After defeating the with brilliant tactics and escaping from the dungeon with the Goddess watching over us, we immediately wen to the other to retrieve items from that dungeon.
The are dungeons with the concept of āthe difficulty level changes depending on the order of attackā.
This is because the game progresses by defeating the Dungeon Boss and destroying the statues in the back of the dungeon, so the monsters in the other ruins also become strongerā¦ā¦
āāāāāIn other words, if we donāt destroy the statues and completely conquer the dungeon, the other Ruins will remain in their initial state, no matter how many items we scavenged from the Ruins.
Currently, the monster level in the is Lv 25, which is the initial value.
We can easily advance through any of the Ruins and collect items.
Furthermore, most of the treasure chests in the Ruins have fixed contents.
The earlier we get them, the better, because the items are the same whether we come when the monsters are strong or weak.
(What I most especially wanted though was to collect the items dropped by the Bosses.)
Unfortunately, the Bosses are strengthened āwhen the other Bosses are defeatedā, so itās not possible to āget the Bossesā item drops while theyāre at their weakestā.
This specification seems to be a countermeasure prepared by the devs, as the beta testers probably thought the same thing as I did.
Itās possible that this may have changed due to the realization of the game specs, but it was too risky to try it out on the spot, so I could only tearfully give up on this idea.
Also, due to the distance problem, we were only able to collect items from Ruins in the same area as Frelia so far.
We had talked about visiting the Ruins in other areas, but that has been put off for the time being at the request of Radd and the others.
Even so, were able to obtain a number of valuable items, including the items dropped by the .
We were going to unveil those items today.
[Just the two of you? Whereās Prana and Mana?]
The only people in the Guildās usual training hall were Radd, who was swinging his sword with single-minded devotion, and Nuku, who was practicing his chants with a solemn expression on his face.
When I tilted my head and asked what was going on, Nuku answered with a wry smile on his face.
[Prana is going to participate in the Tournament, so she took Mana with her to register.]
[ā¦ā¦I see.]
This is why Radd and the others were hesitant to move to another area.
The āTournament for the Worldās Strongestā, a fighting tournament with a really mind-boggling name held in the Twelfth Month is going to be held soon and the registration for that tournament is going to start exactly today.
[Even so, Iām surprised. I thought Radd and Nuku would be more willing to participate there.]
When I pointed this out, Nuku and Radd exchanged looks, looking awkward, before they quietly confessed.
[Ummmā¦ā¦ We actually lined up in the arena before the sun rose and registered as soon as registrations opened.]
[Ahhhā¦ā¦]
It seems that their enthusiasm were a step ahead of my expectations.
Rather, the truth may have been that Prana heard about them registering and saying she wants to register too, she took Mana with her.
[You guys sure are looking forward to that tournament.]
When I calmly said this, Radd, whose face blushed a bit, still exclaimed filled with enthusiasm.
[O- Of course I am! This is my chance to see how much Iāve grown as an Adventurer! Besidesā¦ā¦ Joining the tournament doesnāt increase your levels, so I donāt have to wear this dorky armor.]
Looking at his Spring-Loaded Armor, Radd whispered in a low voice.
It seems like he was really concerned about the tackiness of his equipment.
[Old man! We owe you a debt of gratitude for bringing us up to this point. However, when we clash in a match, donāt take it easy on us! You should also give it your allā¦ā¦]
He was shouting something filled with enthusiasm, but his words were off the mark.
[No, Iām not going to be in that tournament.]
[ā¦ā¦Eh?]
Radd stiffened at my simple reply.
ā»ćā»ćā»
[W- Wait right there! I trained hard, thinking that my Masā¦ā¦ thinking that the Old man was going to be thereā¦ā¦ I had thought up a lot of strategies for when I would fight you, Old man!]
[I never said I was gonna fight there though.]
Itās not like I liked fighting, nor is there merit in participating in this timeās tournament.
Radd still looked like he wants to say something, but saying āRather than thatā¦ā¦ā, I forcefully pulled him back into our earlier conversation.
[If thatās the case, then the equipment we gathered will come in handy right away.]
The rules of the tournament are the same every time, simply put: āBringing your opponentās HP down to half results in their defeat, equipment may be brought in, consumables and access to inventory are prohibitedā.
Not just a characterās personal ability itself, as the strength and compatibility of their equipment will have a big impact on their victory.
Also, since no EXP is gained in the tournament, thereās no need for them to wear equipment that increases their affinities.
Therefore, itās instead necessary to put on equipment that considers the competitive strength of the player first and foremost, which is completely different from the past where the growth rate was the first consideration.
[That especially goes for Nuku.]
[Me?]
When I called his name out, Nukuās eyes widened in surprise.
[The equipment of the we defeated the other day. Those are equipment for Magic-users. It has its quirks, but if you can master it, it will be a great help for you.]
Saying that, I took out the two boss drops and .
[Ummm, what are the effects of these items?]
For some reason, Nuku seemed to be shying away from receiving them, so I wrote down their description in my notebook and showed it to him.
ćLunatic Circletć
A diadem created by an insane sorcerer who has collected his refined mysteries.
Its forbidden power is said to bring its wearer both great luxury and tragic ruin.
The wearer gains unparalleled magic power, but if a mortal touches it, their mind would instantly be corrupted and they would fall into the Status Ailment: āInsaneā.
While under the effect of āInsaneā state, the wearerās MGC is doubled, but they would lose all resistance to magic, and when they use magic, thereās a 50% chance that their magic power will go out of control, causing self-inflicted damage commensurate with the power of the magic they casted.
This status ailment is permanent and canāt be removed while the item is equipped.
[Isnāt that equipment a complete minefield!?]
Radd, who looked into my notebook, reflexively exclaimed.
[I did say it has its quirks, right?]
Itās true that the more MGC you have, the more damage you will suffer if your magic fails, so a Magic-user wearing this equipment is in danger of death every time they use magic.
However, the MGC doubling effect is just extraordinary.
If it works well, it can lead to a tremendous boost in the wearerās combat power.
[Besides, it has another hidden effect.]
[Hidden effect?]
Seeing Radd looking curious, I whispered.
[āāāāāThis is just like the , a Unique Class Change Equipment.]
Raddās current Class, , can be Class Changed to by equipping the and meeting the Equipment Requirements while in the Initial Class: .
Wearing this as a will allow you to Class Change to the Unique Class, .
[The Class has the highest offense-related stat compensation among all Classes, even more than the Class. When considering firepower training, itās the first candidate, making it one of the strongest Classes.]
[Strongest!? Ah, well, of course, that would make me a little interested.]
It seems that even Radd couldnāt resist when he heard the word āstrongestā.
Grinning at Radd who is acting like a childish boy, I turn over the page of my notebook.
First, the compensation values of the Class is like this:
āāāāāāāāā-
Brave Blade
STR ā 3
VIT ā 3
MGC ā 0
MND ā 3
AGI ā 3
FOC ā 3
Total ā 15
āāāāāāāāā-
A well-balanced Class in which all abilities except MGC are increased by three.
However, the is the opposite of that.
[ā¦ā¦Look.]
Finding the page, I showed it to Radd.
āāāāāāāāā-
Lunatic Blade
STR ā 7
VIT ā 0
MGC ā 7
MND ā 0
AGI ā 0
FOC ā 0
Total ā 14
āāāāāāāāā-
[Isnāt that being a bit too extreme!?]
Hearing Radd shout once again, I chuckled.
The reaction upon seeing this Classā description really is the same as always.
[Well, this Class is rather difficult to use for both physical and magical types since it raises both STR and MGC at the same time, while the other abilities donāt go up.]
[Old manā¦ā¦]
Radd was giving me astounded looks.
Looking at it again, I saw that not only Radd, but also the nearby Nuku and Resilia, who was standing behind me, were giving me somewhat cold looks.
[W- Wait! This one would be simply amazing.]
Feeling that the wind wasnāt blowing my way, I hurriedly put the other piece of equipment in front of me.
Gleaming in the sunlight is a rod with a bright red gemstone attached to its tip, or something brimming with chuuni-ness.
[Itās a high-performance version of the that Nuku is using right now.]
[Is that so!?]
I nodded in agreement to Nukuās eagerness, and explained the situation.
[Like the , it can unleash powerful magic when āusedā, and its Fixed MATK revision is also higher than its Variable MATK. Therefore, itās more powerful at lower levels than in the later levels where the userās MGC is at its peak. The earlier you acquire it, the more useful it is.]
However, the overwhelming difference between the and the is their performance.
[This rod has a MATK that even the canāt compare. The Fixed value of this rod is the highest among all the equipment as far as I know. The magic that can be unleashed by āusingā it is also very powerful, although it requires a large amount of time to charge and unleash. ā¦ā¦Incidentally, the cost would also be just aas great.]
The prepared for the Lava Cave attack is worth 50 million wen.
Nuku had been using it fearfully using itā¦ā¦
[Itās a Unique Item, so you canāt really buy it in the first place, but if this were sold, how much do you think the price would beā¦ā¦]
[H- How much is it?]
As Nuku timidly asked this, I grinned.
[āāāāāA billion wen.]
The moment he heard that, Nukuās throat hitched up.
Iām not sure if heās just being a guy with common sense or just him having the mind of a cheapskate commoner, but even though he has become stronger, Nuku sure is easy to pick on in a different way from Radd.
[By the way, hereās the rodās description.]
On a new page of my notebook, I wrote the description of the .
ćCrimson Inferno Rodć
A unique rod made of the finest materials and created with the most blasphemous techniques.
The jewel attached to the tip is said to contain the souls of dozens of sorcerers, and by releasing its magic power, it can unleash blazing sorcery as powerful as the breath of a dragon.
It boasts the highest performance and ease of use as a magic catalyst, and even the most inexperienced wielder will be transformed into a person as great as an expert sorcerer if they had this rod in their hand.
However, one must not forget.
Those who forget to learn and work hard, simply indulging in easily acquired power, holds no future.
[ā¦ā¦Hey. Thereās something ominous at the end.]
The stunned Nuku didnāt seem to notice, but Radd pointed out the last part of the description.
[W- Well, you see, this rod has a little drawback.]
[Drawback?]
[While itās equipped, your affinity for the āMGCā stat is lowered.]
[Then this thing is also a freaking minefield!]
Radd roared for the third time, but well, the world isnāt always so convenient.
Incidentally, the attack magic that can be used with the rod also has a drawback: in exchange for being extremely powerful, one shot consumes 200 MP, making it the most fuel-inefficient magic that even the current Nuku canāt fire 2 shots without additional items involved.
[E- Even so, your affinities donāt matter when in tournaments, and since its attack power compensation when equipped is high, even if you use it in tournamentsā¦ā¦]
I didnāt give up and still recommended the rod.
[N- No. Iāll pass.]
āābut Nuku had completely pulled away.
[I want to test my own abilities in the next tournament. So, using rather extreme equipment that I canāt really use in a real battle against monsters is just, ummmā¦ā¦]
He was finding it difficult to find the words to say, but in short, he didnāt want to wear equipment that felt like gold plating.
Seeing the situation, Radd lets out a sigh.
[Old man, I really donāt know if youāre really smart or just stupid.]
Now aināt that plain rude.
With that in mind, I was about to rebut him butā¦ā¦
[Howeverā¦ā¦]
Radd continued with a smile.
[āāāāāIf itās Rex, you would probably be able to use that kind of equipment to your advantage and do some crazy stuff with it!]
[āāā-!]
Unable to look directly at the dazzling smile he sent me, I involuntarily turned my head away.
[ā¦ā¦Old man?]
Avoiding eye contact with Radd, who looked at me with a puzzled look on his face, I deliberately turned towards the exit of the training grounds.
[Come to think of it, Prana and Mana sure is late. Iāll go check how things are going on their side for a bit.]
[Eh, no, itās not like theyāve alreadyā¦ā¦]
Ignoring Radd, who seemed like he was about to say somethingā¦ā¦
[If Nii-san is gonna go, Iāll alsoā¦ā¦]
Shaking away Resilia, who looked like she was about to follow meā¦ā¦
[Iāll be back soon. You can train here in the meantime.]
After saying that, I ran away from the training ground as if to escape from this place.
ā»ćā»ćā»
Quickly leaving the training grounds and crossing the Guildā¦ā¦
[Iām already too old for thisā¦ā¦]
Finally alone, I cursed.
Iām aware that I have behaved in a disgraceful manner.
However, I just couldnāt remain there.
[ā¦ā¦D*mn it.]
Remembering Raddās unadulterated look of respect, I couldnāt help cursing.
āāāāāI wonder how much longer would I be able to hold that gazeā¦ā¦
Thereās not as much of a gap between me and Raddās abilities as Radd and the others think.
No, I could even say that he had already overtaken me.
The reason I donāt participate in that tournament isnāt simply because Iām not interested.
In fact, winning that tournament is one of my main goals in the game, and thereās no reason why winning the tournament wouldnāt be beneficial.
But even when that was case, the reason why I didnāt participate was very simple.
āāāāāāI donāt have a chance to winā.
Rex may have been the āstrongest in the early gameā, but that only means that heās the strongest character who joins your party at the beginning of the game.
Some of the characters who only enter the spotlight events or donāt join the group at all in the first place are such monsters that far surpass Rexās abilities at the start of the game.
By rule, tournaments donāt allow underhanded means that exploit system loopholes.
No matter how much in-game knowledge I have, the tournament isnāt something you can win with just my level of ability.
[ā¦ā¦Haahhhā¦ā¦]
Sighing heavily, I switched my thoughts.
That said, thereās no point grumbling about this and that.
Now that I have told them I will go look for Prana and Mana, even if it was only just an excuse I used, it will seem strange if I donāt go look for them.
While I was closing my eyes at the heavy cross āworst growth potentialā which I carry on my shoulder, my feet were leading me toward the Arena.
And just as I was about to see the Arenaā¦ā¦
[āāāāāStay away!]
I heard the familiar voice of an Elven girl.
(This saves me the trouble of looking for them.)
As I turned the corner, I saw Prana glaring ahead and Mana huddling herself behind her, seemingly frightened.
I had thought of this from hearing her voice, but it seems like they met trouble.
(Good grief. They must have balls of steel.)
They are both beautiful women, so perhaps, someone may have been trying to woo them.
I donāt know what kind of guy they were involved with, but I suppose I could chastise them to relieve some stressā¦ā¦
It was when I approached the two of them with this thought in mindā¦ā¦
The sight of that person standing in front of Prana made me hold my breath.
[Whaā¦ā¦]
The words that were about to come out of my mouth got stuck in my throat.
The foot that was about to move forward naturally stops, and on the contrary, it even seems to back away.
[Rex-san!]
Even though Mana found me and called out my name, I still couldnāt move.
Thereupon, the well-trained body standing in front of Mana slowly turned to face me.
(ā¦ā¦Ahh, thatās right.)
My hands trembling against my will and my legs cowering felt as if what was going on was someone elseās problem.
Now is the time when the tournament is about to begin.
If that were the case, I should have considered the possibility of this kind of encounter.
I couldnāt move even when his gaze as sharp as a sword shot at me.
Itās just, after I faced āhimā did my dried-out lips finally spat out those few words.
[āāāāā.]
And thenā¦ā¦
My , which had become a conditioned reflex, informed me of my despair.