kscans

Chapter 360 - A Player to Watch Out For

Nestor, the leader of the burgeoning major clan "Bounty Hunter," clicked his tongue.

The fleet of the Airship Angra Mainyu had appeared over Deep Impact, the site of a meteor crater that now served as the event's battlefield.

If that were all, it would have been merely a surprising inconvenience. But these airships were fitted with numerous cannons.

He had heard stories from a previous event about fighting pirate ships and ghost ships with cannon-equipped vessels. He also knew about the existence of airships through the Bandit clan.

But this was the first he had heard of arming them with cannons and using them in this event. He had no idea how they were even supposed to fight back against an attack like that.

When Shuten Doji appeared in the Eastern Country, some players had caused trouble, and he had heard an airship showed up then, too. But it had no cannons. It was just a transport for players and NPCs to disembark from.

He had considered that a possibility this time as well, but seeing so many armed airships made him want to scream that nobody had told him about this.

This was bad.

Not just Nestor, but most of the players aligned with the New Demon Lord's Army thought so.

Still, they could not afford to lose without a fight.

"Don't panic! Mages, use Meteor Swarm to shoot down the airships! Those of you who can fly, board them!"

Nestor shouted.

Their options for attacking the sky from the ground were limited, and it was uncertain if their attacks would even reach. However, an attack from above the airships would surely hit. Meteor Swarm had a long cast time and struck random locations in a wide area, but given the size of the airships, it was not a bad gamble.

Navigating through that chaos to reach the airships would be difficult, but it was possible to board them by flying on pets, with summoning magic, or even through vampire transformation.

Hearing this, the players began to use Meteor Swarm, a spell they rarely employed.

They had judged that the risk of hitting their own allies was less damaging than the alternative. Tamers and summoners immediately tried to ascend to an altitude higher than the airships.

Nestor then retrieved a rifle as tall as himself from his Item Bag.

Nestor's clan, "Bounty Hunter," true to its name, was a clan that aimed for prize money in this virtual reality's events. They had placed high in previous events, and it was said that in terms of total prize money earned by its members, they surpassed every other clan.

Unusually for a leader, Nestor had a skill composition focused on long-range attacks, using the long rifle "Vortex." It was a magic gun, in the same class as the Beelzebub 666 that Esha owned, and he favored rifles suited for long distances.

With his sniper and magic skills pushed past their limits, plus stats boosted by food and potions, his shots should reach this distance without losing power.

With that thought, Nestor aimed his rifle toward the sky. He took his aim.

"Nestor! Run!"

Just after he heard his clan's vice-leader's voice, he saw an effect like a series of magic circles lining up toward him.

Nestor's face tightened, and he immediately leaped away from his position. After a horizontal dive worthy of an action movie, he rolled across the ground.

An instant later, a laser-like attack struck the spot where he had been standing.

Players who could not escape fell one after another, as if their defense stats were meaningless. Among them might have been leaders of other clans, as some players were being removed from the battlefield on a clan-wide basis.

"Damn it! That's Destroy?! You've got to be kidding me!"

An instant-kill attack had come flying from an airship.

Nestor could do something similar, so he had arbitrarily considered its user a rival, but the power, let alone the range, was on a completely different level. Even accounting for its long cool down time, it was more than worth it.

He had been wary of it in previous battles, but there had been no attacks with Destroy. While feeling slightly disappointed, he had thought this would be easy, and then this happened.

It seemed other players felt the same way, growing visibly cautious as they realized the Old Demon Lord's Army had gotten serious.

From the airship that had fired the attack, cannons were also being discharged.

Cannonballs that exploded with gunpowder, not magic. They did not have the range of Destroy, and the projectiles fell in an arc from the airships.

They were not instant-kill attacks, but their power was high, and their area of effect was wide. They also had a knockback effect, and rear guard players would be defeated in two hits.

Waiting for them to run out of ammo, that was a hope no one entertained.

On the opposing side was the player to watch out for, Hayato.

He was a character with only production skills, was on good terms with NPCs, and was so enigmatic that he could even defeat Ronios of "Shooting Star" in a one-on-one fight.

His production capability was the real problem. It was said his supply of consumables like weapons, armor, potions, and food was endless. One theory was that he had been abducted by an NPC from the New Demon Lord's Army, which was why the Old Demon Lord's Army had been unable to fight at full strength.

And today, the Old Demon Lord's Army had attacked with a massive fleet of airships.

Whether they had rescued him or he had simply been absent from the event to build the airships was unknown. Either way, one thing was certain. Hayato had joined the event.

"Find Hayato and take him down! Otherwise, he'll supply them with items forever!"

Even with that order, what could they do in this situation? Hayato was the leader of the clan "Daedalus," so defeating him would remove him from the battlefield. But actually defeating him would be difficult.

If only Meteor Swarm could hit the airships, but for some reason, even after some time, there was no sign of the spell activating.

Just as he wondered what was happening, Nestor received a voice chat.

"Nes, can you hear me? My clan is withdrawing."

"Ox? What are you talking about?"

It was Ox, the leader of the clan "Rampage." Rampage was a major new clan with a membership comparable to Bounty Hunter's, but he had just said something nonsensical.

"We can't win against those airships. Fighting is a waste of time."

"Don't be ridiculous. If you guys pull out, we'll lose our territory."

"Unlike you, we don't care about the prize money. As long as we win in the end, we can afford to give up a territory or two."

In this event, the prize money depended on the number of territories controlled at the end. For Nestor and his clan, who were aiming for the prize, they could not afford to lose a single one.

Naturally, Rampage's withdrawal was a significant blow. The chances of victory were already low, but this made them even lower.

"Just listen. Do you plan to give up if those airships appear on other battlefields too? Even if we lose, we need to find a countermeasure, or we're in trouble, right?"

"They could use them on other battlefields, but it's probably not as effective. Here, with no cover, they're more effective than anywhere else. It's not just the cannons. Our mages are being picked off."

"What?"

Nestor frantically scanned his surroundings.

Looking from his position overlooking the crater towards the center, he saw that amidst the cannon fire, attacks from lances and arrows were precisely taking down players in the middle of casting.

"Trying to shoot them down with Meteor Swarm is probably impossible. You'll be targeted the moment you aim your Vortex too."

He had just experienced that firsthand. Destroy was likely on cool down for a while, but if his attacks could reach, so could theirs. He had to assume he was still being targeted.

"Then we'll board them directly..."

"Look properly. Do you think you can even get close to the airships?"

This time, he looked to the sky.

Many players were flying around, but none had managed to get close to the airships.

"They have flyers on their side too, huh..."

"Of course. Especially the one on the dragon and the one on the griffon. They're like fighter jets. There are others too, like a phoenix and a pteranodon, and is that other one a nine-tailed fox? They're running rampant, and the sky is a scene of utter chaos."

What Ox was describing was likely only a fraction of it.

Nestor could see a group of gothic lolitas riding giant bats and giant crows. Those who managed to slip past them and approach an airship were then shot down by long-range attacks from the vessel itself.

Getting close to the airships was almost impossible.

"Unless we can get our own airships, we can't win here. That's why we're retreating. If we leave now, we can still make it to the office this afternoon."

Being told something so practical so suddenly took the fight out of Nestor.

"Yeah, I get it. We'll try to confirm the enemy's strength as much as possible. Make sure you fight seriously on the other battlefields."

"Got it. See you."

As the voice chat ended, Nestor let out a long sigh.

Immediately after, many players vanished from the vicinity. The members of the clans allied with Rampage must have disappeared.

New players were brought in as reinforcements, but they lacked Rampage's strength. He thought winning was now truly impossible, but as he had told Ox, they needed to gauge just how strong the enemy was.

Nestor felt a little hesitant, but he sent a voice chat.

"Parsha, can you hear me?"

"Oh my, how unusual for you to contact me. What is it, 'Amnesia of the Malevolent Bullet'-san?"

He sent a voice chat to Parsha, the leader of the clan "Despair Angel," and received a reply that drained his will to fight.

Amnesia of the Malevolent Bullet. That was Nestor's nickname. Only Parsha called him that, and it had no particular meaning.

"Ox's group retreated. It seems they've given up on victory here."

"It cannot be helped. Even for a 'Crawler from the Abyss,' changing this scenery is difficult. It is surely impossible for a mere human."

"...So, could you, a fallen angel, do it?"

"That would mean opening a door to another dimension. I would advise against it. You will end up with two 'Lands Gouged by the Heavens,' you know?"

"...Whatever. I don't think we can win either, but I want to see as much of the enemy's hand as possible. I plan to stir things up as much as I can. Will you help me?"

Despair Angel was a strange group that did not care much for winning or losing. They had joined their side because it seemed interesting, but the information they provided was strangely accurate, showing they took intelligence gathering seriously.

He had called on them with that in mind, but now he felt he might have been a bit hasty.

"Of course, I do not mind. In that case, you should aim for the 'Color of an Innocent and Pure Soul' among all the 'Evils of this World.'"

"...You mean the white airship? The one at the very front?"

"Yes. The 'One Who Has Mastered Change' is likely there."

"...You mean Hayato, right?"

"Yes. That is the only one built from World Tree Lumber. It is marvelous. To build an airship named Angra Mainyu in a color that completely contradicts its meaning... Fufu, contradiction is the very principle of this universe. Perhaps that person is one of 'our side' as well...!"

"I'm not on your side," Nestor thought to himself. More importantly, it was a great help to know where Hayato was.

"Also, since 'God's Thunder' was unleashed from that airship, the 'King of Gluttony' is probably there as well."

"The one who used Destroy is there. I see, that does make it highly likely they're on that ship... Got it. I'm boarding it. Can you draw the attention of the ones in the sky?"

If he wanted to see the enemy's hand, he should aim for their vital point. And the player Hayato was the vital point of the Old Demon Lord's Army. It was just a game, but he needed to know what would happen when he targeted that vital point.

"By the contract of souls, your wish shall be granted. Besides, I too have someone I wish to dance with at this ball. I have no intention of remaining a wallflower."

Nestor, who had been on the verge of saying, "Do whatever you want," simply thanked her and gave orders to assemble his clan members.

Hayato looked down from the deck of the airship at the battlefield of Deep Impact.

He knew people might call it unfair given the overwhelming difference in strength, but this time he could not afford to hold back. To ensure victory, Hayato intended to use any means necessary.

Esha and Diite stood to Hayato's left and right. Esha lowered her gun and said, "I missed," before starting to drink Melon Juice. She was chugging it straight from the bottle.

"You missed?"

"There's a player on the other side with a magic gun like mine. He aimed his gun at the sky, so I hit him with Destroy, but he dodged it. He's pretty good."

"So that was the Destroy from earlier. Dodging it is amazing, but they have magic guns too?"

Diite nodded at his words.

"Some of the items you can find in dungeons are super rare equipment like that. What Nestor-kun has is the 'Vortex.' Its power is lower compared to Esha-kun's Beelzebub, but it's still quite strong."

Hayato said, "Huh," as he looked at the battlefield, but he could not tell where this Nestor was.

Just then, a large number of players vanished. Players who had been on standby were brought in as reinforcements, but Hayato tilted his head in confusion.

Diite answered his unspoken question.

"It seems the clan 'Rampage' and its allied clans have withdrawn."

"Huh? Why?"

"They probably realized they can't win. They're a clan that prioritizes efficiency, so they don't do things that are pointless."

"Oh, I see."

"Besides, yesterday's battle left the other side feeling suspicious. They might have thought there's no need to fight seriously."

"Suspicious? Why?"

"In yesterday's battle, if Amanda-kun had defeated Lunaria-kun, it would have been their victory and the event would have ended. It should have been the perfect opportunity, but Amanda-kun retreated immediately. That makes it seem like no matter how hard the players try to capture territory, they can't win."

Hayato understood, saying, "So that's it."

Even though Amanda's stats had significantly improved from conquering all territories except the magic city Under, she had effectively fled from the enemy.

Hayato and the others, who knew the circumstances, understood why it happened, but most players who did not would have been dumbfounded.

Hayato did not know it, but various rumors had been circulating all day yesterday.

Speculation was rampant, suggesting things like you had to clear a certain quest to win the event, the outcome would not be decided until the final day, or that this was a Demon Lord awakening event.

Of course, there was also the correct rumor, that someone from the New Demon Lord's side had been kidnapped, and the Old Demon Lord's Army had been unable to fight at full strength.

If there were things to do besides winning on the battlefield, then this was no time for fighting. Many players thought so, and apparently, they were spending their time investigating various things instead of participating this time.

Hayato felt a slight twinge of guilt, as he was the very cause of it, but he decided to think positively and consider it part of their strategy, then turned to check on the battle.

On the ground, Gil and the Ten Dark Knights of the Demon Lord's Army, along with the Maid Chief's clan "Annihilation," were defending the Area Stone.

They could not attack that area with cannons. The enemy seemed to understand this, and many players were initiating close combat, treating it as a safe zone.

However, it was not truly safe. They might be protected from the cannons, but the Maid Chief, who was one of the strongest in close combat, was there. The other maids, though using different weapons, were also a group strong in close-quarters fighting.

The coordination between the maids and Gil's Ten Dark Knights was so perfect that no one could get near the Area Stone.

And the players who ignored the Maid Chief's group to attack the Area Stone were being dealt with by NPCs from the Eastern Country.

NPCs with skill compositions resembling ninjas, kunoichi, miko, and onmyoji were not all able to take on a thousand foes, but they were steadily defeating their opponents with solid tactics.

Normally, Benitsuru and Simon would be giving orders to those members, but the two of them were in the sky.

Benitsuru was with Lunaria, riding a giant crow and engaging in aerial combat, so she was not here.

Simon was still on the airship, standing on the railing, bow drawn.

With her kimono sleeves tied back with a tasuki and her hair in a single ponytail, her stance was so steady on the unstable footing that it seemed almost divine, but her attacks were demonic.

The bow and arrows Hayato had prepared for her were ordinary, five-star items without proper names. However, the bow was made from World Tree Lumber, and the arrows from sacred and magic trees, giving them a massive damage bonus from the materials.

She could not take down a high-defense frontliner in one shot, but she was continuously one-shotting opponents with low defense.

Her range was not that great, but the speed at which she nocked her arrows and her accuracy were nothing short of terrifying. For the brief moment she aimed, it felt as if time stood still. In the next instant, the arrow was loosed, and she was nocking the next one without even confirming the hit. The arrow she had fired unerringly pierced its target.

Because of her, no long-casting spells like Meteor Swarm were being used.

And the aerial battle was even more intense.

Maris and Surya had joined them this time. Maris seemed to have raised her Taming Skill to 200 at some point, allowing her to control many pets at once.

She was riding her Elder Griffon, Lancelot, as usual, but she had also brought a Pteranodon she had tamed on the way to the floating island, a Phoenix she had tamed while Hayato was gone, and somehow, a Kyubi she had tamed in the Eastern Country, which was now participating in its true form as a Nine-tailed Fox.

And then there was Surya, riding the dragon Garland. His acrobatic flight as he dove into the enemy ranks ensured his targets never escaped. Most players were scattering from him like spiders.

There were other members running rampant as well, but Hayato was just genuinely glad they were on his side.

They could win just by flying the airship near the enemy's Area Stone and attacking it with cannons.

Hayato thought so, but the situation did not seem that simple.

At some point, there were players at a higher altitude than the airship.

The airship's altitude was limited, and Hayato and the others could not go any higher. But those players seemed to be able to ascend further.

They were close to the enemy's Area Stone, so the distance was great, and neither side's attacks could reach the other. Hayato stared, wondering what they were planning.

Hayato could see three people. The three seemed to be standing on brooms. One of them was Parsha, the leader of the clan "Despair Angel."

To her left and right were two women who looked like twins, with the same faces and equipment, but one had white hair and gear, and the other black. The one in white had her hair tied in a side tail on the right, and the one in black had the opposite.

This clan was famous among the new major clans and had many passionate fans. Even the players in the midst of battle were cheering as if it were a festival.

In the middle of it all, Parsha held the umbrella in her hand like a stand microphone and opened her mouth.

"Listen to the song of a fallen angel, and for a moment, release your souls. I myself shall deliver those souls to the 'Stagnation'...!"

A clear voice echoed across the battlefield, likely amplified by some sort of device.

"Darkness, it is the cradle named chaos..."

He did not understand the meaning of the lyrics, but her voice was magnificent. To her left and right, the twins danced with sharp, precise movements, even on the unstable footing of their brooms.

Apparently, the dancing and singing did provide support effects, granting a status buff to those around them. The members of Despair Angel and their fans seemed to be receiving a buff even greater than the support effect itself.

Esha raised her gun with a blank expression.

"May I shoot?"

"You can, but you won't reach her from here. Besides, I don't think giving support effects here will do much good, will it?"

In a straightforward battle, support effects would be crucial. But this could hardly be called a straightforward battle. It was a one-sided attack by Hayato and his allies.

Wondering if there was some other meaning to it, one of the airships moved ahead of the one Hayato was on. It was the airship carrying Noat, Alvie of "Kiss of Death," and the NPC orchestra, "Orchestra Brunhilde."

Noat sent him a voice chat.

"I received an invitation, so I'm going."

"Oh, okay."

"Hmph, the place where stars that have journeyed across millennia meet... It is not so bad to devour fate here...!"

"Simpler, please."

"I'm going to crush them."

"Good luck."

Hayato did not know how she planned to defeat them, but he figured he did not need to ask.

And he found out without asking.

When Noat's airship got close enough, music and Noat's voice drifted over. He did not understand the lyrics.

As the song battle began, some of the players abandoned the fight entirely and started a cheering competition. They had probably already given up on this battle.

"Alright, let's go destroy the enemy's Area Stone."

It was a statement that completely failed to read the room, but it seemed to be the right opinion, as no one nearby complained.

But even if there were no complaints, different words came from Esha.

"It seems that was a diversion."

Esha aimed her gun as she turned her body toward the stern of the airship.

Hayato and Diite followed her gaze.

There stood a man with a long rifle and several other players. Hayato figured they must have used some method to get here while everyone was distracted by Parsha's group.

And seeing the rifle the man was holding, he was certain it was Nestor.

"I am the leader of the 'Bounty Hunter' cl... whoa!"

He had apparently intended to introduce himself while aiming his gun, but Esha attacked with her Beelzebub, canceling his action. Nestor hid behind a pillar supporting the airship's propeller, but Esha continued her attack.

"You're not even going to let me talk?!"

Nestor shouted as he and the other players took cover and readied their weapons. Nestor had a rifle, but the other players seemed to have smaller guns, and they began to fire back.

While Esha attacked, Hayato and the others hid behind the propeller support pillar, and a battle began on the deck.