As the sun began to set, a crimson glow illuminated the southern gate of Lunaris Capital. The area around the south gate was usually a gathering place for players interested in PvP duels. It was common to see flags drop from the sky, signaling the start of a duel between two players.
Today, however, more people than usual began to gather at the gate.
At first, no one noticed. The PvP-focused players were too engrossed in their own duels. But by 5 p.m., the crowd had swelled to the point where it was nearly impossible to duel without being distracted by the sheer number of onlookers.
A player named Franche looked around, frowning.
This space was unofficially reserved for PvP players, an unwritten rule everyone followed. Yet, today, an unexpected number of people had arrived. Two possible scenarios came to mind: either a famous streamer had shown up, or a guild had chosen this place for an event.
Franche checked the player names and guild tags.
It wasn't a guild gathering. Instead, it seemed like random players from different groups had converged here. The first scenario seemed more likely—a popular streamer must have drawn the crowd.
Franche wasn't a fan of streamers. If his PvP strategies were broadcasted, it would expose his tactics to the public. That could prove fatal for someone preparing for upcoming PvP tournaments.
"Do you think they'll show up?" someone nearby murmured.
"They said they would. Pretty confident, too."
Franche strained his ears, catching fragments of conversations.
Words like 'raid leader', 'kid', and 'middle school girl', were repeated frequently.
Suddenly, all attention turned toward the gate as a group of ten players appeared.
They were all part of the same guild.
[Shing Shing]
This guild was notorious, known for its presence both positively and negatively. And now, Shing Shing had arrived at the southern gate.
"They're here."
"But where's the raid leader?"
It finally clicked for Franche.
This wasn't a random gathering—this was a duel. Someone had arranged to meet Shing Shing here for a fight.
"They're really drawing a crowd," one player remarked.
"Of course, they're making a spectacle out of this," another replied.
A paladin in full plate armor spoke to a knight carrying a large shield. Both were members of Shing Shing.
JiMin, a priest of the Lunaris Goddess and a key member of Shing Shing, gazed at the growing crowd.
All these people were here because of her influence. She had always attracted strong, influential players—'Brutes', as they were called in PvP circles. These players flocked to her, eager to show off their strength, and that competition often led to surprising results.
Those results usually worked in JiMin's favor.
Today would be no different.
But JiMin was irritated. She didn't like the raid leader she was set to duel—someone using the nickname Yeon. A student, probably, since their playtime was limited to the hours of 5 p.m to 10 p.m.
At first, JiMin had been mildly curious about this player.
Her interest piqued when she noticed one of her own guild members mention that the time was approaching to start looking for a raid group.
"JiMin, isn't it time for you to find a raid group?"
It was true. She was nearing the level cap and needed to secure a spot in a raid group soon. But she had standards.
Existing raid groups would likely already have established members, leaving no room for her. She needed a new group, somewhere her influence would be valued—where her 'Brutes' could join her.
So, she applied to join Yeon's newly formed raid group, which had been a hot topic just the night before.
Despite sending what she thought was a well-written message, she was bluntly rejected.
[Yeon: Your level is too low.]
[JiMin: I can level up quickly though...]
[Yeon: Can you reach max level in two days?]
[JiMin: No..? Is there even anyone who can do that?]
[Yeon: Then I'm sorry. Your other guild members may join though.]
Her 'Brutes' were accepted, but she was not.
That rejection stung JiMin's pride.
[JiMin: Forget it! I don't need your raid group]
[Yeon: And I don't need low-level players]
The conversation escalated from there, until they eventually agreed to settle things with a duel at the southern gate.
The terms of the duel were brutal. The loser would have to give all their gear on the spot. It was a humiliating forfeit.
JiMin was confident she would win—after all, she had her guildmates to back her up.
And that was why Shing Shing was here now, with ten of its members.
Just as JiMin was gritting her teeth in frustration, another wave of attention swept toward the gate.
A small figure appeared.
A very small figure.
JiMin had expected Yeon to be young, but the size of this player was almost absurd.
However, character height could easily be customized, so it wasn't necessarily a reflection of the player's real-life stature.
As JiMin took in the full plate armor on the small figure, her eyes widened.
She recognized that player immediately. It was the same one who had shot toward her like an arrow and decapitated her during a duel. How could she forget?
But it didn't make sense. That player had been level 15 back then. It was impossible to gain ten levels in just two days.
Disbelief, denial, suspicion, jealousy—all sorts of negative emotions swirled in JiMin's mind.
Despite the full plate armor, Yeon still looked small, barely over 140 cm in height.
All eyes focused on the girl's face.
Her straight, black hair swayed gently in the wind, and her slightly drooped eyes calmly scanned the crowd.
A slight smirk on her lips suggested she wasn't exactly thrilled with the situation.
She wasn't wearing a helmet, which meant she was confident in her character's appearance.
The crowd nodded in approval. Her 'custom character' was both cute and beautiful—worthy of admiration.
JiMin led her guildmates toward Yeon.
"So, you're the one?" Yeon's voice was haughty, echoing across the gathering.
Her refined tone caught the attention of everyone within earshot.
"It's starting..."
"Who do you think will win?"
"Shing Shing, obviously."
Whispers filled the crowd as JiMin smiled, brimming with confidence.
"Quite arrogant, aren't you?"
"Arrogant?"
Yeon smirked, tilting her head as she scanned the guild members in front of her.
"Oh, you're the priest from last time."
JiMin's eyes widened. She had been in denial, but it was undeniable now.
This was the same level 15 player from two days ago. She could still vividly remember Yeon charging toward her with that massive Highlander sword.
"Are you going to fight again? Ready to die in one hit like last time?"
Yeon's taunt made JiMin's face flush with anger. The advanced VR system accurately detected her emotions, making her character's face match her feelings.
A towering paladin stepped forward, twice the size of Yeon.
"That's enough with the insults."
Yeon didn't reply. She merely moved her fingers to open the interface, triggering a duel. A flag dropped from the sky to signal the challenge.
"Are you here to talk or fight?"
"How old are you, anyway?"
The sudden question caught Yeon off guard.
Everyone fell silent, waiting for her response.
"Four... no, fifteen."
As soon as Yeon answered, a wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd.
The paladin checked the duel terms.
The stakes were high—both players had wagered all their equipped items.
It was a high-risk, high-reward duel, but there was no reason to back down now.
"This little punk... talking like that without even having served in the military?"
The paladin assumed that Yeon was a boy in real life. It was a logical assumption—no middle school girl had ever reached max level in Deren Online this quickly.
Yeon didn't care who she fought, she trusted her instincts.
"Draw your sword."
The paladin silently complied, unsheathing a one-handed sword.
He was armed with a large tower shield and a short sword, classic paladin gear.
Yeon drew her own weapon as well—a Highlander sword and a small kite shield. The size of the sword seemed comically large in her small hands.
The duel began, and Yeon moved first.
With lightning-fast speed, she darted toward the paladin's side. His massive shield moved to block, easily cutting off her attack vector.
That was the strength of a tower shield.
But Yeon wasn't aiming to attack.
"Hyaah!"
Her shout, though tiny, triggered the game system to activate a skill [Warcry].
It was Highlander's Intimidating Shout, a debuff that taunted the target and increased the damage they took.
A dull aura swept over the paladin.
Their swords clashed repeatedly, sparks flying with each impact.
Though Yeon's rapid strikes couldn't break through the paladin's guard, the damage was slowly accumulating.
The paladin's gaze steadied. He calmly analyzed her movements from behind his shield.
He was a skilled player, able to read his opponent's patterns.
Right.
He adjusted his shield slightly.
Clang!
Right again.
Clang!
Perfect defense after perfect defense.
But the paladin's expression remained tense. He had no opportunity to counterattack. Lowering his shield to strike would leave him vulnerable to Yeon's swift movements.
Meanwhile, Yeon's sword glowed.
Her passive skill, which randomly added bonus damage, kept triggering.
The pressure was building.
Finally, the paladin made a decision.
He slammed his shield into the ground, activating [Shield Train], a skill that unleashed a shockwave and stunned the opponent.
The ground shook, sending a wave of energy toward Yeon.
She saw it coming.
Years of PvP experience had given her an instinct for reading skill animations.
She jumped, landing on top of the paladin's shield, then activated [Charge].
The skill was supposed to be used on the ground, but Yeon launched herself into the air.
Surrounded by a blue aura, her small body spun midair.
The crowd collectively gasped as Yeon soared through the sky.
Bathed in the gentle moonlight, the small paladin looked like a star falling from the heavens.
At the last second, Yeon dropped her kite shield, grabbing her sword with both hands.
Her Highlander weapon allowed for both one-handed and two-handed use, and she took full advantage of it.
Bam!
The powerful strike connected.
The paladin, caught off guard, couldn't react in time. His helmet shattered as he collapsed to the ground.
The duel was over.
The paladin's body slowly began to regenerate, but his equipment was immediately confiscated by the system.
His tower shield, sword, and full plate armor disappeared, leaving him in nothing but basic white clothes.
"Next," Yeon's voice cut through the silence.
She slung her sword over her shoulder, gazing down at her fallen opponent.
It was an arrogant pose, one that left the crowd stunned.