――――――――――
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 [Lava Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Sand Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Mist Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Lightning Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Explosion Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Necromancy] skill has increased.
The level of [Pharmacology] skill has increased.
The level of [Alchemy] skill has increased.
The level of [Appraisal] skill has increased.
The level of [Light Weakness] skill has decreased.
――――――――――
It was an exhilarating Sunday, the day of the tournament. After our cave exploration, we returned to our hideout without encountering any issues. Exhausted beyond measure, we decided to log out and catch some much-needed sleep, without even bothering to check our achievements. Given our fatigue and the late hour, it was a sensible choice.
Fast forward to today, which was Thursday, but before I delve into that, let me fill you in on what unfolded after the event and how I occupied myself up until yesterday. Following the tournament, an announcement was made regarding yet another event scheduled for the coming Sunday, along with the release of the second batch of VR devices. The specifics of the upcoming event were kept secret. Participating in it would be fantastic, though that would probably be difficult.
If we can’t, we’ll just have to head to the underground part of the sewers. Our levels have also increased, so it’s about time we took on the challenge. Last time, we avoided fighting and escaped, but things won’t be like that now.
As for the second batch of devices, they were slated for release at the beginning of next month, precisely during the Golden Week holiday. It appeared that they were actively targeting students as well. A forum thread titled “Basic Knowledge for the Second Batch of Releases” had been initiated, accessible not just to players, but also to non-players. I wrote various things on it, trying to be as honest as possible, so that both the sense of adventure and severity of a monster player would come across. Still, it would be great if there were more players playing as monsters.
Next, regarding my gameplay, apart from going hunting to blow off steam, I had been cooped up in the laboratory all along. Hm? What was I doing, you ask? Well, I was engrossed in creating a Chimera Skeleton using monster bones.
Initially, I could only create mediocre, low-level cannon fodder skeletons, that were even inferior to the summoned skeletons. However, once I grasped the hang of it, I was able to consistently produce chimera skeletons with stable performance. I haven’t quite reached the level of the Undead Mage, of course.
Though it consumes magic power like crazy, unlike summoned beasts, these creations become unique entities that grow over time, making the process quite intense. However, once you get used to it, you become capable of crafting better creations more quickly. Now, I can easily create intricate creations like this one as an example.
――――――――――
Name: Beasthead No.2
Race: Chimera Skeleton Warrior Lv12
Job: Warrior Lv2
Skills:
- [Sharp Fang]
- [Sharp Claw]
- [Fist Mastery]
- [Kick Mastery]
- [Joint lock Technique]
- [Throw Technique]
- [Night Vision]
- [Status Resistance]
- [Light Weakness]
- [Blunt Attack Weakness]
――――――――――
When it came to the skeleton’s skills, it didn’t differ much from what humanoid monsters possessed. However, in terms of appearance, it was quite menacing. Just like the skeletons made by the undead mage, it had a humanoid form with four arms, but its skull and one pair of hands had turned into wolf head and claw respectively. Moreover, even the regular hands had swapped their finger bones for bear claws. It was truly an embodiment of lethality.
By now, I had been improving its skills through sparring with Jigoro, and it had grown to the point where it could even defeat Ratman in a two-on-one fight. I was curious to see just how strong it could become. However, due to my obsession with creating it, my supply of monster bones was running low. I needed to find enemies that dropped them.
Speaking of bone drops, I found one among the loot dropped by the Lesser Small Naga. Here’s the breakdown of what I had obtained:
――――――――――
Lesser Small Naga Skin – Quality: Fair, Rarity: S (Special Class)
The skin of the lowest-ranking Naga, weak yet harbors the power of dragons.
Despite being the lowest-ranked, it still belongs to the dragon lineage, making it an excellent material for crafting equipment.
Lesser Small Naga Scale – Quality: Fair, Rarity: S (Special Class)
The scales of the lowest-ranking Naga, weak yet harbor the power of dragons.
Despite being of the lowest rank, they still belong to the dragon lineage, making them excellent materials for crafting equipment.
Lesser Small Naga Bone – Quality: Fair, Rarity: S (Special Class)
The bones of the lowest-ranking Naga, weak yet harbor the power of dragons.
Despite being of the lowest rank, they still belong to the dragon lineage, making them excellent catalysts for magic.
――――――――――
It seems like I could create some excellent equipment from these. The concept of “the power of dragons” was still unclear to me, but I couldn’t imagine such a description being weak compared to regular monsters. I had high expectations for it.
Each Lesser Small Naga bone weighed about five kilograms, and I managed to acquire three of them. I already had some ideas on how to utilize them. However, executing those ideas would require the use of [Alchemy], and unfortunately, my skill level was lacking. That’s why I’ve been diligently practicing [Alchemy] till now.
Oh, speaking of which, I should talk about the new title I obtained from the battle against the Lesser Small Naga. Here are its details:
――――――――――
“Harbinger of Death”
A title bestowed upon those who wield control over death.
Grants a slight enhancement to “instant death” effects.
Requirement: Successfully inflict “instant death” upon a boss monster.
――――――――――
Its effect was simple and straightforward, yet also powerful. It also seemed to be the type that evolves, like “Abyss Dweller”, so I should actively use [Witchcraft].
Aside from that, I managed to produce some poison using [Alchemy]. All in all, It has been a three-day period in which I have dedicated my heart and soul to [Necromancy].
“Today, it’s rare to be alone.”
Currently, I was in the laboratory, working alone, creating poison through [Alchemy]. Jigoro was hunting solo as usual, while the other three went to undertake the “Trial of the Azure Moon”.
Yes, today marks exactly one month in-game time since the last time people challenged the trial. It was speculated on the bulletin board that entering the field boss area during the night of the new moon would trigger the “Trial of the Azure Moon”. The three of them went to challenge it, believing that the speculation was correct.
It was unfortunate that I couldn’t offer them any words of encouragement before they left due to my prolonged work. But I knew they would surely succeed. After all, I myself had done it on my own.
“Now then, shall I get back to work… huh?”
A notification sound echoed in my mind. Was it a friend’s message? If so, who could it be? Did Jigoro get tired of being alone and ask me to join him?
“Hmm? A personal message from the game management?!”
Could such a thing be possible? Or rather, did I do something that caught the attention of the management? I could think of… two things. The goddess management AI had shared the location of the laboratory with me, and although it happened only once, I engaged in an intense PK (Player Killing) that might have drawn some attention.
However, I couldn’t entirely blame myself for both of these incidents. In the former case, I didn’t forcefully extract the information from the Goddess Management AI; she willingly shared it with me. As for the latter, I simply explored the possibilities within the game’s system. It shouldn’t have been something significant enough for the game management to send a message. Then, what could it be?
“Well, let’s see what it is for now…!”
I opened the message section from the menu screen and tapped on the latest message. Suddenly, everything in front of me turned pure white, and my consciousness began to fade away. What on earth was happening…
◆◇◆◇◆◇
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the same place I had visited approximately two weeks ago. It was the vast expanse of space overlooking the planet, that was the stage of FSW (free species world). If I let my guard down, I might once again find myself lost in the sea of stars. However, this time, I was here to seek out the one who had summoned me. And that person was standing behind me.
“It’s been a while, Lady Yifa.”
“Mr. Isam, you’re looking well. Did the research materials from the laboratory prove useful?”
As expected, it was the Goddess of Death and Chaos, Yifa, who had summoned me. Now, I wondered what her purpose was.
“Yes, I am grateful for them. So, Lady Yifa, why have you brought me in here this time?”
“Well, I have a favor to ask of you and your companions, Mr. Isam. Specifically, I would like to request your assistance in the upcoming event.”
An event? The one happening next Sunday, right? And my companions… They don’t seem to be here…?
“Oh, Mr. Jigoro and the others must be receiving instructions from different goddesses,”
“I see, my apologies,”
I hadn’t even voiced my thoughts, yet she seemed to have understood. Despite my skull being my only visible feature, she was truly perceptive. Truly befitting of a deity, or perhaps of an AI?
“May we proceed with the discussion?” Yifa asked.
“Yes, of course. I apologize for the interruption,”
“No, no, feel free to speak your mind. First, let me ask you why I chose Mr. Isam and his companions for this request. That is the first thing I would like you to know. So, currently, do you happen to know how many non-human players, particularly monsters, there are in FSW?” she inquired.
Quite abrupt. I believe there were statistical data available, but I hadn’t personally checked. I vaguely remember some surprised reactions on the bulletin board. Since I genuinely didn’t know, I shook my head.
“There are five,”
“Eh?”
“You’re the only ones, Mr. Isam.”
Were we really that rare?! Certainly, our initial struggles were severe, but were there really so many players who couldn’t tolerate that? Or rather, it’s truly remarkable that everyone managed to gather together! It’s a kind of miracle.
“At first, there were approximately a thousand monster players, but due to their unfavorable circumstances, everyone except Mr. Isam and his companions decided to recreate their characters,” Yifa explained.
S-So that’s what happened. Players who didn’t have clear objectives like my “villain aspirations” or Ruby’s embodiment of “From zero to hero” or players who were content with just being able to fight like Jigoro, they all quit.
I heard that Iris was also considering quitting. However, she changed her mind after she was able to establish contact with me.
“There are multiple goddesses, myself included, who cannot overlook this situation and want to increase the number of monster players. I have also seen Mr. Isam’s posts, but unfortunately, we cannot expect a dramatic effect from just those. Therefore, we have come up with a plan for the next event,” Yifa said.
The goddess is checking the bulletin board… No, I shouldn’t derail the conversation.
“So, you’re requesting something from us?” I asked.
“Yes, exactly. It’s something only you can do,”
Only us, huh? What on earth could it be?
“Our request… is for you to play the role of the villain in the next event. More specifically, we want you to roleplay as the boss monster and battle against the players,”
“What!?”
Roleplay as the boss monster!? Well, it would certainly be a valuable experience, but…
“I don’t want you to misunderstand, but the boss monsters you will roleplay as are relatively accessible to monster players. Which will attract their attention.”
“I see.”
“We plan to release the boss battles as official videos on various video-sharing platforms after the event. By becoming a monster player, it may be possible for you to become the same monster race as the boss,”
I see. So, by uploading the boss battle videos after the event, they aim to promote the second batch in a grand manner. Indeed, if things go well, it could have a significant promotional effect.
However, in order to achieve that, we would need to showcase an impressive performance in the boss battles. Haha, that’s why they chose us, who are accustomed to playing as monsters.
“What do you think? Can you take on this request?”
――――――――――
God Quest: Accept the quest “Dungeon Master”?
Yes/No
――――――――――
“Of course, Lady Yifa,”
I replied without hesitation. I mean, come on, being able to play as an official villain? There’s no way I would refuse such an offer, especially since it was a God Quest, which is undoubtedly ultra-rare. I wouldn’t miss out on it!
“Fufufu, thank you very much. The rewards will be substantial,”
“I’m looking forward to it,”
Not only would I have a valuable experience, but I would also receive rewards. There’s no room for complaints. Oh, speaking of playing as the official boss, there’s something I need to ask.
“By the way, Lady Yifa, does being a boss monster imply that defeat is inevitable?”
Games were designed with the assumption of balanced completion. Even if the difficulty may be challenging for regular people, a game without a possible solution is not truly a game. So, does that mean I have to fight with the expectation of losing?
“No, please go ahead and rampage as you like. I would even prefer it if nobody conquered it and you approached this with full force. If you manage to make the dungeon unconquerable, I’ll provide you with a special reward.”
Wow, Lady Yifa was serious about this. And she was offering a special reward on top of that. In that case, I’ll go all out without any hesitation. I’ll aim to be called the worst boss of this damn dungeon! Kukuku, I’m looking forward to it already!
“Alright then, I will send you the detailed information about the request. Please make a dungeon map and send it to me by midnight on Saturday. You can view and configure the data using the event tag in the menu. That’s all from me; do you have any questions?”
“No, not at the moment.”
“Alright then. If you have any uncertainties, feel free to call the GM.”
“Understood.”
Alright, I guess that’s the end of the conversation. Oh, I can’t wait for Sunday!
“One last thing, may I ask you a question?”
“Oh, yes. What is it?”
A question from the goddess? Whatever it may be, I can’t just leave it unanswered.
“Is Mr. Isam enjoying this game… this world?”
Ah, that’s what it’s about. Well, there’s only one answer to that.
“Yes, more than anything,”
“Fufu, that’s good to hear. Well, then, it’s time to say goodbye. I’ll look forward to the day we meet again,”
Likewise, I was about to reply when my vision once again blanked out, turning pure white. And so, the second meeting with the goddess came to an end.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
“I’m back, huh?”
When I came to my senses, I found myself back in the laboratory. It felt as if I had just been daydreaming, but when I opened the menu screen, there it was—an icon labeled ‘Second Event Data’ nestled within the event tags. It seems my recent experience was not just a dream after all.
“Well then, let’s take a look, shall we?”
Um, the second event felt like a combination of introducing a new feature called the Random Dungeon and conducting a dungeon conquest tournament.
As soon as the event commences, players would be transported to a designated event field. There, numerous entrances to random dungeons awaited them, and they would have to choose one to venture into. The only ways to escape the dungeon were through either “complete conquest by defeating the boss”, “total party wipeout”, or “voluntary withdrawal”. Until players either conquered or retreated from the dungeon, they couldn’t leave.
Speaking of which, during the event, there were no death penalties. It seemed that the idea was to keep challenging for as long as time allowed.
Furthermore, once a dungeon was conquered or the party retreated from it, they couldn’t re-enter the same one. This was probably to prevent players from exclusively seeking dungeons with valuable drops and moderate difficulty.
On the other hand, this also meant that they wouldn’t allow “zombie attacks (try and try again) in the more challenging dungeons. The inability to re-enter the same dungeon was apparently a feature of the Random Dungeon system, perhaps intended to get players used to this playstyle.
The number of conquered dungeons and the difficulty of each dungeon were recorded, and after the event, they would be announced in a ranking format. The parties that ranked highly in each category would receive rewards. It was like bait to motivate and incentivize participants.
Those who desired rewards, especially those aiming for conquest, would surely give it their all. And we would be there, ready to face them. Since we had the ability to design the dungeons, let’s take our time and give them a challenge they won’t forget!
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