Chapter 98: Know Whose Palm You're Dancing On

"Well, to summarize, and it's quite obvious, those three clans were underestimating us."

A while after that, after the members of "Black Wolf," "Library," and "SF-Zoo" had each gone home, Pencilgon gave that answer to us, who had moved to the NPC cafe "Serpent's Apple Crystal City Branch" which politely existed in Eighthold as well.

"Clan 'Black Wolf' was completely trying to take advantage of Sunraku-kun. Well, there are many elitists there who are twisted in a different way from my foolish brother, so I understand Momo-chan is struggling with adjustments in that area."

"I wouldn't mind giving away Lycaon's behavior patterns for free, though."

"That's wrong, Sunraku."

It wasn't Pencilgon who answered, but OiKatzo.

OiKatzo, who was munching on cake served at the Serpent's Apple—which could be called a back-alley cafe—continued speaking while pointing his fork at me.

"Well, as a pro gamer myself, let me say this: knowing the opponent's moves has a bigger meaning than Sunraku thinks, especially in today's Full Dive, unlike the old display style."

After all, the latest information on opponents can be worth money, OiKatzo continues, grimacing bitterly.

"It's still fine if it's a story boss, because eventually all players will be involved with it. But Unique Monsters are different; they say they are worth a thousand gold, and it's true. Just curing a status ailment isn't a fair trade, is it?"

"Now that you mention it."

"Exactly. Next, Library. That place is still better compared to the other two; since that person is at the top, they assessed the appropriate price and attacked at about a 20% discount."

Lore clans don't aim to acquire Uniques or conquer unexplored areas before anyone else. In extreme terms, they can be at the very back; gathering information from those who went ahead, collecting spilled information to unravel the worldview. That is precisely what "Library" does.

"That said, it's still annoying that we, the sellers, can't set the price."

"Says the guy who paid off 20% of her debt with a single book and is still asking for more."

"There are only three copies in this game, so it's a reasonable price, right?"

I see, now that you mention it. It felt like it lacked scarcity value because all three of us have it, but thinking about it carefully, the fact that only the three of us have it means tremendous scarcity value.

"And finally SF-Zoo but... Sunraku-kun understands, right? That is a swarm of locusts. I doubt they can distinguish between NPCs and monsters."

"............"

Well, I knew. Like being strangely unreserved toward Emul, or feeling a slight discrepancy in the definition of "harm."

"I've been to Rabituza on the 'Rabbit Country Tour' too, but did you know? That clan got forcibly deported for ignoring the scenario and squatting in Rabituza."

"Is that a gag?"

"No well, I didn't expect there to be a time limit. It might be a fine play in the sense of providing information to future players, but you understand what would happen if you gave such an SF-Zoo group the right to stay, right?"

I can only see a future where the sound of screenshots echoes everywhere and rabbits are fluffed at random.

"I won't ask right now what Unique Sunraku-kun is hiding, but at least I don't want you to make a blunder like letting it fall into hands other than ours."

"Regarding that, no problem, but if I refuse, they seem likely to cling to me... That said, if the guys I introduced mess up, it'll affect my affection rating..."

It was a stroke of luck that Emul hadn't returned yet. It extended the time until the answer.

However, unlike Ashura-kai, SF-Zoo isn't committing any moral taboos. In extreme terms, whatever they do to NPCs doesn't directly harm players, so in terms of troublesomeness, they are above Ashura-kai.

"...And so, that's why I took action."

"Is that the 'Clan Alliance' you formed with them?"

"Exactly! With this, we can use the facilities and rights possessed by the allied clans. From their perspective, it probably means 'we'll give you various conveniences so hand over the Unique info,' but naturally, we won't give it for free."

Pencilgon opens her hand as if showing it off to us.

"We currently hold five trump cards. Five jokers, each possessing power surpassing all the playtime Black Wolf, Library, and SF-Zoo have scrimped and saved, even with just one card."

Folding her opened fingers one by one, Pencilgon begins to explain the trump cards "Wolfgang" hasn't revealed.

"One: By clearing the Unique Scenario EX ahead of everyone else, we possess the information advantage called 'Bahamut.'

Two: By defeating Tombguard Wethermon, we possess the Inventory Key: Inventoria and the various Legacy Weapons inside it.

Three: We effectively monopolize the job 'Ancient Craftsman,' currently confirmed only with Bilac-chan.

Four: Sunraku-kun practically holds the conditions to go to Rabituza, plus the existence of Cait Siths itself.

Five: Including everything, we are the ones checking the 'next' Unique Scenario EX."

To supplement, I'm hiding a few more cards, but as a clan, these are probably the five.

"A trump card becomes power just by hinting at its existence. Information can kill people. With just three people, we make the top clans in this game pay tribute (contribute). We, who haven't even been formed for a month, stand above the hardcore players and always go ahead... Don't you think that's supremely fun?"

"You have an evil face, Pencilgon."

"I was a little too strict with the livestock in Unite Rounds, you see. This time, while maintaining a state of neither living nor dying with slightly better feed, I'll stabilize the external image..."

"Doesn't this sound like we're the masterminds who will eventually fall into a bad situation and get subjugated?"

Rest assured, OiKatzo, when that happens, I'll sell you guys out and defect to Rabituza.

Ignoring Pencilgon who blatantly started plotting evil, I think about the future. That said, it's not a grand strategy looking several moves ahead like Pencilgon, but about the immediate schedule.

(For now, meet Bilac and get the reactor repaired, think about how to deal with SF-Zoo while stalling as much as possible, ah, and fulfill the promise with Emul...)

Even a casual promise affects affection ratings firmly; in a game built on clear parameters, the influence is even more pronounced.

In that case, what I need is money. It's a tough world, but I have a bank with unlimited withdrawals. Let's go visit Crystal Scorpion-kun later.

"Anyway, I'm logging out to eat and prepare for the night."

"Aye, let me know if there's any progress."

"Don't run away next time you're summoned, Sunraku."

"Yes, yes."

Waving my hand lightly, I leave the Serpent's Apple Crystal City Branch.

Now then, as long as Emul is in Rabituza, the only way for me to return to Rabituza is Death Return (respawning). In that case, that death better be profitable.

Buying up MP recovery items and arriving at Crystal Nest Cliff, I immediately dash to the mining point.

"Good evening Scorpion-kun, sorry for barging in with muddy shoes."

Two Crystal Scorpions activated. Roughly ten-odd seconds later, reinforcements ten times this number will arrive.

However, for me who possesses Inventoria, such things cannot be a threat.

Luring them until the last moment, I transfer to the storage space, evacuating to the absolute safety zone.

While suppressing my grinning face at the numerous Divine Age civilization tools that are spectacular no matter how many times I see them, I kill time until the Crystal Scorpions' hate is cleared.

"Ah right, unequip just in case... Alright, hate should be dispersed by now."

Recover MP and return to the Crystal Plain.

Just before exiting the storage space, I felt a bad premonition cross my mind, but even thinking about it, I couldn't figure out what the premonition was about, and deciding there was no particular problem, I ignored it.

Returning to the top of the crystal-covered cliff, what greeted me was the night sky and silence. And I visually confirmed the mining point where crystals were piled up about ten meters away.

"Now then, first the scorpion materials... Hm?"

Materials aren't dropped. Why? Earth tremors? Did they not collide? No mistake in timing, did the scorpions stop before colliding? Change in behavior patterns, system intervention, adding subtracting multiplying dividing equals...

"Silent... PATCH!?"

Crystals in four directions, centered on my current coordinates, begin to move. Not a gradual transition from inactive to active, but a Lurking Surprise Attack performed in an active state...!

The next moment, my body was converted into mince by the collision that didn't mind damaging its own body this time.

Author's Afterword
Alliance
The clan version of the so-called Friend System.
For example, if Clan A has free carriage boarding rights, Clan B can also share in that benefit.
Basically, it is a system used to share mutual profits or challenge raid bosses jointly, but in this case, Wolfgang can receive the benefits of the three major clans in the sense of "We'll give you various conveniences so give us Unique info."
By the way, the "Wolfgang" Clan Leader's reply to that was "I'll give you feed, so work hard, livestock," truly a Demon Lord.

Crystal Scorpion: "We learned ambush to kill the pervert who barges into our home with shoes on and takes our hair!"

It's added to the patch notes on the official site, so it's not a silent patch. It's a first-sight killer with half goodwill and half malice.