Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Defeated the Demon King - 2
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Who was it that said good news and bad news always come together?
I had just opened my laptop, thrilled by the good news that came in at dawn.
I was about to start playing *Pursuit of the Eight Stars*, a game I'd heard a million times that I'd done enough and it was time to quit.
Then a sudden Steam chat popped up on my monitor.
It was from the developers of *Pursuit of the Eight Stars*.
[Um...]
Why the hell would the devs chat a random player like me?
The question quickly turned to suspicion, and in an instant, I stretched and changed my appearance.
Into one of utter horror.
Just that one line in the chat window sent cold sweat down my spine and my hands and feet trembling.
[...you know, right?]
"...Fuck."
With that, I was possessed into the game.
[You can return to reality once you achieve all accomplishments.]
When I came to, it was a deep night in the city.
The sky was dark, but even on this night with only a lone red moon hanging, the city shone as bright as midday.
Slightly sleazy taverns for men hung quiet red lanterns, while gambling dens where fights broke out not for life but for gold used green ones.
Inns selling food that might not last till tomorrow glowed yellow, and shops selling gear for adventurers and soldiers fighting monsters shone blue.
The city's myriad shops lit up with lanterns of every color, making it seem full of life.
Unlike my utterly deflated mood.
Wait, aren't these things supposed to require venting your frustrations and curses to enter?
Why this trial for an innocent guy like me who didn't even do that?!
Of all the roguelikes, why drop me into *this* one, notorious for its filthy difficulty?
"Ha... fuck."
As an outsider to the city—no, the world—I could only bite my lip.
The sky is black, the moon is red.
The moon is red.
Party members fixed at three or fewer, stress levels and enemy attack/defense boosted—Hardcore mode.
The one silver lining was my class: "Sage," available only in Hardcore.
True to its title, *Pursuit of the Eight Stars* let players choose from eight classes including Hero to form a party.
Hero, Knight, Archer, Warrior, Mage, Priest, Thief, Shaman.
But Hardcore added one more: Sage.
The ninth pursuer that shouldn't exist, a class with a setting that made fanboys shiver in excitement.
"Jack of all trades, master of none," "know-it-all," "the wise one," "broken character"—it could use every skill from the eight main classes and their subclasses.
Except their unique ultimate skills.
A crumb of mercy from the devs for the brutal limited-party size.
Even if it couldn't use ultimates and skill power was weaker than the native class.
Being able to use a variety meant handling many situations.
That's why Hardcore players always slotted in a Sage, and I had too.
Of course, best would be playing Hero and controlling everything myself...
Even an optimist like me draws the line at getting tsundere'd into fujo bait.
"Ha..."
More swearing was pointless.
I could curse till I made forty thousand *fucks* and it wouldn't get me back to reality.
Plus, this game's gimmick: excessive stress meant death.
So, positive mindset it is.
No matter how shitty reality gets.
And it's not hopeless.
[You can return to reality once you achieve all accomplishments.]
My one clue and hope was set.
So.
No choice.
It was late night, the hour when the dawn star strained to show itself despite the red moon.
People heading home after late shifts.
Or those returning to dingy inns for tomorrow's battles.
Or those wandering for one more drink.
I passed folks filling the streets for all reasons and arrived at Tail Tavern.
Where the Hero meets comrades in Chapter 1.
Players meet party members here, starting the main story.
Please, let recruitment not be over.
Clasping my hands in prayer, I opened the door.
"Alright! To defeating the Demon King!"
A beautiful blonde stunner.
A stern-faced female knight in short silver hair mixed with blue and battered armor.
And an elf woman archer in light garb with jet-black hair.
The three beauties clinked glasses, dreaming of a bright future.
Hero.
Knight.
Archer.
Seeing the party comp, my mind went blank.
Kids...
How do you plan to manage stress and recovery without a healer...?
"Um."
"Yes?"
"Excuse me, are you Hero Claire? I heard you were recruiting, so I came..."
"Oh, um. What do we do?"
Flustered, she bowed her head and apologized, not knowing what to do.
"Recruitment's already closed..."
I took a shot on the off chance, but no dice.
My blueprint for all accomplishments, planned on the way, turned to trash in seconds.
Cold sweat dripped down my back, neck stiffening.
Hardcore mode, no Sage, no healer?
Forget Demon King—this party wipes before Chapter 3.
Only the Hero can defeat the Demon King...
This won't do.
Panicking but forcing a smile at Claire, who clearly wasn't considering me.
Leventia and Evangeline, who joined before me, chattered to comfort me, but I mumbled replies while racking my brain.
As a gamer with ten thousand hours in this game, a new blueprint for all accomplishments formed fast.
"Well, nothing to be done."
"Yeah... sorry."
I shook my head at her regretful face.
Retreat for now.
Alone at a table, sipping beer, I watched the trio.
All dreaming hopeful tomorrows, but anxiety lurked in their eyes, stress already building as Hardcore proved itself.
But don't worry.
Like it or not.
I'll make you defeat the Demon King.
For that.
I can give you all the agape you need.
====
...My mind blanked for a sec, flashing back.
I glanced at the ones who'd driven me nuts.
An intellectual beauty of a priestess.
And a wolf beastkin boy shaman whose beaming smile suited him perfectly.
These two, teamed for this quest, had broken my mind in hours since starting.
What amazing weirdos.
"Wow! Sage! We're taking down a wyvern now?! Wyvern! Wyvern! Wow! I've never seen one! Think we can do it? We can, right? Right? Right?"
The hopelessly cheery wolf shaman chattered with a big grin.
"Wow! You know wyverns! Just in case, wyverns have a pair of wings and a long tail ending in diamond shape. Teeth vary by type but dozens baseline, and ours has poison!"
The priestess pushed up her glasses on her white nose bridge and explained.
Longer than usual.
"But Sage can use detox magic too!"
"Yes. Detox is basically water-related healing, divided into two types. Origin-wise, magic vs holy power—yours is magic, water side. Super effective on bio-toxins, so poison threat drops big!"
"Oh, got it! Still, wyverns are dangerous! I trust Priestess's healing too!"
"Don't rely on healing alone. You might know, but healing accelerates natural recovery or uses holy power to..."
Half a year since leaving the Hero party.
To unlock "From Now On, I'm an S-Rank Adventurer," I'd joined the Adventurers Guild and taken every quest, party be damned.
Hence, stuck partying with these types.
But this is too much, right?
One explanation spammer, one flower boy...
Are adventurers *this* insane?!
In months questing this village, normals were countable on fingers, and the last one's nuts too.
"By the way, Sage."
"What."
"New guild quest. Looking for you! Hero party desperately seeking Sage! Gonna ignore?!"
A month after ditching Hero party, guilds and villages sought me. Checked: Hero, knight lady, elf all hunting me.
Some villages they visited personally, but no encounters.
Not avoiding. If I was, they'd avoid me.
Only reason: more accomplishments beat sob stories.
"Ignore it."
"Wow! Hero party..."
"Oh, please Priestess. Shut your trap. Time to wyvern soon."
"Wyvern!! Hellooo, Mr. Wyvern!"
"You shut up too..."
Gonna lose it.
Hero party kids are saints by comparison...
Wait, are they?
Anyway, kill fast and bounce. Lots to do.
Wyvern done, village quests over.
Hope next village has normals...
-Kieeeek!!
Harsh screech, sky darkens. Grotesque monster covered in black blotches.
Wyvern dove at us, eyes venomous.
Wolf shaman raised staff. Priestess pulled holy book, praying.
Me, the Sage...
"Bind."
Chains flew, wings bound, it crashed dazed.
"Hyah!!"
Smashed with hammer.
As it reeled from Warrior's Crash, shaman drew dagger, laughing wildly, bounding lively.
"Wooah! Wyvern's huge!"
"Wyvern grew this big from Chaos baptism pre-Demon King. Many monsters changed, wyverns worst. Theories on that..."
Ears gonna bleed.
Can't you shut up and fight?
...Seriously.
Past or present, no sane party members.
Everyone's got a mental issue tucked away, but this game stresses even side characters to death.
Not incomprehensible.
Adventurers or Hero party—life sustained by killing others.
Bigger burdens than normal life hit body and mind.
"Uwooo! Got it! Got it! Wyvern's no biggie! Ahaha! Great job, Sage! Hunting your way's easy! Others too? Twin Ogres? No! Mud Dragon!! Or..."
"Wow! You know Twin Ogres! Suuuper scary! Two heads on an ogre..."
God gives trials one can bear.
But amid hardship, can't it be easier ones?
Last time, nympho. Before, klepto.
This time, manic kid nonstop laughing/chattering and chronic explainer...
Why can't I party with normals?
Anyway, quest done, wyvern head in hand, back to village.
"Alright, disband. Never again."
"Ehhh~! I wanna keep going with Sage! Fixed party? I'll apply! You just sit pretty!"
"Fixed parties form via guild app, mostly long-time synced adventurers. Thus..."
"Enough? Don't apply. I'll get mad."
Clean reject. Plenty sane adventurers out there—no sticking with these.
No wonder good record but low rank.
"Here."
Dropped wyvern head at guild desk instead. Clerk smiled bright.
"Good work. Wyvern's tough..."
"All village quests done now?"
"Uh... yeah. Um, Sage. Letter from palace..."
"If Hero party's looking, toss it."
"No, direct from palace."
No way? Not even S-Rank yet, palace quest?
Took letter, read, laughed.
"What?"
"Recommends me as Princess's mentor."
"Wow! Amazing!! Royal tutor!"
She flailed excitedly, but such honors are side gigs to me.
Chance to one-shot "S-Rank Mentor" accomplishment, normally multi-stage.
Anyway, no reason to refuse.
Even if Hero party shows.
Author's Note
Starting new series hehe thank you~