Chapter 47: The Knight Who Sees Through Truth with Deep Wisdom Is but a Fiction
Information about the deviant Sunraku, who had suddenly appeared in Thirdrema, spread among players in real time as he dashed through the city.
Player A: "Whoa, it looked this way!"
Player B: "There he is! Ah, he vanished!?"
Player C: "What is that thing, a rare monster!?"
One moment he seems to vanish into the gaps between buildings, the next he bursts out of an alley. Peek into the alley, and he's already dashing across the main street. Reports of the elusive white hood grew chaotic. Even if someone realized it was the player "Sunraku" concealing a Unique Scenario, they couldn't pinpoint where he was.
PKer A: "Where'd that bastard go!?"
PKer B: "And this isn't what we heard! Wasn't he supposed to be a half-naked guy with tattoos!?"
PKer C: "Oi! Someone said they saw him over by Dusk's blacksmith!"
PKer D: "If he's over that way... then he's trying to shake us off and head for the Iron Ruin of the Divinity! Let's move!!"
The PKers had been left as low-level grunts searching for Sunraku after their clan's number two unexpectedly ditched them (respawn), followed by a sudden boycott.
??? (recalled): "Seems like a drag, I'll pass."
They swallowed the information whole and ran to cut him off at the Iron Ruin of the Divinity. If Pencilgon, who knew him, had been there, she would have seen right through such an obvious diversion.
Meanwhile, Psyger-0 simply ran. Ignoring the occasional clamor of white hood sightings, she just kept running.
(Even if I chase, I can't catch up... In that case, I'll take a gamble and stake out a spot!)
This too was based on conviction, not proof. Psyger-0 was certain that the white hood was Sunraku, and also that he intended to head for the next area within the short span of just two days. This wasn't because of clan orders—it was purely a deduction born from having pursued Sunraku from the very beginning. And Psyger-0 understood that to face Sunraku—a man more elusive than flower petals dancing in the wind—simply chasing after him would never be enough.
(There are three roads from Thirdrema to the next area. Which will he choose?)
Even thinking about it was a waste of time. So, trusting in a one-in-three chance, she would lie in wait at a randomly chosen spot...
There was no particular reason for her choice—if she had to give one, it was simply that this was the road she herself had once traveled.
Psyger-0: "............"
Sunraku: "...How the hell did you figure it out?"
At the northwest gate of Thirdrema, standing squarely before the gate leading to the Prismatic Forest Grotto, he appeared, just as she'd gambled. Offering thanks to the gods whose existence is established within this world's lore, Psyger-0 moved.
Sunraku: "...How the hell did you figure it out?"
I am currently at the center of an unprecedented whirlpool of shock and panic. My diversion—and my last-second route switch—had been executed perfectly. A white hood covering my body, bare starting-gear feet visible beneath, dashing through the city with parkour-like movements as a decoy. Then I deliberately switched back to my original gear and made a stealthy dash for the gate leading to the Prismatic Forest Grotto. It was a flawless sequence, if I do say so myself. No carelessness like when the Unique Scenario secret got blown open. I was utterly convinced I'd completely outmaneuvered this city and its players.
So why is she here...? Where did she read my intentions? The one thing I understand is this: The full-plate knight Psyger-0, whom I'd dismissed as a simple muscle-brained hardcore player, is in reality a formidable opponent who completely surpasses me. She's not a schemer with a bird's-eye strategic view like Pencilgon—rather, with extraordinarily keen combat insight, she perfectly read through my aim. A player not to be trifled with.
(Shit, this is bad, not good! What do I do?!)
That thing is definitely not specced to break through in a one-on-one. I get the feeling she's the type who could one-shot an entire pack of Packhounds into oblivion—I can sense the power-creep vibes. And on top of that, I've literally used her as a stepping stone before. My opening move should be an apology command... No, in that scenario, she might demand Unique disclosure in exchange for forgiveness. But then again...
Emul: "S-Sunraku-san! Wh-wh-what do we do, wa!?"
Sunraku: "What do we do? Our decoy operation won't work twice. Then we've got no choice but to break through here...!"
If I rely on some half-baked item or magic, there's a high chance she'll counter it. A PvP principle (Katzo-style) states: either flood your opponent with options, or restrict them. Either paralyze them with a flood of possibilities, or force a choice and bind their actions... I remember thinking, while getting beaten senseless by pro gamer Modor Katzo as he put that into practice against me, So in the end it's just tying someone up and treating them like a punching bag, huh? And now here I am, the one who should be doing exactly that, having my own options restricted by Psyger-0... She's strong. Not in terms of level—as a gamer, Psyger-0 outclasses me.
She's giving me three choices: surrender, flee, or be eliminated... No, she doesn't seem like a PKer, so maybe she won't kill me of her own accord? Then the options are disclose the Unique, or retreat back into Thirdrema...
Sunraku: "!"
The armored knight's hand moves. I can feel Emul's fur bristling against me as she clings to my back in a piggyback hold. How will Psyger-0 come at me? The fact that she saw through my agitation and is moving decisively to seize the initiative—she's definitely a top-tier player.
I don't draw a weapon. Showing alertness or hostility could become a justification for her to act. Then, Psyger-0's hands—likely performing some kind of menu operation—stop moving. No, that wasn't an interruption; that was a stop signifying completion...
[Friend request received from Psyger-0.] “Pleese be my frend.”
...There's a typo.