Chapter 160 - The Eastern Faction's Position
"Since we're allies now, there's something I wanted to ask."
"Oh? Go ahead, ask whatever you want."
Tonight, the virtual world's sky was a bit cloudy. Just two guys in the silent, starless wasteland, Goldow and I were passing the time, chatting while nursing our "bottomless steins."
...This must be a magic item too, but what the hell is in it? Some kind of strongly bitter, carbonated drink I've never tasted before. To be honest, it's not very good.
"To be frank, I don't really get each faction's stance on the war. I heard they were trying to fix the outcomes at first, but then for the past three years, it's been a 'stable' two-on-one with the North and South against us."
Or rather, not so much their stances, but the current state of affairs?
Aside from what I heard briefly from Kagura-san at the beginning, I did a little research on my own... but I couldn't find the kind of detailed information I was looking for.
For the general public who haven't stepped into the virtual world, maybe they just focus on the entertainment aspect, seeing it as a spectacle.
They're completely oblivious to the behind-the-scenes stuff like match-fixing, and seem to have no problem with the perception of "The battle-hardened Istia vs. the Sotalm & Nortalia alliance."
The player base is aware of it to the extent of "Match-fixing? Yeah, I think I heard something about that," but they also don't seem to have any particular feelings about the current situation where one faction is getting ganged up on.
—I mean, isn't there something seriously wrong with all of this?
"Ah, that, eh."
Judging from Goldow's reaction, my questions weren't off the mark—of course not. This setup creates a clear villain depending on your perspective.
"About that whole situation... yeah. We're in no rush, so how about you tell me what you think first, and then we'll see if you're right."
"Eh... I mean, I don't mind."
This old guy sure likes to talk...
"Well then... from Istia's point of view, the other factions that suggested fixing the matches are the 'bad guys,' right? The players who chose the Eastern Faction of conflict would naturally want to enjoy a massive festival like the war to the fullest."
Especially since it's the only official event of its kind.
To put it bluntly, proposing match-fixing to the 'Istia of Conflict' in a war is basically forcing them to endure having their biggest moment as combat players completely ruined.
The actual outcome of the war is probably secondary. Even the huge reward of a faction's blessing shifting isn't really the main issue.
For Istia, which holds 'conflict' as its supreme principle, being told to hold back in that very conflict is the critical problem.
...So, that's the perspective of the Eastern Faction.
"In contrast, the other factions—the North-South alliance—are likely looking at a completely different problem."
To say they live for battle... might be an exaggeration. But in any case, for Istia, the 'Four Pillar War' is a festival they can't ignore.
However, we can't forget that [Arcadia] is an MMORPG—a game whose primary theme is cooperation among large numbers of people.
Why cooperate? To fight against powerful monsters that small groups could never defeat.
"Taken to its extreme, the Four Pillar War could just end up with players dragging each other down—...hey, what's with that face you've been making? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Don't mind me. I was just relieved to see you're not just some battle junkie."
"Oh, right..."
I haven't even offered any deep insights yet.
...Anyway, what was I saying?
"Um... so, if you prioritize conquering this world as an MMO, the North and South's way of thinking isn't wrong. It might force the East to hold back, but we also benefit equally from the 'stability of progression' that results from it."
"Hmph. In that case, what do you think the problem is if the blessings become unbalanced in the first place?"
Now he's started asking questions. What is this? Some kind of test to gauge the new guy's thoughtfulness? Whatever.
"What else could it be, other than just being inefficient?"
The blessings of the four factions are closely tied to player enhancement, the most important content in an MMORPG. The Northern Faction Nortalia's blessing of luck greatly benefits drop rates, which affects the supply rate of rare materials needed for players to craft powerful gear. The Southern Faction Sotalm's blessing of wealth, which boasts an exceptional earning efficiency of up to double the normal rate, is crucial for securing 'Luna,' which is needed not just as currency but for various purposes in Arcadia, and for stimulating the market that comes with it. All of this culminates in the Western Faction Vestol, with its blessing of peace. Benefiting all manner of production, it serves as the linchpin of self-improvement for all players, regardless of faction...
—And then, there's the Eastern Faction Istia's blessing of conflict.
What is demanded of our faction, specialized solely in battle, is to hone our strength to the absolute limit, combining it with the boons brought by the other three factions.
With that power, we are to become the 'sword' that carves a path through this monster-infested virtual world.
East, West, South, North—truly, not a single faction is unnecessary.
"If all players were to aim for progression first and foremost, the most efficient method would be to share the burden of resource gathering without letting the blessings shift. That is, unless you do something crazy like concentrating all military power and blessings into a single faction."
In terms of resource gathering through hunting, the North and South are similar, but enemies that drop useful materials aren't necessarily the same as those with good Luna drop rates. When you get down to it, it should be best to divide the labor here, too... probably.
"So, that's what it is. We have the justification that our identity is being threatened, but honestly, if we prioritize progression, the Four Pillar War is nothing but a pointless diversion—which means from the other factions' perspective, Istia, the faction that throws a tantrum and prioritizes its festival, is the 'villain'."
And if I were to go even further,
"...Aren't the developers the root of all evil here?"
I've been baptized by fire plenty of times, but the content prepared in this world is ridiculously vast and powerful. The hidden bosses placed in beginner areas, the exceptional monsters sitting in secret zones—and after three years of service, there are still numerous dungeons bearing the 'un-conquered' label, not to mention the 'Colored Monsters' like the 'White Throne.'
All this 'un-conquered' content proves that even now... even with all the endlessly skilled players I've met in this short time, they still haven't reached the level of power required.
To be blunt, if you're trying to act as a player conquering the game, there's no time to be tripping each other up.
In other words—the 'Four Pillar War' content is completely at odds with [Arcadia]'s design, which seems to presuppose cooperation between all factions.
...Hello? God-tier game devs?
"Hah, not bad. You've got a good head on your shoulders, seems you can think for yourself. That's reassuring."
He seemed generally satisfied with my analysis so far. He tilted his stein in a good mood and clapped me on the shoulder.
Thanks, I guess—The way Goldow is chugging that thing is exactly like an old guy at a bar, but is this mysterious liquid some kind of beer?
Age rating... It doesn't seem to have alcohol in it, so I guess it's fine.
"...So, considering all that, I still don't get why everyone is convinced that the current situation is 'working out well enough'."
If you prioritize progression, it's unnatural that Istia, which is truly being 'selfish,' doesn't attract more hate than just being unpopular.
And it's even stranger that this setup has continued... has been allowed to continue... for nearly three years. If we were just stubbornly pushing our selfish demands, you'd think criticism would rise from within the Eastern Faction itself—
"No guess on that part?"
Still testing me, General Commander...? Let's see.
The Eastern Faction (Istia)—a mob of battle junkies (Istia).
While satisfying their identity of conflict, they need to eliminate the unnecessary transfer of blessings... or if not eliminate, then at least minimize it—
"............Istia plays the role of the villain."
"Yep."
"If a blessing shifts... well, our faction is the one with the least impact on player enhancement."
"That's right."
In other words, by establishing a structure where Istia generally loses more often, the delay in progression due to unbalanced blessings can be minimized—in fact, if you ignore actual progression battles, the impact on player enhancement is practically zero.
And if a situation arises where Istia's blessing is perpetually lost, there's no way the players of the Eastern Faction wouldn't complain. So, they can't just keep losing.
They need to repeatedly win and lose just the right amount against the two allied factions.
To achieve that result without relying on match-fixing, what's required is the exact opposite of holding back—
"—............Ah... I've reached an incredibly bone-headed conclusion, so don't laugh."
I'd arrived at an answer that made me think, "Seriously, is that it?" even about my own faction, and I hesitated to say it out loud, so I asked for confirmation.
When I glanced at Goldow... Ah, stop making that face. With your looks, a vicious smile like that just makes you look like some kind of ferocious predator.
"I won't laugh—let's hear your conclusion."
"Yeah... well, in short—it's a stance like, we'll take you on two-on-one and still kick your ass, so let's both fight for real... I guess."
That was the answer I'd arrived at after verbalizing my thoughts up to this point.
Put into words, it was a very Istia-like, brute-force way of thinking—but the incredibly satisfied expression on the current head of Istia's face spoke volumes about whether my answer was correct...
"Not bad at all—a perfect score, youngster."
"............"
I averted my gaze from Goldow, who was grinning with a face that would make a child cry.
To hide the fact that I was speechless at my faction's utterly meat-headed way of doing things, I brought the stein to my lips and chugged the bitter drink, not even tasting it.
A bit about the Four Pillar War match-fixing, which got a lot of comments. This will continue for just a little longer, so please bear with me.