It was surprising to discover that the demon lord had established its stronghold within the Tower of Eternia, dangerously close to the summoning rift. Furthermore, it had the ability to influence Eternia's law enforcers, making it a truly hidden boss.
While I knew that some NPCs harbored animosity towards humanity and labored us outsider, or inferior races that crossed into their world, I wouldn't think the quest would go as far as to make them seem very human-like. I felt like I was interacting with a being with the same consciousness as me, not just a bunch of independent programming code.
At that moment, a quest system suddenly appeared before everyone.
[System: Defeat the demon lord or face death of your avatar.
Duration: Unlimited
Game: Deathly eye contact and answer.
Difficulty: High rank / S-tier]
[I heard human loves playing games, let the real game begin] The voice seems to come from the deepest abyss sending shivers through my spine.
There was no mistake, it was the voice of an S-tier entity.
"What the hell is this? Let me out of here! I borrowed so many coins to upgrade my avatar. I can't let my avatar die here!" An angry woman with red hair screamed in frustration.
Suddenly, the statue beside her, depicting a horned demon wielding a massive weapon, began to move. Unaware of the impending danger, she gazed at the statue, only to see its eyes glow red as it swung its sword, severing her hand and reducing her severed hand to blue particles.
I swallowed my silva, knowing my avatar was in real danger. There was no respawn in TWOD, once your avatar is dead. You would lose all the right to play this game!
That was why it was called humanity's second life.
"Ah, damn it! Why does the pain feel so real? This is supposed to be just a game!" The red-haired girl screamed once again in agony, causing other rankers to recoil in fear.
Meanwhile, the demon lord Orc smiled widely as it collected the blue particles from her severed hand and consumed them.
[You have forgotten that mortals have only one life. In your world, technology has advanced to the point where death and disease are no longer problems. But I will remind you of the power difference between mortals and demons] the orc spoke, emanating an overwhelming aura.
In our world, diseases were no longer a concern due to advancements in technology. However, death remained a significant problem. While we had the capability to upload our consciousness into the cloud, it was merely a copy, and many philosophical debates arose regarding whether this constituted true continuation of life. It was akin to hiring someone else to mimic our actions precisely, but they were not truly us. So, it seemed that the demon lord had some understanding of what was happening in real life, although not entirely accurate.
Does it mean that the NPC really has self-awareness?
At that moment, all ten statues came to life, swinging their swords randomly, shattering the ground, and forcing nearby rankers to flee for their lives. These statues seemed to aim without purpose as if they were unable to see anything. In response, most of the rankers summoned their weapons and cast fireball spells at the statues, but their attacks proved futile. The statues were protected by a network of red veins that acted as a defensive barrier, neutralizing the rankers' assaults.
When the rankers slashed their swords, the blades disintegrated into blue particles. Likewise, when one female ranker cast a fireball spell, it extinguished upon contact with one of the statues.
Amidst the chaos, rankers vented their frustrations through a flurry of curse words, some even succumbing to despair as their attacks proved futile against the statues, kneeling down with their face against the ground. At that moment, Lasiv, a girl with purple hair, pulled me back and spoke in a serious tone, "Avoid looking at the statues. They cannot sense your presence if you refrain from making eye contact or attacking them."
Soon, I heard the heavy footsteps of one of the nearby statues approaching me. Towering at a height of approximately 5 meters, its sword scraped against the ground, creating sparks with each step. Recalling Lasiv's advice, I directed my gaze downwards, my heart pounding faster with each resounding footfall of the colossal statue nearing me.
Cursing under my breath, I realized I had gotten myself into trouble by trusting Lasiv. Nevertheless, in this dire situation where my attacks proved useless against the statues, I had no choice but to place my trust in her once more.
To my surprise, the statue halted right in front of me, and the sound of its sword clashing against the solid floor gradually ceased. My heart raced as I maintained my gaze fixed upon the ground. Just as Lasiv had assured, the statue resumed its forward movement, and the noise of the sword slicing through the surface echoed once again.
After the statue passed by me, I inquired, "Why didn't you inform everyone else?"
Lasiv shook her head in response and stated, "If you were to shout the answer, all the statues would direct their attacks towards you. It is better to let them figure it out on their own."
As I contemplated Lasiv's behavior, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. It seemed she had chosen not to intervene and let innocent rankers be slaughtered as they ran blindly. How did she know the rules? And why did she keep them to herself?
Recalling the system's instructions—avoid eye contact and not share the answer—I realized that those who knew the rule were meant to keep it to themselves. Lasiv was right in prioritizing her own safety, and perhaps I should do the same. Taking a deep breath, I mustered the courage to ask her, "How can we defeat this game?"
My primary concern was to end the game as quickly as possible so I could focus on preparing for my upcoming midterm exams. It was almost comical how, even in a life-or-death situation, the fear of failing my exams managed to creep into my thoughts.
Lasiv let out a long sigh and murmured, "Hmmm..."
I observed her closely, noticing that her playful demeanor had vanished completely. She now wore a serious expression, fully focused on assessing the situation. It was clear that she was taking the game and its challenges seriously.
A few seconds passed before Lasiv responded, "The pattern of the statue's attacks may seem random, but they are not. five of them are moving diagonally, while another five are walking back and forth in a straight line from their starting position."
It was impressive how quickly Lasiv had discerned the pattern, showcasing her genius intellect. But I couldn't help but wonder, how would this realization help us defeat the game?
Just as my despair began to settle in, I expressed my frustration to Lasiv, "So, in the end, we are powerless and simply waiting for our death?"
However, before she could respond, someone else in the group shouted. It was a guy wearing battle armor who exclaimed, "Guys, don't look at them, especially avoid making eye contact with the statues!"
In an instant, all the statues' eyes turned red, and with incredible speed, they converged on the man. He desperately ran for his life, evading some of the attacks with his remarkable reflexes. However, one sword managed to strike him, sending him crashing into a wall and creating a massive crack. Luckily, his battle armor prevented severe injury, and he swiftly regained his balance, continuing his frantic escape as the statues relentlessly pursued him.
The man with the battle armor shouted in both frustration and pain, "Why is this happening to me? I only shared what I knew with the others—urgh—"
The scene unfolded in a gruesome manner as the statues relentlessly attacked the man with the battle armor. Each strike of their weapons caused cracks on the surface, and eventually, he was overwhelmed and struck down, his body disintegrating into blue particles. The particles floated towards the demon lord, who sat on his throne, and he consumed them with a sinister satisfaction.
The system's announcement echoed, [One ranker out, 19 rankers remain.]
As despair settled in, the girl who had lost her arms from the beginning knelt down, overwhelmed by hopelessness. Determined to stand up, she made an effort to take a few steps towards the far right corner of the chamber. However, in an unfortunate turn of events, she stumbled and was struck by one of the statues. The massive weight of the statue stepping on her proved fatal, and she disintegrated into blue particles, just like the previous ranker.
The system declared [System: One more ranker out, 18 rankers remain.]
The remaining rankers, including me, witnessed the tragic demise of yet another rankers, and a sense of dread settled over them. It was clear that their lives were hanging by a thread, and their chances of survival against the formidable demon lord seemed increasingly slim. Nevertheless, some of them summoned their courage, determined to face the challenges ahead.
The demon lord chuckled with a twisted delight, remarking, [A spirit of a gold ranker tastes so good. Haha.] He licked his lips, relishing in the horror unfolding before him.
I noticed the remaining rankers looked on with horror etched on their faces, drenched in sweat. The sweat seemed to be a physical manifestation of their fear, perhaps even affecting their real-life bodies. Some of them summoned healing potions and consumed them, while others drank buff potions, determination evident in their eyes. They seemed resolute in their decision to confront the demon lord, despite the terrifying odds stacked against them.
I conveyed my suggestion to attack the demon lord as the statues' pattern had become disorganized. The purple-haired girl responded calmly, questioning the demon lord's decision to expose himself and wondering if his immense power led him to have unwavering faith in his own strength.
Confused by her statement, I replied in a hushed tone, "What do you mean? The demon lord is undoubtedly powerful."
She then explained, "Prepare yourself. I believe the demon lord before us is a mere distraction. One of his weakness lies with the statues. The system always incorporates weaknesses, even for formidable beings like him."
While I struggled to fully comprehend her point, I couldn't deny the existence of weaknesses in every boss battle. With the right strategy and timing, even a low-ranking player could defeat a demon lord. However, the system had not provided any information regarding the demon lord's weakness.
Without hesitation, the once fragile girl with purple hair transformed into a blur of incredible speed. She dashed towards one of the roaming statues, locking her gaze directly onto its eyes. This peculiar action agitated the statue, causing its red veins to radiate a crimson light. The statue swung its sword at her with astonishing velocity, shattering the ground beneath it. Fortunately, she managed to evade the attack with a swift jump.
It was a remarkable display of agility and fearlessness. I watched in astonishment, eager to witness how she would exploit the statue's weakness.
Amidst the chaotic battle against the statue, Lasiv found herself annoyed by one of the statues. While many rankers focused their attacks on the demon lord, their efforts were thwarted by a shield formed by red organisms, protecting the demon lord. Meanwhile, Lasiv worked on dealing with the statues.
Uncertain about whom to assist, I eventually made up my mind and sprinted as fast as I could toward the purple haired girl. Once I reached her, I couldn't help but remark, "Aren't you the one who said I shouldn't look them in the eyes and yet you attack them head on?"
With my sword in hand, I gathered my strength to deflect an attack from the statue. However, as soon as my sword clashed against its giant weapon, the sword shattered into pieces. I had to quickly roll down to evade the massive sword that struck the ground next to me.
Taking advantage of the giant statue's momentary loss of balance, Lasiv swiftly ran and leaped onto its left arm. Despite her fragile appearance, she displayed incredible flexibility, moving with a grace that resembled a dance.
What struck me as strange was that she didn't rely on magical weapons or skills, instead, it was her raw strength that propelled her. After landing on the statue's shoulder, she retrieved a hidden knife from beneath her robe. Her feet were equipped with several knives, and she firmly grasped the handle with both hands. With all her might, she thrust the knife towards the statue's eyes. The red eyes of the statue grew dim, and its eyes shattered like crystal.
Lasiv's urgent command echoed through the chaos, urging me to target the remaining eyes of the statue. Her astute deduction of the statue's weakness, discovered in such a short time, was truly praiseworthy.
[Private System: You have to utilize the exclusive skill "Jack of all trades."
Archetype Slayer: Burning spear / E-tiers]
I acknowledged her instructions with a nod and called forth a spear into my hand, it glowed in red particles as I felt a hot aura from it to my palm but my hand still tightly grasp on to it.
Without hesitation, I leaped into the air, propelled by my heightened jumping ability. As I reached the apex of my jump, I thrust the spear towards the menacing left red eye of the statues, exuding an unwavering determination to fight for my avatar's life.
The statues seemed poised to counter my attack, but it movements became rigid due to the loss of one eye, destroyed by Lasiv. Seizing the opportunity, I forcefully impaled the remaining eyes of the statue, causing it to shatter. Subsequently, the statue disintegrated into a pile of rocks, while the crimson veins surrounding it froze and crumbled into ashes.
As my feet landed on the ground, sweat trickled down my face. I turned my gaze towards Lasiv, the girl standing before me, her confidence emanating like a radiant aura. Her beauty was undeniable, but it was her unwavering self-assurance that truly captivated me. Despite the chaos surrounding us, she remained composed and resolute, a true embodiment of strength and determination.
Unfazed by the wreckage of the fallen statues, Lasiv, the girl with purple hair stood upon the broken statue, and called out to everyone with resolute conviction. "In order to stand a chance against the demon lord, we must first eliminate these statues," she declared.
In that moment, all the remaining statues began to walk toward her
By now a few rankers had fallen victim to the piercing red veins, which transformed into blade-like organisms that inflicted fatal wounds. They then morphed into ethereal blue spirits, consumed by the demon lord. Among us, only 15 rankers, including Lasiv and myself, remained.
The man with a bronzed complexion, dressed in a cowboy attire, briefly turned his gaze towards us after he heard her declaration, seemingly attempting to discern our identities. However, upon witnessing the destruction of the statues, a smile instantly appeared on his face.
Amidst the chaos, the cowboy man raised his voice, attempting to gain everyone's attention. What was even more bizarre, the red corrupted veins, formed into intertwining blade-like organisms, threatened to ensnare them.
He called and urged the others "Retreat and listen to her."
However, his plea fell on deaf ears as the rest of the group responded with annoyance and defiance.
"What?"
"Don't say something foolish! We can't defeat the statues with their incredible reflexes, while the demon lord remains motionless."
"Yes, if we can break these red veins, we might have a chance to reach the demon lord."
The cowboy man let out a sigh of disappointment, realizing his words had not been heeded. He swiftly leaped backward, evading attacks from nearby statues as they were heading toward the purple haired girl, and he sprinted toward my location. His reflexes were remarkably quick as he successfully dodged the oncoming assaults, eventually arriving by my side.
He spoke with a hint of resignation in his voice, "Sometimes adults can be foolish, which is why it falls upon kids like you to lead them and show them alternative solutions to their stubbornness."
As I observed the cowboy man, I realized that my initial judgment of him as cocky had been hasty. He proved to be adaptable and open to reason, reminding me not to judge a book by its cover.
Lasiv's words cut through the air, bringing our focus back to the task at hand. "Save the talking for later," she urged, her determination unwavering. "Now, let's concentrate on destroying the eyes of these statues. By working together, we can weaken the barrier of the demon lord."
Even I just knew her, I felt like I could trust her with my life.
"Wow, this young girl knows how to lead." Said, the cowboy man.
I nodded in agreement, aligning myself with the cowboy man. Each of us summoned our respective weapons. I noticed that the cowboy man wielded dual guns, indicating his archetype likely aligned with that of a ranger. On the other hand, Lasiv, the girl with purple hair, displayed no overt signs of magic or special skills. However, her incredible physical strength was undeniable, and the only weapons she utilized were a pair of concealed knives hidden beneath her robe.