Raphael's luck gets twisted around, but is he really, backed into a corner?
Guest Yes, I already have several sections pre-planned. Not giving away any spoilers, Raphael has his own objectives during the Chimera Arc.
Raphael was done and properly prepped for any attacks in advance. With the Secret Cape active, people could no longer spy on him and see what cards he has. Having Paladin's Necklace was just icing on the cake. It helps that the cape would technically help hide it, so he'll need to play into his role and hopefully get to destroy some useful cards, or even better, steal them if someone tries to rob him blind.
It'll fall on his ability to act, to be able to lure the players trying to rob him into a false sense of hope. He only needed to make sure that they thought, they had the upper hand.
He's done it plenty of times in the past; he's just never, been this well-prepared. He made his way through town, trying not to act suspicious. Hopefully, nobody who saw him win the card, and blabs about him completing the event for the Secret Cape.
Sure, he is wearing the cape, but that doesn't necessarily mean he made a copy beforehand. Only those players who honestly, know him, might suspect him of having the original copy.
That's the people he has to watch out for…
The Secret Cape was not only an above-average card; it had an ability that any normal player would salivate over. No one would be able to observe your binder, to watch you for any cards you may have. There was only one card that circumvents the cape's ability… that was Clairvoyance.
But whoever has that card and knows its usefulness, wouldn't be dumb enough to use it on him. They would know it's a waste to do so. If he's willing to use Secret Cape, there's a reason he's trying to keep his binder hidden.
A, he doesn't want anyone to know he has zero spell cards…
B, he's trying to avoid showing that he has rare cards on him, ones he ideally doesn't want to be stolen.
Using Clairvoyance would be a complete waste, on him. That was unless they wanted to confirm he still had a specific card on him.
The main thing he needed to worry about is being put in a position where he'll be fighting against multiple parties. While his current protection would be far above decent, it doesn't exactly cover all avenues.
For one, Nen abilities are something he'd need to consider and worry about. Anything that stuns, blinds, or could paralyse him would be a disaster while he has his book open. While he hasn't come across anything like that from the current players, he still needed to be cautious.
Especially, when there's a rumour about the bomber going about. He has heard rumours of a player killer. Luckily, he has managed to stay off their radar.
But with that knowledge about them, whoever they are and about the game, he'd still need to plan for the worst-case scenario. His cards can only go so far… As for his abilities, he wanted to avoid using them since no other players seemed to be using theirs.
There might come a time when he'll need to use them, but until then, he'll hide that fact about himself, especially if they're considered an ace up his sleeve.
Just as he turned a corner, about to leave the town square, he heard the tell-tale signs of an attempted robbing.
"Mug…"
The boy turned, running directly at the unknown assailant. Grabbing the card, he quickly cast it aside, far away in the opposite direction. He was lucky this tactic worked against this player, as it didn't tend to work against everyone.
Given their ability to hold onto their cards, they might be on the lower-end tier of players, ones who by all definitions are a noob. That or they're a grunt, a useful idiot being used by a more skilled player, to try and confirm a rumour.
Someone, who wants the card for themselves…
They might be trying to confirm he has protection cards on him and getting him to waste resources, trying to protect that card so he'd be an easier victim.
But seeing the unknown player's shocked expression from being disarmed confirmed several ideas. For one, they didn't know what he was truly capable of. Two, he was being used.
His skill was subpar at best when compared to others who play the game.
The idiot hadn't even tried to hide his book when Raphael was close enough to touch his binder. He could go straight in for a manual version of Mug and Thief. He reached out his hand, attempting to grab a card straight from their binder.
Too bad the person saw right through his plan.
"Book!" The player quickly hid away their binder, glaring at the teen who was trying the oldest trick in the book.
Raphael reassessed his situation. From a glance, they have to be a mid-to-low-tier player. They knew enough to hide their book, but not enough to do it in advance, before he had gotten that close.
From what he's experienced, most players tended to be proficient in advanced Nen mechanics, not enough to beat him in one-on-one combat, but against multiple players, he might not fare that well.
Luckily, he hasn't been in such a situation.
His main problem now is, if this player was willing to attempt to rob him, there may be others in the vicinity, willing to be dumb enough to try the same tactics. But if they're better players around, he may run into bigger issues.
Raphael quickly twisted around on the ball of his feet, bolting towards the main square before that man could call upon his book again. He was hoping to lose that guy in the bustling crowd.
Sure, even if he were to hide in the crowd, they could still technically use Thief and Mug, or they have it, the Bandit's Blade. However, to use those, they needed to be within a certain range…
They wouldn't dare try to cast it. If they were to do so while he wasn't within range, it'll result in a wasted spell card.
The teen shifted into stance when a player came from around the corner, a card already in their hand.
Now this guy, he already knew he had seen him before. He was the last player that was trying to beat Zoltan at their game before him. He was a player that usually travels with a second teammate, which luckily was nowhere in sight.
However, his teammate tended to be more cautious than this guy.
Still, he needed to be concerned since he was a decent player, an overconfident one at that.
If that other player overheard this guy complaining about him winning the card, that means there are going to be other players hunting him down for his Secret Cape.
Raphael grabbed a card from his binder, aiming to reduce the number of players chasing him "Relegate, on. Montreux." The man disappeared in a blinding flash of light, vanishing somewhere else on the island. That was one person gone and hopefully, he didn't have any Accompany or Return on him, that would allow him to come back in time before his escape.
He continued towards the crowd since the flash of light would've alerted other players of his rough location. He needed to mainly get out of town and make a run for it, so he didn't waste any teleporting cards.
Plus, them assuming he had none on him may lead to a better outcome. If he can lure multiple players into a trap, he can use Levy. As he made it into the crowd, other players had predicted his route in advance. He skidded to a stop, acting annoyed at his situation.
Players were already waiting for him in the main square. There were multiple players there, a group worth of players. If all of them attacked, his jig was up. The female players wearing a blue tank top started the first attack, "Thief-"
"Defensive Wall on." Raphael quickly called before she could finish her spell chant.
She gritted her teeth, stopping her cast mid-sentence. She knew better than to waste a spell card, which means that she was a mid-tier player.
Given the fact he's tangoed with this player previously, he knows who she was. Asta. She was in a party of three, along with Manheim and Amana.
Time to reduce the number of players surrounding him.
Raphael pulled another card out of his binder before any of her party members can think to cast a spell card to waste his Defensive Wall, "Relegate On. Amana." When the player disappeared, he used their shock and momentary distraction to create some distance between the party of now two to run away.
Though, he did feel like being a little petty about his situation. He wanted to hopefully screw her over, "Rock Toss, on. Asta."
"Bastard!" As she screamed at him, he continued to run, hoping that he destroyed one of her more decent cards. However, the teen was already bumping into another mid-tier team. Again, this team was just as prepared as the other.
"Thief, on. Raphael." The card was blocked by his previous Defensive Wall. This group was led by a man named Kazsule. He had two party members, Souheil and Nick Cue. The one that made him waste his protection was none other than Nick Cue, with Souheil already preparing the next spell to steal his card.
He can't have that, now, can he…
As the guy held Thief, Raphael grabbed a few cards to make his next series of moves "Relegate, on. Souheil." He followed that action with his second card, "Defensive Wall, on." Once more protected, he fired back an attack "Bullet, on. Kazsule."
"Defensive Wall, on."
Raphael gritted his teeth at the wasted opportunity. He should've used a Rock Toss instead. At least then he wouldn't have wasted his only Bullet. He didn't want to stay around and get caught now, so he moved on.
The nearby alleyway would be his best route of escape, or at least lure them into a possible trap. But as he entered the alleyway, he overheard the previous group ordering the other players around, "Go around and cut him off!"
Shit… can I still lure them into a trap? They might suspect him of his intention. He knows that there are a few dead ends in this section of the streets, but he needed the side with the multiple open exits. He needed to be crowded, not cut off.
He turned several corners, several of the player groups stopping him from going for the perfect route. He was aiming for the main street where he'd be able to be surrounded while still being able to cut all of them off from running away. Unfortunately, the directions they were cutting him off at, he managed to misjudge his route entering a street he didn't really, want to be at.
He was at a dead end, with only enough space for a few players to cut him off.
He turned back, hopping to double back and aim for that main street. He needed to backtrack and choose a different route, but before he could do so, Asta's team was blocking off his exit.
"Shit!" Raphael grabbed a card, "Pickpocket On. Asta."
She was prepared, a Defensive Wall already blocking his attack.
As he fumbled around with his binder, pretending to look for another card that could help him in this situation, he backed himself into a corner.
He was trapped with six players in the alleyway, all prepared with a single card out. Some of them possibly had defensive walls.
His expression fell, pretending to act annoyed at the situation.
A few more players came into the alleyway, making it impossible for any of them to quickly escape. His plan had worked, but given his distance, he'd only be able to steal a few cards if lucky.
Those who had been teleported away came back in a blinding flash of light. Both Kazsule and Asta were smiling from the situation, with Asta leading the assault, with an insult it would seem "End of the line Imp that card is ours." Asta taunted the boy, "And you can't protect yourself from all of us…"
"Actually," Kazsule pulls out a Mug, "It's going to be ours. No hard feelings if we get it?"
"We'll see…" Asta fired back, her team already ready to attack.
Aww… I had groups team up to steal from me, how lovely… Still, I won't lose that easily "Watch me!" He swiped one card from his binder, everyone who had a Thief or Mug Card chanting loudly to target him.
The first card was blocked due to his protection, but as he tugged into his shirt, pulling Paladin's Necklace out, the group realised there was an issue with their intended goal. None of them would be able to steal from him, not unless they were prepared to waste a Levy on a single target as well as managed to earn the ire of the other groups they happen to steal from in the process.
With a smile, he called out his card "Levy…"
"Shit!" Asta calls out to the other players, already running to get as far away as possible. But she managed to bump into another player that was blocking her off "RUN, you idiots!"
"On!" A blinding flash of light ripped a few cards from several of the players' decks, not all of them due to a couple of Defensive Wall active. He managed to get at least six cards though, ones he'd have to check later.
With them robbed, his plan was complete "Cya, losers!" He grabbed his final card "Return, on. Aiai!"
"~"
He was gone in a second, Asta slamming the wall out of frustration, "That damn thief… that Imp!"
Kazsule found himself smirking at the situation, "He prepared in advance. I felt like something was off; it was too good to be true…" Crossing his arms, the man sighed, "He played us all like a fiddle. For someone like him, we'll need to hit him when he's the least prepared…"
"Next time he won't be lucky…" Asta growled at Kazsule, equally annoyed at him for giving up so easily. They knew where the boy went, it was to Aiai. He wasn't going to Masadora to restock on extra spell cards.
Either he didn't have enough Jenny to buy more packs, or he did have more spell cards on him and he was prepared to use them. He may even have another Levy on him. Unfortunately, she didn't have Clairvoyance on her to check her suspicion.
She'll prepare her team to stake out the Masadora spell shop and hit him before he can attempt to restock if the teen was ill-prepared.
"~"
The moment the boy landed near town; he made a run for it. Ideally, he should go to Masadora, but he needed more Jenny to get more spell cards. They'll probably head to Masadora and scout out the card shop to stop him from buying any more.
But what they didn't know was that he knew, he didn't have enough Jenny. So, he'll have to unfortunately play it safe for a while. He'd collect more monster cards, sell them off and hopefully by the time he reaches Masadora, they'd have been bored and gone off to do their own thing by then.
He managed to get into town, avoiding the NPCs since he knew what they entailed. The whole area is filled with love clichés he wanted to avoid. He has no desire to fall into any of their ploys. He mainly went here because if any of the players attempted to follow him there, they'd be distracted by the countless clichés.
Tucking himself away in an alley corner, undisturbed by the countless NPC, he summoned his book. Time to see what I got…
Raphael drew his eyes to the six new cards taking the first six free slots.
"Peek, lame…" The teen frowned at his first card, now looking towards his next card "Pickpocket, that's good." Raphael frowned on his next card "Accompany. Why can't I get Return for once…" He moved to the next card, "Oh, nice! #027 Book of V.I.P. Passes." Another designated slot was added to his list. It wasn't that good in terms of restricted slots, but at least that was one less card to collect.
The teen drew his eyes to the fifth card "Defensive Wall, someone is gonna be upset at losing this card. For the last it's… Bullet. At least I got that one back." Out of the six cards, three cards were considered good. Two were neutral, given that one was, a wasted regain, considering Kazsule blocked it. The other neutral card was one designed for groups, not, a solo player.
As for the remaining card, that was no doubt terrible, since he doesn't use Peek. Fluoroscopy, maybe… Peek, not so much. Maybe as a sacrifice, or if he was trying to gauge an enemy's spell repertoire, but by the time he looks at all their free slot cards, they could've used a dozen on him.
Grabbing #027 Book of V.I.P. Passes, he moved it to its restricted slot. Now comes his next plan of attack. What was going to do next? He could farm a couple of monster cards, then waste his next few days trying to harvest spell cards and maybe obtain a few Restricted card slots while he's at it.
Or should he attempt to try to sell one of his cards to Tsezgerra for a small cut of his profit once he wins? He must have something that man doesn't have… besides the Wild Luck Alexandrite. He was going to keep that one, just in case…
The problem is needing to protect that card at all times as it's almost impossible to obtain from scratch. If someone attempts to use Levy, he will resort to using a Defensive Wall to stop the chances of him losing that card.
Worst case scenario, he can always use Leave, then come back later. There's no way anyone would be cautious enough to stay at the entrance for the time it would take him, of all people, to lose his cards.
For now, he'd aim for monster cards…
He'd sell them off then attempt to buy spell cards. If they're that desperate to steal from him, it's their loss. Alternatively, he can attempt to get #072 Mad Scientist's Plastic Surgery, scan someone's face through and walk into the shop without them realising it is him, shopping for more cards.
He has several avenues to attempt, for now… it's time to waste time. He has roughly two weeks before he'd need to pick up his weapon and he isn't about to use it trying to come up with a foolproof plan.
A/N: Leave a review, it helps inspire me.