kscans

Chapter 466 - White That Rends the Dark and Crimson Fireworks, Part 2

—In Arcadia, ranged weapons are at a disadvantage.

The reason is simple. Because the performance of the avatar, whose stats can be built up through leveling and equipment, is so high, the balance ofメリット andデメリット that comes from 'relying on the power of tools' instead is completely broken.

Items like 'bows' and 'guns,' which seek to produce an attack effect by launching a projectile via a mechanism, have their firepower's upper limit determined by the weapon's specs.

One might think that the same could be said for swords and spears, as I once did while browsing through harsh reviews of 'guns' in Arcadia online… but the fatal flaw is that there is too little room to add the player's own 'power.'

Of course, there are means to boost power and other attributes, most notably through skills, but to put it bluntly, that's all there is. And that alone is naturally not enough to compete with melee weapons, which can fully utilize the avatar's strength and agility on top of skill enhancements.

To be blunt—whether it's real-world bullets or the magical arrows and bullets that are the global standard in this virtual world, it's stronger for the player to just throw a rock with their own hands or cast a spell.

As an added bonus, the crafting difficulty is ridiculously high, and it seems that even with the knowledge of avid firearms enthusiasts, reproducing modern-style items is nothing more than a dream.

To be precise, it's possible to just make them, but it's nearly impossible to achieve a level of power that would be effective against Arcadia's players and enemies. A peashooter that only mimics the appearance would, at best, serve as an interior decoration.

Hinayo-san's dual pistols, [Nova Rescellerate, Mirror Illuminating Six Stars], are a major exception.

Whether that can even be called a gun is debatable… but in any case, the fact that I have never once encountered a ranged weapon user other than her on major stages like the Four Pillar War or against the White Throne is proof of the current situation.

The difficulty of 'aiming' with guns or bows when looking 'up' at higher levels of play might also be a factor in their disadvantage. Like me, light warriors on the player side and agile, mobile enemies are constantly zipping around.

Trying to snipe them with the virtual world's slow-firing weapons would be a truly difficult feat. And even if you manage to land a hit, the lack of firepower thwarts your efforts. It's a cruel reality.

Depending on talent, the potential for increasing power is infinite, the range is the same as or greater than a gun, the variations are countless, and the area-of-effect clearing power of high-tier spells surpasses even a rocket launcher… so, well, it's no wonder the conclusion becomes, 'Why not just use magic?'

There seem to be a fair number of enthusiasts for bows, guns, and other weapons like chakrams, boomerangs, and slingshots, though—but anyway.

The important thing is, what in the world is this [Ruby Rabbit Bullet]?

"—Gah, hnnngh…!"

Simultaneously with the pull of the trigger, a distorted gunshot rings out, a mixture of a high-pitched, ear-splitting shattering sound and a gut-rumbling roar. True to the outrageous sound effect, the recoil from the shot is as intense as the power of the warhead it fires.

As if to say, don't you dare underestimate me by firing one-handed.

The crimson matchlock, which shattered into pieces, mercilessly leaves a massive lingering energy in my avatar.

"—,"

Don't you underestimate me either, I think back. Whose disciple do you think I am?

As the crimson light explodes from my hand, I twist my body with the momentum of being thrown back, seizing the reins of the rampaging vector.

It's a movement that channels the final technique of the Kesshiki Ittoryu, <>—a technique that can be called its secret art, which controls immense energy through rotation and makes it my own.

Keeping the soles of my boots planted on the floor, I spin at high speed in a sliding motion. Naturally, my vision becomes about fifty percent 'horizontal lines,' but for me, that's business as usual.

This barely even counts as poor visibility!

"Hraaaaaaaah!"

Overcoming the recoil from my left, I fire a second shot while still spinning. It's not a matter of if it will hit, it will hit. There, it hit, all right!

The sight of cheerful fireworks going off one after another at the points of impact is a direct challenge to the underdog image that Arcadia's 'guns' have carried.

The factor that cleared the biggest problem for ranged weapons, their lack of power—was none other than the material from the conveniently named [Ruby Bullet Rabbit].

Its horn grows when imbued with mana.

Its horn becomes stronger the faster it soars.

Its horn explodes when its fuse is activated.

This [Ruby Rabbit Bullet] was completed by utilizing those very characteristics, which were also fully exploited in the [Rabbit Dagger: Parabellum]—a ridiculous exploding warhead matchlock that devours the user's MP to grow and then infinitely replicates itself.

The more mana you pour into it, the harder and stronger it grows. The flip side of this characteristic is that its capacity for storing energy is extremely large.

So what happens if you pour mana into such a horn to its absolute limit… and then detonate that bullet (horn) just like <>? The answer is this.

It is, in essence, an exploding [Ruby Bullet Rabbit].

The drop in projectile speed that would normally occur with a massive warhead is neatly solved by its characteristic of accelerating using mana as an engine, a perfect design… however.

"Hah, this stupid gas-guzzler…!"

Aside from the absurd difficulty of controlling the recoil, its most notable weakness is its ridiculously high cost. I've been plagued by numerous mana guzzlers before, starting with <> and the autonomous movement of the [Everquartz], but this one is a glutton on par with them.

Literally, each and every shot consumes MP on the level of a grand magic spell. Moreover, this [Ruby Rabbit Bullet] will continue to replicate itself without regard for its master's wishes as long as the count falls below its upper limit of thirty-seven.

MP is drained twice over, for replication and for mana charging. The way my status bar is being shaved down, even in my Trance form with 1450 MID, is so ridiculous it's starting to make me laugh.

Haah, really, there's nothing more fun than dancing with a wild mare!

Spinning my body left and right, I summon one gun barrel after another, pulling the trigger again and again. Just as my ears and my excitement were about to go haywire from the repeated roars and the thrill of launching fireworks at will,

"—And, empty. Just as Kagura-san calculated, I see."

A total of seventy-four shots, exactly two rounds of my maximum capacity, is my current limit for continuous fire.

From now on, my MP will be continuously siphoned off as it recovers, until the replication and mana charging for all thirty-seven units are complete again. Ah, how merciless.

I tried asking the creator if it was possible to temporarily turn off the replication function, but the only response I got was a wholehearted smile filled with a sense of accomplishment and the words, 'It's because I cut out merciful features like that that it has such ridiculous firepower, you know.'

At the time I received it, I thought, 'Are you serious?'…

But after 'going all out' myself and seeing this spectacle, I can't complain about a situation that would normally leave my MP completely locked down.

It is truly a field of carnage.

Though what lies scattered about are not corpses but relics… the vast number of shining spoils of war, the lapis lazuli, shows the immense results that the [Ruby Rabbit Bullet] achieved in just over two minutes.

If this were mass-produced, it might revolutionize military tactics in the virtual world. How terrifying are the kin of the 'Crimson,' their potential is truly something else—

Now then.

Including the new 'dragon' type, I've crushed most of the first wave of [Stardust Beasts]. I didn't manage to wipe them out completely, but even the ones that narrowly escaped the massive opening bombardment are scattered and have sustained damage to varying degrees.

—However, it couldn't possibly end there.

"I don't know if they'll spawn infinitely until time's up, or if there's a limit, but…"

I never thought I could end the game with just a fireworks display. As I watched the second wave of the horde begin to emerge from deep within the forest… I activated [Trance].

"Alright then, let's start stage two, partner."

As my long hair (the weight) vanished and I reveled in the familiar sensation of my body, I stretched and muttered to myself… No, I called out to my partner, and the ring on my right hand responded with a flash of light.

"Let's tear it up—[Alv Stella]!"

As if to say, 'I've been waiting.'

My Anima, having reached the Third Tier, transformed from a ring into a sword, its blade glinting with a familiar golden color in its master's hand.