"Who's that?" Elian swiftly turned his head, his eyes scanned the woods.
The figure stepped out from the tree line slowly. It was Rin. Her dark hair was let down, flowing with the cold breeze. The light brushed over her face, but it wasn't hers. It was a mannequin's mask slapped onto skin that moved wrong.
What the hell? Wasn't she—
[Monster Detected: Mimick.]
She tilted her head, smiled like she'd borrowed the expression from someone else, and said, "Elian... what happened to you?"
His chest tightened with dread. The words landed too softly in his ears. The voice tried to imitate care, but it had missed the rhythm.
His real sister would've walked up, slapped him across the face, and called him a dumbass before hugging him and crying like a banshee, snort staining his shirt.
Not to talk of the fact that Rin would never step a foot in this place, and she's far away from home.
He took one slow step back.
"Your hair's thinner than hers," he deadpanned, gripping his chewed bloddy stick.
"Nice try. You little shit couldn't even get her face right."
The mimic's smile twitched. Its skin peeled back like wet paper and revealed the real face… or lack of one. Bone jaws, ribbed arms, even something closer to a failed taxidermy project than a monster.
It snarled widely, launching at him with its overly long nails.
Elian slammed the stick into its eye socket, twisting as he activated his skill.
[Sucker Punch Lv. 1 Activated.]
The mimic's head exploded like a watermelon dropped from a balcony. Bone and grey matter painted the bark behind it. Its body twitched before slumping like a broken puppet.
The clearing went still.
He stood there, panting, blood dripping down his face like someone else's sweat, trickling to his eyebrow. His sleeve didn't do much to clean it.
"Definitely not her," he muttered.
[You killed a Memory Mimic. +20 EXP.]
[Current EXP: 45/1000]
[Side note: That thing was ugly. You did her a favor.]
Elian eyes widened. Okay? 1000 EXPs to reach? When did that happen? Maybe it's because I'm in Lv 2?
He wiped his face with the least blood-stained part of his sleeve, then turned.
More rustling came within the bushes. Elian sighed again, swinging his stick and maintaining a fighting stance… which by the way looked horrible.
A voice came in loud and sharp.
"Whoa there, homicide! Did you just— did you just kill that?"
Elian's eyes narrowed as someone practically fell out of the trees.
"Ouch!!"
He was tall. Wearing something between a trench coat and a rave tent with neon patches, and belts that served no purpose.
In his mouth was a piece of gum that flickered like bioluminescent algae.
"Hey hey, name's Crix. The Greatest Merchant of all Times! Definitely handsome." He flicked his little growing goatee, "I err, am possibly single. Probably lost, too. Do you know where we are? This place is crippling with monsters!"
Elian stared at him as if he was some weird ancient artifact dipped in green slime and someone called it a 'woke' art. This man looked like he was in his early thirties.
Crix leaned forward, eyes scanning him far too eagerly. "What a mess. You take out that monster by yourself? Bold and… kinda hot."
[Skill: Merchant Appraisal Lv. 4 Activated.]
[Someone is using his skill; Merchant Appraisal Lv… on you.]
Elian took two steps back away from Crix.
[Do you wish to block? You better do. If he finds out you are a death-cheating cockroach…]
Sheesh. Okay! Block.
[Target: Elian Talon.]
[Class: Pawn.]
[Locked.]
Crix blinked rapidly, wiping his eyes like he'd lost it.
He pulled back like someone just offered him a drink laced with laxatives.
"Huh. Pawn? Really? Trash class? But everything else's locked. Weird."
He peered at Elian again. "Oi. You hiding something, buddy?"
Elian pushed him back, "You keep talking like that, I'll bash your jaw," he proceeded to lift his stick at Crix.
Crix raised both his hands. "Relax, relax! Just browsing. I got lost in the eastern ridges, followed a weird pulse. Boom, found you."
He popped another glowing gum. "Anyway, want a scroll? It's a protection contract. Keeps rogue constellations off your back for like, two whole months. Sealed by a mid-tier shadow deity. Good deal. Promo code included."
If Elian was a bit paranoid or a boot licker, he would have pounced at the offer. Anything to get him out of a pathetic class.
"I'll promo your shitty corpse."
Crix immediately shoved the scroll back into his coat. "Right, right. Love the confidence. Very kawaii. But if you want any protection… or contracts and lucrative jobs or any sorts of—"
[You are attracting weirdos. Again.]
[By the way, your blood is still dripping. Try not to look like a dead carcass.]
Elian sighed, stepping over the mimic's deformed corpse, brushing sticky leaves off his boots.
Crix followed, unbothered. "So where you headed? Or are you just having a dirt nap kind of day?"
"Anywhere you aren't. Go away."
"Oof. Hurtful."
[System Message: New Broadcast Incoming.]
[Glitch Detected. Origin: Unknown.]
A ripple buzzed in the air like a distant headache. Elian paused as the system screen jolted across his vision.
[Do you wish to start the game? Y/N]
Elian squinted at the message.
It was a glitching mess. Had his system been corrupted by a virus? And what game?
Crix, still behind him, was attempting to roast mushrooms on a stolen relic shard.
[Tip: If you choose (yes), you will be awarded 50,000 coins and maybe a new title.]
[Who knows… you might actually get Aven back for burying you in... that.]
[Think of your revenge.]
Elian clicked [Yes]. Because why not? Fuck Aven. 50,000 coins would practically make him a millionaire. Even if he went on raids and get contribution points of 30,000. It can't be amounted to 300 coins when estimated.
But… okay? Let's not say 'Fuck Aven'. That brat needs to pay for what he did.
However, this seemed a bit sketchy. But he already accepted. His revenge was also important.
But—
I didn't even want to save him. Can't believe I died because of him and he—
[You keep a good grudge LOL. But enough yapping.]
[Let the match begin.]
The sky shivered.
Grids spread across the air above, faint glowing lines slicing the clouds like a broken chessboard.
[New Game State: Initiated.]
[Black Piece vs White Piece.]
[Phase: Stage One]
[You have entered: Rogue Pawn Protocol]
[Opening Move Available: Do you wish to claim territory?]
He exhaled slowly. The air tasted a bit minty.
"...Claim it."
[Territory Claimed: Fallen Grove]
[Constellations have been alerted. Thread created: Rogue Pawn Match — Observation Room 1A]
[Constellation 'Hunter of Lost Lines' just spat out his drink.]
[Constellation 'Eye of the Board' has joined the game.]
[Constellation ' The Nameless god' remains silent. As usual.]
[Several Constellations joined the game.]
Crix was still toasting mushrooms. "So... what's that glowing thing in the sky? Should I be worried or is this just like... morning dew for you?"
Elian was still staring at the board. It was his first time seeing something like this.
He looked sideways, expecting a reaction from Crix but the idiot continued munching on a mushroom.
But then he went still, possibly checking out his own system.
Crix dropped the mushroom, it rolled over, dirt covering its remains. Crix eyebrows furrowed, shock spiralling in before he made a remark.
"Shit! Someone clicked yes?! What the fuck?"