Chapter 117: Holding the Lamp of Ambition, Part 3

"...The boss of this area is called the 'Usurper Dragon'."

"...Um."

"The troublesome part is that it uses the spell 'Steal'... taking your magical attacks and firing them back at you..."

"I see, no, that's not what I meant..."

"Besides that, since it is a dragon, it flies and breathes fire, so it is important to switch between offense and defense like in a turn-based battle..."

"Fumu fumu, switch response based on my turn and opponent's turn, I see. No, more importantly..."

"...When its health decreases, its behavior pattern changes. Especially when it reaches near-death state, it comes to steal weapons from the player... so if you can't deal with it, um, your weapon gets stolen. If you make it flinch, it drops the weapon... so retrieving it is easy in itself."

"Yeah, to be blunt, we're lost, aren't we?"

"...THAT IS NOT TRUE."

The sun has already completely set, and moonlight softly illuminates the darkness. To my blunt remark, Rei-shi replied with a very stiff voice.

No, even I, a first-timer here, can tell we're lost, you know? True, I can't say I was going straight since I was fighting only Level 99 monsters, but still, this shouldn't be an area where you get lost for over several hours.

"...Um, I'm sorry."

"Ah—no, I don't really mind. My wallet got pretty warm too, so..."

At the faint apology overflowing with regret, I shake my head saying I don't mind.

Actually, a considerable amount of drop items were obtained, so I could recharge my wallet, which becomes lonely every time due to equipment and item replenishment.

Besides, as long as we arrive in Fifticia by tomorrow morning, it's fine. Even a no-lifer makes mistakes.

She seems more depressed than I thought, so I should change the subject. However, we've talked quite a bit up to this point, so it's a fact that topics are running out. Something that could become a seed for conversation... right.

"Even so, ShanFro's reproduction level really is amazing, isn't it? The moon is so beautiful."

There are many games in all ages and places that put effort into scenery, but compared to them, ShanFro is still three heads above the rest.

VR, Virtual Reality... The star-filled sky, down to the patterns on the moon created by craters, is infinitely close to reality, yet creates scenery decisively different from reality.

The fact that the night air I inhale carries a chill... how abnormal is that for a game? It's too vivid to be dismissed as just high quality.

"U-Um, I don't mind dying...!"

"Why!?"

It's not something to be so depressed about. Is it that? Apologetic Seppuku? Are you a Samurai inside despite looking like a Knight?

"No no, even if we can respawn, it's not something to apologize by dying for. This is also a way to enjoy the game, yeah."

"Heh...? Ah, y-yes, that's right! It's graphics with amazing reality, hahaha..."

Did I say something misleading? Well, whatever. Even though it's night, visibility is only slightly worse, so there's no problem visually, but...

"Rei-shi, do spawning monsters change between day and night after all?"

"They change, yes. Especially the Majority Hellhound, a higher species of the Majority Hound, is troublesome..."

"Ah—no, I know about that one, yeah."

Majority Hound, huh... those guys... Or rather, there are higher species?

"However, there are curses too, so monsters to watch out for are..."

"Oh my, if it isn't Maximum Firepower (Psyger-0)-san and Sunraku-san."

Suddenly called by name, Rei-shi and I turn toward the voice.

"...Animalia-san?"

"Oh my, I'm honored to be remembered by a top player."

That's not all. Behind Animalia-shi, a dozen or so players are waiting in a crowd, and all of them are fully equipped without exception. It doesn't seem like a picnic.

"Just to be sure, why are you guys... here?"

"...Normal conquest?"

"I see... then it doesn't seem to be a double booking."

Double Booking? I glance at Rei-shi asking if there's an event here, but Rei-shi shakes her head saying she doesn't know.

"Arthur Pencilgon, and that Nekama... I really don't know what you guys will do, so I thought maybe, but it seems it was needless worry. In that case, could you please not get in our way? You might want to stop us, but even you should understand how reckless it is to take on all of us, right?"

"Ah—wait, wait, hold on. What are you talking about? The conditions for entering Rabituza haven't been decided yet, right?"

Why are they suddenly hostile towards us? True, I'm thinking "If possible, can I fudge the Rabituza thing vaguely?" but I haven't executed it yet; there should be no reason for hostility.

But actually, the members of SF-Zoo led by Animalia are readying weapons and entering combat stances. Did they switch to a PK clan because a reply never came? For a moment I imagine the worst development, but the flavor is somehow strange.

"Yes, it's fine now. Back then we begged you for a method to visit Rabituza constantly, but... it's fine now. Sorry, but can we consider That void?"

"...I don't follow. Can I ask for an explanation?"

"If you... and Psyger-0-san there promise not to interfere here."

Glancing at Rei-shi sideways, I nod once. It seems that conveyed the message, and Rei-shi lowers her hand from the greatsword.

"This should be fine. Explanation requested."

"Fufufu... We learned the conditions for the Unique Scenario you were desperately hiding."

"What?"

Did the existence of "Epic of Vorpal Bunny" leak? No, I want to believe that's impossible.

Even if it leaked via "Akitsu Akane," the biggest unexploded bomb currently, the leaked information should be "Invitation from the Rabbit Country," the stage before EX.

"By the way, the source?"

"We shouldered your leader's debt."

"Time out."

Making a "T" gesture with both hands, I check inside my inventory. confirming my current equipment is sufficient, building a rough chart, and obtaining the conviction to absolutely annihilate her, Time In.

"Ah, please continue."

"...What did you do just now?"

"Ah, don't mind it. Just calculating how to bloodbath that Scum (Shithead)."

For now, I'll send that chatty lower jaw flying with an uppercut, then let her visit the scorpions' home. Animalia-shi seemed slightly put off by my firm determination, but she continues the story.

"I-I see... Ahem. In other words, to go to Rabituza, 'Land a total of over one hundred critical hits on Lycaon the Night Raider.' We've already grasped that this is the occurrence condition for the Unique Scenario that allows constant visits to Rabituza. So we don't need to rely on you anymore."

Animalia-shi continues.

The clan members here are all elite debuffers who stop monsters' movements.

By stopping Lycaon the Night Raider's movements and continuously landing critical attacks, they will fulfill the Unique Scenario conditions.

And when it comes to Raid Battles, SF-Zoo surpasses even Black Wolf; if we get serious, fluffing even Lycaon is a piece of cake.

Listening to that with somewhat objective emotion, I withdraw the plan to strangle Pencilgon.

And seeing Animalia-shi giving a triumphant speech, the fact that SF-Zoo suddenly canceled on us, the fact that she speaks confidently about incomplete flag conditions for some reason... I understood that all of these are a killer pass via the ball called SF-Zoo kicked from Pencilgon to me.

(That guy's methods are truly nasty...)

Running into me was probably a coincidence, but up to the point where SF-Zoo breaks the contract with me, it must be in the palm of her hand. What a guy; to squeeze out more resources, she made SF-Zoo itself dance, that villain model.

(Hitting criticals on Lycaon isn't the only condition for the flag. She didn't lie, but she ripped them off with information full of holes...)

At least it's not confirmed, but the flag conditions definitely involve "Specific Weapon," "Specific Level," and "Specific Number of People" besides "Critical Count." No matter if the opponent is a Unique Monster, mobbing it with a large number of people won't be recognized as Vorpal Soul.

And since they cut the contract from their side, how much merit can we demand to re-sign the contract... Moreover, what comes alive here is that "I myself only told uncertain things to Pencilgon."

Indeed, Pencilgon sold a map full of wormholes to SF-Zoo as if it were complete.

But those holes weren't made intentionally; the Source itself was a worm-eaten map.

(Even if she gets blamed for it, as long as she feigns ignorance saying 'That's the only info I have,' there's no way to prove it as long as me and OiKatzo keep quiet.)

Actually, Pencilgon probably knows that a Vorpal Weapon is necessary and that level and number of people are likely involved, but the malicious safety line is that the only ones who can prove it are us, her allies. No matter how they struggle, SF-Zoo will be duped. A spider web made of information that even I, who grasped the situation at this moment, am convinced of... I really think she should suffer a flashier penalty for the sake of all players.

How should I put it? It feels like being handed a detonator by a walking bomb... or handed scissors to cut strings by a puppet.

Looking at the triumphant Animalia-shi in front of me, I do have the urge to reveal the truth, but... for a certain reason, I need to let them swim a little longer.

"One last thing... Why did you come here?"

"Fufu... so you noticed."

Wind blows in the dark night. A digital wind carrying a chill; a momentary tremor shakes the skin, creating the illusion that all sounds other than the players here cut off for a second.

"This is an advantage known only to Us (SF-Zoo)... We succeeded in grasping Where Lycaon the Night Raider appears."

Wind blows in the dark night. But that is not atmospheric flow due to climate; it is flow caused by the atmosphere being pushed aside by the manifestation of massive mass.

"Because this place is the edge of the area, far from the area's terminus, right? Since you guys were in such a place, it can't be helped that we suspected you might have seen through Lycaon's pattern besides us."

Wind in the dark night... Wait, the edge of the area far from the terminus? Could it be that Rei-shi is directionally challenged?

When I look at Rei-shi with half-closed eyes, the giant avatar looks away very apologetically.

"To think you'd identify not just the area but the coordinates... I'll raise my evaluation of the clan SF-Zoo..."

"Thank you. You guys just watch us subjugate the Unique Monster there."

Wind blows in the dark night. It was pressure, it was breath, and it was the flickering of shadows compressed into the shape of a wolf itself.

Growling quietly, confirming the humans Loitering in the place it marked...

The Unique Monster "Lycaon the Night Raider" released a majestic roar.

Author's Afterword
They couldn't let Lycaon the Night Raider escape, even if they bet on fluffing Vorpal Bunnies.
SF-Zoo launches a perfect assault.
When Sunraku and the others saw terror in the darkness, Pencilgon's scheme enveloped Animalia.
Next time: "Animalia, Scatters."