kscans

Chapter 388 - One Who Knows the Laws of the World

The next battlefield was decided. It would be the "Necropolis Area."

Unlike the "Abaddon Area," this battlefield had its Area Stone located inside the Dark Cave.

However, the starting point was on the surface, so players had to enter the Dark Cave as soon as the battle began and head for the Area Stone. Choosing whether to go for your own Area Stone or the enemy's was also a crucial element.

That alone was a hassle, but to make matters more complicated, another event was occurring in the Dark Cave. Hades, King of the Underworld, had begun his invasion toward the surface.

He was a higher-tier version of the human-shaped rare monster "Pure Magic Incarnate with Will" and fought primarily with magic.

Naturally, he was strong, but the biggest problem was that he could cast spells consecutively, ignoring activation times and cool down times. However, the spells were completely random. He might cast a series of powerful spells, or he might cast a series of weak ones, so there was an element of luck involved.

On the other hand, he had a weakness. When his MP ran out, he would stop moving for a period of time, which was the chance to attack.

Diite explained all of this with a happy expression.

"I want to avoid spoilers as much as possible, but I can't be picky this time. I really want you to defeat him during this event."

Her lack of tension was a bit concerning, but the Conflict event was in the old Demon Lord's army's favor. Hayato figured she could afford to be relaxed now that they had managed to create the Excalibur Replica.

Still, it's dangerous if Lunaria-san loses. But according to Randa-san, there's no way Lunaria-san can lose this event. There's a lot I'm not convinced about, but I have a feeling he might be right...

Having heard Randa's hypothesis, Hayato was troubled. What's more, he had stayed up late, so he was short on sleep today.

The purpose for which Diite and the virtual reality were created. For Hayato, the very foundation of what he believed in had been shaken, leaving him with a vaguely unsettling feeling.

The spaceship Aphrodite was built to save humanity. If it was built for a reason other than salvation, then what was its purpose? Not knowing the reason was, in itself, eerie.

That said, it's just Randa-san's hypothesis. It's more likely to be wrong. In fact, it's probably better to conclude that it's wrong... but still...

'According to Hypnos's story, he said there's another enemy to hate besides himself, and that you, Hayato-san, might have a chance to learn who that is. If you find out, I'd like you to tell me.'

Yesterday, Randa had said that with a serious face, concluding the long-running hypothesis session.

The words of Hypnos that Veru had heard.

Why me, Hayato wondered, but couldn't find an answer. Deciding it was no use worrying about it, he logged in late at night and sent a voice chat to Hypnos.

But it was rejected.

That was exactly what Randa had predicted.

'It's just my gut feeling, but maybe Hypnos is trying to prevent the other AI from finding out by talking to you, Hayato-san. Maybe their preparations are in the final stages, too.'

Hypnos was acting to cause an irregularity. Randa said that this was probably based on the assumption that Hayato and the others were unaware of the secrets of this virtual reality. To put it more simply, it was to make the AI under construction let its guard down.

Even if the AI's construction wasn't complete, it was already in a state where it could interfere with this world in various ways, and if it noticed, it would make it difficult for Hypnos to move, he had also said.

So, he had been sternly warned not to talk about the hypothesis within this virtual reality. He was also told to avoid asking Diite directly.

Randa-san calls it a hypothesis, but he himself is convinced it's correct. When he says it with such confidence, like he's sure even without proof, it's scary how it makes me think it might be true. I can't believe it. No, I don't want to believe it... Ah, this is so frustrating.

"Hayato-kun, what's been the matter with you for a while now? I was just explaining about Hades, but is he really that strong?"

Diite was peering into the face of Hayato, who had been looking down and lost in thought.

Hayato jumped in surprise and recoiled slightly.

"Whoa! Ah, sorry, I'm just a little short on sleep. Well, I think Hades is strong, but Lunaria-san and the others should be able to win, right?"

"Indeed. It will be a battle in the confined space of a dungeon, but if they make good use of that, Lunaria-kun and her team should be able to win on their own. There are no gimmicks like with Shuten Doji this time, so he can be defeated through pure combat. It seems we'll be able to get some good data."

Diite said this and nodded in satisfaction.

Hades was a monster that had existed in the program for a while, but this was his first appearance. He was a monster who hadn't seen the light of day, so Hayato figured Diite's excitement was high.

Even if that hypothesis is true, there was the question of what Diite-chan is. But that doesn't matter. Even if she isn't human, Diite-chan is so human-like. Whatever she is, it has nothing to do with me.

Hayato said that and slapped his cheeks with both hands.

Diite, watching him, tilted her head slightly.

"Your behavior is quite strange today. Are you really okay?"

"Yeah, this is just to wake myself up. It doesn't hurt since this is virtual reality, though."

"Ah, I see."

"Now then, let's do our best today too. If we do this right, this event should be over in a few more days."

"That's right. In the end, we'll have to rely on Lunaria-kun to do her best, but she won't lose even if Amanda has Durandal. She's strong on her own, but more than that, the people around her dote on her. I hear everyone has been teaching her how to fight lately."

"Apparently, she was self-taught in both swordplay and martial arts. I can understand why everyone is teaching her this and that. Lunaria-san is the kind of person you can't help but worry about. She's so reckless."

"That's part of her charm, I suppose. But it's not just that. I think it's also the result of her acting for the sake of everyone around her."

Hayato nodded.

Lunaria isn't just someone who is doted on by those around her. Lunaria herself does various things for those around her. It sometimes causes even more trouble, but while people might scold her for it, no one would ever abandon her.

Just a moment ago, Lunaria had been the first to enter the Dark Cave and had taken up a position closest to it, but she had just been dragged back by Rosalie and the others.

"Well then, I'm off to fight Hypnos. I plan to keep him from interfering over here, but just in case, please be careful."

"Okay, you be careful too."

Diite smiled and said, "I'll be fine," then vanished from the spot as if erased.

Immediately after, a world announcement was broadcast, and the battle began.

Naturally, both allies and enemies swarmed the entrance to the Dark Cave.

There was only one entrance. You could say that you would win if you just blocked the opponent from entering, but the entrance was large, and to completely prevent entry, you would need a considerable number of people to defend it.

Yesterday, Parsha and Ronios's clans had fought, but even a major clan like Despair Angel couldn't completely prevent entry, so it was clear that defending at the entrance wasn't a very efficient strategy.

Therefore, the contest was over who could get inside faster.

Whoever entered first would have the advantage in both offense and defense. Moreover, the Dark Cave was a natural cave like a limestone cavern. Although the entrance was wide, some passages were narrow, so defending there would be more efficient.

The players swarming the entrance split into teams, those entering and those staying outside to obstruct the enemy, and a battle unfolded.

"I'd love to just fire a Destroy in there."

"Don't even think about it."

Hayato soothed Esha, who had said something dangerous. He convinced himself that her thought process was like that because she was sleep deprived just like him, as he watched the scene from a distance.

Whether Hayato should enter was debated at the base, but in the end, it was decided that he would wait outside. With Hades' appearance, the inside of the Dark Cave had become more active, the monster respawn time had shortened, and rare monsters were more likely to appear.

Those entering were Lunaria and the Ten Black Rose Saints, the Ten Dark Knights, Ney and her Kokuryu, the Maid Chief leading the Annihilation Squad, Benitsuru and Simon's samurai group, and major clans like the Bandits. Hayato and his group were outside.

Since they were outside, some opponents targeted them directly, but the elites protecting Hayato defeated them in an instant.

Among them, the former members of Blackjack were unusually strong.

Ivan had headed to the Dark Cave to fight Amanda, but Grinee and Orland remained on the surface. In coordination with Cecil, Relic, Noat, and Esha, they were taking out any dangerous-looking players.

"...That's number eight. That guy's weapon is legendary-grade, so he's high points."

"I was aiming for that one."

"Our rule is first come, first served. Has your skill declined since you switched from magic to a gun?"

"You've got some nerve. I'll just say this, my muzzle is always aimed at your back."

"Same as always. Well, I'm relieved you haven't changed."

Esha and Grinee, who originally focused on long-range attacks, were competing for the number of players they defeated. And it wasn't just the number, things like possessing powerful weapons were factored in as points.

"Cecil, don't rush in so much."

"How long are you going to act like my boss? That was just role-playing, you're not my boss anymore!"

"Even if I'm not your boss, I've been telling you that for a long time. Your reactions are fast, so delay by one beat."

"When am I gonna get to fight freely...?"

"Learn to hold back a little so you can fight longer."

"Yeah, yeah."

Orland and Cecil had a boss and subordinate relationship when they had lost their memories, but it seemed their relationship was similar even after getting their memories back, and he was still receiving instructions.

However, although he complained verbally, Cecil moved according to the instructions and was able to act quite efficiently. His strength didn't change, but his potion consumption was lower than usual thanks to Orland's instructions.

Cecil wasn't taking hits he normally would have, and he was defeating opponents with the minimum necessary movements. Orland was covering him well, but the biggest reason was that Cecil wasn't repeating reckless attacks.

And Relic was supporting near Cecil, while Noat was providing support from the rear with songs and dances.

Even though not all of Blackjack was present, they were defeating opponents with extremely powerful coordination.

I guess that's what you'd expect from the Clan War champion clan. It doesn't seem like Esha or Grinee-san would be as effective in a dungeon, but in the open field, they don't seem like they'd lose to any clan.

It was exciting to think about what would happen if Ivan and the three whose avatars were stolen joined them, but for now, the fact that those three were enemies made Hayato feel a little uneasy.

Come to think of it, was there a reason for sending Grinee-san and the others to the battlefield before the AI finished learning? Randa-san predicted they wouldn't be sent out until the very end, and I thought so too...

The Blackjack members whose avatars had been hijacked would regain consciousness and become our allies if they were defeated. Because of that system, he had expected them not to appear until the very last moment, when defeat was imminent.

Also, the AI learns. He thought they would be deployed after letting the Demonfolk's AI learn as much as possible, so considering the situation, he had thought they would fight at the end of the Conflict.

But they participated in the battle around the Necropolis. They were only able to defeat Grinee and Orland, and the rest returned midway through, but that action could be called careless.

There was a possibility that it was some kind of strategy, but he didn't know what kind of strategy it was.

He had considered the possibility of them being spies like Xenobia, but they were originally asleep, so such negotiations should have been impossible. Considering that, he could only think that they were simply returned to their side.

In Lee-san's case, it's meaningless since she can't participate in the event, but it feels like Amanda-san and the others are increasing our fighting strength... or maybe they're increasing the number of people who regain their memories...?

Originally, he hadn't expected Ivan and the others to regain their memories. He had thought they would just regain consciousness and become allies, but when they woke up, their memories had returned. The same went for Grinee and Orland, and in Cecil's case, Amanda had directly intervened to restore her memories.

In Cecil's case, it was said to be an experiment, but it was doubtful whether it was really an experiment to restore memories as she had said.

Hayato thought about various things, but still couldn't find an answer.

"Master."

"Huh? Oh, Esha. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong is my line. You've been frozen for a while now. You're being targeted just as much as the Area Stone, so even if you can't fight, don't space out and pay attention to your surroundings."

"You're right. I'll be careful."

In the Dark Cave battlefield, there was basically no point in being on the surface. They fought to prevent each other from entering, but that was around the entrance. So there was no reason to defeat a player who was far from the entrance, but Hayato was being targeted.

That was only natural. If the clan "Daedalus" was defeated, the NPC clans they were allied with would disappear from the battlefield. So there was plenty of value in targeting Hayato, the leader.

However, the NPCs protecting Hayato were abnormally strong. Some players said it was more difficult than defeating the Demon Lord Lunaria.

The enemy's main forces are in the Dark Cave, and there are no major clans. There's no chance of losing. What is that?

The area around the Dark Cave was a mountainous region surrounded by rocks. The starting point was flat, as if it had been leveled. A shadow fell over it.

When Hayato looked up, an airship was flying overhead. It had been hidden by the mountains, and they had allowed it to approach.

It came from that direction, right? Is it a player who isn't participating in the event?

Both enemies and allies had their own designated starting points. They were about five hundred meters away from the entrance to the Dark Cave. Clans whose leaders were defeated would be forcibly removed from the battlefield, and players who were currently entered would come to the battlefield as replacements.

So, systematically, it was impossible to enter the battlefield from the outside. Despite that, the airship had entered the battlefield from the outside.

Wait, you can't enter during an event, right...?

Just as Hayato thought that, a cannonball attack rained down from the airship.

"Fortress!"

Orland rushed to Hayato's side and used his absolute defense skill. This prevented damage from the cannonballs.

"Esha!"

Orland shouted, and Esha immediately pointed the Beelzebub at the airship.

"Destroy."

A number of magic circles lined up from the muzzle towards the airship. When Esha pulled the trigger, a laser-like attack that destroyed the magic circles assaulted the airship.

Just before it hit the airship, something jumped out.

It looked like people, and nearly thirty of them were descending towards the battlefield.

The airship didn't come towards Hayato and the others, but headed for the entrance of the Dark Cave, causing both allies and enemies to scream in terror.

And the people landed near Hayato and his group.

They should have taken fall damage, but they used wind-type magic just before landing to nullify it. The impact kicked up a cloud of dust, and one person stood in the middle of it with an elegant posture.

"Hello, Hayato. I didn't have an invitation, but I decided to force my way in. Please forgive my rudeness."

"...Ronios..."

"Please don't look so displeased. I wanted to see you so much, Hayato."

Ronios was a woman and not bad-looking. But she was the next head of the Gemini Foundation, and frankly, she was annoying. Not being happy in the slightest was Hayato's impression.

Impressions aside, there was a problem.

Ronios hadn't participated in the Conflict event. She had been voluntarily refraining due to a "talk" with Ney and Jolt.

He had heard that the system had been changed to allow players to fight each other, as they had been able to fight Parsha and her group yesterday, but it seemed strange that they could change the system enough to intrude on an event, even with Hypnos's help.

If that was possible, it would be faster to do something about Hayato and his group instead of Ronios and hers.

That question must have been on his face, because Ronios pushed back her hair that covered her eyes with both hands, tied it up behind her, and raised the corners of her mouth.

"You look like you're wondering why I was able to come here, don't you?"

"Would you mind telling me?"

"Would it make sense if I said the events are overlapping? Right now, two events are happening on this battlefield. I can't participate in the Conflict event, but I can participate in the Hades Subjugation Event."

"Ah, so that's... I'd like to report that bug..."

"That's a good idea. But the administrators here are probably busy, aren't they? They're both in the middle of a battle."

Hearing that, Hayato raised his guard.

She was clearly talking about Diite and Hypnos, and she even knew they were administrators. He didn't know how much she understood, but Hayato thought she had about the same level of knowledge as they did.

"To put it in Parsha's style, should I say, 'One who knows the laws of the world?' I'm a little late to the party, but I've learned a little bit of the truth of this virtual reality myself."

Hayato couldn't say anything. He didn't know how much she knew, so he remained silent.

"Honestly, to try and monopolize something this interesting, Ney, Jolt, and even Parsha are terrible, aren't they? They could have at least told me. Don't you think so?"

"Perhaps they kept quiet because you'd be annoying if you knew?"

"Hahaha, you've got a sharp tongue! Well, there's no one in the real world who jokes with me like that, so it's refreshing. This is really fun!"

Ronios was talking with her guard completely down.

Hayato thought so, but seeing that Esha and the others weren't attacking carelessly, he reconsidered, thinking they were wary of Cremola, Harrington, and the other clan members standing behind her.

Ronios noticed this and nodded with a smile.

"It seems you understand. Normally, you wouldn't be able to damage an NPC by attacking them. We're not participating in the event, after all. But right now, thanks to the administrator, we're in a state where we can damage anyone."

"I know. We were just bombarded by your airship."

When Esha said that, Ronios's smile widened.

"Ah, that's right. Was that a bit too aggressive for a greeting? But if I didn't make you use your Destroy, I wouldn't be able to have a nice, long chat with Hayato like this."

"Did you not think that the bombardment might defeat my Master?"

"I didn't think that at all. I had faith in you. Well, that's enough chatting for now. From here on, it's a battle. After all, I have permission from the administrator to do as I please. Unlike last time, which was so anticlimactic, I'm going to fight until I'm completely burned out."

As soon as she said that, Ronios used Shukuchi to move in front of Hayato.

Without using the rapier at her waist, she threw a right straight.

Before the punch could hit Hayato, Ronios's right hand was knocked upwards.

Esha had thrust the barrel of the Beelzebub up from below with all her might. But that wasn't all. Cecil, who should have been a little farther away, was now at Hayato's side and, just like Esha, had thrust her sword up from below Ronios's right arm.

Immediately after, Cecil turned her back to Ronios, spun horizontally, and delivered a spinning back kick.

"Hey, hey, if you want a rematch, I'm first, right? Cheating isn't good, you know?"

Since she kicked while holding her sword, Ronios took no damage. However, the impact of the kick created distance, and Ronios regained her posture and smiled.

"I thought I had been dumped already, but it seems I'm not so bad after all. In that case, I'll be your opponent."

Ronios drew the rapier "Eclipse" from her waist and approached Cecil.

"Hayato, get out of the way!"

Cecil pushed Hayato back and headed towards Ronios, blocking the rapier's attack with her sword. Immediately after, a fierce exchange began.

As he was told, Hayato gradually took his distance. Orland shielded Hayato, and Grinee guarded him by stopping the long-range players who were targeting him.

"Well then, Noat, you provide support. I'll take care of that fake maid. I'll teach her what a real maid is."

Esha said this while looking at Cremola, who was dressed in a maid outfit.

That Cremola was holding a melon pan in each hand, eating them alternately while staring at Esha.

"Then I shall take that man."

Relic stared at Harrington, who was dressed like a knight.

Harrington sighed and bowed his head.

"...I'll just say that I'm sorry for my master."

And so, the battle between the clans "Blackjack" and "Shooting Star" began.