Soulless Players

Philip's initial goal was to gather intel about the game and later kill Steve. But after seeing Loen, he quickly retracted killing Steve and focused on the intel. After all, even without him, Steve would soon meet his end.

His revenge need not be done by him. He needed to prioritize his safety first.

However, after learning the reward for killing a player, his interest quickly reignited, and chose to gamble.

'There is still a chance of winning. After all, Steve possessed an illegal weapon,' Philip optimistically thought. If he arrived on time, he could still save Steve.

Philip quickly organized his thoughts. After a short while, he glanced back at his Stats, specifically at his Physique. He clicked it fifteen times, changing the numerical value attached after it.

______________

Physique: 30 (+15) (>)

______________

Afterward, Philip clenched his fist, feeling his power increase immensely. He stood up and ran towards the other end, swinging himself around to enter the door beneath.

***

Back to the present, five hours later.

Ting!

[Transformed state ending]

Physique: 9 (+15)

Philip sat on the chair, secretly gritting his teeth. Although he was feeling an insurmountable pain rushing through his body, his hold on the gun was still steady, aiming at the dumbfounded Steve.

Steve's eyes glowed as he looked at Philip, and frowned upon seeing him brightly lit almost equal to seven bulbs. His brightness was different from Raven who initially shone with five bulbs.

'What happened? How did he become powerful in a short period of time? Is he really Raven?' Steve tried to reason out, disbelief at another mercenary betraying him again.

However, after some thought, he accepted that Raven was all along Philip, and his change in brightness occurred after the two were separated.

'So my guess was right. The power to control the weather wasn't his uniqueness. This is his true power…'

"You got me. I always know you are alive." Steve said calmly. This was the truth as no traces were found even after he turned the forest around. In addition, Philip's safety was confirmed by the System as someone saved him in the past.

System's Log: [An outsider interfered in the game world…(>)]

This was what appeared after he ordered Emile, the scammer, to catch Philip in the past.

He didn't know who the outsider was and why would someone help Philip. Although it was a pity, he was still glad as he received great compensation. He soon threw Philip back into his mind and focused on his -100 karma.

The only thing he did wrong was that he was too complacent. He never expected Philip to come back this strong.

He had used his 'Golden Eyes' ability on Philip in the past and subconsciously looked down on him because of the minuscule light coming from Philip. His coming as Raven, someone he wanted to place his whole trust in, had greatly affected him and hurt him.

'I was wrong again,' Although his eyes were calm as if he was surrendering his fate to Philip, he was dejected internally. The one he deemed his savior turned out to be his enemy.

Nothing hurts more than to see his hope and trust broken. Especially to someone he shared his worries with for the first time.

Their meeting was short but it was enough for Steve to say he felt comfortable with his presence. In fact, he was also surprised by his attachment to Raven, Philip in disguise rather. Maybe he was all waiting for a person to understand him and a person who would help him shoulder his destiny.

It was like Philip was like a spring coming to the winter him.

However, never would he have thought that the spring was fake. And all along, he was alone, cold in the winter.

The story about the rabbit and the tortoise wasn't dedicated to him.

In this fight, he was not the tortoise but the rabbit.

'He started as an inspiration, later turned into a sanctuary, and now ends up as his finale.' Steve smiled painfully as he looked at the gun pointed at him. He wished that he would rather die at Loen's hand. The sight of Philip looking at him with a nonchalant expression hurts him strangely.

'Still, it's better,' Steve was relieved that it wasn't Raven's face. He would rather keep this beautiful memory of a savior in his mind.

Steve watched the bullet coursing through his left leg, and blood splattered quickly all around the small shed. Later, another gunshot was heard, but now, the blood rushed out from his right hand.

ARGHHH!

Steve wailed out loudly in pain. He was squirming on the floor with his body slowly painted in red.

Philip never said a word. He just looked at Steve's suffering with an expressionless face.

His silence continued for hours until Steve couldn't wail anymore.

And when midnight came, Philip transformed back into Raven. He stood up and grabbed the farming tool lying in the corner.

Holding the machete in his hand, Philip walked towards Steve, his face still void of any emotion.

"No, no…" It was then Steve cried. When Philip shot him, he never uttered a single word as it was expected that he would kill him. His only wish was for Philip to end him faster.

But when he transformed back to Raven, he quickly closed his eyes. He didn't want to see it. He didn't want to see his savior be the reason for his death.

But alas, even with his eyes closed, his mind still created an image of an expressionless Raven coming with a machete. It kept on repeating and repeating in his mind until Steve felt numb by the pain it brought.

'Why did you not kill me on the train? Why did you save me and run for hours? Why did you give me hope?' Steve complained internally. He hated this moment. He hated the happy emotions he felt when he finally escaped from his -100 karma.

He had a lot of complaints but he only managed to utter a single question,

"Why are you an enemy?"

Steve's breath ended along the machete hitting his neck, leaving behind Philip watching as his head rolled away to the corner.

Ting!

After a short while, Philip heard a bell ringing inside his head. It was only then he moved and grabbed anything valuable that Steve possessed.

And when his hands touched two familiar bracelets in Steve's pocket, he froze. It was his parents' bracelets.

Philip stroked them for a moment and later moved. He went to the table and placed Loen's ring in his pocket.

Shortly, he left the shed, and when he was far away, he glanced at the starry dark sky. His face wasn't expressionless anymore. Instead, he felt isolated and lonely.

'I'm alone once again,' Philip's silent thought resounded around the grassland as if showing his pain and loneliness.

The trees and grass could only sway in reply to his intense emotion. All the living around, either the animals or the plants, glanced at the motionless Philip. It was as if Philip's uncontrolled feelings affected them.

But it all lasted for a second. Philip didn't notice it and only left the field. He traveled through the north, bringing with him the determination to fight and win against all other players.

***

On a faraway land, an undernourished child on the dirty sidewalk woke up breathless. After waking up from a seemingly long deep sleep, the child's eyes were bloodshot as he quickly groped his neck.

Ha... ha... ha...

When the child felt his head was still attached to his neck, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Ting!

Ting!

Ting!

…

Hearing the bell continuously ringing inside him, the child quickly whispered the words, "Open System."

Immediately, rows of window panels appeared before him holographically.

[Used the Outsider's interference compensation: Resurrection Card]

Ting!

[Error! The body is no longer usable. Forcibly transfer the player to another body.]

Ting!

[Success! Congrats on completing a hidden quest!]

[Survive -100 karma. +200000 Exp, 3 Attributable Stats (>)]

Ting!

[Kill a Mage: +50000 Exp, you can finally use magic… (>)]

[Level Up! (7): 5 Attributable Stats.]

[Level Up! (8): 5 Attributable Stats.]

…

Ting!

[Hidden Quest Complete: First to resurrect from death (>)]

> First to survive a Player kill. +1000000 Exp, 1 Uniqueness Creation Card]

ERROR! ERROR!

[Player has no uniqueness. The system will close in 60 seconds (>)]

>Memories will be erased. Steal other players' uniqueness or create a new one.

Ting!

60

Ting!

59

Ting!

58

…

Hearing the countdown inside his head, the child read the reason for this and quickly looked for a solution.

After he found the creation card, he clicked it and a new panel floated midair with a keyboard below.

[Use Uniqueness Creation Card. Please input the ability you wish to create]

[___________]

Ting!

50

…

Pressured by the time, the child's hands unconsciously typed the ability he was familiar with.

[Golden Eyes: See through the value of things.]

Loading…

Ting!

[Error! Another player owned this ability. Please input a unique one.]

'This,' He froze and quickly thought of another ability.

'Maybe I can finally have a destructive power with this…' He typed the power he had been wanting to own.

[Nuke Bomb: Release a powerful and deadly bomb.]

Loading…

Ting!

[Error! The chosen ability is largely unrelated to the player's being and profession. Please input a new one.]

'Why!?' The child's eyes bulged in the instant. He was running out of time and had no time to think of a useful ability.

Ting!

15

Ting!

14

…

He cursed internally. He had no idea what power he had to type.

'Think! Think! Uniqueness must be related to me as a businessman. What power is similar to Golden Eyes which sees through value?...' He then shouted the word that all businessmen were craving.

"Money!"

Without hesitation, the child typed a vague description of the ability he desired.

Ting!

[Success! Congrats on creating a new Uniqueness!]

Ting!

[Wealth equates to Power: The more money you have, the more powerful you are. Active (Level 1)]

"Hahahaha!"

The child laughed maniacally while touching his neck. He glanced at the night sky and whispered obsessively.

"I will be the tortoise. I will!"

It was then, on this day, midnight of September, born an enemy that Philip would find difficult to overcome.

An enemy that will be the greatest hindrance to Philip's victory and winning a soul.

-End (Introduction)