Chapter 22: The Reverse of the Reverse is the Front, but Behind the Back is Even Deeper

• Condition: Defeat a monster higher level than yourself while equipped with a "Vorpal" weapon.
• Event: A Vorpal Bunny will appear in a specific area of every town to guide you to the monster nation of "Rabituza."
• Note: During this event, the Vorpal Bunny will continue running without speaking, so do not lose sight of it.
• Objective: Defeat the "Rabbit-Eating Giant Serpent," a monster plaguing their country, to obtain the magic [Enchant Vorpal].

Effect: This spell imbues a weapon with the effect: "Apply a correction to critical hits against opponents with a higher level than the user." Since this is incredibly useful against boss monsters, this Unique Scenario is considered a must-clear for anyone serious about mastering this game.

For beginners, the recommended route is to use the Vorpal Choppers (obtained from Vorpal Bunnies in the Forest of Rampancy) to defeat the Gluttonous Giant Serpent. As a side note, the Rabbit Country is populated by a massive number of Vorpal Bunnies, so rabbit-loving players should definitely have their screenshot keys ready. While it is possible to save inside Rabituza, once the scenario is cleared, your respawn point is changed. Therefore, currently, you can only visit Rabituza once during this Unique Scenario.

...That is the summary of the Unique Scenario "Tour of the Rabbit Country" that I later found online.

"My, oh my! Rabituza is absolutely buzzing with talk about you right now! The courage to boldly challenge that Black Wolf despite being one of the weak! And the skill to land ideal Vorpal strikes continuously without taking a single hit! It is truly the embodiment of the Vorpal Spirit! I admire it so much...!"

"I didn't stand a chance, though."

"Well, naturally, the opponent was simply too terrible. That Emperor of the Night is a supreme species that eats dragons like they're snacks. Unless you're one of those Pioneers with the Divine Protection of the Age of Gods, you wouldn't even be able to stand here talking to me right now."

This rabbit talks a lot. When I approached the rabbit in high spirits, only to have it suddenly speak to me saying, "I've wanted to meet you!" I was pretty... no, I lied. I was terrified. It was as scary as when a bug causes a friendly NPC to suddenly attack the player without warning. I mean, why is this Vorpal Bunny talking? Is it because it's an NPC?

Keeping pace with the pitter-patter steps of this lop-eared Vorpal Bunny (?), I was simply being showered with praise by this strange rabbit. I recall reading that Lycaon's Curse affects conversations with NPCs; is this the effect? I was internally trembling, terrified that I'd be treated like a carrier of some plague, but it seems it was a positive correction after all.

"Besides, that curse carved into your body is proof that the Emperor of the Night recognized you not as food, but as an individual! Dad... cough, my Boss said he absolutely wanted to meet you, so that's why I was dispatched here!"

"Hmm... well, uh..."

"I am Emul. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Amazing. The AI in this game can actually read the room. I've played Trash Games where the AI wouldn't even respond unless you spoke to it in perfect honorifics (keigo), but when that tech is used correctly, it feels incredibly realistic.

"By the way, I've been wondering... I've killed quite a few Vorpal Bunnies. This isn't actually a trap or some pattern like that, right?"

"Ahaha! Dad... the Boss isn't the type to do something so petty. Besides, we come at you with the intent to kill, too. So, well, if we get killed, that's just the self-responsibility of the parties involved."

While discussing a surprisingly harsh view on life and death, Emul and I reached the deepest part of the back alley... a gap between small buildings that one could never reach without a guide, a tiny blank space on the map. There was a strange magic circle there... but ignoring it completely, the small lop-eared rabbit began slapping a part of the wall pat-pat-pat.

"Please wait just a moment... [Teleport Gate]!"

"Ooh."

The moment she chanted what appeared to be a spell name, the wall Emul was touching transformed into a gate filled with mist.

"I am the only one who can create a direct gate to the Rabbit Palace. Now, now, let us go, Sunraku-san."

"Huh? did I introduce myself?"

"Fufufu, do not underestimate the information gathering network of rabbits."

In reality, there's probably a meta, data-based reason for it, but there's no need to nitpick the fine details. Guided by the bouncing Emul, I stepped through the misty gate.

When I passed through the gate, it was a world of fluff.

"There are quite a few humans who visit Rabituza, but you are the first to visit the Rabbit Palace, Sunraku-san."

"Heh."

Watching the wondrous spectacle of Vorpal Bunnies everywhere, I let a creepy grin surface internally at Emul's words. If what Emul says is true, then this is genuine, exclusive information about a Unique Scenario that only I know.

I like playing games noisily with others, but I don't believe for a second that information in an MMO should be shared with everyone. At the very least, as long as PvP and rankings exist, every player is a potential enemy. Information monopoly? Bring it on. If you have a problem with it, then you should disclose the info you're hiding first. When you grind "co-op games" where betrayal, robbery, and mugging are standard greetings in PvP, your conscience tends to roughen up quite a bit. Always play Trash Games according to the recommended dosage and usage!

"Over here! Ahead is where Dad—the Boss is!"

With a dialect that was a mix of unknown accents and "desu wa," Emul hopped in front of a door that was strangely huge compared to a rabbit... no, even compared to a human, and called out to me.

Well then, let's go have an audience with this Boss, who is presumably Emul's father.

Author's Notes & Lore:

Vorpal Bunnies: They are monsters that appear in almost all areas. They provide fresh stimulation (instant death via critical hits) to players who are in the middle of grinding levels.