Chapter 10: The God of Looting

The new member, ‘Proposal,’ boasted an extreme level of sociability.

[Party] Proposal: Back in my student days, I used to get beat up by all those stagnant players.

[Party] Proposal: Now that I’ve got a bit more free time, I’m here to get my revenge.

[Party] Proposal: No way I could do it earning just one or two million a month, so I just gave up, lol.

[Party] Proposal: Thought that having some cash in my late twenties would at least let me show my face around.

[Party] Proposal: But this is just… lol.

[Party] Proposal: I totally underestimated this trash game. That was my short-sightedness, lol.

On top of that, they seemed a bit flighty, not even hesitating to reveal their age.

[Party] Ro: Oh, you’re in your twenties.

“Interesting. I heard it’s hard to see people in their twenties here.”

[Party] Proposal: I’m 28, lol.

[Party] Proposal: How about you all?

[Party] Ro: I’m twenty-seven, hehe.

It felt like some kind of background check, which I wasn’t fond of, but it’s something that often comes up when you’re chatting mid-game.

[Party] Happy: I’m 26…

[Party] Proposal: Wow, I guessed right.

[Party] Proposal: You type fast, and you don’t have that old-timer vibe at all, lol.

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud as soon as I read that.

“Ah… this person must’ve had it rough too.”

They seemed a little frivolous, but I liked their bright and positive personality.

More than anything, they were straightforward.

[Party] Proposal: Let’s go quickly.

[Party] Proposal: I wanna shake down those old geezers stuck in the desert, lol.

And so, we entered Season 16, the ‘Desert of No Return.’

As soon as we set foot in the desolate sandy map, a group already deep into grinding in the desert zipped past us like lightning.

Four of them approached, spamming skills, and I was momentarily startled. But they only hesitated in front of us for a moment before moving on.

[Party] Proposal: Whoa, that got me.

[Party] Proposal: Isn’t this a PK map from here?

[Party] Proposal: But they’re just leaving us alone?

I thought I knew why.

Right now, I’m the only debuffer in the top rankings.

There seem to be debuffer prospects in both Hana and Karma, but it’ll take time for them to enter the desert.

[Party] Ro: If Happy’s a debuffer, they can’t just mess with us, hehe.

[Party] Proposal: True, and Happy’s all-in on stamina, so it’d be hard to kill them easily.

[Party] Proposal: The moment anyone tries, they’ll be chased down for griefing, for sure, lol.

[Party] Happy: That’s a compliment, right?

[Party] Proposal: Of course.

[Party] Proposal: Who would dare mess with our Happy?

[Party] Happy: lolololol

We roamed the desert without a worry.

[Party] Proposal: What is this, what is this?

[Party] Proposal: Insane.

[Party] Proposal: The exp here is crazy.

[Party] Happy: You see all the loot dropping? Grab it fast!

[Party] Proposal: Oh, ok ok ok.

“What the… Why are you so good at picking up loot? Are you using an auto mouse? Macro?”

Proposal had the hands of a god.

Just like a model passenger on a power-leveling ride, Proposal scooped up items at a speed I couldn’t even see.

Thanks to them, I was able to leisurely keep watch on our surroundings.

[Party] Happy: This place reminds me of Victor.

[Party] Happy: Wonder what their ID is this round?

[Party] Ro: Yeah, really, hehe.

[Party] Proposal: Huh, who’s that??

[Party] Happy: Someone from the Hana Guild who tormented us horribly last round, lol.

[Party] Proposal: Oh, then we gotta kill them!!!

[Party] Happy: Their personality is trash too, lol.

[Party] Ro: And their mouth… heh.

[Party] Happy: Bet they’ll pick a fight first. Now that I think about it, they probably know our IDs too.

[Party] Ro: Good.

[Party] Ro: Don’t know if they’re in that party now, but either way, let’s use this chance to level up fast, hehe.

[Party] Happy: Then I’m not sleeping tonight.

[Party] Proposal: lolololololol deal

[Party] Ro: ;;;

The ‘Desert of No Return’ was ablaze with activity.

Maybe because we were grinding nonstop, the other parties already there looked busy as well.

Then—new faces appeared in the desert.

[Desert of No Return ― All] Pineapple: Anyone got a party? Let us two join, pleaseㅠ

[Party] Ro: We’ll just stick to our own group.

[Party] Proposal: Ok ok, agreed.

[Desert of No Return ― All] INFP: We’re full party here.

[Desert of No Return ― All] Pineapple: Wow, INFP, you’re really putting in work.

[Desert of No Return ― All] Pineapple: Take it easy, heheㅠㅠ

[Desert of No Return ― All] INFP: You too, Apple~

Watching the chat scroll up every few seconds, my mind wandered for no reason.

The full party limit in MonWorld is six.

Even though the party EXP event is over, it’s common sense to stick with members of your own guild on PK maps.

On top of that, in the Another server, even if you’re sharing a map, you never party up with enemy guilds.

“What the, it’s INFP’s group. Weren’t there just four earlier? Maybe they’ve got someone AFK in town?”

Besides, that conversation looked like low-key shade at each other.

“Pineapple definitely gives off Hana Guild vibes. Then INFP’s party must be Karma Guild?”

While I was pointlessly speculating, we’d already made a full loop.

As our route brought us near the entrance, a mage and a warrior who’d been hanging around the entrance came over.

The mage was Pineapple. The warrior was Gomae.

[Desert of No Return ― All] Gomae: Whoa, Happy’s group made it up here too.

[Desert of No Return ― All] Pineapple: Just three of you? Party with us.

[Party] Proposal: Nah nah nah, those guys are kinda sus.

[Party] Proposal: Just say we’re full, make something up.

[Desert of No Return ― All] Ro: sry sry

[Desert of No Return ― All] Ro: We’re in party chat with friends on another map right now.

I couldn’t help but clap at the smooth lies. Proposal was already spamming ‘lolololol’ in party chat.

[Desert of No Return ― All] Gomae: Ah~ hehe, but Ro, are you sure you don’t wanna join our guild?

No sooner had we strode past them than this comment popped up, jokingly or maybe seriously—I couldn’t tell.

[Desert of No Return ― All] Ro: Huh?

[Desert of No Return ― All] Gomae: Last time Hannari invited you, but you turned it downㅠㅠ

[Desert of No Return ― All] Ro: Oh, yeah, hehe. I’m not thinking about joining a guild yet.

[Desert of No Return ― All] Gomae: How about you, Happy?

“Whoa, why are they dragging me into this too?”

[Desert of No Return ― All] Happy: I’m not interested, either.

[Desert of No Return ― All] Gomae: That’s a shame…

[Party] Proposal: These guys are total social butterflies.

[Party] Proposal: ㅠㅠ

[Party] Ro: Hehe, Proposal, are you planning to join a guild?

[Party] Proposal: I’ll follow Ro and Happy wherever you guys go.

[Party] Proposal: If you’ll have me……ㅠㅠ

[Party] Ro: Oh.

[Party] Happy: Loyal, I like it, lol.

[Party] Happy: But we’ve already turned down both guilds…

[Party] Proposal: ? You turned down Karma too?

[Party] Proposal: Wow?

[Party] Ro: We’ll probably stay guildless, I think, hehe.

[Party] Proposal: This is already getting fun, lol.

[Party] Proposal: So, 2:1?

[Party] Proposal: No, is it 1:1:1?

[Party] Happy: If Hana and Karma keep being at odds, I guess so??

[Party] Proposal: That’s awesome, really.

[Party] Proposal: The admins and guild leaders must be getting headaches.

[Party] Proposal: Guys.

[Party] Proposal: When there’s a fight, let me in, lol. I’ll grind like crazy.

[Party] Ro: You’re reassuring, heheh.

[Party] Happy: lolololol, I’m screenshotting this.

[Party] Proposal: Aww.

Proposal was a true ‘genuine article.’

* * *

Before we knew it, it was already 1AM.

Three parties—including ours—were steadily running the desert.

There were three of us. Karma Guild’s INFP group had five. Hana Guild was just Pineapple and Gomae.

Each party stuck to their own, fiercely guarding their territory without an inch of concession.

[Party] Proposal: Dang, it’s a mob-heavy map, but with three parties it feels crowded.

[Party] Proposal: This is kinda nerve-wracking.

As Proposal said, this wasn’t a good situation.

No matter how big the map, the respawn spots are fixed, so party routes inevitably overlap.

If the routes overlap, there are fewer mobs to kill, and with fewer mobs, it takes less time to run a full lap.

So, in order to snag even one more mob, everyone starts deviating from the standard routes little by little, and before you know it, everyone’s path is all out of sync.

“Everyone’s turning into bandits.”

Normally, the tank leads the route, but in MonWorld, the dealer leads the way.

They’re called the ‘driver,’ and in our party, that’s the mage, Ro.

In Karma, the mage INFP is the driver, while in Hana Guild, it’s the tank Gomae.

“It’s easier to run like this when there are a lot of people, but…”

The problem is, the driver instinctively tries to take the areas where mobs respawn the most.

That’s what Ro and Jiho are doing now, and Karma and Hana Guild are also looping around the spawn spots.

“Right now, there’s this unspoken agreement not to interfere, but if we keep running into each other, things won’t stay peaceful.”

[Party] Proposal: Ugh, just missed it.

[Party] Proposal: It was just about time for six mobs to respawn, but shoot, they’re already gone.

Just like that.

[Party] Ro: Hm.

[Party] Ro: Yeah, this isn’t great, hehe.

[Party] Ro: It’d be ideal if each party stuck to their routes…

[Party] Happy: With three parties and no set rules, there’s no way they’ll stick to that.

[Party] Proposal: What if this turns into a fight?

[Party] Proposal: I’m starting to get nervous.

Claiming spawn spots is the perfect setup for a fight. While everyone was on edge—

[Party] Proposal: Ugh, it’s Gomae-Pineapple again.

Unluckily, Gomae and Pineapple’s party overlapped with our route.

Four mobs had just spawned at the spot and were roaming about. Luckily, we were closer. Ro and Proposal, our dealers, rushed out to grab first hit.

[Pineapple has used Blazing Flame.]

Pineapple, who had been trailing behind me, suddenly attacked. I snapped.

“What the… that jerk…!”

[Desert of No Return ― All] Pineapple: Whoa, sry sry sry

[Desert of No Return ― All] Pineapple: Sorry, Happyㅠㅠ

“Are you kidding…?”

[Party] Proposal: That bastard

[Party] Ro: Hm.

[Party] Proposal: Feels pretty deliberate.

I thought the same.

In this game, to attack another player you have to hit F12 and turn PK mode ON. Despite running into us dozens of times with no incident, to suddenly attack now meant it was intentional.

And targeting me specifically…

“They’re testing me.”

They were checking how much damage their attack would do to me. I was irritated, but held back once.

I had no intention of forgiving a second time, and fortunately, Hana Guild acted true to form.

[Pineapple has used Blazing Flame.]

[Desert of No Return ― All] Pineapple: Whoa, s

Pineapple started typing their prepared excuse, but I didn’t hold back.

Nor did Ro and Proposal.

I immediately hit Pineapple with ‘Ominous Step.’

Right after, Ro and Proposal—almost as if they’d been waiting—blasted Pineapple’s character with ‘Flames of Inferno.’

Ro hit twice fast, Proposal once.

With three skills in rapid succession, Pineapple didn’t even have a chance to run or heal, and went down hard.

[Desert of No Return ― All] Pineapple: ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

[Desert of No Return ― All] Pineapple: I forgot to turn it offㅠㅠ

Total nonsense that wouldn’t convince anyone.

Only Gomae, left alone, stood awkwardly in front of us, not knowing what to do.