Chapter 718: The Journey and the War Press On
It's a bit late for this, but let me roughly explain the types of our party members.
First, it goes without saying, is me: a high-speed mobility light warrior who completely abandoned the incomprehensible parameter known as VIT (self-report). Even without Bradyon, I can clear a distance of about 50 meters just with mid-air jumps.
Next is Ladder-shi. With his racial traits giving him wings, he gets corrections to his jumping ability. Although he lacks acceleration, as long as he has footholds, he should be able to jump without touching the ground any more than the absolute minimum required.
And here is where the problem starts.
Rei-shi, whose avatar looks delicate but has rather sluggish stats, or at the very least, shouldn't even hope to perform long-distance jumps.
Imron, who, despite having leveled up as a Pioneer before focusing on a production job, is relatively a power-type and hasn't done as much hardcore marathon grinding as Rei-shi, resulting in pathetic jumps and acceleration.
And Cashew Nut-shi, a Pure Magic Build who has enough stats to run away from enemy aggro, but is definitely not the type to go flying or bouncing around.
The question is how we're supposed to cross the massive canal lying on our route to the volcano, just past our current location: the swamp holding the Lizardmen and Dragonewt (Black) settlements.
"Just to check, who here has a means of crossing to the opposite shore?"
Hmm, I guess it's just as I expected: only me and Ladder-shi.
Can't be helped, looks like I have no choice but to bring out my secret weapon... Inventoria open, come on out! Super Intelligence Doll Unit, Saina!
"Intelligence."
"Is that an animal cry?"
"If I do not verbalize it, I feel as though I myself will be crushed by intelligence."
Intelligence doesn't have mass, you know. Or does it? Like the physical weight of a brain or something.
"Waa, it's Saina-chan!"
Then, seeing Saina—who was still an airhead even after installing the "N" Patch—Cashew Nut-shi suddenly got all excited.
"Can I take screenshots!? Screenshots! And video if possible!!"
"What's with the sudden outburst?"
"Because I'm a basic fangirl!!"
That explains nothing.
"No no no, right now Saina-chan is the most famous ShanFro NPC in the entire world! This is a normal reaction! Completely normal!"
Ah...................... So that's how it is, of course it is.
"Saina, can you cross by suspending them?"
"Acknowledged: If the equipment is stored into information format, it is possible in two transport trips."
"Do it in three trips, let Cashew Nut-shi have a splash-tastic experience."
"Eh?"
"I see, so you are going for super intelligence, then?"
"Eh?"
A few minutes later, completely separate from Rei-shi and Imron who were gently carried across the great river by Saina, the screams of Cashew Nut-shi—who was subjected to a stone-skipping experience on the super-express version with boosters at full throttle—echoed through the air...
Well, of course you'd scream when man-eating piranhas (the size of large dogs) jump at you as you get close to the water's surface. But hey, she got to have a thrilling experience with Saina, so I'm sure she's satisfied.
For now, I guess I'll just go kill one of those piranhas. As long as I act as the lure myself, I won't even need a fishing rod.
◇
While a situation she was not entirely unrelated to was progressing without her knowledge, Arthur Pencilgon was currently facing a situation that left her no time for such things.
Furthermore, those looking at the same thing—despite differing in location and faction—were also experiencing something similar.
"So that's how it's gonna be..."
The Grand Quest "Kingdom Turmoil," a struggle for hegemony between the New King's faction and the Former King's faction... or rather, ShanFro's first ultra-large-scale PvP content. The official rules for it had just been announced by the developers.
"I expected it to turn into a territory control game, but this looks like it's going to take quite a bit of brainpower."
The rules were as follows:
・ The victory condition this time will be determined by how many cities are secured within the period if the targets of both factions are alive, or by the state of your own faction's or the enemy faction's leader at the end of the period... namely, the Former King Torvante and the New King Alex.
・ The New King's faction will win if they have captured or killed both the Former King Torvante and Princess Arfiliya by the end of the event period.
・ The Former King's faction will win if they have captured or killed the New King Alex, or if Princess Arfiliya is alive while both the New King and Former King are dead by the end of the event period.
・ Excluding the two cities where both main camps are set up, each city has a "Lord." By capturing or killing the Lord of an enemy faction, you can secure it as your own territory.
・ Fifticia, Firstia, and Secondil are neutral cities and will be designated as no-combat zones entirely unrelated to this event.
・ During the event period, strictly within the "Event Check" areas, killing a player will not result in a Red Name. Additionally, if killed, the items equipped or stored in the inventory will not be lost.
However, any items separated from the hands at the time of death will be left on the spot. Furthermore, parameter fluctuations due to actions will function as normal.
・ If killed, you will automatically respawn at your main camp city (Thirdrema or Thirthed).
Additionally, a "Treatment Time" will be applied based on the location where you were killed.
・ During the event period, bosses in the areas from Thirdrema onward up to Thirthed will not spawn.
・ In this event, there are NPCs with strong influence over their faction's NPCs. By capturing or killing them, you can decrease the enemy faction's "Morale" parameter.
・ During the event period, the World Scenario will not progress, and any events related to the World Scenario will be suspended until the "Kingdom Turmoil" ends.
◇◇
A conversation between a certain duo.
".........This is, quite something."
"Reizei, can you summarize this in three lines for me?"
"Let's see... 'You absolutely have to fight the full time limit,' 'Rounding up the players is an impossible game,' and 'It'll be hard to read both our own tactics and the opponent's.' How's that?"
"Even with that summary, I still don't get it〜"
◇◇◇
A gathering of certain FPS enthusiasts.
"The brain of our mercenary group! We wanna hear your opinion!!"
"Leave it to me. Anyone got a feather fan?"
"What era's tactician are you supposed to be?"[*1]
"First, regarding these victory conditions: the New King's faction is better off playing the territory control game rather than clumsily trying to kill the Former King."
"Why's that?"
"Because victory or defeat is determined at the end of the event period. Even if we manage to assassinate the Former King, if the Princess is still alive, it'll come down to a decision via points, and if their side manages to defeat our New King, they automatically win as long as the Princess is alive."
"Meaning... the moment they lose the Former King, if their entire force focuses on our New King, they win by decision?"
"Isn't that totally unfair?"
"That's exactly why we have the advantage if we look at it as a territory control game. We hold more cities at the start, and the quality of our NPCs is higher."
"And above all—"
◇
"The 'no Red Name' rule is limited strictly to player-vs-player. If we kill an NPC, it's probably an instant out."
The advantage of possessing the extra life known as the Princess, balanced by the disadvantage of being handicapped in the territory control game. And above all, the exquisitely long five-day event duration spanning from December 15th to the 20th.
It would be one thing for an ordinary player, but from the perspective of a player in a position to craft strategy, there were simply far too many challenges.
Pencilgon discarded several of the strategies she had formulated in her head and immediately began brewing the next one.
"They don't need to move as a single unified army. To begin with, if they treat the guys who won't follow orders as just some random roaming monsters, they can operate in battalion-to-platoon sizes with each streamer leading them. Man, what should I do about this... Bringing in the RPA won't change anything, looks like I'll really have to figure out a way to persuade our suicide bullet..."
The day of the decisive battle was drawing near. Feeling the winds of the coming turmoil, Pencilgon enjoyed the aroma of Thirdrema's specialty tea leaves, taking full advantage of her privileges as Thirdrema's Special Advisor.
Translator's Notes
- [1]Three Kingdoms strategist Zhuge Liang (who is famous for his signature feather fan, or Usen / 羽扇).
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