Ep15. Player Versus Environment (2)
A helmet adorned with a bright red tail-like crest, paired with mismatched silver cloth garments. The crest on the helmet, in particular, burned like a torch, flickering wildly in the wind. It seemed like they'd at least matched the colors knowing the outfit clashed, but it still looked utterly ridiculous. That bizarre sense of style was utterly Player-like.
Encountered a Player.
On top of that, in a way that was quintessentially Player-like, he didn't give a straight answer right away. Even if he hadn't unlocked 'dialogue' with NPCs yet, he should be able to respond to questions.
"Didn't catch that? Could be. You were too busy showboating like you appeared out of thin air."
"……."
"Asking again. Did you do this to Sephirah?"
A sleazy grin spread beneath the Player's helmet—or at least, that's how it felt. Now that the 'conversation with NPC' condition was met again, the Player replied:
"Obviously. Why else would I be posing like this?"
The voice echoed in a horrifically grating tone. Claire covered her ears, and Aiden grimaced. If someone could intentionally craft the most unpleasant sound for human ears, this would be the result.
"And thanks."
Ahem, ahem. The Player cleared his throat pointlessly and continued.
"Your question was the last one I needed to finally unlock 'dialogue'."
"Oh? Too bad. I really didn't want to hear that racket from you."
"Anyway! Yeah, I did it! Borrowed your friend's arm for some work I had to do."
"…You psycho."
As Aiden edged closer to where Sephirah lay, the Player slowly backed away. The glyph on the back of his hand still indicated he could use Fast Travel. This Player wasn't armed, and showed no will to fight yet.
"It's not like I have some weird fetish or anything? It's just like what that kid over there said. I was testing stuff. It was useful."
"If you wanted to do that, you should've tested on yourself. Not another Player."
"I've already done everything I could on my own body. Can't investigate NPCs or magic users with that, right?"
There were no visible wounds on his body, and his tone didn't sound like he was lying. If Sephirah was right, one of the things this Player had tested was 'the threshold of injury that prevents casting magic'. Sephirah had been the perfect subject for his curiosities.
"Hey, old man, that guy looks familiar."
"Not just your imagination."
Aiden chimed in as Claire was about to say the treatment was done. The iconic silver helmet stood out. It wasn't that familiar, but both of them felt like they'd seen it somewhere before. Quite recently, even.
"Not sure from an NPC perspective, but…."
Whether he'd heard them or not, the Player pressed on.
"Too much has changed. Players can now gather, quests are gone, NPCs are acting weird… I could go on forever! So who do you investigate first?"
"Us?"
"Nah, specifically you. Aiden."
The eyes inside the expressionless helmet fixed on Aiden. The second contender's true target wasn't Sephirah. Nor the other Players gathered here, nor EXP. He'd come for the center of it all: Aiden Oliver.
"Once I realized there were other Players here, I went looking in the noisiest spots. And there you three were. Hunting other Players, no less."
"So that's why you seemed familiar."
"You looked like the 'protagonist' there. Leading the charge, with others joining in."
As the Player mentioned it directly, Aiden finally recalled a minor incident he'd all but forgotten.
"Good with daggers, huh? Dodged thanks to my friend, though."
Four days ago, when they'd dealt with the golems awakened alongside that group of Players. As the hulking Player with the massive club rampaged and died, spouting nonsense, Aiden had nearly been hit by a dagger from afar. Claire had saved him, but the thrower had just tested the waters and vanished. That Player was now boldly revealing himself here.
Thud, thud!
From behind the Player, who was dragging out pointless chatter without any intent to attack, came the sound of someone climbing a ladder. Loqi Mendacium was first up to the stable's second-floor loft, with Hasselhoff following close behind.
The Player glanced back, showing Aiden his 'reinforcements'.
"One's a new face, so probably a Player… and the other's Loqi? How'd you drag that kid into this?"
"What the hell? How does this asshole know my name?"
"LD5214. Hard to say, right? Bad naming. You'll see me around, so just call me Eldi."
Loqi, first onto the roof, didn't panic much and drew his dagger. Strangers acting familiar and introducing themselves wasn't new.
"No… stay back, Loqi."
"What?"
At that moment, Sephirah rose from where she'd been sitting and stopped Loqi. Her external wounds were gone, but the blood that had spilled still stained her clothes, dripping in spots.
"Players usually avoid you like the plague, but not now. Step back."
"What, why? You think I can't fight? I can hold my breath without obstacles and—"
She glanced at 'Eldi', who was listening but not reacting.
"You know. You're famous. But that means they have counters for you."
"Counters…?"
"Got it? Back off. Even if not, back off. Okay?"
"Ha… fine."
Loqi grumbled incredulously but obeyed, slipping behind the railing and vanishing over the edge.
"Then why'd you even bring me?"
Leaving that complaint behind. In contrast, Eldi seemed delighted by the reversal, clapping and laughing.
"Spot-on call. Tough opponents always have thorough counters stacked against them."
Eldi's words sounded mocking at first glance. But it was true. They'd kept Loqi back precisely because he was too familiar. Tricky and hated by all, but that meant counters existed, lowering the difficulty. What helped in cases like this was….
"Aiden, what do you think? How to fight a Player who knows everything."
"Find something the Player doesn't know, probably."
It was almost too easy— the perfect answer. Even long-time Players wouldn't know everything. Like the changed Aiden Oliver.
"Can't win with info alone? Make it unwinnable."
"Yeah, like…."
Or create a situation no amount of counters could handle. In cruder terms.
"Ganging up?"
As the words left his mouth, another figure climbed the ladder onto the roof. Hasselhoff, in pristine, luxurious attire without a speck of dust.
Following him, five unnamed Players didn't use the ladder—they scaled the wall like insects.
"…Sephirah, these are the Players you called. Why are they climbing like that? It's creepy."
"Guess they wanted to… They're just weird."
Claire, having finished her minimal aid, stood by Aiden. Sephirah didn't step forward readily, but the rest encircled the single foe. The five bizarre Players joined in, seemingly for the fun of it.
"Ahahaha! Never imagined I'd see Players gather like this while messing around!"
But Eldi showed no fear, pulling a short, plain dagger from his inventory. By Player standards, where flashiness equaled power, this was clearly some random shop-bought weapon. Even now, as when he'd thrown it at Aiden, he was probing them all.
"Heads up—I'm not planning to kill anyone here. If you die anyway, your fault. Got it?"
"…Hm."
No one, Aiden included, believed him. Arrogance, more like. Seven fellow Players—not mere guards—and he spoke like victory was a given. But Sephirah, who'd faced him before, bit her lip.
"He's probably serious. He could've ended the experiment and killed her if he wanted."
Aiden, beside her, asked:
"This Eldi guy can overwhelm ten with one dagger? That strong?"
"Well, not raw power or speed… You might not get the term, but… heh."
Sephirah recalled Eldi's bare face from her isolation, giving a wry smile. Top Players who'd cleared the game had a certain image. They never lost, even with weak gear, so they ditched armor. No outfits left, so they tweaked bodies and looks. Eventually, flashy skins and voices to stand out, becoming objects of fear.
People called them.
"Goinmul… 'veterans' or something."
Tat-tat-tat!!
No sooner had Sephirah finished than one Player charged Eldi. Not drawing weapons first—they manifested them mid-motion, Player-style iaijutsu. A faint glow from the bare hand birthed a massive greatsword.
Whoosh!
Unpredictable weapon and arc—tricky. Meaningless against AI NPCs, but today's MVP for survival.
But.
"Whoa, that's pretty…."
Grab.
Eldi seized the Player's right arm, halting the heavy swing dead.
"…decent technique."
His tone was bored, belying the words. He scanned around, twisted the captured arm rightward. There, Hasselhoff charged with rapier.
Clang!!
The thrust was easily blocked by the Player's greatsword. Eldi checked again—no proper approaches. Team-kill fears and lack of confidence in targeting.
Players who never properly wielded swords couldn't chain attacks.
Kaga-gang!!
Only Hasselhoff pressed on, dodging the meat shield, stabbing blind spots.
Swish.
But Eldi used the Player as a shield each time, neutralizing him.
"How do you…."
"Only fight NPCs? This happens."
Hasselhoff reluctantly halted. Eldi gripped both arms now, planning to keep the meat shield.
"Must suck. You all fight fine solo, but now you're minding others and can't attack properly?"
"……."
"What? No replies?"
Still holding the struggling Player, Eldi noticed something off. Only six here. Hasselhoff and five weirdly costumed Players. Where was Aiden, the 'protagonist'?
Not just him. Loqi was sneaky, fine—but Sephirah and Claire were gone too. No escape.
A single river in parched earth,
A hidden ace in lost hands.
Sshhh…!
From above, a glittering beam fell on Eldi. Claire, cane-sword drawn.
Slash!!
Caught off-guard, Eldi released the arm to dodge—but too slow. His silver cloth tore, stained red.
"…No-hit failed."
Eldi regretted the HP loss. The one successful hit among many trials—from an NPC. An embarrassment for a top Player.
"Players can't chain, but in-lore NPCs can, huh…."
He shook off the regret, smiling. Of the vanished four, only Claire reappeared, readjusting.
Optimistically, three more fun attacks incoming?
"Alright then."
His torn cloth revealed purple skin.
"Come at me if you're confident!!"
Grinning despite the overwhelming odds.