The two beginners who had taken the initiative to talk to Deckard looked like a couple. They wore mismatched beginner gear—cobbled together with whatever they could scavenge or buy cheap—but their bright, curious expressions gave them the appearance of friendly, eager newcomers. The woman had her hair tied back, her face alight with what seemed like genuine excitement, while the man, taller and bulkier, had an edge to his smile that felt less sincere.
“Can I help you?” Deckard asked, already knowing where this was headed.
“We were just wondering,” the man said, stepping forward slightly. “What skill is that? You’re throwing cards! That’s awesome!”
A few of the other players collecting coconuts nearby, though pretending to be busy, cast furtive glances in his direction. They weren’t as indifferent as they appeared, hovering close enough to eavesdrop while keeping their heads down.
Deckard forced a smile, diplomatic but cautious. “Sorry. It’s a secret.”
The man's smile wavered momentarily, but he quickly recovered, leaning in slightly. “No need to be like that. Look, I’ve got plenty of coconuts. What do you say? You tell me the skill, and I’ll give you some. Or maybe you’re after something better? I picked up a skill card earlier. Might come in handy for you.”
He held his palm up, offering the potential trade with a wink.
Deckard’s smile tightened. “Sorry, still a secret.”
The man's smile faltered for a split second, then widened again, but the enthusiasm in his eyes dimmed. “Come on, man... Why don’t you—”
“Leave it be, Billy,” his partner interrupted, her voice sharp but with a sugary sweetness layered over it. She put a hand on his arm, pulling him back just enough. “It’s rude to pry into someone else’s business.”
She turned back to Deckard, offering a smile that felt more like a mask than a genuine gesture. “Have a good day.”
“Thanks,” Deckard replied, watching them closely.
Deckard sighed as the couple finally walked off. Unbeknownst to them, these two had just played a part in another of Deckard’s experiments. Just as I imagined, he thought, watching their retreating figures. Throwing cards was bound to attract attention.
These two had been polite, and the rest of the noobs collecting coconuts seemed too shy to approach him, but it was only a matter of time before someone more persistent came along.
For now, they probably assumed it was some common skill—a beginner’s trick. No one would guess that Deckard had stumbled upon a hidden class before even reaching level 10.
But what happens once I get to the city?
Then people might start connecting the dots. It would be much harder to stay under the radar. From what he’d read online while preparing to play, hidden classes were considered incredibly valuable, and guides on how to unlock them sold at a premium. Some players were even known to pressure or harass those who had one, hoping to squeeze out the secret.
Maybe I’m being paranoid, he thought. But growing up being bullied taught me not to flaunt my lunch money. Show off the wrong thing at the wrong time, and the sharks and vultures would swarm.
For many, this wasn’t just a casual game—it was their livelihood. And with that came cutthroat competition.
For now, I think I’m going to stick to the beginner region. It was safer here, at least while the misconception that it was impossible to gain a class on the island still worked in his favor.
He needed time—time to get stronger and figure out how to keep his edge without becoming a target.
His musings were interrupted by a sudden, shrill outburst. “It’s mine!” one of the noobs screamed.
A player was locked in a desperate struggle with a seagull. At first glance, it looked like a typical seagull, but something was off. The bird wore a makeshift coconut hat, the shell snugly fitted over its head. Instead of pecking with its beak like the others Deckard had encountered, it charged straight at the player, head down, using its body as a battering ram.
Intrigued, Deckard narrowed his eyes and inspected the creature.
Coconut Seagull (Elite)
Hp: 400
????
So, there are more than just the five types of seagulls in Gull Rock! Deckard licked his lip. This was good news for him: more cards to collect and bonuses to gain.
You’ve inspected a Coconut Seagull. Your understanding of it grows.
Deckard’s eyes widened at the notification. Just inspecting something lets me gain understanding. Sweet! He made a mental note to inspect every single creature he came across from now on.
The lone player who’d been lucky enough to be near the elite when it spawned danced around the Coconut Seagull, expertly dodging its erratic charges while landing clean, precise blows. She had called dibs on the elite, and it looked like she would claim the kill.
Then Billy stepped into the fight.
With a swing of his crude axe, Billy struck the seagull, stunning it briefly. The bird flinched for a split-second before resuming its charge, but the disruption was enough to throw the girl off. She mistimed her next move, and the Coconut Seagull’s charge grazed her, sending her reeling as her health bar took a sharp dip.
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“Hey! What’s wrong with you?!” she shouted, as her health dropped into the yellow zone.
“What?” Billy shrugged, wearing an innocent expression. “Sorry. I saw an opening. Just trying to help.”
“No, you’re not! Get lost!” she snapped, glaring at him as she resumed her fight. But there was a new wariness in her movements now, her focus split between the seagull and Billy’s unwanted interference.
Billy seemed to oblige for a moment, hanging back as she returned to the fight. She was regaining her rhythm, clearly starting to believe that maybe Billy’s earlier interference had been an accident.
Just as she settled back into the flow of the battle, Billy struck again. “Careful, lady! The seagull’s going to hit you!” he shouted as he swung his axe again, making the seagull stagger. This time, the girl mistimed her dodge completely, and the bird crashed into her with full force, sending her health bar plummeting into the red.
“Stop it, you jerk!” she cried out, her voice trembling with frustration as she staggered back.
Billy’s girlfriend stepped into the scene, her expression conflicted. “Billy, why are you doing that?”
Billy glanced at her. “Babe, we need this drop to finish the quest. And look at those guys.” He nodded toward the group of three players lurking nearby, eyes sharp and waiting. “They were going to jump in no matter what. It was always going to be us or them. I’m just showing them we’re not easy targets. If I don’t act first, they’ll come for us next.”
The girl hesitated, glancing nervously at the other players. The doubt in her eyes flickered, but Billy’s next words snuffed it out. “I’m doing this to protect you, sweetheart,” he added.
Reluctantly, she nodded. “Okay... fine. Just don't go too far,” she said softly, her voice resigned.
Meanwhile, the girl who had first claimed the elite was still fighting, though now her movements were strained, her health dangerously low. Sensing his opportunity, Billy landed a well-timed strike that made her trip over the seagull’s charge. She collapsed under the weight of the attack, her health bar finally hitting zero.
Deckard’s fists clenched. It was never fun watching someone being backstabbed.
“Everyone, back off! This elite is mine and Linda’s!” Billy barked. He and Linda turned their attention back to the seagull, but the other three players didn’t budge. They exchanged knowing glances, their expressions predatory, like sharks circling a wounded prey.
The battle shifted. Billy and Linda fought the seagull, but their attention was split between fending off the elite and keeping an eye on the three stragglers, who were inching closer, forming an uneasy alliance. The tension in the air was palpable like a rubber band stretched to its breaking point.
A Mexican standoff, Deckard thought. Forcing opponents to make impossible choices was a well-used tactic in card games. Deckard himself always aimed to make his opponents choose between removing a large creature from the board, for example, or attacking him directly.
This is even more complex.
Three distinct parties were now in play: the desperate, flailing elite seagull, the couple, and the temporary alliance of opportunistic strangers. Leaning casually against a nearby coconut tree, Deckard watched, content to observe the chaos unfold.
You’ve watched a Coconut Seagull fight. Your understanding of it grows.
Suddenly, the Coconut Seagull stopped charging, stumbled and fell. “Quick! It’s tired! Attack it!” one of them shouted.
Deckard watched as the seagull’s health steadily dwindled but soon stood up and resumed its attacks. One of the stragglers saw an opening and rushed at Billy, his rusty spear raised. But Billy, quick on his feet, sidestepped the blow, causing the attacker to stumble right into the seagull’s next charge.
“Haha! Eat some seagull!” Billy laughed, his voice filled with glee as the player was sent flying.
Such vicious moves, Deckard thought, a chill running through him. Are all players this desperate? He had been worried about how far players would go to uncover his hidden class, and now he had his answer.
When the seagull’s health hit the red zone, its eyes flashed crimson. With a sharp screech, the bird became a blur of wild, reckless charges, crashing into anything and anyone in its path.
“It’s gone berserk! Quick! Attack!” one of the players yelled, but chaos had already broken loose.
You’ve watched a Coconut Seagull go berserk. Your understanding of it grows.
Excitement bubbled up inside Deckard. Every time the seagull used a new skill or did something new, he deepened his understanding of it. The best part was that he didn’t have to be the one fighting.
The fragile truce between the two parties finally collapsed. One of them turned on Linda, launching an attack at her with what looked like a repurposed gardening tool while dodging the berserk seagull’s wild charges.
“Get lost, you morons! Stop attacking my girlfriend!” Billy roared, his voice filled with rage as he deflected a blow, but the panic in his eyes betrayed him. Linda was struggling; her movements were slower and less coordinated.
“Billy!” Linda’s voice cracked with fear, her composure unraveling.
Billy’s face twisted in fury, but before he could retaliate, the situation spiraled out of control. “Run, Linda! Run!” he shouted.
“I won’t leave you, Billy!” she cried.
Torn between dodging the berserk seagull and defending themselves from the other players, Billy and Linda crumbled under the pressure. Their health bars hit zero, leaving behind a piece of equipment as they collapsed.
The other three players, eyes gleaming with greed, quickly turned their focus back to the elite seagull. Not long after, the Coconut Seagull met its end, dropping a skill card and its signature coconut hat onto the sand.
You’ve watched a Coconut Seagull die. Your understanding of it grows.
Deckard opened his repository and checked the drawing of the Coconut Seagull. After observing the whole fight, the image had become detailed—still grayed out, but now well-defined. One more fight should do it, he guessed, feeling satisfied with the experiment. He was looking forward to capturing this card.
“Cool! It dropped the hat!” one of the players exclaimed, his eyes lighting up.
“Hey! Give me that! I need it for my quest.”
“That wasn't the agreement. I landed the last hit!”
Their bickering escalated into a full-on brawl. The three surviving players turned on each other, their alliance shattering as greed overtook them. Blows were exchanged, and soon enough, only one player remained standing, panting heavily. He clutched the loot, a look of triumph and shame clouding his features as he turned back toward the village, leaving Deckard alone on the beach.
Deckard shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips. “That was just both sad and scary to watch,” he muttered.
The gravity of what awaited him settled in. It wasn’t just monsters he had to worry about—players could be just as dangerous. In the heat of chaos, with valuable loot on the line, they turned vicious fast.
He rolled his shoulders, gaze flicking back to the fallen coconuts. His break was over.
“Time to practice.”
Deckard grabbed his cards and started slinging them again. The cards flew up, and the coconuts tumbled down. He would need to master every aspect of his class, no matter how difficult, to reach the top.
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