Chapter 21: Don’t Be Cocky. Always Stay Humble (5)

“Are you kidding me?”

Logged in under the ID ‘Ragnarok,’ Kang Arin tilted her head.

The player Raidel had brought in as her sub—’SilverSilver.’

Above Silver-Hair’s account hovered a yellow chick sticker.

A chick sticker.

A symbol given to brand-new players in Raid & Master.

It disappears after just one game.

Which meant Silver-Hair hadn’t played a single match yet.

‘Wait. Is this a pro’s smurf?’

Had to be.

No way someone would bring in a complete beginner as her replacement against this level of opponent.

‘She must be streaming.’

Arin quickly opened Soopjijik and checked Raidel’s stream.

Then, she frowned.

“No way?!”

From Raidel’s words and the chat, it was clear—

This ‘Silver-Hair’ really was a complete beginner.

Not just new to Raid & Master—new to VR gaming entirely.

“Hmph, I don’t know what kind of game they’re trying to play.”

Still, she’d already agreed. No backing down.

Even if it was a noob.

She’d just crush them.

Bringing someone like this to face her, knowing her skill?

She had no intention of going easy.

The only question was—

How would she cook them?

Kang Arin twisted her lips into a sadistic smile.

---

“Silver-hair, try not to take it too hard if you lose, okay?”

Raidel sighed as she explained the gameplay.

「For real for real.」

「It’s the fight that matters.」

「But this just looks like a one-sided beatdown.」

「First match is against a pro-level player? Rough.」

「There’s no winning angle here tbh.」

「Feels like noob bullying, not gonna lie.」

‘Yeah, I agree…’

Raidel nodded at the chat.

This just wasn’t a winnable situation.

She’d been crushed as a Diamond 1.

No way Silver-Hair—who had just started—could take down that monster.

“What do you want to pick? For your first time, I’d recommend a warrior.”

[SilverSilver: I’ll go with Rogue Master.]

“Hmm… Rogue Master isn’t really beginner-friendly.”

「Yeah Rogue Master’s tough.」

「Dagger champs are banned for newbies for like a month lol.」

「Isn’t this their first VR game? That’ll be chaotic.」

「Too much mobility to get used to easily.」

[SilverSilver: But it’s the only one I’ve seen so far…]

Raidel winced.

She’d only shown Rogue Master during the stream—this was an educational broadcast, and yet she’d basically showcased one champ.

So Silver-Hair had never even seen anyone besides Rogue Master and the sniper.

“Hahaha… well, it’s not bad, I guess.”

Rogue Master definitely wasn’t a beginner champ.

But it was the sniper’s counter.

‘Not like picking anything else will help anyway.’

Raidel accepted it.

Switching now wouldn’t change anything.

[SilverSilver: Also, I just really like the Rogue Master character.]

With that, the picks locked in and the match began.

Silver-Hair: Rogue Master.

Ragnarok: Sniper again.

“You should buy the Defender’s Shield.”

Raidel watched Silver-Hair’s screen, giving tips.

The shield could at least slightly reduce sniper damage.

It was a stable choice for a newbie.

But Silver-Hair went with something else entirely.

「Huh? They bought boots?」

「Who even buys boots first anymore?」

「There was an old meta for that.」

「That really the move?」

「Let them enjoy, they’re new.」

Silver-Hair chose Leather Boots.

Instead of increasing attack or defense, they only boosted movement speed.

You’d be faster, sure—

But it didn’t help in terms of combat power.

Not exactly a high-efficiency first item.

“Um, just so you know, you can refund items right after buying? So maybe you want to—”

[SilverSilver: Nah]

[SilverSilver: I picked it on purpose.]

But Silver-Hair held their ground.

Raidel felt dizzy for a second but didn’t press it.

Chat seemed to agree—let them do what they want.

They were going to lose anyway.

Thud thud—

The sniper emerged from their tower.

Raidel swallowed.

PTSD from getting her soul crushed resurfaced.

Had the sniper confirmed Silver-Hair was a total newbie?

Unlike her passive play against Raidel, she stepped way out of tower range.

Meanwhile,

Silver-Hair’s Rogue Master stayed quietly within tower range.

Then suddenly—

「Wait, are they running?」

「Can you just charge like that?」

As the sniper crossed a certain threshold, Silver-Hair sprinted.

No warning—just took off.

“Nice! Silver-hair, use your dash skill!”

Raidel shouted.

Certain now that her opponent was a newbie,

the sniper had overextended, stepping far out of tower range.

Monsters hadn’t even spawned yet.

If Rogue Master dashed in now, it’d be a huge advantage.

“….?”

But Silver-Hair didn’t use the dash.

「??」

「They’re just sprinting in?」

「Do they not know how to assign a skill?;;」

「Wouldn’t be surprising on a first try.」

‘Do they really not know how to level a skill?’

Just charging.

Straight at the sniper. No hesitation.

Running on two strong legs instead of using skills.

Even the sniper—Ragnarok—seemed a bit confused.

Not scared—just: ‘What the hell is this?’

“That was such a good opportunity too…”

Raidel frowned.

The reason Rogue Master counters sniper is that dash.

It negates sniper’s biggest strength—range.

But charging in raw like this…

They’d just get gunned down.

Click.

The sniper loaded a shot.

Bang!

A bullet flew toward Rogue Master.

Then—

Thud!

The hit landed on the ground.

「She missed?」

「What? Was that a mistake?」

「The charge startled her lol」

But it wasn’t a miss.

Raidel narrowed her eyes.

She’d seen Ragnarok’s shooting firsthand—

Her aim was nearly flawless.

She had no trouble hitting Raidel while she juked like crazy.

A straight-line target? That was easy.

Which meant—

‘They dodged. Just barely.’

The bullet was aimed at the right knee.

The aim had been perfect.

But Silver-Hair had subtly moved their leg,

And the bullet barely grazed past.

‘That was just enough movement to dodge.’

Minimal. Precision.

So small, even viewers thought it was just a miss.

Click.

Sniper Kang Arin tilted her head.

She’d seen it too.

Silver-Hair dodged.

But… wasn’t this their first VR game?

Was it luck?

‘Still, I’ve got some distance left.’

For whatever reason, Rogue Master still hadn’t used dash.

So Arin had time.

She reloaded while retreating.

Bang!

Clang—!

「????」

「Blocked it???」

「Did they deflect that with a dagger??」

「This has to be a fluke, right?」

「Didn’t they say it was their first game???」

No one misunderstood this time.

The bullet aimed at the torso—

Was cleanly deflected with a dagger.

Still sprinting full speed.

‘This is like a horror movie.’

Arin was legit rattled.

She kept reloading while falling back.

‘I went too far forward!’

And maybe from overconfidence, she had.

Worse, Rogue Master had boots.

The gap closed quickly.

‘It’s Assassinate!’

Seeing the Rogue Master approach, Arin made a judgment.

Monsters hadn’t spawned yet. Both players were still level 1.

At level 1, you can only learn one skill.

Rogue Master’s Assassinate—a blink that teleports behind the enemy.

So Silver-Hair had skipped dash and taken that instead.

‘Right.’

Getting hit from behind would be fatal.

She had to retreat toward the tower—or she’d be cut off.

Thinking she’d read her opponent, Arin smirked.

‘I don’t know how they blocked those shots, but I’ve got the mind games won.’

She hadn’t leveled her skill yet either.

Just like in her first match against Raidel,

She faked a retreat and dropped Hunter’s Trap behind her.

Rogue Master had entered Assassinate range.

If they blinked in now—they’d land straight in the trap.

Immobilized, they’d be easy prey.

Thwip—!

“Huh?”

But instead—

The skill Silver-Hair chose wasn’t dash or Assassinate.

It was Paralyzing Arrow?

The sniper was stunned.

Completely defenseless.

Silver-Hair slashed her mercilessly with a dagger.

Shkk—!

“Ghhk!”

Neck. Heart.

Perfect hits to the vital points.

With a chilling sound,

the sniper’s health dropped in chunks.

“Ngh, wait—!”

Arin’s health was plummeting. She was mentally shaken.

Still, she steadied herself.

‘Paralyzing Arrow’s stun isn’t that long.’

She barely survived, escaping to the front of her tower.

“And I’m close!”

Throwing herself toward safety, she fired a point-blank shot.

BANG—!

The bullet flew straight at Rogue Master’s head.

They were right next to each other now.

And the closer a shot, the harder it is to dodge.

Even if Rogue Master had full health, a headshot could be lethal.

Thud!

‘Got her!’

Arin cheered inwardly.

Silver-Hair’s head snapped back from the impact.

But then…

‘Why didn’t their HP drop?’

It should’ve chunked their health.

Instead, their bar barely moved.

Silver-Hair raised her head—

And in Rogue Master’s mouth—

Was the bullet.

“…..”

Arin’s jaw dropped.

“Am I dreaming…?”

They caught the bullet in their teeth.

It didn’t feel like a slick play.

More like she’d seen a hallucination.

In all her Raid & Master experience, she’d never been this flustered.

So flustered, she didn’t even realize—

That Rogue Master’s dagger had pierced deep into her heart.

[SilverSilver has drawn First Blood!]

[You have been defeated.]

The red-colored defeat message appeared before Arin’s eyes for the first time.