favor in dueling.
That’s the reason why we are hooked in PKing.
I’m the leader of PK Clan [Mad Castle].
Bad Burn the Barbarian and I love to PK.
I am PKing together with my friends even now.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Ah ah ah!”
A noob with a mental age of a grade-schooler holds his low-level weapon while crying.
He is trembling like crazy but he try to cut me again and again.
Doesn’t he know? No matter how much he cuts me, the damage is 0.
“Huh, what’s wrong? I told you I will forgive you if you deal even 1 damage.”
It is impossible.
I have an advance level Durability Specialization of [Full Armor Giant].
Since I also have [Damage Reduction] and [Damage Negation], it will be 0 Damage even if this low-level noob trigger a critical hit.
Sucks to be him.
By the way, [Damage Reduction] reduces damage by percentage, [Damage Negation] negates damage by numbers.
More specifically, I have 20% reduction and 500 negation.
Since this beginner can not do 500 damage, Negation alone is plenty.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.”
Heh. This noob is trying to escape as attacking me won’t do shit.
However, little does he know that even if he tries to escape, I can catch up with him in no time.
I have a slow natured job class.
Still, it is much faster than a beginner and I have my [Embryo] ability too.
I will not let him escape by log-out either.
In this game, log-out takes about 30 seconds.
In that 30 seconds, if you are touched by anyone or get in a combat, you can’t log-out.
Although it is intended for crime prevention, it can also be used for crime.
PK is not considered as a criminal act as it is not prohibited.
By the way, “Shake-down” is possible even tho there are countermeasures.
For example, some noobs think they can immediately escape death penalty if they give a compensation.
You don’t have to move even one finger if you meet suckers like them.
There are few dudes doing such things as they got more money and items than when they PK.
We don’t usually do it tho.
We do not let beginners escape from us nor give them 30 seconds to log-out.
I catch up with him, but now I am tired.
“Okay, timeout. Time-O-U-T!”
“Ahhhhhhhhhhh.”
I press down my big shield with both hands upon this pitiful noob who is uselessly struggling.
My 2-meter giant has a circular shield with a diameter of 1 meter.
Now it becomes a huge stamp leaving a red mark on the ground.
And this noob is the ink I used.
He will disappear without a trace as soon as he get death penalty.
But there is too much gore.
Even if it is CG, it is still disgusting.
What do you think what will happen to guys playing with life-like visual?
It will be an everlasting memory of being killed.
“Ehe-hehe! really the besttt! That boy is damn cuteee.”
“Hahahaha. So disgusting. Seems like I can’t eat any tomatoes today, don’t you think so?”
“Then, wanna eat cheese burger for dinner? I can make some minced meat for you.”
“Ewww. Pardon me from that. Lol.”
Who will guess that clan members PKing together are just playing hockey.
Role-playing as bad guys sure is fun huh.
Hmm, as I don’t usually go out, may be I will order a take-out.
Just now, Night Bull is mocking with a big grin on her face.
She should be an office worker who has a husband and a child in real life.
But… that real life does not matter now.
“Forget about real life, enjoy PK”.
That is the motto of [Castle].
Having fun.
Those who get done by us will not have any fun, but who care about those noobs.
A weak fellow is at fault for playing a game of combat power.
“I heard some guys stop playing the game with PK trauma.”
“There isn’t anyone like that from my friends”.
Really, there isn’t anyone like that from my friends.
Killing or being killed, it is just a game.
“Boss, with this kid, I wonder how many people we have killed here.”
“Shit. I lost count at fifty.”
Me and my [Castle] are now at [Sauda Mountain Road], southside of the Kingdom of Alter,
and we are killing the players leveling in the broad day light.
I’m only killing after killing.
Including those who try to get a revenge for their friends’ PK deaths, me and the clan members killed all of them.
“But, this job is not so bad.
I can hear money cashing out just by PKing.”
“Oh no! Our PK here feels like we are actually working. Haha.”
A reward of ten thousand Rirs per a player’s death penalty.
The deadline is one month in-game time.
It is a favorable condition.
The situation is even better as we have to kill noobs at beginner hunting grounds.
Especially in the first day, we got over 1 million Rirs on that day alone.
Ten millions in Japanese yen.
Laughters can be heard from my friends.
It is interesting that our PKing become big news.
Unlike the guy at the north, we don’t usually hide our appearances so we are well-known for our dirty works.
But it truly is tiring to live a life of villain huh.
“But I don’t see many players recently, I guess they all leave here in disappointment.”
“Yea. I heard it at the bar about that yesterday but they seem to be having some lee way in the east tho.”
[Mad Castle] hails here at[Sauda Mountain Road].
However, other PKers are spreading across the Kingdom’s other hunting grounds too.
We have the south and the east and west are infiltrated by clans, too.
The north? Well, by a troublesome nut-job.
“But [Goblin Street] in the west seems to rake in profits by side-income.”
“Nah. They are just targeting without caring players or NPCs.”
“They are daring.”
“Yep. typical YOLO guys.”
PK is not a crime.
Even in the official setting of [Infinite Dendrogram], it says the conflict between [Masters] shouldn’t be interfered.
But killing the NPC is a crime.
Tho there are exceptions like the NPC who is attacked is a criminal, justified defense, war event etc.
If you kill NPC without solid reasons, you will be wanted from the country as a criminal.
You can not use savepoints in that country if you are wanted there.
If it is only one country, you can just change your base of operation to other countries.
But if you kill NPCs too much, there is a chance you will be wanted in every countries.
It would be bad if you are wanted in all seven countries.
Savepoints cannot be set anywhere if that happens.
Risk is too high.
Let’s say you are sent to “Otherside” suddenly and you can not return to a safe savepoint when death penalty is over, what will you do?
Those guys from [Goblin Street] are already taking savepoints around Caldina probably, but we do not intend to go kill NPCs as they do.
Frankly, aiming the NPC do not feel good.
I have killed a criminal NPC before, but I feel bored because it didn’t have the high tension.
They don’t give the same feeling as players.
That’s why our hunting ground is skipping NPCs.
Well, both players and NPCs are scared and do not come often here tho.
“The most easy and pleasant thing to do is PK after all.”
“Yeah but [Goblin Street] seems kinda dangerous…
They are in the same PK business but I dont want to be put in the same categories as them.”
“…”
But northern hunting ground is even more scary than the west where they aim at NPCs.
The guy who is covering [Noz Forest] is the most dangerous one.
Yea. The north is covered not by a clan but a single PKer.
I don’t even know his name actually.
Also, I know that he is good at hiding his figure, only basic knowledge about him.
He sounds like a man of mystery lol.
He seems to be playing [Hitman Play] all the time in this [Infinite Dendrogram].
Some players have grudges against other players.
With petty reasons such as being attacked by someone, being harassed, etc.
He is usually killing players at the request of those guys.
Once, I even heard he had been asked to assassinate a [Super Class].
[Super Class], the strongest player layer that has evolved [Embryo] to the seventh form.
For such a guy?
I am sorry but I think I will refuse the commission without thinking twice.
But that crazy dude, he accepted that commission.
He took some great damages on himself, but he also brought down [Super Class] into the death penalty and sent him to the “Otherside”.
Yep. His tale widespreads in the streets as [Giant Killer].
He is like a colleague of us in this job, but I don’t want to see that guy if I can.
I don’t feel like losing to him if I have to fight him all-out,
but weird guy like him is even worse than your everyday PKers or NPC killers.
Not being involved with that kind of guy may be the right choice.
“Boss, the next prey has come.”
Oh, one clan member contacts us.
Using an item that can only use to talk between members of the clan.
We have parties of six, we organize to include one surveillance guy in each six people group.
In this formation, even if a group in one area is destroyed instantaneously by surprise attack,
the other party member can immediately sense that there is an abnormality from the simple status.
It’s a familiar multiplayer strategy.
“Oooh, he is equipped with pretty good equipment. This delicious smell of dessert.”
“Well, It is clear he is not a beginner. May be he come to hunt us?”
“I don’t think so. Coz there is only one person.”
“Just one person? Well, it’ll be okay. You should surround him quickly, threaten him to give up his equipments and kill him.”
“Hee hee, sounds good. If I sell those equipments, there will be wild partying today.”
[Party member [Jordan α] died.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[[Jordan α] has logged out due to the death penalty.]
What the f…?
“Hey, hey! Jordan, just answer it! What the hell happen so suddenly…”
[Party member [Loward·Belmar] died.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[[Loward·Belmar] has logged out due to the death penalty.]
In addition, another party member died.
Resurrection time is the time that resurrection items and magic are effective.
If you can revive the person within that time there won’t be a death penalty,
but this grace period depends on the condition of the corpse.
Two deaths just now are instant deaths with almost no time lag.
How much things go wrong in an instant?
I also check my clan members who are at the same location as me, but they have an identical dumb look.
Now, all the guys who were in the same place as the two seem to have died.
Twelve members are killed in unbelievable speed.
Those who are supposed to be in different places are being hit at the same time and at high speed.
Simultaneous raid by player group?
Impossible.
At each party, we include a guy with [Enemy Detection] skills.
How is it possible for them to prepare for simultaneous attacks before we notice it?
Actually, we already know who the killer is.
That one person.
“Arrr, you’re that player! A player from Alter Kingdom! Shit, it is a chain! The chain goes around…”
[Party Member [Devil Mode] died.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[[Devil Mode] has logged out due to the death penalty.]
The screams and the silence following the screams of more members tell me the third location is wiped out too.
But now, dead members left usable information.
Chains.
A player with chains.
And he is exactly that dessert with good equipment we found just before.
Killing our members so far alone.
He is not an ordinary guy.
And in the Kingdom of Alter, there is only one player famous for using chains.
That name is…
“Shit. He is Figaro ayaa ah!”
“[Overpowered Gladiator] Figaro!!! Why is he here? Guh…”
[Party members [Mohawk X] is now died.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[[Mohawk X] has logged out due to the death penalty.]
[Overpowered Gladiator] Figaro.
In the Kingdom of Alter, he is known by many names.
[Infinite Chains], one of [Three Kings of the Kingdom of Alter], [Wild King of the Battle City] etc.
He is known as one of the most powerful people in this game.
He is one of those[Super Class] and a weirdo who is rumored to enter dungeons solo.
Such a person is in this mountain…
Obviously with hostility towards us.
It is not impossible.
We were playing as terrorist players against the Kingdom.
It is not a surprise the rankers of the Kingdom for coming here to destroy us.
However, the usual tale of Figaro would have been far from such an action.
I heard that he is a man who is farming dungeons or just dueling at the Coliseum.
I heard he didn’t even participate in recent war…
[Party member [Dream Killer] died.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[[Dream Killer] has logged out due to the death penalty.]
Rustle… rustle…
“Shit.”
The announcement of fifth party getting wiped is heard.
I feel a bloodthirst aiming towards me just now.
I don’t know where it comes from.
However, as I know it will come aiming at me, I can deal with it.
Suddenly, chains approach me from four directions.
“[Astro Guard]!”
I invoke a specific defense skill of [Armor Giant] instantly.
By giving up my movement, it doubles Defense, [Armor Giant]’s strongest defense skill.
By doing this, my defense power exceeds 15,000 and it becomes the hardest.
The chain crashes into the shield with a terrible shape.
“Damn!”
HP is decreasing alot.
Plain defense of 15,000 and skills that reduce damage by 500 points and 20%, and I get this much damage.
Damn, it is reasonable that our members placed elsewhere get wiped without delay.
I reflect the chain but,
“Guhhh.”
The chain hits Night Bull who is by my side and crushes.
Not only Night Bull but people who were nearby are assaulted by the chains.
Leaving me alone, they disappear one by one.
Sorry guys. As I cannot move, I cannot protect you guys.
Well, I am out of any shitty luck.
Then there are no survivors in the surroundings.
no message can be heard anymore.
Apparently all members are annihilated … …
It seems like everyone except me are embracing their death penalties.
I stand there alone without leaving the position of [Astro Guard].
What I am facing now is a chain that gives creaky sounds of metal and slight damage every time it clashes me.
And the owner of the chain, [Overpowered Gladiator] Figaro.
He appears across the mountain path following the chain.
He is in my line of sight now.
The face is in right place, unlike me it does not need additional making.
Even if that face is default, it will be a good looking from the beginning.
He is wearing a light armor, a hakama, greaves, a ring, a long coat and a feather hat.
For me who had [Eye of Appraisal] skill to judge the name and value of the item, they are all powerful and rare they must be special equipments.
There are even things that are too rare and can not detect the performance with my [Eye of Appraisal] level.
“Surely he has multiple MVP buffs from [UBM] as usual too… …”
MVP benefits of [UBM – Unique Boss Monster] are not transferable and do not drop in random.
They are tough to beat but it just shows how delicious they are, isn’t it.
There is an important element that cannot be overlooked on Figaro’s body now.
These are numerous red strands entangled in both arms.
There are limits to the number of weapons and armor that can be equipped in this game.
Usually two weapons, or with one shield, one to the right and the other to the left.
In addition, there is a limit in number of usable weapons such as thrown weapons and items such as [Gem].
But he has three chains on each arm, a total of six chains.
Looks like six chains but all the chains are in fact one weapon.
It is an independent weapon named [Crimson Death Keeper].
Although Figaro isn’t moving his hands,
the six chains move automatically in the wind, they stretch and attack me.
I don’t know what to do.
According to my appraisal result [Crimson Death Keeper] has two skills [Automatic Enemies Searching] and [Range Extension].
It is such a convenient weapon.
And as [Eye of Appraisal] is showing its effect, it also shows that it is not [Embryo].
It seems he really is using a total of six weapons.
Obviously it is over the usual number of equipments but I remember.
There must have been a skill to increase the number of equipments for certain jobs of the [Gladiator] series.
Although it is limited to three at best, there is no wonder if [Super Class] can equip more weapons as a reinforcement type.
In other words, he isn’t using his [Embryo] yet.
He is annihilating us just by skills of [Overpowered Gladiator] and equipments in his possession.
Scary guy.
“Today, I meet someone who can prevent my chains as well.”
Figaro speak some gibberish line to me first.
“[Armor Giant].
You are doing good with your defense skill.
This toughness is moderate, is your [Embryo] also good at defense?”
“…”
He is talking about me while comparing with the others.
I have no reason to answer him.
May be he is bluffing, but i think he has a skill [Authenticity Judgment].
if you have a sense skill like that it informs its skill owner when the opponent lies.
The fact is that my [Embryo] ability is not a defense system.
“After all, it seems that PKers other than you get the full burn.”
He tells me he didn’t see the signs of living anywhere and the chains of [Automatic Enemies Searching] reacting only to me.
This guy, are you still targeting all PKers near the kingdom?
“By the way, is it okay to assume that you are the leader of the PK group in this area?”
“If I say so?”
“My purpose is to normalize the trading route between the Battle City and the Kingdom.
So I will let you off if you promise to withdraw from this [Sauda Mountain Road].”
“What are you saying after killing our clan members?”
“I won’t negotiate, you know.”
Nope.
The one that won’t negotiate is me.
As this shit-head only think us as desserts being served, even if he try to negotiate, I will hit him first.
I don’t know how much difference in fighting strength between one [Super Class] and our members, but I don’t even care.
“……”
I am a [Master]. I have my [Embryo] of the sixth form with me, how much difference will be there?
I will try something.
If you are hit by the [Finishing Skill] of my [Embryo] directly, you can be killed, I guess?
As one of [Super Class], his level will be far superior than me.
It won’t be a surprise even if he has double of my level or advanced over 500 levels.
However, the battle between the players is not all about level and status.
It is all about how to strike down your enemy with your own trump card without giving your enemy any time.
They say [Giant Killer] can destroy [Super Class].
Yea, I dare to try this dude.
“Alright. Alright. I will leave here now.
We [Mad Castle] will no longer hunt beginners here.
I don’t make up a lie, it is coming from the bottom of my heart.
This time PK here is already over as a guy like you appear for the suppression.”
I will withdraw after killing him.
“I have [Contract], wanna use?”
I took out a piece of parchment from the item porch.
This is an item type [Contract] and is used as a convention between players.
To those who breaks it, it give status debuff for a certain period of time, status abnormality, and give a penalty.
“That’s good. It is convenient, I think it is okay if you can use it.”
“Well, I wrote them. Please check it. ”
I say so and approach [Figaro] with [Contract].
Five meters.
Four meters.
Three meters.
Two meters.
In a range.
The magic is shining from my feet.
My [Embryo], Atlas, is invoked.
“…”
“[Heaven’s Weight]!!!”
One of the characteristic skills of my [Embryo], Atlas, is activated.
Increasing the gravity within the range and deals continuous damage.
The closer the target is to me, the more powerful weighing effect can be exerted.
The maximum 500 times gravity at 2 meters.
At the same time, the status abnormality of [Restraint] strongly affects the target, I doubt he cannot move a fingertip anymore.
The chain moves automatically to try to attack me, but crawls the ground because of 500 times gravity.
There is no one who has broke this synergy effect of [Restraint] and super gravity so far.
Even if you are an advanced level player, you will be pressure pretty hard at this point.
But I don’t think [Super Class] in front of me will be the same.
It is the assault of Atlas from here.
“[Astro Guard]!”
Again, pulling up to five times the defense force to trigger the [Astro Guard].
“…”
“I release it in the name of the giant, Atlas.”
I cast the special skill with the name of Atlas himself.
Convert your defense ability to attack power.
Then ten times attack power by ten seconds.
Attack power over 150 million.
If you are hit by it directly, you should get killed instantly whether you are a [Super Class] or not.
Atlas, my strongest blow against Unstoppable Figaro, strikes again and again.
“Break him until he dies!”
The ground cracks.
It is collapsing.
Now it becomes a huge crater.
But, is that all?
I don’t know how many accessories he has that has Resurrection and Substitution abilities.
In this ten seconds, I will stomp this ass-face with all my attacks until I die!
“…”
Suddenly the chains keep stabbing me repeatedly. It is strangling me.
“……!”
I notice it.
The earth on the ground was broken down by my attacks … …
But there is no Figaro there.
Where is Figaro? Where is that guy?
The answer is simple.
I am at the end of the chain tangled to my neck.
The tip of the chain is seen.
And Figaro is there about ten meters away.
“Heh, Impossible!”
Received a weight of 500 times, there is no reason to be able to jump.
And including the status abnormality of [Restraint].
“… … Ah.”
I noticed it too late.
I should realize something keeps bugging me.
I know that.
I should know that already.
[Overpowered Gladiator] Figaro is known to do solo dungeon capture as a business.
There is one essential condition to do stupid things like solo dungeon attacks.
High status, nope.
Recovery means, nope nope.
It is having countermeasures against status abnormality.
[Paralysis], [Sleep], [Petrification], and [Instant Death].
In these solo circumstances where there are no friends who will recover you, it is death to take these condition abnormalities.
That’s why the guy who plays with solo certainly has status abnormality countermeasures.
It is impossible for the [Super Class] known as a solo expert not to have it.
Perhaps from one of the equipments I could not appreciate.
It is probably an item to nullify [Constraint].
“Damn, it can’t be!”
I am convinced momentarily, but it can’t be.
My [Restraint] of [Heaven’s Weight] is not a normal debuff.
A unique characteristic skill my [Embryo] releases.
For this skill to be so badly suppressed…
Again, I noticed.
I thought that he was not using [Embryo].
But may be it is a mistake.
Just because I don’t know if he already uses his [Embryo] or [Super Class Embryo]…
Negating my hundreds of times gravity effect he now leaps …
“…!”
I look up to Figaro above.
I can’t see his expressions because of lights.
However, there is this blistering chill.
And when that guy lands the chill intensifies.
I’ve seen it.
“…!!!”
Those narrow eyes are opening.
His mouth that is smiling.
Smiling so much the mouth split, even all his teeth can be seen.
The sound leaking from that mouth is not that of a person.
It is mumbling and murderous sound similar to the groan of monsters.
“Shit!”
The moment I scream, he swings up both hands connected to the chain.
At that moment my neck that is tied to the chain is pulled up.
Both legs leave the ground and the earth moves further from me.
A rubbing sound of the air echoes to my ears.
The chain continues to grow whether the [Range Extension] skill is activated or not,
and continues to extend even if it reaches to an everlasting altitude.
Figaro on the ground became a point, I reach to the clouds, I doubt it is even beyond that.
Eventually the air is lost.
Even if I try to work my lung, I can breathe nothing.
Suffocation cross the brain.
Unless you set the sensor by yourself, pain sensation is replaced with a painless tingling sensation.
But suffocation will not change that much.
Damn. I don’t have time to worry about a mere suffocation.
Because more terrible things gonna happen to me than just to suffocate.
The chain is pulled back to the ground.
Even faster than when he is lifting me up.
The sight that looks like a reverse turn is coming back at doubling speed.
“Haaa ah ah ah … … “”
My scream of despair leaks in th air.
It doesn’t matter whether it is a game or not.
There is a fear of death in this fall.
The form of fear that all creatures feel when death is creeping in.
It doesn’t matter if it is without sense of pain or not.
At reproducing the fear of death, this unreal game passes with flying colors.
And I am falling from the altitude with a speed at which life can escape the body at any moment.
And Figaro is waiting at the landing point flashing me a disgusting smile.
“!!!”
Instead of his usual chains, the dude holds another weapon, a chain-saw shaped sword.
He swung the chain-saw towards me who is falling.
At the next moment, my body is becoming a bloody painting accompanying a bone shrieking sound ……
[Lethal Damage.]
[Resurrection time runs out.]
[Party Wiped.]
[Death Penalty: Login Limitation 24h]
~~~~tbc~~~~
TN
It is from another person’s POV this chapter.
I change some words and comparisons for easier reading.
For side-characters’ names in this chapter, I just use them without thinking much.
Btw the word count is like twice of usual chapter, I think. Pretty tiring this week.
Battle scenes are really hard to describe, but exciting to read. I will fix some word usage later but now I am too tired.
Estimated time for next chapter: May 11th
Something about this chapter:
1. [Overpowered Gladiator] – furinaga reads [over.gladiator] when author first introduced this character.
This character has setting like Arena/Coliseum and Battle City, so [Gladiator] part looks legit.
For [Over] part, i just guess it from some words like overlooked, overshadowed, overpowered ,overgrown .
2. [Sauda Mountain Road] – I think [Sauda Mountain Path] makes more sense, but I will leave it as it is for now.
3. Altea and Drif or Alter and Drive I don’t know what would be better. Alter and Drive are true meanings btw.
