New Game Plus! ~The Struggles of a Popular VRMMO Livestreamer~ Chapter 10

Volume 2: Samurai Hunting

Chapter 10: Ambushed by a Magician

 

 

Since Dragon’s Krone first started their service, there has been a constant cycle with various version updates, and so we end up with today’s version.

Although the basic feature of paying in-game currency,「Manila[1]」, to view livestreams and videos was implemented into the system upon release, since then there has been many changes. Services such as「Stream Viewer Rankings」and「Search Functions」,「The Ability to Subscribe to Channels」, a genre system that placed video content into「Category Settings」, many things such as these were added onto the streaming service later on.

 

In the current day, there were countless numbers of genres that you could broadcast under in Dragon’s Krone.
Of course the genre that Aran streamed under, “Mob Subjugation”, was very popular among streamers and listeners, but another genre with deep-rooted fans was「Manufacturing」broadcasts.

 

Since there was no Class dedicated to crafting and manufacturing in Dragon’s Krone, as long as you possessed the crafting designs known as a「Recipe」along with the necessary materials then it was possible for anyone to manufacture goods. If you possessed the one essential material for a Recipe, in other words a「Key Item」, then you could go to one of the many “Book Shops” and acquire the associated Recipe.
Manufacturing livestreams had a high level of practicality to them. Teaching you how to unlock a recipe by showing you the Key Item needed, Introducing the production process for a Rare Recipe, and also, listing places where you could go to obtain the materials you need. Manufacturing streams covered a wide-variety of subjects.

 

「Suzu～, Did you find any～?」
「Not yet～」

 

Multiple fragments of light were shining through the cracks in the tree line, desperately searching for something in the thicket were two Players.

This place was an Area that resided slightly to the West of the port city Crescendo, the two were in a clearing in the「Rabasta Woodlands」. After Players had progressed beyond Crescendo’s surroundings, this Area was the next place they visited. From low level Mobs to higher ranked ones such as Goblin-type 「Forest Goblins」and cannibalistic plants known as 「Man Eaters」, the Mobs here were one step above those at Crescendo.

An essential item, especially for low level Players. Here in this Area, it was possible to collect ingredients for crafting Healing Medicines.

 

「Hey, how many of these “Forest Herbs” do we need to make those healing medicines?」

「Oh yea, you never know when something like yesterday might happen again huh~」

 

The two of them, Suzu and Megu, had come to the Rabasta Woodlands for this very purpose.

The person on tank duty, the Knight-class Yamabuki, had failed his job of Aggro Control, and the Mobs changed their targets to Megu and Suzu. Suzu was unable to keep up her healing magic and the party was in danger of getting wiped out.
Luckily, due to Edgar’s efforts, they were able to escape danger by a hair’s margin. ‘As a back-up, everyone should keep some healing medicine on reserve in case of an emergency,’ Suzu had such an idea.

 

「”Better to be safe than Sorry” is what they always say right」

「……ッ!」

 

‘In a certain sense, They’re both “Knights” right~’ Megu said with a grin.

 

「W-We shouldn’t go asking Edgar-kun and the others to help with these chores you know. Chores like these should be done by us rear-guard members, right?」

「Hmm, I wonder about that」

「a ha ha, I’m kidding, I’m kidding」

 

Joking with each other, the sound of their laughter spread out and filled the dense forest.

Of course, the same could be said even now after Megu had invited Suzu to play Dragon’s Krone.
Even though they played together with Andou and Yamabuki a number of times, there were also many times where the two of them would have their so-called「Girl’s Time」; strolled around together and having fun conversations.

 

「Oh hey, are you streaming today too?」
「I am, the audio is turned off though…… Oh, I found another Forest Herb~」

 

Suzu replied as a smile came over her face.

 

「I wonder about it every time, but we’re just making healing medicine by following the normal course that anyone can do, will someone really watch your stream?」

「……What’s that. Kinda like a journal of where we’ve gone?」
「Yeah. Also, if we find a place where Mobs spawn that’s not indicated on the Wiki, or if we get some rare ingredients on our way, we’d want to remember where stuff like that happened, right?」

 

It was not just this time, but every time Suzu went harvesting for ingredients she would start a livestream.

There were also a variety of ways to use the videos. It could be used to record the places where ingredients are, but if you recorded a battle against Mobs then you could study your opponents attack patterns, and you could also revise and review your own way of fighting.

 

「Hmmm, I see. Suzu is smart huh. Maybe I should do it too」

「Yea yea, like that…… Hey, I don’t want to be told that by an airheaded like you!」

 

Along with Megu’s snarling rant, Suzu’s light laugh echoed out into the forest.

A rustle, from behind the two was something pushing its way through the foliage.

 

「……ッ!!」

 

Faster than Suzu could react, Megu had brandished her twin daggers in an instant, and widened her stance.

All there was were trees being swayed by the wind.
There was no one to be found.

 

「Megu, that sound just now-」
「……Something is here huh」

 

Sensing something, Suzu started chanting the defensive magic【Scutum I】just in case.

It isn’t an opponent the two of us can’t defeat, but we’ve collected enough Forest Herbs already, so we should hurry up and return to Crescendo.
Suzu had come to such a conclusion, and was about to call out to Megu. It was then when-

 

「My apologies. Did I startle you?」
「……ッ!」

 

With a rustling sound, emerging from inside the bushes was a lone Player.

Flowing out from her hood was long curly black-hair, her exposed chest was quite voluptuous, a Woman with the class “Wizard”. Displayed above her was the name「Timber」.

 

「You were in the middle of harvesting huh. Sorry for getting in your way」

「Fumu, is that so」

 

Although she didn’t seem threatening, for some reason Suzu was overwhelmingly unnerved.
Perhaps because she felt the same way, Megu still stood with her daggers at the ready.

 

「Uhmm……Timber-san, are you also here to harvest?」
「No, I’m not here for that per se…… Your name is…… Suzu?」

 

Saying those words, the Female Wizard, Timber, slowly lowered her hood.

Her pupils were slender like that of a cat’s, and the whites of her eyes were instead dyed the color black. Her white pupil bewitchingly contrasted against the black exterior. Similar to Megu, she possessed dark skin. An Avatar of the Demon Race.

 

「Is something wrong with my name?」

「Eh? Grand Mission?」

「……We did participate, but what of it?」

 

Answering on Suzu’s behalf, was Megu who still had her guard up.
As if saying, ‘If you make any strange movements I’ll take you down immediately,’ she continued to tightly grip the handles of her daggers.

 

「In your Party…… Was there a Samurai?」

 

Timber continued on with her question.
She didn’t understand the meaning behind that question, but, maybe because of the eerie atmosphere here in the Rabasta Woodlands, but a uncomfortable feeling started to well up in Suzu’s chest.

 

「One of our Friends was there with us. However…… I won’t say anything other than that」

「Megu, let’s go」

 

As that strange feeling in her chest turned into anxiety, Suzu grabbed on to Megu’s hand.
But──

 

「Wait」

 

Timber’s chilling voice stirred the air.
Those dreadful eyes made her seem all the more ominous.

 

「Can you tell me the name of that player?」

「It’s very important that I find out. And…… I don’t want to resort to violent with you two」

 

As Megu refuted back, without having realized it, she saw Timber grasping a sinister looking staff in her right hand.

 

「……ッ!!」

 

Pulling along Suzu who was struggling to breath, Megu started to move.

This was because, out of all the classes, the Thief class had Skills that ever effective even against experienced Players; The so-called「Escape Skills」.

 

「Like hell I’ll ever tell you that-!」

 

As Megu let out an angry cry, from her feet came a gust, and a dust storm flew into the air.

Spreading out into the area like a shroud of mist, Megu and Suzu’s figures were completely concealed. Timber had completely lost sight of the two.

 

「Suzu! We’re Running!」

「……ッ!! W-Wait!!」

 

As Timber’s voice rang out, the air began to waver as if it was alive, and the temperature gradually began to rise.

The rampaging magic converted the vegetation into Objects, and a few meters around her were turned into scorched earth.──

 

「……Tsk」

 

Scattered in the surroundings, were the ruins of plants and charcoal.
Megu and Suzu were nowhere to be seen.

 

 

「And so, that’s what happened」
「……that so-」

 

During lunch break in classroom filled with the sounds of afternoon laughter, gentle rays of sunlight shone through the windows.

The subject that Megu was telling the thoroughly exhausted Ran about was, of course, the events at the Rabasta Woodlands: The「Ambushed by a Wizard Incident」.
Yesterday, during their Girl’s only outing in Dragon’s Krone（Or at least that’s what Megu and Suzu call it）the two of them were approached by a voluptuous Wizard and then were attacked while they were talking to each other.

 

「It’s not『that so~』! Me and Suzu were in serious trouble you know!」

「Eh?」

 

The person to let out those words, was the long-haired Yamabuki who was watching the video from Suzu’s broadcast.

 

「……You, of all things, that is what you have to say?」

「Yamabuki-kun……」

 

Ignoring Andou’s warning, Yamabuki had entered full play-boy mode. Megu and Suzu looked at him with narrowed gazes, quietly dyed the color of scorn.

 

「Alright, let’s leave the Gross Yamabuki alone. And so, that Wizard wasn’t after us, but she was after the Samurai that went with us to the Grand Mission」
「Samurai…… You mean Edogawa?」

 

At Andou’s words, everyone’s gazes focused on Ran.
However, Ran was again nodding off and was half-way to dreamland.

 

「Edogawa-kun」
「……huh?」

 

Suzu’s voice shook Ran to his senses.

 

「Ed, why are you so sleepy like that? Maybe, after we all log out, do you keep playing all by yourself?」
「M-My bad. No, it’s not like that……」

 

The character I’m playing is a different one though.
Not saying it out-loud, Ran replied in his heart.

 

「Anyways, we’ve been talking about why a high level Player like that would be looking for Edgar」

「Yeah, I think Andou-kun’s guess might be true」
「Be quiet!」

 

Megu retorted with a snap.
I was a bit catty since she was sketchy, but that’s not why she attacked us, is what I think. That Wizard was looking for our Friend who’s a Samurai…… Basically she wanted to know Ed’s name.

 

「Edogawa-kun, is she someone you knew? Before you retired that is」
「No, I have no idea who she is. Also, Edgar is a character I made just recently, so there shouldn’t be anyone who knows about it besides you and the others, Suzu-san」

 

More precisely, from the beginning I only made that character to play with Suzu-san and the others.

 

「Hey~, this Player called Timber, she might be using a fake name ya know」

 

The person who cut into their conversation, was Yamabuki who was accessing the Dragon’s Krone website using his smartphone.

He sure works quickly, huh.

 

「…… Fake Name? Can you even do that?」

「Hmm~ so that’s how it is」

 

‘I never knew~’ Megu nodded her head.

Incidentally, when Ran plays on Aran, aside from when he was streaming, he used aliases on a number of occasions when leaving his Home House.
They started off simple like「Edogawa」, then to names like「Igusa」and「Poe」. Even like the name「Edgar」which he is using for his sub-character, Ran has used a multitude of aliases up until this day.

 

「If you’re right about the fake name, then she like super suspicious. Oh, she might even be friends with those Colluding players」
「That certainly is a possibility」

 

No matter how you think about it, the reason why their Collusion plan failed was because of Me after all.
They’re really barking up the wrong tree though.

 

「Anyways, it might be good if we refrain from individual activities though」
「Yea, you’re right. If she approaches us again, then we should report her to the admins for harassment」

 

And with Andou’s suggestion they decided to put off the “Ambushed by a Wizard Incident” for tomorrow.
However, despite being absentminded due to his lack of sleep, Ran could not stop wondering about that Wizard.

 

Ran watch and re-watched Suzu’s footage a great number of times.

The faces of the Players that Aran knew flashed through his mind, but no matter how hard he tried he could not think of any Demon Race Female Wizards.

 

「What a pain in the ass」

 

Ran let out a quiet whisper that no one could hear.
However, even though he let those words slip out, swirling around in Ran’s mind was the thought: “Looks like I’ll have to look into this properly.”

 

 

Footnotes

1.

TL note: The name of the in-game currency used in Dragon’s Krone is “Manila”. It’s a type of paper, refers to the Abacá plant (used to make Manila hemp), and also the capital city of the Philippines.

Chapter end