kscans

Chapter 850 - Good Compatibility (???)

—In games, since ancient times, the term ‘shield’ refers not only to the piece of equipment itself but also to the role of ‘one who protects allies from enemy attacks.’

In that sense, a ‘shield (tank)’ can be broadly categorized into two types. There’s the orthodox tank, who stops the enemy with an ironclad defense, and the evasion tank, who maintains the front line by neutralizing enemy attacks through agility and positioning.

Anyone not too familiar with games is guaranteed to hear ‘evasion tank???’ and be confused, but such a concept, or rather, tactic, has existed for a long time.

And in Arcadia, the latter is overwhelmingly dominant.

There are several reasons, but the primary factor, above all else, is that attack power is fundamentally too high, whether you’re a player or an enemy.

Simply put, the higher you go, the more attacks and situations there are that you just can’t afford to block.

While this is limited to a handful of exceptional players, high-level boss-class enemies don’t throw out attacks so gentle that a person can take them with just their body and a shield. In terms of both power and scale, ‘dodge or die’ is the norm.

For these reasons, shields as equipment are considered the most underpowered of the underpowered in Arcadia. To put it simply, it’s said that [Shield Aptitude] ranks even lower than [All-Weapon Aptitude], which until recently held the title of the most useless of the useless.

Besides, in this virtual world, you don’t necessarily need a shield to block an enemy’s attack. Why? Because weapons are too damn sturdy.

The other day, the [Sword Saint] was joyfully clashing her katana against the [Sword Queen]’s sword, but it goes without saying that such a scene is not realistic.

To put it bluntly, weapons in Arcadia, even a slender rapier, can clash with the mighty arm of a giant beast, depending on the user’s skill.

—In that case, it’s only natural to think that a weapon, which can also serve for defense in a pinch, is sufficient, even if it’s inferior to a dedicated shield.

In the current meta where evasion is paramount, the question is whether it’s worth constantly having a ‘weight’ hanging from your arm just to increase the probability of surviving in a worst-case scenario.

…Well, there are probably various other factors if you dig deeper, but for these reasons and more, a ‘shield-wielding tank’ is an extremely rare sight in Arcadia today.

In the six months since my virtual world debut, I’ve only known of two high-level players who use a shield. Including today’s encounter, that makes a grand total of three.

And that third person. As I burned the image of Kendy-dono’s martial prowess into my mind during our pair-up, I had but one thought—

“—HRAAAAAAGH!!!”

Shield users are ultra-strong, you’ve got to be kidding me.

“—GYABOWAAAAAGH!!!?”

Following the thunderous battle cry was a scream so pathetic and visceral it was almost comical. Several meters behind, standing there with fifty percent exasperation and one hundred percent awe, my hair was blown back by a happy-go-lucky set of ridiculous wind pressure and shockwaves.

The seventh layer boss of the Key Tree Maze, [Cerberus Dolphang, Twin-Headed Guard Dog]—a massive, two-headed black dog standing nearly three meters tall. It lunged forward with two bites, but the knight charged head-on, smoothly evading the barrage from its drooling maws and reaching the spot beneath its chin.

He then swung one of his shields, the greatshield in his right hand, which should have been the most underpowered of the underpowered. With the momentum of his spinning body, that flat, sturdy blunt instrument launched up from just above the floor, effortlessly sending one of the heads flying. It was an extraordinary sight worthy of a standing ovation.

“Player-samaaa!!!”

“Yeah, yeah…!”

And there it was, the dead-serious, full-throated roar. Now that I was getting used to it, I couldn’t help but let a slight, affectionate laugh slip out as I tuned it out—and then, switch.

My route was straight ahead, a direct charge. Naturally, the knight’s body was positioned between me and the boss, but… as if that were his role.

Instantly and skillfully dispersing the recoil from his critical hit, he manipulated his body. The action he took was to bend his knees and cover himself with his greatshield. What appeared then was the necessary runway to reach the giant dog’s neck—the critical point—which was now recoiling and soaring high into the air.

“Rea—”

“—dy, GOOOOOOOOO!!!”

Footing, flexing, coiling, and then, explosion.

It wasn’t so much that we synchronized our breaths, but frankly, a one-sided and perfect act of servitude. Kendy-dono, reading my timing with almost terrifying accuracy, turned himself into a catapult and launched my avatar off his shield with all his might… and before my eyes, a world of giant beast.

“There!”

In other words, my entire field of vision was a reception desk for the finishing blow (sword). With no room for hesitation, my right arm slammed the [Alv Stella, True White Star Sword] into the base of the mutt’s neck—

By my standards, with my weakened stats, this is extremely weak. External Power Output: ‘Kai’ Convergence Release.

“ORAAA!!!”

Mid-air spin, followed by a heel drop.

While the power was incomparable to my max-level, full-condition self, the output I packed into it was undoubtedly rule-breakingly massive for my current avatar.

So it was no surprise that when my descending heel struck the pommel of my Stella, driving the blade deeper, the sword pierced straight through Dolphang’s body with a satisfying sound…—

◇ You have defeated [Cerberus Dolphang, Twin-Headed Guard Dog] ◇

◇ Layer Seven clear confirmed ◇

Victory, in the form of a fanfare and golden light, arrived smoothly and leisurely.

Alright, here it comes. Brace yourself, me. Okay, in three, two, one…

“—As expected of you, Player-samaaa!!! Not only is your swordsmanship and footwork magnificent and elegant, but you even command the very Od and make it your own power! I, Kendy, with ever-increasing admiration and reverence, praise your martial prowess and beauty from the bottom of my heart, I shaaaaaall!!!”

“Shutupshutupsitstaydownhouse. What happened to your enunciation? You’re talking so fast I could barely catch a word after the first sentence. Calm down, I’m begging you.”

Including the boss fight, it had been just over two hours. As we carefully navigated the maze, testing our respective skills and coordination, I was naturally getting used to things.

My response might be bordering on a violation of the rule to ‘treat companions as people,’ especially with someone I’ve just met… but hey, he’s like this.

Seeing him drop to his knees at lightning speed with a beaming, dazzling smile that seemed to say ‘I am overjoyed,’ I figured this was probably the correct way to handle him, so thinking too much about it seemed foolish.

—Fine, do whatever you want. If I just accept it as part of his character, I actually don’t mind a comically over-the-top personality like Kendy-dono’s.

“Alright, our combat compatibility seems to be perfectly fine, so let’s pick up the pace. We’ll save the tenth layer, the main challenge, for tomorrow… For now, our goal today is to clear the ninth layer.”

“Compatibility!!! Is good?!! I am at the height of felicity!!!”

“Did you even hear the second half of that? We’re going, okay? Get up???”

And so, I’ll consider our journey to be, if I round up, tentatively smooth (???). I’ll try to be positive and think of all this as a fun souvenir story for my friends, partners, and acquaintances…

Well, I guess I’ll just have to enjoy this in its own way.