Chapter 19: Semi-Nude, From Bad to Worse and Back Again

In short, what is the problem? It’s simple.

• Forced into a semi-nude state; unable to equip torso or leg armor.
• Small fry enemies flee, meaning I must constantly fight opponents stronger than myself.
• Curse resistance that might deflect Shaman buffs, or in the worst case, Mage buffs.
• Now then, does my character currently fall under beginner, intermediate, or advanced?

"This is... a Trash Game progression, isn't it?"

My God, did the grudges of all the Trash Games stained into my flesh cause a rejection reaction to this God Game, bending causality to summon a curse that turns ShanFro into a Trash Game...? No, calm down. Be cool. Cool, so cool.

There are three rules essential for playing Trash Games: First, a heart tolerant of trash scenarios. Second, unyielding patience for idiotic AI. Third, calm judgment in the face of sudden glitches.

"First, let's summarize what I need to do..."

Stat allocation. That's right, stat allocation. With 50 points, it’s about time to settle on a character build policy. Currently, I'm a High-Luck Paper-Armor Critical Warrior, but there's no guarantee I can continue leveling up without issues from here on out. Besides, [Lycaon’s Curse] isn't entirely a disadvantage. I need to decide how to distribute points with that in mind.

"......Come to think of it."

What happens to monsters that run away in this game? Usually, in this type of game, monsters that get a certain distance away from the player automatically vanish and respawn at their initial position. But if they are fleeing from me, how far do they run? After all, this is a seamless Full Dive VR. Since it effectively operates on the same laws as reality, if my prediction is correct...

"Right."

I might as well keep HP and VIT at the bare minimum. Let's just run with this in Owata-shiki (One-Hit-Death style). Even if I tried to make a Tank build now, it would just end up half-baked. What's important is the leg strength to catch up to fleeing monsters, and the stamina to support that... Dumping everything into one stat is a bit scary, so I'll put some into Technique (TEC) while dumping the rest into Luck (LUC)... Yeah, the fact that I was able to endure Lycaon the Night Raider's attack with 1 HP remaining was surely related to Luck.

"This is......"

PN: Sunraku LV: 28 JOB: Mercenary (Dual Wielder) Money: 2,000 Mani HP: 30 MP: 10 STM: 50 STR: 15 DEX: 20 AGI: 60 TEC: 20 VIT: 6 LUC: 65

Skills:

• Rush Slash
• Spiral Edge
• Knuckle Rush
• Slide Move
• Repel Counter
• Loop Slash Lv.4
• Edge Climb
• Accel Lv.3

Equipment:

• Right: Vorpal Chopper
• Left: Vorpal Chopper
• Head: Gazing Bird Mask (VIT+1)
• Torso: [Lycaon’s Curse]
• Waist: Split-Edge Belt (VIT+4)
• Legs: [Lycaon’s Curse]
• Accessories: None

It's strange. I didn't particularly intend to do a restricted challenge run... Now that I've come this far, I have no choice but to go down with the ship as a Luck Warrior. I'll have to compensate for the paper armor with evasion techniques, and for the firepower with criticals and number of hits. Actually, looking at the newly learned skills—like running up walls with dual swords or literally accelerating for a set time—it makes me laugh at just how desperately I must have been fighting. No, in the first place, maybe I played too much by trial and error. I got all hyped up ("Hyaha!") in front of a strong enemy, but if I think about it carefully, there might have been signs that Lycaon the Night Raider was going to appear. And even though this is an online game, doesn't playing solo put me in the minority? Unlike Trash Games where forced solo play happens because there are almost no players to team up with, in a God Game with thousands of people constantly logged in, I should be able to form a party even with randoms. No, but since monsters lower leveled than me will run away, I would be nothing but a nuisance to other players aiming to level up... Ah, damn it. No matter how much I think about it, I reach the conclusion that "I have no choice but to do my best solo."

Besides, is there anyone who can lift the curse of a monster that clearly requires dozens of people to defeat? Could a top player do it? Or rather, the probability of such a high-level player coming to this beginner town is probably about the same as the probability of meeting that Black Wolf in a random encounter.

"Sigh........."

And above all, the scar-like marks corroding my torso and legs below the knees where that damn wolf bit me... the Curse (Marking). As if claiming it was its natural right, my Split-Edge Vest and Trousers were destroyed and vanished. No matter how many times I check the status screen, the abominable name of the Black Wolf fills the equipment slots. The suspicious person who was relatively funny has now become a suspicious person on a level that gets the police called on them... again.

"Well, if the devs think I'm going to go crying to them over this level of hardship... they are dead wrong."

I'm surprised at myself for how hooked I am on this game. Using the defeat of "Lycaon the Night Raider" as fuel, I renewed my determination to master this game.

Author’s Notes & Lore

About Curses

Regarding the "Curse" that caused the protagonist to become forcibly semi-nude, there are three types within the game.

• 1. Hex (Majinai): A method of attack that feels like a stickier version of debuffs or magic. This is classified as magic based on the system used by the "Shaman" job and certain monsters.
  2. Curse (Noroi): A scenario gimmick acting as a factor within the story, which is lifted when the player fulfills a scenario flag. An example would be: "While inside the Haunted Mansion for an exploration request, stats are continuously lowered. This is lifted by completing the exploration of the Haunted Mansion."
  3. Curse (Marking): A special curse that can only be handled by Unique Monsters. This is a special system that acts as a vicious debuff interfering with the system itself, while also containing the "merit" of simply crushing your equipment slots.

However, since the merit comes with the condition "if you can utilize it well," it is basically a disadvantage (such as the permanent forced flight of lower-level monsters). Just to add a supplement: even if you get marked twice, the effects don't double! However, the favorability correction with NPCs is an exception and you will take the full brunt of that influence. From the perspective of NPCs (story characters who do not have a Player's viewpoint), it's a matter of how they view someone who bears "proof of recognition from a monster that wouldn't be strange to be treated as a god in local folklore."