A Personal Vendetta

Wrock sighed exasperatedly, "My money! My hard earned money!"

Yielya grinned, "My pockets are quite deep now."

Wrock gripped Akiol's arm, "You must avenge me!"

Akiol held up his hands, "I got a mouth to feed, I can't be gambling away my savings."

"I won't be able to buy a candy like this!"

Akiol patted Wrock's arm, "Farm some more, or maybe take a loan from Yielya."

Wrock looked over to Yielya and immediately shook his head, "I may be broke, but I shall never be in debt."

Yielya teased, "You sure? You might win it back."

"I abstain from gambling from here on out!"

Rrrrr~

The party looked around, wondering what was causing the commotion. Akiol's eyes widened as he forcefully jumped back. The party also noticing a split second after him.

There was going to be an eruption of lava underneath them!

Akiol's heart skipped a beat, "No! My cards!"

The ground split and lava shot out-

Tick~

Akiol blinked, "What?"

Everything was. . . frozen! Like time had stopped!

Tock~

The moment Akiol realized this time had resumed, his cards being burnt to ashes.

The party successfully escaped the flowing lava. Making camp at some other obscure spot.

Yielya comforted Akiol, "I'll get you some new cards, I recently came across a large sum of money you see."

Wrock fell onto his knees and murmured under his breath, "My money. . . used on cards!"

Akiol was deep in thought, "I'm not particularly upset about the cards. I learned something interesting."

"Hmm? What did you learn?"

"I think time just stopped."

Wrock looked up, "For real?"

Akiol nodded, "It was a surreal experience, I wonder how I activated it."

Kan'na joked, "What if you have a War Sight that can stop time."

"That would be incredibly awesome. Yet I think it's from this."

Akiol lifted the pocket watch from its chain and dangled it.

Jarvis asked, "You still haven't let Tilia inspect it?"

"I thought I already knew its abilities, but I have been proven wrong."

"So let Tilia look at it."

Akiol took the advice, "I'll ask her after the match."

~ ~ ~

Meanwhile:

"Who are you?!"

Tilia did not answer, instead she opted to slam their face into the ground.

A bronze shield formed and one of the Warrior's attacks bounce off, "This shield is so annoying!"

Tilia spoke this time, "Then break it."

"I will!"

They held their sword with both hands and lifted it above their head, it began to glow red and the moment they were about to swing downwards. . .

They were sent flying back.

"Heh, I won't let you try."

The other Warrior shakily stood up, having one's face smashed into the ground was quite horrifying.

Tilia turned to face them, immediately making them fall back in fear. They scrambled back, trying to flee.

Their back hit against a solid surface, they quickly looked behind them. A semi-translucent bronze shield blocked their path.

They raised their arms to defend themself. Yet it was too late.

Tilia swiftly stomped on their face multiple times, until they turned into light. The shield moved quickly and defended against a blast of wind.

The Sorcerer held their staff out, "You're a sadistic psychopath!"

Tilia shook her head and laughed. Her fighting style was intended to intimidate. As her enemies panicked or grew fearful they would make more hasty movements leading to mistakes. Allowing her to take advantage of more openings. Although currently her brutal fighting method was a bit freestyled as she experimented more with her War Sight.

"You're crazy!"

"If that's what you want to believe."

"Erase from this world! [Forms of Devastation: One]!"

Tilia watched as hundreds of runes formed all around her. As she felt the mana she concentrated, trying to feel what was going to happen.

She frowned, "I still have no talent for magic."

A semi-translucent bronze mountain formed around her. The runes sent attacks of various effects. The most prominent were the ones made from the basic elements.

The runes slowly dissipated and the ground shook. A large eruption of lava spewing across the field.

The Sorcerer showed an ecstatic expression, "Eat that!"

Tilia walked out from the lava, unharmed, but her breathing grew more labored. The Sorcerer's face soon fell, "What are you?!"

Tilia answered this time, "A mutant elf."

The Sorcerer was soon finished off. A look of unwillingness on their face.

The Knight and Warrior didn't move forward. For their opponent was a wall impossible to surpass.

No. . .

She was a mountain!

Tilia looked over, "So, will you call it quits here?"

The Knight looked to the sky, "There's clearly no hope. I forfeit."

Tilia walked away, "Talks about surpassing your limit in battles you cannot win are nonsense. Only monsters can do that. You all are just human. Take no shame in forfeiting."

The Knight closed their eyes, "Even if you say that. It's such a shame."

The two remaining players turned to light. Tilia then took a deep breath, "I really need some cooling in this!"

~ ~ ~

Erina tossed a chip into her mouth, "Honestly, I'm quite worried."

Desk Guy looked over, "Hmm? About what?"

"These guys, aren't they a little too ridiculous? What kind of lives did they have to live in order to be this skilled?"

"I imagine one full of adventure."

"Please, as if. What's there left to explore? With the way things are there is no way that something like that could exist. Perhaps they are part of those martial artists or whatever."

"Martial Arts are on the rise due to the game. Perhaps it's a place for them to show off, or maybe not."

"They're certainly showing off alright. A single person versus six? What a way to reduce the moral of your opponents. How brutal."

"It's entertaining is it not?"

"No! It's like being a spectator to someone being bullied. You don't want to step in, but you do at the same time."

"It's like that for now, their opponents are mediocre! Soon they will slowly be against the more skillful groups. Perhaps we can see them actually try in one of the battles."

"Speaking of try. How is Two Tries coming along?"

"That guy, he's gone and done something crazy."

"What is it this time?"

"He's wielding two of the Lower Eight."

"What?!"

"It's something I've never expected to happen. Two of the Lower Eights is on par with one of the Upper Four. Wielding two wasn't supposed to happen."

"Then-"

"He did not cheat, if he did then he should be scouted by the government for some really high pay. To do something this ridiculous and not be detected for cheating? The Main Game System was even taken aback."

"What are we supposed to do then? He's gone beyond that of a First Stage!"

"He isn't First Stage anymore, he has already ascended."

Erina was in disbelief, "So he's reached a realm beyond what the players can fight against?"

"With his current power, wiping out the entirety of that continent's player base would be cakewalk. Especially with the level everyone else is at right now."

"What if he starts?"

Desk Guy took a moment to fully ponder the situation, "We will be faced with a massive amount of outrage. He will become a king if he doesn't anger any of the Third or Fourth Stage NPCs. There isn't a single player who can fight him right now."

"Not even these guys?"

"These guys. . . despite their amazing abilities. No matter what they always have died against those who were above them in Stages. They're invincible against anyone in their Stage. Two Tries on the other hand continuously fought against those who were in a higher Stage. And won no less. As much as I would hate to admit it, I don't think they're a match."

He quickly clicked a few things on his screen, "Especially not with these stats."

Erina slumped after reading the page, "That's ridiculous, everything is at stake."

"That's if he plans to abuse this power."

"Which he will."

"How do you know?"

"Take a look at his actions. At every opportunity he's placed himself in the position to show his power. He's gained a name for himself. He has the One Man Army title!"

Desk Guy rested his chin on his interlocked fingers, "No, he won't go so far."

"Explain."

"His opponents, everyone he's shown himself against. What do they have in common?"

"Uh, I'm not sure?"

"They were in Guilds. Everyone he's provoked."

Desk Guy rapidly brought up the clips from the recorded battles of Two Tries, "Every single one."

Erina confirmed this herself, "Some of these are pretty large Guilds too. But fighting against the largest superpowers? Why?"

"A personal grudge? To show his own power? To step on those who step on others? I don't know, we may never know. Unless he tells us himself."

"Then why not ask him?"

Desk Guy paused, "What an idea. If he isn't in contact with one of our developers, then why not contact him? I'll send a request to the higher ups. If we can get some answers."

"Then we can solve this once and for all."