We won. We won… but somehow it felt underwhelming. I mean, I thought we would have a tougher fight.
Furthermore, that undead mage, the supposed boss, didn’t quite live up to the title. If it had truly been a boss, there should have been some kind of notification. No, even if it was a boss-type monster, it must have been just a mid-boss. In fact, it’s even possible that there is no boss lurking in this cave. It’s wise not to set our expectations too high.
Anyway, it seemed like there were no more enemies in this hidden room. So, let’s thoroughly search this place before we leave. You might wonder why I want to search thoroughly. The answer will be clear once you see what the drops were.
――――――――――
Old Zombie Scroll – Quality: Inferior, Rarity: R (Rare)
A scroll used to create zombies. Its condition is not good due to years of deterioration.
By attaching it to a corpse, you can control it as a zombie.
Old Taoist Robe – Quality: Inferior, Rarity: R (Rare)
Formal attire of a Taoist who came from the western lands.
Designed with consideration for hand-to-hand combat, it offers better mobility than its appearance suggests.
――――――――――
These were the drop items from the zombies and the undead mage. Surely, they must be related to [Necromancy]. I was certain that I could create zombies with these items. I needed to investigate if there were any resources or documents for that purpose.
Moreover, it seemed they came from the western lands. It was possible that we could obtain information about that region. Even if the language was different, I should be able to manage with my knowledge of [Linguistics]… hopefully.
“Isam, what’s this?”
While the five of us started searching separately, it seemed Ruby had found something. I wondered what it could be.
“It’s… a bundle of bamboo tied with a string?”
“A bamboo slip, perhaps? How archaic… I’ve never seen one in person before.”
Yes, it was a bamboo slip. It was the prototype of books used in Japan and China, where characters were written on wood or bamboo, connected with strings, and rolled up like a scroll. When it was made of bamboo, it was called a “Babmboo Slip (Chikukan)” and when it was made of wood, it was called a “Wooden Slip (Mokkan)”. It was impressive that the developers had gone to such lengths to include something like this.
“What’s inside… hmm, it’s damaged by insects, but I can still read it.”
Although the bamboo slip showed signs of aging, it was in a readable condition. After quickly skimming through its contents, it appeared that the author was related to [Necromancy] just as I had suspected. Moreover, it seems that the author belonged to a certain clan that specialized in creating zombies (Jiangshi). It seemed something had happened in his homeland, and he had fled here with his clan.
If that was the case, this document might have contained descriptions of other forms of magic beyond [Necromancy]. While it may have appeared to be a mere bundle of bamboo to others, to me, it felt like a mountain of precious treasures.
However, I decided to save the thorough reading for later. After adding several more bamboo and wooden slips that we had discovered to our inventory, we decided to log out from this place. We had spent quite a bit of time on exploration and investigation, after all. It was time for a well-deserved rest.
This time, the order of rest would be the same as before. First, it would be me and Gigo guarding the other’s avatars. Since we had the summoning minions as guards, there wasn’t anything specific for us to do. So, let’s take this opportunity to learn about the new magic I’ve learned.
[Void Magic]’s spell “Magic Jamming”, huh? This spell creates a field around the caster that disrupts magic, making it more likely for both allies and enemies to fail their spells.
Well, no, it’s not usable. It seems that when activated, even the caster becomes unable to use magic. It’s too much of a headache for spellcasters. Jigoro and Genjuro should be the ones to learn this, shouldn’t they?
It’s clear that we won’t be able to use any new spells. With that in mind, we found ourselves with nothing to do again. And so, we naturally began watching the arena battles in the Firth City’s tournament.
“The winner of the first day is… the hero guy,”
The display device in the Colosseum where the tournament was held, which resembled an electric billboard, boldly showed the name of Luke, also known as the “hero”. There were even some major spoilers right there.
“That seems fair. Not only is his skill impressive, but his weapons and armor are also on a different level. Those are probably the sacred sword rumored to be a gift from the goddess and the equipment reward for completing the ‘Trial of the Azure Moon’.”
“Oh, right. I forgot they had cleared it too.”
However, from Jigoro’s perspective, the hero’s triumph seemed like a natural outcome. Well, with a little thought, it was indeed expected.
The “Trial of the Azure Moon” was known for its sadistic difficulty. We knew firsthand just how rewarding it was to clear it. Or rather, we were grateful to have those rewards. If the hero’s party’s acquired skills and equipment were as impressive as mine and Jigoro’s, there was no way he would lose, right?
“In that sense, today might be the most interesting one. Since that guy and his female companions didn’t enter on the second day.”
“Is that so… Well, it’s only natural, isn’t it? Otherwise, they would definitely clash with each other.”
If the first day of the tournament was for individual battles, the second day was for pairs to fight together. Out of the three days, participants could only take part in two events. So, the hero would most likely participate in the party battles on the first and third days. Even without that, in his case, if he were to enter on the second day, it would inevitably lead to disputes over which woman he would team up with. The tournament regulations had done a good job in that regard.
“So, how is it? Did you find any interesting opponents?”
“Nah, they’re all just average. I’ll shrink the screen and watch the finals of the individual battles.”
“I see, understood.”
The pair battles were currently underway, with the preliminary rounds being held first. The format remained the same as the first day, with a battle royale-style competition. Watching the participants fight while relying on each other’s backs was quite captivating to a melee amateur like me, but it seemed to leave Jigoro craving more.
Moreover, from what I could see, no players were using magic in a way that could provide me with useful insights. In that case, I shrank the screen and turned my attention elsewhere… Yes, I decided to read the bulletin board.
“The individual battles… they were fine. It seemed that no mage had made it to the finals. Then, I think the discussion thread for the pair battles would be worth reading… Hmm?”
As I scrolled through the live commentary thread of the tournament, I noticed that there were multiple mentions of the first match in the pair battle preliminary round. It appeared that some sort of overwhelming dominance had taken place, with talk of “unrivaled gameplay” and other things. I wondered, who did what exactly?
At this moment, it was the seventh match in the pair battle preliminary rounds, so the highlights of the first match should be available for viewing. I decided to take a look.
“Um… What just… happened?!”
Ah, yeah. Let me tell you exactly what I saw with my own eyes. Firstly, there was one pair that stood out from the rest. One of them was the woman skilled in wielding her polearm that Jigoro previously highly praised (TN: Name is Hanna). Unlike in the individual battles, she was wielding a halberd—a combination of an axe and spear. And her partner… was a horse.
Yes, you heard that right—a horse. It was a magnificent white horse adorned in chain barding. And they made a grand entrance while mounted on it.
Huh? Is this allowed? That’s what everyone seemed to be thinking, but apparently, the horse was also a player. It was a non-human being, but not a monster. That’s how it was.
As for the match itself, it was exactly as described on the bulletin board. It was like a hack-and-slash game, something even I, who doesn’t play games much, recognized. It was that style where historical figures mow down masses of foot soldiers.
The halberd, swung around by the agile warrior, cleaved through light “infantry” as they dashed through the arena, while the impact of the horse sent heavily armored warriors flying.
Furthermore, it seemed that the horse had acquired magic skills as well and was using it to provide precise support to its rider. It was truly a sight to behold, as if they were effortlessly brushing off any opponents that came their way.
Just imagine it. A horse, equipped with its own armor, exuding an intimidating presence. And while releasing magic, it approaches at a speed comparable to that of a car.
How many ordinary people could remain calm in the face of that? At least for me, it would be impossible. I’m sure my legs would turn to jelly.
To think that in a VR game, we would witness the terrifying might of cavalry. Could this pair be a contender for the championship? I should tell Jigoro about it.
“Jigoro, can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Huh? What’s up?”
“Take a look at the highlights of the first match in the pair battles of the preliminary rounds. You’ll see something interesting.”
“Oh, really? Let me see… Kukukuku! This woman is incredible! I never expected her to have such a hidden talent!”
Hehehe, it seems Jigoro is impressed too. He’s now fully absorbed in watching her battle.
“But this is not the main tournament… So it’s a matter of whether or not she can hold her own in the main tournament. Those who advance to the main event will likely be able to handle this type of attack to some extent.”
“Well, at least that gives us something to look forward to, right?”
“Yeah, you’re right about that.”
Now, while it’s enjoyable to continue spectating the preliminary rounds, there’s something else that’s suitable for passing the time. What could that be? Well, I happened to come across some wooden and bamboo slips. I wonder what’s written on them.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
――――――――――
You have acquired the [Talismanry] skill through your past actions and experiences.
Newly learned “Zombification” spell.
The level of [Archaeology] skill has increased.
The level of [Linguistics] skill has increased.
――――――――――
Oooh, this was quite intriguing. I’ve finished reading most of the slips, and they were filled with dense information.
First, the slips explained who the author was. He was said to originate from a country called “Flower (Hana)” in the region known as the “Aquaria Islands,” which was located far west from here. His clan used secret techniques of [Necromancy] and [Talismanry] to manipulate events from the shadows throughout history. However, due to a political upheaval, they were forced to flee their homeland.
However, when they arrived in this land, [Necromancy] was considered a forbidden art. They faced persecution for their mastery of it and became wanted criminals with bounties on their heads.
The sole survivor and author of the diary, in a desperate act, cursed the world and turned himself into an undead. He decided to hide here, along with the recovered bodies of his deceased kin. Yes, that would be the undead mage who fought against us.
His backstory was filled with tragic tales that couldn’t be redeemed, which was quite disheartening. However, it did provide valuable information about the existence of other lands to the west, the Aquaria Islands, and the presence of several nations there. Furthermore, the other slips also contained various secrets, making them highly valuable and enlightening.
I had acquired a new spell that was called “zombification” under the [Necromancy] skill, which was precisely what I had been seeking. I decided to put it to use if the opportunity presented itself with a suitable corpse. Additionally, I obtained the indispensable art of [Talismanry], which was crucial in the process of zombification. It seemed that there were countless other applications for this skill, so my anticipation grew immensely.
Furthermore, I noticed that my level in both [Archaeology] and [linguistics] had unexpectedly increased. It appeared that delving into ancient foreign texts provided bonus experience points, which was quite fortunate indeed.
Moreover, within the slips, there were numerous valuable findings that would be useful not only to me but also to the other members of our team. These included manuals on martial arts techniques, various weapon combat styles, the art of forging special metals, and the usage of concealed weapons. Each of them had the potential to be beneficial to someone within the party.
Oh boy, time has flown by. It’s about time for the other three to return. I should prepare to log out.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
I logged back in, and, as I had expected, Jigoro and Genjuro were huddled together, spectating the events of the tournament. However, I didn’t sense the same level of intensity and eagerness as during the individual battles. I wondered why that was. Perhaps I should ask.
“What happened to the two of them?”
“Oh, welcome back. It seems they’re feeling a bit disappointed because the pairs matches aren’t as exciting,”
“Hmm? Wasn’t there a woman causing a ruckus while riding a horse?”
The forum had been buzzing with excitement over the relentless spectacle reminiscent of an “Unrivaled Gameplay”. Wouldn’t that player be captivating to watch?
Ruby and Iris seemed to grasp the intent behind my question, sharing a wry smile. What happened?
“As for that person’s matches… they ended abruptly with the first charge.”
“You mean even in the main tournament matches?”
“Yes. It was completely one-sided, and the other players lacked the determination to stop the woman and horse’s charge. It became quite dull,”
“I see. That’s unfortunate,”
Hmm, it seemed that the onslaught of a cavalry attack from a rider and a horse, especially with the horse using magic, was a bit too overwhelming for ordinary people who had been playing casually. The matches had become overly one-sided, to the point where the matches without a clear favorite for victory were more exciting. It must be quite challenging to be too strong.
“In that case, we can depart immediately if you call them. Ruby, could you do that for me?” I asked.
“Leave it to me!”
With an energetic response to my request, Ruby headed towards the battle-maniac junkies.
“Um, Isam. I have something I want to ask you,” Iris said.
“What is it?”
“I was wondering how far we’re going with this exploration.”
It was a natural question to ask. The purpose of this cave exploration was typically leveling up during the current time when regular players weren’t around. While I had also been leveling up, the three of them had achieved visible progress and even evolved, so we could consider the main objective already accomplished. Therefore, there would be no issue at all if we turned back at this point.
However, we still had plenty of time available. The second day of the tournament had not yet concluded, and if we were to turn back immediately, we would have too much time left in our hands. In that case, wouldn’t it be more enjoyable to explore the cave as much as possible?
However, this was just my opinion, and I had no intention of pushing it forcefully on the other members. If the majority wanted to go back, we could have a discussion and then head home.
“I had intended to adventure as long as time permitted, but… do you want to turn back already?” I asked.
“Oh! No, that’s not it!”
Iris exclaimed, shaking her tentacles from side to side in a flustered manner. So she didn’t want to go back. Then what is it?
“I’m actually not very good at fighting. Even in the games I played before, I mostly stayed in town and focused on crafting,”
She continued, saying that she had become somewhat famous in her own way, and she had enjoyed that play style.
“But when I became a monster avatar, I had no other choice but to fight. However, I didn’t have anyone reliable to rely on. Honestly, if Isam hadn’t replied to my messages, I was thinking of deleting my account,”
“That’s…”
I found myself lost for words, unsure of what to say.
“But after meeting Isam and Jigoro, and becoming friends with Ruby and Genjuro, it’s been different. Today, we all went on an adventure together. And it’s been so much fun. So, I’m wondering if this adventure is already coming to an end.”
I see. So she feels regretful about it coming to an end. As the one who invited her, I was truly delighted to hear that. That’s why I had to let her know.
“Every adventure has its end. Naturally, this adventure too. But there will be more opportunities in the future. So, let’s enjoy adventures again and again together,”
“Yeah… you’re right!”
Iris replied, blushing slightly but with a bright smile. My words of encouragement may have been corny, but they seemed to have had some effect. Yes, let’s start afresh and continue our exploration with renewed spirits!
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