“You are displaying far too much leniency, you imbecile. I must confess, your performance was undeniably impressive. However……”
I whipped my body, which had finally regained its strength, and rose to my feet. The fact that I had been blasted away and rendered immobile until now was not a feigned act. However, falling into this exact position was not a mere coincidence.
This was the place where the trap I had set up in advance between me and the nobleman came into play. When did I do such a thing, you ask? Right before unleashing the second Fire Wall upon my surrounding enemies.
I had anticipated that the noble would approach during that opening, and thus I set it up accordingly. The fact that it proved effective in this crucial instance was truly remarkable. It was wise of me to acknowledge that blocking the attack entirely was impossible and instead take the initiative by leaping to this side. Truly, being prepared ensured peace of mind.
“It’s a death flag for an unnecessarily prideful villain to say such things! Hahaha!”
“Guaaaah!”
The nobleman, dragged down to the ground, seethed with anger as he prepared to unleash the Dragon’s Breath once again. However, I wasn’t foolish enough to be unprepared for the same attack. I had already considered a countermeasure for it.
“Hmph, keep that in your mouth!”
“Gah!?”
I thrust the staff I held into the nobleman’s wide-open mouth. This starting piece of equipment had abysmal performance, but its durability was infinite. In other words, it was indestructible within the confines of the game’s system. No matter how resilient the opponent’s jaw might be, it couldn’t shatter this worn-out looking staff. Its appearance may not match its true capabilities.
“Now, for the next step.”
“Gugege…ge!?”
I retrieved a vial filled with a poisonous, lurid liquid from my inventory and administered it to the nobleman’s throat through the gap between the staff and his mouth. It was the poison potion I had crafted and combined beforehand.
Even though you’re a boss monster, my dear nobleman, you don’t possess the [Status Resistance] skill, let alone the [Status Immunity] skill, do you? So, can you withstand my specially concocted poison potion, especially in its current pure (undiluted) form?
“Gearrrrrrrgh!!!”
The nobleman let out a muffled scream. It seemed that the effects had taken hold. Checking his markers, I saw the icons for poison and paralysis had increased, and the bleeding icon was now pulsating more intensely. It appeared that the full effects of the poison had been unleashed. The administration of the pure substance had indeed been effective.
Ah, it seems the trap’s effect has worn off. Dealing with his struggles would prove troublesome, so it was about time to bring this to a conclusion.
“Set Dual Trap Circle, activate Magic Circle, Magic Sword!”
Since I had set the traps right beneath the convulsing nobleman, they immediately sprang into action. The traps were all Dark Arms. Furthermore, I activated the Magic Sword, consuming in the remainder of my magic power. The Magic Sword could only be used at close range, but its firepower surpassed that of the Dark Arms if it landed a hit.
“Perish, pitiful obsession!”
“Gugyaahhhhhhh!”
The four Dark Arms pinned down the nobleman, while the Magic Sword plunged into his heart. The boss nobleman’s health bar finally shattered into pieces.
――――――――――
You have won the battle.
For clearing the “Trial of the Azure Moon”, you will receive 10 SP and additional rewards.
For being the first conqueror of the “Trial of the Azure Moon”, you will receive 10 SP and additional rewards.
For having successfully completed a solo clear of the “Trial of the Azure Moon”, you will receive 10 SP and additional rewards.
For achieving a first-time clear of the “Trial of the Azure Moon”, you will receive 10 SP and additional rewards.
You have obtained the title “Trial Survivor”
Race level increased. Gained 1 SP.
Job level increased. Gained 1 SP.
The level of [Staff Mastery] skill has increased.
The level of [Magic Control] skill has increased.
The level of [Earth Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Water Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Fire Magic] skill has increased.
Newly learned “Fire Pillar” and “Fire Wave” spell attacks.
[Fire Magic] has reached its growth limit. Evolution is possible.
The level of [Wind Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Black Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Non-Elemental Magic] skill has increased.
Newly learned “Magic Lance” and “Magic Wave” spell attacks.
[Non-Elemental Magic] has reached its growth limit. Evolution is possible.
The level of [Summoning Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Enchatement] skill has increased.
The level of [Magic Circle] skill has increased.
The level of [Necromancy] skill has increased.
The level of [Curse] skill has increased.
Newly learned “Dispel” and “Poison” spell attacks.
The level of [Trap Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Appraisal] skill has increased.
By achieving victory in the boss area, you can now teleport to the respawn point. Please use this option at your discretion.
――――――――――
“I won, huh?”
I won. It was a gratifying victory. However, the weariness overwhelmed me. I couldn’t even muster a triumphant laughter like when I defeated the Ratman for the first time. I was completely exhausted. The tension that held me together unraveled, and I collapsed to my knees.
“Why… why…” The nobleman mumbled.
…Hey, why won’t he disappear? I stabbed him in the heart, didn’t I? The victory notification was displayed, and the opponent reverted back to his human form, but it was surprising that he hasn’t disappeared. Was this also part of the Trial event?
“Why… why won’t it come….back to me?”
Was he asking me this? All I had in my arsenal was a bad experience with love… Well, whatever. I’ll give him an answer, for now.
“You don’t understand even that, you fool.”
“What…?”
“I see you still don’t get it. As it is, no matter what you do, you won’t have their attention.”
“What should I do… what should I do to make the moon mine…”
“Yes, that’s precisely why.”
Despite being exhausted, I decided to speak my mind to this foolish man who couldn’t fully give up.
“Just by thinking of the other party as an “object”, they will never turn their gaze towards you.”
“Wha-!”
Even before the battle began, I had a sense of this man’s origin. It was from “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.” His equipment consisted of items requested by Princess Kaguya’s suitor, a nobleman. Considering that this man’s race had become human (undead), I speculated that he must have consumed the elixir of immortality that she left behind.
Most likely, this nobleman-turned-“Moon Obssession” couldn’t let go of the departed princess and resorted to drinking the elixir. He must have collected and offered all the genuine items she desired. For those who knew the struggles and tragic fate depicted in the original tale, it was an unimaginable obsession, driven by unparalleled determination. It made sense for him to bear the name “Obsession”
“First of all, what is it about that woman that you love? Her beauty? Her personality? It’s something else, isn’t it? By treating your partner as an object, you are not truly loving her.”
“Stop…”
“What you truly desire is to have a ‘good woman’ at your side. In other words, what you love is… yourself.”
“Stooopppp!”
As soon as the “Moon Obssession” let out a scream, he turned into ashes. Was that okay? I just said something fairly casual and cliché… Did I hit a nerve?
――――――――――
You have acquired the unique skill, [Yifa’s blessing]
――――――――――
Hmm? I obtained the unique skill [Yifa’s blessing]? Oh right, Lady Yifa was the deity I had the pleasure of encountering during character creation, right? So, the goddess herself is granting her blessing?
From the beginning, I had been grateful for her guidance. However, at the same time, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being utilized for some undisclosed purpose.
I didn’t know what that purpose might be. I didn’t know, but I was determined to play the game the way I wanted to. If I ever got the chance to speak with her directly, I would ask her all sorts of questions. That should be fine.
Well then, it was time to head back to the laboratory, since It was time to log out for the day. Tomorrow, I would check the rewards and the skills that have reached their growth limit. I was quite looking forward to it!
◆◇◆◇◆◇
“Wow~! Not bad, Isam~!”
It has been quite some time since we last gathered here. Allow me to reintroduce myself as Yifa, known as the Goddess of Death and Chaos. Today marked the beginning of the eagerly anticipated ‘Trial of the Azure Moon,’ the first major event since the game’s release. We were really looking forward to seeing who would take on the challenge.
I, being the creator of this trial, held a particular interest in its outcome. The balance was such that ‘players at the appropriate level, moving ideally and making full use of their abilities and skills, should be able to clear it’ . We also made adjustments so that solo players would face slightly less formidable opponents compared to those in a party. We gave special rewards to those who conquered it alone, so please do your best.
It became evident that many ordinary players struggled when faced with monsters of similar strength, often due to superfluous movements. Hence, we took measures to address these inefficiencies by introducing titles such as ‘Underdog’ and ‘Master Strategist’, aiming to eliminate such drawbacks and enhance the gameplay experience.
The method to undertake the ‘Trial of the Azure Moon’ was quite straightforward. It involved players below level 15 entering the boss area on the night of the new moon. I’m sure most players, especially those who were actively engaged in testing, quickly identified the conditions.
And now, I found myself witnessing the progress of the trial through a live stream, accompanied by Grenelle, the Goddess of War and Victory. You may wonder why we are watching together, but it’s simply because both of our favorite players were taking on the challenge.
“I certainly had high expectations, but I never expected him to overcome it at that level. At least, not without undergoing an evolution first,” Grenelle said.
Isam was one of the players for whom I handled character creation. While I did like his gameplay style and somehow assisted him, I never imagined he would pass the trial at a level of 8, which was nearly half of the recommended level, and without even undergoing an evolution.
Moreover, I greatly appreciated that he dealt that persistent nuisance a resounding blow. It was quite refreshing. It even earned him a unique skill from me.
“But your favorite player is also astonishing. In terms of sheer combat prowess, they might even be at the top among players, right?”
“In a one-on-one fistfight, perhaps,” Grenelle replied.
The player whom Grenelle held high expectations for seems to have an aura of being capable of conquering the trial solo as well. Unlike Isam, this individual even seemed to have the luxury of enjoying the battle. And they share the same level of 8. Truly a formidable individual.
“Alright! He cleared it! Let me bestow my blessing too!”
Has the battle there also come to an end? The opponent was the ‘Moon Tiger’ a creature that defeats challengers with its powerful beast-like movements and ability to manipulate lightning. Unlike the ‘Moon Obsession’ that Isam fought, this trial forced a head-on battle without reinforcements or tricks.
Despite being at a disadvantage in various aspects, that guy somehow managed to triumph over the ‘Moon Tiger’ relying on his keen sense and instinct for combat. It was no wonder that Grenelle had taken a liking to him.
Now, what about the remaining areas? There were four adjacent regions near the starting city, Firth. Isam emerged victorious in the western region, while Grenelle’s favorite dealt with the northern one. So, what about the east and south?
“It seems the south… didn’t go well.”
“They’re skilled individuals, but it seems they made a wrong initial judgment.”
In the south, it seemed like a party led by the so-called top players were the ones taking on the trial. Their opponent was the ‘Moonshadow Rabbit’, it was a weakened manifestation of my cute pet, little Pyonkichi. Initially appearing sluggish, the creature swung a formidable, hard-to-defend-against pestle. When its health was halved, it swiftly switched to a large machete, launching rapid attacks. And when its health dropped below 30%, it astonishingly wielded the two weapons simultaneously in a dual-wielding style.
The pestle attacks should be evaded, while the large machete’s attacks should be blocked by the Tank player. In the meantime, the rest of the party should launch their assaults. This was the optimal strategy, but the party’s Tank couldn’t withstand the force of the pestle with his shield, causing the frontline to crumble. It was the anticipated outcome, as expected from their first encounter. Now, let’s shift our attention to the east.
“They are… the rumored ones?”
“Huh? Ah, yeah. That damn amateur girl’s favorite hero, huh?”
It seemed that the party challenging the eastern area consisted of top players. Unlike the southern party, what set them apart was that their leader, a male player, was the favorite of the extremely unpleasant “Goddess of Light and Order,” Earle.
There were no issues with the player himself. His words and actions were proper, his interactions with NPCs were gentle, and there were no hidden intentions from his brainwaves. He was like a picture-perfect, fine young man. From my perspective, he was a boring honor student.
His only flaw was his dense nature, just like the protagonist in a romantic comedy story. Everyone in his party, aside from him, was a woman, and they were all commonly referred to as beautiful or pretty. Moreover, all of them were attractive in real life, with minimal tweaks to their appearances, and they all harbored feelings of affection towards him. He was the epitome of a template protagonist.
And it seemed that Earle had taken a great liking to him, as he had repeatedly saved her followers during the beta testing phase, and she granted him her blessings ahead of anyone else. Furthermore, she even went as far as to say that he would be the one to bring order to this world.
What utter nonsense. Order imposed upon the world? Haven’t she considered what would happen if that were to occur? Players would all leave if such a thing were to happen.
Players seek stimulation in this world that doesn’t exist in reality. In order to achieve that, elements that cannot be experienced in reality, such as unrealistic chaos, are essential. To eradicate that is the height of foolishness. We must stop it by any means necessary.
“At this rate… They might actually win.”
“Yeah, you’re right. While all the attention is on this hero guy, the girls are also pretty strong.”
The trial in the east was the ‘Moonlit Evil Fairy’ It was a tricky boss that fought with its swift movements due to its small body, coupled with powerful magic and flying ability. It would unleash a non-elemental area-of-effect attack when its health reached fifty or thirty percent, posing a troublesome threat that could easily wipe out the rearguard if they were not careful… but they were maneuvering skillfully.
The hero, quick-witted in the face of adversity; the knight, boasting high defensive capabilities; the thief, capturing the fairy with swift movements; the warrior, employing precise swordsmanship; the mage, adeptly using varied spells with great firepower; and the healer, who perfectly grasped the health of each member. The coordination of the six was worthy of praise. It would have been even better if Earle hadn’t taken notice of them.
“So, three out of the four groups have cleared the trial. Did we not adjust the difficulty enough?”
Originally, these trials were intended to be extremely challenging quests with a success rate of less than ten percent. The title of “Trial Survivor” carried such weight. However, out of the total of fourteen challengers, eight managed to clear it. That’s a clearance rate of less than sixty percent. It greatly exceeded the initial expectations. A serious problem indeed.
“Well, well, it’s too hasty to judge based solely on that. The ones who cleared it were all players favored by us, the goddesses. Let’s evaluate after at least ten more attempts, okay?”
“…Yes, you’re right.”
I must admit, I was slightly flustered. As Grenelle said, let’s observe the situation a few more times. Well then, it seems the trials are over for now, so let’s return to our usual duties until additional challengers appear.
AN: There is a reason why the protagonist’s level only increases by 1. You see, the experience points obtained from this trial are originally meant to be the same amount as the field boss that was supposed to be fought in that area.
TN: The author also said many other points but I judged them to be a bit of a spoiler.
――――――――――
Name: Isam
Race: Skeleton Level 9 up!
Job: Apprentice Mage Level 9 up!
Titles:
- Knowledge Seeker
- Title Earner
- Heretic
- Underdog
- Mastermind Strategist
- Trial Survivor new!
Remaining (SP): 148
Skills:
- [Staff Mastery] Level 12 up!
- [Magic Control] Level 14 up!
- [Earth Magic] Level 9 up!
- [Water Magic] Level 9 up!
- [Fire Magic] Level 10 max!
- [Wind Magic] Level 9 up!
- [Dark Magic] Level 1 up!
- [Non-Elemental Magic] Level 10 max!
- [Summoning Magic] Level 9 up!
- [Enchantment] Level 6 up!
- [Magical Circle] Level 8 up!
- [Necromancy] Level 6 up!
- [Curse] Level 5 up!
- [Trap Magic] Level 6 up!
- [Archeology] Level 7
- [Linguistics] Level 5
- [Pharmacology] Level 7
- [Alchemy] Level 7
- [Appraisal] Level 9 up!
- [Night Vision] Level –
- [Stealth] Level 9
- [Sneak] Level 8
- [Ambush] Level 6
- [Status Resistance] Level –
- [Light Attribute Weakness] Level 6
- [Blunt Attack Weakness] Level 10
Unique Skill:
- [Yifa’s Blessing]
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