CH 3

03

So, I am now in Catacombs.

This is… my sight is horrible. It's a bit cloudy, and some places in my field of vision are missing? I guess this must be «Decomposing Body»’s penalty at work...

For the time being… let’s see what the options are. I don't think there is any need for Sexual Guard when I’m in this zombie state… but might as well turn it on since I am already looking at the option menu.

Minimap… of course ON.

Marker above characters’ heads… let’s put it ON.

I switch things ON and OFF, until I arrive at the Sexual Guard setting.

Umm… the recommended setting is face, torso and above the knees. In other words, it is possible to touch my shoulders, hands, legs from the calf and below, as well as my head? Then recommended sounds fine.

Usage setting… Limited Release, Friends - these are the two settings.

Limited Release:

Only those of your friends you allow will be treated as exceptions and bypass the Sexual Guard.

Friends:

All of your friends will bypass the Sexual Guard.

※Even if you do not set this up, there is a possibility that these kinds of acts will be penalized by the surveillance system.

Well, yeah. Let’s go with the exceptions setting that Akina mentioned. And let’s add her to exceptions while at it.

Next is...

Gore setting… All Ages, R-15G, R-18G.

All Ages.

A mysterious light hides wounds.

R-15G

Wounds and cut body parts look like they are covered in slight mosaic.

R-18G

Although they are slightly cartoonized, they are shown in full.

I see, I see. So you can even change the color palette that blood uses. I guess there are people who are bad with blood?

As for me… R-15G should be fine. Above all, having Zombies around me almost completely covered by mysterious light is a little… that.

Secondary Voice… ON, OFF.

※In the case of inhumans, the main voice is their voice as a monster and the secondary voice will be the player’s voice.

This… I will leave it as ON. I mean, without it I will not be able to talk… In the optional setting I confirmed that the “When speak with the secondary voice, the main voice’s volume is lowered” setting is active as well.

Pain Setting… 0~100. Default is 20.

※The intensity of pain you feel when receiving attacks. The higher the number the closer to reality. Players below the age of 18 are limited to below 50.

Ah, yes. The default is fine. I am not looking to enjoy such parts of the game, and I am NOT the type to enjoy pain.

And… this is about it for options.

Next, let’s confirm my inventory. Umm, my equipment is...

[Equipment - Armor] A Simple Rag　Rarity: No　Quality: F　Durability: ―

A remnant of what used to be clothes. They are really dirty and it’s better to throw them away.

[Equipment - Armor] Worn-Out Shoes　Rarity:No　Quality: F　Durability: ―

A remnant of what used to be shoes. They are really dirty and it’s better to throw them away.

Well, yeah. I AM a dead body.

[Recovery] A Beginner’s HP Potion　Rarity: No　Quality: C　Value: 50

A magical drug that recovers 50 HP.

Cannot be used by Immortals.

[Recovery] A Beginner’s MP Potion　Rarity: No　Quality: C　Value: 80

A magical drug that recovers 50 MP.

Cannot be used by Immortals.

[Recovery] A Beginner’s Field Rations　Rarity: No　Quality: C

A compact field ration that fills 10% of satiety.

...Text saying “Cannot be used by Immortals.” under the explanation is sad reality. Well, I have a Skill that automatically recovers my HP, but my MP… wait, I have 0 MP anyway.

It does not say that I cannot use field rations. So I guess I can eat.

So, I’ve got a mail icon flashing… ohh, it's the bonus money and additional potionnes. I cannot use them, so there is no need to receive them now. I know that half of the money you are carrying is lost as a death penalty, so it would be a waste to receive them right now.

...Now then, I have finished checking things. Let’s begin. First, let’s search my home and fill the map. The basics of RPGs - start by scavenging through your home!

Zombie　Lv6

A rotten corpse. Attacks whoever appears before them.

Hey… you guys are strong. Enemies in my home are at level 5 at the lowest; aren’t they too strong? The strongest one is… level 9? Why am I level 1 despite being in the same place as you?

...Probably because I was just born, and because this is a game.

With that said, is the reason they do not attack me because we are kinsmen? There was something on the BBS about the merits of not being attacked by the same race. This is extremely convenient, let’s start by filling the map first.

I crawled out of my grave and try to walk… and it is EXTREMELY hard. It feels like the length of my left and right legs do not match; as if I was injured.

Yeah, it's like my legs are numb to the point that they don’t even sting anymore. So this is how it feels when it happens to both legs. It feels like I am about to fall over.

“Ah.”

*glshak!*

I fell head-first onto another zombie… Let’s get up for now. What a troublesome body.

*glshak!*

*guehh*

Eh? Why am I being hit by a Zombie? There is a red marker over the Zombie, which means… can it be that me falling onto him counted as an attack…?

Ouch! No, I am an undead so my sense of pain is a bit off, though.

I swung my arm at the legs of the zombie in front of me and he easily fell over. You got balance problems, don’t you… I feel your pain…

But you will find no mercy from me. Learn the power of one with insides!

*glshak!*

Oh...

How do I say it, it feels like... minced meat? It is as if I’m hitting an ingredient for hamburgers.

Well, this was inevitable. I crawled on top of the fallen Zombie and started smacking him. Honestly speaking, there is no other method than this.

It seems that in this game, it’s equipment and Skills that are more important than Race Level. Stats are not visible, and while the HP gauge is visible, there are no numbers on it.

Your stats do increase as your race levels up, but apparently the stat adjustment from equipment and Skills is higher. Also, Skills you can learn differ depending on your actions.

If you want to increase your STR, then by taking Skills that require strength you can increase the stat adjustment, raising it.

And according to the official site, “Muscle Training” also works as effective means to increase it. Especially by doing strength-requiring actions all the time you get what you can call an “every little bit helps” and “in continuing lies strength”, literally increasing STR.

As I punched the Zombie, its bar turned from green to yellow, then from yellow to red before disappearing.

And then, the Zombie turned into particles of light and disappeared.

So, I can beat them without taking damage if I crawl on top of them?

〈Your Race Level has increased.〉

Nmm, well, now that I learned how to beat Zombies - let’s take a Skill. I think it was there, among Initial Skills.

I opened the menu and went to the Skills tab; in there was the list of Skills possible for acquisition. I can acquire any of Skills that were listed here. In case of inhumans, Monster Skills were also displayed here, but they are separated into a different tab.

In the case of monster Skills, when your race level increases, your race-type’s Skills are unlocked as well. Also, when you continue to beat other race’s Skill users or receive their attacks, you have a low chance to unlock their Skills.

Fewer Skill Points are required to learn your own race’s Monster Skills, and the worse your race’s compatibility with a Skill is, the more points you will require to learn it. There are also Skills that you cannot learn in the first place, too.

Well, for now let’s just open the Initial Skill tab and search for the thing I wanted.

Name: Anastasia

Race: Zombie   Woman   Lv2

Element: Dark

Genus: Low Immortal

Family: Zombie

Skill Points: 1

Skills:

«Fist Lv1» «Strength Enhancement Lv1» «Vitality Enhancement Lv1» «Identification Lv1»

Inactive:

Monster  Skills:

«Physical Resistance Lv1» «Automatic HP Recovery Lv1» «Low Immortal» «Decomposing Body»

Naturally, what I took was «Fist». I mean, at this point there is no way for me to find a weapon. Rather, based on my experience with swinging my arms, it does not seem like I could even wield a weapon properly. Let’s pray that I will be able to rebuild.

Now, let’s continue the search… but first, the drop is…?

[Ingredient] Rotten Meat　Rarity: No　Quality: F

Rotten Meat.

………...Well, yes. It's meat, rotten one. Let’s ignore the fact it goes into the “Ingredients” category.

Quickly forgetting about meat, I start wandering from one corner of the Catacombs to another, in order to fill the map.

I knew that this would be the case, but there are so few things here that it’s scary. I stumble and charge into a Zombie from time to time, but when I beat them I level up.

When I roughly finished filling the map for the first floor of the catacombs… at such a time, my little sister called.

『“Onee-chan, where are yooou?”』

“Onee-chan is in Catacombs.”

『“...Cataco...eh? Onee-chan, you can’t have...?!』

“Let’s meet...when «Decomposing Body»...is gone...”

『“Of all things, you went Zombie-chan, eh… I thought you would at most go bones… Still, a Racial Start, huh? Well, I think that’s the correct choice for Zombie-chan…?”』

“I mean, it feels like there would be others who’d do bones, right?”

『“There are, but… looking at the entire playerbase, inhumans might as well be non-existent, you know? The number of players in the first batch isn’t too high in the first place.”』

“I like quietly doing things by myself, so I thought I might as well and picked the unpopular Zombie.”

『“I heard it’s hell, will you be okay?”』

“I’m already level 4 and it’s simpler than I thought it would be?”

『“Eh, isn’t that fast? Certainly, inhumans level up fast, but…”』

“It must be because everything in my surroundings is at least level 6. They’re Zombies so it’s easy to beat them, too.”

『“I heard that the looks, sensation and smell are altogether horrendous though…?”』

“Well… it’s hard to walk, my vision is no good at all. I don’t think I could even use a weapon. Rather, I can’t find any, so I’m punching them with my bare fists and the sensation is that of hitting minced meat for hamburgers. I have no problems with this conversation, but my ears feel distant? It’s as if I turned into a granny.”

『“Uueew……HA! Onee-chan, your boobies?!”』

“They rotted and fell off?”

『“.........I-it, ca...n’t...be…”』

Yup, I can't see her now but I can tell what kind of face she is currently making. Above all, the moment I became a zombie, the choice of hugging me disappeared...

“Well, pray that they come back when I evolve, and that «Decomposing Body» is removed.”

『“Uuuuhnn… tell me when you stumble onto some dead end. I’ll help you out, I'll hunt everything clean!”』

“Yes yes, I know. I will tell you about my situation in real, too.”

『“Definitely!”』

“I will delete and remake my character if it becomes impossible to continue, but for the time being it’s unexpectedly alright.”

『“Right now it looks like you are higher level than me, Onee-chan, so I’ll be off to hunt too!”』

“Have a nice hunt.”

『“All right, let’s do itttt.”』

The connection with my little sister was cut, so I focused on walking. Otherwise, I would get involved in a crash.

Still, it is incredible how there is nothing in here. No, really. Even if I beat zombies, all they drop is rotten meat, you know?

After dinner, I finally managed to fill in the first floor’s map? I thought so, I realize that it was already midnight, so let’s log out. It is long past my bedtime. It’s hard to walk and really slow, so it takes more time than I thought it would.

I found stairs, so let’s fill in the second floor’s map tomorrow. I'm also curious about the level of enemies in there.

I enter the place I was born in and log out.

I put away the VR device, go to toilet and do my stretches before I enter my bed.

Aww, my own body sure is comfortable. Good night.