What is the most important thing in a lawless zone?
It is reputation.

Unless you're an overwhelming powerhouse, crises can strike at any moment.
In such cases, having a bad reputation makes things easier.

Because you can suppress an enemy with just a look.

‘That's why, when you do something bad, you shout it across the village.’

I am the kind of dangerous person who does that.
I want others to recognize me, so I announce it everywhere.

When building a reputation, what’s important is to manage it so it doesn't get shattered.

Once someone thinks, "That person isn’t as strong as they seem,"
the reputation you’ve built becomes meaningless, and enemies with grudges will start showing up.

From that perspective, the White Bone Pirate Crew did a decent job managing their reputation.

For players who had stayed on the 3rd floor for over a year, just hearing the name White Bone Pirate Crew made them flee in terror.

But then something happened.
The 16th squad was almost completely annihilated.

The news spread, and chaos erupted within.
The higher-ups shouted, foaming at the mouth.

“Did you come back in disgrace? You idiots!”
“Y-Yes, they were incredible. Captain Miles did his best, but we were defeated...”

The survivors of the 16th squad were desperately trying to explain.
They exaggerated the strength of the enemy to reduce their own fault.

To the pirate crew's higher-ups, it just sounded like an excuse.
How many times had the failed ones made up lies to save themselves?

“You idiots! Are you calling that an excuse? Do you want to die?!”

The survivors of the 16th squad lowered their heads and avoided eye contact.
For a moment, the pirate crew’s higher-ups cursed at the defeated 16th squad members.

“Those bastards dared to challenge the White Bone Pirate Crew on the 3rd floor?!”

The name of the pirate crew had been tarnished, and it couldn’t just be ignored.

They had to exact revenge.

They needed to show what happens to those who challenge the White Bone Pirate Crew.

No matter how much damage was done in the process, it had to happen.

‘Miles, I knew this would happen.’

Skon Fere, the leader of the 17th squad, silently laughed at Miles’ death.

He had been overly confident in his Cannon Fire skill, and now he was paying the price.

‘If it keeps going like this, I might be the one to lead the charge…’

While Skon was satisfied with Miles’ death, the bigger problem for the White Bone Pirate Crew had just begun.

“Go kill them right now.”
“…Understood.”
“Those bastards who wiped out the 16th squad. I don’t know where they’re from, but finish them off for good!”
“Yes, sir!”

“Skon! Lead the 17th squad and follow them.”

The leader of the 10th squad called out to Skon.

Creeeak—.

Skon nodded, as if he had expected this.
There was no need for further explanation.

The 17th squad set out.

The 17th squad and the surviving members of the 16th squad arrived at Island 2-1,004.
They fired cannonballs toward the island coast.

It was a declaration to the entire island that the White Bone Pirate Crew had arrived.

“These must be them.”
Boom—!

The Cannon Fire used by Miles was now aimed at the White Bone Pirate Crew.
The sound of cannons from the island direction hit the 16th squad's ship.

Crack—!

It was fine.
‘As long as it doesn’t sink, I can repair it.’

Once a ship’s durability hits zero, it’s forcibly broken in half by the Soul System.
Because of the unique feature of Cannon Fire, Miles had been recognized by the other captains.

‘The Midgardians stuck together and excluded me, a Lunacolis.’

Skon always pushed for the need for close combat, but no one listened.
The scornful looks directed at hybrids always followed him.

‘Now, I’ll prove it.’

Cannon Fire?

I had heard the cooldown was 1 minute.
If I kill them in that time, it’s over.

“Let’s land on the island and kill them ourselves.”

I made a plan and advanced the ship.
Then, a scream was heard.

“It's sinking!”
“…Hmm?”

The ship of the 16th squad, hit by Cannon Fire, tilted at a deadly angle.
It seemed to have shattered completely.

The survivors of the 16th squad jumped into the sea.
They began to struggle for survival.

Skon was filled with confusion.

‘Why?’

Most of the ships in the White Bone Pirate Crew’s fleet were C-rank.
The 10th squad’s flagship was B-rank, but most of the ships were C-rank.

The 16th and 17th squads were both composed of C-rank ships.

‘The durability should be at least 300, right?’

Durability for vehicles is treated differently from health.
There’s no way a single cannonball could destroy a ship.

But something unbelievable happened.
Skon and the members of the 17th squad were in shock.

‘...Was that not Miles’ Cannon Fire?’

If that was the case, it wouldn’t be strange for the damage to apply differently.

‘This guy is no ordinary person.’

How confident in his skills must one be to fire a cannonball at the White Bone Pirate Crew’s flag?

“Hand it over.”

Skon used a telescope to check out the figures standing on the island's coast.

‘Three?’
Only three.
‘Humans?’

Which dimension were they from?

‘Two psychics, one martial artist.’

In the blink of an eye, two of them disappeared.

Only the silver-haired woman stood alone on the beach.

“Captain! Look up!”

At the shout of his subordinate, Skon pulled his eyes away from the telescope and looked up.

A martial artist, surrounded by light, landed lightly on the ship.
As easily as entering his own home.

“I’ll go now.”

The lower half of his body shimmered with golden light, while his upper body retained a human form.

‘A hybrid, but a hybrid of light?’

The man’s voice interrupted Skon’s thoughts.

“Is the captain of this ship here?”

“...Did you dare challenge the White Bone Pirate Crew?”
“Challenge?”
The man tilted his head slightly.

On his worn face, a hint of indignation flashed.

“I didn’t. I didn’t do anything. When I saw you shooting cannonballs first, I was so pissed off, I killed you all.”

“......”

At the man’s words, Skon burst out in rage.

“How dare you mock the White Bone Pirate Crew?!”
Whoosh—!

The members of the 17th squad drew their swords.
They believed they would easily win against a single person.

“No matter how strong you are, you won’t die easily.”
“Ugh-heh.”

The man chuckled.

“I really like you guys. You never change, always the same. I love it.”

The man then activated Cannon Fire aimed at another ship.

Boom—!

The ship sank.
With a single shot of Cannon Fire, one ship went down.

Is this even possible?
It didn’t make sense.

But now wasn’t the time to question it.

Skon shouted.

“Kill him!”

When facing a strong enemy, the most important thing is to use crowd control skills effectively.
Group players are usually well-versed in these coordinated strategies.

[Chain Lightning]
[Ice Hand]
[Weakness]
[Energy Drain]

Familiar magic and curses from the Midgardian world poured out.
Since it was aimed at a single target, its power was slightly enhanced compared to targeting multiple people.

Crackle—!

His movements were slowing down.

“…What’s going on? Why isn’t he affected?”

Paralysis, Frostbite, Slowing, etc.
They were relatively light debuffs, but they couldn’t be ignored.

The Soul System was fair to everyone.
Unless the skill missed completely due to agility bonuses, he couldn’t avoid them.

Slash—!
“Grrr…!”

But the enemy was moving as though nothing happened, slashing with a dagger at unimaginable speeds.

‘Can’t even follow him with my senses?!’

A Lunacolis hybrid.
One of the nine tribes of the Wild Kingdom.
His physical abilities were so strong, he prided himself on being the best among the nine.

Could he have evaded that?

“Is he a peak master?”

Among the martial artists, some stand out above the rest.
They transcend the 'wall' and reach higher realms.

The gap between those levels was so huge, it was hard to differentiate them.
To ordinary people, whether it’s peak or beyond, all of them seemed superhuman.

“You think I’m on the same level as those mediocre weaklings?”
“......”

To him, Skon was just another ordinary person.

“How dare you disrespect the Jeomchang’s iron head?”

The Error Player grinned.

Activating his survival instincts, he took flight.
At this moment, he was free to rampage as much as he wanted.

“You deserve to die.”

In the slowed world, the Error Player stabbed wildly with the golden dagger.

‘This ship must not be touched.’

He deliberately chose the most intact

“Manager, so you’re saying the Error Player is an Earthling?”

Hikari, who had safely brought the Error Player back and returned, asked.
Yuki nodded and answered on his behalf.

“Does that make sense? How can an Earthling do something like that?”
“Exactly.”

They had spent a week together on Island 2.
Yuki had vaguely felt that he wasn’t a martial artist, but seeing his actual strength made it even more unbelievable.

“Well, there are weak psychics and strong psychics in our country. I guess there are special beings on Earth too.”
“That’s true, but the animosity from the administrators was beyond imagination.”
“It’s not because they’re weak, it’s for another reason.”

If Earthlings were simply weak,
they wouldn’t be hated to this extent.

“The group barely came together because they were weak. When that creates unease, small grievances pile up, and that’s when the exclusion of Earthlings happens.”

The Tower of Struggle.
Even the strong have limits due to the Soul System.
Surprisingly, cooperation becomes important.

But Earthlings?
It was a bit unsettling to trust them.

Not all Earthlings are like that.

I know that.
I do.

But when it comes to actually forming a team,
people instinctively want to exclude Earthlings.

“Aren’t you worried? If you say it like that, we never know when we’ll get stabbed in the back.”
“That’s true.”
“How about stabbing first?”

Hikari said with a bright smile.
When Yuki glared at her, Hikari quickly retracted her words.

“It was a joke.”
“Don’t say that, even as a joke.”

Yuki was extremely cautious about killing.
She had a trauma from losing her mother because she couldn’t control her psychic powers.

“Don’t worry. I’m the First Sword of the Special Combat Division, and I only follow the manager’s orders.”

Knowing her past, Hikari had willingly decided to be Yuki’s sword.

“Just don’t trust me too much.”
“Here you go again.”
“You never know. That man could change in an instant.”

Even parents abandon their children.

Hikari swallowed the words she wanted to say.
A smile never left her face.