Infinity, The Arcade Age

The massive sign in the trading district had stood for an entire month without being taken down.

During that month, Qin Ming never made an appearance. He didn't trade for any equipment or items either. After using the Identification Scanner on the first day to mark targets, he vanished completely.

One month later, at noon, Qin Ming, who was sitting on his bed with Kasamoto Eri in his arms, suddenly froze. His brows furrowed deeply as he stood up abruptly.

Hearing the Nightmare Space notification in his ears, he quickly pulled out a pre-prepared item and activated it on the spot.

The item was called the Fighting Entry Ticket, a special consumable available in Nightmare Space for a hefty price of 5,000 points.

Name: Fighting Entry Ticket

Type: Consumable (Ordinary Silver Tier)

Effect: Lock onto an adventurer's ID and follow them into a mission world.

Description: "Think you're a hotshot? Come on, I'll insert a coin and challenge you... Nah, let's settle this outside!"

As the scroll in Qin Ming's hand dissolved into radiant light, a notification echoed in his ear:

(Ding! Special tracking item used... Activation successful! You have followed Adventurer #439167 into the mission world! Initiating transfer!)

A burst of dazzling light flashed, and Qin Ming, along with Kasamoto Eri, disappeared from the room.

Meanwhile, in a mission world, three newly-arrived adventurers were caught off guard by the sudden notification from Nightmare Space.

Their expressions turned strange.

"Someone actually dared to track us? Are they crazy? Have either of you pissed anyone off recently?"

"Not at all! We've been focused on preparing for our rank-up mission. We haven't had time to make enemies."

The trio's expressions grew increasingly bewildered as they noticed the party size had suddenly increased from five to six.

"Good grief! Just one person dared to chase us down?"

Taking on three people alone? This guy's got guts.

Rubbing his chin, the squad leader, Skyfire, shook his head and let out a playful chuckle.

"Looks like someone thought we were soft targets. One guy dares to challenge all three of us. Bold move! Let's see if his bones are as tough as his courage."

Beside him, the frowning Red Thunder glanced sharply and spoke in a cautious tone.

"Skyfire, I think we should tread carefully. I've heard that several of our key talents have already been taken out recently. This might be part of a coordinated attack from a rival force."

"Relax! Even if I can't win, I've got you two, don't I? Three against one—no problem!"

Rolling his shoulders, Skyfire's smile grew vicious.

"I want to see just who's so cocky this time!"

Skyfire: one of the top prospects among the King of Fighters Warband's low-level adventurers, on par with talents like Wind, Wrath, Power King, and Staff King. He was known as one of the "Eight Elite" of the low-level district, possessing flame-based abilities.

While the three were startled by the sudden notification, Qin Ming, who had followed them into the mission world, was already regaining clarity in his vision.

A quick glance at the creek before him revealed tiny fish gathering together, forming lines of shimmering text:

Mission World: Sunset Knights, Act One

World Difficulty: C

Participants: 6

Main Task: Participate in the elimination of the Act One Boss: Simon Gridville.

Mission Completion Reward: 3 free attribute points, 3,000 points

Mission Failure Penalty: Deduction of 3,000 points

Optional Task: Advance to a Mid-Tier Bounty Hunter

Completion Reward: 2 free attribute points, 2,000 points

Failure Penalty: None

World Description:

The Age of the Wild West, where cowboys roamed rampant. With gangs of outlaw bandits terrorizing towns, bounty hunters emerged, making their living by hunting down these lawless men. The era of bounty hunters begins...

(Note: This world operates in peaceful mode. Adventurers cannot gain any spoils by killing each other.)

Sunset Riders! A classic Western-themed arcade shooter game! Of course, most people simply call it Western Cowboys.

Watching the small fish scatter back into the stream, Qin Ming, dressed in a pirate hat and coat, raised a brow and grinned as he took in the surrounding desert landscape.

Another shooter-type world—just what he liked.

Even though this world didn't have the overwhelming number of enemies like the Metal Slug world, preventing him from building an army, it had one crucial advantage:

This was a cowboy world! And for cowboys, guns were essential, but so were horses!

And Qin Ming just happened to have a top-tier black warhorse!

In other words, this was his playground.

Without hesitation, he pulled out his bronze gong and struck it.

As the metallic echo reverberated, a sleek black warhorse charged out from the distant woods.

Its left side mounted with a machine gun and the right side equipped with a long-barreled cannon, it looked absolutely badass.

Drawing his revolver, Qin Ming fired a shot into the air, summoning Kasamoto Eri. Together, they mounted the warhorse and galloped toward the distant town.

Since he was playing cowboy this time, his pirate outfit didn't quite fit the aesthetic. His first task would be to get a proper cowboy outfit.

After all, thanks to his activated title, his current identity had been confirmed as a bounty hunter!

Even his title tasks and exchangeable items had appeared alongside this development.

Title Task 1: Duel of Honor (Eliminate at least five elite enemies in one-on-one duels using a revolver)

Reward: White Title: Gunslinger (Agility +10)

Title Task 2: Honorable Lawman (Complete at least ten bounty missions)

Reward: White Title: Bounty Hunter (10% bonus points for each task world)

Title Task 3: Moment of Life and Death (Defeat a boss-level target in a one-on-one revolver duel)

Reward: Green Title: Western Cowboy (Revolver attack power +25)

Two white titles and one green title—all offering unique and rare effects. Qin Ming had never encountered tasks quite like these before.

Beyond the titles, the world's exchange system was also fascinating.

Rather than relying on reputation, everything was based on honor points.

Completing bounty missions or killing wanted targets would reward him with special Cowboy Gold Coins.

These coins could be used at any sheriff's office to trade for various types of gear, each office offering different equipment at varying prices.

Kill for money, buy gear.

Then, with better gear, kill more enemies, earn more money, and trade for even better gear.

It was a classic Western cycle.

Having just set foot in this world, Qin Ming could already feel the unique thrill of the Wild West radiating from the tasks and titles.

Hunt... or be hunted—it all comes down to a single moment.