As Sei-nee watched us with a cheerful smile, she suddenly let out a small gasp, her voice tinged with concern.
“Speaking of which, I received an SOS message from Yun-chan. Taku-kun and Miu-chan are likely about to start a large-scale search.”
“…I have a feeling this is going to turn into something serious.”
“Yun-chi, you better clean up after this! Good luck!”
“Don’t worry. We still have time. Well, I might not be forgiven for disappearing for a night, though.”
“Damn that trio! I won’t forgive them for this!”
I raised my voice in frustration at the difficulties that were sure to come, while Lily and Sei-nee exchanged wry smiles at my outburst.
Emergency
Chapter Seven: A Walk and an Urgent Quest
Hmm. I had been so absent-minded. I had left things unattended.
As I thought this, I sat up, realizing I had been sleeping under the bright sun.
“Haah, did I really fall asleep like that?”
Stretching my body, I shifted my gaze away from the table that had been shining down on me and looked around.
Our base camp had grown to nearly thirty people. Most of them were still passed out from last night’s festivities.
“Still, we went through quite a lot.”
We had survived the attack from that trio, but what awaited us afterward was even more daunting.
Having safely returned to our base camp, we heard the orders being shouted out:
“Parties One through Five will search the northern area, while Parties Six through Ten will handle the southern search! This will be our command center!”
“But Yun-kun and Lily are missing! We shouldn’t have left them behind!”
“Calm down. I’ll be heading out too! The party menu shows that both of them are safe.”
“That Yun! Sending such a short SOS message and then disappearing!”
“Taku, calm down!”
“Both of you, just relax!”
The base camp was in chaos. A woman was directing dozens of people, creating an atmosphere that felt ready to plunge into the forest at any moment. Meanwhile, Magi-san was flustered, and Claude was trying to calm her down with soothing words.
Taku was shaking his knees, barely holding back his urge to rush out immediately. Miu’s voice trembled with anxiety, a rare sight for someone I knew well. I couldn’t help but think my own expression must have been tense.
The scene was chaotic, resembling a command center for rescuing climbers lost in the mountains.
“Hey! I brought Yun-chan back!”
“Whoa! Sei-nee! Wait a second!”
“We need to reassure them quickly. Let’s not give up, Yun-chi!”
The younger Lily had an expression that seemed almost enlightened, waiting for the next turn of events.
“Um, I’m back.”
“Where have you been?!”
Magi-san wrapped her arms around both of our necks, squeezing tightly. Her right arm was around Lily’s neck, while her left was around mine, pulling us close with surprising strength. It was both delightful and embarrassing, and I felt a bit guilty. Ritti and the little black beast we had been carrying were caught in the middle, letting out small, distressed sounds as they struggled. Finally, Magi-san released us but tightened her grip on Ritti once more.
“Where have you two been? I was worried sick!”
“Uh, well…”
I hadn’t prepared any excuses. I needed a convincing reason for why I had sent that fried rice request. While I was internally sweating, Lily began to explain smoothly, providing a reasonable excuse.
“Well, I got separated from Yun-chi to look for some ingredient items nearby, but we were attacked. Even when we tried to escape, we were chased, and Yun-chi accidentally sent that SOS message in a panic.”
“Hey! Lily!”
I called out to her, but it was just a reaction to her unexpected behavior. The surrounding people seemed to share in her embarrassment, and I could feel a slight tension in the air.
“So! Were you both okay?”
“I found a Unique Monster in the forest by chance, so I took it down. Let’s check the post-drop items later.”
When I glanced at Sei-nee, I noticed a friend communication request coming in.
(So, is this kind of excuse good enough?)
Sei-nee smiled brightly, explaining things to Lily without contradictions, while simultaneously communicating with me.
(Is it okay? Are we lying?)
(It’s fine. If we tell the truth, that trio we just escaped from will become our next target.)
Sei-nee added that turning the search for Yun-chan into a player hunt would be troublesome. She smoothly answered any questions about the Unique Monster that had appeared in our fabricated story. The content was truly…
“It seems we fought it.”
(We really did fight it. I’m not lying. I did take down a Unique Monster, but that doesn’t mean it was Yun-chan…)
(That’s not the case. Lily-kun didn’t mention what attacked her either.)
Did we mislead them with Lily’s statement and Sei-nee’s explanation? If Sei-nee said she defeated a Unique Monster right after Lily mentioned being attacked, it would lead them to believe the attacker was the Unique Monster.
Well, with that, the atmosphere seemed to settle, and before anything else could be mentioned, Sei-nee turned to speak to another player to lighten the mood.
“By the way, why are Mikazuchi and the others here?”
The woman called Mikazuchi had fiery wine-red hair, styled elegantly, and stood taller than me, a high school boy. She exuded an air of a confident, charismatic adult woman.
“Still, it seems like the family of the sub-master is quite the interesting bunch.”
In response to her words, I returned a knowing smile and received a light self-introduction.
“I’m Mikazuchi, the master of the Yaoyorozu Guild. I was asked by Kuro to bring my guild members along. Well, it was actually Sei who found me. So, what do you say? Want to join our guild?”
At her invitation, voices of protest came from various directions.
“Yun-kun has a knack for attracting trouble, so we’ll protect him! Plus, help us set up a production guild!” Magi-san insisted.
“I’m worried if we can’t keep an eye on him like this, so please join our party,” Taku added.
“No, he should join us!” Miu chimed in.
“Mikazuchi, give it another push!” Sei-nee further stirred the pot.
I was grateful for their kind words, but…
“Sorry, but I have to decline. I prefer to go solo and take things easy.”
“I see, that’s a shame.”
Mikazuchi shrugged, but her demeanor suggested she had expected this outcome.
At the same time, I could hear sighs of relief from the surrounding crowd.
“Enough with the jokes, Kuro. What are we going to do now? In the end, it was a wild goose chase, and you’ve wasted our precious time. How will you make it up to us?”
“I’ll pay a fair price, for Yun.”
[Me?!]
Are we compromising?
“Producers of consumables are valuable. So, I’ll borrow this girl for now.”
“Don’t call me ‘girl’! I’m a guy! And don’t just rent me out without permission!”
With that, I was firmly grabbed and dragged away. I could see Magi-san and the others watching me leave.
Ugh, I’ll skip the details of what happened next.
“Seriously, they make me create items endlessly, and then they demand meals because they’re hungry.”
I felt exasperated as I recalled last night’s events.
I had been borrowed for the sake of replenishing consumables, but when night fell and I got hungry, I had to whip up whatever meals I could find, and then engage in potion-making and other production activities.
On the other hand, I had almost been dragged into a banquet, but production work continued late into the night, leaving me utterly exhausted.
“I’m really glad I could make things from recipes in times like this. Seriously.”
Stretching my stiff body from sleeping in such an awkward position, I tried to relax.
After getting caught up in all that trouble yesterday, Ritti and the little fox had stayed close to me the entire time.
So even when I fell asleep, I didn’t feel cold at all. They were like hot water bottles.
“Good morning, girl. Are the items ready?”
“Good morning, Mikazuchi. And… don’t call me ‘girl.’ I’m a guy. I’ve prepared the necessary items as per your order. Is this sufficient?”
“Then I have no complaints. You should take it easy today.”
“Hey, are you ignoring the ‘guy’ part? And is it really okay for me to receive a reward?”
“No problem. We’re just prioritizing the items you made. We’re not so unreasonable as to make you create things for free. Are you sure those items are good enough?”
“They’re fine. I’m satisfied with them.”
Mikazuchi pondered my words, then nodded in understanding. After that, she would distribute the items I created to her guild members, and they would dive into hunting and dungeon exploration.
“Well then, see you tonight. I had fun yesterday, Young Beast Caretaker.”
“Huh? What’s with that nickname?”
She twisted her face in a playful manner, smiling as if she had found something amusing, and turned away. As Mikazuchi waved goodbye and left, Magi-san came running toward me from the opposite side.
“Yun-kun. Good morning! How are you feeling?”
“I’m doing alright. But more importantly, what exactly is a ‘Young Beast Caretaker’?”
“Oh, that…”
Magi-san adjusted her hold on Rikuru, who was clinging to her shoulder, and searched for the right words to explain.
“Do you remember what happened last night?”
“I was taken by Mikazuchi, made some Potions, cooked dinner, and ran around escaping from home…”
“You were told to take care of the Young Beasts as a reason to escape, right? You were looking after several Young Beasts from ‘Yaoyorozu’ all by yourself.”
While it was true that I was taking care of them, it mostly involved playing freely with Rui and the others, serving more as a break from the tiring tasks at hand.
The image of a kind woman who treats Young Beasts without discrimination. Among the various nicknames, the most reasonable ones were ‘Caretaker-san’ or ‘Caretaker-tan.’ What on earth…? When did such names come into existence?
More importantly, the ‘woman’ in question was actually a man. And what’s with the term ‘Caretaker’? It’s not even a title related to Bow Users or Potion Makers.
“Well, if you excel in different areas, your nickname will naturally change.”
“I’d at least prefer to be called normally…”
Rather than an embarrassing nickname, I would much rather be called by my name or referred to by titles that clearly represent my role, like Bow User or Alchemist.
“Well, it’s all about getting used to it. So, what kind of rewards did you receive from ‘Yaoyorozu’?”
During material collection, I had gathered surplus items, poisonous plants, cursed accessories, and drops from Unique Monsters.
“Yun-kun, you really lack ambition. I mean, the rewards you’re asking for are quite strange.”
“Is it really that strange? Personally, I’m quite happy with them.”
“That’s really odd. First of all, you should be collecting useful accessories instead of cursed equipment.”
However, both the useful accessories and the cursed ones had high design quality, so I had ended up with a collection of cursed accessories, which I intended to use as reference materials for my Crafting Sense rather than for actual use.
As a result, I had gathered over thirty items, ranging from the ridiculous to the dangerous.
“On the contrary, there are some items that seem to have dangerous effects that people want to keep.”
“Hmm. The Death Soldier’s Bracelet, something like a status ailment type.”
“The Death Soldier’s Bracelet is the cause of the black fox’s rampage. It can’t be removed or controlled. It’s extremely dangerous.”
“The other status ailment accessory is one that was dropped by the Kamaitachi that attacked me. It induces various status ailments like poison, paralysis, torment, curse, charm, confusion, fatigue, and rage.”
“While its performance is exceptionally high and excellent, if you fail the check even once every minute, you will suffer from a status ailment. These ailments can be cured with items or time, but stopping in the middle of a battle or attacking your allies is extremely dangerous.”
The status ailment checks occur with each question, so it can be quite annoying when the timing of the previous ailment wears off and the next check comes in.
At least, the saving grace is that the equipment can be voluntarily deactivated.
“But there are useful accessories too. Look—”
I showed her a ring with only a pedestal and no gem on my finger. It may look disappointing, but it was one of the few useful items I had received as a reward.
“That… for some people, it might be worth reaching for. Plus, it matches your playstyle, Yun-kun.”
Magi-san evaluated the ring, which was simple yet incredibly powerful.
“Substitute Jewel Ring [Accessory]”
Additional Effect: [Substitute Jewel]
While it doesn’t alter stats, the effect of the additional [Substitute Jewel] is highly useful.
The effect allows it to take on attacks unconditionally based on the rank of the gem embedded in the pedestal. Since it’s unconditional, both minor attacks and one-hit kills are treated equally with no damage, but even so, having the ability to prevent damage is more than enough.
Furthermore, even if the gem is chipped, as long as certain conditions are met, a new gem can be embedded.
There are three rules. The number of attacks that can be nullified is determined by the rank of the gem. Once the gem has nullified its limit, it disappears. Lastly, the embedded gem cannot be removed, and the number of nullified attacks multiplied by time will prevent new gems from being accepted.
This accessory, with its unique rules, has good synergy with my Crafting Sense and fits my playstyle well.
“But right now, since there’s no gem embedded in the pedestal, it has no effect.”
“That’s right. I brought mostly healing leaves and food, so I don’t have any extra gems.”
Due to the event’s item restrictions, I had brought my Crafting Sense production tools but hadn’t had the chance to use my Polishing Skill, nor did I bring any gems other than Magic Gems.
Now, what should I do? It would be great if I could trade with someone. Magi-san, who had been quietly pondering, suddenly smiled and asked,
“Hey, Yun-kun. How about we sneak out together for a little distraction?”
“What’s with that suggestive tone? If you need help, I’m more than willing to assist.”
“Oh dear, I guess I got turned down. Well, the place we’re heading to is…”
With Ritti, Rikuru, and the black fox remaining at the base camp, we were heading to a location I had previously discovered while gathering materials, a collection point in the northern rocky area.
And there was one more companion joining us, aside from me and Magi-san.
“…Why is Sei-nee coming along too?”
“Because I’m worried about Yun-chan… not really, but well, I guess that’s not the case.”
I mentally retorted but received a small apology from her as she looked at me with a serious expression and revealed the truth.
“I haven’t seen you in a while. The time has come, but… we ended up going on a date.”
Sei-nee squinted her eyes and asked Magi-san, who immediately denied it strongly.
“No way! I’m really happy to be able to talk with Sei-san like this.”
It felt more like a girls’ outing than a date… The fact that I wasn’t seen as a man stung a little. As we chatted amiably, we made our way through the forest toward the northern rocky area, but despite the cheerful conversation, a tense atmosphere loomed.
As we walked, we repelled the approaching MOBs without letting them get close, unleashing a barrage of water bullets.
Sei-nee.
With a picnic-like spirit, we ventured forth, accompanied by the whispers of birds and the sounds of MOBs as our background music.
In the midst of it all.
“Hmm. This isn’t what I imagined a magician to be like.”
Magi-san coughed, tilting her head in confusion, while Sei-nee understood the meaning and smiled wryly.
“Magicians are the stars of the party’s offense. They annihilate enemies with maximum firepower. That’s the image, but Sei-san seems to take them down one by one.”
“Is that so? Sei-nee?”
“That impression is quite accurate. My current Sense focuses on rapid-fire and versatility, which is why it feels that way. Just wait a moment.”
Sei-nee moved her fingers toward the sky, seemingly adjusting her menu and tweaking her Sense configuration. After a brief moment of concentration, she raised her staff before her, entering a longer charge than before.
In response, a blue light began to rise from her feet, creating a fantastical scene in the forest where sunlight filtered through the leaves.
“Speaking of which, I hadn’t decided on a target yet. Yun-chan, you have good eyesight, so find a suitable enemy.”
“Hey, can’t you decide that first?”
“Hurry up, or I’ll waste MP!”
With Sei-nee maintaining her state just before activation, I sighed and began searching for enemies within the range of my ‘Eye of History.’ I soon spotted a bird circling above.
However, it looked much larger than a typical bird, and as I stared at it, Sei-nee and Magi-san seemed to have noticed it too, looking up at the sky.
“That’s an Air Condor! A Unique Monster that makes its lair in the northern rocky area!”
“If we encounter a dragon on the way, let’s switch and take it down!”
Sei-nee thrust her staff upward toward the circling monster, aligning her aim, and shouted, “Maelstrom!”
The change was instantaneous. Beneath the circling monster, a small water sphere formed, exploding with explosive force as it shot water upward, engulfing the creature in a swirling torrent.
Caught in the massive tide created in mid-air, the monster spun violently, seemingly against its will, as the whirlpool drew it in.
The vortex, now containing the creature, descended rapidly toward us, scattering several trees in a radial explosion, and at its center, a bird the size of a human with a slender neck twisted at an impossible angle emerged, its form breaking down into particles of light.
As Rikuru and the black fox Young Beast hurried toward me and Magi-san, their overwhelming cries echoed around us, but I paid them no mind. My expression stiffened at the second surprise of the day.
Sei-nee, who was investigating the location where we had defeated the Unique Monster, the Air Condor, chimed in cheerfully, “Hmm. It seems the power is just too high; it might end up causing friendly fire. With the configuration that boosts power to its limits, it’s usually quite difficult to use. But I hope you enjoyed watching it, Magi-chan?”
After collecting a Treasure Chest visible only to the players who had defeated the monster, Sei-nee turned to Magi-san and asked.
“Ugh… what is it?”
Magi-san, who stood slightly ahead of me, let out a small exclamation. I could understand her feelings well; it seemed she could only produce such sounds.
“Ugh! As expected, the mage’s area of effect and firepower are incredible!”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she clenched her fists. After witnessing Sei-nee’s high-powered magic, she sighed happily, “Ah, I’m so satisfied.”
“I’m glad you’re satisfied. With this, there should be fewer obstacles in the rocky mountain area.”
“Yes! Yun-kun, let’s go! Our destination is just a bit further ahead!”
“Please don’t pull me like that. And why is the place we’re aiming for almost a vertical rock face?”
“Don’t worry. There are proper stone stairs nearby.”
“Then it’s not a problem.”
As I calmed down the eager Magi-san, I noticed Sei-nee watching us with a smile from a step back.
We arrived at a large staircase and began to ascend. Magi-san had Rikuru perched on her shoulder, while I carried Kutsushita and Neshias in my hands, cradling the black fox in my arms.
“Hey, you guys should climb on your own.”
“Magi-san, are we at the gathering point yet?”
“Not yet, but we’re almost there. It’s just up these stairs.”
With that, Magi-san dashed up the stairs, and I followed her—
“Whoa… this is—”
“After all the chaos on the first day, it’s nice to take it slow in a place like this, right?”
At the top, a small meadow filled with blooming flowers awaited us, creating a green oasis. Jagged rocks scattered about led to a cliff. When I turned back, I could see the vast forest, the scattered base camp, and the lake, all framed by the floating continent’s iconic scenery.
“There are various gathering points for gems and ores around this plaza. I’ll head over to that rock wall and mine with my pickaxe. Let’s regroup later. Sei-san, what will you do?”
“I’ll stick with Yun-chan.”
Waving her hand, Magi-san said, “See you later!” as she separated from us. However, she was already swinging her pickaxe against the rock wall within sight.
“It’s been a while since I went out with you, Yun-chan. It feels like a picnic.”
“Yeah.”
In this small plateau, I walked over the uneven stones, searching for raw gems. A little distance away, Rikuru and the other Young Beasts rolled around playfully in the grass, following my movements and then frolicking again, which brought a smile to my face.
“How is it? Fun?”
Suddenly, Sei-nee asked that. I replied, “Yeah, it’s fun. At first, I was worried about what would happen with my unfortunate Sense, but I’ve made friends and I’m enjoying myself.”
“That’s great to hear. I felt a bit guilty for dragging Taku-kun into this. Plus, I had left you alone for a while.”
“I’m not that much of a child.”
I was fine being alone, and if I didn’t get along with someone, I could just stop. Well, the people I met were too nice, so logging in felt like visiting friends.
“Just make sure to occasionally bring me some supplies from your shop. It’s called Atelier, right?”
“Got it. But you’re curious about my shop? What’s it like?”
“Don’t get your hopes up too high. It’s a shop built with a small amount of money.”
“Hehe, a shop that grows alongside you, Yun-chan? That sounds interesting.”
She chuckled softly, her gentle, droopy eyes sparkling. With Miu’s beauty in mind, I couldn’t help but feel a different kind of concern.
“Yun-kun, I’m done over here! How about you?”
I smiled wryly at Magi-san, who was energetically swinging her pickaxe, and replied loudly, “I’ll be there in just a bit!”
“Then let’s take a break after that and head back to the base camp!”
As I tilted my head slightly at Sei-nee, who seemed to be enjoying our conversation, I gathered the Young Beasts and regrouped with Magi-san to take a break together.
“Yun-kun? How’s it going over there?”
“There are quite a few ores. The gems might be a bit scarce.”
“The collection is about half and half for ores and gems. Want to trade?”
“Thank you. I’d appreciate that.”
Kneeling on a carpet of grass, we began distributing the gathered materials. Sei-nee watched our casual exchange with a smile, her gaze lingering a bit longer than usual.
“So, what gems did you find?”
“In this area, you can find small-sized Zakuro stones.”
“Zakuro stones?”
“Yes, another name for garnet.”
“Oh, I see.”
I picked up one of the raw gems. Still surrounded by stone, it was hard to discern its quality, but with my Polishing Skill, I refined it and held it up to the light. The small gem created through my Skill had a beautiful contrast of black and red.
As I admired the gem, a little wolf nudged my leg with its front paw, seemingly trying to get my attention.
At first, it had been quite wary of me, but now it had grown comfortable enough to seek my affection. Of course, I found it soothing as well.
“What’s wrong? Are you curious about this?”
I brought the Zakuro stone close to the little fox’s nose, and it quickly realized it couldn’t eat it. “Hey, that’s not food… Look, if you’re hungry, I have this.”
I pulled out a piece of fruit, and the little wolf skillfully held it with its front paws and began to eat. I couldn’t help but smile at the sight, comparing the little wolf’s fur with the Zakuro stone. The dark fur with a hint of red closely resembled the gem I held. Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but people tend to feel a sense of fate in such coincidences.
I lifted the little fox, who had finished its fruit, and spoke to it. “I’ve been too busy to give you a name until now. It’s a simple one, but I’ll name you now.”
The little fox tilted its head, still not understanding what I was saying. I couldn’t help but chuckle at its adorable expression and clearly stated, “Your name is Zakuro.”
In that moment, the little fox’s red fur flickered with flames. The fire brushed against my hand, causing Magi-san and Sei-nee to panic, but it wasn’t hot at all. This fire wasn’t meant to harm. It quickly extinguished, and Zakuro returned a curious glance to Magi-san, as if asking, “What’s going on?” I couldn’t help but chuckle at the contrast between Magi-san’s surprise and Zakuro’s puzzled demeanor.
“Let’s get along from now on, Zakuro.”
As I spoke, I felt a weight settle on my back. Turning my head, I saw Ritti rubbing against me.
“I haven’t forgotten about you either. Nice to meet you, Ritti.”
Seemingly satisfied with my words, Ritti took a couple of steps back and lay down beside me.
I hoped this event would end on such a peaceful note. However—
“Yun-chan, what’s that over there?”
“Those… Young Beasts are running!”
From our high vantage point, we could see the forest below, and in the direction Sei-nee pointed, we spotted small MOBs running frantically in the same direction. Various Young Beasts were desperately fleeing.
“It looks like they’re escaping from something.”
As everyone began to feel an inexplicable anxiety at Magi-san’s words, a loud alert echoed in our minds.
It resonated directly.
An emergency Quest, [Phantom Beast Devourer’s Assault], has been issued to all players.
From now on, in the floating continent, the penalty for cooperative play will be lifted until the Quest concludes.
The moment that announcement rang out, the floating continent transformed.
“Phantom Beast Devourer,
Chapter 8: Phantom Beast Devourer’s Assault and Support.”
Rushing back to our base camp in a panic due to the emergency Quest, we were greeted by players bustling around like a disturbed beehive.
I thought the players moving around the base camp were just as unsettled as I was, but—
“Hey! Let’s go hunting right away! We need to find and take down that [Phantom Beast Devourer]!”
“Wait! Let’s lure it over here and have everyone watch!”
“Sounds good! Then let’s have a party battle and a personal time attack competition!”
“Count me in!”
“Wait, what is that? Is something creepy coming closer?”
“Whoa! It’s already here! Let’s go, guys!”
“Yeah!”
What is this? The stark contrast between my unease and the enthusiasm of the players around me…
As I returned to the base camp from the northern rocky mountains, I had only caught a glimpse of a MOB known as the Phantom Beast Devourer. Its silhouette resembled a twisted tree, with a gaping maw lined with uneven, sharp teeth. Yet, the elements that made up this creature could only be described as unsettling. Its skin, a grotesque blend of black and brown, had a squishy texture, and countless tendrils extended from its body, some of which appeared to be human fingers. Within the dark flesh, strands of muscle and patches of pink, white, and red flesh peeked through, accentuating the horror of its appearance.
The area that seemed to be its head was drooping, and where its eyes should have been lay a hollow void, darker than the depths of a frozen abyss. To make matters worse, a piercing shriek echoed through the air, gnawing at my sanity and twisting my expression into one of discomfort. In that moment, I cursed my ability to see clearly, wishing I could turn a blind eye to this nightmare. Yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had seen something similar recently.
“…Yun-kun! Yun-kun!”
“Huh? What is it, Magi-san?”
“I understand what you’re trying to say. Well, this is the reality of the game.”
Magi-san’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. I tried to recall the memory that had been nagging at me and turned to Magi-san and Sei-nee to ask about the temperature difference I had sensed earlier.
“Sei-nee: Isn’t it normal to panic when a monster appears?”
“Well, since this is a game, there’s a certain comfort in knowing that a foe strong enough to instantly kill players shouldn’t show up,” Magi-san replied.
“But I find it interesting how the design takes into account intimidation and physiological disgust,” Sei-nee added.
Their words made sense to me. Here were players eagerly gathering information, discussing which parts of the creature were weak points, and exchanging opinions on how to deal damage.
As I furrowed my brow at the sudden shift in circumstances, I noticed Claude approaching me.
“Yun, can you help me out?”
“I’m preparing consumables for the boss battle.”
“Ugh, we just did this yesterday, and now we have to do it again?”
I began walking toward the location Claude indicated, where materials were said to be gathered. As I moved, I heard him call out to me over his shoulder.
“By the way, the screenshot of the lake flag you took provided hints about the enemy. There were various clues scattered throughout. We managed to discover the enemy’s weak points early on.”
“Really? Is that so? Got it.”
I smiled faintly at the thought that my efforts had been useful, and I steeled myself for potion crafting once more.
Then, amidst the flurry of players bustling about, a sudden commotion erupted in the safety zone, where a full production system had been established.
“Hey! Multiple Phantom Beasts are approaching the base camp! Get into defensive positions immediately!”
At the shout of one of the sentinels, the resting players sprang into action without hesitation.