6
Chapter 6
From the next day on, every day was the same.
Kanto, the warriors, and I would earn points, and Paya would chat with me and occasionally oil my body; basically, they were boring days with nothing special happening.
I had no choice but to do that.
There was only one thing I could do in this body: the community.
Of course, I didn't focus on the most recent posts.
[Melee-type Spy: I know I'm whining and being an eyesore, but
If I'm told not to do it, I won't do it—I already posted this exact same thing at the same time two months ago. The post is literally identical, but back then it got zero replies and was buried; why does this one have over twenty? I'm sorry for venting, but I'm already depressed because of some personal issues, and seeing this makes me feel so cheated. It feels like nothing is going my way. I was so angry that I accidentally pooped while farting and then threw up.]
When this kind of stuff is posted every day, I lose all desire to browse.
And there's Melee-type Spy again, posting useless drivel. I've somehow memorized the nickname.
In the end, I looked for the early posts, which were relatively rich in information.
[Godori: Hey guys, what was the date before you came here? Mine was [Month] [Day], 201x.]
└ [Won Bulls: What? It's 202x now. Who are you?]
└ [Godori: OMG]
So everyone came from different time periods. This is information I'm seeing for the first time.
There were many helpful posts, but the one who provided the highest quality information was George.
He was a mister, a former US Marine (according to himself), who explained the reality of the situation to the confused newbies who had fallen into this world.
[George: I will share some information.
If your level is still low, live in the mountains. Based on my findings, demons and demon worshippers do not climb the mountains unless there is a special reason.
They strictly use civilized areas as their bases. Or rather, they don't seem interested in natural spaces. Regardless, if you find an artificial structure, assume there is a demon and act accordingly.
The Infected travel in packs, but they have low intelligence and are weak. Hunt them to gain experience.
Mutants and the Infected are not their minions, but are closer to beings created by the demons' demonic energy. They were basically born by accident.
So, do not be afraid even if there are many Infected. Demons or worshippers will not come looking for them just because they were killed.
Just beware of the round creatures floating in the sky. They are called Devil's Sight. These strange, one-eyed creatures are the true minions of the demons.
If you must pass through an area where they are present, kill them by striking from behind.
Even in games, you aren't considered a newbie until you hit level 3. Hunt only the Infected and build your strength until at least level 3.]
[George: I will tell you about things you can eat.
You're probably wondering what you should eat to survive here. I'll give you some information on edible things.
Mushrooms with antenna-like growths are edible. Yes, I'm talking about those common red mushrooms found in the mountains. The taste is mediocre, but they provide essential nutrients.
However, you must remove the antenna and boil them thoroughly before eating. The antenna contains ingredients that cause hallucinations and paralysis, making it dangerous.
If you eat them before bed, you might never wake up.
As for the Infected, many avoid them because their green blood seems foul. However, most animals, including the Infected, are safe to eat if cooked.
The green blood is contaminated and altered by demonic energy, but it doesn't significantly affect Holy Knights like us. Don't worry too much.
The purple fruit that grows on trees is also edible. You don't need to cook or boil this one; you can eat it raw. Just make sure to remove the seeds. Eating too many seeds may cause an upset stomach.
A healthy mind resides in a healthy body. Let's make sure to eat well.]
As expected, unlike recent posts, this one is packed with high-quality information.
Since I'm currently a totem, most of this isn't helpful to me, but it's great information to pass along to the barbarians while pretending to be a god.
With various thoughts swirling in my head, I read George's next post. There was a long gap since he must have been busy.
[George: I've dealt with the demon and the worshippers who were occupying the village.
It's a shame this community doesn't allow image attachments.
My current level is 5. I've learned five skills.
I took down 65 demon worshippers and one demon.
It was a low-tier demon that looked like a half-bird, half-reptile. A Cockatrice? Something like that. The corpse turned to ash, just like a vampire.
The village is called Primson. I plan to use this place as a base or a strategic stronghold starting today.
Pay close attention from this point on, as this is important.
I found five Holy Knight helmets in Primson village. All of them were blood-soaked and crushed.
Let me be clear. Other Holy Knights exist in this world besides us.
A user once asked a question a while back. They weren't sure if we all fell into the same world or similar parallel worlds.
The opportunity to find out has arrived. If you can, come to Primson village and join me.
I'll hang a red flag at the village entrance, so look for it.]
Ah, I was curious about that too.
The reaction in the comments was intense.
Many were enthusiastic about George being the first to fight and win against a village, but quite a few were also filled with anticipation at the possibility that we are in the same world.
Though not everyone was excited.
[Melee-type Spy: But seriously, what happens if we actually meet?
Ah... you're the LoliDiceLover Holy Knight. Hello.
And over there, is that the OopsFartDiarrhea Holy Knight?
I see. Now shall we wait for the GirlsCanDoAny Pang Holy Knight?
Is that all it takes???
What are we even going to do gathering like that without a clear vision?
Speaking as a level 999 Holy Knight,
You'll just become targets for the demons, so just live quietly on your own.]
Melee-type Spy... he had been around since the beginning. Of course, this post received countless hateful comments.
[Gustavro: Aren't you being too negative? If you don't want to go, just don't. It'll be hard to get a map anyway, so most people won't be able to make it. Even if they do, most maps will be a mess.]
[Doron: I can tell your level just by reading your post. Were you a jobless loser who did nothing but play games at home on Earth?]
[Full Play: It's better to gather and fight together than to sleep rough alone in the mountains. We can take turns keeping watch and even build walls for the village. No matter how I look at it, gathering seems like the better option.]
[Godori: True. But what if it's a demon's trap? We should consider the possibility that a demon is using the community to lure us in.]
└ [Full Play: Only Holy Knights can use the community, so how would a demon be able to post?]
└ [Godori: They could manipulate a corpse or brainwash someone...]
└ [Full Play: In the end, that's just your headcanon. Even in the game, demons couldn't do that.]
[Spotty: Shut up, you community creep.]
Regardless, the community was buzzing due to the huge issue sparked by George, and some who managed to get their hands on a map eventually found Primson village.
[Pumopumo: I've arrived at Primson village.
There's no sign of anyone. I see a red flag at the entrance.
Ah, I'm so nervous. If I don't post anything for ten minutes from now, assume I'm dead and that George was lying through his teeth.
Going in now! Wish me luck!]
The next post was uploaded by George and Pumopumo together.
[George: Pumopumo has joined.
We are currently eating together.]
[Pumopumo: What, this is actually real???
I'm eating mushroom soup right now. Soup made from those antenna mushrooms George mentioned before.
George is a Westerner with a great physique. I mean, all Holy Knights are Westerners, but still.
Anyway, it's for real, so come join us if you can. We have plenty of food.]
Oh. Oh!!!
It really was the same world! I wasn't the only one possessed by this damn game!
It was incredibly comforting news. To know that I wasn't thrown into this horrible world all alone.
Maybe one day I'll be able to meet other humans from Earth.
I'm a bit scared of what they'll think when they see me, but at least there's a possibility.
Gaining a small glimmer of hope to keep living, I continued to scroll through the posts.
Quite a few people had joined George's base in Primson village. It seemed like almost every Holy Knight living nearby had come.
In total, five people had gathered.
[George: Maybe this is what the community feature is for.
Helping us find each other.
Waking up in those caves was like a game tutorial to test if we could survive in this environment, and once we adapted, the community was meant to bring us together.
I've put my head together with the others to think about how we can return to Earth.
It's certain that simply surviving won't be enough to clear this game.
Why did the game company send us here? Why did they put a strange feature like the community in our status window?
I believe that to clear the game, we must drive the demons out of this land.
Exactly. It's something that can never be done alone. That's why they added the community function.
We must gather. We need to group up to defeat the powerful demons that no one can take down alone.
Only then can everyone go home.
You don't have to gather around me specifically. However, I believe forming groups is essential.
My group will now operate as a raid party. We will visit other villages and eliminate the demons and worshippers.
I'll share the information my comrades and I find on the community.
If you have a map and are thinking about joining, send me a private message.]
I didn't know you could send private messages. There are still so many features I don't know about. It would be great if there were a community manual. What a shame.
Regardless, George formed a raid party and recruited team members.
[George: Our raid party has decided to tackle the neighboring village.
The village is called Jackson. It's similar in size to Primson, so I don't expect any major threats.]