n

n

nVillain Ch 52. Confident Not Arrogant

nThe damp and dimly lit cave echoed with the sounds of footsteps as six players arrived at the spot where the body of the previous swordsman had disappeared. The girls still hadn’t come out of their hiding places as well as Allen. The air was heavy with tension as the newcomers surveyed their surroundings.

nOne of the players, a female swordsman, couldn’t help but express her admiration. “Oh, this is a nice spot!” she exclaimed.

nHer male companion agreed, “Yeah, I think we’ll be hunting here.” He then turned to his party members, a healer, two dual dagger users, and a mage. “You know what you have to do right?”

nThe four nodded in unison, their eyes alight with determination.

nAllen observed them quietly, taking note of their party composition. ‘Four melees, one range, and one support,’ he thought. ‘This will be easy.’

nThe female swordsman, with her long silver hair flowing behind her, raised her sword and charged toward the Giant Sea Bug. It was just the size of a large dog, but its sharp claws could easily tear apart any unprepared player. The monster, however, was not aggressive, and it seemed to be busy searching for something to eat. The swordsman took advantage of the moment and lunged forward, her sword slicing through the air and hitting the monster’s back.

nIt was only level 11 and they spawn fast. There were a lot of them in this place so that was why this spot was popular with many players.

nAt the same time, the male swordswoman had taken on a Poisonous Horseshoe Crab, a venomous arthropod known for its lethality. The creature raised its pincers threateningly, poised to strike at any moment. But the swordsman was unfazed, his eyes locked onto the monster as he prepared to strike.

nAs the monsters turned their attention to the swordsmen, Allen’s group sprang into action. Shea raised her hand, summoning a crackling ball of electricity that arced toward the Poisonous Horseshoe Crab. The blast hit its mark, the monster convulsing from the shock before collapsing to the ground.

nMeanwhile, Vivian had already drawn her bow and fired a couple of arrows at the same monster. The projectile hit its mark, piercing the monster’s head and killing it instantly. The Poisonous Horseshoe Crab was level 19, so both of them had to strike at the same time to kill it instantly.

nAllen canceled his Hiding skill, emerging from the shadows. He knew that he had to kill the monster quickly. The Giant Sea Bug had been caught off guard by the female swordman’s attack, and it flailed about in confusion as Allen approached.

nWith a swift, fluid motion, Allen brought his daggers down on the monster’s shell. The sound of metal on chitin echoed through the cavern, followed by a sickening crunch as the blade penetrated the creature’s flesh. The Giant Sea Bug let out a terrible screech, and its legs thrashed about wildly as it tried to shake off its attacker, but in vain. Soon, the Giant Sea Bug was reduced to a writhing mass of tentacles and chitin.

nOnce the monsters died, most EXP and item drops went directly to Allen’s party.

nIt displeased another party. The female swordsman immediately complained. “Hey! That’s ours! Get your own!” she said in displeasure.

nThe female swordsman’s complaint fell on deaf ears as Allen answered in an annoying tone. “Why should I?” he retorted. He knew that with their plan in motion, they could take down any monster they wanted, and the rewards would go directly to their party. As long as they didn’t attack a player first, they were just like any other player in the game.

nThe male swordsman joined in. “Go away! This is our hunting spot!” he shouted.

nBut Shea and Vivian remained unfazed. They looked around as if searching for something. “This is weird,” Shea remarked, “why can’t I find a sign that says this is yours?”

nThe female swordsman’s face was red with anger as she glared at Allen’s party. “You heard him,” she said. “This is our hunting spot. Go find your own.”

nAllen smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m afraid we don’t take orders from strangers,” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

nThe male swordsman stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “You’re asking for trouble,” he warned. “We hit that monster first, so it’s ours. We arrived here first, so this is our hunting spot. It’s a simple rule.”

nShea rolled her eyes. “You guys are ridiculous,” she said. “You don’t own the monsters and we have just as much right to hunt here as you do.”

n“We will report you to the Game Master?” asked the male swordsman in displeasure. His team immediately agreed with him.

nVivian smirked. Her sharp gaze met those of her opponents as they scowled at her in anger. A smug smirk tugged at the corners of her lips, betraying the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins.

n“You guys have no proof,” she challenged, her voice thick with confidence. “How did you do it?” In order to report a kill steal, players had to include a screenshot of the crime committed. But the monsters in this particular level died instantaneously, leaving the victor with no tangible evidence to support their claim. 𝚘𝚟𝚕．ｔ

nHer opponents seethed with frustration, their brows furrowed in anger.

nSuddenly, Allen spoke up, his voice dripping with arrogance. “You know what,” he suggested. “Let’s cut the chit chat and have a duel. The one who wins gets this spot, the loser has to get out of here.”

nThe mage shook his head in disgust, his eyes fixed on the smirking face of his opponent. “Players like you really enjoy destroying other people’s playing fun,” he muttered in displeasure.

nThe female swordsman gritted her teeth in displeasure, her muscles tensing in anticipation. This was not the outcome she had hoped for. She had been looking forward to a peaceful hunting spot, free from the petty squabbles of competitive players. But she couldn’t deny, this dungeon was a bit crowded.

n“You are surely arrogant, don’t you?” she spat, her words laced with venom.

n“Confident, not arrogant,” Allen corrected. “We all play games to feel the power that we don’t have in the real world and prove that we are the most powerful player. So, your statement is invalid,” he said confidently.

n