Chapter 332: Creeping-Style Communication

Stranded Diary, Day 1 (Addendum): The way the Forest-folks look at me is seriously bad. It's completely like the look you give to a monster.

"Nffufuー, as expected of Sunraku-san, desu wa! Even without wings, you won't lose in the sky, desu waー!"

"Well, even if it was possible within the system's specs, considering I've shot down fighter jets with my bare hands before, this much is a given."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

I'm talking about games. From start to finish.
While glancing at the material text of the Draclus Dinocoatl I had just shot down, our group made its way through the forest. It consisted of a clearly put-off Tottori, the even more terrified Forest-folks, and the royal father and daughter, whose affection ratings had, unfortunately, seemingly increased even further.

"...Say, do you really have to be able to pull off stunts like that to defeat a Unique Monster?"

"Hmm? I wonder. Ctarrnid or Rei-shi... Ah, I mean Psyger-0. I wouldn't say you Have to pull off stuff exactly like that, but if you're a clan like Black Wolf, you could probably defeat one if you tried hard enough... Wait, they probably already did defeat one, actually."

"Come again?"

"No, nothing. Forget it."

I casually almost leaked the fact that Ctarrnid can be re-challenged. That was close, too close.

"Well, putting that aside. We have a rough idea of the direction and we're heading there... but can you stay logged in, Tottori?"

"Ah... Right, I should probably log out soon..."

I've been logged in for quite a while myself, so I'd like to log out soon too. Normally, I'd head back to Rabituza to log out... but fufufu, this time is different.

"Erina, let's take a break here. Could you do That?"

"Yes! Everyoneー! We're taking a break hereー!!"

Their average stats are practically identical to a player's, making you question if they have any redeeming qualities at all. The skill possessed by the Forest-folks... No, in this case, would it be an ability?
Gathering branches and leaves from the surrounding trees, the Forest-folks moved briskly. With an efficiency that almost looked like fast-forwarded footage, they constructed natural, organic tents in the trees one after another.

"I bet management fully intended for players to conquer this forest alongside the Forest-folks."

"It's certainly convenient being able to create a save point without consuming items... Even so, they still feel way too cowardly."

The Forest-folks' special ability: "Instant Base." It allows them to create a save point even in the middle of a field area.
Because of this, Tottori was able to solve the fundamental problem of logging out and safely escort the Forest-folks.
That being said, since they can't maintain the base while moving, a zero-death run seems unavoidable. Well, if you left these cowards alone, there's no telling where they'd run off to...

Now then, we have one problem here.

"By the way, Your Majesty. I apologize for the rudeness, but do you have any experience climbing trees...?"

"Sunraku. A king is typically the one existence furthest removed from such activities."

Apparently, he used to climb trees back when he was a rambunctious child, but you really can't expect tree-climbing skills from a middle-aged man with a protruding belly.
In the end, we got the Forest-folks to help us make a makeshift elevator out of branches and vines to haul them up.
These guys... once they realized the King and Princess were powerless non-combatants, they suddenly started treating them with extra kindness. What a deeply unpleasant display of empathy... Well, considering their own human rights are on the line, they Are VIPs, though.

Having logged out, I quickly finished up various real-world tasks required before re-logging in, pulling up some information on the mobile terminal in my hand.

"Yufuin Ryoji... Aizawa Yoko... Shijima Genkuro... No, I hate to say it, but these people are just subordinates. In that case..."

Amachi Ritsu. It's this person, isn't it...? She seems to be in a position with a suspicious amount of authority, and looking into it, she was involved in the online version of Faer-kuso. Wait, what? This person was involved in SpellCre too? Is ShanFro out of its mind? Her entire resume is literally just Trash Games.

"...Well, ShanFro is actually a success, so..."

As for SpellCre, the players were entirely the ones at fault, so maybe she's a decent person... maybe? Well, whatever, moving on...

Taking a crab stick from the fridge right next to actual crab meat and nibbling on it, I navigated to the official ShanFro homepage.
I once met a very strange person who said, "Reporting bugs to management and waiting to see when they get patched is the most fun part of the game." I think I can kind of understand that feeling now.

"Inventoria is just way too convenient..."

It's a bit rich coming from the guy abusing the hell out of it, but infinite mid-air jumping is definitely a problem. Come to think of it, I've already sent about five emails... is that considered spamming? Send.

"What was it he said? 'It's fun to realize my single action is affecting the entire player base'... Hmm, yeah, I get it."

The crab stick, refrigerated as if to mock the real crab next to it, still tasted like a crab stick... It's a crab stick, after all. I don't dislike crab sticks. You don't have to bother cracking the shell or digging the meat out...

"...Now, then."

Tottori... isn't logged in yet. I probably shouldn't expect much, but I think I'll try talking to the Forest-folks a bit.

Five minutes later.

"Huh? Where did everyone..."

"───Don't move."

"Hyeh."

Seriously, the moment any of them saw me, their faces cramped up and they ran away. If that's how it's going to be............ then my only option is to erase my presence and approach from behind.
Descending from a tree, I landed right behind a Forest-folk after swapping my head to the Salmon mask for no particular reason.

"...Don't turn around. Just answer my questions."

"H-Hyahi..."

"Name?"

"A-Allure... reshu."

"I see... That's a good name."

This is weird... Isn't this exactly what you do when threatening an enemy soldier in a stealth mission game? Technically, we're supposed to be allies on paper...

"H-Hewp... me..."

"My questions aren't finished yet. Got it?"

"Hiiii!?"

Whatever, let's just keep going.
Anyway, what I want to ask is...

"That bow you guys have... Is it homemade?"

"Hya, hahyai!"

"Are shortbows the only type? That guy Tottori seemed to have something equipped other than a shortbow..."

"A-That is... um,"

"Three, two..."

"It's a Forest-folk secret art slingshooot!!"

Oh, so that was a slingshot. It was designed to look like it was integrated directly into his armor, so I was wondering what it was. That makes sense.
I see... A slingshot... I've never really used one before, so I don't particularly want it.

"Let's get back on topic. What are the stat requirements... No, what level of dexterity is needed to handle the bows you make?"

"Eh, dexterity... um, um..."

Feeling a bit mischievous, I lightly poked her neck with the tip of my nail.

"Pwease hewp meee, pwease don't kill meeee!"

Ah... This is bad, Tottori... If word gets out about the Forest-folks' cowardly reactions and the New King's blatant supremacy complex, there are absolutely going to be players who side with the King...

"If you answer my questions, I'll let you go without a scratch. Okay?"

"...Hey, Sunraku."

"What is it, Tottori-kun?"

"Just now, a Forest-folk named Allure came crying to me, saying, 'I was threatened by a phantom with the head of a creature I've never seen before.'"

"Oh my god. To think the assassins from the Third Knight Order have already arrived. But I'm glad she survived."

"...And apparently, this phantom was very enthusiastically asking questions about the bows the Forest-folks make?"

"They're gathering intel on our combat strength. It's the same as an FPS. If your range, power, and fire rate are exposed, it creates a massive disadvantage... To think they'd strike while we were logged out. How cowardly."

"Say, Sunraku. How's the feel of that bow?"

"Forest-folks are amazing. The fact that they made a foldable trick-bow using nothing but organic materials makes them geniuses."

"...Don't you have something to say?"

"........."

"........."

"...But they just run away if I try to talk to them from the front."

There's a high probability I won't even use it, but having a low-cost, long-range attack method is still something I want. Yay, a bow, a bow.