Table of Contents
Copyrights and Credits
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Newsletter
Color Gallery
Prologue
Prologue
I PROCEEDED ALONE through the dim underground passage of the labyrinth, my sole light source coming from the glowing flowers. In my peripheral vision, I kept the map displayed on the goggles clipped to my head. I gripped my FN P90 tightly with both hands, relaxing and tightening my grip in turn.
The labyrinth’s map expanded with each step forward, revealing red dots that indicated enemies ahead. There were only two dots at first, then three more followed behind them. At this pace, I would likely encounter them around the corner off to my right.
My pace quickened unconsciously, from a slow walk into a dash. I confirmed the red dots’ positions, and I accelerated into a dive around the corner, rotating my body to the right in midair. The red dots were goblins. I aimed down the FN P90’s iron sights at one’s head and let loose with a burst of fire while still airborne.
There was no doubt that the goblin was dead. My aim had perfectly aligned with its skull, and the burst fire of three 5.7 × 28mm rounds resulted in a headshot. That was one goblin down.
As my body descended, I released the iron sights and readjusted my aim, directing the crosshair displayed on my goggles towards another goblin’s head. Once it and the crosshair aligned, I quickly re-engaged the iron sights and pulled the trigger.
The FN P90 was equipped with a silencer, and its gunfire emitted a dull, subdued sound as I landed on the underground passage floor and quickly transitioned into a kneeling position. I switched the FN P90’s firing mode from full-auto to semi-auto. I looked at the goblins’ faces—they had no idea what hit them.
I spotted the remaining three enemies in the distance—glass wolves. Glass wolves were not your typical dog or wolf. They were huge, and it was difficult to stop their momentum once they were in a full headlong charge.
I fired two shots at the closest one. I slid the crosshair to target the head of the right-most glass wolf and fired two more shots. The last remaining glass wolf charged towards me. Still crouched, I leaned forward and launched myself off like a rocket into the passage wall diagonally ahead of me.
Executing a wall run, I evaded the glass wolf’s charge and leapt behind it. While still in midair, I performed a 180-degree turn, and the crosshair darted rapidly as it sought and found the back of the glass wolf’s head.
And its head absorbed every perfectly aimed shot without a miss. The goblins’ bodies were enveloped by black mist emanating from the underground passage, and they sunk into the ground. I checked the map and confirmed no other red dots were present and that I was now safe.
I reloaded the P90, discarding the old magazine with some rounds remaining. The discarded magazine transformed into particles of light before touching the ground and vanishing.
I collected the special stones the goblins dropped in the passage. There were three stones in front, with a few left by the goblins further back. These magic stones were rewards for defeating the enemies within the underground labyrinth. They were akin to the spoils obtained at the end of an in-game battle. They were essential for my survival in this world.
The day that I fell into this world changed my life dramatically. Back in my old reality, I was a young man who worked hard turning my hobbies into a rewarding profession. I dreamt of having a family one day and spending the rest of my days in that mode.
That was then. Now, I was living my life as an FPS player.
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
THE GAME MODE I was currently fixated on was solo PvE. This involved player versus AI-controlled monster-type enemies that exhibited crafty and sometimes aggravating behaviors. I was currently tackling the Sky Garden, in a stage where players moved by jumping between floating islands on the map. Powered suits enhanced the players’ physical abilities and protected them from annoying enemies that targeted players while they were in mid-jump.
“Phew,” I muttered. “I’m halfway there.” I had reached one of the islands midway and paused to rest against a large rock. I activated my left-hand gauntlet, which featured a touch-operated, semi-transparent screen monitor the size of a small piece of paper. On it, I accessed the Crystal Points I’d accumulated so far to replenish my equipment’s ammunition.
My current main weapon was the H&K MP5A4. It was a masterpiece built by the German company Heckler & Koch. The A4 was an advanced variant of the MP5 series that featured an added burst fire function, low recoil, high precision, and was easy to control.
Upon selecting four magazines of the 9 × 19mm Parabellum ammunition it used, particles of light appeared, converged before me, and transformed into a black supply box. I opened the box and extracted the magazines. The supply box once again turned into light particles and disappeared. I slid a magazine into the MP5A4 and stashed the remaining ones in my magazine belt.
Even though Virtual Reality Multiplayer Battlefield was a virtual reality game, basic prep and in-depth knowledge required for handling firearms—such as loading the first round into the chamber—were eliminated to minimize the fetishization of guns in the real world. Therefore, once the magazine was inserted into the weapon and the safety was disengaged, it was ready to fire.
Rising from behind the rock, I readied myself to jump to the next island.
“Okay, let’s go!” I shouted.
My powered suit provided me with enhanced leg strength, and it made me run faster than any ordinary person should. Just as I leaped up, two red dots appeared on the map in my goggles. There were enemies ahead.
I quickly adjusted my posture midair, and I turned my body towards the approaching foes. I swung my MP5A4 from over my back and into a hip-fire position. This made a crosshair appear on my goggles. I switched the gun’s safety to full-auto.
The attackers were the Sky Garden’s flying hunters: the Sky Eagles. These creatures could only perform aerial charges. If they hit you midair, you’d be knocked off course. During this freefall, you could miss your intended island and fall off the map to your death.
I pulled the trigger with one hand while aligning the crosshair with the enemy. While spraying bullets, I transitioned from a one-handed to a two-handed grip, moving from hip-fire to iron sights for greater accuracy. I shot down the first bird in midair.
I managed to land sideways on the targeted island, but another Sky Eagle had timed its attack for the moment I landed and charged me. Using momentum from my landing, I jumped backward to dodge the charge while shooting the second one down.
“Too easy!” I taunted as the Sky Eagle turned into light particles and disappeared. My taunt had become something of a catchphrase for me in VMB, but perhaps this time I spoke too soon.
“What?! Whoa!”
I hadn’t landed yet. I forgot to look behind me during the shoot-out, and I fell right off the map.
***
“Hmm... Ugh...”
My cheek felt cold, and something grass-like touched my hand. I opened my eyes slowly. I was lying face down on ground that was no longer in the Sky Garden. I was on a different map.
“Where am I?” I mumbled to myself. “Is this some kind of a hidden stage?”
Normally, when failing to land on one of Sky Garden’s islands, you fell off the map and died. Then you were transported to your player’s homebase. That’s not where I was. I was lying in a grassy field with a gentle breeze blowing across my face.
“Wait, is that wind? I’ve never heard about being transported to a place like this.”
Looking around at my surroundings, I didn’t see any of the Sky Garden islands. All I saw were clouds, grass, and flowers moving with the wind. That was strange, since VMB didn’t feature elements like wind. It was also strange that my cheek felt cold. That meant I could also feel temperatures.
“This isn’t VMB, is it? That can’t be...”
Confused that I was no longer in the game, I checked my body. The MP5A4 was still there—as were its three magazines in my belt, a sub-weapon, grenades, and a knife at my waist. The gauntlet on my left arm still contained the Tactical Support System and was fully functional. I launched the monitor, and the menu displayed as usual. However, when I tried to open any emails from the game admins, I got nothing but an error message.
The map displayed on my goggles seemed to be initialized, and it showed only the light dot that indicated my position. The Crystal Points I’d accumulated so far remained unchanged. The Shop for purchasing weapons, ammunition, and supplies seemed open, and the support weapon summoning feature was still selectable.
“I don’t get it. Why can’t I contact anyone? Is it because this is some kind of hidden stage? If it is, maybe I can find some good swag.”
In VMB’s PvE mode, stage clear rewards included Crystal Points, the occasional rare firearm, and equipment that could not be purchased in the Shop. Collecting these rare items was why I enjoyed this mode so much.
“I should explore some more. But which way should I go?”
Looking around, I didn’t see a landmark or any kind of destination on the map. The map included a compass, but looking around, I saw only a forest to the north, mountains to the east, and grasslands stretching across the west and south.
“Hmm, the west and south seem empty. Considering VMB’s map structure, mountain combat is unlikely, so maybe the northern forest is my best bet.”
I was stuck in an unfamiliar stage where it was unclear where enemies could appear. While the map displayed them as red dots, the unexplored areas of this world were masked by a fog of war. Their information could not be shown to me from here.
I swung the MP5A4 to my waist and set the safety to a three-round burst. I moved north at a light jog, slightly faster than a normal person’s pace, thanks to the powered suit.
I progressed through the grassland without encountering any enemies, but as I entered the forest, the vegetation grew taller and something completely unexpected entered my view. I started seeing living creatures.
“Insects?! What the...?”
Insects did not exist in the world of VMB. Though natural maps like these forests and grasslands existed, players or enemies were the only moving entities. There was no such thing as harmless NPCs or mobs.
“This can’t be VMB. Yet, why am I here still in this outfit? Where am I?”
Who was I asking? There was no answer, and my voice disappeared into the forest, carried off by the gusting wind. I gripped my MP5A4 tightly. The solid lump of steel only weighed about six and a half pounds, but it somehow felt much heavier. I was also aware of the sound sensor in my ear that I’d never felt before, and the goggle’s bright, neon orange display. I switched off the sound sensor and retracted the goggles. I tried to log out of the TSS, but there was no response.
Looking around with the naked eye, it was apparent that what I was sensing was real. This was not the world inside VMB or any other game. This was reality.
While still grappling with my situation, something flickered through my unfocused, wandering gaze.
“An enemy?!”
Perhaps because I was dressed as I was in VMB, I instinctively thought of going stealth as enemies appeared, and I quickly hid behind a nearby tree. My hands trembled as I activated the sound sensor and redeployed my goggles. I peeked from around the tree to look in the direction where something had just passed by.
“Is it a person? Maybe another player?”
I saw three humanoid figures about two hundred yards ahead. There was something strange about them. They were hairless and only wore loincloths. It was hard to tell through the goggles’ orange-tinted display, so I increased the transparency until the HUD and map were barely visible. I moved from tree to tree in a low crouch and trailed the suspicious trio.
Once I was one hundred yards away, I noticed their skin color was off. They weren’t flesh-colored, but green, with bald heads and large ears. The creatures were four feet tall and looked like children, except that all three carried wooden clubs.
“No way, are those...goblins?”
They certainly weren’t human. Enemies like that didn’t exist in VMB, but it was the only name that came to mind. It seemed to fit.
“Where have I fallen to? Can I get back?”
I was completely confused by this unknown reality I found myself in. I pondered my current situation while I continued my undercover tracking of the goblins.
“Where am I? Am I no longer on Earth? No, no—goblins don’t and have never existed on Earth. So what are they? Did I teleport to another planet? Or time travel? This is a different reality from my world. It’s not virtual reality...more like an isekai world. But I was playing an FPS, not a VRMMO.”
I loved games, anime, novels, and light novels. My favorite genre was FPS, but I also enjoyed VRMMO games that resembled the isekai worlds in light novels. VRMMO were not virtual reality shooter games like VMB, but rather a virtual reality RPGs, sometimes set in a Western fantasy world, where the protagonist was transported to a fantasy world that became their reality. Recently, the trend in light novels involved such stories, and the transfer was often triggered by the VRMMO game genre.
“I was playing an FPS, right? Then I was somehow transferred to a world of swords, sorcery, and firearms? Well, I don’t know if there’s magic here, but I should assume there is and be prepared for any opponents using some form of ranged weapons I’ve never seen before.”
Half an hour passed as I continued to track the goblins and mutter to myself. Suddenly, I heard water flowing, or rather falling, from the depths of the forest. I saw a waterfall through the gaps in the trees. It was about thirty feet high and had a visible cliff. The three goblins headed towards the waterfall and entered a cave neighboring it.
“What am I doing?” Watching them disappear into the cave, I suddenly came to my senses. They were merely returning to their den. In that case, where was I to return to? I was stuck. I didn’t know what to do now, or what my purpose was.
Can I return to my original world? But how?
Do I live in this world, now? But where do I go?
I remained fixated on the goblin’s den. For how long, I don’t know, but eventually the sky turned red as the sun began setting. On the map, multiple moving red dots appeared.
My goggles were on a retractable head-mounted display and provided eye protection. When you transitioned them to VRFPS, you could view various kinds of information difficult to view on TV screens or monitors. The goggles displayed detailed intel, including map data, weapon ammunition count, and enemy and ally positions. It could also switch to FLIR mode for infrared thermography and night vision mode for combat in various environments. All this made it one of VMB’s most important pieces of equipment.
The map display was circular and with a radius that extended up to a hundred and fifty yards. The sound sensor collected audio within the same range. When dynamic objects appeared, the map displaying them as dots of light—enemies were shown as red, and allies as blue.
In VMB, enemies were automatically displayed as red dots upon visual confirmation or hostile actions, but I wasn’t in the game anymore. The three goblins I pursued earlier displayed as red dots, but for all I knew, they were peaceful, indigenous inhabitants of this world. Even so, I couldn’t assume they were allies yet.
“They’re coming from across the river.”
I moved to a better position where the dots were more visible while maintaining my cover. I verified the identity of the light dots on the map.
“Those are also goblins.”
These multiple red points of light were similar in stature to the previous creatures. Upon closer inspection, however, I saw one of them wore different clothing. It wore a jacket resembling a padded half-coat with a long, ceremonial sash hung around its neck. It also held a club, but it was longer, like the staff of a magician or shaman.
More goblins trailed behind it. Each carried what appeared to be livestock—pigs, most likely. Among them, one goblin held something large and wrapped in a mat-like cloth.
“Is that a person?”
Thin, feminine legs stuck out from the edge of the cloth. These goblins were proudly displaying the spoils of their hunt, and carried the pigs and woman all while screeching to each other in a language that was clearly not human. They disappeared into the den.
What the hell was going on?
I stared at the den again, trying to make sense of it all. Hours ago, I had been playing a virtual reality shooter called VMB, and yet, somehow, now I found myself in what seemed to be a completely different world. The beings I just saw could only be described as goblins. They were humanoids, and clearly not human. But there were human legs in what they carried. It must be someone they abducted. Was she still alive? Was this why I was brought here? Was I meant to save her?
My grip tightened unconsciously around the cold weight of my MP5A4—a steel mass and deadly weapon. My stance was exactly as it was in VMB, but I was unsure if the gun would fire. The TSS confirmed that I could still use the Shop and spend Crystal Points, but I hadn’t tried purchasing anything. There was no guarantee, then, that I could restock ammunition or equipment. Even if I could shoot and reload without issue, would this weapon be enough to take down a goblin? Would a 9 × 19mm Parabellum round actually work?
My mind was flooded with anxiety and questions. Before I knew it, the sun had completely set, and the forest was now shrouded in full darkness.
“I’m going for it. At the very least, I need to check if that person is alive. I can help her if my gun works. If it doesn’t, I’ll have to run. Sucks for her, but that’s the reality of the situation.”
I maintained a firm tone with myself and switched my goggles to night vision mode. I started moving through the trees and toward the goblins’ den.
***
The inside of the den was wider than I had expected at about ten feet tall and thirteen to sixteen feet wide. The path twisted and turned as it continued deeper. Growing along the walls were small, glowing flowers completely unknown to me, providing the cave’s only light source. It was very faint, but it was enough for the NV mode on my goggles to pick up, giving me a clear view. The map masked unexplored areas, and the directional microphone sensor didn’t show moving objects in areas like this. However, the sensor itself wasn’t completely disabled; through it, I could hear high-pitched screeches from deeper in the passage—almost certainly the goblins.
They were coming this way! I heard the distinct footsteps of two goblins. I instinctively gripped the MP5A4’s handle, even though I knew firing now would risk attracting more enemies. That is, if the gun fired at all. I needed a better grasp of the situation.
I began to silently retreat. I swung the MP5A4 into my shoulder holster and drew the Colt M1911A1 holstered at my waist. I also pulled a silencer from my waist-pouch and attached it to the Colt.
The M1911A1 was a refined model of the original M1911, designed by John Browning. It had been built for stopping power, and a single shot could disable an enemy. It used .45 ACP rounds, larger in caliber by about 3mm compared to 9 × 19mm Parabellum. If this didn’t work on goblins, then nothing would.
While there were advantages in suppressing the firing noise with the silencer, there were also disadvantages. In VMB, this was part of the game’s balancing system: a silencer reduced your power over distance, lowered range damage, and disrupted weapon balance, leading to decreased hip-fire accuracy. But I had no idea whether those disadvantages still applied in this world. I had no choice but to shoot and find out.
I released the M1911A1’s safety, confirmed the crosshairs in my goggles, and took cover inside a curve in the tunnel. I raised the gun one-handed and leaned around the corner. I saw the goblins clearly thanks to NV mode, but I was uncertain how clearly they could see me in this faint light. I minimized my exposure, placed the crosshairs on the far end of the dark passage, and waited for the goblins to appear.
I kept calling them goblins, but was that what they really were? If I was going to shoot, I couldn’t allow any counterattack or dying screams. I had to go for clean headshots and finish them in a single shot. But if they were some kind of peaceful native species of this world, would I then be a murderer?
I needed to confirm the woman’s condition before engaging. If there were clear signs of assault, then there would be no doubt. It would confirm that this was a crueler world than where I came from. This line of thought kept looping in my mind as I waited in the darkness.
Then they appeared. There were two of them, just as I thought. I hesitated to shoot, but then I saw their faces. Their height made them look like children, but, man, were they ugly! There was no mistaking it—those were monsters! Those things were enemies—a mob I was meant to shoot.
I kept my aim on the targets and squeezed off two shots. The soft, muffled sounds echoed in succession, with a sound like air escaping and then something being crushed. The gun was almost as good as it was in VMB.
The shots here weren’t perfectly silent. In VMB, the silencer made sound faint enough that it wouldn’t appear on the opponent’s map. Also, ejected casings turned into particles of light and vanished before hitting the ground.
I slowly approached the two goblins with the M1911A1 aimed at them. The gunfire had made them fall on their backs. If a single headshot from the M1911A1 could do that, then the MP5A4 should work as well. They were clearly dead. However, I couldn’t move from that spot while keeping the gun aimed.
I contemplated their faces. They had extremely large ears, hooked noses, red eyes, and wide mouths full of sharp fangs. If these creatures were natives or a different sort of species, I couldn’t imagine getting along with them. I felt no remorse from having killed them, perhaps because their faces were so inhuman.
Do their bodies not disappear?
As soon as I solved one question, another arose. If the corpses remained, how would I obtain Crystal Points? The TSS showed no automatic increase. If the enemies I defeated didn’t drop crystals, I wouldn’t accumulate any Crystal Points and would eventually be unable to resupply. Then I’d lose my only means of combat.
My feet felt rooted in the mossy ground. I was afraid to move, unsure if the ammo I’d use to save the unknown woman would be the last of my supplies.
***
Further on in the dimly lit den was a small circular room where the female—too old to be a girl, too young to be a woman—lay.
Around her were goblins, their red eyes glowing and their large mouths twisted into mocking smiles.
“Gufu, gufu.”
“Hmm... Hn.”
The floor I was on was hard and uncomfortable. I struggled to fully open my eyes.
Where is this place? The surroundings lacked sunlight—not even magical light could be seen. There was some dim light from the glowing white grass.
“Guuuu guuii.”
Now I was awake, but I couldn’t move. They had bound my hands and feet. Eyes wide open, all I saw was the cave wall in front of me, and all I could hear was the demi-humans’ chatter echoing around me.
I remembered now. I went with a senior investigator to Myral Village for a post-investigation into a stray goblin extermination request recently completed by other adventurers. I was inspecting the western creek, when apparently these goblins attacked me. It was the last thing I remembered until now.
“Gufuuuu.” The demi-humans began moving around me. They must have noticed I was awake. I heard one set of footsteps approach me from behind.
Was this a goblin’s den? Goblins were a male-only species. With no females among them, they bred with females from other common or beast races. They did this by abducting, violating, and passing them around until they were impregnated and gave birth.
Goblin offspring grew at an alarming rate, and were ready for birth one month after conception, and then full adults another month after being born. With such a rapid reproduction rate, goblins could reproduce at an astonishing speed once they’d established a den and populated it with kidnapped females.
This created chaos for all who lived near these dens. When stray goblins or new nests were discovered, they had to be swiftly eliminated. This was where the Adventurers’ Guild came in. The guild issued many such requests and dispatched investigators to check for any missed prey or undiscovered dens.
This was what brought me here. A senior investigator and I visited for the post-investigation of a stray goblin extermination job—in a region where goblins had not been seen before.
The forest west of Myral Village was wider than expected, so we split up. I stood by a medium-sized riverbank, captivated by the river flow. Next thing I knew, I was hit from behind and brought into a goblin’s den. There was no doubt about their intentions.
The goblin’s footsteps came closer. I was unable to sit up, but I could slowly turn my face backwards.
“Ahhhhhh!” I screamed. It was right over me. It had a narrow face with red-slanted eyes. Its wide-open mouth displayed its fangs in a mocking grin. It drooled onto my body. I tried to slap it with my bound hands. This enraged it, and the goblin opened its fang-filled mouth even wider.
“Gufuuuuu!” it shrieked. Then, it raised the club and aimed for my head.
“No!” I instinctively turned my face away and closed my eyes.
I felt the goblin’s club swing down. I waited for it to crush my skull. It missed and struck the ground behind my head. The dull thud and vibration resonated through my cranium. Was that deliberate?!
“Gyahaaaaa!” It raised the club again. This time, it swung down in front of my head. The impact pelted my face with dirt, preventing me from being able to open my eyes.
The club was raised a third time and slammed into the ground behind me again. The same vibration echoed through my skull.
Goblins, like all demi-human species, were known for their extreme cruelty. They got off on tormenting and toying with the weak. Their nature was pure evil, and they existed solely to harm humans and other races. At this rate, I would either become a breeding animal for the goblins or be killed as a toy.
The goblin now straddled me while repeatedly striking the club in front and behind me. I trembled in fear as each vibration resonated throughout my body. I could hear the other goblins behind us laughing and shrieking together.
It also sounded like they were eating something. Suddenly, their awful racket stopped.
“What?” I whimpered as the vibrations ceased. Then I heard something falling, then two more sounds just like it. I opened my eyes to look back. Three goblins had been struck down dead.
What is happening?
Beyond the three corpses, the ten remaining goblins formed a circle around an individual holding a long wooden staff and wearing a cloth jacket with a sash draped around its neck.
Is that a mage goblin?
Having a higher species capable of using magic meant this wasn’t just a normal gathering of stray goblins!
While the goblins were stunned by their kins’ sudden deaths, the mage goblin took the lead and rallied them. It pointed its staff towards the den’s exit and shrieked commands to the surrounding goblins. There were so many of them!
As the goblins fled towards the exit, a section nearby flashed red, followed by three consecutive explosive sounds. Several more followed, and with each flash, a goblin’s head exploded into blood.
Was this magic? If it was, it was a very effective elemental attack I was unfamiliar with. My senior investigator’s magical attacks weren’t this precise, requiring a two-handed sword.
Ah!
The mage goblin was using the fallen goblins as shields. It held its staff forward, concentrating as it uttered its incantation. A large, compressed air mass formed in front of the mage goblin. It burst through the upper body of the goblin-shield and, now a bloody mass, flew towards the flashing red corner. With a roar, a section of the corridor wall that lead to the exit was gouged out.
That was the wind magic known as “Air Ball!” Who knew that the mage goblin could form such a large sphere—nearly two feet in size! The mage goblin, standing only four feet tall, looked tiny compared to the large mass.
The mage goblin shrieked with laughter and ordered the surviving goblins to attack. But before they could charge, the gouged-out section of the wall flashed red again, and the mage goblin’s head was blown off.
Wow! Despite being a higher species, the mage’s health was almost the same as a normal goblin. It should have had some kind of magical barrier, yet it was pierced straight through and defeated instantly.
The flashing light and explosive sounds ceased. The den was silent and full of goblin corpses. From the shadows, a person slowly emerged and walked towards me.
***
Something wasn’t right. The two goblins I had eliminated with the M1911A1 hadn’t dropped any crystals. In VMB, a crystal always appeared after defeating an enemy, and that would be automatically collected as Crystal Points when I approached.
Crystal Points were crucial for various elements of VMB play. You needed them for purchasing equipment, replenishing ammunition, health recovery, restoring destroyed weapons and powered suit functions. Basically, they were needed for everything.
But here, in this alternate world, the rules were different. Defeating an enemy seemed to not produce crystals. Did this mean I had to manage with only the points I currently possessed?
Granted, I had a lot. VMB was a massively popular title, and with its numerous updates and expansion and huge player base, I’d been playing VMB for three years. The amount of Crystal Points I’d racked up during that time would last for a very long time, even without replenishment. But that brought little comfort, considering I had no idea how long I was stuck in this world. It could be years, even decades, before I could return to my original world. VMB gave me powers that helped me navigate and survive this strange world. I couldn’t afford to lose that. Honestly, the prospect that eventually I would was troubling.
I poked at the hole in the goblin’s head. Nothing happened—it remained a corpse. The powered suit didn’t absorb the corpse, either.
What to do?
Crouching beside the goblin’s corpse, I stared into the darkness of the den, contemplating. There were other goblins and a helpless woman further inside. Eliminating the goblins would be easy, especially if I shot them from a distance. I could take them down before they got close, but with how many bullets?
I hadn’t tested whether I could still buy ammo from the Shop. I activated the TSS on my left arm and navigated the screen monitor to the ammunition purchase screen. I was about to complete the purchase when I heard a woman’s scream echo from deeper within the den.
“Ahhhhhh!”
I stopped operating the TSS and immediately aimed the M1911A1 into the darkness.
I would have to worry later! I had enough equipment and ammunition to get through this current situation!
I lowered the gun to check the map on my goggles to reassess my surroundings. There were still areas masked by the fog of war. The scream had definitely come from further within.
I switched my goggles back to NV mode. I suppressed my anxieties and slowly resumed moving deeper into the den.
***
After advancing three hundred feet, my final destination appeared on the map. The den’s path widened significantly, forming a dead-end that opened into a small room. From there, I heard the echoes of multiple goblins shrieking while something hard repeatedly slammed against the ground.
The small room was conveniently located just beyond a gentle curve. While there was still some distance, getting any closer could get me spotted by the goblins inside. I hid behind the curve, holstered my M1911A1, and switched to my MP5A4.
I knelt down, set the safety to three-round burst, and aligned the iron sights with the goggles’ crosshair. Once they matched, my goggles zoomed in and around the crosshair, targeting the goblins.
In VMB, headgear with UI display functions like my goggles were basic equipment. This sometimes caused overlap with various firearm sights and functions. The goggles themselves were equipped with a telescopic function as a supplementary feature for players that preferred to not use sights, known as the “iron faction.” However, to prevent that from being too versatile, the telescopic function was designed to require a slight delay for automatic activation.
Was that goblin deliberately striking the ground next to the woman’s head?! How vile. I saw thirteen goblins in total. Three of them were standing near the woman.
That was a lot. First, I’d need to eliminate the three around the woman, then draw attention and take the rest out quickly.
I engaged the safety on my MP5A4 and switched back to the M1911A1. The silencer was still attached, and five rounds were left in the magazine. I carefully aligned the sights to avoid any accidental discharge toward the woman. The zoom slightly increased as my aim settled on the goblin’s head. The zoom magnification was only 1.1 times for handguns.
I held the M1911A1 steady in both hands and targeted at the goblin’s head. I felt nothing about the life I was about to take. I needed to be cold-hearted to pull the trigger.
The bullets hissed through the air and struck the club-wielding goblin straddling the woman. He collapsed. The crosshair slid to the two goblins beside her. I fired two shots each. Since their angle posed a low risk of accidental discharge, I prioritized dealing with them first.
The goblins further away were stunned by their comrades’ sudden deaths. Taking advantage of this, I switched to my MP5A4, set the safety to three-round burst, and aimed at the head closest to me.
“Gyagyaaaaa!” it shrieked.
This made the twelve remaining goblins turn towards me. Unphased, I kept pulling the trigger. The muzzle flickered in the dim light as it flashed red with the three consecutive shots. Despite the powered suit’s assistance, recoil was inevitable—firing-induced barrel sway and aim deviation occurred even when minimized. After all, VMB was a game.
Indeed, this gun was the game’s gun, not a real MP5A4. So, I controlled the recoil that matched the in-game recoil, minimizing it while sliding the crosshair to the next target’s head.
I observed the spread of the crosshair during shooting and recognized that even the game’s system was replicated in this world. As the spread settled, I pulled the trigger again. Spread affected the accuracy of the bullet’s trajectory, and firing when the crosshair was fully spread wouldn’t hit the target as intended.
The three-round bursts helped with this and allowed for rapid contraction. This made it more effective than full-auto, especially when precision was required at a distance. The staccato of three-round burst firing created a rhythm for the burning propellant that flashed within the muzzle like a dance in the darkness.
I quickly dropped six goblins, and the upper body of the next target exploded. As it blew away, I felt a mass of air fly over me, spraying blood everywhere.
What?! What was that?A projectile?! Wait, that’s magic!
I jumped back away just in time. The mass blasted the wall, gouging it out.
What could such power be compared to? A frag grenade?
This mysterious flying object had to be some sort of magical attack. I had wondered whether magic existed in this world, but I hadn’t expected goblins could use it. If they were capable of such powerful attacks, I’d have to fight smarter.
I wanted to counterattack immediately, but I remained calm and changed my magazine. The coast seemed clear of further projectiles, so I aimed the MP5A4 and searched for the magic-casting goblin.
Is it the one waving the staff? It commanded the other goblins, and its clothes seemed to fit the part. I pulled the trigger, judging the recoil control and spread contraction. I shot it in the head, then dispatched the remaining goblins.
They were all down, and there were no new dots on the map. I had smoked them all. I slowly advanced into the small room. I saw the woman and worried she might be dead. She still displayed as a dot on the map, so she wasn’t a corpse. I saw her moving slightly, but she hadn’t noticed me yet. She was looking at the magic-casting goblin’s dead body.
When she looked at me, I saw she was definitely human. I switched my goggles from NV to normal mode and spoke to her as I slowly approached.
“Hey, are you okay?”
The woman looked at me suspiciously before responding.
“————? ———-!”
I didn’t understand a word she said. I didn’t understand her language, and it was clear that she didn’t understand mine. Frustrated, we fell into silence and just looked at each other.
What was going on?Transitioning into this other world was becoming challenging. With no way to replenish Crystal Points, and unable to communicate, the reality presented to me wasn’t as sweet as the novels presented it. In isekai, language and writing always worked for the characters, somehow.
We couldn’t continue like this. I could barely make out her face. The small room was too dark, even with the faint glow of the white flowers.
What should I do?
Language barriers weren’t something foreign to me.
Wait—foreign? That’s it!
I had an idea. Turning my back to avoid her gaze, I activated the TSS and turned its automatic translation on in the communication settings. This feature was essential in VMB, which had over five million players connected worldwide at any given time. It automatically assisted voice communication for cooperation and competition with foreign players. So when I didn’t understand another player’s language, they were automatically translated and spoken to me in my ear.
Maybe this would work.
My sudden turn away from the woman made her uneasy, and she spoke to me again.
“—, ——, ————————-?” “Um, is something wrong?” I heard her say.
It was a miracle! I didn’t actually expect the automatic translation to work here. Now I could understand her, even though she still couldn’t understand me. I assumed she didn’t have an automatic translation feature.
“N-no, it’s nothing,” I said, giving her a thumbs up. “Are you okay?”
“C-can’t you speak Orland Common Language?” she asked. “Are you an adventurer from a foreign land? Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Adventurer? I guess that’s a thing here. And what was Orland Common Language? Did this mean there were multiple languages? If so, not speaking might’ve been a better way to maintain my disguise.
I nodded to show I understood what she was saying and gestured that speaking was difficult.
“You understand what I’m saying? Thank goodness,” she said. “Th-thank you. I thought I was doomed.”
Nodding in response to her words, I cut the vine-like ropes binding her hands and feet and helped her sit up.
Her face came closer to mine, and I saw that she was gorgeous. She had fair skin, likely Caucasian, blue-green eyes, and copper, bobbed hair that shone brightly in the dark. Was everyone in this world so beautiful?
At first glance, she looked like a female warrior. She wore a female-type leather armor with small round shoulder pads and no sleeves. She wore pants underneath a skirt that hung around her waist.
She still trembled with fear. That was understandable. She’d been captured by a group of goblins, with one swinging a club right next to her head.
I didn’t know how much goblins in this world differed from the fantasy goblins I knew from games, but there was only one thing they planned to do to an abducted woman. She had escaped that.
“It’s okay now,” I told her. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”
I knew she didn’t understand me, but I wanted to say them anyway. I gently patted her shoulder and rubbed her back, trying not to make it too intimate.
She seemed to understand my reassurances, and she clung to my arm and steadied her breathing and nerves. I don’t know how long we sat there in that dimly lit room. Maybe it was ten, twenty, or just a few minutes. Her trembling finally stopped, and she raised her face to meet my gaze directly.
“I’m guild investigator Ashley Zeparnel. Or rather, I am an apprentice from the Comprehensive Guild of the Kingdom of Kurtmelga. Who are you?”
I hesitated. She asked for my name, but which one should I give her?
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
MY NAME WAS Ren Saito. I was twenty-four years old, single, and never married.
I loved first-person shooter games, deeply. I started playing when I was a student and eventually gained enough skill to compete in major world tournaments for cash prizes. Even so, this kind of semi-pro hobby rarely led to a secure job. So, I also worked a day job as a sales representative at a PC peripheral manufacturer.
FPS tournaments were played with a team. VMB had several tournaments and leagues, and I was active under the name Schwarz. I was a starting player for the team called “P0wDer,” but it was the off-season for league matches, and I had been playing solo mostly.
When Ashley Zeparnel asked for my name, I hesitated between giving my real Japanese name or my FPS player name. Somehow, I felt that I was not Japan’s Ren Saito, but VMB’s Schwarz: FPS player extraordinaire.
“The name’s Schwarz.”
“‘Schwarz’? I haven’t heard that before. I’m sorry to ask this after you just saved me, but you seem like a high-ranking adventurer. Could you accompany me back to Myral Village? That’s where I am a guild investigator. I came here for a post-investigation of an extermination of stray goblins. I got separated from the other investigators, attacked, and brought here. I need to find my colleagues and report this incident immediately.”
Ashley seemed to be around twenty years old and had a diligent personality. Despite just being threatened by death or worse, she’d d already switched gears and was moving on.
I nodded in agreement with her request. I had no reason to object to accompanying someone around this world. If I encountered any language barrier issues, Ashley could take the initiative. That would be very convenient for me.
I stood up and started moving towards the den’s exit, but Ashley called out and stopped me.
“Wait, Schwarz! One moment. Did you see my tool bag, or any equipment, around here? Also, you haven’t collected that mage goblin’s proof of extermination. If it’s really a mage class, it might have magic stones.”
What in the heck was a proof of extermination? How did you collect it? And what were these magic stones? Were they this world’s crystals?! If it meant I could obtain crystal points, I definitely needed to collect it!
Unaware of my confusion and desire for crystal points, Ashley searched around the dimly lit room.
“Ugh, it’s so dark,” she said. “Where is everything? Oh, I know!”
She placed one hand on her chest and clenched the other into a fist. She closed her eyes and concentrated.
“&%$#, &%$#, Light Ball!”
She chanted something that the automatic translation feature didn’t understand. With the final words, she opened her clenched hand and revealed a glowing orb the size of a softball. She lightly tossed it upward. It didn’t fall back down but remained suspended in midair, illuminating the room like an incandescent bulb. This brightened our surroundings and made it much easier to see.
Did she just use magic to create light? Such brightness...
I was astonished by seeing such magic so up close and personal. Ashley found what she was seeking. She jogged towards a cloth bag buried underneath the mage goblin’s corpse.
“Found it! Oh, thank goodness, nothing is missing.”
Ashley pulled out a short sword from the cloth bag. Seeing a weapon made my reflexes tense up, and I reached for the M1911A1 at my waist. I clicked my tongue when I realized I hadn’t changed the magazine.
I didn’t know what she intended to do with it. I considered the situation as I watched her movements. If she pointed it at me, I’d use the MP5A4. Ashley drew the short sword from its sheath, switched to a reverse grip, and suddenly stabbed it into the mage goblin’s chest.
What is she doing? It’s terrifying!
Unfazed by her bizarre actions, Ashley skillfully opened the monster’s chest and extracted a stone. It was white and measured about an inch in diameter. She then snapped the sash from its neck and handed it to me.
“Here you go, Schwarz,” she said. “It’s the proof of extermination and a magic stone. Sadly, it doesn’t have any attributes. I thought you would get a wind attribute, since an ‘Air Ball’ was cast. This band seems good, though.”
Oh, I see.
She was collecting the sash and magic stone for me. I looked at the magic stone. I’d never encountered one before and was surprised that it resembled a crystal. The fact that I was still holding it, however, meant it wasn’t being collected as Crystal Points.
Is this completely hopeless? And what do I do with this sash?
I stared at the items Ashley gave to me. I decided to fold-up the sash and stuff it into my magazine belt pouch. I pretended to look around the cave casually while I covertly reloaded the M1911A1 and returned it to my waist. Ashley did not seem to notice my actions.
Now I only had two magazines left. I needed to summon a supply box, but I didn’t want to do it in front of her. I wanted to keep my powers secret until I better understood how this world’s residents would perceive them.
As if she heard my thoughts, Ashley stepped back to look me over in the magical light.
“So, did you use magic to defeat the goblins earlier?” she nodded as she spoke. “You don’t seem like a mage. You don’t seem to be carrying a magical weapon. Unless that’s what that black short staff on your waist is?”
She kept saying words like “mage,” and “magical weapon.” Even if I wanted to explain my gun, Ashley wouldn’t understand me. So, I pointed at it and nodded firmly.
“It is a magical weapon!” she said. “I’ve never seen such a powerful magical weapon before. I’ve heard that the Baishburn Empire has magical weapons. Did you come from Baishburn?”
I responded to Ashley’s barrage of questions with a wry smile and let her draw her own conclusions. This was helpful to me, as her mention of the Baishburn Empire would be a good cover for when I was asked where I came from.
Eventually, she seemed to satisfy her curiosity and let it drop.
“Sorry for all the questions.”
We left the den to move towards the exit. There were no more goblin survivors, and we reached the den’s entrance without incident.
When we reached outside, the sky was cloudy, with no moonlight or starlight. There was only the glow of Ashley’s orb.
“It’s pitch dark,” she noted.
I didn’t know if a day in this world was twenty-four hours, but the time displayed on my goggles read 10:34 p.m.
We were eager to return to Myral Village, but taking an unknown path at night was too dangerous. I wished for the words to suggest we wait for sunrise before moving, but I didn’t. So we just stood by the river, quietly gazing at the flowing waterfall and river, until I noticed a faint light flickering downstream.
“Ashley, could that light be from someone you know,” I asked. “Or a search party?” Not understanding me, she continued gazing at the waterfall. I tapped Ashley’s shoulder and pointed downstream. Her gaze followed my gesture until she saw it.
“Why, that’s another Light Ball!’” she said. “The senior investigator must have come searching for me!”
Ashley waved her orb above her head. The other side noticed, and their light began to sway as they came nearer. Behind it, we started to see that torches of various colors followed close behind their Light Ball.
“Ashley!” a woman shouted. “Are you all right?”
A cropped-haired female warrior approached us. Ashley ran to her. I watched as the woman checked on Ashley’s well-being then directly scolded her. I pondered how I would communicate with them.
This world was undoubtedly different from my own. Unable to verbally communicate, I couldn’t explain to them that I just dropped into this world from another one that existed in a video game. And I couldn’t explain to myself why I was dropped here. Until that question was answered, at least, I decided to keep VMB’s power and my origins to myself.
“Schwarz, was it?” the woman asked. “Thank you for saving Ashley. I’m Remi, a guild investigator from the Kingdom of Kurtmelga. I heard you defeated a mage goblin down there. Could you show me the proof of extermination?”
Remi had an Amazonian appearance and was also beautiful like Ashley. She had tanned skin, a small nose, light red eyes, and small pink lips. She was slightly taller than me—I was five foot seven, so she had to have been five foot nine, making Ashley the shortest between us at around five foot two.
Remi was wearing red-leather armor and carrying a large sword on her back. Her armor wasn’t quite a bikini, but compared to what Ashley wore, her bare bosom and long, exposed legs looked very alluring.
I took out the mage goblin’s sash from the pouch as requested and handed it to Remi.
“This is indeed the sash of a mage goblin,” she said. “To think, a higher species appeared here. Do you think they’ve formed a labyrinth?”
Remi returned the sash to me. She ordered two torchbearers behind her to search the den. They had to be her subordinates.
“Ashley mentioned that you could accompany us to Myral Village. Will you assist with the report at the guild outpost, Schwarz?”
I nodded my agreement. The three of us set off downstream. Turned out, Myral Village wasn’t that far, and we arrived after an hour’s walk.
***
“Let’s hear the report.”
Upon arriving at Myral Village, we—the Comprehensive Guild staff—set Schwarz up with accommodations at the village’s only inn. As this was at the guild’s request, we covered his fees. Together with Remi and the Myral Village’s resident guild staff, Barold and Keith, we gathered in a room at the village’s Comprehensive Guild outpost.
The Comprehensive Guild kept branch offices in the cities, and outposts in the villages and small towns. The outposts were staffed by a few resident officers who handled various requests issued by the branch, provided proof of completion procedures, and served as a state agency for village security. The Comprehensive Guild itself was operated by the state, and was responsible for maintaining domestic security, dungeon exterminations, resource acquisition, and the training and dispatch of personnel in a variety of specialties.
I had been separated from Remi, Barold, and Keith when the goblins abducted me. Thankfully, Schwarz came along and rescued me. Once I was reunited with my team, we all reported our findings.
“We confirmed eighteen goblin corpses in the nest. There were two along the corridor and sixteen in the innermost room. This included a mage goblin. We thoroughly investigated the small room and found no traces of other victims, only some remnants of meals. The goblins must have just recently settled there.
“We examined the goblin corpses and found they all had circular puncture wounds in or nearby their heads. We opened the wounds to check inside but found nothing. According to Zeparnel’s report, no close-range weapons were used, so it was undoubtedly the result of magical attacks or similar magical weapons.”
Upon hearing this, Remi closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. We were originally dispatched to Myral Village for a post-investigation follow-up regarding the completion of a stray goblin extermination request issued by the Comprehensive Guild. Instead of completing that verification, more numerous goblins, including a higher species, were discovered. Although Schwarz eliminated them, we now needed to know the cause of such numbers and the emergence of a higher species.
Some demi-human higher species possessed greater magical power, intelligence, and strength than their brethren, and could use magic or special skills. Moreover, higher species did not naturally occur in the wild. Their presence indicated a nearby location where magical essence had accumulated in great volume. From there, magical beasts and demi-humans absorbed this essence and evolved into a higher species.
There were several contributing factors to how magical essence was gathered. Usually it was found within the periphery of veins of magical ore or water, or near dungeons and the magical essence they emit. Because dragons were rulers of the surface world and had immense magical power, their roosts could be a source as well.
Dungeons were actually a type of monster. They were masses of malevolent intent that had existed since ancient times, and their origins and confirmation dates were often unknown. According to myth, evil gods established these dungeons as vanguard troops ordered to destroy this world through their maliciousness. Every few years, dungeons expanded deeper and wider within the land, producing stronger magical beasts and demi-humans who were released outside the dungeon. These monsters viewed all species living in the natural world as enemies and aimed to vanquish them.
Fortunately, many years of battles between dungeon and surface species revealed that the magic found in stones, weapons, and within teleportation circles can defend and protect against the dungeons’ viciousness. In fact, the great magic stone Dungeon Core, found only in lower levels, has greatly reduced the dungeons’ overflow of powerful monsters. As a result, some dungeons have become more like resource mines.
“We need to conduct a wider search around Myral Village,” Remi said. “It’s unlikely to be a dragon, so it might be a vein or a newly formed dungeon. Ashley, let’s return to the Fortress City of Balga to apply for a wide-area search. Barold and Keith, make the necessary arrangements.”
After giving her orders, Remi turned her attention to the matter I was most concerned about.
“So...this Schwarz fella. What do you think of him, Ashley?”
“He’s not a foreign spy,” I replied. “I’m not entirely convinced he can’t speak our language. His equipment is strange and seems to possess some unknown attack magic. He also seems to avoid unnecessary contact with locals, but that isn’t necessarily spy behavior. Perhaps he is a traveler, although he doesn’t carry a tool bag. He may have fled from Baishburn. He smiled at its mention.”
“What do you all think?” Remi asked Barold and Keith. “You took him to the inn, right?”
“I don’t think he’s a spy, either. He seemed to be observing his surroundings ever since entering Myral Village, but his actions were more like he was just sightseeing or maybe like a country bumpkin visiting the capital rather than espionage. He seemed very...ignorant. He was a bit confused about how to use the inn.”
“I agree. He’s not a spy—he’s more like the ignorant son of a noble. He understands etiquette, so he can’t be a farmer or commoner. Perhaps he’s a young noble who escaped the empire’s purge.”
“Indeed, the severity of Baishburn’s Ice Wolf Emperor stretches to even our distant Kingdom of Kurtmelga. I don’t know how he got here, but he seems harmless. I want him to go to Balga with us. I’m curious what he’ll do. We’ll get him registered with the Comprehensive Guild, and then we can track his movements.”
With those actions decided, the meeting was adjourned. It was late, but I wanted to bathe before going to bed. The goblin’s awful body odor still lingered on me, and it reminded me of the terrible sound and vibrations its club made when he slammed it by my head. This triggered fear to course through my entire body again, and I tensed up and became frozen in place. But then I heard Schwarz’s gentle words to me back in the cave: “It’s okay.”
I left the room and thought of it no more.
***
It was my second day in this strange world, and my destiny was now being decided by others—and without my input, it seemed.
“Why don’t you come with us to the Fortress City of Balga, Schwarz?”
It was already late at night when I arrived in this isekai village. I was guided to an inn, but I was penniless.
“Two silver coins for a night includes breakfast and dinner,” the sleepy innkeeper explained. However, I didn’t understand their currency value even if I had money. I stood frozen in front of the innkeeper until Barold, the male guild staffer who brought me here, paid for me.
The next morning, I woke up in time for breakfast. I took a seat in the inn’s dining room. Remi and Ashley—whom I met the day prior—joined me, and we talked as we ate our first meal of the day.
Or rather, they talked while I simply listened.
What was the Fortress City of Balga? I was brought to this village to confirm the events that occurred at the den, but why were we going to that city now? Were they going to arrest me?!
In my room the previous night, I was briefly interviewed about my lack of identification or similar documents, as though it made me suspicious.
“Schwarz, you’re not registered as an adventurer or explorer, are you?” Remi inquired. “You don’t seem to be a merchant or a craftsman either. The closest place to make an I.D. is Balga, so you should go and do that there. We can also exchange the mage goblin’s sash there. If you register as an adventurer, you’ll earn guild points for it.”
An adventurer? I sort of understood what that meant, but how was it different from an explorer? They didn’t want to arrest me, it seemed. Registering for an I.D. sounded good. The sooner I could blend into this world, the sooner I could gather the information and knowledge I needed to figure out how to return to my home world.
I nodded to Remi, agreeing to her proposal. While we talked, Ashley quietly ate her meal. There was something elegant about the way she ate. She truly was beautiful. Her bobbed copper hair shone in the morning light with a divine radiance. It looked different from the bleach blonde or European blonde hair I had seen in my home world.
“So, you’ll accompany us then,” Remi said. “We’ll leave right after breakfast. Can you ride a horse, Schwarz?”
I shook my head. VMB had bikes and other vehicles, but no horses.
“Ashley will make arrangements for a carriage. That’ll take half a day, but if you pack any unnecessary luggage in the tool bag, we’ll be able to travel lighter. We want to reach Balga by dusk. Also, borrow some picture books from the village chief. Teach Schwarz the pronunciation of Orland Common Language on the way. If he can listen and read, he’ll pick it up soon.”
“Understood, I’ll go right away. See you later, Schwarz.”
Once her meal was finished, Ashley quickly left the dining room. Thanks to VMB’s automatic translation feature for both voice and text, I could understand spoken words and read translated text in my goggles. Once I grasped the pronunciation and intonation, I’d be proficient in Orland Common Language in no time.
I was already pretty good at speaking English and several other Western European languages thanks to competing in international tournaments—for not only VMB, but other FPS titles. That’s why I initially had the automatic translation feature turned off.
After Ashley left, Remi’s gaze became slightly sharper as she looked at me. Despite her short hair and tanned skin, I found her very beautiful. However, her demeanor seemed to be testing me, as if trying to peer into my soul.
“I want you to speak the Orland Common Language soon because I want to know more about you. I want to know more about that weapon, why you are without travel tools, and what your purpose is. You know, those sorts of things.”
Perhaps the threat of arrest wasn’t entirely off the table, yet.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. I have no clue why I dropped into this world, or what I can do here, or whether I’m supposed to live here or return to my home world. But once I can speak—I’ll have a believable story ready for you.”
I told Remi all of this in Japanese. I spoke with a relaxed mouth and looked her straight in eyes, knowing she wouldn’t understand a word.
***
The shaking was intense. Our carriage ended up being more like a wagon. Remi sat in the driver’s seat of the so-called carriage, steering, while Ashley and I sat side by side on the hay. This was usually used for horse feed but now served as our cushions. We were reading—or rather, Ashley was reading to me—a fairy tale picture book.
The road the wagon traveled on was unpaved. It wasn’t exactly rough, but the occasional bump would lift me up and off the hay, making the book jerk up and down. Reading like this for half a day could make a man carsick...or rather, carriage sick.
The book told the story of the Kingdom of Kurtmelga’s founding. Ashley borrowed it from the village chief, but every village and city had at least one copy. In fact, in the small villages, it was the village chief’s job to read to the children. Perhaps this story was part of their civic education?
Here’s the gist: About five hundred years ago, an adventurer decided to establish a new country to save the people suffering under tyranny. He began as an explorer so that he could gather land and funds. He took on numerous underground dungeons, conquering and cleansing them. He founded a country in the southwestern part of the Orland continent. He welcomed those who had suffered under tyranny, repelled the opposition from other countries, and built a peaceful nation.
From this story, I learned that adventurers are those who operate on the surface, while explorers are those who operate in underground dungeons. It seemed the same to me—it was all monster hunting. However, here, there seemed to be a clear difference.
Ashley taught me the pronunciation and intonation of each letter as the wagon rolled, more smoothly along than before, toward the Fortress City of Balga. I thought we would arrive in Balga without incident, but it seemed that wouldn’t be the case.
My sound sensor picked up sounds of something running. My map was blocked out by the fog of war and there were no dots within the searchable range. Whatever the sound was, it was still a bit further away.
“Something is coming.” I placed my hand on the driver’s platform, stood up, and informed Remi and Ashley of the approaching presence.
“Really, Schwarz? I don’t see anything,” Ashley said.
“I hear the sound of something running.”
“Ashley! Glass wolves are the most likely to attack us out here,” Remi said. “They’ll be more interested in targeting the horse than us. Let’s stop them!”
With Remi’s decision made, she stopped the wagon and jumped off the driver’s platform. She picked up the large sword lying on the driver’s platform, drew it from its sheath, and readied her stance. The sword was a claymore, a large sword with a double-edged blade about three feet long and slightly wider than most swords.
Ashley reached into the bag and pulled out a short sword and a round shield.
Whoa, her weapons are longer and larger than the bag they came out of!Is it some kind of item box, an infinite holding bag, or like a three-dimensional pocket?
Ashley’s weapon had a blade about two feet long and a round shield called a buckler. She drew her sword from its sheath. She steeled her gaze as she took position at the back of the wagon.
“Schwarz, I don’t know your fighting style. So, can you be the middle guard? Do you know which direction the glass wolves are coming from?”
I knelt on the wagon and switched the MP5A4’s safety to a three-round burst. I aimed it at the forest on the north side of the road to answer Remi’s question.
My map had already captured the dots running through the forest. There were three of them, and they were moving fast! Beyond the forest trees, I glimpsed large black dogs, about five feet long from snout to tail. They would emerge from the forest soon.
“I’m on the attack!” I yelled before I started firing. I aimed at the leader of the three and pulled the trigger twice for a double shot at the torso. The glass wolves’ speed was faster than expected, but if I couldn’t aim at this speed, I wouldn’t have stood a chance in VMB, where high-speed three-dimensional maneuvers were possible. I shot the lead wolf effortlessly, then slid the crosshair to the other two. Double shot—double shot. All the glass wolves tumbled together from their momentum and stopped moving.
“Amazing! So it’s true, you have magical attack abilities with unknown attributes. Is that a magical weapon? Schwarz, you have excellent skills. Don’t forget about the glass wolf pelts. If you skin them and take them to Belga, you’ll make bank. They’re worth a lot of money.”
“No, let’s just hurry ahead.”
Skin them? I’d never done that before. It seemed like a common thing in this world, but I didn’t know how. I couldn’t let that be known, though. It was already apparent that I lacked common sense and knowledge, but I didn’t need to add to it by admitting “I can’t” or “don’t know” something.
We resumed our journey and arrived at the Fortress City of Balga without further incident. It was the region’s central city and was surrounded by stone walls that stood sixteen feet high. The city was in between an oblong and square shape and was about fifteen hundred acres. With a population exceeding ten thousand people, it was a major city in the western region of the Kingdom of Kurtmelga.
The reason for the city’s expansive, surrounding walls was to protect against magical beasts, demi-humans, and dungeons. There were dungeons to the north, south, and east of the city. This attracted explorers eager to conquer them, adventurers keen to hunt the monsters the dungeons’ magical essence created, knights stationed to deal with the dungeons’ overflow of those creatures, and merchants who traded with all the other classes. The lord also established a castle here, leading to even further expansion.
According to Remi, if a new dungeon emerged near Myral Village, there would also be a dungeon to the west. This would make it a “dungeon city,” and would lead to further development as it became surrounded by dungeons in all directions.
I worried about encountering problems when entering the city. Remi, as a guild investigator, flashed something resembling an I.D. to the gatekeeper. This allowed us to enter easily without checking Ashley or me.
As the wagon rattled through the gate, we proceeded along the city’s wide main street. I saw numerous stone houses and shops lining the street. Myral Village had many wooden structures, but the Fortress City of Balga was entirely made up of stone architecture. It was a beautiful city and reminded me of Carcassonne in France, with which I was familiar.
Our destination here was the Comprehensive Guild. It stood on the east side of a white castle in the city’s center, known as Baldege Castle. That was where the city’s lord lived.
As I gazed at Baldege Castle, I confirmed the plan with Ashley.
“So, what should I do at the guild?”
“Well, Schwarz, you need an I.D. Let’s register you as an adventurer, first. Explorer registration requires a certain level of achievement as an adventurer before the application is accepted. So, the plan is to get you registered as an adventurer, present and sell the mage goblin proof of extermination, and then perhaps stay and check out Balga for a while? There are a lot of opportunities for an adventurer here. Or, you could live as a merchant or craftsman. I’m not sure about that. I think you’d find success more quickly as an adventurer.”
“Ashley, go show Schwarz around. I need to go report to the general manager,” Remi said. “The guild is quite large. I didn’t expect you to learn how to speak this much in just half a day, but I imagine discussing lodgings and meals will still be challenging. Oh, speaking of meals. Schwarz, I know of a nice inn for you to stay at. How about it? The food is delicious and it’s close to the guild.”
“Thank you. Can Ashley take me there?”
“Good idea. Ashley, I’m counting on you. Let’s all have dinner together. I’ve only had jerky on the wagon, so I’m hungry.”
“Sounds great. We’ve only just arrived, anyway. Schwarz, this here is the Comprehensive Guild, Balga branch.”
We arrived at the Comprehensive Guild, which wasn’t housed in a single building, but was rather a spacious lot with several buildings on the premises. Which building you visited depended on your purpose. Remi said goodbye and steered the wagon towards the back of the premises. There was probably a stable or a parking area that way. I followed Ashley into the large single-story building in the center of the premises.
“This is the guild’s main hall for adventurers and explorers. New registrations and requests for acceptance are conducted here. Can you read that window labeled ‘New Registration’? We’ll register you as a new adventurer over there.”
The main hall’s inside looked like a bank. There were numerous bulletin boards around, and myriad groups of adventurers were browsing their requests. Up front, there were multiple reception counters where I spied many staff members working behind them. The window Ashley pointed out to me was all the way at the end and had a seat in front of it. It seemed registration could take some time.
“Welcome to the Balga branch of the Comprehensive Guild of the Kingdom of Kurtmelga. How can I help you with your adventurer registration today?”
At the window sat a slender, fair-skinned, beautiful receptionist. She had silver hair, blue-green eyes, and small, long ears that poked out of her straight hair. Is she an elf? Speaking of elves, they often have long lifespans in fantasy settings. I didn’t know whether that was true or not in this world, but this woman could be a lot older than she appeared.
“Hello, Milimaria. This is Schwarz, and he needs a new registration.”
They seemed to know each other. Ashley did say she was a guild investigator, or an apprentice, I think. It’s not surprising that people who work in the same guild know each other.
“Oh, hey, Ashley! Welcome back. Is this your boyfriend? It’s rare for you to accompany someone for registration.”
“N-no, nothing like that! I-I met him at the investigation site. That’s how we know each other.”
Ashley blushed at elfin Milimaria’s teasing. This reaction amused Milimaria, and she smiled. Teasing Ashley, it seemed, was good sport for her. She kept teasing Ashley in a sisterly manner, though I just wanted to get registration over with.
“A-anyway, let’s proceed with the registration!” said Ashley. “We also have to submit the proof of extermination and find lodging!”
“Okay, Schwarz, is it? Please fill out this form. If you can’t write, I can write for you. Also, you don’t need to fill out everything, but anything you do write can’t be changed later. So, be careful.”
The paper I received had eight entries for name, age, place of origin, main weapon used, main magical attribute used, main skills acquired, main abilities acquired, and proof of previous tax payments.
“Could you please write for me?” I asked.
I tried to write with the pen, but it was more like a quill pen, and I didn’t know how to use it. I was worried that it would cause me to make a mistake and cause issues.
“I can write for you. Is your name just ‘Schwarz’?”
Ashley took the quill pen and offered to write for me. That was very helpful, but I felt she had implied something with the “just ‘Schwarz’” part. Did she suspect it was an alias?
Come to think of it, she introduced herself as Ashley Zeparnel initially. Everyone else whose names I knew only had first names. Those with both first and last names, were they born into noble or similar families?
So, did she suspect me of being a noble or something?
“Y-yes. ‘Schwarz’ is fine.”
“Age and place of origin?”
“I’m twenty-four. Place of origin is blank.”
“Twenty-four years old. So, you’re older than me. Main weapon used and magical attribute?”
“Leave those both blank.”
“...Okay. What about skills and abilities?”
Skills and abilities? Was that some kind of appraisal or maybe swordsmanship? VMB didn’t have those, and I didn’t know if I had anything now.
“Leave those blank too.”
“...All right. Lastly, do you have proof of previous tax payments?”
“No, I don’t.”
In the end, the only information I provided was my name and age. That’s all I could offer for now. My lacking proof of tax payments seemed to be problematic. Milimaria shot us a sharp gaze when she overheard my exchange with Ashley. Clearly, she was suspicious of me.
“Excuse me, Schwarz,” she said. “Have you never paid taxes before? In the Kingdom of Kurtmelga, tax obligations begin at fifteen. It’s thirty silver coins annually, thirty thousand Orls, until you turn twenty years old. For those twenty-one and older, it’s one gold coin annually, or one hundred thousand Orls. Did your parents say anything about tax records when you left your place of origin or home?”
I learned about this world’s currency during the carriage ride to the Fortress City of Balga:
Orl Values
1 Stone Coin: 1 Orl
1 Bronze Coin = 10 Stone Coins: 10 Orl
10 Bronze Coins: 100 Orl
100 Bronze Coins = 1 Silver Coin: 1,000 Orl
10 Silver Coins: 10,000 Orl
100 Silver Coins = 1 Gold Coin: 100,000 Orl
10 Gold Coins: 1,000,000 Orl
100 Gold Coins = 1 Platinum Coin: 10,000,000 Orl
I didn’t have enough information to compare Orl value with my home world’s currency, but I could make a rough estimate. If a night’s stay with two meals at Myral Village cost two silver coins, one silver coin might be equivalent to about one or two thousand yen. Most full-accommodation business hotels in Japan could range from two to four thousand yen.
I was in trouble, then. There was no way I could have paid taxes. I only just fell into this other world.
This could be really bad. Could I be arrested for tax evasion? How would I find the tax records needed to become an adventurer? What kind of profession was adventuring, anyway?
Being an adventurer didn’t sound like a monster hunter finding freedom through traveling across various countries around the world. It sounded more like being a local government employee. Maybe the adventurer registration was more like a national qualification? Thinking back, the name “Kingdom of Kurtmelga” frequently preceded the guild. That meant it wasn’t an independent agency as commonly depicted, but a state-managed employment agency or something. If that was so, then I guess this new development made sense.
“Actually, I’ve never heard about that,” I lied. “My parents passed away in an accident, so...”
“Oh, I see. I’m terribly sorry,” Milimaria said. “So, you’ll be paying taxes from your work as an adventurer from now on?”
“Yes, that’s the plan.”
“Then, 10 percent of your adventurer earnings will be allocated to taxes. Since you have no previous tax records, this 10 percent deduction will continue until the two hundred thousand Orls owed for last year’s and this year’s taxes are paid off. However, this year’s tax deadline is December 30th, which is three months from now, so please be careful. If your taxes aren’t paid by the deadline, there could be movement restrictions, order restrictions, and even forced execution, if they choose to be strict.”
Wow! The bluff actually worked. It was too convenient of an excuse. An adult claiming their parents passed away in an accident before they could teach him about tax matters. Normally, people would find that hard to believe. But with dungeons, wild and dangerous magical beasts, human conflicts, and fundamentally poor security, perhaps death here was so commonplace that it was believable.
Interestingly, this world also had a calendar with 30-day months and 12 months in a year. I’d need to confirm these details either with Ashley or on my own later.
“Got it,” I answered Milimaria, my composed face giving nothing away.
Ashley was intently side-eyeing my registration form. Was leaving so much blank a mistake?
“I’ll take the form now, Ashley,” Milimaria said. “Schwarz, please register your biometric information with this crystal. All we need is just a single drop of blood onto the crystal. Use this needle.”
Milimaria presented a crystal about 8 inches in diameter on a wooden base. I couldn’t see it well from where I was sitting, but there seemed to be a control panel on Milimaria’s side. She worked it like a keyboard while reading my mostly blank form. I took the needle and decided to prick the finger that wasn’t covered by my glove.
Is my body really human? I hope blue blood doesn’t come out.
I hesitated before cautiously pricking my fingertip with the needle. Phew, it’s still red. I dropped the tiny bit of surfacing blood onto the crystal. It soaked the blood up, blinked white, then went back to normal. My bleeding stopped immediately.
“Huh?” Both Milimaria and Ashley exclaimed simultaneously.
Something was wrong. The whole room felt frozen until the crystal spat a card from its base about the size of a train pass case. That broke the tension.
“Schwarz, that’s your adventurer registration card. Please check the information for any errors and make sure the sections you left blank have been correctly completed by the biometric information. Don’t worry. Ashley can’t see it. The information drawn from biometric information is only visible to you.”
Upon hearing this, I pulled out the card and checked the information displayed.
Adventurer Registration Card
Name: Schwarz Powder
Age: 24
Place of Origin: VMB
Main Weapon: None
Main Magic Attribute: None
Skills: None
Abilities: None
Tax Payment Method: From Adventurer Income
Rank: G (0/25)
What was going on? My name was displayed as “Schwarz Powder.” Was this from my home world team name “P0wDer?” And my place of origin was listed as “VMB.” What did that mean? Did this other world recognize VMB?
“Powder” and “VMB” were printed in light blue. This probably indicated that it was information drawn from biometric information, and invisible to all but me. What was this crystal?
While the blanks by the weapon and magical attribute sections were expected, I was surprised to see that the skills and abilities remained marked as “none.” I wasn’t sure what that meant.
“Is there an issue? If not, your registration is complete. Shall I proceed with explaining the adventurer system?”
“Y-yes, no problem. Please go ahead.”
“Okay, here goes. Adventurers can accept requests at the Comprehensive Guild main hall, but each request has a set acceptance rank. There are ten ranks: G, F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, and SSS. You advance in rank by accumulating guild points. You do that by completing requests and presenting the proofs of extermination of magical beasts or demi-humans. Proofs of extermination can only be sold at the Comprehensive Guild, so bear that in mind. Additionally, there is a promotion exam starting at the D-rank. Once you reach D-rank, you can apply to become an explorer. You got all that?”
The rank system seemed standard. The requirement to present and sell proofs of extermination only at the guild was probably to prevent repeated presentations by multiple people. That didn’t concern me, but learning that you couldn’t be an explorer until D-rank did. Why the restriction?
“Why are explorers limited to D-rank?”
“Well, when you die in an underground dungeon, your soul and magical powers become a significant nourishment for the dungeon. While dungeons provide us with various benefits, they are fundamentally evil entities to be exterminated. To prevent reckless challengers chasing their greed, and to stop dungeons from gaining too much power, thus stopping its monstrous overflow, the guild generally doesn’t permit exploration unless a certain level of ability is reached.”
“I see. I understand.”
“Moving along, requests are accepted at this hall, but completion reports, reward collection, and the proofs of extermination and materials sales are conducted at the adjacent annex. And that’s it. Good luck, Schwarz.”
“Finally!” said Ashley. She seemed tired of waiting for the explanation to end. “Come on, Schwarz, let’s go next door to sell the sash. Then we can get something to eat!”
She urged me to stand up and led me to the annex. My sound sensor picked up Milimaria’s muttering something behind us, but I couldn’t grasp what she was meant.
“To think someone could really be so clueless.”
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
WITH MY ADVENTURER registration complete, Ashley and I headed to the adjacent Comprehensive Guild annex. We had done the registration at the main building, but there were various other guild buildings on the premises, including artisan workshops, a commercial guild hall, a magic guild hall, a library, a training center, a mercenary branch, and an administration building, among others. It felt like a comprehensive government complex.
As we entered the annex, I saw that the interior was laid out similarly to the main building, with a reception counter up front. The space was divided into exhibit areas that displayed gathered materials and proofs of extermination from various regions. It was also sectioned by tables. This part served both as waiting areas and spots for receiving your rewards.
“You submit the proof of extermination over there,” Ashley said.
She led me to the counter where an old man sat behind the window. With slicked-back hair, a thin mustache, and a monocle, he looked like an elderly gentleman.
“Welcome. I am Lesmond, the appraisal officer. Please present your guild card and the proof of extermination.”
“Here you go.”
I handed Lesmond the guild card and the mage goblin’s sash. Lesmond set the guild card on a crystal pedestal behind the counter. He spread the sash out on the table, lightly touching it, as if discerning something.
Ashley explained Lesmond’s actions: “Lesmond possesses the Appraisal Skill. He’s a level three, and it’s expected he’ll manifest the Analysis Skill soon.”
“Appraisal” was one of those skills they mentioned earlier. It sounded like it had many levels, which, when increased, granted higher skills. So was this how this world worked? Could I manifest something too?
These skills were special abilities inherent in people, but they were ranked by a system like you would find in a game. These were acquired by this world’s inhabitants to fight magical beasts and demi-humans and to survive in the world. Yet, to me, they seemed like a game system, leading to the illusion that this other world I fell into might also be a game world.
“This is a splendid sash,” Lesmond said. “I can give you fifty-five silver coins, or fifty-five thousand Orls for it. Additionally, a mage goblin extermination nets you three hundred points. Congratulations, Schwarz, you’ve been promoted from G-rank to E-rank.”
“E? Not F?”
“Correct. You need twenty-five points to advance from G to F, and two hundred and fifty points from F to E.”
Ah, then with a total of two hundred and seventy-five points, and having earned three hundred, that meant I earned E-rank with twenty-five points left-over going toward D-rank.
“Thank you.”
“I think you’ll surpass E-rank in no time, Schwarz,” said Ashley. “But please don’t overdo it.”
“Okay. Thank you, Ashley.”
Lesmond paid me and returned my guild card. I checked out my new stats.
Adventurer Registration Card
Name: Schwarz Powder
Age: 24
Place of Origin: VMB
Main Weapon: None
Main Magic Attribute: None
Skills: None
Abilities: None
Tax Payment Method: From Adventurer Income
Rank: E (25/500)
Oh, I actually need a total of five hundred points to reach D-rank.I wonder how much is earned per request? I’ll check tomorrow.
“Let’s get back to the inn, Schwarz. The sun has already set outside. Remi must be getting impatient.”
“Come back anytime, Schwarz,” Lesmond said.
With that, we left the annex and went to the inn that Remi recommended we dine at.
***
Knock, knock!
“Door’s open.”
“Excuse me,” I said, walking in. “I’m Comprehensive Guild investigator Remi. I have a report on the stray goblin extermination post-investigation near Myral Village.”
After parting ways with Ashley and Schwarz, I immediately headed to the Comprehensive Guild’s administrative building and arrived at the office of the general manager of the Balga branch. It was a simple office, only furnished with a desk and some bookshelves. A large spear—a memento of the general manager’s adventurer days—hung on the wall as the room’s sole decoration.
“Right. I’ll dispatch an investigation team to Myral Village right away. Depending on the situation, I may also deploy the knights. A newly born dungeon is valuable prey if it’s conquered quickly while still in its lower layers.”
The laughing general manager was Count Galbas Bjuritz. He was a beastman, with brown hair and pale, yellow eyes. He was over fifty, but even so, his large frame showed no signs of weakness—only strength.
He urged me to continue. “So, is there something bothering you about this man, Schwarz?”
“Yes. His unfamiliar armor, unknown magic, and lack of general knowledge of not only the kingdom, but all-around common sense, all suggest that he might be a fallen noble from another country.”
“Be direct—which country?”
“Apologies. Judging by the performance of his magical weapon, I suspect the Baishburn Empire.”
“The cold-blooded Ice Wolf Emperor, huh? I’ve heard he’s crushed more than half of the nobles since he took the throne. To think someone would flee all the way here. Well, I’d leave it be.”
“Really?”
“The Ice Wolf Emperor wouldn’t interfere here for the sake of one runaway noble boy. Focus on Myral Village instead. Assemble an investigation team immediately and locate that dungeon!”
***
“Is this it?” I asked Ashley.
“Yes, it’s the White Flower Pavilion of the Labyrinth. Let’s go in.”
The inn was a white stone, three-storied building. You could see the front desk right away upon entering. Sitting behind a simple wooden reception desk was a cheerful and pleasantly plump lady.
“Welcome, are you here for a meal or lodging?”
“Good evening, Mirana.”
“Why, if it isn’t Miss Ashley! Welcome. Are you dining in?”
“Please, don’t call me ‘Miss.’ We’ll have a meal, but he also needs a room.”
“Very well. Lodging with breakfast and dinner is fifteen hundred Orls per night. I can discount that to ten thousand Orls if you stay a week, and forty thousand Orls for the month.”
While the month offer was the best deal, I only had fifty-five thousand Orls.
“A week, please.”
“All right, your room is number 203. Please keep in mind that breakfast is served from 6 to 9 a.m., when the morning bell rings. Dinner is served from 6 to 9 p.m., when the evening bell rings. Also, wash water will be brought to your room at 7 a.m. and again at 7 p.m. when you’ve returned from your outings.”
“Great. Thank you.”
Ashley paid Mirana, and the innkeeper gave me my room key. Ashley gently pushed me towards the dining room on the first floor.
“Let’s have a meal,” she said. “The food here is delicious.”
Ashley wasn’t kidding. The meals served in the dining room were scrumptious. While the buildings and culture in this other world were reminiscent of medieval Europe, the spices that were precious back then were plentiful here.
I tasted many spices, including pepper and sugar, in the dishes. Perhaps the inn’s culinary level was quite high. I looked forward to future meals here.
We hadn’t eaten since we left Myral Village early this morning. So, Ashley and I ate our meals quickly and quietly. Ashley didn’t like to talk much during meals, anyway. I entertained myself by watching her smile and make other pleasurable expressions while she silently munched her meal. It was all rather enjoyable.
“Oh no! It looks like I’m late!” It was Remi.
“Remi! Thanks for all your hard work. Sorry, but Schwarz and I just finished eating.”
“Good evening,” I said.
“No worries, I can eat alone. But first, I need you to return to the dormitory, Ashley. I’ll check tomorrow’s schedule later.”
“Tomorrow’s schedule? Is it the dungeon again? The general manager’s just as decisive as usual.”
“You know it. Schwarz, I apologize for inviting you to dinner. You must be exhausted, what from the journey from Myral Village and then going through the hassle of adventurer registration. Go rest up tonight. We can pick back up tomorrow.”
“Thank you. I think I’ll do that.”
Remi and Ashley would resume their guild investigator work tomorrow. As for me, I should take requests to raise my guild rank and earn money. I would need to take some time to check my equipment and VMB system first. Since arriving in this other world, I hadn’t had a chance to relax.
***
Back in my room at the White Flower Pavilion of the Labyrinth, I activated the TSS. To continue my activities as an adventurer, I needed to quickly assess how the VMB system worked in this other world. I need to know what was possible and impossible here.
“As expected, it’s just as it was in Myral Village. The inbox is still inaccessible; you can’t log out, but avatar customization is available.”
Avatar customization allowed me to change the design of the powered suit and my avatar’s hairstyle. My fashion wasn’t limited to the powered suit; I could also change into outfits that were distributed during events, or clothes I had bought. It was even possible to wear nothing but underwear.
I discovered this on my first night after falling into this other world, during my stay in the village. I needed to pee, but I didn’t know how to get out of the powered suit. It was a one-piece with no zippers or buttons. You didn’t pee in the game, so why would the suit be designed to be taken off? Unable to hold it any longer, I panicked as I fiddled with the TSS but found the issue could be resolved through avatar customization. It allowed me to successfully remove the powered suit, just in time for me to avoid the disgrace of becoming a twenty-four-year-old man who pissed himself.
“Equipment changes and ammunition replenishment are possible,” I mused. “But I probably shouldn’t summon support weapons here.” I planned to change my sub-weapon when I knew tomorrow’s schedule.
I chose the FN Five-seveN. This handgun, developed by Belgium’s FN company, is a sub-weapon with a magazine capacity of twenty rounds, compared to the Colt M1911A1’s seven rounds. It uses 5.7 × 28mm ammunition, which is known for its superior penetration.
I selected the handgun and its three spare magazines. Particles of light shimmered before me and formed a black supply box.
“Looks like the way to the supply box is the same.”
I opened the box and retrieved the gear from it. I stored the MP5A4 and M1911A1 in their place. When I closed the box, it dissolved into particles of light and disappeared.
Upon checking the TSS, I confirmed that the guns were added to my inventory. The inventory was akin to the game’s item box and was where I viewed and managed all the equipment and items I acquired.
“Good, they’re all there. At least I can change equipment and replenish ammunition when needed. I guess I’ll call it a night.”
I used avatar customization to remove all my equipment and change into my skivvies, then jumped into bed and said good night to my second evening in this other world.
Knock, knock.
“Are you awake, sir?”
Someone was at the door. What time was it? The voice sounded like Mirana, the innkeeper.
“Yes, I’m awake.”
“Good morning, Schwarz. Here’s your morning wash water and towel. You can return the bucket to reception when you’re done. It’s already seven o’clock, so breakfast is ready.”
Oh, right, there’s a wash water service. “Thank you. I’ll be right down.”
This inn had delicious food and excellent service—Remi’s recommendation was spot-on.
I planned to use today for errands. I needed to buy various daily necessities and supplies for completing requests, but my funds were limited. I’d have to ask Mirana to recommend some good shops later.
I’d always thought of breakfast as a light meal, but it was not so in this world. Here, two meals a day were standard, and breakfast was quite hearty. It was going to take some getting used to this diet. I sat back, completely stuffed, and was enjoying the relaxed atmosphere when I saw Ashley approaching from the reception area.
“Good morning, Ashley. Are you here for breakfast, too?”
“Good morning, Schwarz. You’ve become quite fluent in Orland Common Language. Your learning speed is impressive.”
I’d constantly been hearing Orland Common Language and its translations since we embarked. Even so, I was impressed at how fast I was picking it up.
“Thank you. It’s still a bit awkward, but I think I can speak it well enough for shopping without too much trouble.”
“Good. And yes, I did come here for breakfast. What’s your plan for today, Schwarz? I have the next two days off, since I’m still an apprentice, and because of the incident from the day before yesterday.”
“Me? I’m planning to stock up on adventuring supplies.”
“Why, that’s perfect timing. Can I join you? The Fortress City of Balga is vast, and searching for the right shops could take all day. I can take you where you need to go.”
“That would be great. I’ll just run up to my room to get ready while you eat.”
Back in my room, I used the avatar customization to change my outfit into a marine-style military jacket and pants. I holstered the Five-seveN in a shoulder holster, inserted spare magazines into the magazine belt, and concealed a combat knife inside the jacket. Once dressed and armed, I rejoined Ashley as she finished her meal. We then headed out to the shops.
“What should we buy first?”
Ashley wasn’t wearing the leather armor from when we first met. Instead, she wore a turtleneck dress over pants, tied with a leather belt. She seemed dressed for a date.
Is this a date? No, probably not.
“Let’s start with daily necessities, then move on to adventurer supplies,” I said.
“All right, let’s go to the sundries shop ahead. A dwarf woman runs it.”
Inside the store, the shopkeeper made me blush when she joked about us looking like we were preparing to live together. The shopping trip did feel almost like a date, especially after we bought skewered meat from a street vendor selling snacks made for adventurers.
This store sold adventurer tools. It was quite large, and several groups of adventurers milled around, inspecting products and asking the staff questions.
“What else do you want to buy?” Ashley asked.
“I want a bag for storing tools and proofs of extermination. Kinda like the one your weapons were in when we traveled from Myral Village to Balga. I want something with no size constraints.”
“A tool bag, huh? But can you use it, Schwarz?”
“Huh?”
“What?” Ashley seemed surprised.
What did she mean could I use a tool bag that ignores the size of items? Did it require something special?
“I’m sorry, Ashley. I’ve never used a tool bag before. Is there a skill or something you need to use it?”
Ashley glanced around, unsure how to respond.
“Hey, kid,” a gruff voice called out from behind. “You came to an adventurer’s shop and can’t use a tool bag?”
I turned around and found a large man, about six and a half feet tall, with cat ears on his head. Behind him stood two guys—one was mouse-faced, the other raccoon-faced. Were they an adventuring party?
The cat-eared man picked up a small cloth bag from the display and lightly tossed it to me.
“Here, that’s a tool bag. You just channel some magic into it, and the storage space opens. That’s all there is to it. You can’t do that? What makes you think you can be an adventurer, then? Are you right in the head?”
I caught the small cloth bag, but the so-called storage space didn’t appear when I opened it. All I saw inside was cloth.
Does it require magic? What is magic, anyway?! Well, I guess magic is...magic.
Magic didn’t exist in my home world or in VMB, so I was unsure what this meant for me. Would I be unable to use it?
“Huh? What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you don’t know how to use magic? No way! What are you, some kind of dud?”
The man’s remarks agitated Ashley. Her eyes grew wide as she pulled on my sleeve. She was trying to lead me away from the scene, but I was focused on trying to understand what the cat-eared man was saying. Sure, I couldn’t use magic, but was that enough to be called clueless?
“Ha ha ha! A real dud in the flesh, huh! I’ve never seen one before! Have you guys? They’re really out there!”
“Yeah! It’s my first time seeing one too, boss!”
“Me too! How does a dud even think of becoming an adventurer? Duds like you can’t do anything useful. They just get their teammates killed!”
What was this about, and what did they mean by “dud”? I felt like I’d heard it before, but what were they implying?
“Dud” this, “dud” that...Was it because I didn’t know about using a tool bag? But does notknowing how to use a tool bag really call for all this?
My head was filling with questions, but the force pulling on my sleeve reminded me that Ashley was behind me. Her hand was no longer just pulling—it was gripping my sleeve, trembling.
“Enough!” she said. “Schwarz has strength enough to fight without magic! He’s not weak enough for you to be calling him useless!”
“Ha! Is that so, miss? Are you part of this dud’s party? Must be tough, taking care of a useless dud while adventuring! How about joining my party? Leave this dud behind! I know that with such a lack of skills, there’s no way he satisfies you at night. Amirite? Ha ha ha!”
“That’s a great idea! When the boss uses his Body Enhancement Skill, he can go toe-to-toe with an orc!”
“Yeah! Our boss is more virile than some dud!”
“No, thank you! I have no reason to leave Schwarz. He’s far more reliable than you!”
She spoke as if we’d known each other for a while. I thought she was trembling in fear, but she shook with anger. Maybe “dud” was some derogatory term for someone without magic?
“Oh, yeah! Hey, dud! Come outside and show us how reliable you are! Let a real senior adventurer teach you how to use magic. Then, after, maybe I’ll show little miss here what real adventurers are like at night.”
“Sigh. I didn’t think things like this would happen at the Comprehensive Guild, but here we are.”
Such is the nature of being transported to another world.
“Stop babbling and follow me!”
Ashley and I followed the cat-eared man out of the shop and onto a side street off of the main road. The mouse-faced and raccoon-faced guys followed close behind us, blocking us from trying to escape. Once we walked away from the crowd, the cat-eared man turned around.
“This spot should do. I won’t use weapons—killing you could cause some undue hassle.”
So, just pulverizing me wouldn’t be a crime?
“What happens if you injure someone in a fight here?” I whispered to Ashley.
“If it’s between an adventurer and a commoner or craftsman, the adventurer is punished,” Ashley whispered back. “But between adventurers, it’s mostly overlooked unless it’s fatal.”
Then, in a weary, fading voice, she added, “I’m sorry for getting you into this.”
“Ha! Body Enhancement!” The cat-eared man declared, taunting us that he was ready. “Come on, ya dud! Don’t just stand there, show us what you’ve got!”
The cat-eared man spread his arms wide, inviting me to come at him. Was it an optical illusion, or did his body seem to swell and turn slightly red? Was that his magical Body Enhancement Skill?
Now, what? I was just an FPS player. I knew nothing about fighting. I’d never been in a scrape in my home world, and I never attended any martial arts gyms. I wasn’t a complete wuss and was okay at ball games and track sports, but...
I wouldn’t win in an exchange of blows with this guy. He declared he wouldn’t use weapons, but I don’t need to adhere to that—do I? I wanted to end this farce quickly.
I drew the FN Five-seveN from my shoulder holster, disengaged the safety, and fired two shots at the cat-eared man’s knees. I didn’t usually do concealed shooting from the shoulder, but both shots hit their target, and the cat-eared man crouched down from sudden and sharp pain. The mouse-faced and raccoon-faced guys rushed to the cat-eared man’s side.
“Owwww!” he cried.
“You are too careless. I may lack magic, but I still shot your knees out.”
“Wh-what did you do...!” said Ashley.
I tried to play it cool and spoke to her in an extremely casual tone. “An adventurer doesn’t easily reveal their hand. Come on, Ashley. Let’s go. That’s enough shopping for one day. Want to grab dinner?”
“Huh?”
Ashley was stunned, as were the three adventurers. They struggled to fully grasp what I had done.
“You think you can get away after doing that to the boss?!”
“No way we’re letting some dud just run away like that!”
They both took a combat stance in front of the cat-eared man, effectively blocking our way to escape. This is getting annoying—should I shoot their knees out, too?
I aimed the Five-seveN and aligned the crosshair with their knees.
“Hey, what are you doing over there!”
A man’s voice suddenly called out, probably out to investigate the sound of gunfire. I looked at the map on my goggles and saw more dots approaching. If this situation continued, more people would see my firearm and freak out. If they had me arrested, I’d have to explain my means of attack in detail.
Should I run? I grabbed Ashley’s hand, and we ran in the opposite direction, away from the approaching man.
“Huh? Wait—what?” I ignored Ashley’s pleas of confusion. She had been unable to keep up with my sudden actions.
The escape route became visible on the map. I navigated us through the winding side streets, and we dashed out onto another main road.
***
I pulled Ashley’s hand as we continued to run. I focused on the map and saw there were no lights chasing us from behind. I slowed down and was about to ask Ashley what we should do next, but I saw she was blushing. She walked beside me, looking down, letting me lead her by the hand. I realized I had been holding her hand this whole time and released it.
“Ah, I’m sorry. It was an emergency, so I just...”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind,” she said.
We decided to have dinner and looked for somewhere good to go. I wanted Italian, but I couldn’t afford it after today’s shopping. Perhaps there weren’t any Italian restaurants, anyway. Finding nothing suitable, we decided to go back to the White Flower Pavilion of the Labyrinth.
We ate in the dining room without saying a word. I knew from previous meals that she didn’t like to talk while eating, but this felt different.
After finishing the meal, we relaxed while drinking fruit water. That was when Ashley brought up a new topic.
“Schwarz, I have something I need to tell you.”
“Sure. What is it?”
“It’s about what they were calling you back there: ‘Dud’ means someone who can’t use magic.”
“Can’t use magic?”
“Yes, it refers to the rare person who is born unable to cultivate magic within their bodies. They also can’t absorb magic from outside. They have a magical deficiency and lack all skills related to magic. Here, magic resides not just in all living things, but all things that exist. Magic power is in the air, the stones on the road, and even within this table. I don’t know where you are from, Schwarz, but in the Kurtmelga Kingdom, magic is used everywhere, including to operate various tools. But duds can’t utilize any of it. I know you have combat power, but living here is, well, very tough without magic.”
Ashley looked down. She was right about me not being born into this world—I just fell into it through VMB’s power. I lacked magical ability, and this made me a complete anomaly in this world. Maybe it would never accept me.
At least Ashley, of course, had undoubtedly accepted me. I had come to understand that well over the past few days and felt comfortable enough to open up a little to her.
“Ashley, do you remember when you helped me with my registration? You asked if my name was just ‘Schwarz’?”
“Oh? Yes, I remember.”
“My name isn’t just ‘Schwarz.’ It’s actually ‘Schwarz Powder.’”
“Schwarz Powder... Powder...”
“Even though I have a surname, I’m neither noble nor royalty. And we, the Powder family, cannot use magic. I’ve lived a life completely without it. It wasn’t needed in the kind of place I lived in. But I don’t think I’ll have trouble living here. I have this...”
I pulled out the Five-seveN from the shoulder holster with the safety still on. I placed it on the table and continued talking. “This is a gun. I have a few others like it, and they are collectively called ‘arms.’ I would guess probably only my family possesses these. As long as I have them, I have the power to fight and live here without magic. I’ll be okay.”
“Arms? I’ve never heard of such things. Can I touch it?”
“Yeah, go ahead. It’s safe.”
Ashley hesitantly touched the Five-seveN on the table. She tried to lift it, but as soon as she did, it turned into particles of light and disappeared.
What?! What does that mean?
“Is this perhaps a bloodline skill?!” she asked.
Bloodline skill?Did she misunderstand something? Maybe I can use this as cover.
“Yes, it’s a bloodline skill called ‘Arms.’ I probably don’t have magic because of it.”
“Amazing! I’ve heard that very few families possess bloodline skills within the Orland continent. Even in the Kurtmelga Kingdom, only the royal family has one. Are you sure you’re not royalty?”
“I’m sure. I have no country or village to return to.” I didn’t want to believe that, though.
“Really? I’m sorry, but I’m a bit relieved. I’ve heard that duds have hard lives. I’m sure you’ll be okay, Schwarz. Besides, I can help you with whatever you need. Ask me anything.”
“Thank you, Ashley. But you’ve already done so much for me. I’m very grateful.”
I managed to cover up my tracks well, and our conversation seemed to have quelled her anxiety. Even if it was all a lie, I couldn’t bear to see Ashley look so troubled. Why was that?
Well, I wasn’t entirely lying. Now I could disguise my VMB power as a bloodline skill in the future.
Time seemed to fly by once we finished eating, and everyone had left the dining room. It was probably a good time to call it an evening.
“We’ve talked quite a bit, haven’t we? Let me escort you to the dormitory.”
“Thank you.”
Walking Ashley to the guild staff dormitory, I enjoyed the leisurely post-dinner stroll, and she taught me basic information that all adventurers should know.
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
THE NEXT DAY, I went to the Comprehensive Guild’s main building to accept my first adventurers’s quest. The bulletin board inside displayed a wide variety of E-rank quests available, including collecting herbs and minerals, eliminating magical beasts attracted by the labyrinth’s magic, and various escort missions for merchants—both within the Fortress City of Balga and to other cities or villages. I needed to choose carefully, as I had to earn two years’ worth of taxes in the next three months. But first, I needed to start earning my living expenses. What funds I had were nearly wiped out after yesterday’s spree.
Upon reviewing the reward amounts and completion conditions, I found that the gathering quests posed the least amount of direct danger and wouldn’t require ammunition consumption. Since I had no means to increase my Crystal Points yet, earning money without reducing my Crystal Points was preferable. The only catch was that the required amount of collected stuff suggested that I would need a tool bag. The reward amount was based on how much I gathered, and the amount I could gather with a handheld bag wouldn’t earn much.
I was then drawn to elimination quests. They offered higher rewards and required less of a time commitment. I chose the glass wolf elimination quest, which involved the black wolves that attacked me when I arrived in Balga. The location was near the eastern labyrinth, and the proof of elimination was their fangs. I would need to provide at least five of them, but I could earn additional rewards for more. The completion reward was ten silver coins, plus one silver coin for each additional fang, and fifteen guild points.
Once I decided this was the quest for me, I went to the reception with the quest form and my guild card to complete the acceptance process. The mature receptionist processed the request efficiently and sent me off with best wishes. Leaving the guild, I headed to the carriage station to catch a patrol carriage. Carriages departed from Balga early in the morning until early afternoon, to areas near various labyrinths. Since my map of Balga was still incomplete, and I didn’t know the location of the eastern labyrinth, I decided to use my remaining funds for cab fare.
The patrol carriage was a large and very bumpy covered wagon. After about an hour, it stopped on the road outside of the forest containing the eastern labyrinth.
“This is as far east as we go,” the driver informed me.
“Thank you. The labyrinth is in that forest?” I asked.
“Yep, the Wolf Fang Labyrinth is right in there. You can reach it by following the path.”
I paid the driver with my last Orl. I set out toward the eastern forest to begin my journey.
While following the path that led into the forest, I activated the TSS. I selected the MP5A4 as my primary weapon, along with three spare magazines. This summoned a supply box. I could have done this back in my room, but I didn’t want the gun’s silhouette to attract unwanted attention. It would be safer to summon the weapons at the last possible moment in order to avoid unnecessary scrutiny or discussion.
“The adventurers in town wore coats that concealed their weapons. I should do the same,” I muttered to myself while switching the gun’s safety to three-round burst. I entered the forest and continued up the path towards the labyrinth.
I searched for glass wolves for about thirty minutes before the sound sensor picked up their familiar trot. It was them, all right—two, to be exact. Although they weren’t visible on the map yet, I could definitely hear them.
In FPS games, distinguishing various enemies’ sounds from natural environmental sounds was an essential system-external technique. Mastering it helped you progress from beginner to advanced levels. Recognizing moving footsteps, voices, the small metallic sounds from someone reloading, and instantly judging direction, distance, and movement speed all created the advantageous situations that made FPS games so thrilling.
Just as I relied on listening for the wolves’ sounds, they relied on their sense of smell. They were likely on high alert and cautiously surveying their surroundings. While I minimized my noise, I also needed to be mindful of the wind direction. This was my first hunt, and I couldn’t gauge how much of my scent would travel and be detected. For now, I focused on taking the rear.
The wolves weren’t running, but walking, and I decided to circle around and launch a surprise attack. Two points indicating the wolves appeared on the map. The VMB’s map displayed points within a maximum range of one hundred and sixty yards, but the sound sensor could pick up sounds from distances of three hundred to five hundred yards. This range was determined by independent player investigations, as the official distance was never disclosed. In FPS games, easily identifying enemy locations could undermine the game’s competitive nature, so the map display range was balanced at this distance.
There they were. Two black, dog-like creatures five feet long. They were exactly like the beasts I defeated a few days ago—glass wolves. I knelt about three hundred feet away, aimed the MP5A4 at the nearest one, and pulled the trigger.
The three bullets fired and struck the first glass wolf near its hind leg, making it collapse.
I confirmed the hit and aimed at the second wolf. He had been startled by the gunfire and his fallen companion, taking a slight step back to scan its surroundings.
Our eyes met. I didn’t want to risk damaging the proof of elimination with a headshot, so I aimed lower at the base of the neck. I pulled the trigger.
Did I get it?
He fell backwards from the bullets’ impact. I maintained my shooting stance while approaching the motionless glass wolves. They no longer appeared as points in my goggles.
I kept an eye on the map and an ear out for surrounding sounds. Gunfire was quite loud, and it could open you up to an attack by other beasts if you let your guard down.
After confirming the two glass wolves defeats, I extracted their fangs for the proof of elimination.
Is it okay to take the largest, most noticeable fang? How should I extract it? Do I pull it?
Grasping the largest fang of the glass wolf lying with its mouth open, I pulled it out with little resistance. I placed it in my waist-bag. I did the same with the other wolf, successfully collecting two fangs.
“So far, so good.”
I continued hunting for the next three hours. I didn’t even stop for lunch, thanks to my ability to occasional chew on some jerky. The time displayed on my goggles indicated it was nearing 3 p.m. I wasn’t sure of the carriage’s return schedule, so I decided to walk back to the city before sunset. I had hunted and ambushed six wolves, successfully taking them down with preemptive strikes.
Ultimately, I never saw the labyrinth’s entrance. I figured going there would be a waste of time, as other adventurers would likely be there hunting glass wolves. I exited the forest and returned to the highway, heading toward Balga.
“Today’s hunt taught me that elimination quests take too long searching for targets.”
Were this a game, I could have simply circled a small map to hunt the target enemies. This was reality, though, so hunting prey required specialized knowledge. I didn’t know how to actually hunt animals living in the forest—or rather, living beings in the natural world. For glass wolves, I needed to research their ecology, range, and behavior patterns.
“Being an adventurer is a challenging profession. It’s not enough to just defeat glass wolves. And what about the labyrinth?” I muttered aloud to myself as I walked. “There, knowledge of specific hunting methods for the ecology or natural environment wouldn’t apply. I might need to learn labyrinth-specific knowledge.”
I continued along the highway, pondering my future quests and whether they would be elimination quests. I faintly heard glass wolves running alongside a carriage.
I looked toward the source of the sound and saw a carriage approaching from the royal capital, almost five hundred and fifty yards away. The sound of the glass wolves was further behind.
“Is that traveling carriage under attack?”
It seemed my first quest wasn’t quite over yet.
“Hey! You! The adventurer over there! Run!” The driver shouted at me as the carriage approached. He was a chubby, older man with five glass wolves chasing his carriage. One of them had footsteps that sounded different—it hit the ground with a particularly powerful thud.
“Keep moving!” I shouted back. I aimed the MP5A4 and knelt to observe the rear of the carriage. There, I saw a creature larger than the glass wolves. Was it a higher-ranked species?
“Be careful! It’s a dire glass wolf!” the carriage driver shouted as he passed me by.
A dire glass wolf? So it really was a higher-ranked species. Its body was bigger than a regular glass wolf at six and a half feet long. I switched the safety to three-round burst and fired at the leading glass wolf.
“Yelp!”
It gave a dog-like cry I didn’t expect to come from something as huge as the glass wolf. It rolled over and stopped moving. The dire glass wolf howled at seeing its fallen kin. This caused the other four wolves to forget chasing the carriage and change their focus to me. They spread out from the highway to start encircling me.
My gun primarily offered linear attacks on single targets. I would clearly be at a disadvantage if I was surrounded. I darted to the right toward the glass wolves and evaded their enclosure. They regrouped and followed suit after me.
While running, I aimed the crosshair at the nearest glass wolf. I fired from the hip in a style known as Hip Fire, releasing the trigger once, then again. The first shot missed entirely. After a slight adjustment, the second shot landed and tumbled a wolf. Even so, the glass wolves were faster than me.
Although my powered suit enhanced my leg strength beyond the standards of this world, it couldn’t make me outrun wolf-like creatures. The dire glass wolf maintained its distance and observed the hunt. It was the remaining three wolves who closed in ready to leap and bite.
Glancing back at the three wolves behind me, I utilized the powered suit’s capabilities for high-mobility maneuvers and quickly stepped to the left. I then used the step’s momentum to jump forward and turn back. Airborne, I switched the safety to full auto, aimed the crosshair at the approaching glass wolves, and shot.
The continuous gunfire roared while the bullets transformed from points to lines and engulfed two glass wolves at once. Right when I landed, I bounced forward to the right and jumped again. I turned my gaze left to encircle the remaining glass wolf with the crosshair. I pulled the trigger decisively.
“I might just pull this off after all,” I muttered. All this action confirmed that I could rely on the jump technique I used in the VMB game and use it in this reality. This jump, known in various FPS titles as an Accelerated Jump or Circle Jump, was most effectively executed as a Strafe Jump. What I just replicated here could be called a Strafe Jump. It utilized viewpoint movement and game mechanics to accelerate movement speed, allowing for faster and longer jumps. This high-mobility move was a step in VMB’s evolution beyond mere shootouts. It created close-range firefights where bullets were dodged, evaded, and sometimes jumped over to engage the enemy.
With the five glass wolves defeated, I reloaded the gun while keeping an eye on the dire glass wolf. The discarded magazine turned into particles of light before hitting the ground. With its five companions dead, the dire glass wolf glared at me with wide-open eyes. It bared its large fangs, and its fur bristled.
I knew I should attack first while there was distance, so I took a standing shooting stance, aimed down the sights, and fired about five rounds in full auto. The beast leapt sideways, evading the shots.
Right, higher-ranked species can dodge attacks...
Shooting from the front at long range should be avoided. I needed to disrupt its stance or exploit an opening. As I stepped forward to advance, the dire glass wolf opened its large mouth wider and aimed a roar-like attack at me.
“Oh, no!”
Its mouth glowed faintly green and unleashed a magic-infused roar toward me.
Vooooooon.
I dove sideways and rolled away just in time to avoid the attack. Upon regaining my stance, I saw the dire glass wolf charge at me. I returned to a crouch, but the beast closed in, its right claw ready to strike.
“Whoa!”
I swung my left arm and held the MP5A4’s grip to deflect the dire glass wolf’s advance. I simultaneously pressed the button at the base of my glove’s index finger. This activated another VMB element that extended beyond long-range shootouts: the Circle Barrier Shield.
This shield had a diameter equal to the length of both arms, elbow to elbow when fists are pressed together. It was an energy-consuming round barrier shield capable of blocking all attacks within VMB’s game environment. Continuous deployment quickly depleted its energy, and it required either a cooldown period for energy recovery, or using a bunch of Crystal Points to replenish it. That’s why it was common in VMB to deploy the shield in small increments. This would block unavoidable shots, while using jump techniques to dodge and prevent hits.
The dire glass wolf was confused by what happened. Its right claw was deflected by the faintly glowing, translucent circular shield that appeared on the outside of my left arm. In VMB’s PvE mode, deflecting close-range attacks with CBS and shooting when the opponent’s stance was disrupted was a standard counteraction. I couldn’t miss the opening this standard action created.
“Too easy!”
While my left arm deflected the dire glass wolf’s right claw, my right hand pulled the trigger and shot at its exposed belly. The MP5A4 unleashed 9 × 19mm Parabellum rounds into its abdomen. This might have been overkill, but I fired until the dire glass wolf collapsed, dead. Whether my magazine emptied first, or its life ended first, I couldn’t tell, but it thudded down to the ground.
“Phew! I’m glad the shield held up. I couldn’t withstand its strength otherwise. It would have been fatal...”
Looking down at the motionless dire glass wolf, I quickly changed the magazine for my gun. This was my last one. It didn’t seem likely that any of the six wolves would move again, but better safe than sorry.
“That roar earlier was surprising. Do higher-ranked species naturally use magical attacks?”
I observed where the magic-infused roar had struck the ground and imagined its power. It had gouged out the earth and formed a small crater.
I wondered if the carriage had safely escaped. I turned my gaze toward the Fortress City of Balga and saw a carriage approaching from afar. Soon, I could also hear its sound. It was the carriage the glass wolves had chased—it had returned.
“Hey! Are you All right?” the driver asked. “I was watching from a distance. Boy, was I worried! Are you injured? I have medicine—”
“No, I’m not injured. Are you okay, sir?”
“You’re not injured?! Oh, I’m fine, thanks to you. I was on my way from the royal capital to the Fortress City of Balga when those monsters unexpectedly attacked me. They usually don’t appear near this highway, so I was careless and didn’t hire an escort. You really saved me.”
“It was nothing. In that situation, they would have targeted me anyway. I just dealt with the threat that came my way.”
“But to defeat a dire glass wolf unscathed...”
While we talked, I drew a combat knife from the leg sheath on my thigh. I stabbed it into the dire glass wolf’s chest and cut it open. There was no blood, so I immediately saw the magic stone embedded inside. As Ashley had mentioned yesterday, higher-ranked magical beasts and humanoid species, as well as magic-using creatures, have natural magic stones in their chests.
“Oh! What a splendid and large wind magic stone!”
Before I knew it, the man had dismounted from the carriage and approached. The magic stone I extracted was approximately two inches long and glowed green. Even without magic, I could sense what was sealed within it. I stored it in my pouch and extracted the fangs from all the wolves. Would the same type of fang be acceptable for the dire wolf?
“Are you only collecting the magic stone and proof of elimination?”
The man, observing my process, questioned what else could be collected.
“Well... I can’t carry more. My tool bag is already full.” I didn’t have a tool bag, of course. But he didn’t need to know about that or that I was a dud.
“That’s a waste! There’s nothing useless in a magical beast! The hide, meat, and bones all have uses. If you can’t carry them, why don’t you sell them to me?”
“Sure! I was just going to leave them behind, but if you want to buy them, please do. Um...”
“Pardon me! I could at least introduce myself to the person who saved my life. I am Marta. I am a merchant, and I run the Marida Trading Company based in the royal capital.”
“Nice to meet you, Marta. I’m Schwarz, still a novice adventurer.”
Marta’s offer was really helpful since I was unable to use a tool bag. I could carry very little, and the firearms and ammo I did carry left little room for anything beyond proofs of elimination.
“Thank you, Schwarz. We can collect everything in my tool bag, and I’ll take you to Balga. The sun will set on us if we negotiate here. Hop up in the carriage, and we’ll discuss basics on the way.”
Thus, I sat in Marta’s carriage, and we negotiated a simple sale price as we returned to the Fortress City of Balga.
When we arrived, I first headed to the guild to report the completed quest. I agreed to meet Marta the next day at the Marida Trading Company’s Balga branch. Then, we’d discuss the dire glass wolf sale and other matters.
I entered the guild’s annex. It was evening, and it bustled with adventurers settling their day’s earnings. There were so many people, in fact, that I decided to get in line at a shorter queue. There were multiple reception windows, and the queues varied between some having long lines and some short. My line only had a few people ahead of me.
The line moved fast. It seemed the person handling this window was quite efficient. While waiting, I observed the line next to me. In its window sat a cute, beastkin female receptionist.
It seemed guild receptionists were either beautiful or cute! So, that was why that line was so long—it was for the receptionist. I could understand that. The heart and eyes need healing after life-and-death adventures. Sharing one’s adventures with, and receiving admiration from, a cute receptionist would be a rare reward beyond any quest’s compensation.
But what about this receptionist...
“Welcome, and thank you for coming. I’m Lesmond, and I’ll be your receptionist today. Please present your guild card and quest form.”
It was the small mustachioed, elderly gentleman who had appraised the mage goblin’s sash two days ago.
“Oh, it’s you, Schwarz. Welcome back.”
He remembered me. I must have looked disappointed. I had no complaints about him—was courteous and skilled, and likely an excellent staff member. But, you know...
“I’ve returned. You’re at this reception today, I see.”
Despite my inner turmoil, I gave him my guild card and quest form. Lesmond checked them, then elegantly operated the crystal pedestal with fluid hand movements. Watching his impressive work was comforting, and I felt my sanity return to normal.
“Yes, it’s quite busy right now, so I’m here to assist. The quest was for glass wolf elimination, correct? May I see the proofs of elimination, please.”
“Yes. I have eleven total. I also snagged a dire glass wolf. Was it correct to use fangs for that, as well?”
I thought I saw a slight twitch at the corner of Lesmond’s mustache when I mentioned the higher species, but maybe not. Lesmond maintained his gentle smile, verifying each proof of elimination before pausing to look at the notably large dire glass wolf fang.
“This is indeed a dire glass wolf! And yes, fangs are also its proof. Well done, Schwarz. Encountering a dire glass wolf in the wild usually means there’s a pack, yet you are uninjured. I’d expect no less from someone who hunted a mage goblin while at G-rank.”
“Ha ha, I just happened across a small group.”
“Oh, your modesty... Thank you for waiting. The quest completion has been confirmed. Well done. The reward totals one hundred and sixty silver coins, or sixteen thousand Orl, with fifteen guild points. The dire glass wolf proof of elimination is worth twenty-five silver coins, or twenty-five thousand Orl, with two hundred guild points. Additionally, sixteen hundred Orl has been deducted for this year’s tax collection. Here is your guild card.”
Adventurer Registration Card
Name: Schwarz Powder
Age: 24
Place of Origin: VMB
Main Weapon: None
Main Magic Attribute: None
Skills: None
Abilities: None
Tax Payment Method: From Adventurer Income
Rank: E (240/500)
The guild card made no mention of the fabricated bloodline Arms Skill that I had concocted the previous night. It seemed that bloodline skills were not recorded, or perhaps claiming to have a skill didn’t warrant its inclusion. I accepted my reward, bid Lesmond farewell, and headed to the inn.
After having dinner at the White Flower Pavilion of the Labyrinth, I returned to my room to assess how many Crystal Points were consumed during today’s quest.
“The consumption rate is fast. It might not even last me a year, at this pace.”
With no current means to acquire Crystal Points, I pondered how to manage their use. Spending them freely on ammunition and supplies would quickly deplete even the substantial amount I had saved. This made me uneasy. Since defeating enemies didn’t yield crystals, I considered alternatives but found there were none. My outsider status in this world meant that the only potential option was collecting magic stones.
I fidgeted with the wind magic stone I had extracted from the dire glass wolf. I detached the TSS screen monitor from the glove on my left arm and operated it like a tablet.
“Should I switch from firearms to close combat weapons? Nah. With my rudimentary skills, hunting magical beasts and humanoid species seems impractical.”
The problem seemed unsolvable, and tinkering with the TSS seemed futile. As I considered turning the TSS off, the wind magic stone slipped from my fingers and sank into the screen.
Discovery of Crystal Conversion
ERROR! This crystal cannot be converted into points.
Cancel the conversion? (Y/N)
“What?! Is the magic stone actually related to crystals?”
I couldn’t take my eyes off the unfamiliar error message displayed on the screen monitor. This suggested that if a convertible magic stone were dropped onto the monitor, it could be acquired as Crystal Points. After selecting to cancel the conversion, the wind magic stone fell through and out the screen’s other side.
I rummaged through my magazine belt pouch and retrieved the non-elemental magic stone I’d extracted from the mage goblin. I dropped it onto the screen monitor.
Conversion available!
Convert these crystals to points? (Y / N)
“That’s it! The wind magic stone can’t be converted, but the non-elemental one can?!”
I immediately proceeded with the conversion and checked the acquired points. They weren’t much, only equivalent to the value of a single magazine.
“Well, I’ve gained Crystal Points, but considering how often I’ll acquire magic stones, this is still a net loss. But not all resource replenishment has to be directly acquired. I could maybe buy the stones. But wouldn’t that require a significant amount of money...?”
I recalled Ashley mentioning how this world utilized its magic stones. They supported various aspects of the world’s infrastructure and served as energy sources for various magical tools.
In essence, magic stones were akin to the electricity, gas, and fossil fuels found in my original world. It seemed unlikely they were offered at affordable prices. However, the Fortress City of Balga was surrounded by labyrinths...
“Ah, the labyrinth... Ashley mentioned that while it’s difficult to acquire magic stones in the natural world, in labyrinths, defeated magical beasts and humanoid species are absorbed and leave core magic stone behind them.”
So, if I focused on activities within the labyrinths, then that would naturally lead to accumulating magic stones. Maybe I should become an explorer rather than an adventurer. That means I need to quickly advance to D-rank. I can’t gain permission to enter the labyrinth until then.
As I contemplated this, I realized it was almost midnight.
Tomorrow, I need to visit Marta. Although I’m still excited about discovering a means to acquire crystal points, it’s time to rest for the night.
***
I found Marta at the Marida Trading Company’s Balga branch. It was located in the commercial district south of the city. I had promised Marta to sell him the materials from those same beasts that I had inadvertently saved him from.
The Marida Trading Company was a large, three-storied building that faced the main street in Balga’s commercial district. I originally thought Marta was a small-time traveling merchant, since he was unescorted. But seeing the main office of this branch suggested that his business might’ve been larger than I expected. The first floor of the trading company was dedicated to selling adventurer weapons and tools. It had more of a luxury brand vibe rather than a department store selling common goods, as its wares were for advanced users.
A store employee approached me at the door and greeted me with a welcoming smile.
“Welcome, how can I help you?”
“Hello, I’m Schwarz. I am an adventurer come to see Marta. Is he here? I’m here to sell him some beast materials.”
“I’ll call him right now. It may be a while, so I’ll take you to our reception room.”
We walked to the reception room, and I asked him if the trading company sold magic stones. It turned out that the Marida Trading Company originally started as a magic stone merchant. They collected magic stones from labyrinths and transported them to places with demand, selling them at lower prices to increase profits.
This approach led to growth, eventually expanding to sell other products. They transported them to places with high-demand and sold them at lower prices to increase profits. This successful approach led to the company’s eventual expansion into selling other products.
Tea was provided in the reception room. I was enjoying a cup when Marta entered with his round, jiggling belly.
“Thank you for waiting, Schwarz.”
“No problem. I am enjoying this delicious tea.”
“Do you like it? It’s tea from the eastern countries. It’s rare even in the royal capital. Now, let’s finalize the deal. The beasts you defeated were skinned in excellent condition. Their pelts sustained minimal damage.”
“Well, the dire wolf’s belly was full of holes...”
Marta’s demeanor shifted from a cheerful expression to a sharp gaze. “I’ve never seen such wounds before. What sort of weapon or magic did you use?” His mercenary mind seemed to be contemplating something when he mentioned weapons or magic. Would he believe me if I told him the truth?
I decided to remain furtive. “Ha ha. Well, that’s a secret.”
“A bit harsh, but I understand. An adventurer’s strength is their greatest asset, and I shouldn’t have questioned it. Please forgive me.”
Marta’s gentle smile returned as he took money out of the bag he brought. “Let’s continue. I’d like to buy the glass wolves at three silver coins each, and the dire wolf at sixty silver coins. How does that sound?”
“Great! By the way, I heard Marida Trading Company also deals in magic stone trading?”
“Why, yes. I’m here from the royal capital to purchase magic stones, in fact. Rumor has it a fourth labyrinth has been discovered. If true, that would significantly increase the magic stone trade in Balga. I would be failing as a merchant if I missed such an opportunity.”
“I’m not allowed into labyrinths yet. I need stones, though. Could you tell me what your prices are?”
“Certainly. And I bet you’ll be able to enter the labyrinth soon and thrive there.”
The information Marta shared with me about magic stones was invaluable. Our conversation extended into a light lunch, and, when we were done, it was too late to accept any quests that day.
Magic stones come in eleven attributes. The six basic attributes are: fire, water, wind, earth, darkness, and light. There are also four rare attributes: lightning, ice, wood, and space, plus stones that are non-elemental. The core beast determines the attribute variability. However, space attribute stones, which fuel the energy sources for tool bags and teleportation devices, cannot be obtained from beasts or humanoid species, but are found within the labyrinths.
Regarding trading prices, non-elemental stones are abundant and not very expensive. The basic six attributes trade for a few silver coins. However, the rare four attributes are difficult to obtain, and space stones, which are the rarest, are even pricier—ranging from dozens of silver coins to gold coins based on size.
Because of the fluctuating prices of magic stones, Marta strongly recommended direct trading with merchants like himself. The guild only traded at average minimum prices.
“Perfect! Marta is a great connection for trading magic stones, and cheap too!”
On my way back from the negotiation, I compared prices of non-elemental stones with a few other merchants. I also used forty of the seventy-five silver coins from my sale with Marta to purchase a few. When I got back to the inn, I converted all the non-elemental magic stones into Crystal Points.
The next day, I focused on getting better at elimination quests. I struggled with hunting in the natural world due to my inexperience, even if I did gradually accumulate guild points. I went to the archives. It was a library-like facility on the guild’s premises. My daily cycle as an adventurer involved accepting quests early in the morning, completing them by midday, and returning to Balga. After reporting completion, I visited the archives to learn more about this world’s norms—including its magical beasts, humanoid species, herbs, and minerals. I studied into the evening, and then I’d return to the inn.
The archives contained a wealth of information. Some of it was difficult to memorize, but I used a trick. My goggles had a screen capture function that allowed me to capture and save images from bestiaries and herb guides. I could access these images with the TSS, and that became my aid in identifying collected items.
I also tried to research what might have led to my fall into this world. I wanted to know if others had fallen here, and if there were ways to return. However, the archives in Balga lacked materials on myths, legends, or topics like world transfer and people from other worlds. As a result, how I got here‚ and how I could return—remained unknown.
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
I WENT TO THE guild’s main building extra early after waking up. I wanted first dibs on the morning’s quests posted on the bulletin board. I needed something that could be done by noon, so I could do more research in the archives afterward. I’d already gathered a substantial amount of basic knowledge about this world. Now, I needed to familiarize myself with various documents and materials, using the auto-translation feature, in order to learn vocabulary unique to this world.
I had reached a proficient level in the Orland Common Language, so I could handle everyday conversations, but my vocabulary needed work. The next step was to learn the unique terms and names related to magic in this world.
While searching for a quest that would allow me time for study, I came across an elimination quest that seemed to require several days, rather than half a day. It was for eliminating harpies—a humanoid species with a human’s upper body and a bird’s lower body. They had wings for arms and so were adept at aerial attacks.
While goblins and orcs were male-only species, harpies were exclusively female. And like the goblins and orcs who kidnapped human or beastkin females for breeding, harpies kidnapped human or beastkin males. They didn’t keep them around, though. Once they consumed their victims’ testes for self-fertilization, the carnivorous monsters would consume the other soft organs and discard the leftover, tough, muscular parts. As a result, harpy nests and feeding sites were gruesome. The scattered carrion attracted other carnivores and diseases, making surrounding areas dangerous.
The quest’s location was near Monesia Village, north of the Fortress City of Balga. The proof of elimination was twelve harpy tail feathers. This matched their confirmed numbers, meaning the quest’s goal was total annihilation. The reward was twenty silver coins per tail feather and fifty guild points for each participant.
This quest required at least six participants and was open to E to B-ranks. The departure was scheduled for the next morning. The fact that the quest form was still posted meant that the participant count hadn’t reached six.
I was interested in this quest because it required multiple participants. During my research in the archives, I’d learned that the magic, skills, and abilities unique here were things I wanted to witness firsthand, as much as possible. Aiming to become a D-rank adventurer and labyrinth explorer, I planned to complete as many quests as possible alone. But to do so, I needed to assess how far my VMB abilities would work in this world. I also wanted to know more about the power of this world’s magic, skills, and its basic combat methods. This quest seemed like a good start. I snatched it from the bulletin board and headed to reception.
“I want to accept this quest.”
“Welcome,” the receptionist said. “For this quest, I’ll need to verify your guild card. May I see it, please?”
The receptionist took and inserted my card into the crystal pedestal behind the counter. The wooden gears inside drummed briefly before returning my card.
“Your acceptance is complete. While this is a mixed quest, please prepare for the expedition individually. The target location is distant, so departure is scheduled for tomorrow morning. All participants must be present for departure with their completion reports. If contact is lost during the quest, rewards may be forfeited, and penalties may apply. Please be cautious.”
“Understood.”
“Take care and have a safe journey.”
I was in! Now I needed to gather food and tools for the expedition. Leaving the main building, I headed to the commercial district to gather the necessary supplies.
***
“Dried meat, water, salt, and some vegetables would be good, but I can’t carry much...”
I stood in front of a stall and contemplated the food I needed for the expedition. I didn’t really know. Adventurers in this world had magical bags called tool bags that could largely ignore storage limits. However, I couldn’t use them, as a dud. The amount I could pack into a bag or large backpack was limited.
“Hey, kid, you gotta buy something or move along. I have other customers.”
The stall owner was annoyed with me for pondering all of this in front of his stall.
“Ah, sorry. I’m heading north for a quest and want to buy food. What vegetables would be good to take?”
“What’s this, kid? With your strange outfit, I thought you were from the Alchemy Guild, but you’re an adventurer? North, you say? Towards Monesia Village?”
“That’s right. I’m going to eliminate humanoid species around Monesia Village.”
“You should’ve said so sooner! It’s two days by carriage to Monesia Village. That means at least four meals. How about these?”
The stall owner selected a bundle of thin, dried black meat, a small jar filled with dried fruit, and a bag of beans.
“This should last a week. You have to buy water and salt separately.”
The quantity was manageable. I doubted that it would last a week, but I decided to trust the stall owner. I purchased the food and thanked him. Next, I needed to find water, salt, and camping tools. Speaking of camping, I needed a fire-starting kit. Did they have that here?
Walking down main street, I headed to an adventurer’s tool shop. It was the same shop from a few days back where I had been accosted by a trio of adventurers. Despite that unpleasantness, I remembered that Ashley had mentioned its diverse selection and recommended it for its quest tools. I entered and approached a male employee arranging the merchandise.
“Excuse me. I’m looking for a fire-starting kit. Where are they located?”
“Welcome. Fire-starting kit? You mean, like kindling?”
“No, I don’t need wood to burn, but the tools that start the fire.”
“Tools to start the fire...? I’m sorry, but we don’t carry such tools.”
“Oh? You don’t have flint stones?”
“Flint stones? I’m sorry, but I have no idea what that is.”
“I see. Thanks, anyway.”
This was unexpected. Then I realized that residents of this world can use magic. They don’t need flint stones for fire-starting.
I left the employee to examine the various tools displayed. Their arrangement confirmed my guess was right. For nighttime lanterns, there were magical light types and candle types. I couldn’t produce magical light or fire, so these were useless to me. I’d have to rely on the tactical light attached to my firearms for nighttime illumination.
Carrying water would be challenging. I needed to carry a sufficient amount beyond what my current canteen held. The store had leather bags and canteens perfect for this, but they were huge and obviously designed for magical tool bags with expandable storage.
While my avatar outfit was warm enough, and I wouldn’t need a blanket for sleeping, I had nowhere to carry a pot for cooking. I wasn’t skilled at cooking—I mostly ate out or had convenience store meals back in Japan, and I rarely cooked for myself. I’d have to make do with the jerky from the stall. I purchased all the necessary tools needed for the multi-day carriage journey. I then returned to the White Flower Pavilion of the Labyrinth to finish my preparations.
After having a light meal in the first-floor dining hall, I returned to my room and opened the TSS. While gathering travel tools was important, I also needed to decide which firearms to use against the harpies. I also needed to think about how I should present myself to the temporary party I’d be joining.
From the TSS inventory, I selected the firearms I thought would be most effective against the flying humanoids. First, I chose an anti-aircraft firearm. Since I didn’t know the harpies’ flight altitude or speed, I opted for something with a wide range of coverage. I chose the Type 99 short rifle as my main weapon. Known in the West as the Arisaka rifle, this bolt-action rifle was used by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. It had a five-round capacity and a range of about sixteen hundred yards, requiring the bolt handle to be pulled for cocking, ejecting spent cartridges, and loading the next round.
The ammunition used was a standard cartridge, with a precise specification of 7.7 × 58mm rounds. In VMB, firearms’ attack power was determined by the ammunition used, rather than the firearm itself. The combination of a bolt-action rifle and 7.7 × 58mm rounds offered top-class rifle attack power in VMB.
Even though the capacity was limited to five rounds, and you had to manually load each round, players enjoyed the cocking action and loading process of such bolt-action rifles. The challenge of dealing with the gaps during cocking and loading was a test of player skill, making the Type 99 short rifle popular among players.
The main reason I chose this firearm for anti-aircraft shooting was its sight. The iron sights, consisting of two reference points—the front sight at the muzzle and the rear sight on the barrel—were equipped with an anti-aircraft sight on the Type 99 short rifle. This aided aiming at airborne targets. Although hitting a flying harpy with a single shot wouldn’t be easy, it was far more economical than spraying bullets with assault rifles or submachine guns.
I planned to keep the Five-seveN as my secondary weapon. Its twenty-round capacity was appealing, and with the Type 99’s high power, a maneuverable secondary weapon was preferable. I selected a silencer attachment and stored it in my waist pouch for easy access.
I also packed a combat knife for close combat, along with several special grenades in a dedicated pouch.
With my expedition load-out complete, I chose a new avatar outfit. I figured a fur-hooded Napoleon coat could serve as a blanket substitute for sleeping. The long coat would also cover and conceal the magazine belt and holster. While I’d have to carry the Type 99 short rifle in a shoulder sling, it would probably appear to people around here as a long staff with metal fittings. Now that I was properly outfitted, I changed from avatar customization to underwear and turned in early to be well rested for tomorrow.
***
I ate a hearty breakfast before heading out to the main building. Adventurers start their day early by accepting and traveling to quests. When the quests are complete, they return to the guild to receive their rewards and rest. Some groups, like mine, set out on multi-day quests. These adventurers typically gather in the waiting area at the back of the main building.
Since this was my first group quest, I was unaware of these standard procedures. Upon entering the main building, a guild staff member kindly informed me of the unspoken rules. According to him, the waiting area at the back has several tables with six chairs each. For first meetings, adventurers who arrive later confirm the quest and join those already waiting.
Scanning the waiting area, I saw people already seated at two tables. One table had a party of three adults: a human male and two beastkin females. The other table had a pair of young humans. One was a boy, the other a girl, and both looked like middle or high school students.
Which one is the harpy elimination party?
Standing awkwardly, I decided to approach the group of three.
“Good morning. Is this the harpy elimination party?”
“Nope,” replied one of the adults.
Okay, then. That left...
“It’s us,” said the girl at the other table. Her voice was gentle, but firm. “Are you the adventurer who accepted the harpy elimination quest?”
I turned towards the other table and lightly bowed to the attractive duo. She was a cute girl with long, light blue hair and green eyes, while he was a handsome lad with short, blue hair.
“My mistake. I’m Schwarz, an E-rank adventurer. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Liese, and this is my brother, Rudy. We are both C-rank adventurers.”
“Nice to meet you, Schwarz,” Rudy greeted me.
“Nice to meet you, Rudy.”
They looked a lot younger than me, which was initially why I didn’t approach them first. I was surprised to learn that their adventurer rank was much higher than mine. I recalled that adulthood in this world begins at fifteen, so maybe they started adventuring as soon as they became adults.
I sat between them at the table. We made small talk while waiting for the rest of the members to arrive, but no one came. After a while, the group at the next table was joined by the rest of their party and they departed for their quest.
“We’re supposed to depart with six people. Aren’t we expecting more to join us?”
“When we accepted the quest, we were told there were five of us,” Rudy explained.
“When did you accept the quest, Schwarz?” Liese asked.
“Yesterday morning,” I replied.
“That makes you the sixth member.”
“So, we’re waiting for three more to join us.”
We continued waiting in the guild’s waiting area for what felt like ages. A guild staff member checked in on us and told us to remain, as the plan was to only proceed with six members. Perhaps it was deemed too risky to proceed with just the three of us, given our mix of E- and C-ranks.
Two hours later, the remaining three members finally arrived. They seemed to be their own party, and they showed no remorse for their tardiness.
“Hey, you all must be the low-rankers? I’m Kinjar, a B-rank adventurer.”
“I’m Putei, a C-rank adventurer.”
“I’m Boy, a C-rank adventurer.”
The haughty Kinjar was a warrior-type canine beastkin. Putei was a waifish human female magician with gray hair. Boy was a massive rhino beastkin male, even larger than Kinjar, and had faint gray ears and a short, thin tail.
“I’m Schwarz, an E-rank adventurer.”
“I’m Liese, a C-rank adventurer.”
“And I’m Rudy, also a C-rank adventurer.”
Kinjar looked at the three of us with an undisguised disdain. “Tch, E-rank is the minimum requirement for this quest. And you actually accepted it! Tell me you can at least take down a goblin, right?”
This question was clearly directed at me. Indeed, I was the only one with a lower rank. But to say that after being so late...
“You don’t need to worry about my combat abilities,” I said.
“Interesting way of putting it. What are your other skills?” asked Putei, who stood next to Kinjar. “This quest requires us to travel north to Monesia Village. Have you ever been on an expedition?”
“No, this is my first one.”
“Tch, are you sure you aren’t underestimating adventuring? A rookie-noob like you shouldn’t be taking mixed quests! Are you trying to get us killed?”
I didn’t know what to say. Sure, I was a novice adventurer, and I lacked experience in the procedures and methods for subjugating humanoid species and magical beasts. I had knowledge from the archives, but it hadn’t become part of my instincts yet. It was true that I was severely lacking in the needed know-how of things.
Before I knew it, a tense atmosphere had developed between me and the latecomers. Perhaps he had noticed the tension, or realized the group was complete, but a guide staff member approached us and asked, “What’s all the commotion about? Kinjar, I told you the meeting was first thing in the morning, didn’t I? Don’t tell me you overslept again. As I mentioned during the last mixed quest, if you repeatedly cause delays in quest completion, we’ll consider it a failure and impose penalties.”
“Tch, I get it! If we leave now, we’ll make it in time. I’m highest rank, so I’m the leader, right? What’s the arrangement for the carriages?”
“Yes, Kinjar, you’re the leader for this harpy elimination quest. As for the carriages, the large ones are out west, so you’ll have to use two smaller ones.”
“Then we’ll need to split up into two groups,” Liese suggested. “I’ll go with my brother and Schwarz in one carriage, and you three can take the other.”
“Okay, the young ladies will carry the supplies? Then we’ll go as three. Let’s depart. If you spot any beasts on the way, act on your own judgment. If we leave now, we should reach the northern rest stop by nightfall. We’ll regroup there.”
Kinjar, now our party leader, gave us our orders without even sitting down at the table. Then, he left the waiting area with Putei and Boy.
“Rudy, here’s the official quest form for the Harpy elimination. Since Kinjar’s group has left, please submit it to the Comprehensive Guild branch in Monesia Village.”
“Understood. I’ll take it,” Rudy replied, accepting the form from the guild staff. It was in a cylinder, and he stored it in his tool bag.
“Well then, Schwarz,” he said. “Liese and I are counting on you during this harpy elimination quest.”
“We’re counting on you, Schwarz,” Liese added.
“And I’m counting on you both,” I replied, formally greeting them again.
We left the Comprehensive Guild main building and headed to our carriage.
In my original world, I competed in world tournaments for various FPS titles and earned high results and prizes. I was a complete novice here, and I was considered a burden. Sure, with VMB’s power, I could defeat magical beasts and humanoid species, but that didn’t actually mean anything. It was an undeniable fact that as an adventurer, wielding one’s power must have meaning. I contemplated exactly what that meant more deeply.
What is the purpose of wielding VMB’s power? Is it to earn a living? To save people suffering from magical beasts and humanoid species? To protect someone from unjust violence? To flaunt power and look down on the powerless?
I watched the backs of my young companions walking ahead and pondered these questions.
***
I sat in the carriage’s small cargo bed and kept watch over our luggage while it was jostled by the ride. Rudy drove and managed the horse’s reins from the driver’s bench with Liese beside him. I kept an eye on our belongings and maintained vigilance over the rear. Kinjar and his group were in the carriage up ahead.
Our destination, Monesia Village, was a two-day journey. About halfway from the Fortress City of Balga, there was a rest stop for adventurers and traveling merchants. Such rest stops were constructed at regular intervals along the roads of the Kurtmelga Kingdom. They were national policy since the kingdom’s founding and were constructed to ensure travel safety and prevent fatigue.
Although it was called a rest stop, it had no housing—just an outdoor cooking area and a large pavilion for shelter from rain. The pavilion was a circular structure like a parasol, with only pillars and no walls. The roof allowed smoke to escape, and its size enabled several parties to spend the night there at once.
“Listen, Schwarz,” Liese said. “Kinjar is a capable adventurer, but he’s known for being selfish and biased towards his own group. I doubt we’ll be working as a full six-member team at the rest stop or during the harpy elimination.”
“Yes, especially since he likely won’t want to work with me,” I said.
“My brother and I don’t care about your rank. Everyone starts at a low rank. For this harpy elimination, let’s approach it as two three-member parties rather than one six-member party.”
“To ensure smooth cooperation, Schwarz,” Rudy added, “let’s clarify what each of us can and cannot do.”
“I agree... I’ll start since I’m the lowest rank. First, what I can’t do: I’m what you would call a ‘dud.’ I can’t use magic at all. However, I have the means to fight, so you don’t need to worry about me protecting myself or defeating enemies.”
“You’re a dud?!”
Rudy and Liese, despite being intelligent and composed as adventurers, showed their age with their surprised reaction to my statement. It seemed duds were quite rare. Setting aside what I could do, they bombarded me with questions about magic and magical power, to which I repeatedly responded, “I can’t do that.”
Eventually, the conversation shifted to combat methods, and I mentioned my ability to perform ranged attacks through skills, without revealing my bloodline Arms Skill. Initially, I intended to connect my being a dud with the Arms Skill, but their strong reaction led me to keep it to myself.
Eventually they got over it, and they shared their main weapons and preferred magic attributes. Liese was a magician type who specialized in water magic, and her main weapon was a staff. Rudy was a swordsman who wielded a longsword and a small shield. He also favored water magic.
They also told me about Kinjar’s group. Kinjar was an attacker who used a long spear, Boy was a tank with a giant shield, and Putei was a magician specializing in light magic. The three fought together, primarily handling elimination quests near Balga, and they occasionally accepted mixed quests for expeditions. They didn’t behave well and so were known among Balga-based adventurers as a party to avoid in mixed quests. Liese and Rudy admitted they wouldn’t have taken this quest had they known Kinjar’s group accepted it.
Oh well. I monitored the map and surrounding sounds through my goggles, and we drove on, discussing our strategy against the harpies while I jostled about on the cargo bed.
***
“We’ll be camping here tonight. Liese and I will start prepping for dinner. Schwarz, could you find us some firewood from the forest over there? If you can also bring back any wild rabbits or birds, that would be great, too.”
“Understood. Is there a basket or something for the firewood?”
“There should be some near the wooden box in the center of the rest stop.”
“Ah, I see it. Thank you. I’ll be back soon.”
“Hunting is secondary—please return in about two hours. Preparing the fire before sunset is more important.”
“Got it.”
There was still some time before sunset. I could see a forest spreading to the northwest of the rest stop.
Gathering firewood means collecting deadwood, right?
I had no survival skills or outdoor hobbies. My focus had always been on FPS games. Aside from school trips, I had no experience starting fires in nature. Still, I knew that firewood should be dry—deadwood, not fresh wood.
I ventured into the forest, scanning the ground for thin deadwood. Careful not to stray too far from the rest stop, I slung the pavilion’s basket over my shoulder and began collecting the limbs I found. I soon had gathered an abundant bundle, despite it being my first time gathering wood. As I collected, I recalled Rudy’s additional request—wild rabbits.
I saw no signs of animals in the forest. Although it wasn’t snowing, the season was transitioning from autumn to winter. The trees were bare and offered little obstruction to my view. The map on my goggles showed no dynamic targets, either.
I’m unfamiliar with this world’s ecosystem and its animals. Maybe they hibernate in this season? Then again, rabbits are usually active in winter, so...
I focused on the sounds collected by the audio sensor. There was a faint movement beyond the map’s display range. It came from slightly north, up the slope. I paused my firewood gathering to follow the faint footsteps on the soil. I adjusted the basket’s strap on my left shoulder and brought the Type 99 short rifle from my back to my front, gripping it with my right hand.
The audio sensor continuously picked up surrounding sounds. It had a range said to be nearly five hundred and fifty yards. It also recognized even infrasound and ultrasound—which humans can’t hear without discomfort—and so recognized sounds three-dimensionally, providing information on the source’s location, height, weight, direction, and speed. If you didn’t limit the audio range, players could experience “sound intoxication,” and become overwhelmed by the indiscriminate collection of various audible assaults.
This “sound recognition ability” and “discrimination ability” were essential skills in VMB and similar VRFPS titles. You had to know how to navigate complex maps with expanded sizes and accessible buildings. Relying solely on the UI-display and automatically displayed points was insufficient for success.
I excelled in these two abilities, and so I understood the information conveyed by sounds more deeply. This wasn’t an innate talent or a power someone gave me. It was the result of my learning, nurturing, and accumulation.
I accurately pinpointed the faint sound source a few hundred yards ahead and increased my speed. I followed the sound of something that gnawed and hopped, and the distance closed.
“There it is.”
I spotted a wild white rabbit. It was about 300 yards away and still didn’t appear as a point on the map. I disengaged the bolt safety on the Type 99 short rifle. In VMB, sniper rifles didn’t display crosshairs and required players to aim through iron sights or scopes. I aligned the rabbit’s head with the front and rear sights of the iron sight and pulled the trigger.
The gunshot echoed through the forest, and the rabbit’s head disappeared. The bullet didn’t penetrate or impact it. It blew the rabbit’s head off its body, splattering from the bullet’s energy.
After confirming the rabbit was down, I quickly performed the cocking action, turning the bolt handle to eject the spent cartridge and load the next round. I checked for any disturbances caused by the gunshot and moved towards the rabbit. Up close, I realized it was larger than expected, at two feet in length. Blood flowed from its neck, staining the ground red.
You had to bleed hunted animals to prevent them from having a bad taste. I didn’t know how to do that, but I didn’t have to since the blood was already flowing. I took a thin rope from my waist pouch, tied the rabbit’s hind legs, and hung it upside down from a nearby tree. I resumed exploring and gathering firewood while the hanging rabbit dripped.
It seemed the sound of my Type 99 short rifle had caused other wild animals to distance themselves further. Neither the map nor the audio sensor indicated any movement in the surroundings. Once the blood stopped dripping from the rabbit, I confirmed the basket was filled with enough firewood, retrieved the hanging rabbit, and returned to the rest stop.
***
“Welcome back, Schwarz,” Liese greeted as I returned to the rest stop. She was stirring a small pot over the campfire, likely preparing some kind of soup. Rudy had gone over to Kinjar’s group. He stood by them, and they discussed plans for the following days.
“Kinjar, are you seriously planning to split up?” Rudy asked.
“How many times do I have to tell you, Rudy? We don’t need six people for a few harpies. With Putei and Boy, we’re more than enough.”
“There are twelve confirmed, and there could be more. Unforeseen circumstances could arise.”
“Unforeseen circumstances? If anything happens, it’ll be because of that amateur standing over there. We don’t want to get caught up in that,” Putei said, glancing in my direction, then looking dead at me.
The rest stop was spacious, even under the same pavilion. Normally, they would be out of earshot. I could clearly hear their conversation, however, thanks to the audio sensor.
“Oh, you caught a wild rabbit!” Liese said. “So that was you I heard earlier, Schwarz.”
“You heard it from here? I couldn’t control the power, so it doesn’t have a head, but I did bleed it. It might not be perfect, though.”
“Let’s cook it right away. Can you handle the butchering?”
“No, sorry. I don’t know how.
“I can do it. Why don’t you split the firewood, then leave half here for us and half by the central box for the next users?”
“On it.”
The rest stops along the roads were maintained through its users’ goodwill. To ensure a pleasant experience, travelers left behind resources for the next visitors and always cleaned up before departing. Those who couldn’t manage these basic tasks would neither succeed as adventurers nor ever earn their peers’ trust. As selfish as they seemed during their ongoing discussion with Rudy, even Kinjar’s group gathered firewood and left some for future visitors.
Back home, I hadn’t practiced the spirit of “paying it forward” much. Yet, here, receiving kindness and passing it on to someone else was common. The adventurer profession here required more than just combat skills. You had to understand the meaning of wielding power correctly, without arrogance, and contribute to the cycle of life rather than disrupting it. This was essential for an adventurer.
“How did it go, Schwarz?” Rudy asked, returning from Kinjar’s campfire.
“Brother, Schwarz caught a wild rabbit for us,” Liese said.
The rabbit I had caught was already butchered and transformed into chunks of meat.
“I know I asked you to do it, but I didn’t expect you to catch one so quickly. Schwarz, were you a hunter?”
“No, this was my first time hunting a rabbit. I was lucky to catch one that hopped out in front of me.”
“I see...”
I was embarrassed by Rudy’s surprise at my rabbit catch. I tried to shrug it off, but Rudy seemed unconvinced. Before I could address Rudy’s doubts, I was overcome by the soup’s aroma wafting into my nostrils. The rabbit meat had been added to the pot.
“Schwarz, do you have a bowl for dinner? It’s ready, so let’s eat.”
Liese’s rabbit meat soup exceeded my expectations. The rabbit tasted kind of like chicken, but with a slight gamey flavor. However, the herbs in the soup helped reduce that.
There wasn’t much to do after dinner. Rudy confirmed that the harpy elimination would be conducted in two groups of three, and we discussed the night watch rotation. The rest stop wasn’t entirely safe. There was risk of attacks from wild dogs, bandits, or other merchant caravans or other adventurer parties. Naturally, magical beasts and humanoid species also posed a threat. The watch was typically conducted in pairs, with one person resting while the other kept watch.
This would be my first time on watch. I was instructed to keep the campfire burning, and to alert the others immediately if anything seemed amiss. That would be no problem. I could quickly detect any disturbances thanks to my goggles’ map and audio sensor. The rest order was Liese, Rudy, then me. The watch was a battle against drowsiness, so Rudy and I engaged in light conversation to stay alert.
“Rudy, why did you become an adventurer?”
“To support Liese. We grew up north of the royal capital, but our village was attacked by magical beasts. Only Liese and I were left. We became adventurers to make ends meet.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No, it’s fine. It was years ago, and those beasts were eliminated. What about you, Schwarz? What did you do before becoming an adventurer?”
“Me? Well, I mentioned in the carriage that I’m a dud. I lived quietly in a small village in the mountains. But I can’t return there now, so I became an adventurer to survive here in the Kurtmelga Kingdom.”
“I see... I’m still learning, but I find adventuring dangerous. Natural world quests are risky, and labyrinths are even more so. That’s why everyone forms parties to complete quests safely. Kinjar’s group avoids you because you’re E-rank, but if they knew you were also a dud they’d distance themselves even more.”
“Are duds really that despised?”
“Not really. It’s just that without magic you’re seen as like a helpless child. As you know, Schwarz, children at the academy are taught magic words and learn to use magic after their twelfth birthday.”
Magic words are the incantations spoken before casting magic. People imbue words with magic, forming magic words, and complete the spell by declaring the magic name. In this world, children learn to imbue magic and to speak magic words after turning twelve. In essence, Rudy was saying that as a dud, I was no better than a child just starting to learn magic.
“Schwarz, I appreciate you being so open with us about this, but you should be more discreet in the future. Liese and I don’t mind, and you make up for it in combat, but many adventurers, like Kinjar, will fear for their lives and shun you. That information will quickly spread through the guild, and no one will want to form a party with you.”
“I see. I’ll be more careful, then. I should have thought more about this quest, too.”
I lacked the fundamental ability of magic in this world. That was a fact. However, I had my VMB power. While I had no concerns about combat, the journey by carriage and tasks at the rest stop made me realize that fighting alone wasn’t enough.
How should I proceed as an adventurer? I couldn’t explain VMB’s power to every adventurer I met or teamed up with. Perhaps it would be easier to operate alone. That way it would be easy to conceal my VMB power and the fact that I was a dud.
Rudy and I continued to chat quietly while keeping watch. Liese relieved Rudy of his post, and I maintained vigilance while pleasantly chatting with her.
***
The next morning, the party set out for Monesia Village. We split into two carriages, as before. We arrived at the village after sunset. It had small mountain village vibes, surrounded by a low wooden fence. The village gate was still open, but villagers were moving around it, preparing to close it.
“Are you the adventurers?” a villager asked.
“Yes! We’re from the Fortress City of Balga. I’m Kinjar, a B-rank adventurer, along with five other adventurers.”
“Ah! You’re the adventurers who accepted the harpy elimination quest! Welcome to Monesia Village! The Comprehensive Guild branch is just past the gate.”
“Don’t worry, we’re here now. Those harpies are toast!” Kinjar boasted.
As the party leader, he exchanged words with the villagers at the gate, and they let our two carriages into Monesia Village.
“Right. First, we report our arrival, then dinner and lodging! Boy, you arrange the lodging. Rudy, what’s your room situation?” Kinjar asked.
“We need two rooms. One for Liese and I, and the other for Schwarz,” Rudy replied.
“Got that, Boy? We’ll take two rooms as well, making it four rooms total.”
The carriages stopped in front of the Comprehensive Guild branch. Kinjar immediately issued instructions: we would park the carriages at the branch until the quest was completed. From there, we would proceed on foot starting tomorrow.
Liese and Putei followed Kinjar’s orders, and they maneuvered the carriages to the back of the branch where there were a warehouse and stables. It seemed that Rudy, Kinjar, and I would enter the branch, but—
“Hey, noob! You’re in charge of watching the luggage,” Kinjar ordered. “Sit tight here with the baggage!”
It appeared I was to stay and watch the luggage.
“Schwarz, please keep an eye on the luggage for a bit,” Rudy requested.
“Understood,” I replied.
The total amount of luggage was substantial. Six people’s bags and tool bags were unloaded in front of the branch. Indeed, someone needed to watch over them. Kinjar could at least ask nicely, I thought as I took in Monesia Village from the branch entrance.
Monesia Village consisted of small wooden houses, with a population likely only in the hundreds. I was impressed that even such a small village had a Comprehensive Guild branch. I learned that the guild staff stationed here were from the village chief’s family.
Voices from the branch reached my ears via the audio sensor. The harpies we were to eliminate had nested in a mountain north of Monesia Village, about half a day’s walk away. Though the villagers hadn’t been harmed yet, the mountain was vital for hunting and gathering medicinal ingredients and was closely tied to village life. Subjugating the twelve harpies before they caused harm was crucial. Given their ability to fly long distances, they could appear in the village itself, necessitating swift action. Inside the branch, Kinjar’s voice boasted confidently upon hearing this.
Liese and Putei returned from the back of the branch, having completed the carriage arrangements. Boy also returned from the village path.
“Is Kinjar still inside?” Putei asked.
“Yes, he’s talking with Rudy and the guild staff,” I replied.
“So you’re watching the luggage outside?”
“That’s right.”
“Thank you, Schwarz,” Liese said.
Putei, Liese, and Boy joined me in waiting outside.
“The lodging is on the second floor of the village tavern. I also got rooms for you guys,” Boy said, handing Putei a key.
“Thank you,” Liese and I said.
We confirmed the tavern’s location. As expected in a small village, there wasn’t a dedicated inn for adventurers or merchants. The tavern’s lodging seemed to be used mainly for employing prostitutes. Putei teased Liese about this, causing her to blush and look around for an escape. She was stuck here waiting with us. I decided to offer a distraction to her distress by informing everyone of the branch’s activity.
“Kinjar and Rudy are coming back,” I said.
As I spoke, the branch door opened, and Kinjar and Rudy emerged.
“Good, everyone’s here. Boy, you get the lodging?” Kinjar asked.
“Second floor of the tavern,” Boy replied.
“Great, we can drink tonight. Tomorrow, we set out for the harpy elimination at dawn, so don’t oversleep. Dismissed! Come on, Putei and Boy!” Kinjar said.
Did he really tell us not to oversleep?You should talk. Rudy, Liese, and I were all thinking it, but we said nothing.
“Let’s go check out our rooms,” Rudy suggested. “Hopefully, the tavern serves dinner.”
Prompting Rudy and Liese to go ahead, we followed Kinjar’s group into Monesia Village and to the tavern for lodging.
The next morning, I awoke to a bell, likely rung by the village chief. I got out of bed and went out to wash my face at the well behind the tavern. I also made sure to fill up my canteen. Securing enough drinking water was a priority, as was finding tools for starting fires. Living in this world, where magic was fundamental, finding tools that a dud like me could use was challenging.
I bet Marta would know. Once this quest is over, I’ll go to the Marida Trading Company and ask for his help.
“Good morning, Schwarz.” It was Rudy and Liese. They joined me at the well.
“Schwarz, you’re well-prepared. I should have brought my canteen too,” Liese said, watching me fill mine up. From my perspective, Liese’s ability to use magic to create fire and water seemed to put her at better advantage.
“But can’t you just refill yours with water using magic, Liese?” I asked.
I had only been impressed by the convenience of magic in this world—it hadn’t occurred to me that there were differing cultural perceptions of it. I quickly realized this fact, though, once Liese’s face blushed the same as it did when Putei teased her. Her eyes teared up as she looked at me, her mouth opening and closing silently. Had I said something inappropriate?
“What are you saying!” Liese exclaimed, running back to the tavern.
“So, I guess being a dud also means you’re missing common knowledge about magic?” Rudy asked, looking at me with disbelief.
It seems I had made a huge faux pas. “Yeah, I guess so. Could you enlighten me?” I asked.
“Of course. If other people heard you say that to us, they’d think we were all weird. Listen, Schwarz. Water created by magic comes from the caster’s power. It’s like...water from the caster’s body. Do you understand?”
Oh! So, here people perceive magic-created water as akin to the caster’s sweat or urine. To suggest it as drinking water was super gross, especially to a girl like Liese.
“I get it. I’m sorry—that really was inappropriate.”
“I’ll go talk to her. Finish preparing for departure and meet us in front of the tavern,” Rudy said.
“I will. Please apologize to Liese for me.”
“I will. Kinjar’s group is probably still sleeping. I’ll go wake them up.”
“Understood. I’ll prepare and wait.”
I finished filling my canteen and returned to my room to pack and muse on my mistake. The perception of how magic created water was something I hadn’t considered before. There might be other similar perceptions. Should I research this in the archives when I return to Balga? No, there wouldn’t be documents summarizing societal norms. I’ll have to learn them gradually...
Packing was quick. While waiting outside the tavern, the audio sensor picked up Rudy and Kinjar arguing. Kinjar was now insisting we departed at noon instead of dawn, and Rudy gave in to his demands. Rudy and Liese’s footsteps then moved away from Kinjar’s room. My map only showed only the tavern’s first floor, which was the level I was on.
The second floor with the private rooms wasn’t visible, but its sounds were captured. I heard the footsteps descend. Now the people appeared as points. They moved from the stairs to the exit.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Schwarz,” Rudy and Liese said. They emerged from the tavern. Rudy now carried a longsword and a small shield, while Liese held a wooden staff.
“Liese, I’m sorry about earlier,” I apologized.
“It’s okay,” Liese replied, still blushing. Rudy must have spoken to her. She smiled awkwardly, perhaps still embarrassed or a bit untrusting.
“Kinjar’s group will be a bit late. We’re to start searching for the harpy nest first,” Rudy said.
“I see. Let’s leave them and head out,” I suggested.
I didn’t care why Kinjar’s group was late. Whether they were hungover or still cavorting, my opinion of them had already formed. While I was still inexperienced as an adventurer, I knew enough to see they were not partners with whom you wanted to risk your life. Prompting Rudy and Liese, the three of us set out for the mountain north of Monesia Village.
It was about half a day’s walk away. We passed through the village gate, headed north, and traversed forest paths and grasslands, taking breaks along the way. We reached the mountain by late afternoon, with about three hours left until sunset. We decided to enter the mountain briefly to search for the harpy nest.
“Is there specific terrain where harpies like to nest?” I asked.
“Oh, yeah. Harpies prefer exposed mountain slopes and protruding terrain. They make great launching pads and offer good views,” Rudy explained.
“I don’t see anything like that from here,” I observed.
“There must be one somewhere. Otherwise, harpies wouldn’t nest here,” Rudy said.
“Maybe they’re on the other side of the mountain?” I suggested.
“Or near the summit,” Rudy added.
We searched for two hours and found nothing. We decided to end the search for the day and headed to a hunter’s cabin for camping. As we approached the cabin, the map indicated someone was inside.
“There’s someone in the cabin. Three people,” I noted.
“You can tell from this distance? Could it be Kinjar’s group?” Liese asked.
“They could have arrived by now. I’ll check—Liese and Schwarz, wait outside,” Rudy said. He then went to the cabin alone, while Liese and I watched from a distance. Rudy entered, then quickly emerged and signaled for us to join him.
“It seems fine. Let’s go, Schwarz,” Liese said.
We headed to the cabin.
“Back already? Did you find the nest?” Kinjar asked us once we were inside the cabin.
“We searched for two hours but didn’t find it. It’s probably on the other side of the mountain,” Rudy replied.
“So annoying, that other side of the mountain,” Kinjar grumbled. “I want to finish quickly, but we’ll split into two groups tomorrow. Rudy, your group will go from the east, and we’ll go from the west. We will all handle any encounters individually, since rewards are divided by the number of tails. If it’s dangerous, launch a signal flare.”
“Got it. When do we leave?” Rudy asked.
“Before dawn. Harpies are weakest in the morning,” Kinjar replied.
With a plan in place, Kinjar and Rudy quickly decided on dinner and watch rotations, and we all prepared for tomorrow’s expedition.
Rudy, Liese, and I set out just before dawn to explore the mountain from the east, while Kinjar, Putei, and Boy went from the west. The sun rose after an hour into the journey and we enjoyed the eastern sky’s rosy-dawn glow. The mountain was wider than expected. We didn’t see any harpies or other magical beasts, but we occasionally saw deer and small animals.
“Where are they?” I exclaimed.
“The west might have been the right choice. This side is exposed to the morning sun. Harpies might avoid such sunny environments,” Rudy speculated.
“Kinjar probably knew this,” Liese suggested. “He said rewards are based on what we catch. Maybe he predicted there wouldn’t be any on this side for us.”
“What do we do, Rudy?” I asked.
“We can’t go back. We’ll go around the mountain. It might take time, but we’ll see the nest, eventually,” Rudy decided.
Following Rudy’s lead, we increased our search speed while advancing on the east side. Neither the map nor the audio sensor indicated anything was around us. We found no rocky terrain suitable for a nest, suggesting the harpies were indeed on the west side.
Two uneventful hours passed. We began rounding the mountain and were starting to reach the west side, when we saw a beam of light shoot across the distant forest.
“What’s that?!” I exclaimed.
“A distress signal?” Liese asked.
“No, it’s probably Putei’s Ray Line,” Rudy said.
“Is that an attack spell?” I asked.
“Yes, Putei specializes in light magic, so that’s probably her fighting in there,” Rudy replied.
Ray Line beams repeatedly shot from the forest and into the sky.
“Something’s off. Harpies can’t evade Ray Line like that,” Rudy noted.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Harpies fly, but they’re not fast. Ray Line is a linear spell, faster than Fireball or Aqua Ball. It’s hard for them to dodge,” Rudy explained.
“So, something else is causing ‘Ray Line’ to miss?” I asked.
“They might be fighting something else. Let’s hurry!” Rudy urged.
We ran through the mountain. Though the Ray Line was still distant, I brought the Type 99 short rifle forward, ready to fire.
We heard it before we arrived. The audio sensor picked up faint combat sounds. Kinjar’s commanding voice, Boy’s roar, and Putei’s spellcasting voice echoed through the forest. There were multiple shrill cries, likely from harpies, and three distinct, melodious voices.
“I hear combat sounds. Kinjar’s group is facing two types of voices: shrill cries and melodious singing,” I reported while running.
“The shrill cries are harpies! The other must be a harpy cantado, the higher species!” Rudy exclaimed.
Higher species were magical beasts or humanoid species that evolved by absorbing dense magic elements. I hadn’t heard of dense magic near Monesia Village. I read in the guild archives that such places usually have magic stone veins, magic water veins, or something emitting magic elements that create labyrinths or dragons. If the harpy cantado didn’t evolve here, they might have moved from elsewhere seeking food. While that was concerning, eliminating them first was the priority. We could consider the cause later.
“Schwarz, harpy cantados move quickly in the air and use wind magic. They’re a troublesome humanoid species. But there’s another issue...” Rudy warned.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“I’ve never seen it myself, but don’t be fooled by their appearance,” Rudy cautioned.
“I see them!” Liese announced.
Kinjar’s group was clustered in a treeless clearing and surrounded by nine harpies. Three defeated harpies lay nearby. The harpies had large brown wings for arms, a female upper body, bird-like legs, and faces resembling red-eyed, laughing hags. Despite their naked upper bodies, their wrinkled, sagging flesh lacked any sensual appeal. They laughed and screamed, diving from above with sharp talons.
Above them, three different figures circled—the harpy cantados. They had gorgeous green wings, a female upper body, bird-like legs, and faces resembling beautiful girls. Even from a distance, I could see that their upper bodies were youthful and firm. They sang melodiously while circling the group. They appeared peaceful and beautiful. Was my perception distorted?
As if in answer, the three circling harpy cantados activated their magic. A whirlwind formed in the clearing around Kinjar’s group, becoming a tornado that encircled and squeezed them while dealing damage.
“That’s the wind magic, Air Prison! And it’s triple-cast!” Rudy exclaimed.
“That’s dangerous. Putei can’t defend against three Air Prisons,” Liese noted.
We were still some distance away, but the harpies encircling Kinjar’s group hadn’t noticed us. We were within the Type 99 short rifle’s range, but firing a single shot wouldn’t help. In FPS games, shooting an exposed enemy without considering the aftermath was a mistake. Rudy and Liese were with me, and I had to coordinate with them.
“Liese, prepare defensive magic! Schwarz, follow me. We’ll intervene when Air Prison dissipates!” Rudy instructed.
“Yes!” Liese replied.
“Understood,” I said.
We closed the distance and continued to avoid detection by the harpies. They were circling over the Air Prison, waiting for it to dissipate. The whirlwind encircling Kinjar’s group gradually weakened.
“Liese!” Rudy called.
“On it! Aqua Wall!” Liese chanted incomprehensible magic words beside me. Just like the first time I heard magic chants, the auto-translation feature didn’t activate. Ashley’s incantation didn’t trigger it, and now neither did Liese’s. The only audible part was the final magic name declaration. If there was a reason for this, it was probably due to being a dud.
As the Air Prison dissipated, a thick water wall rose between Kinjar’s group and the harpies.
“Schwarz! Handle the two harpies not caught by the Aqua Wall first!” Rudy instructed.
“Understood! I’ll take the one in the back!” I replied.
The harpies had awaited Air Prison’s end to seize their weakened prey. Instead, they faced the rising Aqua Wall and cried out.
“Gyuugyaaa!”
I tossed my shoulder bag aside, knelt, and aimed the rifle. I targeted the harpy hovering by the inner side of the divided Aqua Wall. Through the iron sights, its face appeared grotesque, like a crazed, drooling hag screaming its head off. Its red eyes, typical of magical beasts and humanoid species, glowered as the Aqua Wall suddenly emitted a fierce light.
Ignoring me, Rudy sprinted toward the nearest harpy, drawing his longsword. The two harpies noticed him and then turned their faces toward us.
The Type 99 short rifle roared, and the rear harpy’s head vanished. The front harpy felt something zip past it. It turned back to see only the headless harpy on the ground. Rudy seized the opportunity.
“Hya!” Rudy shouted as he leapt at the hovering harpy. He slashed its wing vertically with his longsword.
“Gyaaa!” the harpy cried.
Rudy landed and finished the harpy off by slashing at its fallen body.
The harpies inside Aqua Wall were eliminated. Kinjar and Putei crouched where Air Prison had dissipated, while Boy held his large shield and staggered near them.
“Kinjar! Are you okay?” Rudy asked. He rushed to Kinjar’s group.
Aqua Wall remained, but not for long, judging by Liese’s condition. Liese stood behind me, holding her staff and breathing heavily. Normally, Aqua Wall maintained its form for a set time before collapsing into water. Sustaining it as a barrier required continuous magic—a significant burden for a young magician.
The harpies beyond Aqua Wall were attempting to circle around. I pulled the rifle’s bolt and cocked it to load the next round. Tracking the points on my goggle map, I anticipated where the harpies would emerge from Aqua Wall. I was ready to intercept.
Right as Aqua Wall began to crumble, a harpy’s grotesque head appeared from the shadows. I aligned the sights and fired. Immediately cocking the rifle, I tracked the points, shifted my aim left, and shot the harpy’s exposed chest as Aqua Wall fell.
“Amazing...” Liese murmured behind me. There was no time to respond.
“Rudy! Get Kinjar’s group back!” I shouted.
That location was dangerous. The open space in the forest created an ideal hunting ground for harpies attacking from above. While my gunfire surprised them and halted their movements, we needed to join Kinjar’s group and use the forest as cover. That would maintain our advantage.
Rudy reacted to my call. He urged Kinjar to retreat while lifting and dragging the incapacitated Putei toward us. Kinjar rose heavily then ran toward us, but Boy didn’t move.
“Boy, hurry! You’ll be surrounded!” Kinjar shouted, but Boy showed no sign of moving. His legs trembled slightly, as he had been injured far more severely than Kinjar and Putei. Blood dripped off his armor’s edges and stained the soil beneath him.
“Boy probably used the skill Last Wall. It draws attacks to him that were meant for those he wants to protect,” Liese explained with tears in her eyes.
This was a skill akin to an MMORPG tank’s ability. Did that exist in this reality? Boy had certainly absorbed the Air Prison attacks meant for Kinjar and Putei.
Wow. So, this was the reality of adventurers’ battles.
“Kinjar, Putei, go ahead. I’ll cover your retreat,” Boy said.
“Come with us, Boy!” Putei cried out from Rudy’s arms. She had noticed Boy’s condition.
There was no time. The surrounding harpies attacked Boy simultaneously, just as he turned his face toward Putei. Though their movements were linear from above, they struck Boy’s head with a diving kick to unbalance him. Another harpy immobilized him by grabbing his shoulders with its feet while a third harpy tore off his armor.
I didn’t understand their intent at first. When Boy’s front was exposed, the reason became clear. Despite having just lost their kin to Rudy and me, the harpies fixated on the prey before them.
They opened their mouths wide to bite Boy’s face, chest, and abdomen. Boy made no sound. He laid supine, unseen within the harpies’ shadows. Was he already dead?
The harpies ignored his lower legs. This was his only visible part, and they twitched with horrific vibrations.
“Putei! What are you waiting for? Wipe out those damn birds!” Kinjar shouted. He had retreated into the forest and was issuing commands for a counterattack. “Rudy! If you have a spare longsword, lend it! Those damn birds took our gear. And rookie! Is your magic depleted? If you can still cast, wipe out the birds over Boy!”
We were still battling and subjugating these harpies. I pulled the Type 99 short rifle’s bolt. I opened the magazine while retrieving Type 99 standard cartridges from my waist pouch. I loaded them one by one.
Although you had to reload manually, the magazine held only five rounds, so it was no sweat. I smoothly loaded four Type 99 standard cartridges, cocking the rifle to load them.
Meanwhile, Rudy tossed Kinjar a spare longsword. He tested its balance with a few swings.
“Liese, you heal and support Putei. Rookie! Can you cast?” Kinjar asked.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Finish them off with Putei. There are five harpies left!” Kinjar declared.
The circling harpy cantados reminded us of their presence with their song.
“Damn! If only they weren’t here... Scatter! Magic incoming!” Kinjar warned.
Responding to Kinjar’s command, we scattered and shielded ourselves behind trees.
The singing chants ended. Green particles gathered around the three harpy cantados, forming translucent green lances, with each appearing in sets of four. They started spiraling.
“Incoming! Air Lance!” Kinjar shouted.
The harpy cantado cackled, and a dozen or so Air Lances rained down upon us. The spiraling projectiles tore through our arborous shields and pulverized the tree branches and leaves as they passed. A tree trunk was directly struck by one of the lances, twisting as it shattered.
As the trees exploded and fell, echoing through the forest, we managed to evade the descending Air Lances. The harpies twisted their faces in mockery and snickered at us as we scrambled from the attack. The hags’ grotesque mouths spewed blood and saliva as they chewed on something.
“You wretches!”
I realized what the harsh truth of this reality embodied. This was a world governed by the law of the jungle.
“Schwarz! Get ready! We need to retrieve Boy!”
Putei had come close to me and began chanting her magic words.
“*&^, #@, (*^%$), Ray Line!”
As Putei’s Ray Line was unleashed towards a harpy, I shifted my aim to a different target. Using a tree as cover, I leaned into position. I aimed down the sights and aligned the front and rear sights with the harpy’s face.
The harpy’s head was obliterated by a thunderous gunshot. I smoothly pulled the bolt, cocked the rifle, loaded the next round, and targeted another harpy.
“Guah!”
“Argh!”
“Aghh!”
I had shot all three harpies in the head before Putei could fire her second Ray Line. The five harpies lay defeated, but there was no time for escape.
The harpy cantados still soared above us. They had been circling and laughing in song until they witnessed their brethren’s swift defeat. Then their expressions suddenly changed. Their beautiful, girlish faces twisted in anger. Their mouths became monstrous with sharp fangs.
So, this is your true nature.
With only two rounds left, I considered preemptively disrupting any further Air Lance spells they might cast. As I raised the rifle’s muzzle and aligned the sights, the harpy cantados sensed the threat and rapidly changed their flight patterns to evade my aim. They were faster than the regular harpies. With their altitude, I needed to account for the angle and predict their flight path for a successful lead shot.
I was ready for moments like this. The Type 99 short rifle was chosen for this mission for a reason. I raised the gun’s anti-aircraft sight. This sight changes the angle between the front and rear sights and enhances accuracy for anti-aircraft shooting. I used this advantage to predict the harpy cantado’s flight speed numerically and adjusted the sight’s memory. I aimed at one of the rapidly circling hags, aligned the sights, and pulled the trigger.
“Guah!”
Its wing exploded, and no trace of its former beauty remained. My first attempt at anti-aircraft shooting underestimated the harpy cantado’s speed. I had shot slightly off target. The harpy cantado only lost a wing and spiraled downward.
“Rudy, move forward! Let’s retrieve Boy and provide support!”
“Kinjar! There are still two left!”
Kinjar charged at the falling harpy cantado. He held his unsheathed longsword at his waist. His position was out of reach of the monster, but he horizontally swung at it anyway.
“Wind Slash!” he yelled.
What looked like an empty swing produced a visible slash that flew through the air.
“So, that’s a type of skill too,” I commented.
The airborne slash gouged the chest of the harpy cantado just before it hit the ground, causing it to crash while spewing blood.
The two remaining harpy cantados changed their flight paths from simple circles to complex trajectories. Wary of my gunfire, they frequently glared and shrieked at us. Their focus on us made them oblivious to Kinjar and Rudy on the ground. Kinjar continued to hack at the fallen harpy cantado.
I reloaded while tracking their movements. The harpy cantados and I were about to engage in a standoff between air and ground. Kinjar noticed my gaze and shouted, “Well done, rookie! Now take those last two down quickly!”
Despite how high above they circled us, the harpy cantados heard him.
Their gaze shifted from me to Kinjar. They saw him hacking at their fallen comrade. Kinjar was unaware he had caught their attention. He crouched near Boy’s fallen form and rummaged around his body.
Perhaps he’s cutting a lock of hair as a keepsake. Is that a custom of mourning here?
“Kinjar! Above you!” I yelled.
The harpy cantado didn’t miss the opportunity as Kinjar crouched beside Boy’s remains. One of the two harpy cantados made a small circle, opening its bird-like feet and diving down. Rudy shouted a warning, but Kinjar didn’t move. I quickly stowed the anti-aircraft sight and returned the iron sights to their normal state. Aiming down, I placed the front sight ahead of the diving bird-hag.
With a thunderous gunshot, a large hole appeared near the harpy cantado’s neck. Its head fell, disrupting its dive. However, losing its head didn’t instantly eliminate the diving harpy cantado’s body. The remaining mass hurtled toward Kinjar.
“Nooo!” Kinjar screamed.
Rudy overtook Kinjar just before the mass of flesh collided with him. Rudy struck down the approaching mass with the flat of his longsword.
“Ugh... Kinjar, there are still harpy cantados left. I’m sorry about Boy, but we still have to fight!”
The harpy cantado was smaller than a regular harpy. Even so, its large wings made it much larger than an average human girl. It must’ve weighed a ton. When Rudy struck it as it swooped down, he couldn’t maintain his grip on the longsword. He dropped it to the ground and held his aching right wrist.
The last harpy cantado roared, and it became surrounded by glowing green particles. Its incantation seemed to contain not only magical power, but also vengeful anger. Putei and Liese were also chanting their spells Ray Line and Aqua Ball. Their attacks interrupted the harpy cantado’s incantation and it darted around trying to evade the magic. While it focused on evasion, I cocked the next round and took aim.
The harpy cantado began singing its incantation again. But over it, I heard a loud noise through my sensor. It approached us fast. Rudy and the others looked towards the sound’s source. Kinjar expressed disbelief. A massive black-silver bird appeared from the trees; Liese identified it as Ocypete. It flew toward the harpy cantado. In one fell swoop, it swallowed the harpy cantado whole and reversed its course using a maneuver resembling an Immelmann turn.
Rudy urged Kinjar to retreat, fearing Ocypete’s return would be fatal. It looked formidable with its silver body and black wings. It dove like a fighter jet on a bombing run. Its wings emitted light, an indicator, Liese explained, that it was using the spell Feather Bomb. This was an attack aimed at immobilizing us. Liese pushed me into the trees for cover as Ocypete’s talons snatched Putei and carried her off into the sky.
Putei couldn’t escape, and we were helpless to save her. We watched Ocypete devour Putei. Kinjar raged over the unexpected presence of Ocypete and the harpy cantados. Rudy reminded Kinjar that the quest information only provided the minimum confirmed numbers. This did not calm Kinjar, and he began chanting an irate spell up at the sky.
“#$%, @*(&^$, !#*&@^, !)$*#&, *(&^)$#, Ray Blade!”
Once his lengthy incantation was complete, white particles gathered around his longsword. It now was a glowing magic sword. The sword’s light was divine and enlarged it into a massive greatsword.
Ocypete had swallowed Putei by now and screeched from above. Whether it was mocking Kinjar, or expressing joy at finding dessert, it was hard to say. It circled and dove straight at Kinjar.
Liese told me about the glowing sword’s effects. Known as Ray Blade, the spell imbued light attribute magic into the blade. Liese explained that direct contact was necessary for the sword’s effect, and its use was limited due to long incantation and short duration. I determined I would support Kinjar. I joined him and was ready to help him deliver a decisive blow.
Ocypete’s wings sparked with signs of Feather Bomb. Prepared for the barrage aimed at immobilizing us, Kinjar blocked it with his large shield. I aimed my gun at Ocypete’s chest and fired into its chest as soon as it tried to strike. Kinjar charged it with the Ray Blade. Combined with my shot, Kinjar’s strike crashed Ocypete to the ground.
Rudy and Liese cast Aqua Ball and Aqua Lance. This further destabilized Ocypete. Kinjar closed in for the final blow, but Ocypete unleashed a magical roar like a close-range magic cannon. Kinjar was caught in the blast, and his upper body was vaporized. I narrowly evaded the beam with a slide jump. Ocypete, triumphant, rose and fled into the sky. We were left with three fallen comrades: Kinjar, Putei, and Boy.
Liese checked on me, concerned about the loss of our party members. I assured her of my safety and instructed Rudy and Liese to take cover. Despite the dire situation, I resolved to target Ocypete, believing a precise shot could turn the tide. As Ocypete began another dive, I prepared to face it alone, determined to finish the fight.
I stopped Rudy from advancing, as I needed Ocypete to focus solely on me for a clear shot. Using the Type 99 short rifle, I measured Ocypete’s flight speed and adjusted the sights for a test shot. Despite missing intentionally, I confirmed the flight speed was accurate, though Ocypete mocked my miss.
Ocypete dove and released Feather Bombs to try and immobilize me. Ignoring the bombardment, I lay on the ground to stabilize my aim. I targeted Ocypete’s left eye, hitting it on the first shot. This caused Ocypete to scream and change its trajectory. I quickly adjusted to hit its right eye.
Ocypete remained airborne despite its blinding. This prompted me to escalate my attack. Activating the TSS, I summoned a Type 91 portable surface-to-air missile system from my inventory. The missile system was equipped with a CCD camera for target recognition. It was perfect for defense in this world. I locked and fired the missile onto Ocypete’s back. The missile quickly caught up and struck the giant bird, which exploded in midair.
Ocypete’s scattered remains rained down around us. The battle was over. Rudy and Liese approached me and expressed amazement at my victory over such a formidable beast. Liese noted that defeating Ocypete typically required multiple high-ranking mages. This feat was quite significant, it seemed.
It was hard to enjoy the promise of a rank increase. The losses of Boy and Kinjar weighed on me, as did the acknowledgment of adventuring’s harsh realities. This experience underscored how important reliable companions were against the dangers inherent in this world. It was just like strategies found in FPS games, but with real-life stakes.
“Kinjar and the others were unfortunate,” Rudy said. “However, we survived and now need to report back to the guild and tell them what happened. This way, those who come after us will be better prepared.”
“That’s right,” Liese agreed. “First, let’s collect the harpies’ proofs of extermination and everyone’s belongings. Then, we can return to Monesia Village.”
We divided the tasks between the three of us and proceeded with the collection work. We retrieved twelve harpy tail feathers and two harpy cantado tail feathers. We couldn’t retrieve proof of Ocypete’s defeat, but we did collect several distinctive feathers that fell from where Kinjar had struck it with the Ray Blade. This would be enough to allow us to report its presence. Boy and Kinjar’s bodies were too damaged to recover, and nothing remained of Putei, so we buried what we could. We didn’t bother with collecting keepsakes. Although the harpies’ bodies could have been used for materials, it was getting late, and we needed to get going. So we buried them, too.
We spoke little during these tasks. We worked silently and only exchanged a few words when confirming what to take back.
“Is this everything?” Rudy asked.
“Yes, the sun has almost set,” said Liese. “If we go now, will we make it back to the village before the gates close?”
“Barely. Liese, Schwarz, let’s hurry back to Monesia Village.”
“Okay!”
“Let’s go.”
We returned to Monesia Village a few hours after sunset. The wooden gates were already closed, and there were no people in sight. In this world, villages, towns, and cities all had gates that opened and closed at set times to prevent the population from coming and going at all hours. If you arrived after the gates closed, you simply called out to the overnight gatekeeper stationed in the watchtower. He would open a small side entrance next to the main gate for you.
“Is anyone there? It’s Rudy, a C-rank adventurer, and his party. We’ve completed our quest and have returned. Please, open the gate!”
The gatekeeper responded and told us that we’d have to stay in the watchtower overnight, since it was past entry time.
“We can wait to enter the village until morning, but I need to speak with the outpost now.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll send someone immediately. Wait, are there only three of you? You were the adventurers sent to defeat the harpies, right? What happened to the other three?”
“That’s what I need to contact the outpost about. Rest assured, the quest was completed.”
“I see. Come in, I’ll send someone to the outpost now.”
It wasn’t unusual for late-arriving adventurers to wait in the watchtower until the gates opened. With no open shops or inns at night, adventurers had no business to conduct until morning. Liese and I sat on the floor of the watchtower’s rest area. We drank water and ate snacks while waiting for the guild staff. Rudy discussed the quest’s outcome with the gatekeeper.
On the way back, I asked Rudy and Liese not to mention my skills to anyone. To determine if I could continue as an adventurer, I needed to assess how effective my VMB abilities were in this world. Additionally, I required a large amount of attribute-free magic stones to maintain my use of VMB firearms. Without securing these stones, my Crystal Points would eventually deplete and I couldn’t fight.
Rudy and Liese invited me to join their party, but the differences in reward distribution, combat range, and my dud status made it difficult for us to reach an agreement. I wanted to prevent any word of my attack capabilities from spreading, as it would inevitably include my dud status. People often judged others harshly, and I worried that my disadvantage would negatively overshadow my strong abilities. I didn’t want to live a constrained life in this world, so I decided to keep a lid on it.
Rudy and Liese respected my decision. We agreed to report that the party had collectively defeated Ocypete, with Putei sacrificing herself to ensure its destruction. As Rudy conversed with the gatekeeper, a guild outpost staff member arrived. They likely already knew of Kinjar, Putei, and Boy’s deaths and Ocypete’s defeat, and were rushing to verify the details. We laid out the collected belongings, proofs of extermination, and Ocypete’s feathers in the watchtower. Rudy, the guild staff, and the gatekeepers discussed it all.
“Zzzzz.”
Liese had fallen asleep as we sat side-by-side on the rest area floor. It was understandable, given everything that had happened today. We were at the mountain before dawn, ran through the forest all day, engaged in that battle, then hurried back here as quickly as possible.
Her head gently rested on my shoulder. She showed no signs of waking. Watching her sleep made me sleepy, too. Rudy’s discussion had grown excited. Encouraged by the enthusiastic gatekeepers, Rudy was eloquently recounting our battle.
I hope he remembers to keep my secret. Ugh, today was truly exhausting.
***
Morning arrived before I knew it. Liese, Rudy, and I slept side-by-side on the floor of the watchtower’s rest area. They were still breathing quietly in their sleep, so I stood up carefully to avoid waking them.
I moved to the watchroom. That was where a visible light point indicated the gatekeeper was present.
“Oh, finally awake? You had a tough day yesterday.”
“Yeah, it was challenging day. Weirdly, I don’t feel as tired as I should.”
“How modest of you—surviving a battle with Ocypete is nothing to brush off. You’re a very promising adventurer.”
It was true that I didn’t feel fatigued. Perhaps I was still riding yesterday’s adrenaline rush. I continued chatting with the watchroom gatekeeper. Eventually, I noticed two light points in the rest area move. Rudy and Liese were awake.
“Good morning,” they said, and the gatekeeper and I responded in kind.
We exchanged morning greetings as Rudy and Liese entered the watchroom. I asked Rudy about the conversations he had with the guild staff after Liese and I fell asleep. He reported, and they accepted, the three deaths of our party. He also reported that we not only defeated the harpies, but also the higher-ranked harpy cantados, and an even higher-ranked beast, Ocypete. All of these reports were accepted, and the quest was deemed completed.
However, the original plan was to explore and destroy the harpies’ nest. Due to the circumstances surrounding Ocypete’s appearance and the investigation of the corpses, a new quest would be issued. The guild outpost would prepare the quest completion certificate by this afternoon, allowing us to return to the Fortress City of Balga.
We could now enter the village. We completed our entry procedures and confirmed our guild cards. While waiting for the quest completion certificate to be prepared, we headed to one of the few eateries in the village for a meal. After eating, we went to the guild outpost to receive the quest completion certificate. Now, all that remained was to return to Balga.
We left two carriages at the guild outpost, but we would only be riding back in one. The carriage Kinjar and the others had used would be transported to the Fortress City of Balga by the guild staff. Just like when we arrived, Rudy and Liese sat in the driver’s seat while I stayed in the cargo area, keeping watch on the rear during the journey. However, our feelings were clearly different from when we set out. We had departed as a party of six, but we were returning as three. We had witnessed the deaths of our temporary companions. It was a stark reminder of the adventurer’s reality—that it was a profession constantly enshrouded by death.
Yet, there was nothing else I’d rather do. Fighting with VMB’s power was the only thing I could do here. I couldn’t survive in any other way of life. I did not regret choosing this path, and I didn’t lack confidence in my ability to live. I was just a bit shaken by the mixed quest. It made me realize living in this other world was starkly different from how I lived in my original world.
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
IT’D BEEN TWO weeks since the harpies extermination quest. I decided to focus on quests I could complete alone and that were near the city. Today, I reported the completion of the day’s quest at the guild annex. Once again, the receptionist was Lesmond. Despite the numerous counters at the annex, his line was always short, and his work was thorough. I ended up favoring him every time. Besides, I could still admire the beautiful and cute receptionists from afar as I waited to be seen.
“Congratulations, Schwarz. With the completion of this quest, your guild points have reached the required level. You can now take the D-rank promotion exam.”
“Thank you. How do I apply?”
“Over at the adventurer registration counter in the main building.”
“Oh, there? Great. Thank you.”
“No problem, Schwarz. We look forward to your continued success.”
After completing the harpy extermination quest, I focused on quests near the Fortress City of Balga that I could complete alone. At the main guild building, I felt a certain distance from others due to my unusual attire and the unfamiliar arms slung over my shoulder. I kept my acquaintances limited to Rudy and Liese and focused on accepting daily quests, accumulating guild points, paying my living expenses, and earning funds to purchase attribute-free magic stones.
Finally, I had accumulated enough guild points. Now, if I passed this exam, I could enter the labyrinth. There, my future path would be revealed! I headed to the adventurer registration counter with renewed determination.
Upon entering the main guild building, I approached the adventurer registration counter. Behind it sat Milimaria, the elf who had assisted me during my adventurer registration.
“Welcome to the Kurtmelga Kingdom Comprehensive Guild, Balga Branch. Oh, you are... Schwarz, correct? Are you here to apply for the D-rank promotion exam?”
“Hello, Milimaria. I finally have enough guild points to apply for the promotion exam.”
“Finally, Schwarz! You’re a dud, aren’t you? Yet you’ve managed to accumulate guild points in just under a month.”
“You knew this whole time?”
Milimaria looked slightly embarrassed. She explained that the crystal which recorded biometric information always blinked white first when it transferred information to the guild card. Then it continued to blink according to the number of skills and attributes the cardholder possessed. However, when my information was transferred, it only blinked once for basic information. That indicated to the experienced Milimaria that I was a dud who lacked magic.
I recalled that both Ashley and Milimaria had seemed surprised at that time. Ashley must have realized it too.
“So that’s how it is. Well, it’s not a problem. I’ve been doing all right.”
“You have! It’s surprising that you have that much ability, Schwarz. But let’s get back to the job at hand. The D-rank promotion exam involves accompanying an examiner to the Wolf Fang Labyrinth in the eastern forest of the Fortress City of Balga. There you’ll traverse the first underground floor and reach the second.”
“That’s it?”
“Schwarz, even the first underground floor of a labyrinth is a difficult place. Moreover, this exam serves more as a training for the labyrinth explorer qualification, which will be added upon D-rank promotion.”
“Okay. I’ll keep that in mind. What’s the schedule?”
“We’ll need a day to arrange the examiner. Come back to the main building the morning after tomorrow. The exam will be a day trip, so camping preparations are unnecessary. However, gathering supplies and tools needed for labyrinth exploration is part of the exam. You’ll have access to the labyrinth-related materials in the library now that you’ve applied for this exam. Please research and prepare accordingly.”
“Got it—the morning after tomorrow.”
I thanked Milimaria and left the main building to return to the White Flower Pavilion of the Labyrinth.
The next day, I visited the guild library to prep. It had three above-ground floors, and several unknown underground levels. The above-ground floors housed various materials and books related to the natural world, while the underground levels contained labyrinth-related materials. My goal was, of course, the underground levels.
Labyrinth-related materials were not publicly available to prevent the underqualified from recklessly exploring and dying in a labyrinth. Even though efforts to raise awareness of the dangers were made, adventurers had a strong tendency to attempt reckless challenges. There were many repeated incidents of low-rank groups stimulating the labyrinth. As a result, general information about labyrinths was made exclusive, and labyrinth explorers were advised not to casually share their knowledge.
However, people are curious about secrets, and keeping them hidden often piqued adventurers’ interest. As an incentive, those individuals were told that once they reached D-rank, those restrictions were off. Those below D-rank were encouraged to aim for that privilege, while those above D-rank were reminded not to devalue it.
I was permitted to enter the library’s underground level, but I only had access to the space concerning basic knowledge of the first underground floor of the labyrinth. The rest would be accessible after passing the exam. I brought several materials into the reading space to confirm what was needed for exploration and basic knowledge.
My goggles had a screen capture function. I used it to capture and save information that I found difficult to memorize. There was a map of the Wolf Fang Labyrinth’s first underground floor, but it appeared distorted, like a crude sketch.
The basic knowledge I gathered about labyrinths indicated that the size of each layer varied with the labyrinth’s growth. Labyrinths that had existed unconquered for hundreds of years were incredibly deep. Newly formed labyrinths only had ten layers at minimum. The width of passages within labyrinths ranged from nine to eleven yards, with rooms along the way exceeding twenty-two yards in width. Since passages were generally unlit, explorers were tasked with bringing white light grass seeds to plant in dark areas. The seeds grew using the labyrinth’s magic essence, and when they bloomed, they emitted a soft glow that illuminated the passages. The labyrinth’s beasts and demi-humans were unbothered by the white light grass, and so it continued to bloom and absorb magic.
I learned that beasts and demi-humans within labyrinths were illusions created by the labyrinth’s use of magic stones as nuclei and magic essence. To conquer a labyrinth, it was essential to destroy or collect its Dungeon Core. This was a large magic stone found deep within.
The labyrinth expelled magic essence into the natural world. This attracted beasts and demi-humans, and once they were ensnared, it would read their genetic information and reproduce them within its layers. Continuous extermination was necessary to prevent strong species from gathering around the labyrinth or higher species from being born.
The skins and parts of naturally-born beasts and demi-humans could be used as materials, but only those born within a labyrinth left magic stones when defeated. If individuals absorbed enough magic essence, it solidified their bodies and they became higher species. They dropped items with high magic, such as distinctive horns, or biological weapons like swords, or shields they’d worn since birth.
On top of that, the equipment and belongings of explorers who died within the labyrinth were absorbed into it, sometimes reappearing as magic items. These items didn’t simply lie on the ground but appeared on pedestals in large rooms or shrines at the end of hidden passages within the labyrinth.
Why such items appeared remained a mystery, but some researchers suggested that they served as bait to lure prey—humans and beastmen—into its depths, while others considered them a form of amusement.
“Maze and explorer, a battle for life. It feels like a more severe relationship than I thought,” I muttered to myself. I closed the books I’d been reading and realized I was starving.
“I’m hungry. I need to go buy the tools for tomorrow and head back.”
Afterwards, I decided to go to bed early. The D-rank promotion exam was tomorrow, and I wanted to make sure I was fresh and sharp.
***
About a week before Schwarz was to take the D-rank promotion exam, I visited the guild outpost in Myral Village.
“Schwarz Paudah...?”
Remi tried to pronounce Schwarz’s full name. Like me, she had never heard of such before.
“Yes,” she continued. “I inquired with the emblem officer in the royal capital, and I checked the noble directories of the Kurtmelga Kingdom and neighboring countries. There is no record of a Paudah family among the royalty or nobility, either currently or in the past.”
“I see. So he didn’t escape from the Baishburn Empire, then.”
Remi seemed slightly surprised that this assumption was off the mark. So, where did Schwarz come from? Before we could ponder that question, there was still more to report.
“A dud with a bloodline skill, huh? As things stand, we can’t just ‘leave it,’ as the general manager suggested. However, I can’t leave here due to the investigation of the new labyrinth found west of Myral Village. Ashley, it’s up to you to continue to observe Schwarz closely and report anything noteworthy.”
“Yes, ma’am. Understood. But he’s not a bad person at all. Rather...”
“Hmm? What’s this? Could it be...you’ve fallen for him?”
Her remark made my eyes widen, my face flush with heat, and my chest constrict with pressure. I didn’t let her know that. I looked straight at Remi’s grinning face and said, “N-no! That’s not it at all!”
“Heh, if a man like that—who wasn’t even an adventurer—risked his neck to rescue me from a goblin’s lair, I’d fall for him. Anyway, stay by his side. It’s challenging for duds to complete quests.”
“But I’m still just a trainee-guild investigator... I can’t accept quests or accompany him as an adventurer.”
“Schwarz is completing quests, right? Then eventually an opportunity will come along for you to accompany him.”
“Th-that is...”
Understanding what Senior Remi was implying, I returned from Myral Village to the Fortress City of Balga that same day. With my check of Schwarz’s recent activities at the guild complete, I prepared for the day ahead.
***
It was exam day. When I arrived at the guild main building, I found Milimaria and Ashley waiting for me.
“Good morning, Schwarz. Ashley is your examiner for today’s promotion exam. She will give you your instructions. I’ll leave you all to it, then.”
Milimaria quickly went behind the reception counter. As she left, my audio sensor picked up her whispering “good luck” to Ashley. It seemed that Ashley might’ve been facing something challenging in this exam too.
“Good morning, Ashley. I look forward to working with you today.”
“Good morning, Schwarz. I’m happy to be your examiner.”
After we exchanged pleasantries, we immediately reviewed the exam’s details. We were heading to the Wolf Fang Labyrinth. It was located in the eastern forest, an area I had visited several times for extermination quests. The exam involved traversing the first underground floor, reaching the second floor, and then returning to the Fortress City of Balga. The exam would evaluate my combat ability, survival skills, and information-gathering capabilities to ensure I had no issues as a labyrinth explorer.
I was ready, and since Ashley had no issues, we set off for the labyrinth. She asked me how we should get there. I suggested taking a patrol carriage to the edge of the eastern forest.
“Schwarz, have you prepared a map of the Wolf Fang Labyrinth’s first underground floor?”
“Yes. I heard that basic information about the labyrinth could be viewed at the library, so I went there yesterday. I found a map, but it is more like a doodle than a proper chart. Is that okay?”
“The map of the Wolf Fang Labyrinth was created many years ago, but labyrinth maps are generally like that everywhere.”
Explorers often created labyrinth maps that they could sell to the guild. There were also explorers especially skilled in map-making that the guild often commissioned. In both cases, the maps were based on the explorer’s perception, which lead to distorted scales in places. While surveying technology in this world existed, it wasn’t feasible to bring a surveyor into the labyrinth. Moreover, there were very few explorers with surveying skills.
During the patrol carriage ride, Ashley began the exam by conducting a check of my exploration tools. I answered her questions as we rode toward the Wolf Fang Labyrinth.
“I won’t engage in combat during the exam. I’ll handle any attacks on me, but you’ll be dealing with threats on your own. Is that all right?”
Ashley looked ready to fight. She wore the leather armor she’d had on when we first met. A pouch hung around her waist. I hadn’t seen her draw any weapons, so most likely it was for tools. In contrast, I’d set through avatar customization to wear the black Napoleon long coat over my usual gear.
Over the past few weeks, I’d gone on numerous quests to accumulate guild points. I found that my powered suit, magazine belt, and exposed firearms stood out. They drew unwanted attention, so I had begun wearing the long coat to conceal them. While playing VMB, I never cared for fashion items that disrupted the FPS image. This was reality, though. I couldn’t walk around in combat gear everywhere, but I also felt unsafe going out unarmed. I’d seen firsthand how easily adventurers could die. I couldn’t bring myself to remove the powered suit or my firearms. Fortunately, the TSS allowed me to quickly cloak myself or remove the long coat during combat.
“Of course. I do have one question: how much of an adventurer’s fighting style and abilities are recorded and shared with the guild? My fighting style is quite unusual, and I don’t want it widely known.”
“Rest assured. The exam results are at the examiner’s discretion, and what is seen or heard during the exam is generally not shared with other guild staff. Moreover, the D-rank promotion exam is more of a training session than a test to fail, so there’s not much probing.”
“‘Generally,’ huh...I understand. That’s reassuring.”
We arrived. After disembarking from the patrol carriage, we followed the road to the Wolf Fang Labyrinth entrance. The labyrinth was located in the middle of the eastern forest, over thirty minutes by foot from the carriage. We chit-chatted along the way until we finally saw the building managing the labyrinth’s entrance and exit.
“That’s the Wolf Fang Labyrinth management building. We have to first register for exploration there. Oh, and don’t forget to buy white light grass seeds.”
The labyrinth management building recorded when explorers entered and exited, organized exploration plans, and managed labyrinth information. It also had a rest area and a shop selling recovery potions and white light grass seeds. Recording explorers entering the labyrinth helped predict when beasts or demi-humans might overflow from the labyrinth. This was based on extermination progress and the number of deceased explorers. Ashley and I submitted the exam’s exploration plan, had our guild cards verified, and received permission to explore the maze.
The labyrinth’s entrance was a large cave on an unnaturally raised hill. Guards flanked the entrance to handle any beasts or demi-humans that might overflow and escape. We greeted the guards, then entered the labyrinth.
Inside the cave, I saw several small glowing white flowers similar to those in the goblin lair. Realizing these were white light grass, we proceeded to the plaza. That was where the stairs leading to the first underground floor were.
“We’ll be in the labyrinth’s domain once we descend these stairs. Are you ready?”
Ashley sought final confirmation, but my response was to ask her to wait a minute. I checked my map for any light points—I wanted to make sure no one else was around. Once I confirmed we were alone, I operated the TSS to store the long coat I was wearing.
For this exploration, I had changed my primary weapon from the MP5A4 to the FN P90. Manufactured by Belgium’s FN Herstal, this was a submachine gun categorized as a personal defense weapon. Its ergonomic design and specialized 5.7 × 28mm ammunition offered high penetration against rigid targets when compared to standard pistol rounds. The bullet tumbled inside soft targets like human bodies and caused significant internal damage without exiting. I made this change to avoid stray bullets or ricochets hitting others in the confined maze. That, and also because the P90’s magazine could hold fifty rounds, providing highly sustained combat capability.
I held the P90, looking through and adjusting it to use the iron sights instead of the default dot sight. There was no discomfort transitioning into aiming. I retrieved a tactical light and two suppressors from my waist pouch. I attached the tactical light beside the iron sights and a suppressor to the muzzle. I also attached a suppressor to the Five-seveN and returned it to my waist.
The tactical light served as a flashlight in the dark labyrinth and could blind adversaries. The suppressor was used to avoid attracting surrounding enemies, as it would minimize drawing unnecessary attention from other explorers on the same floor. This made it a standard part of my equipment.
“Okay, I’m ready. Let’s go.”
Ashley watched my equipment check with a smile. This was how my first labyrinth exploration began.
***
True to its name, the Wolf Fang Labyrinth was home to many magical beasts centered around the glass wolf. Goblins were the only demi-humans present. The first underground floor’s passage varied between nine to eleven yards wide, just as I had read in the guild’s library. We walked in a formation where I led slightly ahead, and Ashley followed behind. While maintaining vigilance, I asked Ashley about general labyrinth exploration methods. She explained that many parties either placed a scout or two shield-bearers at the front.
“Three beasts are approaching from beyond the curve ahead. Stay a bit further back, Ashley.”
“Yes. Please be careful.”
The approaching footsteps from the front were likely glass wolves—I could recognize the rhythm of their steps. I’d heard it countless times before. I disengaged the safety on my P90 and knelt about twenty-two yards before the right curve. I aligned the crosshair with the iron sights. After a brief wait, the head of a glass wolf emerged from around the curve.
I pulled the trigger as soon as I saw its head. The safety selector was set to full auto. I fired three to five shots, then released the trigger. This was a technique known as “tap shooting” or “burst firing.” The bullets shot through the glass wolf’s head.
I did the same for the second and third wolves as they appeared, smoothly sliding the crosshair over them and firing. Thanks to the suppressor, the shots were barely audible, only making a soft tat-tat-tat sound. Within seconds, my first labyrinth battle was over.
“Very impressive, Schwarz. Beginners usually struggle in these wide passages with just one glass wolf.”
“My Arms Skill makes my fighting style based on mid to long-range combat. When I can take the initiative, I can eliminate glass wolves before it even becomes a battle.”
Despite saying this, I kept my P90 ready as I slowly approached the fallen beast. The wolves were enveloped in a black mist, and they seemed to sink into the labyrinth. Small magic stones were all that were left from their cores.
“Wind magic stones,” Ashley explained. “They’re a common attribute obtained from glass wolves.”
“I’ve been thinking that perhaps the labyrinth suits me. Without a tool bag, I can’t carry back materials from beasts, but collecting magic stones doesn’t require that. Plus, the passage width makes it difficult for enemies to dodge my attacks.”
I picked up the wind magic stones and placed them in a pouch hanging from my magazine belt.
“Are you choosing the path of an explorer, Schwarz? You could earn a substantial income, even without magic, but there are many cases of severe injuries or disappearances. It’s too dangerous to go alone.”
“Yeah, but no one wants to party with a dud like me. My fighting style requires teaming up with someone who has similar attack methods. Teaming up with someone focused on close combat would only put them in danger. There’s no need to look so concerned, Ashley. Don’t worry. I can manage.”
I gave Ashley a reassuring smile. Her expression remained tense, but I had no choice but to continue. I needed attribute-free magic stones to fight and survive in this world. Sure, there might be safer ways to live, but what else would I do? I felt as if I had been placed in this world to fight.
“Let’s move on, Ashley. The exploration has only just begun.”
“Yes, let’s move forward.”
We kept moving through the passage and I continued listening for monsters’ footsteps, waiting for them to approach, shooting them on sight, and then collecting their magic stones. We came to the first large room about halfway through the first underground floor.
“There should be about ten monsters in there. How do you plan to handle them?”
“Is it true that they won’t attack unless we enter the room?”
“Yes, beasts in large rooms are usually resting rather than guarding the passage. Demi-humans have even been found gathered around campfires in there.”
Interesting. So, that would be a challenge in future explorations. I would have to deal with the large number of beasts or higher species lounging within large rooms. Labyrinths consisted of passages and small and large rooms. While passages and small rooms typically contained up to five creatures, large rooms contained at least ten, sometimes with a higher species mixed in. As an explorer, the constant challenge I’d face with such large groups would be determining what the most efficient tactics were to reduce the numerical disadvantage.
“I have a tool I want to try, but it makes a loud noise. Cover your ears when I use it, and don’t look at it when it goes off. It might affect you, Ashley.”
“A loud noise? What does that do?”
“It’ll induce a status effect that causes panic. It’ll destabilize the enemies before my attack.”
“A status effect with sound?”
It was a special grenade called the M84 flashbang. I always carried two as part of my basic equipment, and since I had been playing PvE before falling into this world, I still had them equipped. However, I hadn’t used them in natural environments before. Knowing how many enemies were confined into the large room, it seemed like a good time to test its effectiveness.
The M84 flashbang temporarily incapacitated targets by overwhelming their vision and hearing with a loud bang and flash. In VMB’s PvP, goggles and audio sensors automatically shielded against such attacks, so it was only effective against avatars without head protection. Enemies in VMB didn’t wear headgear, so these grenades were highly effective for ambushes in confined spaces.
“Yes. It’ll make sense once you see it in action. Well, don’t look at it, though—it emits a strong flash along with the sound. It could impair your vision if you look at it.”
I explained the M84 flashbang more to Ashley as we approached the large room. I could already hear from within the strange cries of several demi-humans. The large room’s entrance was on the right side of the passage and not aligned for a straight entry. That was convenient. I left Ashley waiting behind the entrance while I leaned in to peek inside.
I counted eleven regular goblins in total and confirmed that their numbers matched the light points on the map. The map showed the entire large room, about twenty-two yards on each side, with goblins clustered in the center. They made loud noises like they were conversing. I carefully retreated back to Ashley and informed her of the eleven goblins and reminded her to cover her ears at my signal.
I retrieved an M84 flashbang from my grenade pouch and gave Ashley the signal. It was cute how she covered her ears. I pulled the grenade’s pin and tossed it toward the center of the goblin cluster.
VMB grenades came in various types, most of which exploded about three seconds after they were thrown. Just as the firearms’ properties remained unchanged in this world, the M84 flashbang exploded three seconds later, as expected.
I confirmed the explosion and flash, and the crosshair on my goggles expanded, indicating the flashbang’s hit. I readied the P90 and charged into the large room.
“Argh!”
The goblins all clutched their eyes and ears. their mouths gaping with screams or groans. I was unsure how long the visual and auditory status effects would last. Before the goblins recovered, I quickly pulled the P90’s trigger and swiftly eliminated them one by one.
To avoid unexpected retaliation, I maintained a safe distance while ensuring each shot was lethal. However, even with the P90’s fifty-round magazine, it wasn’t enough to handle all eleven goblins. Perhaps my burst control was lacking? I slung the P90 over my shoulder, swiftly drew the FN Five-seveN from my waist, and finished the remaining goblins off.
“You defeated them all in just one assault! And in just a few minutes!” Ashley entered the center of the room after I dealt with the goblins. “And the sound was truly loud. Even with my ears covered, I felt the ground shake from the explosion. I’ve never heard of sound causing a status effect, even with attribute magic.”
The fallen goblins were enveloped in mist, and they left only magic stones behind.
“Things went as planned,” I told Ashley while collecting the stones. “I told you I can manage on my own. I know how to adapt my tactics to the situation.”
“Yes, obviously. Even so, don’t get cocky and let your guard down.”
“Of course not,” I said. “Let’s keep moving! Once we pass through this large room, there shouldn’t be any more rooms until the stairs to the second underground floor. Let’s clear it quickly.”
The journey to the second underground floor was no different from before. My preemptive strikes took care of all threats. We slowly descended the stairs to the second floor. My D-rank promotion exam was nearly complete. I saw only dark passages upon reaching the second underground floor. The map on my goggles showed no structural difference from the floor above.
“Congratulations on completing the first underground floor, Schwarz. Now, let’s head back to Balga and report the results.”
“Thank you. This is the second floor, but the labyrinth’s structure hasn’t changed.”
“The structure usually changes every five layers. Here, in the Wolf Fang Labyrinth, it changes at the sixth floor. Why, what’s wrong?”
At the bottom of the stairs was a small room that had a passage winding further inside. It was dark and only illuminated by white light grass. From the darkness, I heard—or thought I heard—whispers of hurried voices.
“Schwarz?”
“Shh.”
I raised my index finger to my lips. I tried to discern whether the faint sound was a figment of my imagination or something real. There was definitely noise, but the sound was too faint to determine its nature, direction, or distance. In this situation, I needed to advance to a point where the sound became clearer, but with the exam I was uncertain that was wise. Yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something unexpected was happening right now. I recalled the mixed adventurer quest where our party was half-destroyed during the harpy extermination. That was all thanks to the unexpected encounter with the higher species and that monstrous bird.
Turning to the side, I saw Ashley wordlessly looking straight at my eyes.
Should I mention it? That I heard something?
I didn’t actually know what it was yet. I didn’t want to cause her unnecessary alarm. I needed to figure this out first.
I operated the TSS on my left arm and opened the detailed settings screen for the audio sensor. This screen allowed players to customize the sensor’s capabilities to suit their preferences and the situation. One of these features was the equalizer settings. Simply put, this setting allowed adjustments to the sensor’s sensitivity across different frequency ranges, from low to high, enhancing or reducing the ability to pick up sounds accordingly.
In FPS games, not just VMB, adjusting the equalizer had immeasurable benefits. Every sound had a specific frequency. By understanding the frequency of the sounds you wanted to hear and enhancing the sensor’s ability to pick them up, while reducing sensitivity to unnecessary sounds, you could...
Actually, for FPS players, one’s equalizer settings were a closely guarded secret. I never shared my settings with friends or even with members of my own team, P0wDer. Besides, each member had their own unique settings.
I adjusted the equalizer and focused on the faint sound’s frequency and closed my eyes to better concentrate on the minute changes the audio sensor collected. I strengthened the sensor’s ability to pick up desired frequencies while weakening others. Then, I heard it. The noise that had been barely audible became clear enough to discern.
“Run! Run!” someone screamed.
“Which way should we go?” another asked.
“I don’t know! Just run. Run!”
It was the three distinct voices of small boys and girls fleeing from something behind them.
“This isn’t good...” I said.
I reset the equalizer settings and turned to Ashley.
“What’s wrong?”
“It seems there’s a party being chased by a group of beasts or demi-humans further inside. I faintly heard their panicked voices.”
“I can’t hear anything...”
Ashley looked down the passage leading to the second underground floor, straining to listen. But the sound was only audible to me after adjusting the audio sensor settings. She couldn’t hear it.
“I’m certain. I may be a dud, but I have great hearing.”
“Are you really sure?”
“Yes, and the group chasing them is quite large.”
“Could it be...a stampede? But I haven’t heard of any recent mass casualties in the Wolf Fang Labyrinth.”
A stampede was a phenomenon where a large number of monsters overflow from the labyrinth. It occurred when there were many deaths within the maze. The more incidents that occurred, the higher the probability of occurrence. The stampede would destroy the surrounding nature and continue to rampage toward populated areas.
“It might be what we’ve long called a ‘train,’ where a group of beasts or demi-humans chase explorers or parties, and they grow in number as they pursue.”
“I see... So, what should we do?”
“We help them,” Ashley responded without hesitation.
“Understood.”
***
Ashley put the exam on pause. We began exploring the second basement level. I took the lead and advanced without hesitation, thanks to my goggles automatically mapping the labyrinth structure. Ashley followed behind with a small sword and round shield drawn.
The voices of the fleeing people became clearer when we reached the small room that connected to the staircase that led to the first level. We were heading in the right direction, and the sound sensor continued to pick them up as we advanced.
The train had not caught up with the three individuals yet—it was only a matter of minutes. We needed to step up the pace if we were going to reach them in time.
“Ashley, we’re not going to make it at this speed. I’ll go ahead and stop the train’s progress. I’ll also eliminate any beasts we encounter along the way. Just follow the sounds of battle.”
“It’s dangerous to go alone! Facing the train head-on will get you swallowed up quickly!”
“I don’t intend to annihilate all of them. Once I’ve created some distance from it and the children, I’ll retreat. You all head towards the surface once you meet up with them.”
I removed the P90’s silencer and turned on the tactical light. Until now, I had avoided using it for fear it might attract beasts. Now, this light would serve as an important deterrent. I removed the silencer so my gun would signal my location. This was not just for Ashley’s sake, but also to catch the train’s attention. I summoned spare ammunition and special grenades through TSS and inserted them into the magazine belt. My preparations were complete.
I exhaled lightly. “All right, I’m going in.”
I executed a slide jump forward, landed, then transitioned into a strafe jump. This transformed my movement into high-speed maneuvers, and I accelerated rapidly.
“Wait—”
There was no time to convince Ashley. Leaving her behind, I advanced alone into the dimly lit underground passage.
The fastest movement technique in VMB involved repeatedly performing strafe jumps. This made you move as if you were sprinting through the air. You continuously executed strafe jumps followed by slide jumps, then back to strafing.
The underground passage was wide enough for a person to run. I zipped through it, accelerating and increasing my speed further. Beasts and subhuman species appeared along the attack route. Ignoring them would hinder Ashley and the kids ahead. I crushed the beasts along the way with aerial shooting while doing high-speed maneuvers.
During high-speed maneuvers, I eliminated glass wolves and goblins by pulling the trigger at the moment the crosshair aligned with their bodies. If I missed any, I changed directions by jumping and circling around, and I made sure to eliminate every last one before proceeding. The sound of P90 gunfire echoed throughout the underground passage. It left in its wake monster screams and magic stones as I hurried forward.
I didn’t have to run long before I spotted the three individuals in the straight passage. It appeared I had arrived just in time. They were children, and a pack of glass wolves was closing in on them from behind. The three noticed me and started shouting something, but first, I had to deal with the beasts.
I took out an M18 smoke grenade from my waist-pouch. This special grenade has been deployed by the U.S. military since World War II. In VMB, it was slightly larger than a can of coffee. For three seconds after the pin was pulled and the lever released, it emitted colored smoke for one minute.
In the game, the colors—red, purple, and green—were randomly emitted. There was no damage element, as it just obscured your opponent’s vision. You could use forward-looking infrared mode to observe your enemies’ movements within the smoke.
While kneeling, I gauged the distance to the three running towards me and threw the M18 smoke grenade to a position where they could quickly pass through the smoke.
“Run through! Turn left ahead, and you’ll find someone waiting. She’ll help you escape the labyrinth!”
The three were startled by the grenade’s purple smoke. I conveyed the correct path for them and gave them subsequent instructions to guide them through.
“Ah, okay! Thank you!” one of the boys said as he ran past me.
I didn’t respond, as my focus was now on the glass wolves entering the smoke. I switched my goggles view to FLIR mode. I aligned the crosshair with the glass wolves, who were confused by the smoke effect.
There were a bunch of them. I carefully performed burst shooting to avoid wasting ammunition during their elimination. The map displayed a band of light. This had to be the train’s main body.
It wasn’t necessary to eliminate all of them. Once the three kids joined Ashley, and they reached the first basement level, I planned to join them. This straight passage was a highly advantageous battlefield for me, though.
I purchased spare magazines, M18 smoke grenades, and another type of special grenade from the TSS Shop. The Crystal Points consumption for this was minimal. I retrieved the spare magazines and special grenades from the summoned black supply box. Then I knelt in the center of the underground passage and arranged the ammo beside me. This would buy us enough time.
“Here they come!”
A group of eight goblins charged into the straight corridor. Behind them, I heard more creatures’ footsteps, numbering six in total. I threw an M18 smoke grenade at the forefront of the goblin group, confirmed the emission of the smoke screen, then switched to FLIR mode. I aligned the crosshair with the bewildered goblins’ bodies. This reminded me of the last battle.
The rhythmic sound of burst fire echoed as the 5.7 × 28mm rounds pierced through the smoke, drawing straight lines into the goblins’ heads. The trailing six creatures became visible through FLIR mode. They appeared to be horned rabbits. As the goblins stumbled and fell over themselves in the smoke, I grabbed another special grenade—the Poison Grenade. I pulled the pin from the top of the can and threw it into the smoke.
The Poison Grenade was a VMB original. It had the same three-second delay as the M18 smoke grenade, but it emitted yellow smoke for twenty seconds. Its effective range was only about five yards, but the toxic smoke landed on all players within the area. It inflicted visual and physical function impairment, as well as slip damage.
It could affect both allies and enemies, so advanced warning to allies was important—they could wear a gas mask that neutralized the toxic smoke. The most popular use of the Poison Grenade was in combination with smoke grenades like the M18.
While the smoke alone could be easily nullified with FLIR mode, it was precisely because FLIR mode was in use that the yellow smoke from the Poison Grenade became invisible. Even so, the effects of the Poison Grenade were clearly evident on the beasts and subhuman species of this otherworld. Their movements became noticeably sluggish, and some individuals collapsed into convulsions. It seemed to be having a greater effect here than within the VMB game, but there was no time to examine it thoroughly.
The map displayed in my goggles showed numerous additional points of light. I aligned the crosshair with the horned rabbits. Their movements were weakened, and their body temperatures appeared bright red. Sliding the crosshair from left to right, I performed burst shots the moment the target aligned. They were quickly eliminated. For good measure, I threw additional M18 smoke grenades into the corridor. I watched it fill with smoke. I replaced the magazine of the P90, ready to face the next group.
I reunited with Ashley about thirty minutes after confronting the train in the corridor. She and the three kids were waiting in a small room at the top of the stairs from the second basement level. When I ascended, I overheard Ashley scolding the children. They were all breaking down in tears.
“Schwarz! Are you all right?!”
“I am, as you can see. I have no injuries. I only held them off, then retreated.”
“I’m glad you’re safe. Let’s get these kids out of here.”
Ashley helped the children, who were sitting upright, to stand up and began preparing them to move. Later, Ashley explained that these kids were students from the Academy, a school in the royal capital. They had become overconfident in their newly-learned magic and sword skills. They had decided to sneak into the labyrinth to test their abilities.
I led them all towards the surface. The three youths trailed behind me, while Ashley took up the rear. We all moved cautiously, even though the coast was clear. Once a beast or subhuman species in the labyrinth was defeated, it wouldn’t reappear for several hours to days. Therefore, the journey back was uneventful.
After reaching the surface, we explained the situation at the labyrinth management building and left the three kids in their care. Unauthorized entry into the labyrinth carried a hefty fine. The students seemed to come from wealthy families, so it probably wouldn’t be a big deal. Besides, the fear they experienced inside the labyrinth would cost them more in the long run than anything the guild could fine them.
As we parted ways, the students expressed their gratitude again. I was just relieved that their lives were spared. Death in the labyrinth meant having one’s soul absorbed as its sustenance, creating further calamities in the natural world. Perhaps the children’s fear might not have been solely about their own deaths, but also about the calamities that their souls might have become.
***
After returning to the Fortress City of Balga, Ashley and I met with Milimaria at the main guild hall.
“Welcome back, Schwarz and Ashley.”
“We have returned, Milimaria. Does this mean the D-rank promotion exam is concluded?”
“Yes, Examiner Ashley. How was Schwarz’s labyrinth exploration?”
“The preparations were flawless. He was able to assess and respond calmly to situations on the first basement level. He also handled an emergency on the second basement level with composure. I judge that he qualifies as a D-rank adventurer and labyrinth explorer.”
“Great. We will consider Schwarz’s D-rank promotion exam passed and grant him the labyrinth explorer qualification.”
“Thank you.”
With this D-rank, I could now focus on labyrinth exploration and finally resolve the major issue of acquiring Crystal Points. Then I could summon not only ammunition but also consumables, disposable special equipment, and support weapons without hesitation. This access significantly expanded the scope of my activities.
“Congratulations, Schwarz,” said Ashley. “With the abilities you demonstrated in the labyrinth, I believe you’ll do just fine. Just make sure you don’t overexert yourself.”
“Schwarz, please provide your guild card,” Milimaria said. “We will update your rank and grant you the labyrinth explorer qualification. Additionally, all the magic stones and other spoils obtained during this labyrinth exploration are your property. You may exchange them at the annex or sell them to magic stone merchants in the city. It’s up to you.”
“Thank you for your help today, Ashley. As for the magic stones... I think I will sell them to my acquaintance at the Marida Trading Company.”
“Oh? Who do you know from the Marida Trading Company?”
Ashley’s surprised expression suggested that the Marida Trading Company was well-known. I only mentioned it because I had consumed a considerable amount of ammunition and special grenades that day. At Marida Trading Company, I planned to trade the magic stones with attributes obtained in the labyrinth for non-attribute magic stones.
“Is it famous? I met Marta a while ago. He’s often my go-to for buying and selling tools.”
“Schwarz, the Marida Trading Company is one of the top trading companies in the Kurtmelga Kingdom. Its main store is in the royal capital. How do you not know that? Marta...as in Marta, the head of the company?”
“The head of the company? Is he? The Marta I know is a cheerful, chubby gentleman.”
“I heard that Marida is the name of the boss’s wife. Marta is indeed the head of the company.”
Marida is the name of Marta’s wife? It surprised me to learn that he was the head of such a large company. Why would he travel alone from the royal capital to the Fortress City of Balga without any guards?
“Ashley, I understand you want to talk with Schwarz, but you still have a report to write, don’t you? Now that you’re officially promoted to guild investigator, make sure you complete it.”
“Milimaria!” Ashley blushed at her remark.
While observing Ashley’s protest, I received the updated guild card from Milimaria and checked the display.
Adventurer Registration Card
Name: Schwarz Powder
Age: 24
Place of Origin: VMB
Main Weapon: None
Main Magic Attribute: None
Skills: None
Abilities: None
Tax Payment Method: From Adventurer Income
Rank: D (0/3,000)
Inspector Certificate: Yes
Seeing that it would take three thousand points to qualify for C-rank was shocking. Everything else looked as expected, but that number was shocking. It was fine, though. Now that I had my explorer qualification, there wasn’t really a need to further increase my adventurer rank.
“There it is—D-rank. I’m going to go sell the magic stones now. What about you, Ashley?”
“I’m heading to the administrative building.”
“Then let’s walk together partway.”
We left the reception counter. As we walked together, I recalled the conversation I overheard earlier.
“Ashley, was being the examiner for my exam also your final test for becoming a guild investigator?”
“Yes. Originally, the post-incident investigation in Myral Village was supposed to be my test. That didn’t go so well. So, I ended up retaking it as your examiner.”
“I see. I’m glad this time passed without any issues. We should celebrate our promotions! Why don’t we get dinner together soon?”
“Really? I can make time tomorrow, or the day after.”
“Perfect. I’ll be waiting in front of the main guild the evening after tomorrow.”
This D-rank promotion exam was the first time since the harpy extermination request that I acted as part of a group. The relief that it had been completed without incident emboldened me. So much, in fact, that I asked Ashley out on a date.
The life-and-death exchanges in this otherworld might have worn down my heart and spirit more than I realized. Subconsciously, I was seeking something to heal that. Reflecting on my actions, I strolled down the Balga main street, patting my subconscious self on the back for a job well done.
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
AFTER PARTING WAYS with Ashley at the main guild, I arrived at the Marida Trading Company.
“Hello. I’m here to sell some magic stones.”
The employee recognized me. “I’ll call Marta right away,” he said, leading me to the reception room. I waited in the reception room long enough to enjoy the tea being served.
Marta entered with his usual smile. “I apologize for keeping you waiting, Schwarz. How is today’s tea? It’s matured-late and carefully aged over the summer.”
“It’s wonderful! It’s very smooth, and with a deep richness.”
“I’m glad you are enjoying it. So, I hear you want to sell some magic stones today. Does that mean you have become a D-rank adventurer?”
“Yes, thank you. I finally ranked up. I want to sell the magic stones I obtained during my exam exploration and also buy some non-attribute magic stones.”
I removed the pouch from my waist and placed it on the table. Marta took it and retrieved the magic stones while simultaneously pulling out a jeweler’s loupe from his chest pocket. He inspected each stone through the loupe.
“These are all from the Wolf Fang Labyrinth. There are glass wolves, goblins, and horned rabbits. The attributes are mostly basic, but there are quite a few special ones. I’ll buy them all.”
“You can tell just by looking what labyrinth and monster they come from?”
“Yes. Not everyone can do it. To call oneself a magic stone merchant, one must be able to perform this level of appraisal without skills. Even with Appraisal Skills, one can’t determine the labyrinth or the defeated monsters. Those skills only reveal the stones’ attributes and the amount of magic they contain.”
We negotiated for a while. I agreed to receive half of the sale amount in non-attribute magic stones. I also promised to exclusively sell my labyrinth magic stones to the Marida Trading Company in exchange for a discount on purchasing non-attribute magic stones. Additionally, I arranged for the Marida Trading Company to provide the necessary tools I’d need for labyrinth exploration. While Marta was originally surprised to learn that I was a dud, he offered to help find me magic stone-consuming magical tools that didn’t require magic to activate. He promised that he would always keep an eye out in his searches for anything I could use in the future. That was a deal and a half! Before I left, Marta also gave me some restaurant recommendations for my date with Ashley.
I decided to return to the Wolf Fang Labyrinth the next day. It was time to put my D-rank explorer qualification to use. While swaying along under canopy in the patrol carriage, I customized my avatar. It became clear to me yesterday that, when facing multiple beasts or subhuman species, it’s crucial to deliver a powerful preemptive strike, induce status abnormalities, or confuse the opponent.
Firearms are primarily single-target attack methods. You could only deal with numerous opponents with consecutive attacks. I needed area attacks.
I scoured my equipment while consulting their Crystal Points consumption. I also reconsidered how much I could carry based on the avatar’s outfit and magazine belt design. I’d combine equipment with the outfits, then repeat. I’d been in this process since last night. As a result, my main and sub-weapons remained the P90 and Five-seveN, but I decided to carry M84 flashbangs, M67 fragmentation grenades, and TH3 incendiary grenades on the magazine belt.
As for combat attire, I usually wore a powered suit that resembled a rash guard worn for marine sports. Although the design around the arms and legs was bulky, it was essentially an undergarment. I wore the magazine belt over this powered suit, but this time, I wore an M65 field jacket over it and then equipped the magazine belt. I felt embarrassed imagining myself jumping and shooting while flipping the jacket open.
Oh, wait...the front of the jacket is closed, so it won’t flip. It felt cringy to do such a move with my jacket, but if it was a necessary skill in this otherworld, I’d have no choice but to do it.
With such thoughts, I traveled into the eastern forest and towards my new expedition.
“Hello. I’d like to enter the Wolf Fang Labyrinth,” I said as I entered the management building and presented my guild card at the reception desk.
“Thank you for your efforts,” the male guard said from his seat. “Please fill out your name and today’s exploration plan here. I’ll check your guild card.”
I wrote my name on the form and noted that my exploration plan was for one day to explore levels B1 to B5. I returned it to the guard.
One thing I’d noticed since arriving in this otherworld was it had a lot of incongruities in how its culture and civilization had evolved. Take the paper I just filled out as an example—it wasn’t as refined as paper from my original world, but it did resemble it. But the writing tool was a quill pen. Additionally, while there were flush toilets with running water, there were no public baths with bathtubs. Furthermore, I’ve seen numerous board game variants similar to those from my original world being sold. These games’ existence inevitably led me to consider whether otherworldly travelers besides myself had come through...
“Here’s your guild card back. Tread carefully down there. Remember, the explorer’s role is not only to defeat the labyrinth, but to also return.”
Perhaps the male guard offered this advice because it was my first exploration. Indeed, being reckless and becoming sustenance for the labyrinth was the worst thing an explorer could do. For the moment, I set aside thoughts of otherworldly travelers like myself, thanked the guard, and headed to the first basement level of the Wolf Fang Labyrinth.
On my way down, I attached tactical lights and silencers to the P90 and the Five-seveN. While it may seem better to keep them attached at all times, I generally removed them during transit. The accessories were heavy, and they disrupted my balance and added discomfort when carrying them.
I planned to go as far as I could to the fifth basement level. I intended to map each level completely before proceeding to the next. Memorizing maps, terrain, and elevation differences were crucial to playing FPS games thoroughly. By remembering advantageous positions and spots where enemies might hide, one could leverage them to gain combative advantage. I assumed this principle would also apply to labyrinth exploration.
Supposedly, there were no instant-death trap mechanisms within the maze. The primary concern was monsters. As a solo explorer, I needed to always maneuver to face enemies from a favorable position. This is why I needed better maps.
First, I wanted to complete mapping the first basement level. I deviated from the route to the second basement level I took yesterday, and I mapped each dead-end at every route. At the end of one of these routes was a small room. This was according to the map from the library. As I headed towards it, my sound sensor detected three horned rabbits hopping around in there. These beasts were giant rabbits about two feet in length. They had long horns on their heads, brown fur, and glowing red eyes.
In large rooms, enemies didn’t attack unless you entered it. However, in small rooms, they would attack if they spotted you. I was spotted, and there were three horned rabbits now rushing at me.
I sprinted towards them. While there was still some distance, I aimed at the leader, transitioned from a running state to a down sight, aligned the crosshair and iron sight line, and performed burst shoots aimed at the low-running horned rabbit’s torso.
I fired about three to five shots. Thanks to the silencer, there was little sound, but the hit beast’s startled cries echoed as it tumbled. That did not deter the two rabbits running behind it. They charged at me with their horns thrusted out in a low posture.
I evaded them by switching from a forward dash to a slide jump to the left front. I moved quickly about fifteen feet to the left, and, without losing momentum, I performed a strafe jump to the right front while turning backwards. I landed behind the two rabbits and took them out with burst shots.
“Phew!” I exhaled deeply.
The defeated horned rabbits were enveloped in black mist and sank into the labyrinth. I collected their magic stones before scoping out the room. It was just an empty space surrounded by earthen walls. It was a low probability that it would have any magical tools. This was true for most labyrinth rooms, and it seemed true of the first level. I left the small room and continued mapping the first basement level.
My exploration went like this: when I sensed an approaching enemy in the corridor, I ambushed them. If they noticed me and attacked, I evaded with high-speed maneuvers and defeated them. For groups resting in small or large rooms, I experimented with the effectiveness of the M84 flashbangs, the M67 fragmentation grenades, and the TH3 incendiary grenades.
Once I’d fully mapped the first basement level, I descended to the second level. It was identical to the first; even its underground passage width remained the same. The day before taking the D-rank promotion exam, I had consulted the TSS to memorize the map images I researched at the guild’s library. I recalled where the general path to the third basement level was and entered some side paths off the main route to complete the map.
It was said that the labyrinth changed its interior appearance approximately every five layers. This was because the number of layers increased by about five when the labyrinth accumulated power and expands. During this interval between expansions, it also populated its new layers with monsters manifested from those that had been lured into the maze’s previous passages. In the Wolf Fang Labyrinth, up to five layers contained goblins, glass wolves, and horned rabbits that came from the eastern forest—as well as a bear-like beast, the red bear, which I hadn’t encountered yet.
To complete the map of the second basement level, I deviated far from the main route. Gradually, the amount of white light grass became visibly less frequent. I reached into a small cloth bag tied to my magazine belt, took out some seeds, and tossed them into the darkened areas.
This was another important role for the explorer. By planting white light grass that grew from magic essence, you ensured there were light sources within the labyrinth. This reduced the maze’s danger. It also could indicate whether the current path was the correct one. The lack of light sources indicated that the path had not been well-traveled by previous explorers.
As soon as the seeds touched ground, they sprouted small green shoots. The shoots grew into stems, buds formed at the tips, and, within minutes, white flowers bloomed and softly illuminated the surroundings.
“Amazing how it sprouts and blooms so quickly.”
The rapid growth, akin to a time-lapsed video recording flower growth, elicited my involuntary comment. However, I couldn’t afford to be captivated by the awe-inspiring brilliance of life. From the path ahead, I heard heavy footsteps and rough breathing sounds. These were not from the goblins or glass wolves I had defeated before.
Do those footsteps belong to a red bear?
Indeed, they did. From the slightly darkened path ahead, a bear-like beast with a large body about six feet in length, red eyes, brown fur, and red fur resembling flames approached. It was a red bear. It wasn’t in a combat stance yet, but it appeared to have noticed my presence. It emitted a low growl to intimidate me, but the visible distance was already within my engagement range.
I needed to act now while it still stood there. I knelt down, aimed through the sights, lined up the crosshair on its head, and fired with precise trigger pulls. The red bear noticed my aim and instantly tilted its head to the right. It wasn’t enough to dodge all the bullets, and one hit the left side of its head, blowing away flesh and blood. His left eye had been crushed.
The red bear let out a bizarre scream. It was a low, resounding roar like a furious bellow. Heedless of the blood staining half its head, it charged me. It was fast—but it was just a reckless charge.
“Too easy!” I shouted.
The charging speed was faster than I had anticipated. I started running towards the right wall of the tunnel to evade it. My aim was to use a technique called Wall Run, which was designed to forcibly pass through enemy defense lines in enclosed spaces like this tunnel, as practiced in VMB.
“Snaaaaaaaaaaaaaarl!” the red bear roared.
It aimed to tackle me with the momentum of its charge. However, using the powered suit’s leg strength, I ran up the tunnel wall, traversed near the ceiling, which was about fifteen feet high, and leapt down behind the red bear as it crashed into the wall. The red bear crashed into the wall and became motionless. I got behind it to shoot through the area near its knee joints, where it was crouched from the impact of the collision. That immobilized its legs. As the red bear let out a painful groan from the gunshot, I rushed it, climbed onto its back, pressed the muzzle of my gun against its skull, and pulled the FN P90’s trigger.
“Although I often did this in VMB, I hadn’t tried using wall run as an evasive maneuver yet... If I keep doing things I think I can do on the fly, one day it might not work in another world and could lead to a fatal injury,” I muttered to myself.
I picked up the red bear’s magic stone and replaced the P90 magazine. As I did so, I heard more footsteps coming from the path where the red bear had emerged. It was a trap.
I didn’t want to be caught by the approaching red bear, so I retreated backward while activating the TSS. From the inventory, I selected a new magazine and one M18 Claymore mine. The summoned supply box shimmered with its particles of light, and I immediately opened it. I gathered the magazine into my belt and began setting up the M18 Claymore mine in the center of the underground passage.
The M18 Claymore mine is a directional anti-personnel mine used by the U.S. military. It’s characterized by a curved box shape with a width of just under eight inches. Upon detonation, it releases approximately seven hundred steel balls in a fan-shaped pattern. The actual maximum effective range of the M18 Claymore mine is said to reach up to two hundred and seventy-three yards. The mine does not achieve such distances in VMB, but in an underground passage like this, it should undoubtedly destroy my opponent’s legs.
In VMB, the M18 Claymore mine could only be detonated remotely, despite having both wire trap and remote detonation options in reality. This limitation was due to game balance considerations. Even if wire traps were available, they could potentially be triggered by non-targets such as beasts or non-human races, making them impractical to use.
“Preparation is complete.”
After setting up the mine, I laid down further back to set up camp and wait. The mine was surprisingly dangerous to stand directly behind as it produced more noise and blast than expected. Additionally, the explosion would alert other players, making it a double-edged tool.
The red bears’ heavy footsteps started moving faster. They had detected me. Was it my scent? The sound indicated that they were definitely rushing towards me.
They’re coming, they’re coming.Here they come!
First one red bear, then another, emerged from the dark path ahead. They were already in combat mode, and their speed increased as they charged forward. As soon as both entered the mine’s blast range, I pulled the remote lever of the M18 Claymore mine in my hand.
The deep sound of the explosion echoed throughout the tunnel. It kicked up dust and sand, obscuring my vision. Using this mine was more difficult than I had anticipated. In VMB, explosions didn’t cause nearly as much debris. The rising dust and sand formed a smokescreen, so I quickly switched my goggles to FLIR mode. Through that, I saw the large red forms of the red bears.
Both of their bodies radiated intense heat, with their chest areas showing an unusually high temperature. I wondered if that was the magic stone emitting such heat.
The two red bears stopped moving. Their faces and limbs were covered in blood, but they still seemed to be alive. There was no way I’d miss my chance while they were motionless. From a prone shooting position, I aimed through the sights and aligned the crosshair with their heads.
I activated the zoom function to enlarge the image of one of the red bear’s heads. I pulled the trigger, using controlled bursts to manage the recoil, and fired another shot. Then, I smoothly shifted to aim at the second red bear, essentially lining up the next target.
As if sensing its impending demise, the other beast’s eyes emitted a violent, red glow that was visible even through the FLIR. I remained in this mode until the two red bears were enveloped in a black haze and sank into the depths. It had been a magic stone radiating that intense heat, and now it cooled as the haze engulfed the bodies. By the time the bears had completely disappeared into the labyrinth, only the magic stone remained, slightly warm. I picked it up to evaluate it and noted that it was elemental. Its slight redness suggested it was a fire magic stone.
I placed it into the pouch where I kept such things, and simultaneously took out the non-elemental, wind, and water magic stones to examine them through the FLIR. The non-elemental stone showed no discernible temperature. The wind stone appeared slightly red, while the water stone had a cool, bluish tint. It seemed that elemental magic stones possessed unique temperatures, albeit subtle ones.
I descended to the Wolf Fang Labyrinth’s third floor. As before, I continued to map the area while deviating from the known path that led to the fourth floor. This third floor reportedly contained the labyrinth’s only safety zone. This was a small room known as the Spring of Purity.
In this otherworldly realm, labyrinths were inherently malevolent to the surface-dwelling races. Paradoxically, spaces existed within these labyrinths where neither beasts nor demi-humans could attack. What could explain this contradiction? It was said that the labyrinths were created by an ancient evil god. According to the archive librarian, this god was so ancient that even its name had been lost to time. This evil deity used the labyrinths to spawn beasts and demi-humans to annihilate all races inhabiting this world. No one really knew the reason behind this destruction.
This unknown aspect tied into the Spring of Purity’s existence. Despite the presence of an evil god intent on destroying the world, there was no record of a benevolent god opposing it. It was unclear whether this was due to lost records or to the deity’s absence. Many labyrinth scholars hypothesized that this confusion was on purpose, as part of the evil god’s game with the world.
Because it was a game, the labyrinths yielded beneficial magic stones to the surface races, and the Spring of Purity served as a safety zone for them. In deeper labyrinth levels, teleportation magic circles allowed movement from the surface to certain floors. Successfully navigating a labyrinth granted access to the great magic stone, the Dungeon Core. This was all due to the evil god’s design.
“This is strange...”
While pausing to battle several times on the third floor, I aimed to find the Spring of Purity. Today’s exploration was intended to include a brief rest there. However...
“This is definitely strange. I’m hungry, but not tired. I feel great despite all the fighting and running around I’ve done.”
I’m not this physically fit in my original world. So, why can I keep moving without tiring? What has happened to my body? Could it be that falling into this other world awakened some sort of cheat ability? Or perhaps I’ve gained some skills or talents unique to this world? But wait...
I drew a combat knife from the leg sheath attached to my right thigh. I braced myself, and I made a small cut on my fingertip.
“Ouch! Okay, yeah, I feel pain. I still bleed. This is as expected. The question is: what happens next?”
Red blood welled up and formed a small dome over the cup before dripping down. The bleeding stopped.
“How does it stop so quickly? When I registered as an adventurer, the blood from the needle prick stopped immediately then, too. It wasn’t just my imagination...”
I put my fingertip in my mouth and tasted the characteristic faint scent. Yep, it was blood. I was relieved that it wasn’t something else as I watched the cut close.
“Regeneration? The wound is closing.”
The cut reversed itself, and my fingertip became unblemished. No scar or mark remained—it was completely restored to its original state.
I was at a loss for words. This wasn’t my body. In fact, it wasn’t even human. My stomach grew tight. My legs trembled until I was unable to support my weight. In the third level corridor, I collapsed to my knees. The inhuman endurance, the ability to regenerate from injuries—these were not cheat abilities, skills, or talents gained from my transportation to another world. This body was now a game character’s body.
In VMB and other basic FPS games, it was common for a character’s HP to regenerate over time. While hardcore modes without HP regeneration existed, they were beyond the basic settings and merely extended the range of gameplay. Game characters neither tired to the point of being unable to run, nor did they lose limbs from explosions. The health lost from bullets or artillery was restored over time, unless they died.
As a VRFPS, VMB players moved freely, performing acrobatics, precise shooting, and engaging in group battles across various battlefields. There were no stamina parameters to limit character movement, and players could dash and jump repeatedly as desired. This character specification manifested in my body in this other world. With no way to return to my original world, I became an adventurer designed to survive here.
But am I truly alive? What does it mean to live?If am living here in a game character’s body, what has happened to my real body? Was it left in the original world?
My thoughts were interrupted by an abrupt screech—“Kikyaaa!” It was a goblin. It fearlessly raised its club at me, screeching as it did. Did it think I was easy prey since I was kneeling so weakly?
“So naive!”
As the club swung down, I deflected it by deploying the Circle Barrier Shield. This exposed the goblin’s abdomen to my P90. I pressed its muzzle into the goblin’s belly and pulled the trigger. My thoughts stopped, and I watched the goblin’s shocked expression freeze on its face as it sank into the labyrinth.
I was in the Wolf Fang Labyrinth. I didn’t know whether my body was human or a game character. But surely, I was alive. I felt hunger, sleepiness, and pain. The inhuman things my body could do were convenient for survival in this world. If I chose to live here, I had to make the most of this body and coexist with it.
“Yes, that’s the only way,” I muttered as I walked into the Spring of Purity.
Upon entering, I noticed that it was entirely different from the previous tunnels. It was about twenty feet high and twenty feet long, with a small but beautiful spring continuously flowing at its center.
“This is the Spring of Purity, huh? It’s bright here despite the absence of white light grass.”
I had initially planned to reach here by noon. However, the current time was way past that. The labyrinth’s layers were wider than I’d expected, so mapping had taken more time than anticipated.
I had intended to finish mapping the third floor today, but plans change. I decided to rest here a bit, then return to Balga.
“At this rate, I’ll need to carry camping gear if I want to finish mapping.”
Even with a body that doesn’t fatigue, operating without sleep would gradually affect my aim. That could lead to fatal mistakes.
The Wolf Fang Labyrinth’s lowest confirmed floor was the twenty-sixth. However, the gatekeeper beast on the twenty-fifth floor, considered a mid-boss, hadn’t been defeated, leaving lower floors unconfirmed for years. The twenty-sixth floor was known because when the labyrinth expanded, a distinctive large tremor would occur within and around it. No expansion tremors had occurred since exploration reached the twenty-fifth floor.
Gatekeepers were placed on two major floors. One roamed above the lowest floor, and the other on floors with teleportation magic circles. These circles were known as transfer devices and existed every ten floors.
A gatekeeper never reappeared once it was defeated. After vanquishing a gatekeeper, dripping blood onto the teleportation magic circle registered biometric information, allowing entry and exit throughout the labyrinth with minimal magic. However, activation required magic. As a dud, I probably couldn’t use it. So, if I intended to venture deeper into the labyrinth, I’d need to make the appropriate preparations and bring the proper equipment.
Of course, I didn’t have to force myself deeper, but I wanted to. Perhaps it was due to my love for FPS, but I desired to conquer the labyrinth. I felt a game-like urge to clear it.
No...it wasn’t just a recreational desire. It was my survival instinct, or my purpose for living. In this unknown world, I sought a clear goal and a reason to live.
VMB gave me the power to clear the labyrinth. It gave me this tireless body to survive it. It gave me the superhuman, regenerative ability to thrive here. All of this had to be for surviving in this world and for conquering the labyrinth. If that wasn’t my role and purpose, then the accumulating reality could drive me insane.
Sitting at the Spring of Purity, I spent an hour in silent contemplation. I stared at the ripples of continuously flowing water and set the labyrinth’s conquest as my goal. With that sorted, I headed back for the Fortress City of Balga.
I immediately went back to the White Flower Pavilion of the Labyrinth and collapsed onto my bed. I fell asleep, still in my exploration gear, too tired to change through avatar customization. I had dinner plans the next day with Ashley, but having my goal and purpose here center around labyrinth conquest didn’t completely lift my spirits. I hoped to feel better upon waking and fell asleep.
The next morning, Mirana, the innkeeper of the White Flower Pavilion of the Labyrinth, woke me up when she delivered the wash basin service. I ate breakfast, then I returned to my room to investigate something that had been worrying me a while. The question was: did the TSS, VMB’s core system, link with this other world only through crystals, or were there other connections?
I considered it a miracle that magic stones were recognized and converted into Crystal Points. I wondered if there could be more to it, though. Specifically, did it have the shared functionality of an item box where items acquired in-game were stored in an inventory?
Initially, the inventory capacity wasn’t large, but I had paid real money to expand it significantly using VMB’s paid features. With no slot limit and low costs, I had expanded the inventory to where it would never fill up. It stored all my VMB-obtained items, including firearms, avatar outfits, and recovery items. So, could it also store materials from this other world?
I picked up a small item in my room—a wooden cup—and dropped it onto the activated TSS screen monitor. However, it passed through the screen and fell to the floor.
“Figures.” If I could store materials from here in the inventory, it would save a lot of trouble...
I tried toggling the TSS screen from Top Menu to Inventory, Mail, and News, but the wooden cup never entered the inventory.
“It’s not possible. I have to convert exploration tools into magic-powered devices to reduce my load.”
My idea of directly storing materials from this world in the inventory was impractical. That solution would have been too easy. Setting it aside for now, I decided to consider what to wear for dinner with Ashley. I selected Shop from the TSS and began browsing avatar fashion items.
The Fortress City of Balga reportedly didn’t see snow in winter, but it got cold once the sun set. I needed some thick coats and jackets. I already had plenty of outerwear, but you can never have too much. I had a lot of choices since I hadn’t bought much when this was just a game. I felt compelled to complete my avatar clothing collection.
I selected several items, added them to the cart, and exchanged them for Crystal Points. Then I noticed another icon.
“Gift Box?”
This icon allowed purchased items to be placed in a special box for gifting to other players. The contents remained unknown until they were opened. It could be attached to emails and sent to players in distant areas or on different schedules. Interestingly, the gift box could appear in the virtual reality game world. This allowed for multiple players to place various items in one box.
After purchasing the clothes, I selected “Gift Box” from another TSS screen. Particles of light gathered before me in my room. They converged at a point and increased in brightness until a box appeared. Unlike the utilitarian black supply box, it was designed to appear gift wrapped in pink paper.
“I don’t love the design, but it does appear. And the lid...opens.”
The gift box was a rectangular case about 60 inches × 35 inches × 25 inches. When you pressed the side button, the lid automatically rose and opened the box. Inside was a pitch-black void, as if an alternate dimension lay within, but that was normal for VMB.
I placed the Five-seveN sidearm into it. The inventory screen on the lid’s underside displayed the name correctly. That was also to be expected in VMB. Next, I placed the wooden cup inside.
“Oh!”
The inventory screen read “Unknown.” It was listed after “FN Five-seveN.”
Of course, the gift box was just a container. I didn’t expect it to automatically analyze and display the identity of items that didn’t exist in VMB. However, I found on the inventory screen a feature that allowed for renaming and managing item names. I used the screen keyboard beside the inventory screen to rename “Unknown” to “Wooden Cup.” Then I retrieved it.
“Oh, it came out properly!”
When I placed it back inside the box, the inventory screen correctly displayed “Wooden Cup.” Even unknown materials could have their names saved once changed. I closed the lid, and it disintegrated into particles of light and disappeared. It was now stored in my inventory.
I made it reappear. I opened the lid and saw “FN Five-seveN” and “Wooden Cup” on the inventory display screen and retrieved them. I then put the wooden cup back and returned the Five-seveN to my waist.
“Well, it’s a bit cumbersome, but this will work.”
I felt relieved that my future labyrinth explorations and travel would now be easier.
***
After discovering that the gift box could be repurposed as an item box, I checked the time. It was still a little before noon. That left me plenty of time to visit the Marida Trading Company. I wanted to revisit my discussion of the exploration tools I had previously requested. I no longer had the issue of having to consider their size and weight for transport. Instead, I planned to ask for new tools that weren’t available to me before due to my lack of carrying capacity.
“Hello!”
“Welcome, Schwarz.”
We were becoming familiar faces to each other. I asked if Marta was available and was then led to the usual reception room. The Fortress City of Balga, also known as a labyrinth city, had an abundance of weapon shops, tool shops, and blacksmiths. Even so, I almost exclusively patronized Marida Trading Company’s store since meeting Marta.
Well, that and the delicious tea they served. Today was a dark green tea with a sweet, toasty aroma.
“Oh, this dark color must be a deep-steamed tea?” I asked Marta as he entered.
“Does it please you? It’s a special brew made by abundantly steaming only tender new buds.” He gave me his usual cheerful smile as his round belly jiggled.
“The aroma is delightful. I’m not sure if I come here for good deals or for your delicious tea.”
“Ha ha, you’re the only one who enjoys the tea we serve, Schwarz. So, are you here to sell magic stones today?”
“Yes, that’s part of it. I also wanted to talk about the tools I requested earlier. I’ve managed to prepare something like a tool bag, so I’d like to order additional large camping gear and supplies.”
“Something like a tool bag? We have several tools ready. It took some time, but the water bottle that refills just by using a water magic stone has arrived from the royal capital. The magic tool for creating fire has been ordered from the Alchemy Guild. That’ll take a little while to get here.”
Food and water were explorer essentials. They were bulky to carry, but a sufficient quantity had to be carried. Scrimping on these supplies would be life-threatening.
The fire magic tool would be a boon. For people in this world who could create fire with magic, it might’ve been worthless. For me, who had no magic, it would be indispensable.
Unable to use a tool bag, I needed to prepare expensive magic tools to carry these quantities of supplies. The water bottle that automatically refilled with a water magic stone was particularly popular among other adventurers. It was hard to find even in the Fortress City of Balga. Ultimately, I bought it through Marta from the royal capital.
I sold the magic stones obtained from yesterday’s labyrinth exploration and used the proceeds, and my silver coins, to pay for the prepared tools. The other tools would be ready soon, but paying for them now would blow my dinner budget. I could settle up on those another day.
I received the tools I had ordered in the reception room. I asked Marta to dismiss the other employees. When it was just us left in the room, I took out the gift box.
“This is your tool bag...or, something like it?”
“It has a different name, but let’s call it a ‘tool box’ for now. I’ll be storing things in it, now. That’s why I’ve asked you to prepare the additional items.”
“Of course, I’ll make the arrangements. How does it appear from nowhere?”
“Think of it as my ‘dud’ skill.”
“Schwarz, you never cease to amaze me. How much can it hold?”
“Up to thirty items, ignoring size. Identical items can stack up to ninety-nine per item slot, and over one hundred counts as two slots.”
“Wow! This box can hold that much?”
The gift box’s design allowed multiple people to place various items inside, providing ample item slots. VMB’s specification allows for stacking up to ninety-nine items per slot. Most importantly for me, I could duplicate the gift box within my inventory. This gave me infinite item storage.
I explained all of this to Marta. His cheerful expression shifted to a sharp merchant’s gaze. While I hinted at possessing a bloodline skill, I kept details vague, especially regarding being a dud. I trusted Marta enough to share this intel, but I asked him to keep it to himself.
I didn’t fully trust him, but he was one of the few male acquaintances I had in this world akin to a friend.
“Schwarz, are you still D-rank?”
“Yes, I am. I’m focusing on labyrinth exploration only. I won’t be very active as an adventurer, so I won’t be ranking up anytime soon.”
“That’s unfortunate. C-rank adventurers receive direct requests. Through the guild, clients can request specific adventurers. From a merchant’s perspective, your tool box is highly desirable. It stores a large quantity, ignores size, and disappears during transport. It’s excellent for security and transport capacity. If possible, I’d love for you to assist Marida Trading Company with our product transport.”
“I see... Well, if the opportunity arises...”
Marta’s sharp gaze remained fixed on my tool box. He watched it until I stored it in my inventory, and it shimmered into particles of light until it vanished.
Epilogue
Epilogue
THE BALDEGE CASTLE in the Fortress City of Balga had a tower with a large bell that rung thrice a day: at morning, noon, and in the evening. I was meeting Ashley in the evening, so I waited for her in front of the guild until the evening bell rang. That would probably happen in about thirty minutes, when the bells would echo throughout the city. I checked the time displayed in my goggles and noted it was 6:00 p.m. This was the end of the workday for some citizens, and, as pairs, groups of three, or solo, they began to leave the guild buildings to head into the city for dinner.
I waited at the gate of the guild grounds, leaning against the gatepost, and watched the people of this other world pass by, much like a scene from a manga or gal game. Here, ordinary humans were classified as the “common race,” and I was considered part of this race. Alongside the common race, there were beast races, elves, dwarves, and various others. I wondered if I could truly live in this diverse world.
As I was about to become sentimental again, I saw Ashley’s radiant blonde hair, glowing red-gold in light of the setting sun. Its brilliance was captivating.
“Have I kept you waiting?”
Ashley sounded more casual than usual. I tried to stay cool, too.
“Not long. Let’s go eat.”
“Where should we go? The restaurants get pretty crowded at this time.”
“Marta gave me a recommendation. I booked us a reservation, so there’s no rush.”
We walked toward the entertainment district in the south of the Fortress City of Balga. The restaurant was called Cenote, one of the Fortress City of Balga’s more upscale restaurants. According to Marta, the chef’s daily recommended course was a must-have.
In this world, restaurants had few fixed price menus. Understandably so, since ingredients weren’t readily available, unlike in Japan.
So what was so special about Cenote? Its chef possessed the Cooking Skill. I didn’t understand the principle, but dishes prepared by chefs with the Cooking Skill were significantly tastier than those made by chefs without it. The chef at Cenote had a higher level of Cooking than anyone around. This was the main reason for the restaurant’s high grade. The overall service level and atmosphere were also refined, as Marta informed me.
When I had visited it earlier to make the reservation, I saw what he meant. It couldn’t compete with the fine restaurants in my original world, but it was much better than going to a tavern-like street diner. While I didn’t dislike the tavern or diner atmosphere, it wasn’t the place for a romantic meal with a woman.
“So, where are we going?”
We walked slowly, side by side, down the main street as the sunset dyed it red.
“That restaurant, there.”
“Cenote?! How did you manage to get a reservation? It’s supposed to be impossible to get a seat on short notice.”
“Is that so? I got lucky, I guess.”
In truth, I had mentioned Marida Trading Company’s reputation and my connections when making the reservation, which probably helped secure it. Perhaps they had accommodated me upon hearing the company’s name.
“Hee hee, you really are lucky.”
“Maybe so.”
The sunset’s reflection made her smile and copper hair shine even brighter.
“Welcome,” the restaurant host said. The exterior of Cenote looked like ordinary stone architecture, but the interior used a lot of blue, creating a fantastical atmosphere with its cascading blue light.
“I have a reservation under Schwarz.”
“Please wait a moment. Yes, Schwarz, for two people. We’ve been expecting you. I’ll show you to your table.”
A female staff member guided us to a table set for two out of four seats. “Here is your table.”
“Thank you.” I pulled out a chair for Ashley to sit. “Please.”
“Thank you.”
Once seated, a waiter asked about our drink and food orders. I chose the chef’s recommendation for the main course for both of us.
“Is that okay with you, Ashley?”
“Sounds great.”
“We’ll do that, then. Which drink pairs well with today’s meal?” The menu offered several labels, but I couldn’t discern their quality by name alone. Asking the waiter seemed best.
“Today, we’ve received high-quality seafood from the south, and the chef’s menu is fish-based. How about a white wine?”
Ashley brightened up at the mention of southern seafood.
“Do you like fish dishes?” I asked.
“Yes, I grew up in a seaside town. Since moving inland, I can only enjoy fresh fish at high-end restaurants... I don’t eat it often.”
“Well, it’s your lucky day, then. We’ll go with the white wine. Ashley, you choose the bottle.”
“Sure. What’s your tolerance like, Schwarz? Do you prefer sweet or dry?”
“I can hold my own. Choose based on your preference.”
“Okay. Then, let’s go with something semi-sweet, since it’s for the meal. We’ll take this one.”
Ashley conveyed her choice to the waiter, who then took the menu and left. We passed the time chatting while we waited for our food to arrive.
“Hee hee, I’ve been looking forward to this,” Ashley said.
“Me too. I’ve mostly eaten at the White Flower Pavilion of the Labyrinth since I’ve been in Balga. That, or bought food from stalls. I haven’t dined at a restaurant like this in a while.”
“Really? But a proper meal, especially in the morning, is vital for adventurers. It’s where you replenish your energy for the day!”
“Ah, that’s true. I went on a party quest recently, and it was exhausting being on the move that early in the morning.”
I recalled the harpy elimination quest, the mixed quest with a party of six strangers—the one that gave me such insight into the adventurers’ harsh reality in this world.
“Working in a party is much safer than working alone. Wasn’t it easier?”
“No, it almost killed me.”
“What...?” Ashley froze at my casual reply.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.” A different waiter arrived with the wine.
They showed us the label and gave a brief explanation of its vintage. I didn’t understand its origin or variety. They placed two glasses on the table and deftly uncorked the bottle. This process was similar to my original world, so was a tasting expected?
A small amount of wine was poured into my glass. There was my answer. I knew the procedure, but—
“Thank you.” I lifted the glass and tilted it against the pure white tablecloth to inspect its color. I swirled it lightly a few times and brought the glass to my nose to sniff the aroma. I took a small sip, breathed through my nose to distribute the taste across my palate, and assessed its flavor and finish.
“Thank you,” I said. “We’ll go with this.”
The waiter seemed relieved by my response. He smiled and poured the drink into both glasses.
“Are you sure you’re not a noble, Schwarz?” Ashley had watched me taste the wine in awe.
“No, I’m not.”
“But that etiquette is what nobles do at banquets and soirées. Cenote is a top-tier restaurant, but even they don’t expect that level of manners.”
Did I overdo it? Back home, I participated in world tournaments for various FPS titles, including VMB. As the starting player for the professional FPS gaming team P0wDer, I competed in North America, Europe, and East Asia, experiencing wins and losses along the way. Sometimes results were lacking, while other times they were outstanding.
Losses led to loser parties and wins to victory celebrations. During these events, I learned table manners. A boy who loved games grew into a young man, and what was once play became part of his work. At these extended dining events, I was expected to display intelligence and refinement as a social adult and esports athlete. As these memories came to mind, I noted how long ago they now seemed.
“Um... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”
“Not at all. Am I worrying you?”
“You had a distant look in your eyes. Like you’d lost something—something you can’t get back.”
Her words gripped and struck my heart deeply. When I was suddenly thrust into Orland, I lost everything I had built in my old life. These freely roaming, unknown races, the unfamiliar languages I didn’t speak, and the life-and-death struggles were no longer confined to video games, but were now my stark reality.
I’d lost my foundation, my home, and everyone I knew. With no way to return to my original world, I had no goals to pursue and no meaning to life.
“An adventurer is a shield that protects people. An explorer is a sword that saves people,” Ashley murmured while she swirled the glass in her hand.
“What?”
“It’s an old saying by the founding king of the Kurtmelga Kingdom. He also said that ‘nobles are those who lead from the front.’”
Perhaps sensing the quiet exchange between Ashley and me, the waiter placed the hors d’oeuvres in front of us, briefly mentioned their names, and left without further explanation.
“Being an adventurer is a harsh profession,” she continued. “That’s why many people form parties. The beasts and demi-humans they face are fierce, cruel, and formidable. So, they strive to increase safety where they can.”
“That’s true.”
I’d seen the reality of adventurers firsthand. They headed into the field with scant intel, battled monsters that devoured lives without hesitation, and sometimes they lost lives. But sometimes they saved them, managing to protect people from the evils scattered around them—like a shield.
“Why did you become an investigator, Ashley?”
It was a question that suddenly came to mind. She was Ashley Zeparnel, not just an ordinary person with a name. She was likely from a noble or royal lineage, and so desk work at the guild would be expected. Investigators went out into the field where the danger lurked.
When I first met Ashley, she had been captured by a group of goblins. So, obviously it was a perilous gig.
“I initially joined the guild because I was ordered to.”
“Ordered?” Was it by a family head or a patriarch?
“Four years ago. My parents fulfilled their duties as nobles, and I needed to follow in their footsteps. So, I was entrusted to the guild in here in Balga. I worked as a receptionist for the first year or two.”
Duties as a noble? Is that what she meant by leading from the front? But more importantly, Ashley has been a receptionist?!
“Ashley as a receptionist... I imagine that was a long line at the counter.”
“Oh, it stretched out the door.”
“What?!”
“Just kidding.” Ashley blushed at her own joke.
The atmosphere had been formal, but now we were loosening up. As I nibbled on the hors d’oeuvres and sipped the wine, I asked why she transitioned from being a receptionist to a guild investigator, a role that required going out into hazard zones.
“Office work wasn’t enough for me. I don’t look down on the receptionist’s job, at all. There’s a ton of things you need to know and tasks to perform. You have to be knowledgeable about beasts and demi-humans, the local geography, and how to arrange various supports for adventurers.”
Indeed, when accepting requests, receptionists were really helpful, and I’d never seen them falter when answering questions. How much knowledge must they have on hand?
“Receptionists send adventurers off with the support they need for success. But as I continued working, I began to realize that many of the adventurers I sent off didn’t return. There are various reasons for this, but one is the shortage of guild investigators. Investigators don’t just conduct post-request investigations. They also verify information submitted to the guild and conduct preliminary investigations for request forms. They scout the field ahead of the adventurers. You know first-hand how dangerous that is, Schwarz.”
I was at a loss for words listening to her story. The numerous request forms I casually browsed on the bulletins, I had no idea that each one meant that someone from the guild had also risked their lives.
“So, you chose to ensure adventurers’ safety at the destination rather than just supporting them during the preliminary stage?”
“Yes.” Her eyes met mine. “Here’s some advice based on my experience, Schwarz. You need companions. Sure, you demonstrated sufficient combat ability during the D-rank promotion test and were promoted with ease. I get that. But adventurers and explorers need more than just combat skills.”
“Ashley, I’m a dud, but—”
But I possess an inexhaustible body, one that regenerates wounds like a monster. With the power of VMB, which doesn’t exist here, I’m an anomaly in this world.
“That’s not true. I don’t know where you come from, and what it was like there, but its reality has made you pessimistic.”
“What?”
“You’ve proved yourself as an adventurer and explorer and have met so many people here in the process. No one cares that you’re a dud. They like you and will stand by your side. At least—I believe that.”
What was my face doing? I felt my eyes widen, and I couldn’t look away from her eyes. I stared into them so hard I forgot to blink.
“I’m sorry. That was more than just one word—” Ashley blushed. Perhaps my intense gaze embarrassed her. She looked down, and twirled pasta around her fork.
“Thank you. Hearing that makes me feel better. You are right. Forming a party and completing various quests is challenging, and having companions would help me accomplish my goals. I should have known that already...”
I recalled my teammates from P0wDer. FPS game tournaments typically involved small team battles. While game rules provided various ways to determine victory, simply defeating opponents wasn’t common. There were territory battles, map objectives skirmishes, and missions with specific success criteria that varied by game title.
However, all rules shared the need for team coordination and unity. FPS tournaments weren’t about individual skills. They were team sports, requiring players to work together and strive for victory as one.
It was true in games, and it was true in reality. When pursuing a goal, individual strength eventually hits a wall. With only one person’s perspective, the goal’s path appears narrow and difficult. That’s why people seek companions, friends, and partners to walk beside.
“What are your goals, Schwarz?”
I placed my empty glass on the table. The waiter, who had been keeping an eye out, quietly approached and refilled the wine.
“Thank you.”
He smiled and stepped away from the table to make way for the main dish, now being served. It resembled acqua pazza, with a whole white fish on the dish. The rich aroma of white wine and herbs created a vibrant fragrance, and the contrast of seafood and tomato-like ingredients made for a colorful presentation. I picked at the plate with my fork and took the first bite.
“A goal, you ask?” I finally responded to Ashley.
In the Wolf Fang Labyrinth, I’d realized that my body was not that of an ordinary person. That made me feel something deep within my heart. There was a reason for having this unusual body, a reason I fell into this other world, and a reason that I was still able to manifest VMB’s power. Perhaps those reasons were all so that I could conquer the labyrinths and stop them from spreading harm in this world. That felt like my current purpose, my reason for living, and was now my goal.
It’s not about becoming the hero who conquers the labyrinth.
It’s not about becoming the sword that saves the people of the kingdom.
It’s not about becoming a savior who rescues this other world.
As an FPS player, I will live in this other world.
“Of course, I have goals. There are things I want to do and to achieve. Here in Kurtmelga, I met you, Remi, and Marta. I became an adventurer and met peers younger than me, but higher-ranked. I saw adventurers who were ranked far higher than me fall so easily. The path I aim for is not easy. I might die as easily as those adventurers. Even so, I...”
I couldn’t put the rest into words. I didn’t want her to know that I was a freak in this world. I also didn’t want her to know that I was entertaining the reckless idea of conquering the labyrinth alone.
Yet... Even so, I...
Ashley gently placed her left hand over my right hand, which was resting on the table. Our eyes met unexpectedly. Her eyes glistened as she struggled to speak.
“It’s okay.”
Ashley’s words were not in the Orland Common Language; they were in Japanese, the language I first spoke upon falling into this world.
“It’s okay,” she repeated. “It’s okay.”
Hearing those gentle words almost made me cry. She lightly pumped my right hand. I returned the gesture, gently squeezing back.
“Thank you,” I finally said.
I had never felt so grateful in all my life.
Afterword
Afterword
THANK YOU FOR reading When a Clueless First-Person Shooter Player Falls into Another World. I am JIRAIGEN, the author. This book is a revised and expanded version of a work I posted on the novel submission site Shousetsuka ni Narou. It has since been polished up to be published as a proper book.
As a new author, I pondered what to write in the afterword. Perhaps I should share what inspired me to start writing novels in the first place. I love FPS games. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I think the first title I played was the demo version of Unreal Tournament. The thrill of controlling a character with the mouse and keyboard, the exhilaration, the sense of achievement, and the instant gratification of character improvement captivated me immediately.
From there, I played various multiplayer FPS titles like the Battlefield and Counter-Strike series. I ignored single-player FPS games like Medal of Honor and Halo and focused solely on competitive play. I played FPS titles on PC, and, with the development of home consoles, I also started playing Call of Duty. I would eagerly await new FPS titles releases every holiday season. However, in the fall of 2014, I was disappointed by the updated version content of a certain title released. During the two months waiting for another title to be released in the spring of 2015, I experienced a turning point.
In 2011, after buying a certain book for its cover and becoming engrossed in it, I learned it was serialized online. This was how I discovered Shousetsuka ni Narou, a website where users can submit their own stories. At the time, I read only that particular work, being eager to read more of the story, and didn’t explore other works.
I don’t remember what I read next. Craving something to read during work breaks, I searched for more stories on Shousetsuka ni Narou and began reading again without creating an account around the end of summer 2014. I never looked at the rankings and chose works through detailed searches. Later, I would laugh once I realized I had read almost all of the top-ranked works.
When I ran out of things to read, I thought, “If there’s nothing to read, then I guess I’ll write.”
That’s how I started writing this work. I had never written a novel before, nor studied the craft, but I typed away on the keyboard. I poured my love for FPS into it, and realized a world of guns, swords, magic, FPS, and fantasy. If any of that came across in this work, if even a little, then I am truly delighted.
Since starting the serialization, many people have read it, offering kind words, encouragement, and constructive criticism, which I absorbed as a study in writing. When I first received an offer for publication, I worried about balancing it with my main job. I initially declined but continued to ponder the possibilities. When approached again, I reached out to established authors for advice, no matter how impertinent that may have been to come from me, a nobody. Thank you, S-sensei and others.
At the same time, I received an offer for a manga adaptation. While I had a salaried day job, I saw 2015 as the year of my new start as a working adult and decided to pursue publication.
Thank you, H and K, for your kind offers. I am deeply grateful to the Kadokawa BOOKS editorial team and W, who worked with me. I cannot thank enough UGUME, the illustrator, who brought these wonderful characters to life from my clumsy writing.
Most importantly, I want to thank everyone who picked up this book. Thank you very much!
—JIRAIGEN