Absolute Balloon Sword (For Real)
Absolute Balloon Sword (For Real)
Lanne & Grandia Academy: The Märchen.
In the original work, the hostile forces were largely two.
One was the New Kingdom Vampires, the other was the servants of the Evil God.
'There's a special breed called Disasters, but...'
It was right to set those aside.
Because they aren't specified as a clear faction from anywhere.
Sometimes they were an extension of the two forces mentioned earlier, and other times they acted independently regardless of those two factions.
'New Kingdom. The Evil God Worshippers.'
The two were hostile forces, yet their goals differed.
The goal of the New Kingdom was to wage war.
To make the inferior humans livestock and dominate them.
Ultimately, they wished to place the entire continent under their feet and reign.
'They don't wish for the world's destruction. They just want to rule.'
On the other hand, The Evil God Worshippers were different.
Because what they desired was the end of the world.
To borrow a passage from their scripture: <Let the Most High Night be manifested>.
Here, 'Most High Night' refers to the Evil God they serve.
'The goal of The Evil God Worshippers is to manifest their god.'
They wished to bring the Evil God down upon the continent.
In other words, it meant destroying the world.
They were psychopaths who believed they could be saved in the process.
Bastards you can't understand with normal thinking, nor should you even try to understand.
'The answer is to eradicate their seed.'
The bastards I'm dealing with this time.
Come to think of it, this is actually my first time directly clashing with 'The Evil God Worshippers', isn't it?
Even though I've often encountered 'The Apostles' up until now, I've never actually faced 'The Evil God Worshippers'.
'The Apostles of the Evil God, and The Evil God Worshippers.'
You might think they're the same, but they're actually completely different concepts.
Regarding this, I had a neatly organized post from my previous life.
I used to upload miscellaneous info posts sometimes.
[Title: Distinguishing Between Apostles and The Evil God Worshippers]
[Author: PlayingToFindBugs]
Hello, it's Bug-Finder.
Today, I found something interesting while reading the L&G setting book and brought it over.
It's a bit of trivia.
The Evil God Worshippers, Apostles of the Evil God.
The differences between the two, which seem similar but are different.
According to the setting released two days ago, the two don't belong to the same category.
1.The Evil God Worshippers
-> They are exactly what you think, those who worship the Evil God.
-> Basically, they are human.
2. Apostles of the Evil God
-> They are said to be beings from another dimension who receive the protection of the Evil God.
-> They are definitely not human, and are said to be beings closer to gods.
-> It's said they have a kind of symbiotic relationship with The Evil God Worshippers.
3.Interaction Between the Two
-> First, the The Evil God Worshippers bastards offer sacrifices.
-> The Apostle hears that call and appears.
-> The Apostle fulfills a wish corresponding to the sacrifice.
Interesting.
I thought they were all part of the same circle since they share the "Evil" character, but it turns out their relationship is closer to a contractual one.
Maybe it feels like demons and demon worshippers in other games.
However, the difference is that Apostles are generally said to have blurred rationality.
Rather than thinking and moving on their own, they just move according to the sacrifices received.
That's all.
If this was helpful, please give it a like.
[Today's an info post?]
-> So where's the awesome bug?
-> PlayingToFindBugs) None today.
-> Hey!!!!!! I waited all day just for that!!!!!
[So where's the bug]
-> When are you gonna find a bug, you fucker
-> Don't abandon your main job using the setting as an excuse
-> PlayingToFindBugs) I uploaded one just 4 hours ago though...
-> Not enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[You really have no sense. What's with the info post.]
-> PlayingToFindBugs) I knew you'd all be like this, so I did find one in advance.
-> PlayingToFindBugs) It's a bug that tricks the system into mistaking the player for a The Evil God Worshippers faction member, allowing the user to use The Evil God Worshippers-exclusive items.
-> PlayingToFindBugs) By utilizing this bug, I confirmed that the [Interaction with Apostles] mentioned in the post above can also be utilized by the player. When I dropped a Red Knight on top of the vampires' human farm, they were so happy they looked like they were about to die.
-> ?????????
-> ????????
-> ?????
-> PlayingToFindBugs) Furuber Yurayura
-> Hey!!!!! You should've posted that first!!!
-> Why didn't you post it even though you found it!!!!!
-> Post it right now!!!!!!!
[Wait, fuck, what's that above?]
-> You mean players can make contracts with Apostles?
-> PlayingToFindBugs) It's a bit tough to match the items, but it's possible. Of course, they don't listen to orders like 'attack The Evil God Worshippers'. Seems they can distinguish being from the same faction.
-> ??? So that means it works against vampires? Attacking the New Kingdom with Apostles of the Evil God?
-> You can drop Apostle tactical nukes on the New Kingdom?
-> You're saying it becomes a real Furuber Yurayura situation?
-> PlayingToFindBugs) I'll post the article soon.
-> Fuck, I believed in you! He's a god!
-> Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder! Bug-Finder!
"Hmm hmm."
Today's prey is The Evil God Worshippers.
To be precise, the members of the branch that was colluding with Professor Glinbert.
Professor Glinbert did do his part, but in the end, he just followed their orders.
'The Pitch-black Night... That must have been part of their plan too.'
Giving Professor Glinbert that mysterious substance, making him get quarantined in that student hunting ground, manifesting the Red Knight at that location—it all means The Evil God Worshippers orchestrated it.
It wasn't just this incident.
Most of the incidents that occur later also had The Evil God Worshippers behind them.
'The closest one... Next month, the White Knight intrudes during the midterm exam.'
The White Knight.
An Apostle of the Evil God.
Among them, one of the most representative Four Knights of the Apocalypse.
They were Apostles on a similar level to the Red Knight I dealt with last time.
Aside from the two mentioned, a quartet consisting of the White Knight, Red Knight, Black Knight, and Blue Knight.
'It'll be a headache if the White Knight gets involved in the exam.'
The Apostle who leads plague.
The manifestation of the White Knight must be prevented.
In that case, I'll make a preemptive move before they do.
'I'll overturn the entire branch. So they can't interfere with the academy for a while.'
I thought.
'Might as well deal with the White Knight issue too.'
The best is to secure the White Knight's [Demise] itself.
If that happens, the ultimate Furuber Yurayura becomes possible.
The Evil God Worshippers side won't be able to do anything either.
While walking as if lost in thought, I kept checking the blue window.
Ding-!
[Linked Quest]
-Title: Finish it off properly?
-Content: Eradicate the branch of The Evil God Worshippers colluding with Professor Glinbert. Rescue the civilians captured for research materials.
-Failure Penalty: None
-Reward: A clue regarding ■■■
[Time Limit: 6 hours 03 minutes 39 seconds]
This quest was simple.
Cause havoc.
Secure the captured civilians.
Get the White Knight's Demise in hand.
(If possible)
"Shall we head in soon?"
"Hmm, let's do that."
Carmilla and I had already arrived at the destination.
Sneaking out of the academy was already the umpteenth time.
I was starting to get the hang of it.
This time, the distance was especially far, so I had to use Wall-Pierce consecutively.
The place we arrived at was deep in the mountains, a temple situated in a remote location.
There was a barrier deployed around it, but since Wall-Pierce was possible, nothing could block us.
"Your Highness... no, Maneur-gyeong."
"What is it? Vice-Captain Garurik."
"There's a saying. The only good The Evil God Worshippers is a dead The Evil God Worshippers."
"Should we bury them all? Leaving only those who were captured?"
"Exactly."
We were standing at the temple entrance.
A bloody smile burned and flowed at the corners of our mouths.
"Let's go."
The two are problem children but the strongest.
It was the dispatch of the Inquisitors Garurik & Maneur.
Having entered the temple interior like that, precisely one hour later.
Even though it was a short time, the inside had become a complete mess.
A laboratory disguised as a remote temple.
However, its true nature was a stronghold of The Evil God Worshippers researching demonic energy.
A place where they kidnapped people and committed all sorts of human experiments and massacres.
"Phew..."
Originally a place filled with the screams and cries of many.
A place where unjustly ended lives couldn't even have their spirits remembered.
The foul smell unique to blood and chemicals rises.
Inside the laboratory, demonic energy surged.
However, if there was something different in such a scene...
"Gyaaaaah!"
"S-spare me... Gahhk!"
"Fuck, headquarters! Contact headquarters! Send reinforcements quickly...!"
"C-communication isn't connecting! Gwaaahk!"
Perhaps the point was that today, the screams came from the opposite side.
Not from the iron cages confining the test subjects, but the sounds coming from beyond, from inside the laboratories.
Screams.
Terror.
Commotion.
Such things thoroughly dyed the laboratory.
Corpses slaughtered while trying to flee from something.
The deep red robes symbolizing the evil religion were dyed an even deeper red.
"It's a raid!! An unidentified intruder in the facility...!"
"Fuck!! How the hell did they get in?!"
"Everyone, secure the experimental data!!"
"Kraaaaahk!"
It's noisy.
"They breached the barrier outside the temple? How the hell...!"
"We're all done for!! They say even Lab 2 is annihilated!!"
"Someone's coming from the opposite side too! Damn it, they're both wearing masks!"
Those in commotion.
And so, they created another heap of corpses.
"Activate. Thorn Vines."
Chwaaaak-!
Following the lightly muttered spell, dozens of The Evil God Worshippers members split apart.
"G-g-g-g-gahhk..."
Thud-.
As I pulled the scythe back out, the contents spilled out just like that.
I was calmly walking down the blood-soaked corridor.
In one hand a Balloon Sword, in the other a scythe.
"Whew, this is tiring."
I quietly steady my breathing.
The corridor I passed through was drenched in the blood of the cultists.
It was a quite gruesome sight, but I didn't particularly feel pity.
'Well... They're not much different from the New Kingdom vampires I faced last time.'
If the New Kingdom vampires treated humans as livestock, the The Evil God Worshippers members treated humans as lab rats.
I could encounter traces of that everywhere.
Human eyeballs floating in test tubes.
Documents recording all sorts of unethical experiments.
Inside iron cages, test subjects who could no longer be called human.
The more I walked while carefully observing my surroundings, the more any hesitation just disappeared.
'Come to think of it, Alice was also from one of The Evil God Worshippers' labs...'
Project Alice-02
The name originally attached to the girl.
They were bastards unforgivable in many ways.
"Fuck! You're dead, you monster-like bastard...!"
"Oh my, you're trying to confront me instead of running."
"Who the hell are you!! Intruder, identify yourself!"
"I'm from L&G."
(Meaning a player of Lanne & Grandia Academy: The Märchen)
Cultists rushing from a blind spot.
I lightly step and Blink.
Immediately after, I appear behind them and behead them.
Sschhk-!
"Activate. Hammer."
Kwaaaaang-!
A body that only stops its activities after being completely crushed.
Maybe because they were corrupted by demonic energy, they didn't die from just a beheading.
'At least it's fortunate they're just pen-pushers in the labs...'
They weren't particularly strong.
Unlike with Professor Glinbert, it was a level I could handle sufficiently on my own.
Of course, there were a few tough ones, but I solved them with ambushes utilizing bugs.
There was no reason to give trash a fair frontal fight.
-Gwegh, gghh...
Lips muttering even though only the head remained.
Perhaps he managed to chant an incantation, a pitch-black spear shot towards me.
Sswaeaeaek-!
"Absolute Balloon Sword."
Click-.
Of course, not a chance.
The pocket watch's button is pressed, the world slows.
Immediately after, the Balloon Sword moves like lightning and performs a Parry.
Pik-.
The spear strike veers off onto an odd trajectory.
I slammed the scythe right into it.
"Your Mom."
(It means "Your Mom")
Kwaak-!
And thus, the cultists are dealt with.
Only I remained alone in the empty corridor.
"......Is this side done?"
It seemed about time to join up with Carmilla's side.
We had to free the civilians and catch the lab director managing this place too.
I adjust my Balloon Sword with a light grip.
"Phew... No time to rest."
Just as I let out a sigh and was about to leave the corridor.
A momentary light dyes my vision white.
Hwaaaak-!
"......?!"
I thought it was an ambush, but there was no presence felt.
Moreover, the light wasn't coming from elsewhere, but from my own hand.
To be precise, from the Balloon Sword.
From my soft, squishy Balloon Sword.
Just as I was putting a question mark over that, a status window that popped up in front of me soon explained the situation.
Ding-!
[You have cleared a hidden quest!]
-Title: I'll stake everything on this sword!
-Content: Successfully perform Parry 300 times with a single weapon.
[You have achieved the condition with incredible tenacity!]
-As a reward, a special option is granted to that weapon.
"Det."
What.
What is this.
What's happening all of a sudden.
Hwaaaak-!
Even while wondering that, light was still leaking from my Absolute Balloon Sword.