The Price of a Gamble (1)

Players generally had better instincts than normal people. Their senses got sharper as they leveled up and gained experience from Gates.

But sometimes, there were things they can sense even if they lacked level and experience.

Like now.

The eighteen players trembled like schoolchildren about to be punished by a teacher. Rodomirs energy was so violent and wild that it gave them chills.

Goddamn, the rookie was able to fight back so I didnt expect much but hes gonna kill us all.

Youre telling me Seo Jun-ho fought one-on-one with this beast?

Hm I wonder if we can take him down by taking turns distracting him with a pincer attack

They fell deep in thought, and so did Cha Min-woo. There was an immeasurable gap from when hed seen him from afar. Now, he was close enough to hear the tribe chiefs breaths.

Jun-ho-nim fought valiantly against him.

They bit their lips. They were nervous, but they were also ashamed.

Dammit, what kind of burden did we place on a three-month-old newbie?

Shit, I tried to give him some advice as a sunbae before. Fucking embarrassing.

Its obvious. Seo Jun-ho is going places.

Ten minutes. A veteran player spoke, the same one who had realized what Seo Jun-ho had been doing earlier. I dont think any of us can defeat him. You guys know that, right?

They nodded. It mightve been different if the others werent busy fighting off the leftover dark elves, but they didnt have any other choice.

So lets just survive the next ten minutes.

Is there any reason why its ten minutes? Cha Min-woo asked.

I heard from the back lines that Seo Jun-ho will recover in around ten minutes.

The players looked determined. Defeating Rodomir on their own would be impossible, but holding out for ten minutes was much more doable.

Ten minutes Cha Min-woo clenched his fist. He didnt make the mistake of looking back: if he did, Seo Jun-ho would see the fear in his eyes. We can do it. If its just ten minutes, we can hold out Cha Min-woo chanted the sentence under his breath.

Dodge, you idiot! A player next to him pulled him by his shoulder. As he spun, he felt the vibrations of the cave in his bones.

An attack!

Rodomir had made the first move. With a single strike of his sword, the wall formed by eighteen people was broken.

Ugh.

Somehow, no one was hurt. Cha Min-woo gripped his sword.

Thank you for saving me! And Im sorry! He yelled.

Get it together!

Roger!

The eighteen players all moved in different directions, but they all had the same goal.

That ahjussi said we just need to hold out for ten minutes, but

They were putting their lives on the line. It would be unfair if all their opponent lost was time.

He should gamble his life too.

They had their pride as players. Nineteen figures twisted and fought, aiming for each others lives.

* * *

Rodomir was starting to feel uneasy.

They were like ants before

When hed assessed them before the battle, he hadnt been worried. Hed been confident that hed be able to kill them all in five minutes, if it even took that long.

But as soon as the battle started, things went in an unexpected direction.

You insects!

His enemies were relentless. If he got rid of one, three would go and help; in that time, the rest of them would attack him.

Why Why are they fighting so hard?

Rodomir scowled and paused his attack, staring at the humans. When he saw the fierce look in their eyes, he realized that these disgraceful pests were trying to hunt him.

Ha haha? Their level of effort makes a big difference.

If they were smart, theyd run with their tail between their legs, but they were actually trying to kill him.

He felt disappointed in himself when he couldnt kill them all immediately.

Why do I feel so uneasy? He clenched and unclenched his fist. He hadnt realized it, but he wasnt using his full power. Rodomir looked past the players.

That human. The human that hed first crossed swords with was still glaring at him from afar as he sat on the ground. It was because his injuries were starting to heal.

Fufu, Rodomir laughed. It was funny. I am a fallen being and burned my own soul away and Im wary of that human? How could it not be funny?

His laughter didnt last long. The amusement left his face, his eyes as cold as ice. He swung his sword at the players heads again. It was the same trajectory as before, so they reacted the same way, but the results were different.

Ahhhh! A player screamed as the attack cut through his shield and chest. Other players quickly sent him to the back as he gasped for breath, the healers attending to him.

It was the same attack as before though?

Is he finally starting to get serious?

An alarm went off in the players heads. The battle had been going on for seven minutes.

Theres still three minutes left.

Weve survived thus far. Well survive for three minutes more, somehow

Thats what they thought, but it took three seconds for them to realize they were wrong.

No one could block Rodomirs strike when he attacked for real. He was the ruler of the battlefield, controlling it as he pleased. If he wanted to kill something, he killed. If he wanted to destroy something, he destroyed.

Keep going Keep going The veteran player whispered hoarsely as he stood back up. His arm was bent the wrong way and hung pitifully.

Hoo, hoo.

He was also a human who felt fear. He wasnt some noble, self-sacrificing hero either. But he still wouldnt lower his sword.

No one can defeat him except player Seo Jun-ho. He hadnt thought that before the battle. Telling his teammates that they only had to survive for ten minutes was meant to be a morale boost. Hed thought that theyd be able to take on one guy if they joined with the rest of their forces. But thats not true.

He wasnt just one guy. The real hunt would start when the other dark elves were annihilated and he was the only one left. He was strong enough to be a one-man army.

If the Gate was a little older, he thought, Rodomir would be the boss monster of a 1-star Gate.

The Association grants a star to the Gate of a monster who has killed ten thousand players. The only reason this Gate hadnt received one was because they were the first group to attempt to clear it. The veteran thought that Rodomir was more than strong enough to kill ten thousand players.

Huff huff.

The only sounds were the players harsh breathing. They could sense the despair in the others breaths.

Is that all?

Rodomir narrowed his eyes. He looked at them in disgust, as if they were insects. The look in his eyes only angered the players, making them use their weapons to prop themselves up.

So you still have some strength left.

It didnt really matter. Whether it took a hundred or a thousand times to force them to kneel, they would eventually stop getting up. But that time didnt come.

Rodomirs pupils dilated, eyes fixed on a certain human walking toward him.

You know what they say in movies at times like this? Seo Jun-ho asked. He finished stretching, as if to show that his ribs were fine.

A challenger approaches!

This isnt the 2010s.

Cringe.

Jun-ho-nim, thats a little

Seo Jun-hos face fell. Wh-what are you saying? All the movies Ive seen have lines like that.

Was he behind the times? Did it sound like a dad joke?

Seo Jun-ho cleared his throat as his face started to turn red. Forget it. Leave this guy to me and go support the main forces.

Can you really take him on alone?

Hes really strong

They seemed reluctant. Seo Jun-ho had basically told them to run away, but they wanted to protect their pride and honor.

Lets fight together.

That would be better. After crossing swords with him, I dont think hes a monster one person can fight alone.

Itll be your fault if you die while fighting alone.

Why are they like this? Seo Jun-hos frustration was starting to show on his face. While he was getting treated, hed thought about how he could use his skills without arousing suspicion. The solution was obvious, but the others wouldnt play long.

Theres no need to ponder. Rodomir gave him his answer. He raised his sword high over his head.

Ill just kill you all at once. He swung with all his strength. The force of his strike was like a small explosion.

Seo Jun-hos eyes glinted.

Hey!

Player Seo Jun-ho!

Right before Rodomirs sword swung, Seo Jun-ho had stabbed him. A tremendous dark energy exploded between them.

Kuh!

Wh-what?

The players had been thrown back and started to realize what happened. A black dome had formed in front of them; it spread across the area. Cha Min-woo banged on its surface.

Jun-ho-nim! Are you alright?!

A faint voice came from inside.

This The bastard used not the one I did trapped quite

Did he fall for the enemys trap? Unable to hold back his frustration, Cha Min-woo attacked the dome several times to no avail.

Theres nothing we can do. The veteran player had approached Cha Min-woo and sat cross-legged on the ground. He stared at the dome bitterly. I dont know who will step out once its over but all we can do now is believe and wait.

Youre right.

The players sat in front of the large dome and waited.

What is this? Rodomir was uncharacteristically disoriented. He looked around the pitch-black darkness that surrounded him.

This is Curtain of Darkness. Seo Jun-ho stroked the wall affectionately. I usually make it cover a small area to have private conversations, but sometimes I have fights in here. Just like now.

So its your skill.

Correct.

Were you hiding your true strength? Rodomir growled. Seo Jun-ho shrugged.

Only

The darkness around him had started to waver, and ice had started to form.

Your anger makes me feel like Im the boss monster, Seo Jun-ho muttered as he unsheathed Black Dragon Fang. He tried to imagine it the other way around; if hed landed a near-fatal wound on a boss monster and it retreated to recover, only to come back with two new skills

Man, that second phase would be a pain in the ass.

Of course, that wasnt the case for Seo Jun-ho because it wasnt his situation.

So this is how bosses feel? Its fun, he laughed gleefully.