Chapter 40: Decisive Action, Sloppy Execution

"I lack firepower."

I declared this to Emul after my sixth respawn—which, quite politely, happened right in the arena's waiting room.

I never expected to be slammed by the violence of raw numbers and level difference right from the opening move. I challenged them a few times and figured out their pattern, realizing that the strategy itself was actually simple... but I hit a wall. A problem that was obvious in a sense: my stats aren't high enough.

Above all else, I lack DPS. Those doggos... the Majority Hounds, are likely "one monster" that spawns as "separate entities with individual HP bars." In other words, they are like a boss character that has a separate HP bar for each body part.

"I've grasped the general walkthrough, but if I don't shorten the time it takes to kill a single head, I'll get swarmed."

Conversely, if I can solve that one point, I can take them down easily. Trying to push through with critical hits is tricky when the other hounds are attacking. However, perhaps because I was overly cautious due to them being black wolves, it was a letdown to find that when I actually opened the lid, they were just trash mobs that were only annoying due to their numbers and coordination.

"Is that so?"

"Anyway, I'm really close to leveling up, so I'm going to go grind some XP."

"Heh?"

Here doggy doggy, it's dinner time! The menu is ME, but I'm gonna beat just one of you to death! Yes, you! Too bad for you! Whoa, it's the One-HP Demon! Ah, sorry, looks like I have to kill one more... Alright, I'll pick you. Ah, wait, let me at least kill this one fi—uboa.

"Okay, level up."

"You were dying as naturally as flowing water!?"

After about five minutes of leveling, checking movements, and venting a bit of frustration, I greeted the dumbfounded Emul and stepped out of the waiting room. The best part of this scenario—and specifically this practical combat training in the arena—is that there is no death penalty. I can kamikaze as many times as I want.

The downside was that the experience points were peanuts, even with the accessory's effect. If I didn't have the XP from the Mud Digger (even if I likely split it with Emul), I probably would have had to kill dozens more Majority Hounds. Actually, the XP gain is blatantly low. Is it reduced because they are event enemies? Damn it.

I opened my status window and allocated the stat points gained from the Mud Digger and the XP of several Majority Hounds. Not into STR... but 5 points each into STM (Stamina) and DEX (Dexterity).

"I'll save 2 points as insurance for an emergency... Well, this should do."

What I'm missing is raw firepower, but raising that now would be like a drop in the bucket. In that case, I'll increase my DPS from a different angle.

"...Alright! Watch me, Emul. I'm gonna go take down those doggos."

"Whoa, do your best, desu wa! "

At times like this, even if you're just acting cool, stating your goal to someone else helps brace your nerves. I gave Emul a declaration of victory and stepped into the arena.

"Your trick is exposed, you doggos! I'll turn you into a disorderly rabble... even if you are dogs!"

The words didn't have much meaning, and I doubt they understood them, but the intent of the provocation seemed to get through. The Majority Hounds charged in with a roar... I see. So you're the command tower.

"I've memorized your mug, ora!"

After challenging them several times, I realized something. This monster isn't that troublesome individually; its threat is concentrated entirely in its group combat... but even so, their coordination was too good. I could have just dismissed it as "excellent AI," but I kept observing and found it.

"You've got some nerve hiding among your subordinates instead of sitting back in the rear. Seriously."

An individual that only barks and clearly doesn't attack. A Commander hiding among the Attackers, shouting instructions from a safe zone. I identified this guy as the keystone of the monster known as the Majority Hound.

It seems my prediction was right on the money. Realizing I was targeting only the Commander unit, the other Majority Hounds leaped to bite me, but their movements clearly lacked their previous brilliance. Seeing the Majority Hounds colliding with each other in mid-air as they jumped made it hard to believe these were the same monsters that had surrounded me from all four sides and pinned my limbs with certainty just moments ago.

The time inefficiency caused by the level gap is unavoidable, but if I keep stacking attacks and critical hits with the Vorpal Choppers like I'm chipping away ice with a pick, eventually they will reach their limit.

"Since the guy keeping the Majority together is gone, you've just become a gathering of individual Minorities, huh?"

That's pretty ironic and funny. Taking out the Majority Hounds one by one as they started infighting and brawling amongst themselves was, at the very least, easier than dodging the attacks of high-level players.

"Alriiiight, ora!"

The last one burst into polygons, and I shouted with a sense of accomplishment. Even though they were a mob type with relatively low HP, with a level gap of nearly 40, it takes time to kill even one. Even with the infighting, the Majority Hounds weren't dumb enough AI to just stand there and get hit until they died, so destroying them one by one was fairly exhausting.

At times like this, I feel just a little bit envious of those muscle-brained warriors who dump all their stats into STR like idiots.

"Good work, Sunraku-san!"

"Ah, yeah. If possible, could you make the next one a single monster..."

The first one (which was actually over ten bodies) honestly, like, killed my tension.

"The next one is a proper single body, desu wa! "

"Heh, I wonder what kind of..."

The second one: A bear sprouting tentacles from its back that had mouths looking like snake heads... Parasite Tentacle.

"That feels like multiple bodies to me!"

Dammit! I don't know which part is the main body, but I'm gonna beat the hell out of it!!!

Author's Notes & Lore:

Q. The recommended level is 85, so isn't this a bit too easy?A. The recommended level considers not just stats, but equipment strength as well. It means "If you have the stats and weapons obtainable around level 85, you can progress through the scenario comfortably." It does not mean it is impossible to clear below that. It just means the road to clearing it becomes a penance (suffering). Furthermore, while the triggering conditions for "Invitation from the Country of Rabbits" are insanely strict, the content itself is in the fairly easy category.

Translator's Remarks:

"Decisive Action, Sloppy Execution": The title uses the slang verb gudaru (from gudaguda), which means to lose momentum, become tedious, or get messy/sloppy. Sunraku makes quick decisions (Decisive Action), but the actual gameplay drags on messily due to the level gap (Sloppy Execution).

"Youkai One-HP-Left" (The One-HP Demon): In the montage of Sunraku dying repeatedly, he mentions "Youkai Ichi-tarinai" (The "Lacking One" Spirit). This is a gamer term for when an enemy survives with a sliver of health (1 HP or 1 pixel), usually resulting in the player's death immediately after.