Manuke FPS Chapter 2

How much time had passed since I started watching the cave? Before I had noticed it the sky had turned red and through my head goggles I could see multiple red points moving.

These head goggles were flexible and had the potential to hide the head mounted display (HMD) and could also shield the eyeballs. In VRFPS you can view various types of information through the head goggles that you weren’t able to see on the TV or monitor, but it was all possible inside the game.

The map information included both the armament and friend or foe identification displayed together. Also, to adjust for various environmental stages and combat conditions it can be changed to infrared thermography ‘FLIR-mode’ (TL: Forward-Looking-Infrared, or heat sensor to be accurate) as well as having a night vision ‘NV-mode’. (TL: He explains them and calls them FLIR- and NV-modes. Sounds a bit strange.)

On top of that the rounded map display can reach a maximum radius of up to 150m. Then there is the sound sensor, which gathers every sound in range and indicates their  location. Enemies are displayed in red on the VMB and allies are in blue.

In the game you could tell if something was an enemy visually, or through a hostile action. Even though it had similar information automatically displayed as a red dot, this world wasn’t a game. While the 3 goblins being pursued were marked as red dots on the map, the goblins were natives of this world, it was possible that they weren’t enemies, though it was unthinkable that they were allies.

[The other side of the river…]

In order to identify one of the dots on the map, I move towards a position with better visibility and take cover behind a tree.

[That is…..a goblin……]

Multiple red dots, another group of Goblins of the same height and size were spotted. However, one of them was wearing something different……A coat, similar to a Hanten, and something like an Obi was wrapped around it. Unlike the other goblins, this one had a long club in one hand, it looked like a magician or a shaman. (TL: This is a Hanten: http://www.goodsfromjapan.com/images/hanten_navy.jpg. And this an Obi:http://www.petitjapon.com/type/obi.html )

These goblins were dragging something behind them. It looked like some type of livestock had been wrapped up in some cloth by the goblins and was being pulled along on a straw mat…..

[A foot? Is that a person?]

The thin foot could be  seen sticking out from the edge of the cloth the goblins were dragging. It looked more feminine than masculine. It seemed like some woman had been hunted down like a pig. Strange and inhuman voices could be heard as the group disappeared into the hole of their nest.

What is this situation?

I continued to watch the hole while trying to understand the situation, and begun to sink deeper into my thoughts.

Though I should be in the virtual word of VMB, I could tell that I am actually in a completely different world. I found some goblins and a foot attached to what is  probably a kidnapped person. Are they still alive? Was I brought here for some reason Is it so that I can rescue that person?

Unconsciously, strength flows into my grip. I can feel the mass of iron that is the MP5A4, a lethal weapon. Though it looks just like it does in VMB, whether this gun will actually shoot hasn’t been confirmed yet. CP (Crystal Points), TSS (Tactical Support System) and the SHOP all exist, but I haven’t tried buying anything yet.

There is no guarantee that I will be able to replenish my ammunition and equipment once used. If I can fire my weapon, and if I am able to replenish my ammo without any trouble…can I actually beat the goblins? Will 9x19mm parabellum bullets be powerful enough?

My head is filled with uneasiness and doubt. Before noticing it the sun had gone down and my surroundings were cloaked in the darkness of night.

[Let’s go…..At the least I will try and confirm if that person is alive and whether they can be saved. If bullets aren’t effective, though  I’ll feel bad for the victim, I’ll run away.]

With this I persuade myself, set the monitor for my head goggles to a night vision device and turn on NV mode. Moving in short intervals, I follow the goblins into the hole.

This hole is larger than I had thought. Its height is roughly 3 metres and it’s about 4-5 metres in width. I am advancing towards the depths using zigzag movements. Inside this area of the cave there is a  small shining flower growing, it’s actually producing light. I’ve never heard of such a flower before.

However, thanks to the NV-mode functions, I can see everything clearly. The map on the head goggles is updating itself with the areas I’ve been to, but the sound sensor isn’t currently showing anything. I am sure the sensor is working though, I can hear a strange voice through the headphones ,I believe it’s the sound of one of the goblins up ahead.

It’s coming closer! I think there are…. two of them?…..My hand instinctively touches the MP5A4. If it turns into a situation where I have to fire, even more enemies could be drawn by the sound of the shots, and I’m still not absolutely sure whether this weapon functions yet, which is bad……

Without making any noise, I slowly withdraw a little and sling the MP5A4 onto my back using the shoulder strap. I pull a “M1911A1 Colt Government”, a sub weapon, out from my waist holster . I also take out and attach a silencer from the pouch next to it.

The M1911A1, designed by John Browning (TL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Browning, M1911A1:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1911_pistol ), developed and improved in the United States. It has the power to stop the movement of an enemy with just one shot. It’s a handgun that uses large-caliber bullets known as 45ACP. In comparison, they’re 3mm larger than the 9x19mm parabellum bullets. If these aren’t enough to take down the goblins, then the MP5A4 wouldn’t work either……

The firing sound will be suppressed by the silencer, however there are demerits to it too. The drawbacks are that the balance (center of gravity) is harder to adjust  in VMB, the accuracy drops, and power drops over long distances – dealing less damage to your opponent. The center of gravity is also decreased during hipfire. (TL: He’s talking about the recoil with the balance probably, but did not want to change it too much. Makes no proper sense in english.)

However, the reality is that I’ve fallen into another world. I can’t be sure of the demerits here, all I can do is shoot and find out.

I release the safety from the M1911A1 and confirm that the crosshair appears in my head goggles. I lean against a curve in the wall to hide myself while preparing a one-handed firing stance. I can use the NV mode to see clearly, but how well can the goblins see in this poor light?…….I suppress the exposure of my body as much as possible and lie in wait for the goblins.

Goblins…..I call them that, but are they really goblins? With one head shot it will die, without a cry of agony or a chance to fight back……What if they are the prime race of this world?… I’d just be a murderer…….

I wonder what the state of the woman I saw is?? I could at least confirm that and use it to decide if I need to be hostile. They’ve already done something quite cruel though, but maybe it isn’t seen the same way here … after all I am pretty sure that this is a different world. My thoughts were going around in circles as I stare into the darkness….

They’ve come, and as expected there are two……They are as large as children…Uu!

Even now that they are in sight my heart is still agonising over whether they are enemies or not. They have the face of a MOB, easily recognisable as something to be shot.

What is with that face!? It looks like a monsters no matter how I try to look at it! With that thought a sound like something being crushed escaped two times.

Without missing, two heads were pierced by my gunfire. The weapon had worked the same as in the game, and because of the silencer the shots  hadn’t made a noticeable sound.

However, the silencer in VMB only silences enough sound of the shot and prevents it from being shown on the MAP of an enemy, it doesn’t stop the sound of the empty shell falling onto the ground.

After being shot the two fall to their backs. I slowly approach them while holding the M1911A1 and gaze at their faces.

They definitely seem to be dead. It should also be possible to kill them with a headshot of the MP5A4. However…..

While continuing to holding the gun ready, I stay still and look at them closer. The ears are too big for their face, the nose extends outwards like an eagles, the eyes are red and it’s mouth is wide ……the teeth visible inside their  opened mouths look canine.

Those guys, even if they are the native people, I could never get along with them….

I killed these two, but…..I don’t feel guilty at all.  Is it because the face is too different from a human’s?

Will their corpses disappear? If they stay like this…will I be able to get CP??

New questions are emerging as soon as old ones are resolved. Even if I beat an enemy, a crystal to gain CP doesn’t appear. I’ve been watching the TSS and it isn’t increasing either. If this continues I will be unable to resupply and will lose my only way of fighting……

I froze. My feet, as if they had spreading roots into the ground of the dark nest, wouldn’t move. If I continue to press forward and help that woman, I will be using up my limited supply of ammo.

My feet refused to advance any further.

Chapter end