Chapter 53
Translator: Kurehashi Aiko
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Editor: ryunakama
Chapter 53: Momentary Thoughts Part 1
I was having a hard time understanding this .
「Hahaha…… This may be a first time for me to actually see that much money in one place . You said you wanted to buy medicinal herbs?」
When was the last time she was actually buying medicinal herbs? However, buying off items in humongous quantities was only showing just how serious she was when it comes to her plan .
「Consumable items…… I’m only buying them, someone else is going to use them……」
When was it that she finally started to get bored with this game?
It’s not like she was dissatisfied with the game . If it was like that, she would have stopped playing altogether . But here she was, still playing it .
Her joining the clan specializing in hunting powerful monsters may have something to do with it .
What she wants is the ultimate kind of thrill that the game can offer . Even though it would all be in real time though, her memories would immortalize those moments inside her head .
「The villains remain a threat until they get defeated, so buying items is a must to survive, nothing wrong or weird in going broke because of it……」
When she first found out about this game, everything here was so fresh and new and people were really excited about all this . However, since the patch that added serious demerits for practicing Player Killing, the guild slowly but surely began to change .
Stability and safety over thrill and danger seeking . Their guild was full of members who in the early days of the game would boast that as long as they were having fun they would be fine with gathering hate from virtually everybody around them . They even made a name for themselves placing third place on the ranking of PK guilds . But now the very same members were leaving . Both the guild and the game .
Now the guild was only comprising of her and a bunch of small fries that just weren’t fun to be around with altogether .
「Now then, what am I going to do about all this……?」
She knew that losing guild members was harsh . They didn’t want to suffer the penalties that come with killing other players, even if there was much glory to be had in doing that . After all, what other reason to practice PK than gaining glory from killing powerful people?
But when all the joys of Player Killing was restricted or straight up taken away, it was only natural that those who took delight in those things would no longer feel any need to stay within the game .
「Muu…… Playing the game normally is somewhat boring, but since I already invested my time in it, I might as well see this matter through to the end . 」
Those who enjoyed the Player Killing may have been gone, but their money and trophies were still left behind, and it was the factor that was gathering around new players .
But seeing what the Guild was becoming nowadays…… The girl pondered quitting the game entirely more often than not .
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So, why are you still playing the game? When asked that question, the girl would always answer with:
「Why? Because that thing…… I really want to bring it down . 」
Now that she learned how to play the game properly, she was starting to discover more and more ways to have fun inside it .
But there was someone she couldn’t forgive . Of whom she was constantly jealous of . And if it required her to bring the entire game down on its knees to just destroy that person, that is what she was going to do .
「The time is running out on us…… If we don’t hurry it up with our plans, we might not be able to make it in time . 」
I found her the missing paint that she required to finish her little painting . I don’t know if that paint is easily combustible, but…… no, I think now that it actually is .
At the same time I was busy with preparing a backup plan in case her plan would fail . Because if she was to fail and had nothing left for her, she would no longer feel obliged to keep logging in into the game .
Her anxiety must be overwhelming . She wants to bring down a formidable enemy, but is it entirely possible with only three people? She clasped her hands against her cheeks, as if to get rid herself of her anxieties .
「Just you watch me, Set-chan . No matter if I win or if I lose, I am going to give it my absolute all!」
At the current moment I was not a bird-headed Mercenary Sanraku . After finishing the boss battle against the Clown Spiders I decided to go back to Rabbitz and log out for a while .
Now I was an overly manly bearded Sanraku, a Swashbuckler proficient in using rapiers .
「It’s been a long time…… Since I last came here . 」
It hasn’t been all that long ago since I last logged into “Shit Chronicles Online”, but for some reason it felt as though it’s been months . Ooups, need to focus now . If I don’t remain vigilant at all times I may be in for a nasty surprise .
「Umm, was the meeting to be held at Count Phalanx’s estate again?」
Surely there were lots of places with high level NPCs that would prevent the unwanted players from eavesdropping on our conversation…… But then the question still remains: why meet up there, of all places? …… Oh well, I guess trying to sneak my way around won’t do me any good . Might as well do this the old fashioned way .
I shall walk the path of this world just like the developers intended to…… By killing other players without mercy and with extreme prejudice .
「Good evening . Now die!」
「Yes, good evening . Now eat shit!」
「Obah!?」
Good, it seems that I didn’t lose my touch when it comes to critically striking the enemy’s weak spots using rapiers . It was a weapon that was perfect for assassinations .
Unlike ShangriLa Frontier, in this game death was instantaneous, and the player would turn into a pile of ash from which you could take every single item that was in his/her possession .
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「Tsk… . . Guess you can only do so much with basic equipment . 」
In this game where everyone was basically a Player Killer, being the punch bag for others was actually a valid strategy . Beating some assilants would usually bring about a dozen more people after you . And if you beat that dozen people then there would be even more people after you before long . You would be a constant target for everyone around you .
「Haah, I don’t really have time for this……」
Chapter 53: Momentary Thoughts Part 1 Part 2
「Ah, welcome, welcome, Sanraku-kun! As early as always! Katsu-kun should be here any moment now . 」
「Hoo, so it’s just me for now?」
When I finally arrived at Count Phalanx’s mansion, the guard NPCs weren’t even trying to stop me . Just what kind of bribery would you have to use to achieve such a result……? Oh well, it doesn’t really matter .
I was greeted by the avatar of Pencil Warrior – or Pencilgton for that matter – who was smiling brightly . I followed him as he went through the mansion as if he owned the god damned place and eventually we arrived at a place that looked like a study .
「Hey, Sanraku . It seems you have it really rough over there, huh?」
「And who’s fault do you think that is? And besides, I’m having a great time, thank you very little . 」
「I’m truly sorry for that . I really am . Seriously . 」
Aah, now I get it . Pencilgton must have raided the mansion and took it for himself . Not that I was going to point him out because of that .
MMO is, much like the real life, all about time management . You can’t rewind time, undo your decisions and choices, need to plan ahead what to do and where to go .
「So? Shall we move on to the main topic? I do realize that you, as much as I, have better things to do than sitting here and waste your time over nothing . 」
「That’s right, I don’t neither the time nor the patience to play your little games . So if there’s something that you want to say to me, out with it now . 」
Pencilgton smiled like he usually would and gestured for me to sit down on the sofa while he procured some tea and sweets from the cabinet, as if it was the most natural thing to do in such a situation . He seemed totally at home here .
「Would you attempt to kill the Unique Monster “Gravekeeper Wezaemon” together with me? Just a group of three?」
「Fuah!?」
「Gebleh!?」
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Honestly speaking , I expected something utterly crazy from him, like a line like “Let’s create a Guild just for the three of us!” but what I actually heard was more than enough for me to spill out my tea . Fortunately, the hot drink and sweets disappeared without a trace right after leaving my mouth .
If it was a real life, than the whole floor would be covered by sticky stains right about now .
「Wait, wait, wait, wait just a god damned second! Unique Monster!?」
「That’s right . There are only a handful of bosses that pose a real challenge in ShanFro, and “Gravekeeper Wezaemon” is one of such bosses . 」
「Fuh…… Okay, right, calm down, me . For now, there are basically three things I would like you to tell me . 」
「Right, Sanraku-kun . I’ll try to answer your questions as diligently as possible . 」
His reaction was within the spectrum of my expectations, as Pencilgton never stopped smiling, not even for a moment .
「For now, the simple ones…… Why? And when?」
「Isn’t that too simple? Doesn’t really matter, let’s answer them . First question, why? Well, it’s a little difficult to explain, but the short version is this: it’s not possible to beat him on your own . Trust me, I tried . It made a minced meat out of me before I could even react to it . That is why I need you two . 」
「…… So he receives some buffs or debuffs depending on the number of players that face him?」
Katsu confirms out loud what I was thinking to myself . It was basically a mechanic that was a given in any kind of MMO, one that could add a challenge or make things easier .
But a Unique Monster…… This means it would be on the same level as the Night Prowler Luukan . Its stats must be out of this world by default, so it was hard to imagine what it would be when the modifier for more players would kick in .
「I know it sounds bad, but I’m willing to disclose more information on that subject should you accept to help me . Next question: when? About that…… We will only have one shot at this: the day after the big summer update that is going to hit the server in two weeks’ time . I’ll need to have your answer by then .
Two weeks…… It could have been more, but it wasn’t that bad of a time limit to make the necessary preparations . Katsu seemed to have understood that as well, so there was no questions here . But then it was about our third question .
「Do we have a chance of winning against this thing? My level is about thirty, you know?」
「As for me, I’m level twenty five . 」
「Uwah, so weak! I never would have thought that you guys could be so weak!」
I would like this to be a joke on our side, but with our levels being so low, we could never hope to defeat Luukan, not to mention something that is apparently even more powerful .
In this game, numbers were everything . And if they were far better than ours, there would be nothing we could do about them . But still, what was his reason behind wanting to scout both Katsu and myself?
Surely, I was proud of the fact that he deemed us up to the task, but no matter how you look at it, our numbers were simply too low . …… That being said, shouldn’t someone like Saig0 be a far better choice when it comes to monster hunting?
「No, fortunately enough levels and equipment is not what is required to slay that boss…… it’s the pure player skill . And when it comes to you two, Pro Gamer Katsu and Shitty Game Hunter Sanraku, I could think of no better people for this job .
「Lining Pro Gamers and Shitty Gamers together . Now I’ve seen everything . 」
「Pro Gamers are really susceptible to failure, so I think that Shitty Gamers are the good guys in this comparison . 」
There was some truth in Katsu’s words, but comparing us two types to one another was like trying to compare garbage to a finest five-course meal . There was no way in hell that Shitty Gamers could be better than Pro Gamers, not by a long shot .
「Now, now…… So, how about it? If you want any additional information, feel free to ask . 」
「This story is a little too good to be true, so there must be some kind of hook attached to it, but…… What do you think, Sanraku?」
「Huh, me? I don’t mind doing this . Sounds interesting enough . 」
「That was a fast decision . 」
Sure, this story reeks of a set-up from a mile or even more, but if I was going to benefit from it by gaining levels or rare items, I say it is well worth the trouble . You should jump on an opportunity should the opportunity present itself .
Still, the battle would be tough for sure . Toughest that I have ever encountered . Our opponent was going to be a Unique Monster, after all . But technically there was nothing in this deal for me to lose, I was only going to gain .
As to the hook that was attached to it…… For now let’s just roll with it and see what happens . It is going to be that much more interesting to deal with it when its nature will become apparent .
「Haah…… By the way, suppose that we DO manage to beat that Gravekeeper guy . How can we know that you won’t try to steal all the glory for this for yourself?」
「If I do that, you can grab the nearest blunt object and beat me to death with it until you’re satisfied . 」
「I wonder if we will be able to do that every time we see you around . 」
「You guys…… Fine, you have my word . 」
While he said that his face was an emotionless mask, it was impossible to read anything on it . That was one of the things that I hated so much about him . He was full of dirty little secrets .
「Honestly, I knew that you guys would end up accepting my proposal . To be expected of the two that managed to conquer my castle that was guarded by eighty elite guild members . 」
Pencilgton smiles as though he remembers a scene from the distant past, to which both Katsu and I smile bitterly . The Great Demon King sure looked funny right now……
「And?」
This was going to be the main topic .
「Are you still hiding something from us? You’d better spill it out right now, or else it will come to bite you in the ass later . 」
To my words, Pencilgton smiled even brighter than before .