Emperor of Solo Play

 ­ Golden Skeleton (3)

Swordsman class players who were skilled in PKs had balanced strength and stamina stats. It was never the case that one of the two were much higher than the other. Even so, this did not mean that they distributed the stat points from level up equally. If so, down the line, they would only be suited for PKs.

Typically, players chose either the strength or stamina stat to focus most of their stat points, then filled the other stat point through items.

In the case of Join, he chose stamina with his level up stat points and strength with his item choices.

Join’s current stamina stat was 149.

That was enough to determine the outcome of this match.

Crash!

Hyrkan’s hammer struck Join’s helmet like a bell. Join staggered, during which time Hyrkan’s Skeleton Warrior struck him with its hammer. Join’s body flew up in the air, then landed on the ground with a thud.

‘Shit.’

Join got up from the ground slowly. He felt his body heavier than ever before.

‘He even knows curses.’

Demon Curse and Slow Curse.

These two curses were currently hindering Join. He felt as if he was wearing shackles on both his hands and feet.

‘Who is he?’

Not to mention, the magician that was supposed to help him was long dead. When Skeleton Warriors suddenly jumped on Int, he had no way of avoiding and death was inevitable. Although magicians were strong, that was it. His magic had dealt a fair bit of damage to one of the Skeleton Warriors, but the other ones didn’t miss the opening created after his attack. It was Game Over with just one swing. Once a magician fell down, he didn’t have enough stamina to sustain being hit continuously.

At this moment, Join did not despair, but rather considered his opponent’s strength once more.

‘A necromancer with 4 skeletons. He raised strength and is also a curse magician.’

He knew his role in this situation. There was no chance of him escaping alive. His allies had already begun fighting the Golden Skeleton. What he had to do now was to deliver as much as information as possible to his allies.

Join raised his sword.

Watching this, Hyrkan charged towards Join.

Before the distance closed, Join turned his sword horizontally to slash at Hyrkan.

Before that…

“Booster!”

He used a skill.

The moment the skill was used, Join’s sword moved with incredible speed, just like the sword had a booster attached to its hilt.

Whoosh!

Even so, Join’s sword only slashed through thin air. Hyrkan had lowered his body and dodged the attack. Immediately afterwards, Hyrkan swung his hammer at Join’s knee.

Crack!

Join’s knee made a strange sound before his body spun a full circle and landed in place.

While he was staring into the sky feeling dizzy…

Crash!

A hammer slammed down his face.

Crash crash!

It rained down endlessly.

★★★

-We got taken out.

When the message from the Joint duo came, the Golden Skeleton hunting team was already in action.

They had no choice.

Their two priests had already used their buffs and their strongest magician had already finished casting his strongest spell. Most importantly, the Golden Skeleton was in front of their eyes.

Giving up and going back at this point was… something they couldn’t afford to do.

In the end, two swordsmen led the way while the magician supported them from the back. Meanwhile, one of the priests talked to the already dead Joint duo using the voice talk program.

-He’s not normal. Even though he’s a necromancer, both he and his summons are strong. It seems we fell into his trap.

“Trap?”

-Otherwise, why would someone so strong pretend to be a weakling? The one he was fighting wasn’t a monster, but his own summon.

“Mm.”

Trap.

The priest wasn’t surprised. He only thought what was meant to happen, happened.

‘I knew this would happen.’

Dead Woods was a hunting ground for level 30+ players. Players who were above level 30 at this point in the game were people who spent a fair amount of money in the game. They weren’t the kind to sit back and do nothing when they were PKed without reason. Without a doubt they would surely try to get revenge. Because of this, PKs generally only worked at levels 10s and 20s. Past that, there was a huge risk involved. If one didn’t find great joy in PKs, most opted to do PvP, a fair 1v1 dual.

Of course, there was no way the Golden Skeleton hunting team didn’t know this. That was why they placed so much emphasis on ending this early. Once they finished what they wanted to do and left, there was lesser chance of receiving retaliation. Their faces weren’t filmed, and they could simply change what they were wearing. It’s not like there were security cameras or finger print scanners.

However, it seemed that one of their victims had a strong backing. They didn’t think someone so skilled would come in such short period of time.

“Are you sure it was just one person?”

-Just one. No one else.

“One person…”

On the other hand, it seemed that the victim could only find one person in such short amount of time.

This fact made the priest unsure.

‘If it’s just one, maybe we can deal with him.’

If a group of players came, they would have no choice but to run away. But with just one, it was a different story.

Of course, Join’s thoughts were different.

-I’m telling you, he’s not normal. You guys should take care of him first before you get to the Golden Skeleton.

The priest refused Join’s suggestion.

“If we miss the Golden Skeleton today, we’ll have to try again tomorrow. By that time, there will be more people after us.”

If they wanted to kill the Golden Skeleton, now was the time. They had delayed it long enough. Any more would be too risky.

-But…

Join knew this as well.

“Just tell me how he looks like again.”

-Alright.

Join decided not to continue with his suggestion. He was already in Game Over state, and he had no choice but to hope for his allies to succeed.

Everyone else agreed as well.

“If we’re going to do it, we have to do it now.”

“You said it was just one, right? Even if he comes here, I’ll just take the aggro, and everyone else can pounce on him. It won’t take long.”

“Yeah, let’s hurry up and finish.”

They knew that if they couldn’t kill it today, it was better to leave Dead Woods.

The Golden Skeleton hunt started in such a way and went on as if the two missing people weren’t needed.

All members were at their maximum concentration, and they were already experienced in dealing with the Golden Skeleton. Because of it, they were able to coordinate well with each other.

Above all, the one they had been wary of never came. Not even skeletons and Skeleton Warriors, which often arrived after hearing the commotion, showed up. The Golden Skeleton hunting team could put all their energy and focus onto the Golden Skeleton.

As a result…

“Get ready to chase!”

“It’s phase 2!”

They were quickly able to lower the Golden Skeleton’s HP to half.

Once the Golden Skeleton’s HP dropped to half, the Golden Skeleton dropped aggro and ran away as fast as possible.

“Catch it!”

“Don’t let it escape this time!”

This was why it was so hard to hunt a Golden Skeleton. If the Golden Skeleton went out of vision, the game system decided that it had successfully escaped. In that case, the hunters would have to wait another day.

The Golden Skeleton hunting team had already failed two times. They didn’t want to fail a third time. Experienced from its last two escapes, they didn’t blindly chase after it. They set up a formation and moved accordingly.

Swordsmen, magicians, and priests all took part in the chase.

The five moved as one.

And…

‘It’s finally starting. They did better than I thought they would.’

Hyrkan, who had been hiding and watching, made his move.

★★★

“I’m here to get an apology.”

When the Golden Skeleton hunting team successfully caught up with the Golden Skeleton, they couldn’t help but yell in excitement.

Once the pursuers caught up with the Golden Skeleton, it stopped running and fought back. At this point, finishing it off wasn’t too big of a problem.

However, a strange player suddenly appeared in a strange getup, wearing a strange mask, while saying strange things. The Golden Skeleton hunting team stood dumbfounded.

“What?”

They had already received a report.

The Joint duo told them about Hyrkan’s characteristics, and they weren’t the ones to be forgotten so easily either. They had even made a plan to remove him if he appeared.

Even so, they couldn’t help but be shocked by the absurd thing Hyrkan was saying.

Hyrkan repeated his words at the two priests standing in the back.

“Your acts of bad manner have not gone unnoticed. Countless players have been PKed by you already. I’m here to get an apology.”

He continued.

“I’m not here to cause a ruckus. All I want is an apology, a sincere one. I also want you to return the watches of all the players you PKed. That is all.”

Hyrkan’s polite and composed words were undoubtedly just. Since they PKed, he wanted them to apologize and to return the watches! There was nothing unfair about it.

However, for the ones hearing it…

‘The fuck is he saying?’

‘Is he messing with us?’

It was complete nonsense.

It was so absurd that their faces were frozen in stupefaction.

When Hyrkan finished his speech, everyone snapped back. They opened their mouths to prepare for action.

“How long can you last alone?”

“I’ll be fine for 2 or 3 minutes.”

“Good luck.”

“Hurry up and come back in 3 minutes. That guy’s nuts.”

To fight, a swordsman had to lead. Although he was alone, he was a necromancer who had skeletons at his disposal. They couldn’t just fight him with magicians and priests.

As such, one of the swordsman fighting the Golden Skeleton turned back to face Hyrkan.

At the same time, the other swordsman attacked the Golden Skeleton to draw aggro to himself.

The swordsman raised his sword up high and charged at the Golden Skeleton.

“Crash!”

When the swordsman yelled out, his sword lit up.

Shining Sword.

The Golden Skeleton swung its own sword towards this sword, and the two swords clashed.

Crash!

Rather than the sound of metal, a sound of explosion rang out.

In the midst of that explosion, the Golden Skeleton was clearly eyeing the swordsman.

“I got the aggro!”

Having succeeded in drawing the aggro, the swordsman shouted out. Meanwhile, the two priests quickly ran back, away from Hyrkan. It was the most basic of basics to aim for the priests first.

At the same time, the swordsman that had turned back stood between Hyrkan and the two priests. He immediately swung his sword at Hyrkan. Horizontally, vertically, diagonally… he slashed at him without any delay.

Whoosh, whoosh!

The sound of air being cut continued to ring out in Hyrkan’s ears.

“Alright, just buy time. I’ll send a hot one flying over soon.”

The magician, of course, began casting his magic. It wasn’t a strong one, but one that could be casted quickly. If need be, he would risk losing the swordsman to finish Hyrkan off. After all, they were up against just one person, and the Golden Skeleton hunting team had two priests.

At this, Hyrkan gave one final warning.

“I just need an apology. If you do this, I will have no choice but to retaliate.”

Of course, there was no response to his warning. There was no need to.

At the same time…

‘How is this guy dodging so well?’

The swordsman couldn’t help but be surprised as he watched Hyrkan dodge all his attacks with the slightest movement. He could even afford to blabber.

“I’m ready.”

Hearing the magician’s report, the swordsman looked for a timing.

“Booster!”

Then, he used an attack speed boosting skill.

Whish!

The heavy sound of the sword quickly turned sharp. At the same time, the magician grabbed a hold of a heavy fireball. He estimated the distance between them as he prepared to throw.

At that moment…

Clack, clack!

A horned Skeleton Warrior wearing Bone Armor began to charge towards the magician like a bull.

Watching this, one of the priests quickly arrived next to the magician and held his palms out.

“Light Shield!”

A tent-sized barrier surrounded him and the magician. The Skeleton Warrior swung its hammer toward the shield.

At the same time…

Whish!

The magician threw his fireball at his ally and Hyrkan without hesitation. The fireball made a perfect parabola as it began to fall toward Hyrkan’s back. Then…

Boom!

The fireball exploded and fire shards exploded out in all directions.

“Shit!”

A scream was heard.

“Help me!”

“What?”

“What happened?”

The sound came from the swordsman who had been keeping the Golden Skeleton’s aggro.