The raid battle had already commenced.
All the surviving NPCs were giving their all to confront the raid boss.
On the edge of this battlefield, where no one paid attention, I stood facing the man.
"A battle maniac, is he? Every game has players who prefer PvP over PvE, but…"
Sometimes in MMOs, PKs crash peaceful crafting contests and slaughter defenseless participants.
I wanted to ignore it, but if they attacked during the boss fight, it would be fatal.
I used [Appraisal]. However, my target was not the elderly elf but the spirit accompanying him.
The NPC would most likely have maxed-out stats and wouldn't be readable.
**Name: [Ribbit] **Gender: [Female] **Level: [47] **Race: [Aqua Spirit] **Magic: [Water Magic 58] **Crafting: [Hidden Weapon Smithing 23] **Skills: [Stamina Reduction Mitigation 58][Cooldown Reduction][Appraisal Failure][Critical Attack Boost][Manifestation 28][Assassination Boost][Appraisal 37][Concentration Enhancement][Aqua Veil 39] **Stats: Attack [235] Magic Attack [235] Defense [235] Agility [235] Luck [235] **Title: [Creeping Death]
Assessment complete. It appears to be specialized in supporting assassination-type NPCs.
The skill Hidden Weapon Smithing also indicates that the elderly man in front of us uses hidden weapons.
I shared this information with Liora.
The elderly elf unleashed a flurry of rapid rapier strikes. Each one was so fast that it was impossible to track with the naked eye.
Liora, too, couldn't keep up and focused on defending critical areas like her eyes, neck, and heart.
"Ho ho! To think you do not flinch at my attacks. As expected of a liberator."
"What are you?"
"My name is Jack Jack. My spirit, Ribbit, calls me a PK. You can think of me as a filthy assassin."
"And I'm busy!"
At the moment when the rapier stabbed into her abdomen, Liora deliberately stepped forward with a large stride.
She used one of the arts from [Flash].
"Hm."
Ignoring the elderly elf, Jack Jack, Liora closed the distance to zero. She unleashed [Dark Blaze] at point-blank range.
A zero-distance area magic attack. But before anyone realized, Jack Jack disappeared, leaving the rapier in Liora's abdomen.
He was now perched on her head, shrugging his shoulders in a troubled manner.
"I underestimated you. Your resolve is not that of an ordinary person."
"Annoying—!"
"Oops. You missed—! Haha!"
Liora swung her scythe at him, but Jack Jack disappeared again. Hastily, I put the withdrawn rapier into my [Item Box].
Now, the weapon—five knives were embedded in Liora's back.
"Liora, use self-heal!"
"What do we do, God?"
"Samurai, head towards the raid boss. Liora and I will handle Jack Jack with all our might."
I'm not giving up on earning contribution points yet. We can't afford to waste time dealing with such a lunatic. If Samurai joins the raid, at least her participation as a sub-tank will be acknowledged.
Honestly, I don't think Samurai can successfully [Bind] Jack Jack.
His character is heavily focused on speed. His luck is also high. To be frank, Liora's auto-recovery can't keep up. Every time a critical hit occurs, Liora's HP drops significantly.
The poison on his weapons is also troublesome.
"It's troubling that you've taken my weapon…could you return it?"
"Impossible."
"Please tell your contracted spirit to examine the effects of that weapon."
"I don't have a spirit."
"?"
"He is God. No spirit!"
Ahem. Anyway, I appraised the rapier I obtained.
**Rapier [Depriver of Divine Favor] **Rarity: [Unique] **Level: [0] **Attack Power: [0] **Durability: [1000] **Skills: [Restoration][Greatly Reduced Attack Power][Final Damage Reduction][Owner's Ability Restriction]**
Ugh, what is this? I don't need it! I hurriedly took the rapier out of my [Item Box]. Liora, not understanding, picked it up.
I shivered.
"Liora, you can throw that away."
"Yes, God! I'll throw it away!"
Liora casually tossed the rapier to the ground. Jack Jack chuckled bitterly, picked it up, and re-equipped it. He rotated his shoulders as if to test it.
"Without this, it wouldn't be a proper fight. It seems there is quite a level gap between Liora and me."
"I'm strong. God said so."
"Indeed, you are strong. At your level, you are exceptionally powerful. When your level catches up to mine, I won't be able to do anything."
"I'll win now."
"Ho ho…a word of warning, Zephyr."
Jack Jack addressed me. His hoarse voice was filled with seriousness and truth.
"The second field boss, 'Wandering Knight'…Do not challenge him. At Liora's current level, she would be easily defeated. It would be a waste of talent to lose her."
"Liora, thank him for the advice. Then say, 'If it's just to test our strength, isn't there no need to continue fighting?'"
"God says thank you for the advice. Then, if it's just to test our strength, isn't there no need to continue fighting?"
Ho ho, Jack Jack chuckled and stroked his long beard. The elf's old eyes still harbored a dark light.
"No. This is my training."
"I hate you."
"For the coming vengeance. I must kill a certain person who was time-frozen in the third field, Dawn City Yggdra."
"Finally! Thanks to you defeating Helmut, I can avenge my 700-year grudge. To challenge him at his peak, I must sharpen my rusty skills, even a little."
"You don't understand! Die."
I agree. While reasons for participating in events are up to individuals, there's no need to indulge this old man's ramblings.
Liora leapt in and spun, slashing with her scythe. Jack Jack dodged at the last moment. He countered with a sharp rapier thrust, which Liora tried to catch with her body.
"The same move won't work," the old man chuckled.
"Ugh."
He easily pulled out the rapier, and Jack Jack's hand began to glow. He was likely activating some rapier art.
Liora took the initiative.
"[Flash]!"
"Too soft!"
She tried to blind him, but Jack Jack's rapier stabbed into Liora regardless. Her trick was ineffective against his seasoned movements.
However, Liora had anticipated this.
"Got you…"
"Was this your plan?"
While Liora and I were fighting, tentacles had crept up behind Jack Jack.
Samurai captured Jack Jack.
Our initial goal was to make it seem like Samurai had left the fight, only to catch him off guard and restrain him.
Liora's eyes glowed red.
"[Shadow Slash]!"
"…Naïve."
Liora swung her scythe. But instead of cleaving Jack Jack, it passed harmlessly through his neck.
This was the [Dark Magic] skill—[Dark Region].
"The true essence of [Dark Region] is to charge recklessly at the enemy and land a supreme blow."
"The way the dark spirit used it earlier was admirable. However, Liora, you should utilize your dark spirit more effectively."
Jack Jack's rapier pierced Liora's heart.