――――――――――
The level of [Alchemy] skill has increased.
――――――――――
Afterward, I took a brief break to hydrate myself before logging back in immediately. My [Alchemy] skill had leveled up, yet the mitigation of the [Light Weakness] was still a long way off. Although the reduction in light damage through the [Abyss Dweller] skill was useful, it was a drawback that the experience gained towards resistance was also decreasing due to the decreased damage. I should increase the number of magic stones inserted into the lamp a bit more.
“Oh, huh, is nobody around?”
It seems like everyone else went out while I was logged out. So, what should I do? My magic power is only slightly over half due to experimenting with [Alchemy]. It will take a while for it to fully recover.
Alright then, perhaps I’ll browse through the official bulletin board. It’ll serve as a good way to pass the time.
First, let’s check the casual chat thread… Oh no, they’re only discussing Jigoro and me. The prevailing theory involving the two of us seems to revolve around some kind of game event. I’m sorry, but I’m a genuine player.
N-next thread! Let’s pretend I didn’t see that! Yeah, I didn’t look at the casual chat thread. I didn’t look at it at all.
Oh, was this a strategy thread? It even had information about the field bosses. It seemed like there were many open-minded players in the strategy thread. Well, I guess it was because this information came after they had defeated the boss, so it didn’t really matter. I heard that there was a “First Clear Bonus” for every field boss battle, so it was probably fine to share the information once you had obtained it.
However, boss fields were definitely places where you could obtain high-quality items. There were surely players who wanted to exploit them, and if there was a hidden boss, there would be people who kept the information secret. I didn’t think it would remain useful forever.
Incidentally, there was no boss information available for the field that was two steps away from the current one we were trying to conquer. I had information about normal monsters, though. Let’s see… What was it? To the north, there was a lake beyond the mountains, and to the east, there was a small village, but the plains were the same. The south was also a grassland, with only different monsters. And the west… a cave?
It seemed like the west was just an endless forest. In the middle of it, there was a small rocky mountain, and it formed a cave where you could descend.
Oh, wait, could this be an opportunity? Tomorrow marked the day of the first official event. It seemed there would be a tournament and a product fair would be held. Most players were expected to gather in Firth city during that time. In the meantime, the second field should be empty for sure.
Among all options, if it happened to be a cave, I would still be able to navigate it during the daytime despite my [Light Weakness]. Once everyone returns, I will suggest this idea.
Next, there was… the tournament champion prediction thread, huh? The most favored to win was the “Hero” Luke? Ah, the one from back then! Eh, but since he has already lost to us, his evaluation has dropped. Some peculiar contenders have also emerged, causing chaos throughout the entire bulletin board.
I sincerely apologize for the problems caused, but I hope you can showcase your true abilities in the tournament. After all, even Jigoro himself praised Luke. Soon enough, it would become evident that it’s not Luke’s being weak but rather Jigoro being too strong.
Now, let’s proceed to the next thread. Oh, what’s this? A thread for non-human beings? How does it differ from the one Iris and I used to interact with each other? Ah, I understand now. These were not monsters, but ordinary animals. They were singled out as the most extraordinary among the already unique variety of monster variants.
The distinction between monsters, beasts, and animals in FSW was whether they existed in reality or not. With a few exceptions, such creatures started in the middle of the city. I envied them to no end.
Ah, there were people who had seen through Jigoro’s identity as a player. They seemed quite perceptive. However, why did he choose to be a fish…? Let me check his previous thread… Oh, he was a “Dragon Gate” challenge! It meant aiming to become a dragon by climbing waterfalls as a carp. That was quite a challenge, even for me!
Funny characters could be found anywhere. Let’s move on. Oh, this was the “Trial of the Azure Moon” thread. Some parties fought valiantly but were defeated. Did the hero’s party manage to conquer it, though? Even I had a close call. If I hadn’t eliminated most of the backline and a significant portion of the midline with a surprise attack, even I might have died easily.
If I mixed our own experiences and the information in the thread, to the north lay the fiercely martial “‘Moon Tiger” boss, to the east was the tricky “Moonlit Evil Fairy”, to the south lay the “Moonshadow Rabbit” who switched weapons in battle, and to the west lay the twisted “Moon Obsession” who tested endurance.
Oh, there was a condition that the race level had to be below 15 before doing the trial! I didn’t know that. Wait, then wouldn’t it have been easier for us to evolve first and then take on the challenge…? N-no, let’s stop! That kind of thinking wouldn’t make anyone happy.
Anyway, since Jigoro and I had already conquered it once, we could not take on the trial again. That meant it would be up to the remaining three party members who hadn’t challenged it yet. If they were to take on a trial, which one would be the best choice for them?
Iris might have been slow in movement, but she could manipulate opponents with her sturdy defense and versatile tentacles. I wondered what the fighting styles of the other two were like.
Genjuro could immobilize foes with his webbing, relying primarily on biting and body slamming with surprisingly powerful jaws. On the other hand, Ruby had the capability to enhance her speed to an extraordinary level, swiftly closing in on enemies and transforming into a fearsome predator that could devour them.
Those were the two individuals that Jigoro and I encountered on our journey. Both of them gave off a sense of being experienced in battles. They would have been formidable assets.
However, their roles were as follows: one was a tank and medium-range attacker, another was a disruptor capable of medium-range attacks, and the last was a guerilla attacker. It couldn’t be said that the balance was well maintained. They seemed too specialized in restraining opponents, lacking offensive power.
Should they cover that aspect with other skills, or perhaps they should take a moment to evolve… Well, we’ll figure it out somehow. I’m sure when it comes to a challenge, they’ll give it their all.
One interesting thing after that was… the Familiars Thread? Ah, they were bragging about the monsters they had tamed through [Training] instead of [Summoning]. It was like having pets, I suppose. I couldn’t relate since I had never had the desire to own or keep a pet.
Oh, it seemed there were also people who adored their summoned beasts. Hmm, in my case, since I only had undead creatures, I didn’t feel any particular attachment to them. So I couldn’t help but treat them as mere servants. After all, for my minions, there were countless replacements available.
Generally speaking, one of my trump cards was using one special attack that fell under the [Necromancy] skill (self-destruction). If those people had witnessed my way of fighting, they would have probably gone into a frenzy.
That’s about it, I guess. It’s fortunate that the sewers have yet to be discovered. During this time, we can have this hunting ground all to ourselves.
However, it wouldn’t be feasible to stay here forever. Eventually, we would have to leave and establish ourselves in a new land. It would be ideal to acquire a splendid stronghold if possible.
“Shushururu (We’re back!)”
“Purupuruu (We’re back!)!”
Oh, it seemed like they had returned. From the sound of their voices, it must be Iris and Ruby. They looked happy, which was a good sign.
“Welcome back. How was your hunt?”
“Shurushuu (It went smoothly)!”
“Pururun (Perfect)!”
Summing up their conversation, it appeared that this duo had great synergy. Iris immobilized the movements of their enemies with her tentacles, while Ruby attached herself to the vulnerable opponent’s face, suffocating them. It seemed like a foolproof plan. They effortlessly took down the lesser Ratmen and even a lone roaming Ratman. Their efficiency was truly remarkable.
With this style of combat, it seemed that their levels in [Stealth], [Silent Steps], and [Ambush] had all increased. Moreover, Iris earned the title of “Capture Master” while Ruby obtained the title of “Assassin.”
Things were going really well. If I were to join them, what would be the best approach? Applying [Enchantment] to strengthen the two of them while weakening the enemies with [Curse] could work. Alternatively, providing support fire with regular magic could also be effective. However, it would be important for me to hold back a bit since attacking too aggressively would draw too much aggro from the enemies.
“Gugyagya (We’re back!)”
“Kachikachi (We’re back!)”
It seemed that the men had also returned. The atmosphere wasn’t bad. In fact, Jigoro seemed somewhat excited. I wondered what had happened.
Upon hearing their story, it seemed that Genjuro had been even stronger than expected. Despite having only thread and jaws as his attack methods, he skillfully utilized the thread to wrap up the enemies and mercilessly bite off their heads. He steadily took down the lesser ratman, and he even managed to defeat one roaming Ratman single-handedly, earning himself the title of “Underdog” that I possessed, as well as Jigoro’s title of “Brutal Tyrant”
Could it be that this old man was also a real-life cheater like Jigoro…? No, I should try not to entertain such thoughts.
“Perfect timing. Now that we’re all together, I have something to propose. Please open up the party chat.”
◆◇◆◇◆◇
Isam: So, I’d like to suggest the plan to defeat the boss in the western part of Firth City in real-time tonight and then delve into the cave ahead tomorrow morning. If anyone has any questions or objections, feel free to speak up.
Jigoro: Ah, I’m torn about it.
Genjuro: That’s how it is, indeed.
Iris: Huh, why is that?
Ruby: Isn’t this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
Isam: Both of you, if there’s something I’m overlooking, please let me know.
Jigoro: No, it’s not that I have any issues with Isam’s plan. It’s just that…
Genjuro: We want to watch the tournament. Watching strong fighters battle can be informative, you know.
Isam: I see. So, you’re saying that since you can’t attend the event in person, you at least want to watch a live broadcast within the game, right?
Jigoro: That’s right, exactly.
Isam: Hmm, for me, I want to respect the wishes of my companions. Should we then drop the plan? Forcing it wouldn’t be enjoyable for anyone.
Jigoro: My bad. I am being selfish.
Genjuro: I apologize, Isam.
Ruby: Wait a minute! Couldn’t we just record it instead?
Jigoro: Record it?
Genjuro: Is that possible?
Iris: Um, recording is actually a default feature in recent games. FSW even has many VR commentators and streamers.
Ruby: So, I think we can watch all the matches later on.
Isam: I didn’t know that…
Jigoro: Didn’t realize such a feature existed.
Genjuro: Commentators, huh? I thought they had fallen out of favor, but they’re popular again?
Ruby: You men are so clueless!
Iris: R-Ruby…
Jigoro: Gah, can’t come up with a comeback!
Genjuro: Ruby, could you show a little more respect for your grandpa, at least?
Isam: A-Anyway! If recording is an option, how about we proceed with the boss battle and cave exploration, both of you?
Jigoro: Yeah, sounds good.
Genjuro: An unexplored cave that nobody has ventured into yet. My heart leaps with excitement!
Isam: Alright, since everyone is in agreement, let’s proceed with the plan. It’s still early afternoon in real time, so we have plenty of time. I’ll make as many healing potions and poison potions as possible. And Iris?
Iris: Yes, what is it?
Isam: I’d like to entrust you with crafting equipment for everyone and setting up the camping tents. I’ll die if I’m exposed to sunlight, so it’s a precautionary measure.
Iris: Understood!
Isam: The other three, I want you to gather items in the Western Forest and the Sewers. Materials are essential for item crafting.
Jigoro: Leave it to us.
Genjuro: Very well.
Ruby: I’ll gather plenty of them!
Isam: Thank you. Then, let’s disperse!
◆◇◆◇◆◇
So I began working on [Alchemy], using up the materials I had on hand. Even though we possessed a considerable stock of healing potions, it was always wise to be prepared, given that none of us possessed any healing magic skills.
Healing magic could only be acquired by taking on the role of a priest-type job. However, among us, we had one mage, two warriors, one scout, and one craftsman, but not a single priest.
Consequently, aside from relying on natural healing, our sole recourse for recovery was through the consumption of healing potions. This is precisely why it became paramount to avoid depleting our healing potion reserves.I’m sure you can understand why I’m desperate to make as many as possible, right?
Regarding the poison potion, its significance grew in my mind due to the presence of Iris and Genjuro, who possessed remarkable capture skills, as well as Ruby, the new titled assassin. Iris had the ability to immobilize enemies while simultaneously administering the poison using an additional tentacle, while Ruby, as a slime, could apply it by clinging to their faces, ensuring ingestion. Although it might prove ineffective against foes immune to status ailments, it couldn’t hurt to have it on hand.
As I pondered over these thoughts, I diligently continued mass-producing healing potions and poison potions. I was completely absorbed in my work when suddenly someone tapped my shoulder.
“What’s wrong, Iris?” I asked.
“Um, um! I’m going to make some armor, so could you let me measure your size?” she replied.
Ah, finally making progress in crafting armor. Even if she had the skill to create weapons and armor, it seemed that initially she could only do the preparatory tasks such as refining metals and processing leather. She had mentioned that her immediate goal was to level up until she could start crafting, but it seemed she had already achieved it.
“Understood. Should you take off my robe, then?”
“Y-es! Please!” she responded.
“Remove equipment… this is good enough, right?” I asked.
“Awawawawa!”
Iris looked flustered as she saw me naked and barely covered in rags. Well, I’m just a skeleton, after all. Normally, one would be scared or feel uneasy rather than embarrassed. I must indeed be a bit different.
“A-alright then, I’ll take the measurements! Please stay still!” she said.
“Sure, go ahead,” I replied.
Using her own tentacles instead of a measuring tape, Iris began taking my measurements. Who would have thought tentacles could be used in such a way… It truly reminded me of the importance of resourcefulness and ingenuity.
“Phew, I’m done. So, Isam, what kind of armor do you prefer?” she asked.
“Hmm, let me think…”
Being primarily a support role, I rarely found myself in the front lines. If I did end up taking damage, it would most likely mean defeat. Therefore, I preferred equipment that didn’t hinder my movements too much, provided resistance against light elemental attacks, and had bonuses to magic effects.
After I conveyed my preferences, Iris nodded after some thought.
“It’s not possible to provide resistance against light elemental attacks at the moment, but I believe we can incorporate some effects for magic. I’ll give it a try,” she said.
“Thank you. I’m looking forward to it,”
Having a companion who willingly took charge of production tasks was truly a blessing. Finally, I would be able to wear proper equipment beneath my robe. She had mentioned repaying the favor, but it seemed that from now on, I would be relying on her assistance. I should think of some way to express my gratitude.
TN: The status list would be shown at the end of each volume from now on, at the official bulletin boards chapters.
Leave a Reply