Dungeon Predator (WN)

Dukeram was exceedingly handsome. He'd scanned his physical features, so he looked exactly like he did in real life.

He had a small face, dimples, curly hair, clean-cut features, and bright, sharp brown eyes.

In an age of plastic surgery, he was a completely natural handsome man!

People even modeled their characters after him.

His body was well proportioned too. He was 189 centimeters tall, and had no ounce of fat on his body.

Thus, the entertainment business called him dozens of times every day.

However, Dukeram wasn't just handsome.

He was a gaming genius. It only made sense. Despite how many skilled players there were worldwide, Dukeram had remained rank 1 since Arth's inception. His talent and sense were undeniable.

Dukeram was supposedly part of Mensa. He had been the one to scout Jegal, who was originally from a small guild, which meant he had a discerning eye too.

Plus, there were rumors that he wasn't just rich, but filthy rich. He was purportedly the second son of the Daehyeon Group, the 2nd largest company in Korea.

Apparently, it was impossible to hate Dukeram once you met him face-to-face. It had something to do with watching him constantly try to better himself or what not.

In other words, he was a hard working genius!

Dukeram didn't have any issues with women either. He didn't have a lover, but he wasn't a womanizer.

Any woman who came across him complimented his manners and how straightforward he was with them.

He clearly possessed great leadership abilities too. After all, he immediately scouted Jegal, Eric, and other skilled individuals after establishing the Empire Guild, causing them to skyrocket in power overnight.

Jegal's view of Dukeram wasn't an exaggeration; Dukeram was the perfect human being!

"It's a pleasure, Mr. Stan. My name is Dukeram. I'm the leader of the Empire Guild," Dukeram said. There was a certain grace to his movements.

"Mm."

Originally, Stan believed that some spoiled brat was inside the wagon. However, he completely purged that from his mind.

The strong recognized each other!

Stan wasn't blinded by Dukeram's face, the atmosphere surrounding him, or his flashy equipment. Thus, he realized just how strong Dukeram was.

Dukeram definitely wasn't weaker than him.

'I've finally found a worthy opponent.'

Stan drew his scimitar. He was excited at the prospect of fighting Dukeram.

"You said your name is Dukeram?"

"Yes, that's right."

"I want to fight you at full strength." Stan glared at Dukeram.

"That's why I came here." Dukeram's eyes gleamed, and he drew the sword at his waist. Max Cain! It was one of the four peerless blades crafted by the legendary artisan, Max.

The most famous of these blades was Max Perado, the sword used by the Hero Javen!

Demon Sword Ubist had once been Max Gemina, one of the four legendary swords in the Max Series.

"Max Cain, huh."

Stan knew exactly what Dukeram was wielding. After all, Max Cain was known for its glittering sky blue blade, as if the stars themselves were embedded within.

"That's right."

"My Teros has finally found its match."

Teros's Sword.

It was an SS-rank scimitar that had originally been used by the great desert warrior, Teros. It was incomparable to the Max Series, but it was definitely a top-tier blade.

"I think words are no longer necessary," Dukeram said.

Stan nodded his head. It was time for them to cross blades.

He leapt off his double-humped camel and landed in front of Dukeram.

"Don't interfere," Stan said to his subordinates.

"Yes, sir!"

"I believe in you, Commander!"

The 4th Corps' troops cheered for their commander.

"The same goes for me. Do not interfere with our duel," Dukeram said to the Empire Guild.

"Of course."

"We know you'll win."

The Empire Guild fully believed in their leader. Not a single one of them believed he would lose.

The two took their positions and stared each other down. Neither of them moved.

However, anyone with a bit of sense knew what was happening. Dukeram and Stan were engaged in an intense imaginary battle.

Though it was an imaginary battle, it could easily turn into a real life battle at any moment.

How much time had passed?

Swish.

The wind swept through the sand in between them. Despite that, neither Dukeram nor Stan made a move.

* * *

"The Empire Guild's leader and rank 1, Dukeram! It's already been 5 minutes since he's engaged the Arabas Kingdom's Desert Warrior, Stan, but... He hasn't moved a muscle yet. How long will he stay put?"

"The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife!"

"I wonder how Dukeram will fare against a Master like Stan?"

"Aah, they're finally moving!"

"The one who moved first... No, they moved simultaneously!"

The correspondents said.

The two rushed at each other simultaneously.

Dukeram swung his sword horizontally, while Stan swung his downwards.

Clang!

A shrill, metallic 'clang' rang out.

Neither side was pushed back.

After that, the two sides clashed blades several times. It was such a simple fight that it'd make you wonder whether this was really a fight between Dukeram and Stan.

But those with a discerning eye bit their lips.

That 'simple fight' was much more complicated than it looked.

Kang Oh knew this fact well.

He too had chased after the gaudy wagon in hopes of fighting Dukeram. Thus, he had a front row seat to Dukeram and Stan's battle.

Kang Oh realized what the two were intending as they clashed blades.

'He exposed himself on purpose there; wow, he didn't fall for it? Looks like he's baiting him into doing something here. That's how experts fight; they act like they're doing something and then do something else. But this is just a taste of what's to come.'

Kang Oh crossed his arms and continued to watch their battle. Eventually, Kang Oh's eyes widened.

Dukeram wasn't being overwhelmed at all. On the contrary, he had quickly gotten the upper hand.

He was fighting the Master Desert Warrior, Stan, at that.

This could only mean one thing.

'He's a Master!'

Dukeram was just a plain old Swordsman. He had to be a Master Swordsman; if he wasn't, then there's no way he'd be beating Stan.

'I was wondering why they were so confident. They set this up to show the world that Dukeram has become a Master.'

Other people began to make the same realization.

"Aah, Dukeram isn't being pushed back at all. In fact, he seems to be winning."

"Breaking news. It's highly likely that Emperor Dukeram has become a Master!"

"It seems like Emperor Dukeram is the first player to become a Master!"

"As expected of Dukeram."

The correspondents went crazy. Those watching at home were completely shocked.

A Master!

Experts believed that it'd take a player at least half a year to become a Master based on the way Arth's proficiency system worked and the average player's growth.

However, Dukeram had blown all of those figures out of the water.

Arthtory and the other community sites went crazy. They were filled with posts exalting Dukeram.

[Dukeram is the God of Arth.]

[The First Master, Dukeram!]

[Forever No.1, Dukeram!]

...

Kang Oh had a bitter taste in his mouth.

If he hadn't experienced an automobile accident, and had played Arth from its inception, then things could've been different.

Perhaps he could've been the first Master. Of course, if not for the accident, then he wouldn't have his Hyper Intuition.

"Mm." Kang Oh dragged his foot across the sand. He was suddenly lost in thought.

He originally planned on challenging Dukeram. So long as Dukeram was a Master, however, Kang Oh had almost no chance of beating him.

'So should I just back off now?' Kang Oh thought. 'No, no. He's the first player to become a Master! If I fight him, I may get a better understanding as to how to become a Master.'

Kang Oh had a feeling that raising one's proficiency wasn't the key to becoming a Master. He believed there was something beyond that!

'Yeah, let's fight him.'

Kang Oh made sure he had a return scroll ready.

He planned on fighting Dukeram, and if he need be, run away.

A game over for him was worse than it would be for other players. He couldn't afford to die here.

* * *

'Everything's going as planned!' Jegal's lips curled upwards.

Dukeram and Stan's battle gradually became more intense.

Stan attempted to retake the momentum with a combination of sharp strikes, flowing combo attacks, and skills used at the precise time.

What's worse, he mixed in Desert Warrior secret techniques too.

Scorpion King's Judgment!

A rainbow-colored scorpion aura attempted to devour his enemy!

Sword of Demise!

Anyone cut by his blade would wither away like a mummy until all that was left was a handful of sand.

However, Dukeram was a Master Swordsman.

There was no need to reiterate how skilled he was, and all of his equipment was SS-rank too! He also knew 3 Swordsman secret techniques.

Sword that Brings Victory!

This skill would unleash a killing blow that possessed absolute destructive power.

Space-Time Sword!

This skill would unleash a slash that twisted both space and time!

It would either cause an attack 3 seconds ago to appear 3 seconds later, or allow a melee attack to strike someone from several hundreds of feet away.

Enlightened One!

This secret move would boost all of his abilities, increase the power behind his sword, and draw out the maximum power of his sword's item effects!

There was no reason he'd be beaten by Stan when he had these three skills.

Ultimately, they fought for more than an hour. However, once Dukeram sliced Stan's wrist, the battle was essentially over.

"Aah!"

"No, Commander!"

"You can do it!"

"Commander Stan!"

The 4th Corps' troops desperately cried out.

On the other hand, the Empire Guild was having a blast.

"Ooh, the great Dukeram!"

"We'll always be with you!"

"Hehe." Jegal kept smiling. What would happen if Dukeram were to kill Stan now?

Kang Oh, Helena, Bart, Raon, and Hernandez would be nothing more than the glow of a firefly. Their gentle light wouldn't hold a candle to Dukeram's brilliant moonlight!

Plus, what would happen after the civil war was over and the Arabas Kingdom came under the control of the Empire Guild?

The Empire Guild would no longer be one of the 4 great guilds; they would surpass them and become the indisputably strongest, best guild there is!

Jegal's eyes blazed with ambition.

* * *

Stan was a Master Desert Warrior.

Although he was losing to Dukeram, he was still a Master. Thus, he had a final card to play.

'I'm going to wait until the very end.'

No matter how great Dukeram was, he would inevitably lower his guard when victory was within sight.

That would be Stan's final chance at turning things around.

Thus, Stan didn't give up till the bitter end. However, he didn't last long. The force behind Stan's scimitar progressively became weaker and weaker.

It was time to decide who the winner and loser were.

Dukeram thrust his sword, aiming for Stan's heart.

Then, Stan counterattacked at the perfect time. It was quick, precise, and sharp! It was as if a dying rat had suddenly got its second wind and bit the cat!

Dukeram quickly turned his body.

Swish!

His scimitar ripped through Dukeram's armor and rent flesh, causing him to burst with huge shards of light.

Stan grimaced, and his sword hand had lost all its strength.

Dukeram was sure that Stan didn't have anything left!

'This is the end.' Dukeram swung downwards, aiming for Stan's neck.

However...!

Right when Dukeram's blade sliced through Stan's neck...

'This is really the end!'

Stan pushed his neck forward, allowing Dukeram's blade to push even deeper, and thrust his scimitar at Dukeram's heart.

Sword of Demise!

Red shards of light burst out of Stan's neck like a fountain of blood.

The Sword of Demise made contact with Dukeram's body.

With this, Dukeram's body would wither away into a dried up husk and eventually become a handful of sand! At the very least, this battle wouldn't end in Stan's defeat.

Unfortunately...!

Dukeram's armor radiated iridescent light. The SS-rank armor set, 'Invincible Tarsonis', had activated its special effect.

Full Heal!

This ability dispelled all curses and status ailments, and completely restored one's HP, MP, and Stamina.

"Too bad," Dukeram said. He was completely unscathed.

"Damn it." Stan didn't even have the energy to raise his scimitar.

Dukeram swung his sword.

Swish.

Stan's body fell to the ground.

The man who was once called the Arabas Kingdom's Future had perished.

"Commander Stan!"

"Commander!"

"Waaaa!"

"Dukeram! Dukeram!"

The 4th Corps and the Empire Guild had completely different reactions.

"I won!" Dukeram raised his sword into the air.

Then, the Empire Guild's cheers got even louder, completely drowning out the 4th Corps' anguished cries.

At that moment...!

Whoosh! Thunk!

A black object fell from the sky, landing right in front of Dukeram.

It folded its dark red wings, and two demonic horns on its head pointed at the sky.

Darkness crept out of Ubist from his right hand, while Blood's snow-white blade glimmered like a spotless mirror from his left hand.

"Let's fight!" Kang Oh yelled.