kscans

Chapter 26 - The Magic Crafter

◇You have defeated the 'Great Winged Bird Flock'◇

◇You have acquired a Title◇
・'Vanquisher of the Great Winged Bird Flock'
・'One-Hit Pulverizer'

◇You have acquired a Skill◇
・Heavy Attack Manipulator

◇Your Skill has evolved◇
・Jump Maneuver ⇒ Jumble Step

"This feeling of anticlimax..."

Come to think of it, is this the first time I've defeated a boss without much of a struggle? The mushroom, the boar, and the scorpion all had some kind of pinch moment, but this one ended anticlimactically without any kind of rage mode at the end.

No reinforcements came, and I just smashed the four bird heads one by one. Congratulations. It was satisfying to get my revenge for all the trouble they gave me on the way here, but honestly, it was a little... no, a lot...

"Isn't this thing... kinda broken?"

Looking down at myself, a body that was accumulating power at an accelerating rate, I felt a cold sweat form.

Arcadia is an online game—an MMORPG. There are surely exceptions among the many games in the genre, but as is common in MMOs, boss battles are generally set to a high difficulty.

True to its name as a massively multiplayer online game, the game design is often premised on the principle of "together with multiple people."

I've only just started, but from the level of detail I've seen so far, I can feel that the combat in Arcadia is also quite severe in difficulty.

Gang attacks, ambushes, targeted strikes, and advantageous terrain—the concepts prepared are already vicious by the fourth field, and if you think about it calmly, you can see that all of them encourage mutual support among multiple people.

And then there's me, who just smashed a boss solo while practically humming a tune...

"Did I over-level...?"

"What level are you now?"

"Still around 30."

"That's about the right level for here."

I see. So, with the exception of the iron hammer, the store-bought iron sword and my underwear aren't exactly overpowered gear. This really means that the all-weapon proficiency skill tree, which is rated as trash by the community, is...

"Huh?!"

I realized it after casually exchanging words. Lifting my head from my thoughts, I hastily turned around to find a single player standing behind me.

When I focused on her, a discreetly glowing blue color cursor popped up above her head... my first encounter with another player outside of town.

And wow. Red hair and a loosely worn kimono—a tremendously striking outfit. With her well-proportioned avatar's face and dignified atmosphere, she looked incredibly stylish, but it was a majestic appearance you'd never see in real life.

In this kind of game, the equation 'flashy gear = strong player' is never wrong. It's a given for a beginner like me, but she's definitely a higher-level player.

Why would a player like that be in a beginner area like this...? As I tilted my head in confusion, she spoke first.

"Sorry to surprise you. I was watching the boss fight. Congrats."

"Uh, ah, thanks."

Contrary to her splendid appearance, her tone was frank... or rather, it felt like she was role-playing a somewhat rough character.

I was surprised and her appearance was flashy, so I was reflexively on guard, but her relatively easygoing style naturally put me at ease. Even with virtual avatars, you can get a sense of a person's atmosphere after exchanging a word or two.

A friendly and beautiful veteran player—yep, nothing to be wary of here.

"Alright, I'm not one for beating around the bush. Let's get straight to the point."

While I was busy convincing myself with my extremely simple-minded thoughts, she raised her left hand with a somewhat mischievous smile.

A familiar system window unfolded at the tips of her slender fingers. After a practiced operation, an additional small window of a different color popped up.

"My apologies for the late introduction—I'm Kagura. A pleasure to meet you."

The window, flicked by her fingertip, spun towards me. I caught it reflexively, and there, like a business card, was her player profile.

"...Mirage Workshop?"

I was secretly excited by Arcadia's mysterious system while unconsciously reading aloud the name written next to the player name [Kagura]—a term that probably meant her affiliated organization or something.

Kagura nodded and then, without further ado, held out her hand to me.

"I'll be direct. Are you interested in having a personal Magic Crafter?"

After a moment's freeze at the sudden proposal,

"...A 'magic crafter'? What's that?"

The vapid question that came out of my mouth echoed foolishly across the now-empty plateau.

◇◆◇◆◇

"—So a Magic Crafter is basically a versatile artisan who can do anything with magic, is that right?"

"That's about right. The specialty varies depending on how you level your proficiency, but this game doesn't have job systems like Blacksmith or Tailor."

Apparently, many people call themselves by those titles, but those who mainly create equipment are broadly referred to as 'Magic Crafters.'

It comes from the name of the production skill tree, "Mako."

"My specialty is mainly iron—metals. I primarily make weapons and armor, but I also do engraving for accessories and such."

"I see..."

Since the conversation was getting a bit complicated, we moved, and now we were in a certain tavern in the Istia town area. The decor was exactly what you'd expect, which got me excited, but it turned out to be just a regular eatery.

Sitting at the counter and listening to her—Kagura-san's—'sales pitch,' I was still struggling to shake off my confusion.

I understood the meaning of a Magic Crafter from her lecture, but why would an artisan like her suddenly approach me?

"Um, why me, a total newbie, all of a sudden?"

"Precisely because you're a newbie."

Sipping her drink, she glanced at me as I tilted my head. She let out a sigh as if to say, "Good grief," and then operated her system window, opening some screen in front of me.

"Hmm...? General, Questions... wait, is this..."

It was a familiar sight—in fact, it was the message board I had just posted on. Wait, seriously, you can access this from inside the game?!

She must have read my surprise, as Kagura-san added the note, "Only the officially operated sites, though," and I nodded in understanding.

"You posted, right? And as you can see, you don't know about the commotion that followed."

"Commotion? What do you mean?"

As I struggled to understand, Kagura-san tapped the message board with her fingertip as if to say, "Just look."

It was the will of a veteran player, so I obediently complied, and—

"..................What is this, it's terrifying."

—A few minutes later, I was completely taken aback by the lively excitement of the veteran players, which, to put it mildly, had exploded starting with my post.

"Do you understand the situation now?"

"Ah... yeah, I do. I think I get most of it."

Well, what can I say... In conclusion, it seems that there's something off about me. All the opinions in response to my post point out that abnormality.

And I also understood how she came to be here.

"For starters... I am wearing clothes, thank you very much."

My first words after grasping the situation. First, I had to object to being treated like a 'naked pervert,' so I spread my arms in protest, and Kagura-san gave me a look you'd give an idiot.

"In a game, not wearing equipment is called being naked."

"That's rude to my finest attire."

"Your finest attire is the default underwear? Honestly..."

I received a wry smile as if she were exasperated, but it's not like I'm playing the nudist role by choice. I'm simply embodying the optimal solution according to the talents bestowed upon me by the gods.

"...Anyway, I understand that my post fueled the thread's excitement. But to get back on topic, why would that lead to a Magic Crafter offering to be my personal one?"

"It wasn't just fuel, it was a bombshell the likes of which we haven't seen in a while... Well, part of it is an apology. I'm aware that I helped escalate this situation out of curiosity."

She was talking about how she had found me, observed me, and posted her thoughts. She even bowed her head and said, "My bad," so I had no intention of complaining. Besides, this was completely a case of 'ignorance is a sin.'

It's all my own fault that it's become such a huge deal... and even that a few other players, following her lead, have apparently already started looking for me.

"But honestly, that's just a bonus. My real intention is—simply put, I want to make weapons for you."

"And why is that... again?"

Judging by her genuinely joyful smile, that was indeed her main motive. Naturally, my questions only intensified...

"It might be strange for me to say it, but I'm an artisan who works for entertainment. Unlike the folks who stoically pursue high-quality items, I'm the enjoyer type who wants to make interesting things."

"Huh...?"

"I guarantee the quality too, though," she said with a playful laugh to my vague response.

"But a creator needs a client. There aren't that many interesting requests, and even if I make something I like on my own, no one will use it—and that's where you come in."

She pointed at me out of the corner of her eye and said with genuine delight.

"The requests you bring will be interesting. That's the reason."

"...I see."

So, what she's saying is that since I'm already adopting a crazy playstyle on my second day, I'll probably bring her equally crazy requests... wait, this isn't exactly a compliment, is it?

"You're just having fun with this, aren't you?"

"It's a game. What else am I supposed to do if not have fun?"

..................Hmm. That's an irrefutable argument.

"As you know, I'm a total newbie. I don't have money or materials, so I won't be able to make any significant requests for a while."

"I don't mean to brag, but I have some eccentric regular customers, so I'm not worried about money. Don't worry about it. When you need something, just bring the request to me first, and that'll be enough."

So she wants my patronage. As someone who's just started and has no connections, getting to know a high-level artisan is an incredible opportunity.

She wouldn't gain anything by deceiving a beginner like me, and from her vibe, her offer is out of goodwill, or rather, a desire for entertainment... yeah, there's no doubt about it.

Honestly, I quite like this person. Her way of interacting is clear, and I like the feeling that we're communicating directly.

In that case, well—

"...A bit late, but I'm Haru. It's a pleasure."

Since we're in a tavern with a nice atmosphere, I offered my cup instead of my hand.

"My pleasure. I'll give you a discount."

Kagura replied with a charming grin, and the sound of our cheers echoed cheerfully.