Why Are You Guys Betting Against Me?

Outwind. As befits a proud variety-game VTuber, I've streamed a truly wide range of titles. Out of everything, the ones I enjoy most are high-freedom sandboxes. Historical simulations, League of Legends, games where every run feels completely different. The Outwind session I fired up after four warm-up matches falls squarely into that category.

The story kicks off with the entire ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wagon train getting annihilated by bandits. The tutorial therefore consists of limping back to the village with a single surviving friend, completely broke.

When I finally staggered home, the villagers greeted me with that charming line.

“Hmm?”

“Well… it is medieval, I guess.”

It’s hard for a modern mind to accept, but in a medieval setting it’s not exactly unrealistic. Of course…

“I don’t actually have to pay this back, right?”

I have zero intention of paying it obediently. Running away from the starter village is the classic move, isn’t it? What’s the point of hanging around the beginner area? I’m the hero—I need to head somewhere grander.

“The past is behind me. One step forward…”

Thankfully the village chief calmed the adults down. He even offered to adopt me and clear the debt. Is this a branching choice? More importantly, the chief’s a genuinely good guy.

“Sigh… now I actually feel attached to the village.”

“Before I make any decisions, let’s walk around the village and learn the vibe first.”

Since becoming a variety streamer I’ve played countless games. Even if a title isn’t exactly friendly, I can usually figure it out in minutes. After listening to the chat’s advice, it sounds like the early game plan is to loot every item in the village, sell them, and buy basic gear.

“Oh, there’s stuff like this here.”

Clang! Kang!

I smashed the earthenware jars in every empty house, rifled through shelves, and gathered anything worth selling. Important safety tip: looting an occupied house turns the residents hostile, so be careful.

“The world needs saving, you know~ I’m the hero~ I have to save the world~”

Clang! Kang!

After smashing jars, shattering windows, kicking beds, and vacuuming up every silver coin hidden underneath, I finally had enough to buy decent armor and weapons.

“What do people usually run for weapons?”

“Uh, yes sir.”

Following chat’s advice I bought a greatsword from the shop. Of course fantasy means greatsword.

By the way, I selected hardcore difficulty. Die once and the character is permanently deleted instead of respawning. A variety gamer has to at least go this far.

“How many worlds have I saved and you people still doubt me?”

“Just trust me and watch.”

Incidentally, I opened an online gambling window the moment the game started.

If my character dies today the second group wins. If I survive all the way, everyone who bet on the first option sweeps the pot. The odds are nearly fifty times, so I’m planning to clean house.

“How can your faith be this weak?”

“You think this is League?”

When the odds are this lopsided it brings out my stubborn side. I rested the greatsword on my shoulder and turned toward the village gate.

“Time to head out.”

“Just watch who wins in the end.”

These people. What’s the problem with a greatsword? From what I’ve seen the combat feels a lot like Souls-style games. To someone who started as an Ashen Knight, a greatsword doesn’t look that bad.

So I strode boldly out of the village. A vast plain stretched before me, a rugged road barely wide enough for a single wagon, and two bandits standing there like set dressing.

I marched straight up. The bandits mumbled something incomprehensible, so I closed in and hammered the attack button.

Whoosh—

The heavy greatsword swept sideways in a slow, powerful arc… and the bandits simply—

Swish!

“Huh?”

I’d expected to land the first hit for free, but the bandit slipped backward smoothly.

“…This isn’t as easy as it looked?”

Is the combat AI actually decent? It’s common sense that trash mobs usually don’t dodge.

Watching the chat swing between glee and despair, I refocused. At least my gear is superior. The bandits are wearing rags while I looted every empty house for scale armor and an iron helm. On top of that I have a steel greatsword. Even if the AI dodges a little, the outcome is already decided.

“Hoo…”

And just as expected the fight ended quickly.

“That wasn’t much, was it?”

I looked down at the bandits sprawled on the ground. It had been fierce, but exactly the level you’d expect right outside the village.

“Okay, where to next?”

“Hmm, is it fine to head there now?”

“A bandit camp, huh. I’m excited.”

I said while rummaging through the corpses. A camp ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠strong enough to wipe out an entire merchant caravan must be full of good loot, right?

“Oh, what’s this?”

While enjoying the chat reactions and farming, I pulled a red strip of cloth from one of the bodies.

“So if I use this it adds an elemental attack?”

“Got it. I’ll pick up everything.”

An enchant? How cool is that? A flaming sword is every gamer’s dream.

“These guys were pretty well-stocked.”

After ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠looting the bandits I came away with two antidotes, one Fire Cloth, some scraps of cloth, and simple rations.

“Supplies secured. Shall we head straight to the bandit camp?”

I have a world to save. No time to dawdle. I opened the map and sprinted toward the bandit camp.

“That was quick.”

The camp was surprisingly close to the village. In the distance I could see a wooden palisade and smoke curling up from a large bonfire.

The scale looked decent, but I didn’t feel any real tension. I’d already seen the bandits’ level. Numbers could be annoying, but they were still cloth-wearing mooks with bladed weapons. Above all… they’re early-game trash mobs. A hero who has saved countless worlds has no reason to be afraid.

Despite the patriotic anti-bet squad clinging to my pants leg begging me to stop, I walked straight toward the main gate.

The gate guards spotted me, shouted their nonsense, and charged with crude spears. Gatekeepers, I assume.

“Come at me, all of you!”

Carrying the viewers’ screams, mockery, and expectations, the battle didn’t last long.

“I really thought I was gonna die, you bastards…!”

It was simple, really. I just ate the spear hits and split their skulls open with the greatsword.

“Ow… that actually hurts.”

I chugged the potion I’d looted earlier and sorted my items. After taking a hit it felt manageable so I played aggressive, but it had been riskier than I expected.

“Why the hell are you betting half a year against me?”

That guy’s lost it too. I really did almost die just now. Still, this aggressive style conserves stamina nicely. The game has both stamina and a separate energy gauge. The universal roll eats a ton of energy, so playing a little dangerously was the right call. With multiple opponents, dodging everything would leave me with no energy to attack and only make things worse.

“Really? Is this beginner’s luck?”

I tossed the empty bottle on the ground. I had to drink both to reach full health.

“I think I’ve cleared most of them now…”

Health topped off, I looked around and stepped deeper into the camp. A few more minions had rushed out during the gate fight and I’d killed them all, so the interior felt empty.

“There’s nothing here? What was all the fuss about?”

“For real? Even if there is something, it’s still just a bandit. What’s the big deal.”

More importantly, the game doesn’t seem as hard as everyone made it sound. It’s actually pretty doable. Maybe looting the village so thoroughly in the beginning helped? I was thinking that with the default cloth armor it would have been brutal, when—

Clank. Clank.

From the shadowed depths of the camp came the sound of metal scraping on stone.

“Huh?”

I turned and saw something gleaming emerge from the darkness. A figure wearing shiny silver full-plate armor that caught the sunlight…

Yes, a bandit. But one that might as well be a knight.

“…How the hell do you beat that?”

A quick glance at the stats beside its name showed extremely high physical defense. The greatsword that had been splitting heads so reliably suddenly looked useless. I was seriously considering retreat when—

“Ah, right.”

The chat reminded me of the cloth I’d found earlier. Yeah, I had that item. Since the enemy was playing dirty by wearing full plate, I might as well use every tool I had too.

Watching the Bandit Knight stride toward me, I pulled the Fire Cloth from my bag.

Ha, why is everyone so scared? Did betting points turn them all into cowards?

“Watch closely… and don’t tell a soul.”

Whoosh.

The moment I wrapped the blade with the Fire Cloth, fierce flames roared along the sharp edge.

“Let’s do this.”

High defense? Then I’ll just burn it to ash.