CHAPTER 150: THE DUEL THAT HUNTERS COULDN’T AFFORD TO LOSE

AJ, as a Protection Warrior, had always maintained a high win rate in duels against other melee classes. With his formidable damage reduction and defensive attributes, coupled with a respectable level of offensive power, victory was almost always his.

In wilderness skirmishes, especially with a healer at his side, he was even capable of holding off three Dark Horde melee fighters at once and still coming out on top.

Hunters, by contrast, were often ridiculed in the open field, mockingly referred to as "walking honor points." Yet AJ never looked down on the Hunters in his guild. He couldn’t deny the sense of superiority that came with his class, but he never let it sour into contempt. It is only natural, after all, for someone whose class dominates another to feel a touch of condescension. The difference lies in whether one chooses insults, or chooses to work together to balance out weaknesses.

AJ and Smoking Gun had always fallen into the latter category. From the very first time they crossed paths in the contested land of Blood Gorge, the two had teamed up for quests and dungeons, watching each other’s backs. Over time, AJ came to understand his guildmate well. So when their Guild Leader recently proclaimed that Hunters would see a resurgence in strength at level thirty, AJ felt genuine happiness for Smoking Gun.

But even after Smoking Gun completed his preparations, the duel’s outcome had not changed. AJ had still won.

He hadn’t held back either. On the contrary, to properly gauge Smoking Gun’s strength, he had pushed himself harder than usual. And while he emerged victorious yet again, the sight of his friend’s crestfallen face left him with no satisfaction.

Just earlier that day, AJ had finished his quests and reached level thirty himself. His plan had been to head straight into Dreadful Mire to quest alongside Smoking Gun. But the moment he announced his arrival in the guild channel, a duel invitation from Smoking Gun popped up on his screen.

From the way it was sent, Smoking Gun radiated confidence.

That, at least, was a surprise AJ welcomed. He immediately stepped through the teleportation gate at Stormhold Fortress and arrived at Cleansing Grove, the first camp in the Dreadful Mire.

"I have arrived, the mighty Protection Warrior AJ! Smoking Gun, come forth and greet your champion!"

As AJ stepped out from the glowing portal, he spotted Smoking Gun waiting for him not far ahead. Unable to resist, he called out with a teasing grin.

"Enough chatter, let’s get outside! We’re dueling!"

Smoking Gun’s impatience was obvious. Their Guild Leader had just drilled into him a set of strategies for fighting Warriors, and he was itching to put them to the test. AJ had walked right into it.

"You seem awfully confident," AJ remarked, amused by his guildmate’s energy. He tightened his stance, letting his voice drop into something more serious. "Very well. I’ll give you everything I’ve got."

"That’s what I want," Smoking Gun shot back without hesitation. "If you hold back, then victory means nothing. I’ve lost to you more times than I can count. One more loss won’t make a difference!"

He said it with such conviction that it sounded less like defiance and more like determination, his eyes sweeping toward the crowd of guildmates gathering nearby as if inviting them all to witness.

Ryan, who had been watching from the side, chuckled quietly and followed them as they left the camp. Together, the group cleared the monsters from a nearby open space, creating room for the fight to unfold.

When the field was ready, AJ and Smoking Gun stood opposite one another in the center. Both turned their heads toward Ryan in unspoken agreement.

Ryan understood. He raised his hand.

"Duel start!"

The words had barely left his mouth before the system countdown began. The battle was about to begin.

---

What no one realized was that another set of eyes was also on the duel. Not a player standing among them, but someone watching from afar.

CBlack, a Hunter from a small Orc guild, had been observing quietly. His guild wasn’t large, but its members were tightly knit, bonded through their shared university background. Some were still students, others had already graduated into the workforce, but in the game world they remained united.

As a Hunter, CBlack enjoyed treatment far better than most players of his class. His guildmates pulled him into dungeon runs, and when their party was short on members, he was often chosen over recruiting an outsider.

Even so, opportunities like that were rare. Hunters were infamous for causing wipes in dungeons, their pets prone to pulling stray monsters at the worst moments. Beast Mastery Hunters were especially notorious, their low personal damage forcing them to rely heavily on their pets. One bad pull, and the whole group could be wiped out. Many teams simply refused to take Hunters at all.

Warlocks faced a similar stigma, their demon companions often blamed for accidents, though their strong damage and utility usually earned them a grudging respect that Hunters lacked.

The best dungeon slots were always reserved for classes with obvious utility. Tanks and Healers were mandatory, leaving only three openings. Mages filled one almost by default, thanks to their food and water conjuring, as well as their powerful crowd control spells. Rogues claimed another, offering crowd control of their own and damage second only to Mages. That left little space for Hunters.

For most, the wilderness became their real home. Out there, Warlocks thrived, dangerous enough that few dared to provoke them. Hunters, however, were easy prey, ridiculed and bullied wherever they went.

CBlack knew that humiliation well. And yet, within his small guild, he found something others didn’t have: support, camaraderie, and even luck. On one of their rare dungeon runs, when loot was divided, the others had handed him an item that changed everything: the Book of Darkness.

The artifact granted him a passive talent. Every time he attacked, half of the threat he generated automatically shifted to his pet. As long as his pet struck first, he would never pull aggro. With this ability, his leveling speed skyrocketed, and he quickly became the highest-level player in his guild.

Now, freshly level thirty and with no place for himself in the Forest of Decay dungeon, he had come to Dreadful Mire to grind quests. That was when he spotted the group of Alliance of Light players gathered outside Cleansing Grove.

Not daring to get too close, he activated his Eagle Eye skill, surveying the area from a safe distance. His vision zoomed across the landscape, locking onto the figures preparing for battle.

A Hunter. And a Protection Warrior.

CBlack’s heart gave a sudden lurch. Hunters were notorious for being weak in duels, and the sight before him struck a chord deep inside. He sensed, with sharp instinct, that what was about to happen was no ordinary sparring match.

This was a duel that might decide the fate of Hunters themselves.