Dodging Lenny’s obvious sword swipes, I said to them “Stop, you guys don’t want to do this.” Barely dodging the incoming dagger attacks from the 2 flanking rogues, Casey and Menace. “Look, I don't want to fight you.” Making some distance with 2 Archer’s Dash backwards. “I’m just gonna leave and let this go, okay?” Instinctively I dropped to my stomach as a powerful arrow shot and a fireball flew right over me—destroying a tree behind me—coming from Ericson and Bobon. While on my stomach, Lenny rushed towards me with a Skill similar to my Dash and swung his greatsword down at me; but still too obvious, I rolled to the side and back onto a knee. “Enough!” I shouted, using Archer’s Dash to put myself in front of Lenny, and ripping his greatsword out of his hand and putting it straight into Infinity.

Stunned by my overpowering strength, Lenny stumbled backwards stuttering “C-Cover me!”

Mainly focusing on avoiding the incoming arrows and magic, Casey suddenly disappeared from sight, and Menace appeared out of nowhere behind me—instantly digging both her daggers into my lower back. Casey reappeared just as quick in front of me, this time stabbing me in the stomach.

Health: 2,971/3,360

Wincing at the pain, I used Sprint momentarily to quickly overpower them, stealing their daggers and throwing them inside Infinity too. Then ignoring them, I rushed past the rogues and ran directly at the ranged attackers. Dashing out of the way of the incoming projectiles, I targeted Ericson first; taking his bow, and almost snapping it with just my grip. Targeting Bobon next; he sent another bolt of lightning towards me, but easily sidestepping it, I simply took his staff from his weak hands.

Storing their weapons, I turned to the others and asked “Are we done here?” but I could see in their faces they weren’t, as they all grabbed spare weapons from their Inventories, and I felt my body suddenly get electrocuted from behind me.

Health: 2,671/3,360

“How annoying.” I thought to myself, creating some distance with a few dashes. “I tried my best to keep this peaceful and not hurt them, but if they still can’t comprehend the difference between us when I’m being nice, I’ll have to show them the difference when I’m not.” Healing myself with First Aid, and finally grabbing my bow.

“Looks like you finally wanna fight.” Lenny grinned, “It’s always more fun when they fight, right guys?” The others cheered.

“Are you guys really PKers?” I asked, genuinely wanting to know. “This isn’t some sort of act? You actually killed people?”

“Of course we have, we're in the top 10 of the Player Kills Rankings after all.” Lenny bragged.

“What?!” Quickly checking the Rankings.

<— Player Kills —> 1st- Lenny 4 Kills 2nd- Little Lady 3 Kills 3rd- Bobon 3 Kills 4th- Casey Harris 3 Kills 5th- Tobias Casper Grim 2 Kills 6th- Menace 2 Kills 7th- Ericson 2 Kills 8th- Kill U 2 Kills 9th- Red Rum 2 Kills 10- Omega 1 Kill …

“From the Rankings I can count their Party alone has killed 14 of the 29 Players killed, with Tobias and Omega adding to the kills too.” Though not really surprised by either, considering who Tobias is, and Omega’s Subclass as a Killer. “But I doubt Tobias would kill for no reason, and if Omega really wanted to kill Players, I’m sure he wouldn’t just be in 10th place.” Trying to justify their placements on the Rankings.

“You’re gonna be my next kill.” Menace stated.

“Not unless I kill him first.” Ericson smiled at her.

“I don’t understand, why would you kill other Players? You don’t gain anything by it.” I said to them, not understanding.

“You don’t know?” Bobon asked.

“He doesn’t know.” Casey giggled at me.

“Know what?” Now wanting to know.

“Rumour has it we’re getting rewarded at the end of the month based on all of our standings in the Rankings.” Bobon explained, “The higher the Ranks in each category, the better rewards we get.”

“And you guys actually believe that?” I asked in disbelief.

“Of course we do!” Menace proclaimed.

“The info’s apparently from one of the Guides who told their Tutorial group that, and it makes sense when you think why there would be Rankings in the first place.” Bobon revealed.

“A Guide told their group that?” Shocked by that fact.

“I don’t really care about my Rankings, I mostly just enjoy taking the loot people drop when we kill them.” Ericson commented.

“Killing Players is also faster for leveling than killing monsters is.” Casey snickered to herself.

“Hey idiots!” Lenny yelled out, getting his Party’s attention. “Why are you guys having a conversation with him? We’re supposed to be killing him!” Then pointing his greatsword at me, “He’s clearly trying to distract us so he can regen all his health back.”

Health: 2,845/3,360

Smiling, I said to them “I appreciate the info, and I’ve changed my mind about letting you guys go after I teach you a lesson.” Telling them, “I can’t have you killing more people, so I guess I’ll have to capture you guys and hand you over to the guards.”

They all laughed at my words, and Lenny laughingly asked “You really think you can make it out of this alive? And that you’re strong enough to capture all of us?”

“I sure am.” I confidently stated, grabbing an arrow and drawing my bow.

“This guy's attitude is pissing me off, let’s kill him already." Lenny said, rushing towards me almost instantly—using the same dashing Skill from earlier, and swinging a different greatsword.

Not playing nice anymore, I dodged his swings again, and kept an eye on the two rogues coming in from the sides trying to catch me with a flank. Dashing back, I casted Arrow Shower right above them; shooting a single high arcing arrow, it flew up and suddenly turned into 10 arrows, then they all struck down in the area of the rogues and the fighter. Covering their heads, the 3 of them only got hit by two arrows each, and then looked at me furiously.

“It wasn’t as effective as when I tested it on the goblins.” I thought to myself.

The rogues both disappeared again, and just like before, I felt four sudden sharp pains coming from my back—both the rogues appearing behind me somehow. Lenny came winding a swing at my head, but before it could land, I used Leaping Shot to jump into the air to avoid the attack. Deciding to deal with the annoying rogues first, I aimed the shot at Casey’s knee to cripple her for the rest of the fight, but a sudden inherent feeling came onto me, and I felt my steady aim drift slightly.

“Noooo!” Bobon screamed out, immediately throwing a huge fireball at me. Unable to dodge, I curled up in the air—trying to protect my body—and was sent flying into the nearby treetops from the force of the explosion.

Groaning as I untangled myself from the tree branches, I wondered to myself “What was that weird feeling just now?” Noting my Health.

Health: 1,956/3,360

“No wonder Player names appear in white, even with their way lower levels, they still did that much damage to me. I guess we really are considered equal.” Jumping back onto the ground, I was caught off guard by a new Title.

You have gained the Title: [Player Killer].

My eyes widened when I read it.

Player Killer: Having killed a fellow Player, you can no longer Party with any Players without the ‘Player Killer’ Title for at least 24 hours. Gaining this Title again will double the duration from the previously gained duration. Removed in: 23 hours, 59 minutes, 51 seconds.

“When did I…” Running back to the clearing, I saw their Party huddled around Bobon holding Casey’s lifeless body, and my arrow that had punctured right through her heart. “No…”

“You!” Bobon cried out, setting Casey’s body down. “You did this!” Walking towards me as lightning emitted from his hands to his staff.

“I-I didn’t…” Stuttering in shock and looking at my hands.

Lenny let out a little laugh, “And here I thought you were the righteous one, but looks like you're no better than us.” They all looked pissed.

Swinging his staff in my direction, Bobon shouted “Lightningball!” and a ball of lightning was flung from the end of his staff.

I was still stunned from seeing Casey’s lifeless body, but Bobon’s anger made him miss his attack; though when the ball of lightning passed by me, a single bolt jumped out from it, and I was struck right in the chest. Screaming out in excruciating pain, I felt the lightning quickly course through my entire body, but it also helped me come back to my senses. Tilting my head just in time, the incoming arrow only grazed my cheek, and I saw Lenny and Menace running towards me. Out of impulse, I drew another arrow and aimed it at them, but I hesitated on firing, freezing in place.

Scared that I could miss again, doubt crept into my mind. “What’s wrong with me? Am I tired or something? I never miss...” Doubting my archery skills for the first time in a while, “I can’t do it, I can’t risk another stray shot...” coming to the realization “I killed her…” But within all my thoughts, Uncle Thalion’s words came to me.

“If you ever want to be an archer greater than me, you can never doubt yourself, your bow, or even the arrows in your quiver. No matter your troubles, and no matter the situation. Because I will always be Thalion!”

His simple and antagonizing words were always enough to inspire and annoy me at the same time, but they always helped me forget whatever just happened for the moment. Steadying my aim and sure of myself again, I was about to release the arrow at Lenny’s foot to slow him down, but the same inherent feeling came back; however this time it overwhelmed me, and I felt myself losing control of my entire body to it. The feeling was now extremely clear to me...Annihilate.

Involuntarily moving on my own, my arrow was directed at Bobon instead, and Power Shot activated on its own. Reacting, Bobon casted “Mage Armour!” But too weak to block my arrow, it pierced right through and punctured into his heart too—dropping Bobon to his knees with blood spilling from his mouth.

“Bobon!” Lenny called out, quickly turning his attention back to me for revenge. Charging towards me, he shouted “Sprint!” and his movement got significantly faster. Though without thinking twice about it, my body front rolled right under Lenny’s faster swing, and dodged a Power Shot from Ericson with another Archer’s Dash to the side. I tried to keep an eye on Menace, but she had already disappeared from sight again.

Even though I didn’t have control, I thought to myself “Aoes always work best against stealth and invisibility.” And I don’t know if my body listened, but I aimed directly up, and casted Arrow Shower again; then immediately followed the shot arrow with a Leaping Shot to get me out of the area of effect.

In the air—right beside the arrow turning into 10 arrows–my body prepared a shot for when Menace was visible. When the arrows struck down in the area below, Lenny got hit in both shoulders, but a single arrow was enough to reveal Menace’s location. Immediately shooting her, the arrow struck her right in the neck and jugular, causing her to grasp her neck as she fell to the ground trying to stop the spurting blood.

Landing back on the ground, my body was still uncontrollable as it shot a Turning Arrow directly at Lenny. Scared of what happened to his Party happening to him, Lenny held up his greatsword to block the incoming arrow, but the arrow was never intended for Lenny, as it simply flew around his body and straight into Ericson’s unsuspected head.

Seeing his Party all around him dead, Lenny roared out in a rage unusually loudly, and my attention was completely drawn to him. Moving on its own in a strange way from before, my body ran towards Lenny shooting multiple simple and direct arrows that he easily blocked with his greatsword; until finally I was down to my last arrow, and stood right in front of him. Hastily winding up his greatsword, Lenny shouted with all his might “Power Slash!” Slicing diagonally into my already burnt and electrified armour, easily cutting a huge gaping wound into my chest, and sending me tumbling back onto the ground from the immense force of the swing.

Health: 1,251/3,360

Breathing heavily from the huge gash in my chest, I couldn’t help but grin after experiencing Lenny’s strongest attack, and painfully stood myself back up.

Looking exhausted and spent, Lenny dug his greatsword into the ground, and shouted in disbelief. “That doesn’t make sense! Not even the tankier Players could have taken all the damage you’ve taken so far, so how the fuck are you still alive?” Asking, “Just who the hell are you?”

“That’s something you guys should’ve asked before you attacked me...but it wasn’t supposed to end this way.” Slightly pitying them.

“Huh? It wasn’t supposed to end this way? You’re the one who did this!” Lenny’s voice was filled with anger and sadness.

“I-I know I am…” I stuttered, telling him “But if I were you, I would still try to make a run for it, because even now, all my being is telling me to annihilate you too.” Nocking my last arrow and drawing it back, I could feel my body casting Charged Arrow. Rapidly draining, my mana went down by 10, 20, 30, and so on; visibly seeing it begin to form around the entirety of the drawn arrow, and adding more and more weight to it.

“Wha—” Lenny stopped himself, instinctually feeling the extreme danger he was in, and stumbled back running off with what little strength he had left.

Mana: 0/2,240

Consuming all my mana, the physical arrow was completely engulfed in a massive mana-shaped arrow—more than 5x its size. Still in my sight, I estimated Lenny was only about 200 meters away, and I said to him “I’m sorry, but you’re not far enough…” Taking aim just slightly above his chest, my fingers released the massive mana arrow, and my bow fired with its original loud echoing sound—the fur silencers ripped off by the immense force of the mana charged arrow.

‘Silenced Shame’ has been unmodified back into ‘Odelia’s Shame’.

Creating a loud cutting sound as it flew through the air, Lenny turned back to try to block the incoming arrow, shouting “Guard!” holding his great sword horizontally in front of him.

Shattering the greatsword like it was glass, the arrow flew straight into Lenny’s chest and instantly created a huge see-through hole in the middle of his torso, and not stopping or slowing down, the arrow went straight towards the direction of town.

Congratulations you have Leveled Up! All Stats have increased by 2, and you have gained 10 Available Points.

Immediately recovering from all the injuries, I fell to the ground and felt my body ease as I gained full control of it again. I let out a big sigh of saddened relief, but looking around at the 5 lifeless bloody bodies, my hands began to shake uncontrollably. “This is your fault, isn't it?” Grabbing and blaming the earring.

The Earring Of Annihilation

Common

A seemingly ordinary earring, it symbolizes your decision of Annihilation.

Requirement: Eyes Thalion

I let out a saddened laugh, “No, no it isn’t…I know it’s mine…” Believing it was my horrible and wrong choice that led to this.

After a few minutes of sulking and the sunset turning into night, I tried to justify myself saying “They killed at least 14 people already, and it probably would’ve been more if I didn’t stop them here.” then pointing out “And who knows if handing them to the guards would’ve guaranteed anything, I’m sure they could’ve escaped eventually if they were just imprisoned, and then they would’ve just went back to hunting Players after they did.” However I stated to myself, “But they were still people, and I killed them...”

Glancing at Casey, the first victim, her surprised expression stood out to me, not knowing she was gonna die so soon. I tried to look away, but I couldn’t help gazing into her hazel coloured eyes. “I’m the worst.” I said out loud, “I can’t believe I actually thought about taking their eyes just now...” Giving the other eyes a glance too.