Season 2: Chapter 224: Chicken Game (1)

They discovered each other in this village, full of complex and obscured alleyways, because both of them were moving across the rooftops.

"BubbleSniper and Almond encountered each other!? They are still far from each other!? And on the rooftops!"

"But BubbleSniper might recognize him. Will Almond recognize him?"

"It's doubtful from this distance."

It was obvious, but Almond wouldn't recognize him even if their eyes met given the distance and the fact that BubbleSniper wore a mask with only his eyes visible.

"It seems like BubbleSniper also might not know it's Almond right?"

"Moreover! It's not just the two of them. There are five other skilled players! They need to be cautious so they can't fight right away!"

"Correct. Excluding the twenty ordinary participants, the remaining forty are skilled streamers who came for the challenge. Among them, now only seven are left! None of them are easy opponents!"

Only seven of the skilled streamers who came for the challenge remained. All of them were trying to kill each other. That was the current situation.

Even though Almond had been playing aggressively until now, it would be difficult for him to act rashly from now on.

'There's someone over there.’

‘One on that rooftop.'

For now, they simply noted each other's locations before moving.Fôll0w current novÊls o/n n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(c/o/m)

"Moreover, each of them currently possesses several ninja techniques! Especially player one, who has as many as three ninja techniques! Two of which have been evolved!"

Ninja techniques were the biggest variable in this game. Even if there was a skill gap in handling swords, not anticipating what ninja technique the opponent would use could result in immediate decapitation. It was somewhat of a rock-paper-scissors game.

Perhaps in this game, luck was more important with seven players remaining.

[The encirclement will shrink in thirty seconds.]

Now, there was even less space to move.

"If the area shrinks one more time, the remaining space won't even be two hundred meters. It's time to make a decision, isn't it!?"

The current standoff between the seven players was in the alleyways modeled after the alleys near old Korean fortresses. It also resembled those commonly seen in undeveloped neighborhoods.

In this bustling space where houses outnumbered streets, it wasn’t easy for ninjas to find each other. Whoever attacked first would become the target.

"Both Almond and BubbleSniper are now descending to the ground. Maybe being on the rooftops was too conspicuous?"

"That could be, or they might have spotted prey."

***

Thump.

Almond landed on the ground floor of a house.

"Eeek, my goodness!"

A commotion came from the backyard across from him. A female NPC made a fuss while hanging laundry.

Almond approached her while placing the sword hilt near his mouth.

Shh.

As he drew his sword, the NPC fell silent as a mouse.

"Hmm... ugh..."

— He’s getting used to it lol

— Wow

— Poor NPCs lol lol lol

He had learned this during the brief time playing. Making noise and killing or assaulting NPCs would only make the next NPC scream louder.

From then on, the situation would become uncontrollable. His location would be completely exposed. However, gently threatening them like this kept the NPCs quiet.

Almond approached the frightened woman and asked, "I'll just leave if you answer my question. Was there anyone dressed like me here? I think they passed through this area."

"..."

He learned another fact while playing. NPCs were both obstacles and witnesses. They promptly confessed what they had witnessed when he threatened them with a blade.

'I was tricked before.'

Almond personally experienced and learned this when roughly only seventeen players remained. He had been searching through a bookshelf in a certain house. When a ninja entered and threatened an NPC, the NPC immediately revealed his exact location.

Fortunately, Almond could hear them and prepared. That ninja, including the NPC, met an unfortunate end. This time, he planned to use this knowledge to his advantage.

'The one I saw on the rooftop earlier definitely entered here.'

Almond knew someone was around and followed them in.

"That..." the woman stammered.

"?"

It wasn't so much that she was stammering. Rather, she spoke so softly that he couldn't hear.

'Is it because I told her to be quiet?'

Suddenly, the woman's voice shrank back. The only explanation was that he told her to keep quiet earlier. Due to possibly having inferior artificial intelligence compared to other NPCs, this was plausible.

Almond assumed that was the case and moved closer to ask, "Where did he go...?"

Swoosh!

Her neck became exposed at the same time as if saying, "Please strike me."

Almond didn’t hesitate to oblige.

Swoosh!

[1 → 17]

[Instant Death]

[6/60]

— Is this a Ninja Battle!? Is this a Ninja Battle!?

— Insane

— What kind of swordsmanship is this!?

— Is, is this Civil Empire combat swordsmanship?! Is, is this Civil Empire combat swordsmanship?! Is, is this Civil Empire combat swordsmanship?! Is, is this Civil Empire combat swordsmanship?!

— Stop spamming Cookie and log in

— Civil Empire’s viral marketing is crazy lol

"Sigh," Almond sighed in relief and wiped off his sweat. "That was a bit dangerous."

The enemy convincingly acted like an NPC, which nearly cost him his life.

"Now, let's do some looting."

He searched through the woman's belongings.

"!"

Almond discovered a pleasing item.

[Short Bow]

He didn’t know she had been carrying a bow due to the camouflage technique.

***

"Wowwwwwww!!! Almond!! This is huuuuuge!!! Can he win this!? It was a disadvantageous situation from the start!!!" the usually calm commentator turned red and shouted.

— lololol

— Wow lol

— What is this?

— My ears hurt

— That was almost like the old legendary JeonJaPa mirror match

"Did, did you see that just now!? I couldn't follow it with my eyes!"

"Yes. I completely missed the part when he used the clone technique. I had no idea what was happening. Before I knew it, Almond slashed the opponent's neck!"

— Really lol

— I didn't see it either

— This Ninja Battle is awesome lol

— Fantasia is going wild!

The spectacular clash between Almond and player seventeen raised excitement and anticipation for the game. This challenge was an event to promote the new ninja mode and it was going well according to its purpose.

"Ah, that battle was quite exciting! Now, the encirclement is shrinking again!"

[The encirclement is shrinking.]

After the battle between Almond and player seventeen, the encirclement began to narrow. Now, the active area was reduced to within a two hundred meter radius.

"Will they fight even more now?"

"Hmm, no. Due to the characteristics of this alleyway map where it's hard to see each other, it doesn't seem like there will be dramatic fights just yet unless it narrows down so much that everyone can see each other!"

However, their expectations were wrong.

"Uh...?!"

Thump!

[1 → 25]

[5/60]

Splatter!

[1 → 60]

[4/60]

[1 → 32]

[3/60]

The elite ninjas suddenly started dying one after another due to the same cause.

Arrows.