HC: Pacifist | Ch. 213 - “Thanks, boss!”

Roth couldn't believe the old man would make such a dirty move. Seeing his baby being tossed into the battlefield like that, Roth was incensed. More than that, though, he was terrified Loki might get to little Lin. As he saw his kitten screaming mid-air with his paws outstretched and his fur prickled up, he couldn't help but fall for Jaw-Long's obvious trap. No matter how much he wanted to remain neutral in this battle, he had to save his kitten.

Peace Decree!

Once again, the atmosphere of the observatory shifted, becoming black and white. Loki’s skills failed to cause Lin or the players around him any harm.

Roth looked back to Jaw-Long, who grinned at him triumphantly. Roth then glanced across the battlefield toward ColdHand, who regarded him coolly. It looked like the moment he refused to play along with the guilds, they devised a strategy to pull him back in.

That's why the guilds had been so carefree with their cooldowns earlier. They knew they would have one full minute to rest. Roth clicked his tongue at the guilds’ vicious move, but what mattered was that Lin was safe.

Roth had to give points to Jaw-Long for having such an accurate aim. Lin had landed on Loki’s head and was clawing at his face. Loki grabbed the little kitten away from him and threw him onto the ground, shooting skill after skill at him. Roth was already running and saving his pet.

"What's wrong with you, Loki? Can't you see it's just a baby?”

“Just a…? No. You are doing this on purpose. What a twisted mind you have to come up with such a scene to mock me. This is all revenge for what I've done to you, right?"

"Just get off my case, Loki. I told you it was an accident. I'm sorry. I didn't want to put you in a wheelchair, and I didn't want to get in your way here in the game. I'm just trying to live my life, man. Just leave me and my cat alone."

Loki, again, went on the barrage and tried to attack Roth left and right. Roth waited for Jaw-Long to come and save him, but the old man remained motionless this time, watching from far away. While Loki punched, bit, and shot him with skills, Roth was sent flying from one place to the other. He wasn’t suffering any damage but wasn’t having a good time either. He felt like a football being kicked around.

As [Peace Decree]’s duration came to an end, Espers around the field channeled powerful attacks. Were they using him as a distraction? As Loki kept slashing, shrieking, and screaming, attacking Roth with every skill he had, Roth realized Loki had lost it, and he didn't even see the attacks coming.

He knew what this was. He had felt it many times. Back in his gaming days, he didn't see anything or anyone when he went into berserker mode. He could only see what was in front of him. Loki was having a rage fit. It looks like coming here really angered him.

Jaw-Long finally jumped in.

Wormhole!

He teleported to Roth and then back to the observatory's rim. Just as Loki’s fit ended, a series of skills fell on him, bringing his hp dangerously low. Loki was hit with fire, lightning, ice, water, and rocks. It was Ogre's turn after Loki received the rain of skills from the espers.

39 Hit Slash!

Ogre's sword blurred as he performed a complex choreography that made his sword hack and slash Loki at every angle quickly, bringing dangerous numbers over Loki.

-312

-714

-217

-183

-12

-48

-12

-181

-711

Ogre had thrown all caution into the wind and went all in.

Spectral Spear!

-4120

Loki’s attack finally interrupted the onslaught, and Ogre fell. But as the berserker died, a newcomer arrived through the teleportation gate. Cerberus had his bow drawn, and as soon as he arrived on the battlefield, he let out a brilliant arrow.

Accumulated Potential Arrow!

This was the most powerful attack Roth had ever seen a player do. He didn't know how long Cerberus had been channeling this attack, but one thing was sure: Even without much battle experience in this game, he could tell it would be enough to end the battle.

Just as the arrow was about to hit Loki, the wind rustled, and a cloud abruptly formed in the shape of a man. The slender player had everything but his eyes covered, white leather armor, and two daggers drawn. Roth recognized him. It was the same man who had warned him that Loki would be coming for him. He got in front of the arrow.

Parry!

The arrow clashed against the newcomer's dagger and was deflected, crashing into the observatory wall and opening a massive hole in it. Everything was still for a moment. Jaw-Long had a slack jaw, and ColdHand was in a panic.

“Zin. You finally came. Thank…”

Zin? This was Zin? The number one player in the ranks? Roth hadn't known the identity of his savior, but he could never have imagined that it would be the famous Zin. Now that he had joined the battle, things would get impossible for the guilds. They were all going to die. Before Roth could come to terms with his upcoming death, Zin plunged his other dagger into Loki's heart.

Sacrificial Execution!

-4132

The dagger dug into Loki's body, finishing off his hp. Zin’s body lit up a few times, signaling he had gained several levels,

"Zin, you…" Loki spat, drolling.

Zin turned to Roth and gave him a thumbs up. "Thank you, boss. Your plan worked," he told Roth, loud enough for everyone to hear.

“You! You two are together?!” Loki’s body finally disappeared, leaving a pile of loot behind.

“Boss? What are you talking about?” Roth had a sinking feeling in his stomach. Why was Zin making it sound as if they were friends? They had only talked once!

Zin just ignored Roth and pocketed what had been one of Loki’s pieces of equipment.

“Stop him!” urged ColdHand.

MountainTop, who was closest, crossed the small gap between them and hit him with his shield just as Zin pocketed a second piece of the loot.

Shield Bash!

Zin just activated a life-saving skill and became untargetable, making MountainTop’s skill phase through him. Jaw-Long had already arrived, though, and he made sure his attack connected.

Reality Punch!

Punching Zin in the gut, the air around them seemed to shatter like glass. Zin’s previous ethereal form was sent flying away from the pile of loot.

“Jaw-Long,” Zin spat through clenched teeth while regarding the old man hatefully. Seeing Cerberus’ arrows flying at him, he activated [Camouflage] and disappeared. As his form faded, all eyes turned to Roth.

“Are you in cahoots with Zin?” demanded one of the espers.

“Did you betray us?” asked MountainTop.

“Who? Me?” Roth asked in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? Of course not!”

Several players complained angrily at Roth. ColdHand calmly stepped in. “Calm down everyone. Collect the rest of the loot so we can leave. We’ll settle this matter later.”

The players dispersed, moving toward the pile of loot. Roth nodded gratefully toward ColdHand, but he just walked away and, calling Jaw-Long and BlueFire, began conferencing with them on the side. Roth had the sinking feeling he knew what they were discussing.

The pile of loot quickly disappeared, leaving only one black ball on the ground. Roth watched curiously as a player tried to pick it up, but his hands phased through the object.

Finally, MountainTop ran over to ColdHand and talked to him in hushed tones.

“Ticket Boy,” ColdHand called out. "That item can only be picked up by whoever has a relevant quest. That’s got to be you, right? Go ahead. You can pick it up.”

As he said that, angry looks were thrown at ColdHand, but he was already conversing with BlueFire and Jaw-Long again, ignoring the players' discontent. Roth walked hesitatingly toward the black sphere.

Hive King’s Egg (Quest Item)

Within this sphere, there’s the embryo of the monarch of the Parasitoid race.

Effects: Unknown.

[Surgically Remove the Darkness] has been updated.

Surgically remove the Darkness (Epic)

You have successfully led a team of players to hunt the hive king. To finish the quest, bring the Hive King's egg to one of the members of the Table.

He had wondered whether the quest would still count if he didn’t land any attacks on the Hive King, but it looked like all that was required was for him to be in the vicinity when it died. Thankfully, too, the quest didn’t permit other players to grab the key to complete the quest.

He took in the scene around him. He had never imagined that Loki was the Hive King. It looked like their lives were entwined, like two threads in a cord.

The battle had completely disfigured the abandoned building. Some parts were still burning, others were encased in ice. The conflicting emotions wrestling in his heart didn’t feel much different. Some were burning anger at Jaw-Long for almost killing his kitten and Zin for implicating him in Loki’s death. Other parts were encased in cold numbness at the sight of Loki’s demise or the guild’s bittersweet battle.

Had bringing these players here really been the right thing to do? His thoughts were interrupted by ColdHand.

“Let’s start teleporting back. Ticket Boy, go to the portal and see if it works.”

Roth approached the crack in reality that [Lion Breath] had formed.

If you enter the portal, it will close for good. Do you wish to use it?

“It says that I have to be the last one to use it, or it won’t work,” explained Roth.

ColdHand exchanged a knowing look with BlueFire and Jaw-Long, who nodded. Was Roth missing something here?

“Very well. Everyone, go—first, the guild leaders, then the warriors, then the medics, then the espers. DryGrass, you will stay behind. Dissolve the barrier and try to make it out on your own.”

“Why not leave Ticket Boy behind? Didn’t he betray us?” the rogue asked unhappily.

“Are you questioning my orders?” ColdHand asked. Kraken remained quiet to the side, but something about the air around him had turned acid, and Roth felt his eyes burn.

“No, sir.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

*

“ZIN!” screamed Loki as he appeared in the capital graveyard. He couldn’t believe his most powerful player and best-paid employee betrayed him like this. It all made sense now. How hadn’t he seen it before? The blindspots in his intelligence. The leaks of information. Why else would someone like Zin be so competent in some errands but fail to find a few specific people if it weren’t because he didn’t want to find them? The assassin had played him.

Zin has attacked you.

-4132

You have died.

You are Level 0.

You lose all your stats. No physiotherapy can save you.

You will be brought back to your last saving point.

The penalty was as harsh as Loki had expected. He hadn’t foreseen how he would be killed before it was time.

Fortunately, he had taken several precautions in case he was ever betrayed. For example, he told the guild's management that the safe's combination was one when, in reality, it was another. If anyone tried to use one of the wrong combinations to open the safe, he would be notified immediately. Sure enough, he got the notification he expected.

Zin has tried to use the guild's vault. Access denied.

He sure had been fast. It was a good thing Loki had been prepared. He allowed himself a tiny bit of satisfaction for this little victory.

Loki implemented the protocol he had prepared in case one of the guild elders ever turned their back on him. First, he blacklisted Zin from the Pegasus organization and sent an alert to his security. He then opened the game’s menu.

Are you sure you wish to delete your avatar? After you’ve done so, there is no going back. [Y/N].

Loki accepted. He had to hurry.

Speed was paramount. Just how much of the guild was compromised? How much had Zin stolen? Zin knew almost every secret of the guild. Loki kept the most valuable things to himself, but even so, his betrayal was disastrous. He couldn’t waste a second. He had to take stock of what was left and return to his guild’s vault as soon as possible.

He remembered the last thing he saw before being killed. Zin had given Roth the thumbs-up. Was he really the Slayer’s ally? It was impossible. The money required to hire someone of Zin’s caliber was beyond Roth’s comprehension. Was he trying to play him? The most hateful thing was that it was working. Even though Zin had dealt the final blow, he couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming hatred toward the Slayer. His back hurt like never before. He felt like in the day that the Slayer had almost killed him.

He hurried to create a new avatar and sent messages to Anak and Xerxes.

“Zin has betrayed us. Xerxes, come get me. Anak, safeguard the perimeter. See if the guilds are still in the observatory. We are on the highest alert.”

First, he would clean up Zin’s mess. Then, he would go after Zin. Finally, he would go after the Slayer.

Ch. 212 - Tipping Point

INDEX

Ch. 214 - Targeted