Hmm…It seems about half of the servers were successful. Cthugha had a high success rate, Our Ladies was around half and Niggurath low. Well, that's probably because of the goat…
It's not really practical to check all the boards. Management will be editing videos of each, so perhaps I will watch them.
My schedule for this morning is to ask some people about potions for Immortals and test [Fist of Yog-Sothoth]. In the afternoon, I'll find a place to level up, then check out my evolution. …But first, I'll use the castle facility to do the training I was not able to do during the event.
After practicing forms, off to see the Chancellor.
"Then, first."
"What is it?"
"Are there any potions that work for Immortals?"
"Well, what is a potion?"
"………"
By the way, the Chancellor is very old. Were there no potions during the era he was still mortal? Then we can't talk about it!
The Chancellor's position is quite high. And his role is basically doing paperwork. The relatively young generation is… maybe Lana, the head of the army. No, even if Lana could have heard about them from more recent souls, since they are not used by the army, it is safe to assume there is no such thing. The Chancellor's permission would also be required for the army to deploy them. Since we're at a point where the Chancellor doesn't know…yeah.
"Then I'll have to teach you a bit about potions."
"…And that's basically it. They're effective on me now as I'm no longer treated as an Immortal, but it was a little inconvenient to be unable to use them."
I show the potions I have on me and explain what I know about witches, witch's brews and potions.
"Hoho. Interesting."
"Were there witches in the days of the Chancellor?"
"I think I heard of the existence of witches…a long time ago."
"I see. It's possible that the meaning is different now, so let's leave that aside. I'll go and talk to Sophie-san…"
"A witch?"
"A genius who apparently became the youngest immortal witch."
"Well, well. Very interesting."
Apparently, the Chancellor is intrigued by witches and potions.
"Hm? There must be souls of witches in the Nether, such as those who didn't reach Sorciere."
"Immortality, including Immortals, is dependent on the body. Only the arbiter in charge would know."
"…Then, a dead witch might not be able to produce a witch's brew. It is probably still best to talk to Sophie-san. The problem would be the cost…"
"I would like to introduce them into the army, if we can use them. Well, call me when you reach that point. I have a personal interest, so I will negotiate with the witch."
『Research into the development of potions effective on Immortals』
The situation became bigger than expected, but it's a good thing, so don't dwell on it.
Sophie and the Chancellor will gain knowledge, the Outsider Immortals will gain potions and the Nether army will be strengthened.
Everyone benefits.
1. Bring Sophie Lilywhite Sorciere and the Chancellor of the Nether together.
Condition: An Immortal consults a witch on potions that are effective on Immortals.
Reward: Recipe for potions for Immortals, deployment of potions to the Nether army, the addition of an expansion facility and magical plant field for the Nether army.
Oh, this is a Chronicle quest. Probably because it has a large influence. In other words, let's do it quickly before being overtaken.
I haven't heard that Sophie-san has moved from the church in the Starting Town, so let's go to the church first.
"Then, Chancellor, I'm going to see Sophie-san right away, so can I call you?"
"Make sure it's a place where there are no other humans."
"That won't be a problem. There shouldn't be many people who can meet Sophie-san."
And so I teleport over to the town.
From the central square, head straight for the church. In the case of Sorciere, they seem to go and gather materials themselves, so I have no choice but to hope she is there.
"Welcome, Nemeseia-sama."
"Is Sophie-san here?"
"She's in her room. Would you like me to guide you?"
"Yes, thank you."
Red embroidery…a deacon. He'll guide me to where Sophie-san is. It's probably the usual room, but I can't just go there directly by myself.
I'm shown to the usual room and let inside. The deacon says goodbye and leaves.
"Nemeseia, nice to see you…"
"Good day, Sophie-san. I'm here to consult with you today."
"What…?"
"We…would like to ask you to develop a potion that works for Immortals."
"A potion that works on Immortals…!"
Her sleepy eyes have lit up. She has immediately become lost in thought.
"It's not impossible…hm…."
"You can think of it as a request from Nemeseia this time."
"From the royal family…?"
"Yes. Which means the reward will be fitting. They will be deployed to the army as soon as they are completed."
"But Nemeseia yourself….why…?"
"The Chancellor of the castle in the Nether is very interested in witches and witch's brews and would like to speak to you personally. May I call him here?"
"Immortal Chancellor…"
"In terms of race, he is an Elder Lich."
"Elder Lich…! I'll meet him…!"
I'm sure. Leaving aside Ske-san, the Chancellor fits the image. …Leaving aside Ske-san.
Anyway, I'll connect the Silver Key to the Chancellor's location.
"Chancellor, this way."
"Thank you, Sire. This is?"
"The youngest witch to reach the stage of immortality. Sophie Lilywhite Sorciere.
"I am the Chancellor that presides over the castle in the Nether. I had a name when I was alive, but I simply go by Chancellor now. You may call me that too."
"I'm thrilled to be able to talk to a sane Lich…thank you, Chancellor."
Is there a lich who isn't sane…? Ske-san… No, couldn't be. It's better to ask.
"Are there liches who aren't sane?"
"Strays, is it?"
"Yes… madmen who are not related to the Nether…"
"Sire, what do you think happens to the souls that don't come to us after death…for whatever reason?"
"Among the Outsiders, they're called evil spirits or earthbound spirits. …Regardless of whether or not they actually exist."
"So they don't cause any harm?"
"There's nothing that has been proven to be the work of a spirit."
"There are multiple reports of them here, and I've slaughtered a few myself…"
Well, there are wraiths in this world. Since they are a species of ghost, it is possible that evil spirits and earthbound spirits could be rampant here.
"The reason they stay is usually an obsession. Resentment, or some kind of strong feeling."
"The dead, unlike the living, have no emotional limiter…that's why we usually can't communicate…."
Emotional limiter. In other words, they won't fall unconscious due to being over excited and putting a strain on their body.
Of course, the same is true for the undead who are not strays, but newcomers seem to be trained in this regard. The upper tier of Immortals is basically those at max level. They will be physically silenced when they're overcome by emotions..
"They are generally dealt with by those in this world, but in the worst cases we send out Grim Reapers."
"So we're in charge of the hunters."
"I've heard it's not good for the soul to be forcibly hunted…"
"Yes. But the role does not just include hunting. It's also their job to mediate tying up any loose ends tethering the soul to this world."
I derailed the conversation, so I'll just let them talk now. I'll compile the information and send it to Shirabesuki-san.
Since there are liches that are not sane, it means there are probably those who didn't choose to become one. If they were of the ruling class…as I heard from Lucianna-san before, it would develop into a major war, with paladins and knights being mobilised.
Then there are the Grim Reapers, which is a familiar name. It is probably from the same lineage as Ame-san's race. As far as the Nether is concerned, it seems they don't have much to do there, with most of their work being business trips to this world or the Abyss. There are more of them than there are arbiters, but it's still a small number. It's information from the Chancellor, so it's reliable.
"Fumu… I see. The real thing…"
"…The real thing?"
"Without a doubt, a genius. I've seen a few of them…and they're the same."
"Lich is not exaggerated….easy to talk to…."
"I have to adapt to the other side… There's someone in the Nether who has no intention of conforming."
"Oh, is that so?"
"You know, Sire. It's Granin."
"Lana, is it."
"She's definitely a genius of combat. It's no surprise that Sigrdrífa-sama loved her so much."
"Does Lana also have a blessing?
"The affection blessing…"
"She's leading the army in the Nether despite having an affection blessing…"
After becoming related to the Nether, one falls under Stellura-sama's jurisdiction, but Sigrdrífa-sama didn't try to take her?
"Only Stellura-sama would do that, you know? You should know why first hand, Sire. Even a sliver of a god's power is too much for the human body."
"Ah, well, you'd certainly not be a person any longer…"
Sigrdrífa-sama's followers were sacred beasts. It's possible that people are not eligible. Harvenshis-sama's are plants. It seems that Stellura-sama's ability to create isolated spaces is important.
Ohh…so this is how it plays out when it is between two Residents. A countdown is displayed above the heads of the Chancellor and Sophie-san and they are connected by a line, so this conversation event will continue during the count.
In this state, they don't respond to my call, and I can't hear their conversation. It's a "we're talking" performance. This creates a Chancellor who ignores their king…well, whatever.
…Let's kill some time by looking at the Halloween event board.
"Then you accept my knowledge as the price?"
"Rather, I prefer that…."
"Sire, can you take her to the palace?"
"Well, I wonder about doing it with Residents…"
"It would be easier if we could do the same as Outsiders."
There's no choice but to give it a try.
I try and connect to my home with the Silver Key, and it turns out a return trip is possible. But I'll tell her not to leave the land, the same as if a player were visiting. If there are any materials that Sophie-san wants, she can ask the servants to fetch them, so I'll ask her not to move about herself.
"Okay… I don't want to be unable to return to the surface…"
"Fumu…Then with that, we should go and deal with another problem."
"…A problem?"
"Something in the lower Abyss. In the meantime, stay in contact and…it would be a good idea to buy some food."
"Food… Okay… And I'll tell Lucianna how to contact me…"
Ah, there are no ingredients in the Nether. I'll have to bring enough for Sophie-san to eat.
"There's a kitchen in the palace you can use. The cooks, well…maybe there is one around."
"Mm.."
But, there's a problem in the Abyss. What is it?
The time for picking up Sophie-san is indicated in the quest, so I will return to Evernight Castle with the Chancellor and come to get her later.
"So what's the problem in the Abyss?"
"Fools are occupying a fort, and have shut themselves inside."
"…Eh? But it's the Abyss. What's their goal?"
"Who knows? I wouldn't understand how a fool thinks."
It's frightening because you can't predict what they're going to do… A case of them shutting themselves away in the Abyss. He mentioned the lower Abyss, so I wonder if there are only such people and the Immortals of the Abyss. In that case, there shouldn't be any hostages …Maybe they're just starving for entertainment. So much they're willing to offer their body for it.
For the time being…I'll go check it out. Somehow or other, this will be my first trip to the Abyss. The quest is… 『Reclaim the Abyssal Fortress』. …The reward is secret and there are no failure conditions. It gives me a bad feeling.
I follow the Chancellor and head towards the Abyss via Enma's court. It's a different road than the one for the souls of Residents… for employees. The transfer gate there takes us to the relevant level.
The Abyss is…darker than the Nether. Put another way, that's about the only difference. Of course, there is no Evernight Castle, but there's a fort. There are no crystal lotus, but these look like red spider lilies.
And there are the Immortals that are posted here.
"Ah, Chancellor. And this is?"
"Our Sire. So, what is it that they're after?"
"The usual rubbish. They're showing no sign of remorse. Proof that stupidity can't be cured by death."
They seem to have a pretty casual relationship. It's possible that…they've known each other for a very long time. Come to think of it, I don't remember seeing much of a hierarchical relationship here. At least not between others. There is with me, but then you could say I'm at more of a distance.
The leader looks like a human, so maybe a type of high-ranking zombie. Zombies become indistinguishable from humans. He may be a former aristocrat. He is pretty good looking, but…how should I put it…ah, he's kind of shady. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's blatant, but his taut smile and narrow eyes are very suspicious. He might look like the refreshing type, but he's clearly not hiding that he's sizing me up.
"Sire, these are the ones in charge of the Abyss. Please lead them in solving this problem."
"It's nice to meet you for the first time. Can I give you the information we have now?"
"Yes, please. I can't move without information."
Information is important. Normally, we would have to gather information from various other sources, but it's good that my position makes this part of things easy.
"First of all, the culprit is a former king of a country and his subordinates. They are those who were defeated by their political opponents on the surface, in the past."
"…Hm?"
"Apparently, they don't like being controlled by us."
"..Hmm?"
"They want to use the fort as a base and turn it into their own kingdom."
"I see?"
"There are 21 of them. Their levels range from 1 to 46."
"What's the breakdown?"
"1 King, 1 Marquis, 1 Count, 2 Viscounts, 4 Barons, 12 Knights."
"Hmm…aside from the knights, the others are around level 1?"
"Well, that's about right."
The nobles wouldn't bother to raise their levels. He said they lost to political rivals, so they were probably the heads of their families. …No, I can't say that for sure. It is also possible that the head of the family was decent, but they were a member of the family that were cut off. Or someone who was aiming to steal the position of head of the family.
Wait… I should switch to thinking in RP terms for this event. In that case, was there any information that was unnecessary?
I need to be recognised by the people of the Abyss for my judgement… It might affect my position, so I'd like to clear it as well as possible. It might be troublesome for me in the future, if they don't recognise my potential.
These guys are small fry in the eyes of Immortals… If I consider why the fort is still occupied and this has come all the way up the hierarchy to me, isn't it to test my handling of the situation? Then is that why extra information was given out in a way that invites sympathy?
Well, for me, who loves reading and is role-playing, it doesn't mean anything. In the world of royalty and nobles, the weak die. Even if he is a former king, he's still a king, but was he a foolish one? He might have been overthrown by a decent prince, but it doesn't change that he is a political rival. When the new king takes his place, the nobles behind his father would be in the way. Considering they are all in the Abyss together, it's easy to see. Where is there room for sympathy?
…I should check with the Chancellor.
"I see, I understand. This isn't the bottom level of the Abyss, is it?"
"No. There is more below."
How many levels is the Abyss divided into? I have sufficient information for the time being anyway. The Chancellor told me to lead the men of the abyss, so orders should be given to their leader.
"So that's how it is. Then please clean them up quickly. I'll decide if they are to stay here or will be dropped down."
"…Is that okay?"
His eyes have opened quite wide. It's very deliberate, but he seems like a troublesome character to deal with, so I'm going to ignore it.
"What are you surprised about? Is there something you haven't told me yet?"
"No, I've told you everything."
"Of course. Chancellor, would you like to hear my reasoning?"
"May I ask?"
"The culprit is a foolish king and his political opponent was his son. The other nobles were responsible for raising up the king, putting an idiot before their country. In this case, they were allowed to occupy the fort to test my discernment and ability to be recognised by the Immortals in the Abyss."
"…Good. So, what would you like them to do?"
The Chancellor looks like he's having a lot of run. Though it's hard to tell since he's bones.
Anyway. My instructions are for the leader.
"The Goddess of Benevolence is merciful, but I am not. Do it."
"Yes. Your Majesty, ma'am. …Let's go."
"『Yeah.』"
The leader of the Abyss troops, who had been grinning since I gave my answer, has headed towards the fort, leading his men with a black smile. Though half of them have stayed behind on house-sitting duty.
They carry their weapons in an uncouth manner, and are clearly not knights. They're our colleagues, so they can't be bad people, but… I should think of them as like Mohican-san.
"Even though they are Immortals, they are still ex-humans…I suppose. The difference between the Nether and Abyss is quite big, isn't it?"
"Well, it's a matter of the right person in the right place. We put them where they fit best."
"Is the leader a former noble?"
"A third son. He didn't fit in with the nobility and became an adventurer. They were a group of adventurers, doing vigilantism in the Abyss."
"I see, adventurers. Now, it is the role of the ruler to trust in their subordinates and wait."
"That's right. Well, you won't need to wait too long. …But didn't you make quite a fast decision? I thought you would have hesitated a little."
"It's simple. I'm an Outsider. I'm an outsider to this world. That's why I can play the role of the required ruler. My focus is on this, not on them. I don't need to care too much what others think. It's not bad to be different from on the other side, and I'm usually allowed to do what I want."
I don't think this reasoning is bad. It's good for RP, isn't it?
"Well, let's see. If we want a good ruler, we also have to be good subordinates. …Isn't that right?"
The remaining Abyss group are nodding happily. What they have seen is that I can be bold and ruthless…I suppose. If the person at the top can't make decisions or won't act on them, it's better not to have them there…
After just a little while, the fort has been taken. That was quick… I wonder why they thought they could get away with it in the first place, given the level difference. A foolish king, as expected. It looks like most of the people around him are just as bad.
If players come as far as the Abyss, maybe there will be more sudden events like this.
A round man, wearing clothes that are more extravagant than those of the others, is being dragged this way by the leader, so he must be the king. It seems that the Resident spirits can change their clothes with just their imagination, so they can wear whatever they want. ..Maybe it would be rude the Chancellor to call them luxurious. Since it is meant with a bad meaning, maybe gauche or vulgar would be better. Not that it is something worth worrying over.
I will have to check each of the 21 people that have been captured, but…it's a bother. I turn my right arm into (back into?) a tentacle, wrapping it around the neck of the king and hanging him from it. It is really strange that this has meaning to a spirit that shouldn't need to breathe. The lack of their weight reduces the effect, but that's fine since it is not what I am aiming for.
It is enough that I can show my presence while remaining silent. While hanging the culprits, I only open my mouth to pass on what I have confirmed. In this case, it would be creepier not to say anything more than needed.
"Send this one down by two, but one for the others."
"You heard that? Take them away."
"『Yeah.』"
<Quest: 『Reclaim the Abyssal Fortress』 has been completed.>
<Your reputation with the Immortals of the Afterworld has increased significantly.>
I toss away the one I'm holding and return my arm to normal. I'll distract myself from the souls that are being dragged away and check the completed quest.
『Reclaim the Abyssal Fortress』
It seems that a fortress in the Abyss has been occupied.
Listen to the Immortals of the Abyss and lead them in solving the situation.
1. Get information from the Immortals of the Abyss.
2. Give instructions on what to do based on the information you have obtained.
3. Wait for the report.
4. Serve as an arbiter.
Condition: Immortal of level 45 or above, with the right of passage to the Abyss.
Reward: Change in reputation with Immortals of the Afterworld.
….Change in reputation. Isn't this written in a way that implies it could also go down? There are no conditions for failure, so this quest may have multiple patterns.
The experience gained… is slightly insufficient. I'll still aim for evolution in the afternoon. I'll be doing some testing anyway, so I guess I'll eat after that…
Hm…Until noon, I'll be examining [Fist of Yog-Sothoth]. Before eating, I'll get Sophie-san… No, I don't know how that's going to proceed, so I'll go in the afternoon. I'll need to hunt for the missing experience and evolve. After evolving comes checking and testing skills.
After parting from the Chancellor and the others and informing the people in the palace about Sophie-san, I return to the surface. Basically, I'll leave it to them.
I'll experiment with the rabbits around the Starting Town.
The black goat activated it without saying anything…let's see.
As with other magic, a gauge appears when I'm conscious of wanting to use it, but the performance is a little difference. …Mu? A tremendous amount of MP has been eaten.
After targetting a nearby rabbit, a transparent fist flies out and hits it. It's flying…a long way. It's a little troubling that it sends them flying so far out of the range of my magic, but…it might be good for recovering from a bad situation. Like with [Gravitas Manoeuvre], no activation key is required, and the cooldown is 10 seconds. Considering the distance and the MP cost, it's a bit tricky to include in a strategy, huh?
After defeating the returning rabbit, I check the chant gauge. …Unlike with others, there are multiple lines in the chant gauge.
When I check by blowing away another rabbit, I can see that the first two lines in the chant gauge are consuming 1% and 5% of my MP, respectively. At the maximum, it takes 10%. Very painful.
Naturally, the effect changes between 1%, 5% and 10%, and it can still be activated at the 1% line. At max, it consumes 10% of my MP, but considering the consumption, this attack power is rubbish, so it's completely for knockback. As for how much damage it does, not even half of the rabbit's health.
Putting aside the attack power, the knockback performance is probably at the strongest level. The knockback is so strong that I feel it's not going to be easy to use. If I blow the enemy into a wall, it could be strong…maybe. The best place to test that is in the ruins dungeon.
Quite a bit of testing is going to be needed to use this effectively…quite troublesome. The rabbits fly better when hit while jumping for an attack than when they are on the ground. Well, basically enemies will fly further if they're already in the air. The same is true for wolves, which are in the same size category as rabbit's, despite their appearance. However, wolves don't fly quite as well as rabbits when they are on the ground.
The weight seems properly configured….but, if it's not uniform based on size category, then skeletal difference might be a factor. These verifications are very tedious. At least we know that there is equipment weight, so we should probably assume that it does refer to the weight… The problem is that even with the help of players of different weights, or players with different weights depending on their equipment, it's not unlikely that the effect would be different against players and against monsters…
In my case, if it's one against one, it's faster to hit each other without blowing them away. The point of it would be, while solo, to blow one away to earn some time when there are more than can be handled even with my servants summoned. The MP cost is a pain, but that can't be helped. It would be a problem if they didn't fly as well as expected after using it, but if that happens, it happens. It doesn't matter any more by that point, because I'll already be dead no matter what I do…
Other players seem to be using Byakhee quite a bit, but I can fly by myself, and Yog-sama's fist seems to be like this too. Some of the abilities of my compatriots seem to be quite niche, don't they? If it's something that is on the level of being mandatory, the conditions for acquiring it are problematic, so I'd say it's just about right…
Well, I'll continue checking it against other enemies. For sending enemies into the sky…horses, cows, goblins and turtles are also good.
After trying with enemies of various shapes and sizes, I have lunch, then log in for the afternoon.
My first stop is the church to pick up Sophie-san.
"Good day. Are you ready to go?"
"No problem…"
Then, connect the gate to the palace and off we go to my house.
<Sophie Lilywhite Sorciere has been invited.>
There are different messages for Residents and players. Though it might be a quest-related message, so I can't say for sure… Well, it doesn't matter. There are things I need to say more than that. I'm very worried.
"Sophie-san. Please don't leave the grounds of the palace. I've never tried it with a Resident, so I don't know what will happen, but Outsiders I have invited are repelled and cannot leave. The Chancellor will come here, so it's best that you don't try to leave. At worst, you will die or be unable to return. The staff here have been told to prepare any materials you ask for."
"I don't intend to live here permanently yet….I understand…"
She looks very disappointed, but she should be okay. As for the quest…it is now displaying the time until the research is completed, so it's fine to let it be.
Alright, let's go and level up. It will go up soon, so I'll push myself a bit by going to the lower floors, then I could just return by dying… So, since I'm solo, I'll go to the ruins dungeon. I usually hunt around the 5th floor, but I'm going to aim for the 10th.
If you go down one floor, the minimum and maximum levels go up by 1, giving a 6 level difference by the 4th and 5th floors. If it stays the same, the 10th floor should be around level 60. To be honest, I don't think I can beat the 10th floor, no matter how good a match-up it is.
<Your Race Level has increased.>
<Your Race Level is now 50. Some racial skills have been unlocked.>
Alright, it went up. For evolution… looks like I have to go to the Medium, as usual.
I'll continue aiming for the 10th floor before I check the new racial skills. I don't think I can hunt there, but I can still do some mapping.
I send back #1 and the others, then fly along right below the ceiling, searching for the path to the next floor.
Hm? I can hear a sound. Something first seen on the 9th floor…? So I still haven't seen everything. …There it is.
Search Drone Lv46
A reconnaissance drone designed to check for hostile entities.
Attributes: - Weaknesses: Bashing, Lightning, Ice Resistances: –
Class: Armoured Order: Four Propeller Type
Family: Search Drone Genus: Drone
Species: Search Drone
Status: Collation
Status: Collation. …I have a premonition of death. Can I shake it off? No, its level is low. I should take it out fast!
I begin chanting a mine spell, thrust my sword at the drone, flying near the ceiling, and swing it down. I place the mine behind the fallen enemy and hit the drone towards it with a tentacle .
It's HP is…gone. Even so, I feel that the sound and explosion of the mine were unnatural, but is it my imagination? I'd like to search for drones on the BBS, but…I should keep moving for the time being.
Oh, I've reached the 10th floor! I'll summon #1 and Lizzy and return to the ground. I could also record, while I'm here.
The corridor has become much cleaner, hasn't it? It looks as if it has been well maintained, but I wonder if there is a manager…or rather, that kind of armoured type.
The first villager is… a General-Purpose Melee Type MK.II. Level 62…It's high. They are in the 60's at the minimum after all…
While parrying the melee-type attacks that come slashing at me, without asking any questions, automatic tentacle counterattacks occasionally trigger, inflicting abnormal conditions, and I return my own attacks with shot magic.
There are two magic shots… Oh, it is [Mirror Spell]. There was such a thing, huh. It was learned at 50. The damage is of course not 100% for both, but is the mirror spell extremely weak? Accurate testing is going to have to wait until I return from here.
Because it fires from the same location with a 1 second delay, it sometimes misses depending on the movement of the enemy. …Well, it's a bonus, so it's okay. It seems that the MP consumption has not increased.
Even so….it's not dying. As expected of a level 62. Tough. I've also been letting Lizzy hit it from behind. It takes more force than usual to parry, so it's hard work…
The AI too…it's subtle and clever. Please stop feinting. It's very annoying to have a slight shift in timing.
….Okay, it's really of a higher rank. Delicious.
I've also taken down General-Purpose Firing Type and Support Firing Type, but, well…I can only really say I'm managing. However, the time needed to defeat one of them has definitely increased, so if more than one comes at a time I won't be able to handle them. It's still too soon for me to be here.
They're very rewarding to fight, so it might be nice to do it once in a while, but… the efficiency is not great.
Kyin… pashun… kyin… pashun…
This sound… It's coming…
I doubt I can beat it with this level difference, so should I hide? No, I intended to return by dying for evolution anyway, so it's fine. Let's fight! I'll start with chanting [Short Jump].
The sound has changed… It's fast! I evade with the [Short Jump] I chanted. It shuts off the main booster, fires the one on the side, and turns to face me while evading the three shots I fired. It found me quickly. As expected of an Elimination Type…It's coming to kill me.
Hmm…Its movements are very sharp, or I could say there is very little waste in them. The transition between the end of one action and the beginning of the next is faster than on floors 5 to 9. The transition from action to action is very smooth. I wish it would give me a break.
Kyin… pashun… kyin… pashun…
Eh? Is there no limit of just one spawning on this floor? And this first one…It still has enough health to survive two more reflections. Impossible. It can't be helped. I'll un-summon #1, leaving only Lizzy. I originally planned to die anyway. It would be a waste of capacity.
Because #1 is not here as a shield user, reflecting safely is not possible. I instead use bursts, and reflect the missiles that leak through.
I'm holding aggro while Lizzy hits it, but isn't the other one taking a while to come? And listening carefully, the sound seems to be different. Rather…heavier?
General-Purpose Cleaner Type Lv64
Heavily armed general-purpose type, designed for ‘cleaning' the area.
Equipped with a large cylinder on its back and two rocket launchers on both arms.
Attributes: - Weaknesses: Bashing, Lightning, Ice Resistances: –
Class: Armoured Order: Humanoid
Family: General-Purpose Genus: Cleaner
Species: General-Purpose Cleaner Type
Condition: Normal
A new model!
The Elimination Type is slender, but the Cleaner Type is bulky. It is a heavy biped. It uses rockets, which should only go straight. I wonder about the big tube on its back. Anyway, I understand that the concept of this machine is high firepower.
When the Cleaner Type gets down on one knee, the leg transforms into a shield and both arms are pointed this way to fire the rockets. Those huge legs are for containing the transformation mechanism! It has a really high defensive power…
I try to reflect the rockets that fly this way in the direction of the Elimination Type, but it's difficult. The speed is not unreasonable, so I think it should hit with the right timing. The unguided rockets trade the homing for being high-powered. But I think I should return them to the unmoving Cleaner Type, rather than the Elimination Type which I can't hit. Though I don't have the leeway, for the most part.
The rockets are difficult to return, because they don't fly in a straight line, but are quite unsteady. Just right… It's hard!? For now, I'll block the unmoving enemy with the pillars.
Well, it will move eventually. But it should be somewhat slow because of the transformation mechanism. Considering the amount of health that was scraped off, it seems best. …Lizzy can attack the Cleaner Type. I'll play with the Elimination Type.
Lizzy with her two-handed axe seems to be having a lot of fun, even if she's expressionless, as she beats away at it. It did work as expected and the accuracy of the rockets has become much lower.
I think we can manage like this. ….Ah, I may have raised a flag. Somehow…it seems like Elimination Type is looking at Lizzy. Maybe it has a special AI…
Look over here. Look at me. Hey, look at me. O~ii, wait please. Hey? My aggro got taken!? Missiles! I won't let you! I'll parry the multi-warheads before they separate, bring Lizzy over here, and keep pillars between us and the Cleaner Type.
The Elimination Type came over here! If you attack the Cleaner Type when it has less than half its health, does aggro switch to the attacker? I don't know if it's only the Elimination Type, or for other enemies too, but this needs to be verified. Well, in short, it's taking action to protect the main firepower. Troublesome.
I have no choice but to let Lizzy attack the Elimination Type. While it's easy for Lizzy to hit it, the Cleaner Type seems to have high physical defence, so it doesn't do great amounts of damage. It would have gone quicker if I had kept out #1… It would have been easier to get rid of the Elimination Type quickly.
Let's leave the Cleaner Type for the time being, and beat the Elimination Type with Lizzy first.
Eh, the surrounding area is filled with danger zones!? …It's an attack from the mysterious armament on the back of the Cleaner Type! Maybe I shouldn't have left the Cleaner Type alone, to fight with the Elimination Type a short distance away…
There is a safe zone just in front of the Cleaner Type! Switch Lizzy's target to the Cleaner Type… she's faster than me… I'm getting left behind.
Ah, the Elimination Type is getting in my way. There should be friendly fire, so it will die with the amount of health it has left and its defence. This guy is totally trying to sabotage me…
Ah, it fired. Lizzy got there in time. And the Eliminator Type! It's not fair to fire your thrusters at full power and escape! Uwa, it's going to hit Lizzy.
The objects fired by the cylinder pop out wings, like small aeroplanes, gliding near the ceiling in large numbers above the red danger zones…eh? Carpet bombing with cluster bombs!?
[Short Jump]… will I make it in time…! I fall back to escape the bombing, then jump forward to a spot it just ended!
Safe! But Lizzy is going to die! I switch Lizzy to targetting the Elimination Type, then hit the Cleaner Type with a tentacle…good, I got back the aggro of the Elimination Type!
As I expected of the Elimination Type. It is protecting the Cleaner Type. These guys are working together!
Ah, reinforcements have come…Support Firing Type MK.I. It's generally a nice enemy, but now is not a good time. Hmm…this might be impossible. It would be nice if I could leave the Elimination Type to Lizzy, but in such a match-up, Lizzy loses. She is an attacker with a two-handed axe… she has bad compatibility with highly mobile or long range types.
If she hits the Cleaner Type, she'll take aggro from the Elimination Type, so it depends on whether or not Lizzy can defeat the Elimination Type.
As expected, the Elimination Type is firing grenades and multi-warhead missiles. And the Cleaner Type its rockets. It's impossible to deal with all that and the fire from the Support Firing Type. My HP is going down…
My magic is mainly being used for recovery and bursts against the multi-warhead missiles, so firepower is limited to Lizzy and my tentacles.
Aah…even more reinforcements have come. Let's send Lizzy back.
Another that I am seeing for the first time has come along with them…
Maintenance Monitor Lv65
An aircraft designed to monitor armoured types and buildings, ensuring they are in perfect condition at all times.
Operates 3 types of small drones.
Attributes: - Weaknesses: Bashing, Lightning, Ice Resistances: –
Class: Armoured Order: Mothership Type
Family: Maintenance Type Genus: Monitor Type
Species: Maintenance Monitor
Condition: Normal
The mothership has arrived. And it's escorted by General-Purpose Melee Types and Support Firing Types.
…I can't go any further!
The deck of the Maintenance Monitor opens up and lets out three….are they drones? …Two of them move to the Elimination Type and one to the Cleaner Type, connecting to them with a line of light.
…The attack speed of the Cleaner Type has increased. The Elimination Type has gained an effect like a shield when it is hit, increasing its defensive power.
Eh… Repair drone, barrier drone, supply drone. Repair… Its recovery rate doesn't seem to be that high.
They don't use propellers to fly…is there a chance for them to drop a gravity core? The Maintenance Monitor is also floating.
Well…that's only if I can beat them. But I saw two aircraft for the first time, so that's good!
…Goodbye!
<Incapacitated due to complete HP loss>
<Wait for resurrection / Abandon the incarnation and return to the main body>
Yeah, six of them is too much. And they are 10 to 15 levels higher than me.
I'll return to the main body…
And I'm now in space.
I'll stop recording here…I think I'll upload a clip from encountering the Elimination Type until my death.
Alright, let's evolve.
Hmm…It seems about half of the servers were successful. Cthugha had a high success rate, Our Ladies was around half and Niggurath low. Well, that's probably because of the goat…
It's not really practical to check all the boards. Management will be editing videos of each, so perhaps I will watch them.
My schedule for this morning is to ask some people about potions for Immortals and test [Fist of Yog-Sothoth]. In the afternoon, I'll find a place to level up, then check out my evolution. …But first, I'll use the castle facility to do the training I was not able to do during the event.
After practicing forms, off to see the Chancellor.
"Then, first."
"What is it?"
"Are there any potions that work for Immortals?"
"Well, what is a potion?"
"………"
By the way, the Chancellor is very old. Were there no potions during the era he was still mortal? Then we can't talk about it!
The Chancellor's position is quite high. And his role is basically doing paperwork. The relatively young generation is… maybe Lana, the head of the army. No, even if Lana could have heard about them from more recent souls, since they are not used by the army, it is safe to assume there is no such thing. The Chancellor's permission would also be required for the army to deploy them. Since we're at a point where the Chancellor doesn't know…yeah.
"Then I'll have to teach you a bit about potions."
"…And that's basically it. They're effective on me now as I'm no longer treated as an Immortal, but it was a little inconvenient to be unable to use them."
I show the potions I have on me and explain what I know about witches, witch's brews and potions.
"Hoho. Interesting."
"Were there witches in the days of the Chancellor?"
"I think I heard of the existence of witches…a long time ago."
"I see. It's possible that the meaning is different now, so let's leave that aside. I'll go and talk to Sophie-san…"
"A witch?"
"A genius who apparently became the youngest immortal witch."
"Well, well. Very interesting."
Apparently, the Chancellor is intrigued by witches and potions.
"Hm? There must be souls of witches in the Nether, such as those who didn't reach Sorciere."
"Immortality, including Immortals, is dependent on the body. Only the arbiter in charge would know."
"…Then, a dead witch might not be able to produce a witch's brew. It is probably still best to talk to Sophie-san. The problem would be the cost…"
"I would like to introduce them into the army, if we can use them. Well, call me when you reach that point. I have a personal interest, so I will negotiate with the witch."
『Research into the development of potions effective on Immortals』
The situation became bigger than expected, but it's a good thing, so don't dwell on it.
Sophie and the Chancellor will gain knowledge, the Outsider Immortals will gain potions and the Nether army will be strengthened.
Everyone benefits.
1. Bring Sophie Lilywhite Sorciere and the Chancellor of the Nether together.
Condition: An Immortal consults a witch on potions that are effective on Immortals.
Reward: Recipe for potions for Immortals, deployment of potions to the Nether army, the addition of an expansion facility and magical plant field for the Nether army.
Oh, this is a Chronicle quest. Probably because it has a large influence. In other words, let's do it quickly before being overtaken.
I haven't heard that Sophie-san has moved from the church in the Starting Town, so let's go to the church first.
"Then, Chancellor, I'm going to see Sophie-san right away, so can I call you?"
"Make sure it's a place where there are no other humans."
"That won't be a problem. There shouldn't be many people who can meet Sophie-san."
And so I teleport over to the town.
From the central square, head straight for the church. In the case of Sorciere, they seem to go and gather materials themselves, so I have no choice but to hope she is there.
"Welcome, Nemeseia-sama."
"Is Sophie-san here?"
"She's in her room. Would you like me to guide you?"
"Yes, thank you."
Red embroidery…a deacon. He'll guide me to where Sophie-san is. It's probably the usual room, but I can't just go there directly by myself.
I'm shown to the usual room and let inside. The deacon says goodbye and leaves.
"Nemeseia, nice to see you…"
"Good day, Sophie-san. I'm here to consult with you today."
"What…?"
"We…would like to ask you to develop a potion that works for Immortals."
"A potion that works on Immortals…!"
Her sleepy eyes have lit up. She has immediately become lost in thought.
"It's not impossible…hm…."
"You can think of it as a request from Nemeseia this time."
"From the royal family…?"
"Yes. Which means the reward will be fitting. They will be deployed to the army as soon as they are completed."
"But Nemeseia yourself….why…?"
"The Chancellor of the castle in the Nether is very interested in witches and witch's brews and would like to speak to you personally. May I call him here?"
"Immortal Chancellor…"
"In terms of race, he is an Elder Lich."
"Elder Lich…! I'll meet him…!"
I'm sure. Leaving aside Ske-san, the Chancellor fits the image. …Leaving aside Ske-san.
Anyway, I'll connect the Silver Key to the Chancellor's location.
"Chancellor, this way."
"Thank you, Sire. This is?"
"The youngest witch to reach the stage of immortality. Sophie Lilywhite Sorciere.
"I am the Chancellor that presides over the castle in the Nether. I had a name when I was alive, but I simply go by Chancellor now. You may call me that too."
"I'm thrilled to be able to talk to a sane Lich…thank you, Chancellor."
Is there a lich who isn't sane…? Ske-san… No, couldn't be. It's better to ask.
"Are there liches who aren't sane?"
"Strays, is it?"
"Yes… madmen who are not related to the Nether…"
"Sire, what do you think happens to the souls that don't come to us after death…for whatever reason?"
"Among the Outsiders, they're called evil spirits or earthbound spirits. …Regardless of whether or not they actually exist."
"So they don't cause any harm?"
"There's nothing that has been proven to be the work of a spirit."
"There are multiple reports of them here, and I've slaughtered a few myself…"
Well, there are wraiths in this world. Since they are a species of ghost, it is possible that evil spirits and earthbound spirits could be rampant here.
"The reason they stay is usually an obsession. Resentment, or some kind of strong feeling."
"The dead, unlike the living, have no emotional limiter…that's why we usually can't communicate…."
Emotional limiter. In other words, they won't fall unconscious due to being over excited and putting a strain on their body.
Of course, the same is true for the undead who are not strays, but newcomers seem to be trained in this regard. The upper tier of Immortals is basically those at max level. They will be physically silenced when they're overcome by emotions..
"They are generally dealt with by those in this world, but in the worst cases we send out Grim Reapers."
"So we're in charge of the hunters."
"I've heard it's not good for the soul to be forcibly hunted…"
"Yes. But the role does not just include hunting. It's also their job to mediate tying up any loose ends tethering the soul to this world."
I derailed the conversation, so I'll just let them talk now. I'll compile the information and send it to Shirabesuki-san.
Since there are liches that are not sane, it means there are probably those who didn't choose to become one. If they were of the ruling class…as I heard from Lucianna-san before, it would develop into a major war, with paladins and knights being mobilised.
Then there are the Grim Reapers, which is a familiar name. It is probably from the same lineage as Ame-san's race. As far as the Nether is concerned, it seems they don't have much to do there, with most of their work being business trips to this world or the Abyss. There are more of them than there are arbiters, but it's still a small number. It's information from the Chancellor, so it's reliable.
"Fumu… I see. The real thing…"
"…The real thing?"
"Without a doubt, a genius. I've seen a few of them…and they're the same."
"Lich is not exaggerated….easy to talk to…."
"I have to adapt to the other side… There's someone in the Nether who has no intention of conforming."
"Oh, is that so?"
"You know, Sire. It's Granin."
"Lana, is it."
"She's definitely a genius of combat. It's no surprise that Sigrdrífa-sama loved her so much."
"Does Lana also have a blessing?
"The affection blessing…"
"She's leading the army in the Nether despite having an affection blessing…"
After becoming related to the Nether, one falls under Stellura-sama's jurisdiction, but Sigrdrífa-sama didn't try to take her?
"Only Stellura-sama would do that, you know? You should know why first hand, Sire. Even a sliver of a god's power is too much for the human body."
"Ah, well, you'd certainly not be a person any longer…"
Sigrdrífa-sama's followers were sacred beasts. It's possible that people are not eligible. Harvenshis-sama's are plants. It seems that Stellura-sama's ability to create isolated spaces is important.
Ohh…so this is how it plays out when it is between two Residents. A countdown is displayed above the heads of the Chancellor and Sophie-san and they are connected by a line, so this conversation event will continue during the count.
In this state, they don't respond to my call, and I can't hear their conversation. It's a "we're talking" performance. This creates a Chancellor who ignores their king…well, whatever.
…Let's kill some time by looking at the Halloween event board.
"Then you accept my knowledge as the price?"
"Rather, I prefer that…."
"Sire, can you take her to the palace?"
"Well, I wonder about doing it with Residents…"
"It would be easier if we could do the same as Outsiders."
There's no choice but to give it a try.
I try and connect to my home with the Silver Key, and it turns out a return trip is possible. But I'll tell her not to leave the land, the same as if a player were visiting. If there are any materials that Sophie-san wants, she can ask the servants to fetch them, so I'll ask her not to move about herself.
"Okay… I don't want to be unable to return to the surface…"
"Fumu…Then with that, we should go and deal with another problem."
"…A problem?"
"Something in the lower Abyss. In the meantime, stay in contact and…it would be a good idea to buy some food."
"Food… Okay… And I'll tell Lucianna how to contact me…"
Ah, there are no ingredients in the Nether. I'll have to bring enough for Sophie-san to eat.
"There's a kitchen in the palace you can use. The cooks, well…maybe there is one around."
"Mm.."
But, there's a problem in the Abyss. What is it?
The time for picking up Sophie-san is indicated in the quest, so I will return to Evernight Castle with the Chancellor and come to get her later.
"So what's the problem in the Abyss?"
"Fools are occupying a fort, and have shut themselves inside."
"…Eh? But it's the Abyss. What's their goal?"
"Who knows? I wouldn't understand how a fool thinks."
It's frightening because you can't predict what they're going to do… A case of them shutting themselves away in the Abyss. He mentioned the lower Abyss, so I wonder if there are only such people and the Immortals of the Abyss. In that case, there shouldn't be any hostages …Maybe they're just starving for entertainment. So much they're willing to offer their body for it.
For the time being…I'll go check it out. Somehow or other, this will be my first trip to the Abyss. The quest is… 『Reclaim the Abyssal Fortress』. …The reward is secret and there are no failure conditions. It gives me a bad feeling.
I follow the Chancellor and head towards the Abyss via Enma's court. It's a different road than the one for the souls of Residents… for employees. The transfer gate there takes us to the relevant level.
The Abyss is…darker than the Nether. Put another way, that's about the only difference. Of course, there is no Evernight Castle, but there's a fort. There are no crystal lotus, but these look like red spider lilies.
And there are the Immortals that are posted here.
"Ah, Chancellor. And this is?"
"Our Sire. So, what is it that they're after?"
"The usual rubbish. They're showing no sign of remorse. Proof that stupidity can't be cured by death."
They seem to have a pretty casual relationship. It's possible that…they've known each other for a very long time. Come to think of it, I don't remember seeing much of a hierarchical relationship here. At least not between others. There is with me, but then you could say I'm at more of a distance.
The leader looks like a human, so maybe a type of high-ranking zombie. Zombies become indistinguishable from humans. He may be a former aristocrat. He is pretty good looking, but…how should I put it…ah, he's kind of shady. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's blatant, but his taut smile and narrow eyes are very suspicious. He might look like the refreshing type, but he's clearly not hiding that he's sizing me up.
"Sire, these are the ones in charge of the Abyss. Please lead them in solving this problem."
"It's nice to meet you for the first time. Can I give you the information we have now?"
"Yes, please. I can't move without information."
Information is important. Normally, we would have to gather information from various other sources, but it's good that my position makes this part of things easy.
"First of all, the culprit is a former king of a country and his subordinates. They are those who were defeated by their political opponents on the surface, in the past."
"…Hm?"
"Apparently, they don't like being controlled by us."
"..Hmm?"
"They want to use the fort as a base and turn it into their own kingdom."
"I see?"
"There are 21 of them. Their levels range from 1 to 46."
"What's the breakdown?"
"1 King, 1 Marquis, 1 Count, 2 Viscounts, 4 Barons, 12 Knights."
"Hmm…aside from the knights, the others are around level 1?"
"Well, that's about right."
The nobles wouldn't bother to raise their levels. He said they lost to political rivals, so they were probably the heads of their families. …No, I can't say that for sure. It is also possible that the head of the family was decent, but they were a member of the family that were cut off. Or someone who was aiming to steal the position of head of the family.
Wait… I should switch to thinking in RP terms for this event. In that case, was there any information that was unnecessary?
I need to be recognised by the people of the Abyss for my judgement… It might affect my position, so I'd like to clear it as well as possible. It might be troublesome for me in the future, if they don't recognise my potential.
These guys are small fry in the eyes of Immortals… If I consider why the fort is still occupied and this has come all the way up the hierarchy to me, isn't it to test my handling of the situation? Then is that why extra information was given out in a way that invites sympathy?
Well, for me, who loves reading and is role-playing, it doesn't mean anything. In the world of royalty and nobles, the weak die. Even if he is a former king, he's still a king, but was he a foolish one? He might have been overthrown by a decent prince, but it doesn't change that he is a political rival. When the new king takes his place, the nobles behind his father would be in the way. Considering they are all in the Abyss together, it's easy to see. Where is there room for sympathy?
…I should check with the Chancellor.
"I see, I understand. This isn't the bottom level of the Abyss, is it?"
"No. There is more below."
How many levels is the Abyss divided into? I have sufficient information for the time being anyway. The Chancellor told me to lead the men of the abyss, so orders should be given to their leader.
"So that's how it is. Then please clean them up quickly. I'll decide if they are to stay here or will be dropped down."
"…Is that okay?"
His eyes have opened quite wide. It's very deliberate, but he seems like a troublesome character to deal with, so I'm going to ignore it.
"What are you surprised about? Is there something you haven't told me yet?"
"No, I've told you everything."
"Of course. Chancellor, would you like to hear my reasoning?"
"May I ask?"
"The culprit is a foolish king and his political opponent was his son. The other nobles were responsible for raising up the king, putting an idiot before their country. In this case, they were allowed to occupy the fort to test my discernment and ability to be recognised by the Immortals in the Abyss."
"…Good. So, what would you like them to do?"
The Chancellor looks like he's having a lot of run. Though it's hard to tell since he's bones.
Anyway. My instructions are for the leader.
"The Goddess of Benevolence is merciful, but I am not. Do it."
"Yes. Your Majesty, ma'am. …Let's go."
"『Yeah.』"
The leader of the Abyss troops, who had been grinning since I gave my answer, has headed towards the fort, leading his men with a black smile. Though half of them have stayed behind on house-sitting duty.
They carry their weapons in an uncouth manner, and are clearly not knights. They're our colleagues, so they can't be bad people, but… I should think of them as like Mohican-san.
"Even though they are Immortals, they are still ex-humans…I suppose. The difference between the Nether and Abyss is quite big, isn't it?"
"Well, it's a matter of the right person in the right place. We put them where they fit best."
"Is the leader a former noble?"
"A third son. He didn't fit in with the nobility and became an adventurer. They were a group of adventurers, doing vigilantism in the Abyss."
"I see, adventurers. Now, it is the role of the ruler to trust in their subordinates and wait."
"That's right. Well, you won't need to wait too long. …But didn't you make quite a fast decision? I thought you would have hesitated a little."
"It's simple. I'm an Outsider. I'm an outsider to this world. That's why I can play the role of the required ruler. My focus is on this, not on them. I don't need to care too much what others think. It's not bad to be different from on the other side, and I'm usually allowed to do what I want."
I don't think this reasoning is bad. It's good for RP, isn't it?
"Well, let's see. If we want a good ruler, we also have to be good subordinates. …Isn't that right?"
The remaining Abyss group are nodding happily. What they have seen is that I can be bold and ruthless…I suppose. If the person at the top can't make decisions or won't act on them, it's better not to have them there…
After just a little while, the fort has been taken. That was quick… I wonder why they thought they could get away with it in the first place, given the level difference. A foolish king, as expected. It looks like most of the people around him are just as bad.
If players come as far as the Abyss, maybe there will be more sudden events like this.
A round man, wearing clothes that are more extravagant than those of the others, is being dragged this way by the leader, so he must be the king. It seems that the Resident spirits can change their clothes with just their imagination, so they can wear whatever they want. ..Maybe it would be rude the Chancellor to call them luxurious. Since it is meant with a bad meaning, maybe gauche or vulgar would be better. Not that it is something worth worrying over.
I will have to check each of the 21 people that have been captured, but…it's a bother. I turn my right arm into (back into?) a tentacle, wrapping it around the neck of the king and hanging him from it. It is really strange that this has meaning to a spirit that shouldn't need to breathe. The lack of their weight reduces the effect, but that's fine since it is not what I am aiming for.
It is enough that I can show my presence while remaining silent. While hanging the culprits, I only open my mouth to pass on what I have confirmed. In this case, it would be creepier not to say anything more than needed.
"Send this one down by two, but one for the others."
"You heard that? Take them away."
"『Yeah.』"
<Quest: 『Reclaim the Abyssal Fortress』 has been completed.>
<Your reputation with the Immortals of the Afterworld has increased significantly.>
I toss away the one I'm holding and return my arm to normal. I'll distract myself from the souls that are being dragged away and check the completed quest.
『Reclaim the Abyssal Fortress』
It seems that a fortress in the Abyss has been occupied.
Listen to the Immortals of the Abyss and lead them in solving the situation.
1. Get information from the Immortals of the Abyss.
2. Give instructions on what to do based on the information you have obtained.
3. Wait for the report.
4. Serve as an arbiter.
Condition: Immortal of level 45 or above, with the right of passage to the Abyss.
Reward: Change in reputation with Immortals of the Afterworld.
….Change in reputation. Isn't this written in a way that implies it could also go down? There are no conditions for failure, so this quest may have multiple patterns.
The experience gained… is slightly insufficient. I'll still aim for evolution in the afternoon. I'll be doing some testing anyway, so I guess I'll eat after that…
Hm…Until noon, I'll be examining [Fist of Yog-Sothoth]. Before eating, I'll get Sophie-san… No, I don't know how that's going to proceed, so I'll go in the afternoon. I'll need to hunt for the missing experience and evolve. After evolving comes checking and testing skills.
After parting from the Chancellor and the others and informing the people in the palace about Sophie-san, I return to the surface. Basically, I'll leave it to them.
I'll experiment with the rabbits around the Starting Town.
The black goat activated it without saying anything…let's see.
As with other magic, a gauge appears when I'm conscious of wanting to use it, but the performance is a little difference. …Mu? A tremendous amount of MP has been eaten.
After targetting a nearby rabbit, a transparent fist flies out and hits it. It's flying…a long way. It's a little troubling that it sends them flying so far out of the range of my magic, but…it might be good for recovering from a bad situation. Like with [Gravitas Manoeuvre], no activation key is required, and the cooldown is 10 seconds. Considering the distance and the MP cost, it's a bit tricky to include in a strategy, huh?
After defeating the returning rabbit, I check the chant gauge. …Unlike with others, there are multiple lines in the chant gauge.
When I check by blowing away another rabbit, I can see that the first two lines in the chant gauge are consuming 1% and 5% of my MP, respectively. At the maximum, it takes 10%. Very painful.
Naturally, the effect changes between 1%, 5% and 10%, and it can still be activated at the 1% line. At max, it consumes 10% of my MP, but considering the consumption, this attack power is rubbish, so it's completely for knockback. As for how much damage it does, not even half of the rabbit's health.
Putting aside the attack power, the knockback performance is probably at the strongest level. The knockback is so strong that I feel it's not going to be easy to use. If I blow the enemy into a wall, it could be strong…maybe. The best place to test that is in the ruins dungeon.
Quite a bit of testing is going to be needed to use this effectively…quite troublesome. The rabbits fly better when hit while jumping for an attack than when they are on the ground. Well, basically enemies will fly further if they're already in the air. The same is true for wolves, which are in the same size category as rabbit's, despite their appearance. However, wolves don't fly quite as well as rabbits when they are on the ground.
The weight seems properly configured….but, if it's not uniform based on size category, then skeletal difference might be a factor. These verifications are very tedious. At least we know that there is equipment weight, so we should probably assume that it does refer to the weight… The problem is that even with the help of players of different weights, or players with different weights depending on their equipment, it's not unlikely that the effect would be different against players and against monsters…
In my case, if it's one against one, it's faster to hit each other without blowing them away. The point of it would be, while solo, to blow one away to earn some time when there are more than can be handled even with my servants summoned. The MP cost is a pain, but that can't be helped. It would be a problem if they didn't fly as well as expected after using it, but if that happens, it happens. It doesn't matter any more by that point, because I'll already be dead no matter what I do…
Other players seem to be using Byakhee quite a bit, but I can fly by myself, and Yog-sama's fist seems to be like this too. Some of the abilities of my compatriots seem to be quite niche, don't they? If it's something that is on the level of being mandatory, the conditions for acquiring it are problematic, so I'd say it's just about right…
Well, I'll continue checking it against other enemies. For sending enemies into the sky…horses, cows, goblins and turtles are also good.
After trying with enemies of various shapes and sizes, I have lunch, then log in for the afternoon.
My first stop is the church to pick up Sophie-san.
"Good day. Are you ready to go?"
"No problem…"
Then, connect the gate to the palace and off we go to my house.
<Sophie Lilywhite Sorciere has been invited.>
There are different messages for Residents and players. Though it might be a quest-related message, so I can't say for sure… Well, it doesn't matter. There are things I need to say more than that. I'm very worried.
"Sophie-san. Please don't leave the grounds of the palace. I've never tried it with a Resident, so I don't know what will happen, but Outsiders I have invited are repelled and cannot leave. The Chancellor will come here, so it's best that you don't try to leave. At worst, you will die or be unable to return. The staff here have been told to prepare any materials you ask for."
"I don't intend to live here permanently yet….I understand…"
She looks very disappointed, but she should be okay. As for the quest…it is now displaying the time until the research is completed, so it's fine to let it be.
Alright, let's go and level up. It will go up soon, so I'll push myself a bit by going to the lower floors, then I could just return by dying… So, since I'm solo, I'll go to the ruins dungeon. I usually hunt around the 5th floor, but I'm going to aim for the 10th.
If you go down one floor, the minimum and maximum levels go up by 1, giving a 6 level difference by the 4th and 5th floors. If it stays the same, the 10th floor should be around level 60. To be honest, I don't think I can beat the 10th floor, no matter how good a match-up it is.
<Your Race Level has increased.>
<Your Race Level is now 50. Some racial skills have been unlocked.>
Alright, it went up. For evolution… looks like I have to go to the Medium, as usual.
I'll continue aiming for the 10th floor before I check the new racial skills. I don't think I can hunt there, but I can still do some mapping.
I send back #1 and the others, then fly along right below the ceiling, searching for the path to the next floor.
Hm? I can hear a sound. Something first seen on the 9th floor…? So I still haven't seen everything. …There it is.
Search Drone Lv46
A reconnaissance drone designed to check for hostile entities.
Attributes: - Weaknesses: Bashing, Lightning, Ice Resistances: –
Class: Armoured Order: Four Propeller Type
Family: Search Drone Genus: Drone
Species: Search Drone
Status: Collation
Status: Collation. …I have a premonition of death. Can I shake it off? No, its level is low. I should take it out fast!
I begin chanting a mine spell, thrust my sword at the drone, flying near the ceiling, and swing it down. I place the mine behind the fallen enemy and hit the drone towards it with a tentacle .
It's HP is…gone. Even so, I feel that the sound and explosion of the mine were unnatural, but is it my imagination? I'd like to search for drones on the BBS, but…I should keep moving for the time being.
Oh, I've reached the 10th floor! I'll summon #1 and Lizzy and return to the ground. I could also record, while I'm here.
The corridor has become much cleaner, hasn't it? It looks as if it has been well maintained, but I wonder if there is a manager…or rather, that kind of armoured type.
The first villager is… a General-Purpose Melee Type MK.II. Level 62…It's high. They are in the 60's at the minimum after all…
While parrying the melee-type attacks that come slashing at me, without asking any questions, automatic tentacle counterattacks occasionally trigger, inflicting abnormal conditions, and I return my own attacks with shot magic.
There are two magic shots… Oh, it is [Mirror Spell]. There was such a thing, huh. It was learned at 50. The damage is of course not 100% for both, but is the mirror spell extremely weak? Accurate testing is going to have to wait until I return from here.
Because it fires from the same location with a 1 second delay, it sometimes misses depending on the movement of the enemy. …Well, it's a bonus, so it's okay. It seems that the MP consumption has not increased.
Even so….it's not dying. As expected of a level 62. Tough. I've also been letting Lizzy hit it from behind. It takes more force than usual to parry, so it's hard work…
The AI too…it's subtle and clever. Please stop feinting. It's very annoying to have a slight shift in timing.
….Okay, it's really of a higher rank. Delicious.
I've also taken down General-Purpose Firing Type and Support Firing Type, but, well…I can only really say I'm managing. However, the time needed to defeat one of them has definitely increased, so if more than one comes at a time I won't be able to handle them. It's still too soon for me to be here.
They're very rewarding to fight, so it might be nice to do it once in a while, but… the efficiency is not great.
Kyin… pashun… kyin… pashun…
This sound… It's coming…
I doubt I can beat it with this level difference, so should I hide? No, I intended to return by dying for evolution anyway, so it's fine. Let's fight! I'll start with chanting [Short Jump].
The sound has changed… It's fast! I evade with the [Short Jump] I chanted. It shuts off the main booster, fires the one on the side, and turns to face me while evading the three shots I fired. It found me quickly. As expected of an Elimination Type…It's coming to kill me.
Hmm…Its movements are very sharp, or I could say there is very little waste in them. The transition between the end of one action and the beginning of the next is faster than on floors 5 to 9. The transition from action to action is very smooth. I wish it would give me a break.
Kyin… pashun… kyin… pashun…
Eh? Is there no limit of just one spawning on this floor? And this first one…It still has enough health to survive two more reflections. Impossible. It can't be helped. I'll un-summon #1, leaving only Lizzy. I originally planned to die anyway. It would be a waste of capacity.
Because #1 is not here as a shield user, reflecting safely is not possible. I instead use bursts, and reflect the missiles that leak through.
I'm holding aggro while Lizzy hits it, but isn't the other one taking a while to come? And listening carefully, the sound seems to be different. Rather…heavier?
General-Purpose Cleaner Type Lv64
Heavily armed general-purpose type, designed for ‘cleaning' the area.
Equipped with a large cylinder on its back and two rocket launchers on both arms.
Attributes: - Weaknesses: Bashing, Lightning, Ice Resistances: –
Class: Armoured Order: Humanoid
Family: General-Purpose Genus: Cleaner
Species: General-Purpose Cleaner Type
Condition: Normal
A new model!
The Elimination Type is slender, but the Cleaner Type is bulky. It is a heavy biped. It uses rockets, which should only go straight. I wonder about the big tube on its back. Anyway, I understand that the concept of this machine is high firepower.
When the Cleaner Type gets down on one knee, the leg transforms into a shield and both arms are pointed this way to fire the rockets. Those huge legs are for containing the transformation mechanism! It has a really high defensive power…
I try to reflect the rockets that fly this way in the direction of the Elimination Type, but it's difficult. The speed is not unreasonable, so I think it should hit with the right timing. The unguided rockets trade the homing for being high-powered. But I think I should return them to the unmoving Cleaner Type, rather than the Elimination Type which I can't hit. Though I don't have the leeway, for the most part.
The rockets are difficult to return, because they don't fly in a straight line, but are quite unsteady. Just right… It's hard!? For now, I'll block the unmoving enemy with the pillars.
Well, it will move eventually. But it should be somewhat slow because of the transformation mechanism. Considering the amount of health that was scraped off, it seems best. …Lizzy can attack the Cleaner Type. I'll play with the Elimination Type.
Lizzy with her two-handed axe seems to be having a lot of fun, even if she's expressionless, as she beats away at it. It did work as expected and the accuracy of the rockets has become much lower.
I think we can manage like this. ….Ah, I may have raised a flag. Somehow…it seems like Elimination Type is looking at Lizzy. Maybe it has a special AI…
Look over here. Look at me. Hey, look at me. O~ii, wait please. Hey? My aggro got taken!? Missiles! I won't let you! I'll parry the multi-warheads before they separate, bring Lizzy over here, and keep pillars between us and the Cleaner Type.
The Elimination Type came over here! If you attack the Cleaner Type when it has less than half its health, does aggro switch to the attacker? I don't know if it's only the Elimination Type, or for other enemies too, but this needs to be verified. Well, in short, it's taking action to protect the main firepower. Troublesome.
I have no choice but to let Lizzy attack the Elimination Type. While it's easy for Lizzy to hit it, the Cleaner Type seems to have high physical defence, so it doesn't do great amounts of damage. It would have gone quicker if I had kept out #1… It would have been easier to get rid of the Elimination Type quickly.
Let's leave the Cleaner Type for the time being, and beat the Elimination Type with Lizzy first.
Eh, the surrounding area is filled with danger zones!? …It's an attack from the mysterious armament on the back of the Cleaner Type! Maybe I shouldn't have left the Cleaner Type alone, to fight with the Elimination Type a short distance away…
There is a safe zone just in front of the Cleaner Type! Switch Lizzy's target to the Cleaner Type… she's faster than me… I'm getting left behind.
Ah, the Elimination Type is getting in my way. There should be friendly fire, so it will die with the amount of health it has left and its defence. This guy is totally trying to sabotage me…
Ah, it fired. Lizzy got there in time. And the Eliminator Type! It's not fair to fire your thrusters at full power and escape! Uwa, it's going to hit Lizzy.
The objects fired by the cylinder pop out wings, like small aeroplanes, gliding near the ceiling in large numbers above the red danger zones…eh? Carpet bombing with cluster bombs!?
[Short Jump]… will I make it in time…! I fall back to escape the bombing, then jump forward to a spot it just ended!
Safe! But Lizzy is going to die! I switch Lizzy to targetting the Elimination Type, then hit the Cleaner Type with a tentacle…good, I got back the aggro of the Elimination Type!
As I expected of the Elimination Type. It is protecting the Cleaner Type. These guys are working together!
Ah, reinforcements have come…Support Firing Type MK.I. It's generally a nice enemy, but now is not a good time. Hmm…this might be impossible. It would be nice if I could leave the Elimination Type to Lizzy, but in such a match-up, Lizzy loses. She is an attacker with a two-handed axe… she has bad compatibility with highly mobile or long range types.
If she hits the Cleaner Type, she'll take aggro from the Elimination Type, so it depends on whether or not Lizzy can defeat the Elimination Type.
As expected, the Elimination Type is firing grenades and multi-warhead missiles. And the Cleaner Type its rockets. It's impossible to deal with all that and the fire from the Support Firing Type. My HP is going down…
My magic is mainly being used for recovery and bursts against the multi-warhead missiles, so firepower is limited to Lizzy and my tentacles.
Aah…even more reinforcements have come. Let's send Lizzy back.
Another that I am seeing for the first time has come along with them…
Maintenance Monitor Lv65
An aircraft designed to monitor armoured types and buildings, ensuring they are in perfect condition at all times.
Operates 3 types of small drones.
Attributes: - Weaknesses: Bashing, Lightning, Ice Resistances: –
Class: Armoured Order: Mothership Type
Family: Maintenance Type Genus: Monitor Type
Species: Maintenance Monitor
Condition: Normal
The mothership has arrived. And it's escorted by General-Purpose Melee Types and Support Firing Types.
…I can't go any further!
The deck of the Maintenance Monitor opens up and lets out three….are they drones? …Two of them move to the Elimination Type and one to the Cleaner Type, connecting to them with a line of light.
…The attack speed of the Cleaner Type has increased. The Elimination Type has gained an effect like a shield when it is hit, increasing its defensive power.
Eh… Repair drone, barrier drone, supply drone. Repair… Its recovery rate doesn't seem to be that high.
They don't use propellers to fly…is there a chance for them to drop a gravity core? The Maintenance Monitor is also floating.
Well…that's only if I can beat them. But I saw two aircraft for the first time, so that's good!
…Goodbye!
<Incapacitated due to complete HP loss>
<Wait for resurrection / Abandon the incarnation and return to the main body>
Yeah, six of them is too much. And they are 10 to 15 levels higher than me.
I'll return to the main body…
And I'm now in space.
I'll stop recording here…I think I'll upload a clip from encountering the Elimination Type until my death.
Alright, let's evolve.
