Chapter Twenty: Hidden Strategies

The second clash with the Mimic cost the lives of two seasoned players. Embers and Rain Tomorrow, who managed to survive by sheer luck, were left sweating with anxiety. If fate had been a little less kind, it could have been them who were eliminated. The deaths of those who weren't masters were directly related to their low Perception stats; neither of the two had spent points to improve theirs. As for Fishscale Arm’s demise, it was even simpler—a one-third chance meant death could have befallen anyone, as certain as the Reaper’s hand.

At their current level, no player could withstand a direct hit from the chest’s cannon barrage.

Yet as the saying goes, when all roads seem blocked, a new path appears. The two players, nearly at their wit’s end, received a guiding tool left by the old man in the suit—a newspaper.

The moment the Mimic entered its second phase, the newspaper attached to its body split into three copies, falling into the hands of Embers, Fishscale Arm, and Rain Tomorrow. Unfortunately, Fishscale Arm never had the chance to read what was written.

[Hint: You have obtained the Chief Supervisor’s guidance tool. Complete the mission detailed on the tool to end this challenge early.]

Embers eagerly examined the newspaper and immediately found what he cared about most! In a box at the corner, a location within the Fifth Security Zone was marked, showing an anomalous containment site. If Embers freed it, he would complete his own second-tier challenge. That anomaly was none other than the “Living Softbody,” directly related to the side quest “Escort the Key”!

“The Duke of Thunder got wind of an internal rumor suggesting the sapphire necklace might be tied to a special tool, but none of them knew how many obstacles must be overcome to trigger this hidden clue.” Embers could not help but sigh. To reach this point, he had endured at least five pitfalls: the time trap of the specialty quest, the exploding grenade in the control center, Rain Tomorrow’s backstab, and two crises brought by the Mimic.

Yet even so, those five hurdles only gave him the mission clue. The berserk, enhanced juvenile Mimic was still hot on their heels!

To reach the final goal, he still had to race death—or, more precisely, race Rain Tomorrow!

Now, Embers was grateful he hadn’t acted on impulse and killed Rain Tomorrow. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have a scapegoat to draw the Mimic’s hatred.

Yes, a scapegoat!

As this battle royale entered its final stage, the greatest difference between the two became apparent—Stamina!

When fleeing, Embers, with his Willpower talent, actually gained an advantage over Rain Tomorrow’s Agility. Their top speeds were the same, but Embers simply had more stamina. Even though Rain Tomorrow, now at level two, had raised his max stamina by boosting his Health, he still lagged behind Embers by a single point—a difference that equated to eight meters!

Earlier, in the brocade containment facility, the players had calculated that ten stamina points allowed for about eighty meters of running. At the time, nobody cared about the extra point Embers and the other master held, but now, it made Rain Tomorrow grind his teeth in envy.

Just one point of stamina, and yet he had to watch Embers gradually pull ahead. Even though the berserk Mimic had not yet appeared for some unknown reason, the looming sense of death was suffocating him.

“Can’t you run any slower, you bastard?” Rain Tomorrow lost his composure and shouted, but Embers didn’t even flinch, not sparing him a glance. Rain Tomorrow felt as if he’d punched thin air—no satisfaction, just a face full of windblown grit.

“Idiot!”

Embers truly had no spare energy to respond—widening the gap was the best retort. Besides, if he replied, he’d actually confirm Rain Tomorrow’s curse. You’re the bastard, your whole family are bastards! His strong self-control, honed by his profession, kept him from looking back. The game was so realistic that even a slight motion could slow him down—he had no desire to lose by a few meters over a careless mistake. His eyes stayed locked on the path ahead, not even glancing at the rest of the newspaper.

He’d glimpsed words like “farmer” and “manor” earlier, but pressed for time, he suppressed his curiosity and kept running.

Eighty-five minutes had passed since the task began. By his estimate, the fork leading to the Fifth Security Zone couldn’t be far. There, Embers could use his access card to enter the main gate. Even if the enhanced Mimic followed, Rain Tomorrow would buy him precious seconds.

Almost there! It must be just ahead!

Embers was confident in his judgment. The Third Guard’s territory wasn’t large, and the deputy had previously activated some acceleration device, shortening their route. As he sprinted, Embers recalled every landmark near the fork, sweat gradually soaking his brow.

Within the support pod, the power-sensing bands flexed with every stride, and the sixty-four-directional motion platform beneath his feet matched his movements. The haptic suit and support devices perfectly relayed his every action into the game, fully immersing Embers in the virtual realm, undisturbed by the outside world. Everything was working to keep him running smoothly.

With each step, Embers ran faster, until Rain Tomorrow had no breath left for curses or complaints.

Suddenly, a strange noise rang out behind them.

Creeeak!

Rain Tomorrow’s back tensed—the enhanced Mimic had caught up.

At the same time, Embers’ eyes lit up—a conspicuous fork appeared ahead.

Finally!

Both thought the same words, but with different meanings. Embers ran towards the promising, hope-bearing gate, while Rain Tomorrow faced the arrival of death. The Mimic, having found its prey, let out a crazed, excited shriek. Its four grotesquely long limbs scrambled forward, its twisted body heaving, like some rutting baboon arching its spine and gaping its maw hungrily.

Damn it, time to risk it all!

Do they really think I’m easy prey? That I have no cards left to play?

A wild gleam flashed across Rain Tomorrow’s face. He tossed aside the guiding newspaper and drew a [Toy Grenade] from his jacket. He’d acquired this consumable by chance from the “Armed Dolls” group while completing his specialty quest. Neither Fishscale Arm nor the master ever knew he had it. Thanks to the special nature of this trial, the grenade’s effect had been enhanced, inspiring Rain Tomorrow to attempt a desperate counterattack.

He’d considered using the grenade to kill Embers outright, but the Mimic’s presence made him abandon that notion. If a normal Mimic dropped an inlay item, what would this enhanced monster drop?

Rain Tomorrow was intensely curious—could the final boss of this trial really be defeated? He believed that if he killed it, he might obtain something as valuable as the Painted Clown’s “Emotion Crystal.”

Now, with his persistent nemesis out of the way, Rain Tomorrow set his mad plan into motion. He gripped the grenade, waiting until he was sure he’d entered the Mimic’s attack range. When the monster launched itself at him, he leaped aside just in time, narrowly dodging a lethal swipe. As the razor claws swept past, he tore the pin free and hurled the grenade straight into the Mimic’s gaping maw.

To maximize the blast, Rain Tomorrow risked everything, stepping right into danger. But it worked—the grenade exploded in the most fatal spot of all:

Inside the enhanced Mimic’s mouth!

Boom!

The toy grenade’s power was undeniable. Even though the shrapnel and spikes were made of plastic and burst like fireworks, they were enough to shred most of the Mimic’s mouth, wrecking half its face and blinding an eye.

He’d done it!

For a moment, Rain Tomorrow was aflame with excitement, convinced he was about to reach the peak of his life. He drew his toy dagger, ready to finish the Mimic off, forgetting all about his own guidance destination—the twenty-first floor of the Endless Staircase.

But the “Emotion Crystal” he coveted was, at that moment, the very thing that doomed him. The crystal’s energy could trigger the Mimic’s evolution or, in the face of death, function like a surge of adrenaline and sedative combined. Though the agony couldn’t be masked, the creature’s sole remaining eye glowed with an icy, chilling light.

Rain Tomorrow saw the monster’s gaze, but too late. With its last ounce of strength, the Mimic clamped both claws onto his shoulders and dragged him into its bloody, ruined maw, activating its life-restoring devour skill.

[Hint: The enhanced juvenile Mimic has grappled you. Three points of Strength are required to break free!]

Three points?

Rain Tomorrow could only muster a bitter laugh, no different from the master before him. He was only level two—how could he reach three points?

Failing to seize his last lifeline, Rain Tomorrow was eliminated.

[Hint: Your life has reached zero. You lose qualification to participate and receive an “Outstanding” rating in the Novice Trial.]

A scream welled up as his vision went black and the game ended. Rain Tomorrow, drenched in sweat and filled with frustration, tore off his headset and yanked away the haptic bands.

Just one more step—just one! He could have been the final winner, but now he was left with nothing but bitter regret, his face contorting in dismay. Worse still, that Embers fellow might once again profit from his desperate counterattack. At this thought, Rain Tomorrow clawed at his hair, vowing to investigate this Embers scoundrel thoroughly.

Just where the hell did that bastard come from?