Hidden Event

Nimin sipped on a soda he ordered. The first waves were progressing smoothly. He took a position towards the back of the stage, the safest place on the map during the dungeon. The stage was quite simple, a large wooden platform for the actors. The mannequins charged from the entrances to the audience seating, often times they would stumble over the vast amount of chairs. This design was annoying, since the random stumbling would often make players miss their Skills.

The back was guarded by a curtain, and wouldn't open normally. If players had to guard several sides at once then this wouldn't be a leveling haven. This position not only increased safety, but it allowed Nimin to watch his teammates without much movement. Currently only Simon was moving about however, so he didn't have too deep of an opinion.

Lightning arms smashed through the mannequins without much resistance. Experience flowing into a bar slowly leveling them up. In dungeons, experience was shared to prevent conflict. This allowed tactics like solo carrying to continue. Better yet experience would be shared even if the majority of the party wiped.

The only downside was that experience was lowered if a higher leveled player killed the enemies, thus reducing the efficiency of being carried by max levels. Although that tactic wouldn't work right now anyways, since the server hadn't been opened for too long.

"Level 60 should be the max now, if they've followed the most efficient grinding method? Although that should only be for organizations. . .", Nimin murmured to himself while opening a package of instant cook noodles.

The spotlights on the stage shut off for a second before turning on again, the sudden darkness was startling every now and then. This was just to hide the disappearances of the destroyed mannequin. Once light returned, the stage was back to normal.

Simon's skill seemed quite ordinary. There wasn't too much efficiency with his movements, and his usage of Skills was a bit wasteful. Thus Nimin deemed him above average, someone good enough to dungeon with.

"Okay fourth wave is starting now. Shot you can fire at the mannequins now, your job is to take care of the farther ones. Once it's only the Elite you can participate with damage, just don't use your grenades.", Strange Smile ordered.

Nimin made a face while slurping noodles. Extending a hand he typed a response.

Critical Shot: No grenades at all?

"No, we can't have the knockback interfere with Simon."

No grenades! Just take away half of the viable skills why don't you!!

Gunners had very few skills due to their constant damage at range. Among them the easiest ones to use were the grenades. Fragmentation, flashbang, etc, all these grenades were a key essential to a Gunner's moveset. To put a lock on them. . . that was just cruel no?

Nimin didn't complain however, he understood the meaning behind the restriction. The damaging grenades all had heavy knockback upon exploding. A mannequin could crash into Simon, thus cancelling any attacks or Skills he might be using. Mistakes like these could wipe a team. Besides he was soaking up experience currently anyways, might as well follow orders.

The waves of mannequins launched forward. Strange Smile lifted his daggers and coated a neon green substance onto them. Nimin eyed this but did as he was told. As several mannequins began to stumble towards the stage the sound of gunfire filled the ears of the party.

"Hm, not as difficult as I remember it being.", Nimin spoke absentmindedly.

Compared to the intensity of micro managing movements in the professional scene, hitting stumbling mannequins was beyond easy. He just needed to put a mild bit of effort to not miss. Although he was rusty when it came to aiming, he rapidly regained his old sense for the class. Perhaps this was because it was the account he had painstakingly fine tuned in the past. Had it been a new Gunner account, it would have taken longer to remember.

Simon's fingers floated above his keys. He had prepared to take the brunt of the incoming swarm, but to his surprise not many were heading his way? The fourth wave was normally more intense no? So. . . where were the mannequins?

Simon moved his character about, watching the mannequins stumble as normal. Yet each time they stumbled Simon noticed a flash hit them. Their wooden heads exploded to splinters and they remained slumped.

"Smile. . .?", Simon spoke with an unsure tone.

Strange Smile watched in amazement. A single bullet each mannequin! Head exploded to splinters again and again, like a barrier had been erected to prevent them moving past a certain point. The constant explosions only paused when Critical Shot had to reload.

"This. . . is this Line Crossing?!"

Line Crossing, a popular term for a Gunner playstyle. One particular boastful, but now currently retired, Pro player had played Gunner. Having drawn a line in the dirt the Pro player stated, "I'll shoot any who cross the line."

That player really did only shoot those who crossed the line! The moment had become very popular, and thus was titled Line Crossing. Gunners with extreme control over the field and skilled with spectacular aim were capable of doing this technique. Someone with this level of skill would be an Elite of a top Organization right? What was someone like that doing in some random party?!

Critical Shot: Yo, focus. The elite is here. I can't shoot him right?

This guy even had time to type out a sentence with proper formatting?? Who spent time to make punctuation during moments like these? Still Strange Smile rapidly regained his composure, "Simon! Tackle the elite. Shot. . . how long can you keep this up?"

Critical Shot: Without grenades? Until the sixth wave.

"If you could use grenades?"

Critical Shot: Seventh. Elites have too much HP. Plus grenades have a long cooldown.

This brother even spelt cooldown completely! At least he said HP, had this player said Health Point Strange Smile wouldn't even be able to live up to his name. Strange Smile laughed nervously, "Okay change of plans, target the Elites! Shot we leave the small fry to you."

Critical Shot: Eh? Could you not? I haven't finished my noodles.

He's doing this while eating?!?!?

The Techmancer suddenly spoke up, "I can help hold them off. Do you want a wall?"

Techmancers could put up elemental walls. These Skills are very useful in dungeons like these, so no Techmancer would challenge a dungeon without a wall.

Critical Shot: Left side please. Can you connect it with the wall?

"I can do that much."

Strange Smile was interested and found himself asking, "Is there a problem with the left?"

Critical Shot: Simon is fighting the elite there.

Sighing with relief Strange Smile followed, "We'll handle the Elite quickly since you're dealing with these guys so easily."

Critical Shot: My damage is high, that's all.

Strange Smile didn't comment, instead he allowed this mysterious player to be humble. However what Nimin said was true! The assault rifle in his hands was a high rarity item from when he played the account. Without the high damage it provided Nimin wouldn't have been able to perform such a spectacular Line Crossing.

Without needing to worry about the waves of mannequins, the rest of the party managed to deal with the elite easily. Soon enough the fifth wave launched and Nimin continued to mow down the mannequins without much trouble.

He did miss a few times, it was natural too in his current condition anyway. His posture was all over the place, currently in some internet cafe, and eating. Relying purely on his experience in high intense environments and his overall experience Nimin was able to pull off this feat. If he was playing with more experience and in a better condition, he was confident he could have pulled off this in the later waves beyond the seventh.

Regardless, with his contribution now he was still able to perform incredibly. The party managed to pass the fifth wave without trouble. During the short intermission Strange Smile spoke to Nimin, "Brother! You're clearly some expert, what are you doing in the new server?"

Critical Shot: Leveling. Better here than older servers.

"That much is obvious, but shouldn't someone like you be on a different account?"

"Different account huh."

Too much had happened. Nimin hadn't fully processed his rapid retirement from his previous team, and his account. That old Phaseblade. . . he put more time into that than he did Critical Shot. Now it was behind him. Leaving the team meant giving up on the account. Account Sticks were property of the team, that much he understood.

Critical Shot: Yeah, but I don't have that account anymore.

"Ah! It happens, especially when accounts are physical. Starting over?"

Critical Shot: Not exactly. Just picking up an older account.

"Oh? How old?"

Critical Shot: Second Generation.

"Damn! It's only level fifty?"

Critical Shot: Abandoned account.

"That means you played during the first season. I didn't know you were such a veteran, no wonder you can perform so well!"

Critical Shot: Let's not flatter me so.

"My bad haha. I just haven't seen such a spectacular Line Crossing in person."

Critical Shot: Focus. New wave is coming.

"I'm sure this will be a breeze!"

The light flickered and the stage was set to normal. Nimin controlled Critical Shot to step back to the normal position, but noticed something strange. Turning his camera he realized the back of the stage had changed. The once giant red curtains that blocked their path were open.

Critical Shot: You had to say something.

< Warning! The puppet master manipulates the stage! >

< Hidden Event has been triggered! >

A massive wooden hand shot forth from the darkness the red curtains. Nimin's hand moved swiftly as he controlled Critical Shot to roll. An evasive move considered basic among the players. The massive wooden hand shot past him, barely missing.

A hidden event! A fortunate encounter, but it raised the difficult tremendously! Yet for Nimin he was very displeased.

"I spilled my drink!!"