kscans

Chapter 140 - The Hero Isn't Coming!? The Hobgoblin's Cave of Despair

Mamoru the Hobgoblin rested his elbow on the crude throne in the deepest part of the cave, staring into the void.

"...At this rate, this game's service is going to end. I've got to do something."

There was no impatience or anger on his face, only the deep stain of boredom.

Demon Era, third login. In other words, this was the beginning of Mamoru's third Hobgoblin life.

The first time, he had a heated battle with the reincarnated hero, Ares. The second time, he educated the crybaby hero, Ares.

And the third time...

"The hero... isn't coming."

One week passed, then two, then three. No matter how much time went by, no hero appeared in his cave. Mamoru continued to sit on his throne, his preparation of his template lines becoming more and more polished.

"Fufu... you've done well to come, hero. Your destiny ends here! Die!!"

Those words, written on a script board, echoed emptily off the dry stone walls. Beside him, a low-level Goblin A picked his nose and said.

"Hey, Chief. Isn't this line... kinda old now?"

A corner of Mamoru's mouth twitched.

"If you're going to say that, your actions are pretty old too. If you're an NPC, act like an NPC and show some spirit."

"Ehh... but no one's coming... and lately, no humans have been coming to the forest either..."

He was right.

Legend of Brave Regalia. A classic RPG that was once said to have dominated the scene. That name was now a relic of the past. The major game company Mirage Code had developed it, but after its fourth anniversary, recycled events and inflated microtransactions caused the user base to plummet.

The activity rate of the NPCs had also dropped, and even an initial boss like Mamoru was losing his reason for existence. In fact, Mamoru, who showed up for work here every day, was the abnormal one.

Normal NPCs had returned to AI-controlled standby mode.

But Mamoru was different. After all, inside, he was a former hardcore human player who had played this game to completion. Since being reincarnated by a chance bug, he had found his purpose in life by pretending to be an NPC and reforming the game world from behind the scenes.

But...

"...that game is about to end. No hero is coming. There are no users. Have I finally become unneeded by anyone?"

He sighed and looked up at the stalactites on the ceiling.

A drop of water fell onto his head. Botari.

"Don't be so noisy. It's like a teardrop... I'm not crying yet."

Mamoru stood up.

"If it's come to this, I'll go out with a bang. My name is Mamoru. Third-generation boss of the Hobgoblins. Formerly human, currently a Hobgoblin. And... in charge of independent operations!"

Goblin A next to him stared blankly.

"Huh? Chief, what's that..."

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to make this game fun. More than anyone, more than the hero, more than the players, the one who understands this world is... me!"

Mamoru's eyes burned. He opened an old-fashioned treasure chest buried beneath the throne and took out a collection of old event items. A drop rate control switch. A rune stone for changing effects. A hidden boss summoning scroll...

"I, myself, will reform this crappy management. Events? I'll run them. Rewards? I'll double them. Effects? I'll make them flashy as hell!"

His back no longer had the air of a mere low-level boss.

"Get ready, you crappy developers! You villains who are obsessed with your new games!

Now that I'm making my move... I'm not letting this world of Legend of Brave Regalia end just yet!"

And so, Mamoru took a step from the depths of the Hobgoblin Forest cave into the outside world. The air of the empty forest felt somewhat lonely, and yet somehow, exciting.