Item Name: Death Poker
Item Type: Sorcery Weapon
Quality: Excellent
Offense Point: ???
Element: Unknown
Special Effect 1: Limitless (At interval of every five minutes, a ruined playing card will automatically regenerate. This will stop when there are fifty-four cards in the deck.)
Special Effect 2: Poker Hands (Using a specific poker hand during attack will increase damage.)
Special Effect 3: Soul-Seeking (The cards will always aim at the wielder’s target.)
Equip Requirement: Sorcery mastery unlocked.
Can be taken out of the scenario: Yes
Remark: When Gambit submitted himself to the power of the Dark Lord and was transformed into one of Apocalypse’s Horsemen, Death, part of his power gained self-awareness and betrayed the master who was no longer whom he once was. They travelled in space in a cloud of unknown energy until, one day, they ran into another powerful soul. They then turned themselves back into a deck of playing card, serving their new master loyally.
———
A sorcery weapon was definitely a good thing. As the player’s level increased, various elements of the weapon would grow and evolve, gaining more special effects or even transmuting into a completely different thing. As a unique sorcery weapon, it was completely the luck of a draw for a player to gain one. One would never find such a thing at the shop or even in the Thriller Box. They could only be obtained through completing certain special plot missions or hidden quests. In this sense, they were rather similar to obtaining a level S mastery.
A sorcery weapon was similar to one’s title. They were something that the system custom-made for the player. If the player’s play style gradually changed in the game, so would the effect of the Sorcery weapon. However, the basic form of the weapon would not change, so normally, only when players were around level thirty when their main fighting style and gaming style had settled somewhat would they obtain something like this.
However, neither Feng Bujue nor Flashes of Sword could be considered normal people. For example, even at level 50, Flashes of Sword would be using a sword, so it would be fine giving him a sword-type Sorcery weapon now. Of course, the requirement was that he could complete the hidden quest.
Feng Bujue, on the other hand, was a more rounded character. He knew a little of each of the masteries, and the Death Poker that he had obtained was suitable for this kind of all-rounded player. Its effects were always changing, and Feng Bujue, who was just level fifteen, still had no idea how scary this set of cards could be once their full potential had been unlocked.
“Danger, danger, danger! Bujue comes with a new skill. Instantly, the wind of the battle changes, spooking the souls that litter the battlefield.”
The straight flush that Feng Bujue sent out spiraled in midair, and it did not take long to reach Flashes of Sword. The force and speed had risen compared to the previous attack.
“Flashes of Sword makes his move, determined to break down the imminent assault.”
Flashes of Sword gripped his blade with both hands and leaned forward as he lunged ahead to strike at the five spots of light. He tried to use his blade as a shield and use speed to close in the distance, to slip through the cards and get close to Feng Bujue, bringing the battle back to close combat.
“With a growl, Flashes of Sword channels his aura, and the power radiates from his body. The sword flick blocks the power of the cards. The battlefield is filled with the sound of cold steel cutting through the air. The clouds in the sky rock and move as the great presence makes himself known.
“Light and shadow flash. Flashes of Sword smiles through the attack. There is madness, and the cockiness in his eyes appears more impervious! Fortified by valor, the blade seeks to take down the strong enemy!”
Of the five cards, three were taken down by the blade. One was evaded, so one remained. It sliced through the area around Flashes of Sword’s left shoulder. A spray of red burst out from the wound, splattering with each step. But this did not stop the man’s attack. Flashes of Sword cut his way to meet Feng Bujue.
However, Feng Bujue was prepared. He knew that the five cards were not enough to stop the battle. He had expected Flashes of Sword to lunge toward him, so he had already come up with a solution.
Body Enhancement Spell had been activated, and he was holding the wrench in his hand.
His dynamic vision, extreme speed, and the element of surprise were on Feng Bujue’s side. Flashes of Sword was bleeding, similar to Feng Bujue. However, the difference was, if Flashes of Sword did not get close to his adversary, there was no chance for him to win. Contrary to that, Feng Bujue was waiting for the opportunity to deliver the fatal blow.
“The sting of the sword against the edge of the supernatural. The crisscrossing shadows, the collision of immense power. Under the cliff, the ground shakes.”
Feng Bujue planned to use a headshot to end the battle. He did manage to grasp the opportunity that he was looking for, landing a heavy blow on his opponent’s head. However, Flashes of Sword was actually wearing a helmet. Even though he had hidden that equipment, when his head was damaged, that invisible equipment appeared for a second and acted like the defensive gear that it was.
The battle did not end there. Feng Bujue wanted to increase the distance between them, but it was no longer that simple. Flashes of Sword was relentless with his use of his skills, and he moved like the wind. It was clear that he was not holding anything bad. The difference between a professional player and a non-combat type player like Feng Bujue once again cornered the latter. Feng Bujue found it difficult to escape from Flashes of Sword’s attacks.
“Each attack aims to kill. The sprayed blood seeps into the ground, dying the dirt that they step on red.
“The two continue with their assault, the sorcery sending the opponent to his death, the shine of the blade guiding the enemy to his early grave. Eventually, it is Flashes of Sword who gains the upper hand. The blade slowly pushes the enemy to his defeat. Just as Feng Bujue’s life is about to end, suddenly…
“The world rocks, and thunder strikes. The clouds part, and the sky crumbles. In an instant, purple lightning crosses the sky, opening the gates of hell. In the dark, on the horizon, a murderous presence announces itself.”
The changes to the surroundings were as the narration described. This sudden thunder strike and hellish change to the environment caused the two to cease fighting, each holding their end of the battlefield. For Feng Bujue, he managed to survive for another day.
Both of them looked in the direction opposite from the cliff, and they saw someone slowly walking toward them.
“They cannot believe what they see. It is a shadow that sends chills up one’s spine. It is the agent of death who has fallen into the realm of nothingness, the God-Demon who is reborn from hell.”
The man was large and imposing. His dark hair reached his waist, and only two strands of hair by his forehead were white. He wore black battle armor with white satin accents, a tiger-skin mantle on his shoulders, and a billowing bright red cape on his back. He had a long halberd in his hand, a combination of a spear and a scythe. The tip of the handle was armed with a blade to poke at his enemy while the sides were adorned with blades, used to slice.
Feng Bujue recognized the weapon as ’Holy Halberd’. This was a weapon made from heavenly stone, and thus, the wielder could only be the Best Warlord of the plighted world.
The narration for some reason had fallen silent once this new character appeared.
“The wind blocks my path; the way back is cold. Who shall drink with me? Who shall block my way?” The new arrival announced his presence with a poem. He walked to the two players and stated, “You do not belong here.”
Feng Bujue’s heart was racing as he thought, At the stage of the play I’m in… Yan Gui’ren hasn’t left the stage? But hearing the earlier narration, it sounds more like he has been revived.
He did not dare run his mouth, so he respectfully answered, “We will leave once victory has been decided.”
Yan Gui’ren studied him for a while wordlessly. Then he turned to look at Flashes of Sword. “What if I want you to leave now?”
“Hmm… Then you’ll have to ask the opinion of the sword…” Before Flashes of Sword finished, Feng Bujue’s poker flew at him. But this was a mere warning shot. Feng Bujue only launched one card, and it was not enough to pose any real danger. He merely wanted the man to stop talking.
“If you want to be finished in one shot, that’s your business, but don’t drag me down with you. I do not wish to make an enemy of any NPC in this world. You don’t have enough lives to die in their hands,” Feng Bujue said.
“Feng Bujue, do not worry. I will not make enemy of you. That too is their wish,” Yan Gui’ren replied.
“Huh?” Feng Bujue was stumped.
In the earlier scenario, Rainsford had once addressed him by his IGN, Feng Bujue, and said that Sam Montier wanted him to send Feng Bujue his regards. This meant that in these scenarios, the NPCs could see the players’ IGN at any time. But the issue was, Yan Gui’ren’s words seemed to possess a different layer of meaning.
“What have you done?” Flashes of Sword was confused. It sounded like the new arrival was in the same camp as his enemy. He thought to himself, Has the man accepted a quest that I was not given? That’s impossible… I was fighting him since the beginning. Other than the main quest to kill your enemy and the hidden quest to obtain the Sorcery weapon, if he has triggered any other quest, I would have triggered it as well.
“I…” Feng Bujue wanted to say that he also had no idea, but the next second, white light gathered around him, and when he came to, he was already standing inside the log-in lobby.
“What’s the meaning of this? I was forcibly transported out?”
He clicked on the screen to check the rating review. The screen said, “Scenario failed. You were killed by an NPC. The loser of the Killing Game has no reward.”
Without wasting any time, Feng Bujue opened his social tab to find Flashes of Sword’s ID. He sent a friend request, and about ten seconds later, it was accepted. Feng Bujue instantly requested to speak. Once the channel was formed, without preamble, he asked, “Did you win?”
This surprised the person on the other side. After several seconds, the reply came. “Were you transported out as well?”
“Yes,” Feng Bujue answered. “The system said that I was killed by NPC.”
“Strange… me too,” Flashes of Sword replied. “Could it be that the person who held the halberd was some kind of illusion expert boss? He cast some kind of instant-death spell on us?”
“That shouldn’t be…” Feng Bujue argued. “If he wished to kill us, it would have taken him less than three seconds with his martial arts mastery…”
“You mean we’ve encountered some kind of bug?” Flashes of Sword asked. Then after a pause, he said, “Er… I say… Brother Feng, did you add me as a friend just to ask that?”
“Could it be anything else?”
“Ha ha…” Flashes of Sword laughed. “We can go for another round, to decide the real winner.”
With a beep, Feng Bujue determinedly ended the call.