138 - NoName's Invasion

Half the viewers had apparently met Adella in person, while the other half still hadn't heard the news.

"For ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the time being, you can meet Adella in VR space. She's a kid who doesn't know much, so don't tease her too much, bully her, or teach her anything bad."

"Shall we slowly watch the ending then?"

The ending credits she'd skipped earlier started rolling from the beginning again. Illustrations of confrontations with each division's bosses, overlapping with actual footage of her battles—it was visually stunning.

"Yeah, what am I exactly? That's a profound question."

Philosophical questions could go on forever, so she brushed it off lightly this time. Then came the if-story. Jin Chronicle teaching academy students in an ordinary scene, surrounded by them bombarding him with questions—contrasting his usual prickly demeanor. Nocturne Nailingk with her family, scolding her younger siblings playing in the water while doing laundry with her mother by the stream. Callistus I, risen from slavery to pope, founding an orphanage for war orphans. Adella, living a normal thief's life, forms a mercenary band and becomes a renowned adventurer. Tales of people living peacefully in a world without demons. Seeing them compiled like this left a lingering aftertaste.

"Why do you think I turned the stream back on? So many people came to see me, not just Adella."

"Just one round. The stream's been going on forever today."

In World of Arceria, combat power mostly scaled with final stats. Clear time barely mattered, and sub-quest completion gave minor bonuses, but nothing major. Still, with all the enemies smashed and soldiers skull-crushed, it had to be at least six figures.

Even the traits from defeating Nocturne's puppets.

"I'm not sure about multi yet—don't know the rules well enough to not drag the team down."

Smashing everything was her specialty, after all. With a touch of excitement, she entrusted herself to the light.

The first game was a symbolic day in one's life. If they hadn't started that game as a kid, or hadn't tasted sweet victory in it, and so on. Some regretted not starting sooner, others regretted starting too early. But no one could predict the future, so the six players set off into Arseria Forest with excited hearts, signaling the expedition's start.

"Whoa!"

The archer woman inhaled the earthy scent unique to dense forests and let out a cheer.

"Whoa, this is Arseria Forest. First time seeing it in-game."

The man gripping a zweihänder awkwardly leaned his sword against a tree and marveled similarly.

"Looks like everyone else's first game too? All proficiency at 0."

"Yeah. They nailed the game tho, right bro?"

A hefty shield knight in full plate armor from the start, and a rapier-and-main-gauche dual-wielding thief who seemed like old pals from real life. Their speech was unmistakably middle-aged.

"Rowdy before it even starts."

A fire mage boy pitifully eyed those unadjusted to VR, but even he couldn't calm his pounding heart—his first multiplayer too.

"..."

The five could only gawk at the last summoned woman. Her unreal beauty far surpassed human limits. Delicate features, toned build, elongated limbs—like a guardian of Arseria Forest straight from the story.

"Whoa... that skin's top-tier, miss?"

"Bro, like I said—this is VR. Could be a dude."

"Oh right. Almost drooled."

The boy in the woman's karma averted his gaze, while the interested archer and knight approached.

"Whoa, your skin's gorgeous! First game for you too?"

"All six first-timers. Let's do great!"

"Yeah, let's."

"Healer... right? Sword on hip had me thinking thief for a sec."

The knight only realized she was a priest from the job next to her nick.

"Yes, priest. Skia Bona's my off-hand."

"Oh, that's Skia Bona. Gotta raise one next."

"You lot gonna line up or what? 30 seconds till start."

The robed boy quelled the budding duo with a point.

"Heh heh, so exciting! Wonder what our enemies are like?"

The woman's anticipatory mutter,

"What the fuck is this..."

But the boy's curse flipped the mood ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠instantly.

"Kids these days got foul mouths."

"Yeah. Prime scary age."

"Why are all enemies Plat-Diamond?!"

His staff hand trembled wildly.

"This make sense?"

Balance mattered in 6v6. Even normal games had standards.

The knight sidled up. "Why? Our foes all pros?"

"Look! All proficiencies over lv.100! Ranks Plat 3 to Diamond 4!"

"Plat-Diamond sounds elite. Why'd we match this?"

"How should I know? Why are all the monsters over there?!"

The boy gnashed his nails. Competitive type. For his first game, endless prep and VTube guides watched. Foes' playtime unknown, but minimum 1k hours each. Enemy average combat power: 50k+. Allies: 10-15k. After 30 min, gap triples easy. Fire mage boy hit 20k via guides—still Silver tier.

Thud—

"Ah... sorry. Let's do our best."

The blonde woman, heading to the gate, lightly bumped the boy. He flinched at her presence. Her flat tone and shoulder pat froze him.

'No way.'

His arm shook up. Finger pointed at her, he doubted his eyes on the interface.

The real monster lurked in their own ranks.