Chapter 25 — Levels That Won't Rise, Restrictions That Do
After lightly browsing through strategy guide sites and bulletin boards, I learned a few things.
First, while there are Unique Scenarios where you can visit Rabituza, no one has discovered a Unique Scenario that allows entry into the Rabbit Palace itself. Naturally, unless someone is hiding it, the existence of Vash and Emul as Vorpal Bunnies is a fact known only to me.
Second, it seems the Unique Monsters like Lycagon the Nightslayer correspond to what players have pieced together from talking to NPCs — the "Seven Colossi." Among those that have been discovered by players, there are four:
- Lycagon the Nightslayer
- Ctarnidd of the Abyss
- Siegwurm the Sky Ruler
- Orchestra of the Doom Echo
Apparently, two of them — Lycagon and Siegwurm — randomly spawn in every area except The Rampant Forest. My encounter with Lycagon the Nightslayer was a complete jackpot, for better or worse. But you apparently gain experience just from encountering a Unique Monster, and even if beginners will almost certainly die, meeting one is considered genuinely lucky.
Third, congratulations — Shangri-La Frontier has surpassed 30 million registered players. It seems Firstia is now overflowing with new players. Isn't this bad if I don't move to the next area quickly? Both in terms of leveling and avoiding player conflicts.
It's a problem that if I get too caught up in Unique Scenarios, I won't make progress on the main story... Thinking about this, I logged back into the world of SLF.
Emul: "Ah, you're awake! Good morning, Sunraku-san!"
Sunraku: "Huh? Oh, right. I updated my respawn point."
I woke up not in the inn at Secondale, but in a room in the Rabbit Palace in Rabituza. I don't know if Emul had been by my side the entire in-game time, or if she arrived right on cue, but when I sat up, she was hopping by the bed.
Sunraku: "Hey, can I go back to Secondale right now?"
Emul: "You sure can! With me around, it's quick and easy!"
This Vorpal Bunny teleportation device is incredibly convenient.
Sunraku: "Then I want to go back to Secondale for now. I want to advance through the towns."
Emul: "Understood! Just you wait a moment."
After a short while, Emul chanted "Coordinate Movement" (Teleport), and we were standing in an alley in Secondale.
Sunraku: "First, I'll stop by the old man's place to repair the Vorpal Chopper... and I need to level up, too."
Emul: "Oh, I almost forgot. Here, Sunraku-san. Our boss said you should wear this."
Sunraku: "Huh? What the..."
A collar that Emul had been holding suddenly wrapped around my neck, and I instinctively recoiled.
[You have obtained the Vorpal Soul Collar. It will be equipped automatically.]
Hey, hey, hey. Forced equipment items are a thing? Is this not a cursed item? I opened its description and was struck speechless.
Vorpal Soul Collar
A choker of discipline crafted by the Vorpal King. It cannot be removed without the King's permission.
Experience gained is halved, but the points awarded when you level up are multiplied by 2.5 (fractions rounded down).
This is because the weak require extraordinary hardship to gain strength.
Sunraku: "Wait, you're adding restrictions now, for real...?"
Emul: "That's how it is! 'Thou shalt not forget the Vorpal Soul' — that's what he says."
I still don't know what the Vorpal Soul is.
But more importantly, this added a pretty harsh restriction. Needing roughly double the effort to gain one level is really bad. Considering the benefit, though, once my equipment is in order, this is a top‑class leveling accessory. Actually, to put it mildly, isn't this a broken item? If you get 5 points per level up, with double the effort and rounding down... I'd get about 12 points? That's definitely broken.
Sunraku: "Well, anyway, I won't know until I actually fight."
Come to think of it, I haven't fought since being attacked by Lycagon the Nightslayer. I haven't verified my current status or the disadvantages of the curse — things I'd forgotten because of the Unique Scenario, but aren't they my top priority?
Emul: "Sunraku-san, Sunraku-san."
Sunraku: "Yeah?"
Emul: "You're heading to the next town now, right? Want me to help?"
[NPC "Magic Rabbit Emul" has sent you a party invitation. Do you accept?]
This game really is incredibly well‑made.
I'd planned to go solo, but for now, I'll give up on thoroughly grinding the Diremarsh Waste. Too many unexpected things have piled up, and my plan is in tatters. But sewing together torn scraps can reveal a new pattern. My motivation is rising... Let's do this, hardcore.
Sunraku: "Looking forward to working with you."
Emul: "Looking forward to it!"
Thinking back, many factors tangled together, but partnering with Emul here was probably the flag for a lot of trouble that would continue down the line.