Chapter 97: An Accelerating Conference, Surging Desires, and Their Respective Leads
Sunraku: "About info on Lycagon the Nightslayer... to be honest, I don't know all that much myself."
Psyger-100: "That's fine. Even behavioral patterns alone are valuable intelligence."
Sunraku: "Let's see..."
Lycagon the Nightslayer. In this game, it's both my trauma and my objective. The damn culprit that slapped those awful restrictions on me right at the start, but also the reason I've been able to reach this point—thanks to this curse (marking). Back then, I was fighting desperately and didn't do any proper behavioral analysis. On top of that, the vivid impact of Wethermon the Tombguard—a peer of the same category—overshadows things, so I don't have much I can state with absolute certainty. Still, the way that thing rampaged is seared into my memory.
Sunraku: "First, physical attacks. Very little windup, and the execution is far faster than an average boss. But basically, its front-leg attacks come in three patterns: diagonal, vertical, and horizontal swings. It uses delays like it's a god-given right, but there are actually quite a few safe zones. Its bite attacks—or rather, all its physical attacks carry the destruction attribute by default, so if you get hit, you get torn apart normally. I mean, I got both my legs munched on. Next, field attacks where it turns its shadow into spears. This involves ambush attacks after diving into its shadow. It mixes in its clones—which I'll talk about later—so it's practically a guaranteed first-timer's death trap. But there's a sound right before it leaps out of the shadow, so you have no choice but to judge where it'll appear from that. Since it's fundamentally a nighttime fight, it naturally launches surprise attacks from under your feet too. The best way to take no damage is to pinpoint the emergence spot while running. As for the emergence sounds, the clones sound like a rock dropped in a swamp, and the main body sounds like a heavier version of that. Now, about the clones: from what I've confirmed, a maximum of two. At least during an encounter outside a scenario, its movements while clones were deployed were pretty sloppy. It only used straightforward attack patterns without delays, and the ambushes were simultaneous from all three. Once you knew the positions, identifying safe zones was easy. The clones disappear over time, so if you just run around, they're not much of a threat. The biggest pain is..."
Psyger-100: "...I'm sorry, but could you put that in writing?"
Ah, crap. My mouth went full throttle the moment I started remembering. Psyger-100, who had been poised to take notes at the start, is now massaging her brow. I can't help but give a wry smile under my mask—I guess I remember more than I thought.
Sunraku: "Well, basically, the takeaway is: it's a giant wolf. But the one attack I took at the very end is what I still don't understand."
Psyger-100: "At the very end?"
What comes to mind is that attack back then—the one where Lycagon tore my legs off. I know it was a bite attack, but I don't understand by what principle it landed.
Sunraku: "At the very least, at that moment, I hadn't made any blunder that would've gotten me hit. I mean, I was completely outside the attack range of both the clones and the main body."
And yet, before I knew it, my legs were torn off. I know Lycagon did something, but I can't figure out the gimmick.
Sunraku: "I thought it might be some unavoidable coordinate-targeted attack, but it didn't seem like that either. It was exactly like the hitbox just bugged out, or something..."
I don't know. If I could see it one more time, I feel like I'd understand, but that's not realistic. As I tell Psyger-100—who is still listening intently—that this is about the extent of what I know, she seems to think for a moment, then stares directly at me.
Psyger-100: "It wouldn't be fair if we didn't offer something in return for the information you've provided. So, how about this... we provide a method to remove Lycagon's curse?"
Sunraku: "Wait, seriously?"
Psyger-100: "Though I say that, the method itself is fairly well-known. But with Schwarz Vulf, we can make it several times easier than if you had to start from scratch yourselves."
Lycagon's curse (marking) wrapped around my torso and legs. They've helped me in some ways, but they've caused me far more trouble. Being able to remove these damn things... At Psyger-100's words, I mentally raise my evaluation of the clan "Schwarz Vulf" by about three notches.
Psyger-100: "Towa—... cough. When I heard you were a player that Pencilgon associates with, I wanted to see for myself what kind of person you were. And now, having seen you in person, I'm convinced—you guys are going to keep causing mayhem. That's why, personally, I want to maintain various connections with you all. I've heard you formed a clan with Pencilgon and him over there. An alliance with us, 'Schwarz Vulf'..."
Animalia: "Hey, 'Schwarz Vulf'... could I ask you to put that proposal on hold?"
A single interjection douses the conversation between me and Psyger-100. Pencilgon is in the middle of price negotiations with Professor over the Tome of Truth. It feels like that corner is playing a different game entirely, but she hasn't so much as glanced over here. The self-proclaimed moderator is doing absolutely no moderating, but I'll turn a blind eye to it for now. Oikatzo, having apparently resigned himself to being caught no matter what, has ordered extra cake and is grumbling about how bland it is. What did that guy even come here for... Ah, he's got no Unique connections, so he's got nothing to do! Without me even saying anything, he's already shifted into a fork-throwing stance—what a dangerous guy. Psyger-0 is so motionless and silent you'd think she'd fallen asleep. Is this some kind of show of force from "Schwarz Vulf"? If so, then the process of elimination narrows down who spoke up. Only one person would interrupt at this timing.
Animalia: "At the very least, that wasn't part of your initial question, was it?"
Psyger-100: "Mm... Well, that's true. And this is something I should discuss with her, not..."
For me, a conversation without subjects is complete gibberish, but it seems the meaning gets through between the people involved. Psyger-100 backs down easily, and in her place, Animalia steps up as the next conversation partner.
Animalia: "Sunraku-san, first, allow me to state the conditions we're offering. To put it bluntly, our clan, 'SF-Zoo,' is prepared to accept all of your requests—every last one, to the fullest extent possible."
Sunraku: "Huh? Uh, okay."
She's completely seized the reins of the conversation. With a preemptive strike that practically says, "We'll do anything, unconditionally," I feel like I've taken an uppercut right off the bat.
Animalia: "And I'm sure you've already guessed, but our request is just one thing... We want you to tell us how to visit the Vorpal Bunny nation, 'Rabituza,' multiple times."
Sunraku: "Well, yeah, that figures..."
If I had to guess, I'd thought they might demand "disclosure of the Unique Scenario related to the talking Vorpal Bunnies," but it's more or less what I expected. I fall silent and think.
Sunraku: "Ah, about that... I think it'd be best to ask the person—or rather, the bunny—in question directly. So I need you to give Emul back to me."
Several minutes later, Emul is returned by the reluctantly parting members of SF-Zoo. And her eyes are completely devoid of light, as if she'd been forced to watch some hopelessly dark and serious story. What on earth did they do to her...
Sunraku: "Emul, get a grip! Your wounds are shallow!"
Emul: "Humans are terrifying, waa... What even is a 'double peace sign,' waa...? A 'leopard pose'...? I'm a rabbit, waa..."
I dangle a carrot in front of her, but the sanity that's departed for the great beyond shows no sign of returning... No choice. Time to play my trump card.
Sunraku: "Rabituza pie."
Twitch. (Her ears move.)
Sunraku: "Special Rabituza parfait."
Twitch, twitch. (Her ears move more.)
Sunraku: "All-you-can-eat. My treat."
Emul: "J-Just one more push..."
Sunraku: "Plus that magic tome you've been wanting for a while. And the price for the whole thing? All on me."
Emul: "Really... wa!? There are about three magic tomes I want right now... wa!"
Yep, she's definitely the younger sister of that money-grubber Elke and the older sister of that rip-off artist Peatz. Emul, who'd been thoroughly manhandled as a screenshot subject, revives and starts slapping my head repeatedly. The fact that she's hitting a bit harder than usual is probably resentment over being sacrificed to the zombies.
Animalia: "Haaah... So adorable... ...Ah, don't mind me."
Sunraku: "Uh-huh..."
I give a half-lidded stare at Animalia, who's holding some crystal-like item and photographing Emul with incredible intensity, but it seems to have no effect. I'll just ignore it at this point. Turning to Emul, I ask:
Sunraku: "Hey, Emul."
Emul: "What is it, waa?"
Sunraku: "If I remember right, Rabituza invites pioneers to do snake extermination and stuff, right?"
There are two Unique Scenarios for visiting Rabituza. One is "Invitation from Rabituza," which triggers when you fulfill the mysterious condition of the Vorpal Soul—the one I activated. Honestly, I don't want to reveal that one. The other is listed on strategy sites: the ordinary Unique Scenario, "Tour of Rabituza," which begins with a guide from a regular Vorpal Bunny.
Sunraku: "They seem to invite players—no, pioneers—to that pretty regularly. But Rabituza isn't exactly off-limits to humans, right?"
Emul: "Hmm... I think that's probably the case, waa."
The truth is, I'm staying in the Rabbit Palace—which players who visit Rabituza via the "Tour of Rabituza" can't enter. And from the palace windows, I catch glimpses of players in the castle town pretty often. Players frolicking as they watch Vorpal Bunnies who are doing business and making merry no different from a human castle town. Players who, for some insane reason, try to attack a rabbit and get beaten to death by a mob. Watching from a kind of god's-eye perspective is a decent way to kill time. But at the very least, I've never seen a player who's visited multiple times outside of the "Invitation from Rabituza" scenario.
Sunraku: "I'll ask straight out—is there a way for those guys to go to Rabituza again?"
Emul: "Mmm... I'm not involved in Rabituza's politics, so I can't give you a definite answer, waa... But I think if Sunraku-san asked, something might work out, waa! Big Bro Aydward is a flexible-thinking intellectual, waa!"
Aydward—A... one letter above Bilac's B. Excluding Vysache, that's the earliest letter among the named ones—in other words, the eldest son among Vysache's children. If what Bilac said before is accurate, he's the current king of Rabituza. Vysache is in retirement—or rather, he's the big boss, an exception in a league of his own—so setting him aside, this Aydward guy is probably number one in Rabituza.
Sunraku: "Hmm... Can you go ask right now?"
Emul: "Absolutely! Right now, immediately, at once! And I'll take my time and ask thoroughly, carefully, and politely, waa!"
Saying that, Emul instantly teleports away. Being manhandled that badly seems to have been genuinely traumatic.
Animalia: "Aah..."
And Animalia is pretty entertaining to watch in her own right. She's like litmus paper: when Emul's here, she turns red with joy; when Emul's gone, blue with disappointment. Now, the reason I deliberately sent Emul away from this place isn't to see Animalia's reaction. It's because of the silent instructions from that scumbag model making bizarre dance-like gestures at the edge of my vision. With Emul here, the conversation won't progress... mainly because SF-Zoo won't listen to anything else.
Sunraku: "You went out of your way to gesture 'make some time,' so you've got something to say, right?"
Pencilgon: "I'm glad you understood with mostly just eye contact."
Sunraku: "You're in an awfully good mood. Just how much did you gouge them for?"
Pencilgon: "Hehehe... twenty percent of my debts."
Seriously, this woman is ruthless... And Library for shelling that out without a fuss is something else. But if both sides are satisfied with the result, it's not for an outsider to comment.
Pencilgon: "Now then, before Emul-chan returns, shall I, on behalf of the clan 'Wolfgang,' hear out the proposals from all of you—'Schwarz Vulf,' 'Library,' and 'SF-Zoo'?"
As Pencilgon poses that question to the three of them, three emblems are simultaneously displayed in midair. One is the emblem of a black wolf with a sword in its jaws. Another is the emblem of a book with a bookmark inserted. The last is the emblem of a paw pad and a feather.
The face Pencilgon wears as she gazes at the three emblems is a deeply wicked smile, reminiscent of the tyrant "Pencil Warrior" who once reigned over the server of Unite Rounds.