“First, as a greeting, I present the Stone Pillar!”
My opening move was the Stone Pillar. This spell launched a rather large mass of stone. Therefore, if it hit the opponent, it had one of the most powerful impacts among the spells I could use.
And three of these spells were unleashed from behind, envision this: being unexpectedly struck by a colossal stone mass, equal to or even greater in weight than oneself.
“Gugyaaaaaaa!?”
Fufufu! Even the creatures in this game possess a certain level of intelligence. Particularly the boss known as ‘Moon Obsession’, that NPC exhibited performance skills comparable to actual players and could engage in conversations. Consequently, despite being virtual monsters, they exhibit signs of trembling and movement.
The realism is truly remarkable! Nevertheless, I can exploit this to my advantage, just like this!
Getting unexpectedly attacked from behind, the Lesser Small Naga was unable to offer any resistance and was slammed to the ground. However, despite the visual impact, the damage was likely insignificant.
As evidence of that, it continued glaring at me as if it wanted to kill me! Oh, how scary.
“Well, getting angry won’t do you any good,”
“Grua!?”
There was no way I would drop it to the ground without any plan. I had set up a [Trap Magic] at the point of impact beforehand. The traps included a Thorn Whip and two Black Arms. Moreover, each of them was a triple trap. Hence, with the help of the three thorns and six black arms, I managed to restrain the Lesser Small Naga.
“Iris, now! Cover its mouth!”
“Y-Yes!”
Iris, who seemed somewhat dazed, possibly due to the treacherous nature of my approach, snapped back to her senses and hurriedly extended her tentacles, remembering her task at hand. As per my instructions, those tentacles coiled around the mouth of the Lesser Small Naga, tightly binding it.
Now, it wouldn’t be able to unleash its Breath Attack! I had experienced the terror of that Breath Attack during the Moon Obsession battle. If there was a means to prevent it, I would absolutely make use of it. With its biting hindered and its movements halted, it was like killing three birds with one stone.
Hmm, it’s still struggling and contorting its body. As expected of a boss, it possesses considerable strength. However, it’s only a matter of time until it subsides.
“Activate Crescent Magic Circle, Curse of Muscle Weakness,”
“Guuuuuuuu…!”
The Lesser Small Naga, weakened by my curse spell, groaned in agony. It couldn’t even roar due to its mouth being sealed shut. Such a sight was not only pitiful, but it was downright miserable. However, I was the one who orchestrated this situation, and I had the intention to corner it even further.
“Go, my minions! Additionally, summon the spirits.”
“Clatter clatter clatter clatter clatter!”
“Oooooooooooooooooooooohhhh!”
The minions I had kept in reserve and the countless spirits summoned through [Spirit Channleing] piled up on top of the Lesser Small Naga. All that remained was…
“Activate Crescent Magic Circle, Illusion. Followed by activating Crescent Magic Circle, Auditory Illusion,”
“GRR?”
By inducing illusions and auditory illusions with my [Witchcraft] skill… the restraining was complete. Right now, the creature should be experiencing the illusion of being entwined with a female of its kind and hearing the mating calls of other females of its kind. It’s what one might call a harem scenario. Unable to resist its instincts, the boss’s movements came to a complete halt.
“I’m doing my best to maintain the spells. Finish it off quickly,” I said.
“I don’t fully understand what just happened….but I’ll give it my all!” Jigoro said.
“It’s a rather brutal sight. We should put it out of its misery soon,” Genjuro said.
“Isam is quite ruthless, isn’t he?” Ruby said.
“Um, do you… do you even need me?” Iris added.
Hmm? It seems I’m not being appreciated but rather receiving some negative feedback. Oh, if I let my guard down, it might escape. That’s why Iris is indispensable. But more importantly, I hope they settle this soon.
“Divine Beast Transformation! Goooooooaaaaahhhh!”
“Fu… Shh!”
“Haaa!”
Taking advantage of the gaps in our restraints, the three of them unleashed their ultimate techniques one after another. Especially Jigoro, in his Divine Beast state, exhibited an insane level of firepower. The Lesser Small Naga’s stamina rapidly decreased, and in no time, it fell below ten percent.
If we could just win like this… but it seemed it wouldn’t go so smoothly. The moment it dropped below ten percent, the Lesser Small Naga began to thrash about with an unprecedented surge of power. It couldn’t be contained!
“In that case, it’s do or die! Activate Crescent Magic Circle: Instant Death!”
Now, my final desperate move was to use [Witchcraft] to deliver an “instant death”. The opponent was a boss, and a superior one at that. I didn’t think it would work. However, I wanted to do everything I could.
“Gwe…?”
Oh? Something’s off. It had been struggling violently, trying to forcefully break free from the restraints until just now, but suddenly, it became docile… Wait, could it be that it worked? The instant death spell? Huh?
――――――――――
You have won the battle.
You have defeated the Field Boss, Lesser Small Naga.
You have received 3 SP and an additional reward.
As the first Boss subjugator, you receive an additional 5 SP.
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 [Earthen Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Water and Ice Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Storm Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Forest Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Black Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Summoning Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Enchantment] skill has increased.
The level of [Magic Circle] skill has increased.
Newly Learned “Diamond Magic Circle” spell.
The level of [Necromancy] skill has increased.
The level of [Curse] skill has increased.
The level of [Trap Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Spirit Channeling] skill has increased.
The level of [Witchcraft] skill has increased.
You have obtained the title “Harbinger of Death”
――――――――――
“Nooo way…”
Amidst everyone freezing in place, I couldn’t help but say those words. I mean, who would have thought that the Boss would die so undramatically, right? I mean, I definitely didn’t expect the spell to be so effective.
No, no, no! Come on, this was supposed to be the climax, but it’s ruined now! It’s my fault, though! Ahh, what a disappointing ending… Even though I gained a new title and all, I can’t bring myself to be happy about it…
“Oh, my apologies. It appears I unintentionally caused instant death.”
“Fu, fufufu!”
“Kukuku!”
“Hohohoho.”
“Ahaha!”
When I honestly explained what had transpired, the four of them erupted into laughter. Wait, aren’t they supposed to be angry?
“Aren’t you guys angry?”
“Nah, it’s fine even if it’s not satisfying.”
“We had fun, you know.”
The other two seemed to agree with Ruby and Genjuro. I see. They had a good time, huh? That’s good to hear.
“Well then, let’s head back,” I said.
“The time is…a bit early, but that’s also good, isn’t it?” Iris remarked.
Following Iris’s observation, if we calculated the time it would take to return to the outside of the cave, it would be right before sunset. If we then returned to our hideout… we would be able to thoroughly enjoy the third day of the tournament.
However, it was indeed a bit early in terms of time. So, what should we do…? Hmm? Come to think of it, what’s at the bottom of this underground lake? Could there be any materials worth collecting? I should investigate.
“Well then, until that time, I think I can investigate the underground lake,”
“The underground lake? How?”
“Hey, hey, I’m just a mere skeleton, remember? I don’t need to breathe.”
That’s right, I don’t need to breathe. So, I shouldn’t need to make any preparations to investigate the bottom of the lake. I should be able to conduct the investigation until the very last moment before departure.
“In that case, I’ll join you. As a slime, I have the [Aquatic] ability skill that comes with my race. It seems I can freely swim underwater,” Ruby said.
Oh? So Ruby, as a slime, possesses the [Aquatic] ability. In that case, I’ll gladly accept her help.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
The depths of the lake appeared incredibly dark! Pitch black, to be precise. Well, it’s only natural since there was no source of light back in the Boss’s room. Without [Night Vision], I wouldn’t be able to see a thing.
“♪”
While I didn’t make any notable discoveries, Ruby was different. Utilizing her ability to swim freely underwater thanks to the [Aquatic] skill, she swiftly collected various plants and organisms living at the bottom of the lake. She efficiently gathered moss, aquatic plants, small fish, and shells.
As for me, I diligently picked up nothing but the remains of bones and weapons that had turned into rusty lumps at the bottom of the lake. They were probably the remains of those who had challenged the Lesser Small Naga and were defeated and reduced to this state. Rest peacefully, for we shall make use of your remains.
Hmm, however, compared to Ruby’s achievements, all I seem to have discovered was a bunch of junk. It’s unacceptable for me to be in such a sorry state despite being the one who proposed this idea. Is there… something? Anything at all?
“?”
Oh? Is that… a shrine? The wooden parts had completely decayed, and the metal fittings were rusted. However, on the stone foundation, there were engravings resembling sacred symbols. Most likely, it was some kind of shrine.
Now, what should I do? I’m not particularly religious, but even inside a game, it feels wrong to desecrate a shrine. No, especially because this game involves real goddesses with actual power, it’s probably best to refrain from disturbing it.
…Alright, let’s offer a prayer and then retreat. In this world, the player “Isam” received blessings from the goddess Yifa, known as the “Goddess of Death and Chaos”. I didn’t know what her personality was like, but I highly doubted she would approve of defiling a shrine. So, let’s put our hands together, like this.
Crush…
Whoa! That startled me! Just as I finished my prayer, the shrine completely collapsed! Huh? What? Is this my fault again? Today must be my unlucky day!
Ruby, who was collecting items a little further away, must have heard the sound of the shrine collapsing and approached me. It’s not what it looks like, no, it’s not intentional, I swear!
“!”
Ignoring my flustered state, Ruby pulled something out from the remains of the shrine. They were two swords. Unlike the random junk I had been collecting, these swords were well preserved. They could be valuable weapons. One was a typical katana, while the other seemed to be a wakizashi (a small katana that is used like a dagger)? All Japanese-style, huh.
Ruby happily collected them, her excitement evident…… Um, what about my internal conflict and all that?
Anyway, this is what lake exploration amounts to. The results were numerous materials that can only be found underwater, along with a bunch of junk and two swords. It turned out to be a reasonably productive way to pass the time. Now, let’s head back!
◆◇◆◇◆◇
It was the night when the first official event, the tournament, at which many players had gathered, came to an end. After checking the statistical data, I reflected on the tournament while petting my pet, Pyonkichi, in my divine sanctuary.
The event, which lasted for three days during game time, can be considered a success. Almost all combat and production types participated, and analyzing the results of brainwave measurements revealed their high level of satisfaction.
I was surprised to see that many players wanted to participate in the PvP tournament, but since I understood the tendencies of the initial group of players towards PvP, there was no problem. It turned out to be an unexpected achievement, if anything.
“Well, that was boring.”
However, it seems that the Goddess Management AI, which I had invited to my sanctuary, had a different evaluation. Perhaps it’s due to differences in personality?
“Did you find it boring, Grenelle?”
It was the “Goddess of War and Victory” Grenelle. I thought she would be thrilled with this tournament, but it seems I was mistaken.
“Why didn’t Jigoro participate? He would have definitely won if he had!”
“Because he’s a non- human.”
“Ah, well, discrimination against non-humans sucks.”
“I agree.”
“Oh, Peesha, is that you? It’s unusual to see you here.”
Peesha, the ‘Goddess of Production and Technology’ was a petite and adorable-looking management AI dressed in work attire. She was my colleague.
“Non-human players should be increased,” Peesha suggested.
“Oh, really? Is there a particular player that caught your attention, Peesha?”
Grenelle, who had been complaining about boredom just moments ago, suddenly perked up. One could say that her swift change in demeanor was commendable.
“There are promising players, but due to their non-human nature, they face certain inconveniences,” Peesha replied.
“Are you referring to Iris?”
In response to Grenelle’s question, Peesha nodded. After all, Iris was the only non-human player in the realm of production jobs. Peesha had assisted in creating her character, and at that point, she had already seen the potential in Iris, much like the rest of us.
“If it were Iris, she would have been the champion, even in that environment,” Peesha said.
I agreed wholeheartedly. It was evident from the logs of her creations that Iris possessed exceptional skills. None of the tournament’s winners stood a chance against her.
“Indeed,”
“Agreed,”
“Neurey and Holluse too, welcome!”
The two new arrivals were Neurey, the “Goddess of Earth and Weather”, and Holluse, the “Goddess of Wind and Exploration”. Oh, that’s right, they were also in charge of two non-human players’ character creation.
“If Genjuro had participated, he would have faced Jigoro in the final match,”
“And Ruby would have been the champion,”
“Yes, indeed,”
As the goddesses management AIs, it was part of our job to keep records of the players’ logs, especially those we had assisted in character creation. Through this process, we became familiar with the likes of Mr. Isam. Based on our assessments, it seemed we had reached the same conclusion.
“Now that the release of the second batch of devices is scheduled for next month, we must ensure an increase in monster players,”
“Well, I understand that, Yifa. But do you have any strategies in mind?”
“Why, yes, I do.”
My colleagues gathered in my divine sanctuary, looking surprised as they directed their attention towards me. Unlike you all, I had been concerned about the current situation even before the service began. Rest assured, I have prepared one or two tactics for this purpose.
“You are aware of the upcoming event, right?”
“…The grand reveal event of the Random Dungeon.”
Yes, the implementation of the randomly spawning Random Dungeon and its grand reveal event on the field was the purpose of the upcoming event.
The Random Dungeon was a unique field where the monsters and internal environment were completely randomized. Before entering, the only information available was the recommended level. The entrance to such a special field randomly opened up in the wilderness.
Only one party can enter, on a first-come, first-served basis. Furthermore, if they fail to conquer it, they will be expelled, and once the dungeon is cleared, the entrance disappears regardless of the success or failure of the conquest.
Challenging the same dungeon again was impossible; it was a one-time opportunity. However, if successfully conquered, it becomes a chance to obtain vast wealth and rare items with a high probability.
“So, how do we utilize that?”
“Well, you see…”
In my divine sanctuary, which had become a gathering place for the five goddesses, the five of them started devising plans based on my strategies to increase the number of non-human players in the second batch.
******************
TN: Gigor name has been changed to Jigoro in all chapters.
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