Chapter 445 - Orange and Black, Indigo and White
"Hmm..."
—For now, I've figured out a few things.
First, putting aside whether we should defeat them, I think it's safe to say that these things can be defeated, and that there's some meaning in doing so.
Regarding the former, there's no doubt, as the monkeys are currently being cut down by my blades one after another. Just as I predicted, their stats are modest enough that even a single casual [Bullet] can take them down easily.
As for the latter, the reason is the "drop items" that the exploding creatures leave behind on the ground at a low rate. Normally, loot goes directly into your inventory, but it seems the specifications are a little different during this event.
I can't be sure without picking one up and examining it, but... the "pebble" that looks like a solidified piece of the starry sky is, nine times out of ten, something related to the event's main theme.
Next, these mysterious star-monkeys are beings that operate under different principles from normal field enemies—or rather, it seems the system treats them differently.
For one, when you look at an enemy, the usual cursor and status bar with their name don't appear in your vision.
And for another, there's no "death effect"—the colored phosphorescence that's red for players and blue for enemies... actually, to be precise, there is one, but it's an effect I've never seen before, so I can't tell if it's the same thing.
The moment their unseen HP is likely depleted, they freeze perfectly still, whether on the ground or in mid-air. Then, after the stars contained within their bodies vanish, the remaining "darkness" explodes.
It's a strange, unsettling way to go.
Continuing from before, I activated [Mistlurade] to intercept them with thrown blades while observing them. Those were the main characteristics I noted. For now, I'm relieved it doesn't seem to be some sadistic mechanic where 'defeating them results in an immediate penalty'.
I mean, I doubt it, but this game does have a rare habit of baring its fangs from completely unexpected directions...
Anyway, let's just finish this up quickly.
The gazes from the gallery stabbing me in the back are a bit distracting. Or rather, it's embarrassing to be seen messing around like this without demonstrating even a fraction of this avatar's true potential.
In any case, it's a waste to spend any more time on this.
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"—Thank you so, so, so, so much! You really saved us! Thank you! You're super cute! May I ask your name!?"
"...I see. This is definitely Nia's friend."
"What's that supposed to mean???"
What do you think it means? Her energy and momentum are exactly like yours when you're in 'crazy mode'.
Her apparent age is somewhere between a girl and a woman, similar to you, and she couldn't be acting more like your 'friend'.
"Ahem—Anyway, this is my fellow artisan, Nonomi-chan. Of course, you... well, I mean, surely you know her, right?"
"Yeah, of course."
Nia's doubt was understandable. But even I, who have displayed my ignorance time and again, have at least the basic knowledge when it comes to a current ranker.
"The West's current third seat—Lady Colorful Beauty."
"Correct! She's a super-skilled tailor who can do anything related to Japanese clothing."
"Oh, hehehe, you're making me blush."
An artisan specializing in Japanese clothing... or so they say, but the girl herself, with her bright orange-brown hair in buns and orange eyes, was dressed in completely Western-style clothes.
She wore a tunic dress decorated with gothic-style frills here and there, but not so much as to be gaudy, creating a look of fresh cuteness.
On her feet, she wore pants and boots, an outfit made for easy movement. Like Nia, it was a girly traveler's style... or so I should say.
"...That's your work, isn't it?"
"Oh, you could tell?"
The construction of the belt cinching her waist was a dead giveaway. From the overall design sense, even I could tell at a glance that it was Nia's creation.
"That's because we're good friends!"
"I'm not denying it, but don't be so pushy..."
Pushing back Lady Colorful Beauty, who had hugged her with a big smile, Nia wore a rare, annoyed expression that said, 'Yeah, yeah, whatever.'
It was a strange attitude for what was supposed to be a simple, good friendship. The Nia I knew would have been much more enthusiastic with a close female friend—
"...May I? I'll introduce myself as well."
A voice from the side made me turn, and there stood the partner of Nia's friend.
It was rare for Arcadia—not that I was one to talk—but he wasn't a stunningly handsome pretty boy or a ridiculously cool older man, just a man with an extremely realistic appearance.
Black hair, black eyes, medium build—actually, he was a bit tall for that. He had his long bangs pushed back with a headband, baring his forehead, but the expression beneath... how to put it... was completely listless.
To put it coolly, he was a downer. To put it bluntly, he had no energy.
His equipment, too, was a nondescript fantasy-style shirt and pants. Overall, my assessment was... a listless, tall, handsome man.
His looks were based in reality, but he was definitely good-looking. His apparent age was early twenties, maybe?
"I'm Ittetsu. Written with the characters for 'one' and 'iron'—the rescue was a great help. Allow me to thank you as well."
And, as expected of an Arcadia player, despite his quiet expression, his communication skills seemed to be above a certain level. His crisp speech and clear choice of words were those of someone used to talking to others.
"Not at all. I'm just glad I made it in time."
I said that and casually held out my hand. He seemed a little surprised but accepted the handshake—however, the grip was incredibly weak, and I could clearly sense his consideration, making me realize, Ah.
I hadn't thought too deeply before offering my hand, but I guess it's not normal for a 'girl' to casually ask a man she's just met for a handshake, huh? Not that I'd know.
In that case, I should reveal the truth sooner rather than later.
"Well then, allow me to introduce myself."
"W-w-w-wait a minute!? Did you just use 'ore'—you're a girl who...?"
Did I strike some kind of chord? Lady Colorful Beauty's excitement shot up... and in the next moment, she froze, a look of genuine confusion on her face.
Her partner, on the other hand—
"Ah, I knew it. That makes sense."
He probably figured it out from my fighting style or my weapons. Seeing me release [Trance] and return to my original form, he nodded with a faint smile of understanding.
"So, with that—I'm Haru, from Istia. A pleasure to meet you."
As expected, or rather... this body of my own just feels infinitely more calming.
Their respective heights are Nonomi-chan at 158cm, and Ittetsu-kun at around 180cm.
My apologies for interrupting while you're cheerfully expanding your circle of acquaintances, but I've received word that the information embargo has been lifted, so I'm going to drop a sudden announcement.
Arcadia is getting a manga adaptation.
I know you might not understand what I'm saying, but it's getting a manga adaptation. That means it's becoming a manga, which means it's getting a manga adaptation. In other words, what I want to say is, Arcadia is getting a manga adaptation.
I have a feeling I posted a similar cryptic message recently, but that's probably just my imagination. The fact that I received offers for a book and a manga adaptation separately around the same time is a rare case, so let's just pretend the trouble this has caused for various parties was also my imagination.
Regarding the manga artist, Haseao-sensei... as usual, I'm not sure how much I can say, so as the author who has already seen various things, I'll say just one thing.
Our two protagonists show the most amazing expressions. Please look forward to it.
The artist has also posted an announcement illustration on X, so please be sure to check it out... and with that, my report is finished.
Things are getting fantastical with books and manga, but I fully intend to continue the web serialization as usual. I would be grateful for your continued support.