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As they sifted through the loot pile, they came across one particularly odd item amidst all the high-grade ingredients.

“…Is this a key?” Crim asked, holding up a thin, elongated plate with one end carved into a squiggly pattern.

Everyone gathered around to get a better look.

“That does look like a key. I wonder where it leads?” Freya pondered aloud.

“I’m guessing it goes somewhere in the event area… Let’s just hold onto it for now. It’s about time we leave this accursed hellhole,” Crim said, slapping her hands together as if cleaning off the grim memories of the underground cave.

Once outside, they wandered aimlessly through the eerie, maze-like city.

“Ah, the Ditzy Lord!”
“Huh? Where, where’s Crim-chan?!”

As they reached a somewhat broader street, a nearby player recognized Crim, who was walking ahead of the group. Another player turned around to spot her as well.

“Still as popular as ever, right, Crim?” Frey teased.

“Yes… I can’t even take a quiet stroll anymore…” Crim replied with a smile, though internally, she was screaming.

“So you’ve entered the event too?” one of the players asked.

“Mhm, and we’re live streaming it as well. If you have time, feel free to watch us!” Crim waved casually to the players, who were clearly excited to see her. They continued ahead for a while when…

Crim suddenly felt a tingling sensation at the back of her neck. Someone was aiming at her.

“Take cover, everyone!” she shouted, already grabbing Freya’s hand and pulling her behind a nearby building.

“They’re Player Killers… with guns! Stay out of their line of fire!” she warned. Other players nearby rushed to take cover as well.

“Is everyone safe?!” Crim called out.

“Yes, I’m fine!”
“I just checked, everyone made it to safety in time!”

Relieved by Freya’s reply and Kasumi’s report, Crim began issuing more commands.

“Lycoris!”

“Here!” Lycoris responded quickly, peeking out with her gun. But the moment she did, she recoiled back as a bullet whizzed by, hitting the spot she’d just peeked from, leaving a hole in the ground.

“…Did that shot come from a different angle?”
“Yes, they’re switching firing positions each time.”

Crim nodded. The enemy was moving fluidly through the cityscape, clearly accustomed to this type of environment, which confirmed one thing.

“Crim, they’re PKers!” Hinagiku exclaimed, her ears perked up and her tail wagging eagerly as she pointed toward the enemies. She looked like a trained puppy, eagerly awaiting the signal to pounce.

“Yes, yes they are. So why art thou so captivated, Hinagiku?”

Yup, she’s adorable, Crim thought, although the glint in Hinagiku’s eyes resembled the sharp edge of a cursed blade.

Hinagiku looked like she was about to leap out at any moment, so Crim did her best to restrain her while thinking about how the rest of the team should move. Meanwhile, the nearby players were starting to suffer losses, and screams echoed all around them. The Player Killers attacking them were clearly experienced with long-range weapons, easily picking off their prey.

“These tactics…”
“I’ve seen this before. They’re…” Lycoris, an expert in that genre, exchanged a glance with Crim.

“ “They’re high-level tactics from VRMMOFPS!” ”

The PKers were taking full advantage of the strengths their guns provided. In shooting games, the best players were known for their flawless teamwork, moving like clockwork. But Crim noticed something—they were sticking too closely to the rules of traditional shooter games. In this world, there were guns, sure, but also fantasy swords and magic.

“They’re experienced, but they haven’t quite adapted to DUO yet,” Lycoris said, using two Support Devices as distractions and a Magius Orb to scan the area.

“What do you mean?” Freya asked.
“They’re not using movement or defensive spells.”
“I guess that means they’re part of the second wave of players, like that Hero from earlier,” Crim concluded.

“That’s enough gossiping like schoolgirls, Sorleon and Shao. Why not find something more worthwhile to do?!”

Crim, irritated by the endless chatter flooding her vision, especially from those two familiar names, snapped.

“Arghh, now you’ve made me hungry too!”

“Let’s head back to the campsite after this and grab something to eat,” Freya suggested. Skipping a meal while at such a luxurious resort felt like a crime, and they needed to be in good spirits to enjoy it properly.

“Alright, let’s finish this quickly. Lycoris, keep an eye on the enemy’s movements and let us know if anything happens!”

“I will!” Lycoris replied confidently, clearly relishing the sense of familiarity this situation brought her.

“Freya and Kasumi, stay close to Lycoris and restrain any enemies that get too close.”
“Got ittt, let’s do our best Kasumi!”
“Yeah, let’s.”

Kasumi, with little experience fighting PKers, was a bit nervous, but Freya’s presence calmed her.

“Frey, you’ll take them out once they’re restrained, right?”
“Yeah, I can handle that,” Frey replied with a reassuring nod.

And then there was Hinagiku, bouncing with anticipation.

“Well then… Hinagiku, the left side is yours!”
“Right away!!”

Without hesitation, Hinagiku shot off like the wind, her body enveloped in Blue Fire. After a few steps, countless butterflies appeared out of nowhere, and she vanished. Crim wasn’t worried about her safety—Hinagiku was more skilled as a PK killer than the enemies they faced. If anything, Crim felt a bit sorry for them.

With Hinagiku off, Crim stepped out from cover, revealing herself to the enemies.

“If such is thine wish, then I shall unleash all my pent-up rage from the unfortunate events of late!”

Instantly, she felt the piercing stares of the PKers on her, fueling her desire to dominate the battlefield. A bullet whizzed toward her head, but Crim casually swatted it away with her claws, which had grown into a dark, ominous shape.

Slash Rave, an ability unlocked with 70 Points in the Claw Skill, allowed her to strike down metallic projectiles up to three times in quick succession. As she batted the bullet away, she reveled in the confused stares of her enemies, turning their murderous intent into bafflement.

Now, they would surely go all out to kill her, and Crim eagerly anticipated their attempts. With a grin that revealed her fangs, she prepared for the fight, her excitement palpable.

Afterword:

The guns of this game have been tuned to fire at a slower speed than real life ones, at around a speed where in theory one could strike the bullets out of the air. (But it’s virtually impossible)