Emperor of Solo Play

­ Lucky Drop (4)

The moment Quiyote announced his loss, he lay down on the ground face up like a corpse.

“Are you okay?”

“He’s completely out of it. Hey, Quiyote! Quiyote! Snap out of it! Don’t tell me you logged out?”

Quiyote’s friends were poking him, trying to console him while making fun of him at the same time.

Hyrkan watched them from an appropriate distance.

‘… doesn’t look like they’re going to attack me.’

Hyrkan wasn’t watching them because he didn’t have anything better to see.

Although people may issue a fair challenge at first, it wasn’t rare to change the moment they lost.

Hyrkan had experienced such happenings more than most people. Before returning to the past, his fame was closer to notoriety.

At the same time, Hyrkan’s battle style wasn’t exactly knightly. It was dirty in a way, but the biggest reason it angered people was its overwhelming result. In a fight, it seemed appropriate for fighters to trade an arm for a wrist. However, it wasn’t the case for Hyrkan. The way he overwhelmed his opponents gave his opponents a sense of hopelessness. Ones who thought they were good at fighting were devastated and put to place.

In any case, Quiyote and his friends didn’t seem like they would go against their words.

That only meant one thing.

‘Time to get my pay.’

The 5,000 gold was for the winner, and the wristwatch was the right of the winner.

Once he received these, Hyrkan planned to leave without turning back. After all, he had received money to make up for his reason being there. Moreover, Hyrkan was quite interested in Quiyote’s watch.

‘If that gives me a weapon, I can probably swim in meat for a few days.’

Quiyote’s armor was the White Mamba set. However, it was of a different design than what the player Hyrkan met last time had. It was likely made by a different person. In any case, it was an expensive one. Although each of the White Mamba set items had good options, its set effect was truly amazing. It was better than wearing a Unique item.

At this point, the most expensive items were those between level 70 and 90. Not only did players at these levels start playing from the beginning, but they were also the type to spend enormous amount of money on games. If not, unless they had the talent and ability like Hyrkan, it was impossible to enter the level range. Plus, because they could easily resell any items they are done using, the price on items had a lot of bubbles attached to it. Since they could sell it for almost the exact amount they had bought it for, there was no reason to not spend a large sum of money.

There was no way that someone wearing a White Mamba set, especially one that would agree on 5,000 gold for a duel, would have spared money on weapons.

If a weapon dropped from the watch, Hyrkan would truly have hit the jackpot!

No, it would be a jackpot even if he got any one of the White Mamba set.

‘This is why people have to live kindly.’

While Hyrkan was thinking some nonsense, Quiyote, who had remained speechless for a while, finally got up.

“You’re finally up. Idiot. Why would you call 5,000 gold for a challenge fee?”

“What a waste. You should’ve gone to a club with that instead.”

His friends each gave him some words. Quiyote simply ignored them and walked towards Hyrkan. Hyrkan stared back at Quiyote through his Hahoe Mask with his guard down. Watching Hyrkan’s attitude, Quiyote took off his helmet. A handsome, blonde and blue-eyed man showed his face.

He looked at Hyrkan and spoke.

“Wow!”

★★★

‘Amazing.’

To Quiyote, his battle with Hyrkan was a nightmare. Everything he had thought of before the fight had gone to waste. He couldn’t do anything against the situation he was put under. Everything was outside of his expectations and outside of his imaginations. He was toyed with ruthlessly.

However, to Quiyote, his battle with Hyrkan felt newer than any fight he had ever had before.

It went past the level of new and reached the level of touching.

‘Yeah, this is a real fight!’

The duels Quiyote had until now was exchange of different skills to see who could deal more damage. That was it. It was something one could find in a simple console or PC game much less a VR game.

However, it was different with Hyrkan. In a virtual world that was as real as the real world, Hyrkan used every gap in his movement to attack.

This is what a real fight is like! Hyrkan seemed to be saying so.

Dirty? Cheap? In a war where lives were at risk, such words were flattery. It wasn’t a game of sports. The goal wasn’t to score more points than the opponent.

‘I want him as my teacher.’

In this sense, the battle with Hyrkan became a turning point for Quiyote. Quiyote felt like he finally opened his eyes. From the bottom of his heart, he wanted to learn to fight under Hyrkan.

On the other hand, Quiyote’s pride didn’t let him bow his head.

As such…

“I learned a lot. I’ll come to challenge you again one day.”

Quiyote took off the weapon he was wearing from his item slot and gave it to Hyrkan.

“This is the payment for this battle as well as the next.”

This sword was the single most expensive item in Quiyote’s possession.

Hyrkan stared at the weapon for a moment.

He had felt the matter became a bit more complex.

‘Hmm.’

He did want the weapon. However, by his calculation, it could be more profitable to receive 5,000 gold and the watch. After all, there was a chance the watch might drop the weapon. In that case, he would receive both the gold and weapon.

However, the situation wasn’t one where he could accept the latter.

A challenger who accepted his loss and promised a next time had a right to receive proper treatment.

Moreover, such an experience was extremely rare for Hyrkan. Most people who lost to him did not do as they promised, but cursed out in anger.

‘What an interesting guy.’

Hyrkan received the weapon and asked.

“Your name?”

“Quiyote. No, it’s Don Quiyote.”

Don Quiyote.

That was Quiyote’s full in-game name. He had misspelled Don Quixote as Don Quiyote during character creation. To hide his mistake, he introduced himself as Quiyote instead of Don Quiyote.

When Hyrkan heard his name.

‘Ah.’

Hyrkan remembered.

‘The Challenger Don Quiyote. This is him?’

The Challenger Don Quiyote.

While Hyrkan was making a name for himself as the Hero Slaughterer, although it wasn’t as much as Hyrkan, there was another player that made his name known through PvP. Hyrkan never had the chance to meet him. Although his PvP skills were monstrous, he wasn’t interested in making it his main focus. He only became renowned for his PvP skills because countless number of people picked fights with him.

‘I didn’t recognize him because his skills were too low.’

Hyrkan was slightly surprised. The Don Quiyote he knew was skilled enough to be called The Challenger. However, the one he faced this time was just average. If he won against someone at his level, it would only be because of his items.

Of course, he would become better as time went on. It wasn’t rare for players to suddenly make great advancements through certain events. Perhaps, today’s battle could even be that event.

Hyrkan smiled lightly.

Who would have thought I’d meet someone like him in such a way?

“Don Quiyote. I’ll remember it.”

‘Life is funny, eh?’

At this instant, although it was only for an instant, Hyrkan thought Warlord was fun after a long time.

★★★

[Orc Hero’s Sword]

* Main Properties:

– Rare-rank item

– Strength +66

– Stamina +66

– Required level: 60

– Required condition: Minimum of 350 strength

* Sub-properties:

– Increases strength proportional to level

– 9% chance to ignore all monster’s defense

– 9% chance to ignore animal-type monster’s defense

* Miscellaneous

– A sword used by a Blue Orc mutant, the Orc Hero. After slaughtering through countless number of enemies, it obtained a mystical power to see through the enemy’s weakness.

‘Whoa.’

Immediately after Quiyote and his friends left, Hyrkan took off his mask and helmet, and checked the option of the sword he received. When he did, he couldn’t stop himself from blinking in amazement.

‘The OH Sword? Isn’t this a Unique rank sword?’

Orc Hero’s Sword.

For swordsmen, especially strikers, it was known to be better than some Unique items.

‘The last time I checked… 15,000 gold, I think it was? I can sell it immediately for 13,000 at least.’

It was 15,000 gold in price.

Although its supply wasn’t too low, because of its popularity amongst level 60 swordsmen, it fetched a high price. As popular as it was, if one tried to sell it, he could do it within couple days. It was incomparable to the lion body suit he was still trying to sell.

Of course, there was no reason for Hyrkan to sell this item.

‘If it’s this, who cares about magic power or the like.’

Although weapons with magic power was ideal for Hyrkan, it was different if it was the Orc Hero’s Sword. Rather than summoning another skeleton with the extra magic power, it would be much better for Hyrkan to swing this sword himself.

‘To just give away something like this… just how rich is he?’

Hyrkan realized just how generous Quiyote was.

Of course, it was possible because it was a game. When two people got into an argument and fought in the real world, one person wouldn’t say, ‘I like you. Here’s my Rolex Watch, let’s fight again.’

If Hyrkan was in his position, he would never have done such a thing.

‘Quite the romantic, isn’t he?’

In a way, Hyrkan was envious. It wasn’t just that he had money, but that he could play Warlord in such a way. The fact that he could purely enjoy the game made Hyrkan jealous.

To Hyrkan, Warlord was life. A way and means. Although there were times he enjoyed it, in the end, it was a tool for survival. Everything he did was for efficiency and result. Joy came afterwards.

Hyrkan closed his mouth.

‘Making me all emotional…’

‘Snap out of it, An Jaehyun. It’s not the time to get all sentimental!’

After scolding himself, Hyrkan went back to his usual way of thinking.

‘This is enough.’

Although it wasn’t the lucky drop he was hoping for, it was one nonetheless. Furthermore, it gave Hyrkan confidence.

‘With this, once I become level 60, I can hunt Bulkas Mountain Range’s master, the Bear Warrior.’

Bulkas Mountain Range’s master, the level 80 boss monster, Bear Warrior.

It was a monstrous bear that walked on two legs, and carried a large sword that easily sent chills down the spine.

His original plan had been to hunt it at late level 60s or even level 70. However, now that he had the Orc Hero’s Sword, he could give it a try the moment he hit level 60.

‘Good.’

Hunting the Bear Warrior was the starting point.

‘I’ll hunt it, and officially begin the Immoral Prince scenario quest. It’s going to be the start of me taking everything for myself.’

The start of the second main scenario quest!

Hyrkan grinned.

‘It’s time to go find a useful weapon to use until level 60.’

With that, Hyrkan turned back.

“Why don’t I go hunt just one more pack of Sword Monkeys?”