Chapter 36: The Eye of the Inwardly Raging Storm
The existence of the Unique Scenario I had kept secret was exposed. That's partly on me for letting my guard down, but no one would expect a hardcore player to come all the way from the frontlines in person. While maintaining distance from Pencilgon, who keeps launching attacks from positions that are hard to deal with precisely, I turn over in my head how to handle this current situation. Right now, I'm dodging Pencilgon's sword with a composed expression, but when it comes to bluffing—both putting on a front and seeing through one—she's several steps ahead of me. The truth that I'm barely managing is probably already obvious to her. And since I'm outclassed in both stats and player skill, my advantages are nearly all crushed, while she steadily pushes me further and further from the gate to Thirdrema with her abundant equipment.
Sunraku: "Fakes and delays... as troublesome as ever..."
Pencilgon: "Sunraku-kun, what level are you? Around 20 or so? And yet you dodge remarkably well, don't you."
Sunraku: "It's a divine game. My body moves smoothly... Hup!"
I dodge a knife that's practically screaming, "I'm coated in poison! Look at me!" and use my dagger to push away the flat of the sword thrust at me right after. At mid-range, knives come flying, but closing in is overwhelmingly disadvantageous. She won't let me put distance between us either. She really fights in the most obnoxious way...
Pencilgon: "That aside, I'm here as a messenger this time. I have a message from our leader for Sunraku-kun..."
Sunraku: "Now!?"
If you want me to listen seriously, then maybe stop attacking first... That was close. While I evade the relentless flurry of attacks, Pencilgon keeps unleashing them and delivers a simple message.
Pencilgon: "'Disclose the details, or be targeted until you feel like disclosing them. Pick one.'... or so she says."
Sunraku: "......"
I see, a simple message. Spill the details of the Unique Scenario, or get PKed into oblivion. Choose... What an idiot...
Sunraku: "20 points. You should have thought about what that threat would actually result in before making it."
Pencilgon: "Oh my, a high score. I'd give it a flat 10, a failing grade, all things considered."
Sunraku: "If you're threatening a newbie without knowing me, that's about right... Hyah!"
Pencilgon: "Whoa!"
The leader of this Ashura-Kai, who I've yet to meet, has made two fatal mistakes. One: I came to Thirdrema to secure a base, but it's "a place to return to from Rabituza." The place I'll set as my respawn point from now on is somewhere no one has ever... visited... before. If they know about the talking rabbit Emul from a Unique Scenario that no one else has discovered in nearly a year of service, then overlooking the possibility that it's a place no one knows about is inexcusable. If I hole up in a place only I know about, a group of PKers or whatever else is just a fire on the opposite shore. And the other—this is the most fatal. If they sent this one here knowing that I'm acquainted with Pencil Warrior (Pencilgon), then making her the messenger in the first place was the real mistake. A messenger's primary job is to deliver the message, and that imposes a restriction: she cannot kill—cannot PK—me.
Sunraku: "Emul!"
Emul: "Haii!?"
Emul, who seems to be reaching her time limit—her tail, face, and ears are shifting from human back to rabbit, and her hands are frantically moving to hide everything at once, making her look like she's dancing a bizarre jig—responds to my call. Damn it. It's absurd that I've managed to hold out this long when I'm clearly inferior in level, equipment, skills, magic... in every way. Pencilgon hasn't used a single skill or spell... at least, not until the message was delivered. Besides, a sword isn't even her specialty weapon. I blast Pencilgon—who had been blatantly going easy and toying with me—with Repel Counter, then kick her for good measure, buying distance in one go.
Sunraku: "Revert and grab on...!"
Emul: "Eeeeh! But, I mean—"
Sunraku: "Hurry up!"
Emul: "Ahh, fine, hai naa!"
A PK situation suddenly broke out, yet for some reason I'm on friendly terms with the perpetrator, and on top of that, the perpetrator who launched a surprise attack is a messenger. I extend my arm to Emul, who had been dumbfounded by this bizarre situation, and throw out words that only she will understand in this context. Sorry, but I'm revealing your secret art.
Pofuhn! White smoke billows with that same silly sound effect. When it clears, a floppy-eared rabbit is clinging to my left arm. If I were just running at full speed, it'd be one thing, but from here on, I have to run away a little more "seriously," so I have no choice. Sorry.
Animalia: "Aaaaaaaaahhh!!?"
Sunraku: "Animalia, was it? Sorry, but even I don't know what the flags for this are. My bad."
Animalia: "At least let me take a picture with that little one...!"
Sunraku: "If this keeps up, he'll be in danger... so yeah!"
I've sown the seeds. Now all that's left is to run. I push toward Animalia and Pencilgon's direction, then break into a full sprint on a detour.
Pencilgon: "Whoops, that sort of thing was supposed to be my specialty, though..."
Animalia: "The player part is whatever, but since that adorable little bunny is in danger... I'll stop you. Hardcore-Player Hunter (Giant Killing)!"
Pencilgon: "Still, I should thank you for setting up a situation where I get to fight the director of SF-Zoo, the monster photography clan that doesn't have a shred of interest in PvP, right? Sunraku-kun, thank you sooo much!"
Naturally, Pencilgon tried to attack me, but she can't exactly ignore an attack from Animalia-san, whose stats are far more formidable than a low-level player like me. Wait, what is that? For a dagger, it's incredibly over-ornamented... Is it just a dagger with that kind of design, or does it have some other use? Well, whatever. A shield isn't just something you expose to attacks. We only exchanged a few words, but if Animalia-san is someone with the guts and motivation to come all the way here solely for Emul's sake, then just the prospect that "Emul might be in danger" should be enough to make her hold up the PKer, who will get serious once her messenger job is finished. Yes, using Emul as a shield... no, taking a hostage—a "rabbitage"—I've acquired a high-level player as my shield. Sorry, Animalia-san. If we meet again, I'll give you screenshots of Rabituza. And Pencilgon, you'd better not forget this... I'll ambush you right back next time. The conditions for Emul's [Teleport Gate] can be met the moment we enter the city. We'll leap through the gate and vanish into Rabituza.
Pencilgon: "Well, I'm the messenger... the only messenger, but... I never said I came alone, now did I? Kukuku..."
Wild PKers appeared!
Damn it, calling reinforcements against a small fry who hasn't even reached level 50 is just cowardly! Don't turn a divine game into a kusoge! Suppressing the urge to yell that out, I focus my gaze ahead. The four additional players who appeared all have bright red player names floating above their heads.