“Unleash. Attack, Speed!”
Immediately sensing the impending danger, we bolstered our stats in preparation for battle, waiting for the approaching enemies.
Before long, a group of three or four grotesque monkeys known as Masshu Apes emerged, their bodies covered in dark brown fur and possessing deformed arms. Their arms were slightly elongated, and their fists had hardened like stone. Their cries were devoid of any intelligence, revealing a mad expression as they bared their sharp fangs and brandished their crude weapons, screeching wildly.
As the first one lunged at us, the two following closely behind mirrored its attack.
“I’ll handle two of them! Buy me some time with the other one!”
“Got it!”
Following the command, I took aim with my bow from the back and released an arrow at one of the approaching beasts. The hardened part of its arm was from the elbow down, and the arrow struck deep into its shoulder.
With a painful screech, the arrow was pulled out. I maintained my distance from the attacking monkeys, periodically firing arrows to keep their attention.
The girl faced the remaining two monkeys, their long forearms swinging like a cancerous growth as they charged at her. Calmly, she readied her longsword, engaging the enemies with swift slashes and deft parries. I glanced over and was impressed to see her effortlessly handling both at once. Her positioning was always strategic, ensuring she kept them within her line of sight.
I too fired arrows from behind, enhancing my support skills as I did so.
The moment the two monkeys were lured into her attack range, her Arts activated. Each successive strike from her sword reduced their HP, and eventually, they vanished into nothingness.
No matter how many times I witnessed her sharp swordsmanship, I was still engaged with the last remaining beast, momentarily forgetting my own battle.
I dodged the hammer-like arm of the approaching monkey, but its sheer size and the pressure it exerted made me stagger, causing me to fall onto my backside.
From my position, the monkey loomed larger than life, raising its hardened arms above its head, ready to bring them crashing down. I squeezed my eyes shut, curling up, but the anticipated impact never came.
“Alright, all done!”
With a somewhat relaxed voice, I cautiously opened my eyes. There stood the crumbling monkey and the silver-haired girl, her sword glowing as she sheathed it.
“Thank you for the timely support, big sister.”
“No, it was my fault for asking you to do that. It shouldn’t have been too much trouble,” she replied, though I felt embarrassed for having exposed such a pitiful sight just to distract one monkey.
While I was using my bow as my main weapon, my inability to finish off the monkey made it clear that it wasn’t the most effective choice.
Before I could dwell on it too much, I returned to our original objective of searching the roots of the surrounding trees for items.
“That should be the last one. We have enough materials now.”
“Oh, really? That’s great! So, what are you going to make?”
“In the field of production, it’s medicine. For consumables, gathering a large quantity of materials is crucial.”
“Combat feels like a bang, slash, and boom, but I can’t quite picture your production work, Yun big sister.”
“Well, I don’t think you can express a production class with onomatopoeia. And Miu, don’t call me ‘big sister’.”
That’s right. Although my character in the game is female, in reality, I’m male.
“Anyway, let’s level you up next! To the next hunting ground, let’s go!”
“Hey, wait! Miu!”
“That was so uncool earlier! It’s better to raise your Sense level! Now, let’s take on a stronger MOB!”
I muttered in exasperation as my sister Miu pulled me deeper into the forest. This place was home to various monsters, including the grotesque wolves we had just faced, and it felt a bit overwhelming for me at the moment.
I wasn’t fond of the intense grind that came with leveling up, as it could be mentally exhausting. However, seeing Miu find joy in it made me sigh as I followed her.
The reason I started this game was during summer vacation.
The game known as OSO, short for “Oni no no no tsutsuki,” is a VRMMORPG that has garnered attention for its unique premise where players equip talents called Sense, giving rise to a singular lifestyle and chosen playstyle.
Developed by Epson Corporation, the game features realistic virtual reality powered by autonomous AI and large server computational capabilities. Its world is set in a medieval fantasy theme, blending magic and adventure with remarkable depth.
The way one masters their Sense varies from player to player. There are countless derived Senses, and new ones have been added since the open beta.
As for my playstyle, it was just as my friend described.
On the eve of the official launch, I found myself unexpectedly confined at my friend’s house, forced to help him finish his summer homework. That friend was none other than Takumi.
“Hey, just a sec. Let me see your math answers.”
- Without hesitation, Takumi shamelessly siphoned off my hard work. A vein throbbed at my temple as I struggled to suppress my rising anger.
“Why? Why did you drag me here to make me reveal my homework?”
“Come on, it’s just a yearly tradition to cram homework at the end of summer vacation.”
Takumi, my childhood friend, casually stated this, and it turned out he wanted to indulge in gaming all summer long. I was utterly exasperated.
“I need to do this without regrets. Plus, I want to play this game with you.”
“No, you just blackmailed me using my past that I don’t want exposed. Well, fine. It’s not a bad thing to finish homework early, but there’s no benefit for me.”
“Don’t worry about it. You get to play games with me.”
“Why do I have to play games with you? I’ve been finishing my homework since the day the assignments were announced. Unlike you, I have responsibilities at home.”
In my household, both parents worked, so during the long summer break, the children were responsible for chores. However, I was the one who ended up doing most of it. My eldest sister had gone off to university, and my younger sister Miu had disastrous housekeeping skills. Thus, I was left to shoulder all the household duties.
I couldn’t afford to be held captive here for long. Just as I began to think this, Takumi uttered something I never expected.
“You’ve only talked to Shizune on the phone, right? Shizukaki is playing this game too. So why not join in and have fun with your sister and little sister again?”
“Wait, does that mean Miu is playing this game too?”
“Yeah, apparently they met up a couple of times during the second version.”
“Oh, I see. When I realized Shizune would be leaving for university, her sudden brightness after being so gloomy makes sense now.”
“Now, leave all your homework behind! In exchange, I’ll set you free and let you play the game.”
“Fine, I get it. I’ll play the game. But I won’t match your pace, you gaming addict.”
With that, I accepted the paper bag Takumi offered. Inside was a brand new VR gaming setup. The latest VR equipment wasn’t a head-mounted display but a hypnotic induction type.
Developed by Sony, this latest model was currently compatible only with OSO. In other words, it was a dedicated gaming device.
The advantage of the hypnotic induction type was that it operated via brainwaves. This eliminated the long-standing issue of control gaps that came from having to look at a first-person display while manipulating a controller.
“Wait, this is the latest model they showcased on TV, right? They can’t keep up with the demand. I can’t accept something so expensive.”
“Don’t worry about it. I went through a ton of giveaway sites and won it after a brutal competition just to play OSO with you. I’m a tester for the beta version, so I got some for free. Just know that setting it up takes time due to the unique brainwave detection. So, you can head home now. If you have questions, just ask Miu.”
With that, I was ushered out the door, holding the equipment. I couldn’t help but grumble about how they could have treated it with a bit more care as I walked along the sweltering asphalt road. I stopped by a convenience store to buy ice cream to cool off at home.
“Welcome back, big brother! You went to Takumi’s place, right?”
Miu greeted me as I returned home, drenched in sweat from the summer heat, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. I knew what she was getting at.
“I bought ice cream on the way back, so we can have it later.”
“Yay! Ice cream! Do you have my favorite Boribori-kun? …Wait, no! I mean, I like Boribori-kun, but that’s not what I meant!”
She pointed excitedly at the bag containing the VR gear I was holding.
As a third-year middle school student, Miu had a youthful and energetic appearance, making her a cute girl, but unfortunately, she was a hardcore gamer, which worried me as her older brother.
I had heard that after Shizune left for university, Miu had been a bit down, but since they had been meeting frequently in the world of OSO, she seemed to have regained her spirits, which piqued my interest.
“I get it. I want to see Shizune too, so I’ll play.”
“Thank you so much! Tomorrow is the official launch, so let’s set everything up now!”
“Before that, let’s have some ice cream.”
As she tried to snatch the VR gear from my hands, I quickly sidestepped, causing her to receive the convenience store bag with a pout.
However, she quickly retrieved a Boribori-kun ice pop from the bag, her mood lifting instantly. It was amusing how simple-minded she could be. After taking a moment to enjoy the three ice creams I had bought, I followed her instructions to set up the VR gear on my computer.
After installing the game and putting on the VR gear, I lay back on my bed.
“Alright, let’s start with brainwave detection. Just wear the device and lie still, and it’ll be done.”
Miu’s voice felt distant as I succumbed to the heavy allure of sleep, closing my eyes. When I opened them again, the brainwave setup was complete, and it seemed Miu had taken care of the necessary account registration while I was asleep.
However, it appeared she hadn’t prepared dinner. I had to hurry and get things ready, so the finer details would have to wait.
At the dinner table, I decided to ask Miu a question.
“What kind of playstyle did you have?”
“Um, for me, I was a magic swordsman who used both sword and magic. My attributes were Light Attribute and Healing Sense. Well, everything except my starting funds got reset in the eighth version.”
“Light Attribute seems like it would include healing magic. It gives off a vibe similar to an RPG cleric.”
“I’m not a cleric! I fight with a sword and protect my allies with armor!”
“Ah, so your role is to charge at the enemy with that energy of yours.”
“No! I was imagining a paladin!”
“And what about Shizune?”
I cut off Miu’s protest, forcing the topic to shift.
“Well… my big sister is a pure magic class, a wizard with a staff and robe. Her main attribute is water, and she can also use healing magic. I think she’ll probably fight in the same style since she’s experienced.”
“Well, she doesn’t seem like the type to charge in directly.”
I began to see the differences in playstyle between Miu and Shizune. After hearing a bit from Miu, I decided to ensure that I wouldn’t overlap with either of them. I returned to my room and skimmed through strategy sites for information.
The basic overview of OSO is as follows:
One of the distinctive systems in OSO is the Sense.
Sense is akin to a talent equipment that exists separately from the usual weapon equipment.
Talent equipment can be acquired by consuming points and can be equipped in each player’s equipment slots.
Sense allows players to acquire abilities that are always active while equipped, and they can apply bonuses to various actions in the game. By repeatedly performing actions, players gain experience points and level up.
Players can equip up to ten Senses. Each player starts with a certain amount of Sense Points (SP), which can be freely spent to acquire Senses. Just having Senses isn’t enough; they must be equipped properly!
Acquired Senses can be held as reserves even if not equipped. Swapping them out is free. Senses that have leveled up can evolve and grow stronger.
The player has stats set for HP and MP, physical attack ATK, physical defense DEF, magical attack INT, magical defense MIND, speed SPEED, and dexterity DEX, which affects weapon and production skills, as well as luck LUK for drops and critical hits. These are calculated based on the total stats set in the equipped Senses.
Some stats are hidden from the player to enhance realism.
Special techniques and finishing moves are referred to as Arts skills. Arts are special attacks related to weapons, while Skills pertain to magical attacks and support. Additionally, there are different names for Recipes and EX Skills depending on the Sense.
Arts enhance weapon attacks, making it easier to deal damage. For those who haven’t engaged in battle yet, I recommend using Arts to push through.
Skills require chanting spell names or technique names to trigger specific effects. Players must be cautious with MP management.
Recipes relate to production skills, allowing items to be crafted manually.
To gain the MP needed for Arts and Skills, players must first acquire the Magic Power Sense early in the game. This grants MP, but magic users will need additional Senses.
To use magic, players require the Magic Release Sense and the Magic Attribute Sense. These Senses are essential for casting spells. Additionally, there are six types of attributes: fire, water, wind, earth, light, and healing, which can be granted to players beyond just magic. There are also specialized magic Senses for healing and support.
Numerous versatile Senses that encompass all attributes and various magic Senses exist. For magic-related Senses, consider the basic set to be Magic Power, Magic Talent, and Attribute.
Chapter 1: The Grand Opening and Unfortunate Skills
Just like the basic set for magic users, warrior-type players also have their own fundamental skills. The Weapon Sense allows for attacks with the corresponding weapon, enhancing damage output. Meanwhile, Armor Sense provides bonuses for the corresponding type of armor. While it is possible to equip armor without having the Armor Sense, the Weapon Sense is essential; without it, one cannot deal damage to enemies.
Aside from Weapon and Armor Sense, there are recommended skills that do not include magic, skills, or special abilities. Instead, there are Status Enhancement skills that significantly boost specific attributes.
It is advisable to acquire these weapon, armor, and status-enhancing skills in accordance with your play style.
In this game, the way you choose and combine your skills can drastically change your play style. By equipping skills that suit the moment, you can enjoy your adventures. Moreover, if you find your play style unsatisfactory, you can reset your equipment and reselect your skills without having to delete your character.
Peeking at a strategy site and skimming through a simple overview, I found it quite helpful, especially the advice sprinkled throughout and the introduction of template builds.
However, even the skills available to beginners are quite numerous. I find myself pondering once more what kind of skill composition I should aim for. As the younger brother among the siblings, I am indeed a beginner, and I will undoubtedly become a burden to my older sister and younger sister.
So, what should I do? I should focus on support.
In that case, the skills I will acquire should be for ranged attacks, production for adventuring, and instead of offensive magic, I will prioritize utility-focused magic.
Just then, I noticed a survey on the strategy site.
Ah, the top skills in the survey were indeed well-known names. Scrolling further down, I found a list of unpopular skills, the opposite of the popular ones.
“If I’m going to aim for something, it should be a niche skill.”
Choosing my skills took longer than expected. I compared the minimum required skills with the template builds and began selecting those categorized as unpopular. However, I had left something unfinished before bed; it seemed Miu had already completed the character edit in OSO.
I had heard that character color schemes could take an inordinate amount of time. In character editing, the player’s real appearance is projected. Adjustments are made naturally to the balance of the body and muscle definition. I figured it would be fine to leave the character as is without any alterations.
Thus, my preparations for adventure came to an end.
A unique gaming experience was about to begin.
Morning at eight o’clock. Miu was fidgeting as she ate her breakfast toast.
“Hey, you don’t have to be so restless. It doesn’t start until eleven.”
“Yeah, so can you please make an early lunch? I’m going to play straight through.”
“No way. We’re eating lunch at noon, and don’t play for too long.”
Despite my admonitions, my sister grumbled in response. I thought about pointing out that she hadn’t helped with any chores during summer vacation, but I kept quiet, knowing it would only make her more stubborn.
“Fine, fine. Then I’ll whip up some quick fried rice.”
“Yay! Thanks, big brother!”
Honestly, she’s still such a child. After finishing the chores, I started preparing lunch while thinking about dinner. Given the heat, I decided on somen noodles for dinner. I could prepare a nutritious menu while boiling the water. Adding some bang bang chicken, fried items, and pickled eggplant would be good. If I prepared her favorite fried shrimp, Miu would surely come down from upstairs. There’s nothing more blissful than dipping crispy fried food into sauce. I figured I could pause the game at that moment. I was being a bit too lenient with my sister.
At eleven o’clock, I put on my VR gear and flopped onto my bed. As the system booted up, a hypnotic induction began. Sensations washed over me; my body felt asleep while my mind was awake. My vision expanded, leading me into a pure white space.
“Please enter your name.”
Prompted by a mechanical female voice, I typed my name “SYUN” into the translucent keyboard that appeared before me. Still getting used to VR, I took my time. The translucent screen switched, revealing a tutorial selection. I had gathered information from the strategy site beforehand, so I chose to skip it, knowing I could ask Sei or Miu if needed.
And then, the scene opened up.
Surrounded by a throng of people, it seemed many had logged in. I had just stepped into the world of VR for the first time, but something felt off. I wanted to chalk it up to the typical VR disorientation, but for some reason, my hair felt longer, and my backside felt oddly rounded… What was going on?
As I pondered this, a series of sounds—“hoon, popoon”—caught my attention, and I hurriedly scanned my surroundings. I quickly followed the icons that appeared at the edge of my vision, selecting one through voice input.
“Open chat.”
“Eh? Is that you, big brother?”
“What? Miu? You surprised me.”
In a situation where I couldn’t grasp what was happening, my thoughts were interrupted. However, hearing the familiar voice calmed me down considerably.
“There are so many people here, I can’t tell what’s going on. Let’s meet in front of the Northern Cathedral with big sister. It’s crowded here.”
“Got it. I’ll head there right away.”
I quickly moved away from the crowd. I disliked being in a throng, especially with everyone staring at me. Upon reaching the cathedral, I looked for Miu among the many people waiting.
“Hey, big brother! Did you arrive already?”
“Yeah, I’m here… but where are you?”
“Under the statue in front of the cathedral. I have white hair. Big sister is in light blue.”
Finally spotting her, I confirmed she indeed had white hair. Next to her stood a person in a light blue robe, likely a magic user. A beautiful girl with droopy eyes and a beauty mark beneath them, though differing in color, was someone I recognized. I called out to them.
“Is that you, Miu?”
“Eh? Yes, it’s Miu, but who are you?”
“It’s me, your brother, Shun.”
“Um? Inner-chan? I didn’t recognize you since it’s been a while. When did you turn into a girl?”
“No, big sister, that’s not it! This isn’t that kind of issue! Why is big brother looking like big sister?”
Upon being called “big sister,” I instinctively placed my hand on my chest and gently stroked it. There was hardly any curve, but I could still feel a softness beneath my palm. Sliding my hand down, I felt a soft response around my slim waist. Even through my clothes, I was bewildered by the gentle elasticity of my chest.
“I really don’t want to think about it, but maybe when I edited my character without any adjustments, the camera captured my appearance as it is. Mainly in a feminine way.”
I didn’t want to think about it. Sure, I might have a pretty face, but this was terrible. It felt like a system bug. Why did it turn out like this?! I silently screamed in my mind.
“Also, hasn’t your voice gotten higher? It sounds kind of cute now.”
Indeed, my voice had become slightly higher. It was now closer to what one would call an anime voice. If I consciously adjusted my voice, I could produce the same sound in real life, so the discomfort was minimal. This voice had led me to be forced into participating in a costume contest during the school festival. Dressed as a character from a famous female voice actor’s role, I was pushed onto the stage, and without anyone realizing I was a guy, I ended up winning. If that black history were to be traced back to me, I’d have no choice but to hang myself. By the way, this was a joke from my friend Todoroki, who helped me with my homework.
“Wow, you’ve turned into a real beauty. I’m so happy for you, Yui-chan, or should I say Yun-chan now?”
“Wait, the name says Yun.”
“Eh? Oh, you’re right. Yun-neechan!”
I had meant to type SYUN, but it seemed I had made a mistake with the unfamiliar VR controls. The first letter “S” was omitted, and my name was set as YUN.
“Hey, I’m going to delete this character!”
“Come on, this game doesn’t really allow for catfishing, so I think it’s a good experience. Yun, big sister.”
“If you delete it, I’ll expose your black history with big sister’s authority!”
Whoa, Sei-neechan. No, now it’s Sei-neechan who’s serious. When Sei-neechan gets serious, it’s a big deal. She can be quite persistent. Usually gentle, but when she tries to enforce her will, she can be quite forceful.
“Okay, okay. I won’t act or anything; I’ll just go with the flow. So, have you two already acquired your skills?”
“Yeah. When you acquire your initial skills, you also receive your starting weapons.”
“Then I’ll get my skills too.”
I asked the two of them to wait a moment while I acquired my skills.
“Hey, what kind of skill composition does Yun-neechan have?”
“Hmm? My composition is [Bow], [Eagle Eye], [Magic Talent], [Magic Power], [Alchemy], [Enhancement], [Taming], [Synthesis], [Alchemy], and [Production Knowledge].”
Miu stared at me with her mouth agape, while Sei-neechan wore a troubled expression.
“Hey, Yun-neechan, what are you aiming for?”
“Hmm, support, I guess? I’ll properly look at the templates for the necessary [Magic Power] and the base for using magic, [Magic Talent]. Then I’ll use [Enhancement] for the corresponding types of magic…”
“…Yun-neechan, you’re such an idiot! Why are you gathering all those useless skills?!”
I knew they were useless, but I was trying to argue for a niche industry meaning…
“A good [Bow] has the worst cost-performance! [Eagle Eye] only helps you see distant objects better, and it’s not even a unique skill! Plus, [Alchemy] is just a material transformation skill with a poor conversion rate! [Taming] is mediocre, and the success rate for taming MOBS is low, making it a dead skill. The only viable skills are magic and production skills!”
“Um, to put it simply, [Bow] can’t be used without arrows, and [Eagle Eye] is just for sight, making it not very useful. [Magic Talent] can grow a bit with [Enhancement] and [Alchemy], but it’s inefficient.”
Sei-neechan explained it all so politely.
In other words, I thought I was choosing support skills to avoid being a burden, but it seemed I had completely become a burden and wasn’t even providing support. Then, the final blow hit me.
“Most items you can create with [Synthesis] and [Alchemy] are sold in stores. So, at the start of the game, they might not be very important.”
Great, my sense of purpose has vanished. But that didn’t mean I could sulk in front of everyone.
All players start with 1000G. I needed to explore the town to equip myself.
For the acquired skill [Bow], a set of thirty iron arrows costs 33G. I bought four sets for 132G. Then, I got the initial production kits for [Synthesis] and [Alchemy], costing 300G each, totaling 600G.
Thirty potions cost 150G. In total, I spent 870G, leaving me with 130G.
In a typical template setup, if I sold the initial weapons received upon acquiring skills for 200-300G, I would still have around 500G left. The poor cost-performance of the bow is primarily due to the arrows. Arrows are consumables. Once shot, they cannot be retrieved. When hunting with just arrows, it takes three to take down a body, and the drop items yield a maximum of 3G and a minimum of 1G. That’s assuming all shots hit; if I miss, I earn nothing.
Since I have production skills, even if I turn drop items into other items, I wouldn’t make much profit.
In other words, the initial poor cost-performance is the issue.
“Exactly. Moreover, while magic can gain a slight tracking function as you level up your skills, bows have none of that. The trajectory of arrows is almost straight, so using a bow heavily relies on the player’s ability.”
“…Well, there’s motion assist, so even beginners should be able to manage at least a little. So don’t be too down, Yun-chan.”
Miu, who had been excited about adventuring together just a moment ago, was now lecturing me. Was she that displeased with my choice of skills? Well, considering I chose this after hearing about the template builds, I guess I deserved the scolding.
“Let’s just go hunting. We need to finish the combat tutorial quickly. I’m going out with my friends later this afternoon.”
Sei-neechan, help me, I sent her a pleading glance, but she only smiled wryly.
We stepped outside the walls of the initial town, commonly referred to as the First Town, into the open plains. In this map, all MOBS in the plains are designed for beginner players, and there are paths to the east, west, north, and south.
In the beta version, the eastern area was actively being explored, while the north and south were high-level zones, leaving them untouched. The western area is rich in gathering items, but the balance of scattered MOBS is said to be poor.
“First, let’s try defeating some enemies. Big sister will attack up close, and I’ll use magic.”
“Understood.” “Got it.”
We spent some time hunting. Miu swung her sword, taking down the herbivorous MOBS, while Sei-neechan shot water bullets. I aimed my arrows, but…
“I can’t hit anything!”
Sei-neechan easily hit her targets with magic from the same two-meter range, while I missed even at that distance. And once I missed, the arrows were gone. It was terrible. The cost-performance was abysmal.
Moreover, when I ran out of arrows, I had to replenish them from my inventory each time.
“This is so annoying!”
I kept shooting arrows without aiming, but there was no sign of hitting anything. My feet naturally moved closer to a position where I could hit.
—Hey, big sister, don’t get too close—
“Here, I’ll hit—!”
Startled by the approaching herbivorous MOBS, I took half a step back and fell on my rear.
“Ah, watch out!”
A water bullet shot out toward the MOBS charging at me, and they vanished.
“Yun-chan, you shouldn’t get too close carelessly. Are you okay?”
Sei-neechan bent down to check on me as I sat on the ground. At that moment, a glimpse of her white neck and smooth collarbone peeked out from between her robe, causing me to avert my gaze. I couldn’t help but feel a hint of Sei-neechan’s allure now that we were in college.
“Ugh, this is why you shouldn’t pick useless skills. You’ve used up all your arrows, right? Now, let’s use the technique we’ll definitely need—[Arts]. Since my [Synthesis] skill just hit level 5…”
She raised her voice as if to urge me on, helping me to my feet. Miu approached the herbivorous MOBS, took her stance, and unleashed a flowing three-hit combo. The trajectory of her swung sword shimmered with a thin silver light.
“This is [Arts]. I think if you level up your [Bow] skill, you’ll learn it eventually, but I recommend switching skills early.”
“By the way, you earn SP every time you level up a skill. Higher-tier skills usually manifest around level 3.”
“Got it. Thanks.”
Hunting together as siblings, the items we obtained didn’t even come close to covering the cost of arrows. I felt that I would need to save money as a production class and completely overhaul my skills.
After parting ways with Miu and Sei-neechan, I returned to town while checking my status.
“My skills look like this:
[Bow Lv3] [Eagle Eye Lv2] [Magic Talent Lv1] [Magic Power Lv1] [Alchemy Lv1] [Enhancement Lv1]
[Taming Lv1] [Synthesis Lv1] [Alchemy Lv1] [Production Knowledge Lv1]”
As a result of my efforts, I found that my skills had hardly improved at all. Miu had a Sword skill level of 5 and a Bell skill level of 3. Occasionally, she had used healing and magic, so her magical Sense was likely developing as well. Sei, on the other hand, had a Magic Talent of 3, Magic Power of 3, and an Attribute of 5. With all this in mind, my overall level felt embarrassingly low.
I sat in a square on the outskirts of town, experimenting with various skills. First up was my Alchemy Sense. This Sense was supposed to be about material transformation, but in reality, it was often regarded as a useless and unfortunate skill. I had gathered fifty Gallstones, Fur, and Bones from herbivorous beasts, a small mercy from my sisters.
Selecting from the menu, I found the skill “Material Transformation” listed under my Skills. Upon choosing it, I was prompted to select a target. I picked Gallstone from the list. The consumption screen displayed Gallstone x Lu, indicating that this was the item I would use for the transformation. Without hesitation, I executed the command.
The transformed item turned out to be a Medicine Stone. Just one. Well, it seems the Gallstone became a form of herbal medicine. I suppose I shouldn’t question the logic too much; after all, this is a game.
Next, I tried transforming ten Fur into a single Large Fur. For Bones, I had two options: “Consume ten to create a Large Bone” or “Consume one to create two Bone Powders.”
“Why did the transformation options increase with Bones? Has my Sense level gone up?”
I checked my status, but my level remained at 1.
“The number of items consumed is different, and for ten Bone Powders…”
I transformed the Bone Powder back into Bones using Alchemy. The result was, unsurprisingly, Bones again.
My analysis of Alchemy’s material transformation yielded two types: higher-tier and lower-tier transformations. To produce higher-tier items like Medicine Stones or Large Fur, I needed ten items to create one higher-tier item.
Conversely, the lower-tier item, Bone Powder, had a transformation rate of two to one.
“If I raise my Sense level, will the transformation rate change, or will new transformation options appear? But right now, I have very few items to level up my Alchemy Sense.”
“If I can’t defeat enemies, how am I supposed to gather items? Well, I’ll think about that later.”
Putting that aside, I decided to try my hand at Enchanting next.
Enchanting is a staple of RPGs, often associated with buffs and status-enhancing magic.
I decided to cast an enchantment on myself as a test.
Unlike Material Transformation, this required me to focus on the target and simply chant the magic skill from my skill list.
It consumed nearly all my MP, and the effect I gained was minimal. The duration was only sixty seconds, making it questionable for practical use. However, the high MP consumption meant that my Magic Power would grow. I waited for my MP to recover before trying another enchantment.
I applied Defense and Speed Increase enchantments to myself, but the effects wore off quickly. I did notice that sitting and resting allowed my MP to recover slightly faster than standing. If I continued to sit and cast enchantments on myself, I eventually noticed my Magic Talent had grown to 2 and my Magic Power to 4.
The types of enchantments were three: red for ATK, blue for DEF, and yellow for SPEED. As I raised my Sense level, I could expect an increase in the effects of these status boosts and an extension of their duration. If I found time to enchant casually, I could probably level up significantly.
As for my Training Sense, it was completely useless. I had no confidence in defeating any MOBs at my current level. Additionally, both Synthesis and Alchemy required items, but I had none. What should I do?
At that moment, a notification pinged. Someone who knew my email address could chat with me in-game if they had pre-registered. The sender was Takumi.
“Hey, are you logged in?”
“Yeah, what’s up?”
“How about we meet up now? I want to register you as a friend. By the way, my current name is Takuna.”
“Got it. So, where should we meet?”
While waiting for Takumi, I continued enchanting and managed to level up once.
“Hey, where are you?”
“I’m a character named Yun. I have black hair and I’m currently glowing red from an enchantment.”
Even I thought it was surreal when I locked eyes with a familiar boy. He looked at me and said, “Oh, Yun… Why are you a female character?”
“I don’t know. It must be a glitch.”
“No, you look like a beautiful girl now, even more so than the last time I saw you. No chest, though.”
“Hmph!”
In the state of an attack enchantment, I playfully jabbed Takumi in the side. He winced from the hit, but his sturdy build absorbed it well. Maybe my hand hurt more than I expected.
“Just accept it… I’m a gamer too, you know.”
“Sure, but why the name Yun? It sounds completely feminine. Just look at you…”
“Input error.”
I knew it. My character had larger eyes than usual, and anyone could tell I looked like a girl. My body shape was also distinctly feminine.
“Just imagine the moment your sister calls you ‘big sister.’ It sends chills down your spine.”
“Plus, if you deliberately take on a niche Sense, your sister might demand a change.”
“Well, it’s your fault for picking a useless Sense.”
Damn, this is why hardcore gamers prioritize efficiency in games.
“By the way, how’s your Sense looking?”
“Ah, here it is.”
I showed Takumi my Sense status, and his first reaction was, “Wow, that’s terrible.”
“I’m going to cry! Is it really that bad?”
“Your Alchemy is the epitome of inefficiency among combat Senses. Honestly, Alchemy is nothing but inefficient.”
“Training alone? You should level something up and switch it out.”
“Ugh… I can’t earn money in combat, and I only have 130G right now.”
“Are you unintentionally doing a self-imposed challenge?”
“I swear, I’m not! I never intended to do that in the first place.”
“This is bad. Your sister will demand a change, and your friends will just laugh at you. Don’t lose confidence.”
“I started this game not expecting to have any confidence at all.”
“Come on, at least offer some comfort. I have my dignity as an older brother, you know.”
I shifted my position and sat down. Looking up at Takumi, who was just biting his nails, I said, “Hey, at least being a beautiful girl has its perks. You have the gentle beauty of Sei and the energetic charm of Miu. You’re basically the cool beauty of the group.”
“Shut up. Besides, I don’t fit in at all.”
Looking around, I noticed other players grimacing at me. No, it must be a coincidence. It has to be.
“Hey, just out of curiosity, do you know any efficient ways to earn?”
“Hmm. Are you asking about leveling or money?”
“Both. I need funds.”
With his arms crossed, Takumi pondered while I continued to glow blue from my enchantment. It was a strange sight, indeed.
“I have a suggestion. If you’re not going to fight, you can head west to the plains and gather items in the forest. Since you have Alchemy, you can level up while processing and selling what you gather.”
“Got it, thanks. I’ll give it a try. Any other advice?”
“Enemies have a low spawn rate during the day, but they increase at night. So keep that in mind. Want me to help?”
“No, just talking to you is enough. Thanks. I probably couldn’t have done it alone.”
“That’s nothing special. Now, let’s register as friends. If you get bored, I’ll help you level up. After all, Yu invited me to this game.”
It’s funny how he causes me so much trouble in real life, yet becomes reliable in-game. I felt a bit disgruntled.
“Well, I’m counting on you to do well.”
We exchanged light banter before parting ways. With a lighter step than before, I headed west through the town’s western gate, aiming to gather items.
Ignoring the herbivorous beasts in the plains, I pressed on. They seemed to be non-aggressive MOBs, not attacking even when I got close.
Thus, I was able to traverse the plains without incident. Occasionally, I would emit a yellow glow from my Speed Increase enchantment. The plains were vast, allowing me to observe both the MOBs and the scenery as I leveled up.
My levels were rising rapidly. I couldn’t help but wonder what Miu and Sei’s hunting had been like, as my Sense levels soared.
There didn’t seem to be any gathering items along the path, but as I scanned the forest with my magical sight, I spotted a gathering point a little ways off. Yes, gathering, gathering!
I felt an instinctual pull toward the roots of trees and the ground, sensing items nearby. It was a strange sensation, almost as if my Sense was guiding me.
The items I gathered included branches, mushrooms, herbs, stones, wild plants, and bird feathers, each around ten pieces. Additionally, I found Leaf Mold, which could be collected from specific spots. Its purpose was unclear, but it was abundant.
I had amassed quite a variety of items, and I couldn’t thank Takumi enough for the information he provided.
I took a break in the non-combat area of the forest, the Safety Zone. Instead of diving into Alchemy right away, I took a moment to review the menu closely.
Looking at my skill list, I noticed I still hadn’t acquired any combat Arts. However, my Synthesis and Alchemy skill lists already had recipes available.
My Sense status was as follows:
[Bow Lv3]
[Gathering Sense Lv5]
[Magic Talent Lv4]
[Magic Power Lv7]
[Alchemy Lv1]
[Enchant Lv0]
[Training Lv1]
[Synthesis Lv1]
[Alchemy Lv1]
[Production Knowledge Lv1]
It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing, but it was better than when I had first started. Now, I decided to focus on leveling up Alchemy and Synthesis.
First, I took out the basic set for Alchemy and laid it out. It included a mortar and pestle the size of a twig, a small iron container for heating, a tripod to support it, a mysterious heat source for heating, and a box containing paper and glass containers for wrapping potions. The glass containers would create new ones when taken out, and if I held one without putting anything in it, it would disappear and be replenished in the box.
“This is definitely a game. Pure fantasy.”
Using tools reminiscent of a middle school chemistry kit, I began brewing and boiling the standard fantasy herbs. According to the strategy guide, it was possible to do this manually, so I decided to give it a shot.
- The result was a Beginner Potion. From nothing, it became an item worth 5G. One herb could produce a Beginner Potion, which had a better conversion rate than Alchemy. Truly, the production class was impressive.
“Well, I suppose Alchemy falls under the production category too.”
Afterward, I noticed a change in my skill list. The recipe for the Beginner Potion had been added. I selected that recipe and created a Beginner Potion. The screen was similar to the material transformation one, and upon execution, it consumed MP and produced one Beginner Potion. I realized that the need for Magic Power was due to this reason. The recipe list also included items I had produced, such as Medicine Stones, Large Fur, and Bone Powder.
The rule for production skills like Alchemy is that once you create an item, the recipe is automatically added. This means that from the next time onward, you can create items using your skills.
Since Alchemy works the same way, it might be a common trait among all production classes. I decided to create several Beginner Potions, slightly altering the process each time. While they all bore the same name, there were slight differences in their recovery amounts.
The recipe content was updated, and the potion with the highest recovery amount was now listed as the best.
In other words, it was a choice between uniform mass production through skills or high-quality handmade items.
Those were the main advantages. After creating ten Beginner Potions, my Alchemy Sense leveled up. Now that I understood how to raise my Sense, it was time to focus on Synthesis.
Synthesis is the skill that creates new materials from materials and new items from items. It seems that this skill consumes MP from the start. I decided to give it a try. The Synthesis kit I pulled out had a sheet with magical symbols, indicating where to place items.
First, I would combine the standard potions.
I placed two Beginner Potions in the designated spots and activated the process.
In an instant, a white light flashed, and the two potions vanished, replaced by a dark, ominous potion.
“What the hell is this? Is this… a success?
No, it looks like a failure. Upon checking the item, it turned out to be a poison. It inflicted continuous damage to HP as a status ailment.
Well, it might be useful for something, so I stored it in my inventory.
A production failure. I remember that low-level production classes tend to fail. But I suppose I still gain experience, so it’s not all bad.”
I reassured myself and selected two more Beginner Potions to combine.
This time, the potion was a deeper shade than the Beginner Potion. It was simply called “Potion.”
This was a success, and the recipe was added.
I continued to combine potions until my Synthesis level reached 2.
I suddenly checked the remaining quantities of the potions.
“Miu and Sei’s Beginner Potions are still completely intact.
I bought the Beginner Potions, but the two of them, who have healing skills, have been using their own potions to level up, leaving mine untouched.
I wonder what would happen if I transformed the Beginner Potions through Alchemy? It would be an experimental endeavor.
After the transformation, unfortunately, it turned out to be another poison. Another failure in Alchemy.
“…Great. The MG turned into poison.”
At that moment, my Alchemy Sense leveled up to 2. My other skills also increased by one, which wasn’t too bad. However, the expenses were painful—too painful. But I refused to abandon my curiosity halfway through.
Undeterred, I tried Alchemy again, and this time I produced a potion. I felt a wave of lethargy wash over me.
“Ugh, I wasted that. If I had just synthesized all the potions, my Synthesis Sense would have leveled up.”
However, upon checking, I found that there was a performance difference between the potions made through Synthesis and those made through Alchemy. The Synthesis Potion was close to the default recipe, while the Alchemy Potion had a recovery amount that was 10% higher than the default. In other words, the Alchemy-produced potion was of higher quality.
- Alchemy V, Synthesis V, Handmade Alchemy V—there seemed to be performance variations based on the skill used. However, in terms of efficiency, it was the opposite. If I mastered handmade alchemy, I could easily surpass both.
“They really balanced things out well. But still, I ended up with some terrible Senses.”
Of course, I meant that in a bad way. Logically speaking, I was burdened with three production Senses: the inefficient Alchemy, the efficient Synthesis, and the Alchemy that was also inefficient. My own imbalance was evident. But my current goal was to level up my Senses.
I decided to use herbs primarily for Alchemy. The other items would be used for Alchemy and Synthesis. After repeating gathering and leveling up my production skills until dinner time, I discovered something.
I couldn’t select stones for Alchemy, no matter what I tried. In conclusion, they were unidentified items simply called “Stone.” Additionally, mushrooms, herbs, and wild plants would gain the prefix “Dried” when processed, effectively doubling their benefits.
However, since mushrooms are food items, simply drying them would not yield any further changes. Finally, by combining a wooden branch with a bird feather, I synthesized a Wooden Arrow, which is a lower-tier version of an Iron Arrow. To my surprise, I ended up with two arrows from just one branch. Now, with about 60 arrows in two sets, I felt relieved that I no longer had to worry about running out of them.
- Current Skills:
- 【Bow Lv3】【Eye of the Beast Lv7】【Magic Talent Lv6】【Magic Power Lv9】【Alchemy Lv2】【Enchant LvG】
- 【Taming Lv1】【Synthesis Lv4】【Alchemy Lv4】【Production Knowledge Lv3】
It seemed that my Magic Power was on the verge of leveling up. Relatively speaking, it appeared that all skills were easier to level up at the beginning, which was a relief since they were easier to adjust. First, I should hold off on Taming and acquire a new skill. It seemed like the right time to log out and change my safety area to the current one.
In the game world, it was dusk, but in the middle of summer, the sun was still high and bright. Even so, by six-thirty in the evening, a slightly cool breeze began to blow. The somen noodles felt refreshing, but there was another factor that made the atmosphere feel chillingly cold.
At the appointed time, Miu emerged from her room. At the dinner table, she silently slurped her somen. Her gaze was sharp, and the atmosphere was tense.
“W-What’s wrong?”
Though she had the energy of a lively younger sister, there were times when she could be quite moody. Well, she was a third-year middle school student in the midst of puberty, so I could understand that. However, I had a hunch about what was bothering her today.
“It’s about my Sense composition.”
“I-I’m sorry about that.”
“Um, about the game… I’m sorry for the trouble I caused.”
I didn’t know why, but I figured it was best to apologize for now; that was the way to resolve the issue.
Miu took a deep breath and let out a grand sigh.
“Sorry about that.”
“Oh, so you’re calling me brother now.”
“Don’t react to that!”
Hmm, it seemed the emotional scar of being called “big sister” by my younger sister was surprisingly deep.
“It’s just that there’s someone new who joined us from the second version of the game, and I didn’t get along with them… Sorry if I made you feel bad.”
“I see. Well, I can listen to your complaints.”
“Yeah. Anyway, they’re such a show-off, and while we were trying to cooperate, they just kept rushing ahead,”
“And when they died and came back, they said our support was terrible, so it’s been a bit much.”
“Ah, I get it. That must have been tough.”
“Honestly, it was easier to explore when that person wasn’t around. I mean, who would want to join a party after dying, right? But it was a relief.”
“By the way, what happens when you die in the game?”
“You get a Death Penalty. The effect of the Death Penalty is a one-hour status reduction.”
“That sounds painful. But since I’m in a Production Class, I can make items during that time, so it won’t be a waste.”
“Oh, so you’ve decided on a direction,” she said.
“I won’t be going ahead in combat. Right now, I’m focusing on raising my Production-related Sense.”
“That’s a shame. I wanted to show off my beautiful big sister, Yun, by having you join the party.”
“Please don’t say that. Well, when it comes to combat, I’ll be hunting MOBs solo for item collection, and I want to raise my Bow Sense a bit too.”
“Hmm. So you’re progressing solo, huh?”
For the time being, I decided to focus on gathering and hunting MOBs. I couldn’t drag others along for such roundabout actions. To change the topic, I threw out another question.
“What’s your current Sense like, Miu?”
“Well, it’s 【Sword Lv1】【Iron Lv1】【Attack Power Increase Lv6】【Defense Power Increase Lv6】【Focus Lv4】【Magic Release LvM】【Magic Power LvM】【Magic Recovery Lv7】【Light Attribute Lv5】【Healing Magic Lv7】.”
She had made quite a bit of progress. She already had four Skill Points saved up.
“Big sister is about the same. If you also add something like Attack Power Increase, it might help reduce the consumption of arrows, don’t you think? You should really consider a total overhaul of your Senses soon!”
“That’s something I’ll do gradually. Right now, I’m self-sufficient in the western forest.”
“Well, I want to go on adventures with you, so hurry up and level up to where you can fight!”
Miu was demanding that of me, but I wondered which would be faster: overhauling my Senses to reach a combat level or training my current Senses to that level.
Hmm. I was supposed to act like a capable older brother, but when it came to the game, I felt a bit overwhelmed.
After dinner, Miu took a bath while I cleaned up the dishes and prepared dinner for our parents when they returned. I also took a leisurely bath before logging back into 【OSO】.
I resumed in the safety area of the forest, starting from there. It was dark in the game as well. This place was slightly illuminated due to the ongoing skirmishes, but even a glance revealed it was mostly pitch black, with only the occasional flicker of what seemed to be insects taking flight.
Hmm, the night sky is beautiful. The stars look like the Milky Way. As I gazed at the sky absentmindedly, I realized I could zoom in like a telescope using my 【Eye of the Beast】 Sense.
It seemed my 【Eye of the Beast】 was growing, but for now, I was just enjoying the natural scenery of this game.
After about ten minutes, I checked my Senses. My 【Eye of the Beast】 had leveled up. I was overjoyed, but it surprised me that 【Magic Power】 didn’t level up first; instead, it was 【Eye of the Beast】 that reached the next level first.
Moreover, I felt like I could see a bit further than before when I glanced around.
I quickly decided to acquire a new Sense.
Even though they were initial Senses, there were plenty to choose from. Since my direction had already shifted towards Production Class, I thought it might be good to look for Production-related Senses.
I found 【Blacksmith】【Numerical Continuity】【Wood】 and finally discovered 【Crafting】. 【Crafting】 wasn’t a primary focus but had many commonalities with the 【Human Blacksmith】 Sense, offering various supportive benefits. Its effect was to create accessories. Unlike weapons and armor used in combat, accessories were purely supplementary. This felt like a niche industry that aligned with my initial focus on support, so I decided right away. I felt good about my choice.
Still, I thought Senses were quite profound. I had thought of 【Eye of the Beast】 as merely a long-range vision Sense, but it also had night vision capabilities. For every level, my field of view expanded by about one meter. If it were only the level correction from my Bow Sense, the range would be quite short.
Speaking of which, since I had arrows and there were no enemies around, I thought I’d practice with my bow before heading to bed. I took out a Wooden Arrow and drew my bowstring. The arrow I released vanished into the visible distance. I continued to shoot disposable arrows into the darkness. The Bow Sense likely grew from shooting the bow, and shooting at enemies might slightly increase the growth rate.
I shot each arrow carefully. Having never practiced archery before, I repeated this to improve my accuracy.
So far, my hit rate was only two out of ten arrows, which was still quite low.
Both my 【Bow】 Sense and 【Eye of the Beast】 Sense had leveled up sufficiently. Curious, I checked my 【Bow】 skill and found that indeed, there was an 【Arts】 skill called “Long-Distance Shooting.”
I decided to try using the 《Long-Distance Shooting》 Arts. Although it took longer to charge the bow, a powerful sound resonated, and the arrow flew farther than I could see with my 【Eye of the Beast】 in an instant. I still didn’t know how effective it was.
“Miu said it was useless and that I was unfortunate, but I need to check it properly. I definitely felt a difference just now.”
Well, it was getting late, so I decided to continue tomorrow and get some sleep.
I thought about focusing on the same Production Class growth tomorrow as I logged out.
Chapter One: Production Class and Enchanting
The next day, I logged in during the afternoon. Why, you ask? Because I spent the morning shopping for ingredients, cleaning, doing laundry, and preparing meals.
I wanted to have a solid block of time for gaming, so for lunch, I made summer vegetable curry. Dinner would be the same, but I wouldn’t let anyone complain.
“Big brother! My level went up, and I derived my 【Sword】 Sense into 【One-Handed Sword】!”
“Wow, that’s great!”
“And I made a new friend! This one is cute and polite!”
“…I see.”
You’re lucky. You can play games because you have the excuse of being bad at housework. And is everything okay? You’re in your third year of middle school.
Just because our school has an escalator system doesn’t mean you can neglect your studies, I thought to remind her, but
she wasn’t listening at all.
Miu, who throws herself into her hobbies while being a bit of an airhead, worries me in real life, but why is she so reliable in the game?
But well, I’m here to support her; I keep telling myself that.
And so, I logged in again as Yun. I landed in the western safety area. Yesterday, I had made potions and beans with 【Alchemy】, but I was short on materials. And the Sense I acquired yesterday, 【Crafting】, required a minimum setup of a polishing kit and a portable furnace. The polishing kit costs 300G, and the portable furnace is 800G. My current funds were nowhere near enough. I needed to earn a decent amount of money.
I didn’t know what to use the Leaf Mold for, and I used the mushrooms and herbs I gathered to level up my 【Alchemy】 and 【Magic Power】 as soon as I got them. My current inventory consisted of one Wooden Arrow, two Potions, one Beginner Potion, five Pebbles, and various items including Leaf Mold and mushrooms.
“Hmm. With this much, I might be able to sell for around 300G? A bit more effective than usual.”
With a small sense of confidence, I left the forest and headed back to the first town. On the way, I practiced my archery against a few herbivorous mobs. Yesterday, I fought without any enhancements, but if I applied my attack power increase, I could fight effectively even with Wooden Arrows.
No, the biggest advantage was the 【Arts】 skill, “Long-Distance Attack.” I could shoot arrows from a maximum distance of five meters, firing four arrows while the enemy approached. It usually took more than five arrows to take down an enemy with Wooden Arrows, but since they were free, it didn’t hurt my cost performance. In fact, I could keep consuming and producing more.
I should level up.
With a satisfied smile, I entered the town, feeling like I was attracting attention. Well, it was probably because I was in starting gear, and archers were somewhat rare, so that might be why I was getting noticed.
Feeling a bit suspicious of the gazes, I quickened my pace.
“(《Enchant》|Speed)”
I muttered that and hurried past the west gate. Occasionally, I noticed people glancing back at me, but I ignored those curious looks and made my way to the plaza filled with stalls.
Forgetting the earlier awkwardness, I looked around for where I could sell my items. I had researched this beforehand, but not just anyone could set up a stall. There were specific items for stall setup, and only those who purchased them could own a stall. Additionally, there were stores where producers could remodel them to customize their own shops.
Well, the stall setup item costs 10,000G, renting a store for a month costs 50,000G, and buying one costs 1,000,000G. Guess how much I have? 130G.
There were various people at the stalls. Some sold potions, others sold weapons. Those who owned stalls or stores at this stage were likely players who had carried over their funds from the last version.
“Oh, that girl. Are you interested? Look, we have weapons and accessories!”
A woman with reddish hair and slightly tanned skin called out to me. She seemed to be a vendor. She had a friendly vibe, and I thought I might be able to chat with her. Maybe I could get her to buy some potions.
“Are you talking about me?”
“Wow, a rare sight! A boyish girl!”
Now that I thought about it, I was currently using a female avatar. Oh no, I had forgotten that since I had been away from people for a while.
“No, I’m a guy in real life.”
“Come on, this game doesn’t care about gender!”
“Ah, well, it’s probably a machine error. So, um, in real life…”
“Wow, you’re so girl-like that the machine made a mistake. That’s cool!”
“Ugh, this conversation isn’t going anywhere. I should just give up.”
“Well, welcome! You’ve arrived at Magi’s stall. We have weapons and accessories of all kinds. I’m Magi, the shopkeeper.”
“Hehe, so you already have a stall, huh? You must be a Tester.”
“That’s right. And you are…?”
“Yuyun.”
“Then, you’re Yuyun-kun!”
“No, I was invited by friends and my sister who were involved in the official version.”
Ahahaha, I see, so you’re a newbie, huh? That dry laugh likely referred to my misfortune. “But we don’t have bows here, do we? Accessories mainly boost defense.”
“No, I’m also in a Production Class.”
“Hehe, a combat-oriented producer. Nice! I aimed to be a fighting blacksmith too, but my growth slowed down in production, so I decided to focus solely on blacksmithing in the official version. Of course, I still dabble in combat.”
“I see. My Sense composition is struggling because I’m using a bow and running low on funds…”
“Ah, I get it. You want me to buy the items you made, right? I’ll buy them!”
“Really? Thank you!”
Surprised but smiling, I said that, and Magi blushed slightly, giving a vague smile. She muttered something about how it was bad to feel this way even with the same gender, but I wondered who she was talking about.
Putting that aside, this was a great opportunity. I opened the trade screen with Magi and started listing the items I could sell. Magi seemed to have recovered from her earlier embarrassment and began evaluating the items. I had potions to offer. Since I had a Beginner Potion for recovery, that was enough for now.
“Hehe, homemade potions, huh? Since the recovery amount is a bit higher, I can offer 3G for one. If it were an NPC, it would be 6G.”
“Um, since I made twenty-five of them, that would be 750G.”
“Well, since it’s a bulk order, that’s reasonable. The top players have already graduated from Beginner Potions and can buy potions from NPCs, but the daily supply from NPCs is limited in the game. So, some players buy in bulk and sell them at stalls for a profit. Of course, some players focus on healing magic, so they seem to form parties with those types.”
“Okay, Yuyun-kun, let me know if you need anything else.”
With that, my inventory balance increased to 880G.
“Still not enough to buy the portable furnace set.”
“By the way, Magi, you mentioned making accessories. Do their performances change depending on the type of furnace?”
“Not really, but the types of metals you can process change. With a portable furnace, you can only work with iron. I’ve only seen up to bronze. So, Yuyun-kun, your Senses must be 【Alchemy】 or 【Synthesis】.”
“That’s right. And also 【Crafting】.”
Ah, Magi seems to be quite a high-level player. To deduce the types of Senses I had from just this conversation was impressive.
“There are three types, actually.”
“You’ve got some tricky Senses there. But remember, the game is all about having fun. And here’s a tip from me: there’s a skill called ‘Polishing’ in 【Crafting】, right? If you have tools and the 【Crafting】 Sense, you can sometimes turn ordinary pebbles into precious stones or ores. This is commonly referred to as ‘Appraisal.’ So if you can appraise on your own, you can gather materials for accessories.”
“Okay, thank you very much! I’ll try it out right away.”
“Great! Then, can you add me as a friend? You seem interesting, Yuyun-kun.”
With that, I became acquainted with a senior producer named Magi in town and purchased a polishing set. My inventory slots were still sparse, but I had 580G. Once I could craft a potion, I would be able to buy a portable furnace.
With a beaming smile, I hunted just as I had before, returning to the safety area. Upon my return, I diligently polished the stones I had collected. After appraising the stones, I discovered that half of them were just ordinary rocks, but the other half turned out to be valuable. Among the stones I had gathered, there were twenty pieces of iron ore, but they couldn’t be turned into ingots without a furnace.
So, for now, I was polishing gemstone roughs with the polishing set to level up my Crafting skill. The sound of grinding echoed through the quiet forest—grind, grind, grind… As I chipped away, a beautiful gemstone began to reveal itself from the surface.
As I continued to grind, the massive stone transformed into a rough gem about three centimeters in size. This was the 【Peridot Gemstone (Medium)】.
It seemed that only peridot could be harvested in this area. No matter which stone I ground, it was always peridot. If I explored other regions, I might find different gemstones. Or perhaps I should look for someone in town who buys stones? But then again, are there even people who buy stones? Probably not. Besides, I was low on funds, so that was out of the question. It’s tough when you need money to make money.
“In other words, I have no choice but to steadily move forward.”
Well, I could use my Crafting Sense skill, 【Polishing】, to process them instantly, but that would turn them into 【Peridot Gemstone (Tiny)】. Normally, the smaller they get, the less valuable they become. Plus, if I relied solely on my skill, there was a high chance of failure, and if my Sense level was low, the risk increased even more.
So, I carefully polished each of the rough gems one by one. Even so, some would still break. In those cases, the item would disappear, counted as a production failure.
After three hours of polishing, I finished with all the stones: three medium-sized gems and seven small ones. The rest had all met their demise.
To polish any further, I would need to purchase a higher-grade polishing set. However, thanks to the polishing, my Crafting Sense had reached level 5, and my Production Knowledge had also hit level 5. While my Sense levels were all low, I planned to progress at my own pace, so I wasn’t worried at all.
Next, I had something I wanted to test with 【Synthesis】 and 【Alchemy】. I had iron ore on hand. I might be able to turn it into ingots without a furnace. I wanted to see if I could use Alchemy for a higher material transformation to convert iron ore into ingots.
Since I didn’t have a furnace, having ingots was pointless, but the possibility of turning them into ingots couldn’t be ignored. If I ran out, I could just gather more stones. With that in mind, I decided to transform all the iron ore I had through 【Alchemy】.
“Iron Ore x 1 with 【Human Alchemy】.”
After a brief flash of white light, the result was unexpected. I had obtained high-quality iron ore. As the name suggested, it was iron ore of superior quality. I had two pieces. I wondered why they had turned out so high-quality. Perhaps the process of turning them into ingots was a specialty reserved for those who handled metals, like blacksmiths or crafters.
I should show this high-quality iron ore to Magi and consult her. The next experiment involved the ordinary stones I had. Could I use these for synthesis? If I could combine them with usable items, it would eliminate waste from gathering.
Though it was just an idea, I might be able to upgrade the grade of arrows from wooden arrows to stone arrows.
I decided to test it with one arrow and one stone. A burst of light enveloped the items, and what emerged was indeed an arrow with a stone bell attached. If this theory was correct, then turning stones into iron or silver would allow me to upgrade the grade of the arrows. It might be costly as a disposable item, but for stone arrows, I could probably compromise on cost versus attack power.
“Alright, time to mass-produce!”
Feeling good about my progress, I attempted to create stone arrows from the recipe, but I found I couldn’t even synthesize. The recipe required a wooden branch, a bird feather, and a stone. However, it seemed I couldn’t use that recipe at the moment.
“Why can’t I use it? Oh, right, the beginner kit only allows for two items to be synthesized.”
I recalled that there were only two slots for item placement on the sheet. In other words, I couldn’t synthesize from the recipe without purchasing a higher-tier kit.
“Another expense! Ugh, it’s a hassle, but at least I learned that I can create items through wooden arrows. Let’s get synthesizing!”
With a half-hearted shout, I transformed the wooden arrows into stone arrows. I had also produced more wooden arrows, so now I had two sets of wooden arrows and one set of stone arrows. I had secured a sufficient quantity.
“Still, it’s really a waste that arrows are disposable. It doesn’t seem right for a bow user to be tossing away arrows made of mithril. The strength just isn’t there. Should I use wooden branches as lumber instead? But lumber is expensive. I need to make a staff or something.”
I grumbled to myself, unable to shake my dissatisfaction.
“Maybe, like that iron ingot, the material could remain the same while the arrows become high-quality.”
It was worth a shot, so I decided to transmute an entire set of wooden arrows. The bundle of arrows was enveloped in light.
What emerged were three arrows. My set of thirty arrows had been reduced to just three, and I wanted to scream in frustration at the effort I had put in, but I held back and checked the items.
Wooden Arrow +0【New】
“What does this notation mean? If the attack power has increased, I’d be happy even if they’re disposable, but there doesn’t seem to be any change aside from the notation.”
I decided to test it by shooting an arrow. Focusing on the basic motion, I drew the bowstring and released the arrow just as I always did. I confirmed that it struck the wooden target. It didn’t seem like the attack power had increased.
As I approached to examine it closely, the arrow vanished.
“Ugh… Another disposable item. Bows are really inconvenient.”
As I lamented, I noticed that only one arrow remained in the quiver strapped to my back. Huh? The arrow that should have disappeared was now in the quiver, and its notation had changed to [+9].
Could it be? I picked it up and shot it again. The arrow that had vanished returned.
“Bow user, here I come! This is a major discovery. Consumables can return by consuming numbers! The cost-effectiveness of bow users is terrible! And it reduces the hassle of reloading! Whoa, this means I can win, but let’s convert it to iron arrows. To prepare one set of iron arrows +0, I need three hundred arrows. That’s 300G. It’s tough for beginners, and you can’t use it without Alchemy Sense! Even if someone else could make it with a different Sense, hardly anyone would bother to enhance disposable arrows. Even if they did, the supply would be minimal.
In other words—
“Bow users are still unfortunate. They can’t fight properly without support from surrounding production classes.”
Well, I could make my own, so I was fine, and it would help me level up my own Sense. Plus, I had discovered a hidden ability of the 【Bow】 Sense: the ability to return arrows. I wouldn’t have to go out of my way to retrieve them, and this felt akin to magical tracking effects or motion assistance for swordsmen. Just having this was a blessing.
This was truly fantasy. Yes. With this knowledge, I wouldn’t have to worry about reloading in long battles. It might be interesting to master being a bow user.
“It might be a bit white.”
In the forest, I smiled to myself and checked my status before logging out.
Inventory
SP: 1
【Bow Lv7】
【Hawk Eye Lv3】
【Magic Talent Lv9】
【Magic Power Lv0】
【Alchemy Lv4】
【Enchant Lv8】
【Synthesis Lv6】
【Alchemy Lv6】
【Crafting Lv5】
【Production Knowledge Lv5】
Reserve
[Training Lv1]
After logging out of the game, Miu and I exchanged information over a small curry meal. Most of the information came from Miu, and I was just nodding along.
“Hey, listen. Big brother.”
“What is it? More complaints?”
“Yeah, well, kind of? The resellers are buying up potions and selling them at stalls. A single beginner potion that used to be 1G is now three times that at 150G. It’s so scarce that it can even sell for 500G!”
“What’s that about?”
“I know, right? The NPC’s potion restock amount is fixed.”
“Yeah, I knew that.”
“I heard. Besides, since I’m a production class myself, I think I’ll sell potions for a while to make some money.”
“Are you really that broke?”
“I switched from 【Training】 to 【Crafting】, but I need to buy polishing and furnace tools to get anywhere.”
“Why do you keep going in a direction that costs so much?”
She pouted, but what could I say? The moment I realized what kind of gemstone I had polished made all the effort worthwhile.
“Still, it’s impressive that you have so many production-related senses like 【Alchemy】【Synthesis】【Crafting】. Usually, they would be divided by the type of materials handled, but this way, leveling them up seems inefficient.”
“No, that’s not true. I made beginner potions by combining herbs I gathered in the west, and with 【Synthesis】, I can create potions. If I appraise stones with my 【Crafting】 Sense, I can identify gemstone roughs and iron ingots. I use 【Alchemy】 to convert leftover materials and slowly grow my skills.”
“Wow, you’re already using them well, but that’s too bad. I’m turning excess iron ingots into alchemy materials, and I still don’t know what to do with leaf mold, bones, or gallstones.”
“By the way, Miu, you’re a version player too, right? Should I ask you?”
“Hey, what can you use leaf mold or bones for in the game?”
“Wasn’t there farming?”
“Yeah. There’s land leasing in the southern district of town where players can grow plant-based items, but you generally need seeds to cultivate anything. So it’s mostly for a select group of players.”
“Hmm. Then what about gallstones and medicine stones…?”
“Big brother, didn’t you try using them with your 【Alchemy】 Sense? Pills are materials for items that have recovery amounts higher than beginner potions but lower than potions.”
“That means bone powder is a lower-tier version of bones? And pills are a higher-tier version of potions, or should I consider them a different type of item? And then, do I use medicine stones for higher-tier pills?”
“Fumu fumu. That’s helpful. I was thinking of going hunting, but now I have something I want to try with 【Alchemy】.”
“It’s great that you’re getting into the game, but as your sister, I still want to lament about your inefficiency.”
“You said games are meant to be enjoyed. I don’t want to be rushed through it.”
Ignoring my sister’s complaints, I considered various possibilities during my chores. One method of obtaining seeds had yet to be tested.
Once logged in, I opened the Alchemy screen first. The Alchemy screen had options for 【Alchemy】 material transformation, including 【Higher Transformation】 and 【Lower Transformation】. It felt like there were series for each material to be transformed.
Despite its name, Alchemy only turned iron into iron. It merely became a higher-quality version. In other words, it was a name scam. And like arrows, the 【Higher Transformation】 increased the strength of the same material. The name itself didn’t change, but the strength and usage count did.
Finally, even plants might not become different species through higher transformation. I decided to apply 【Alchemy】 to ten herbs. As expected, what emerged was high-quality herbs. This was what I was looking for. And if this was a higher transformation, then a lower transformation could be considered as converting to the original seed of the plant.
Should I transform high-quality herbs, or would normal herbs suffice? I decided to try transforming from normal herbs. The transformation rate was doubled. What was born from the 【Alchemy】 was herb seeds.
This was specifically for cultivation, so I felt a sense of relief. If this also turned out to be an alchemy material, I would have to perform a massive number of alchemies. I then transformed the high-quality herbs. The result was two herbs. This meant that plants also had grades.
The lowest tier was the seeds, and as I went up, the effects within the same series increased. However, this was still just herbs. Gathering a large amount and using twenty herbs to create one high-quality synthesis potion wouldn’t be worth it.
“Even so, creating plant seeds through 【Alchemy】 feels very fantasy-like. No, the fact that I can’t ignore the types of metals already feels like a reality check.”
Phew, now I just needed to figure out the use for the large number of gallstones. It turned out that mixing them with herbs created beginner pills. If the same principle applied, then combining two would yield a higher-tier version. Furthermore, using gallstones, which were a higher-tier version, with herbs or high-quality herbs would create a higher-tier pill. In this case, the former would have a higher effect due to the time taken to grow, while the latter could be created from a recipe.
“Now that I understand the general principles, I should be able to handle items by type with 【Alchemy】. I got seeds, so maybe I should check out the fields tomorrow. But first, a night of hunting.”
With my bow and arrows in hand, I advanced through the forest while casting enchantments on myself. Actively gathering items, I searched for enemies. I couldn’t help but wonder where all the mobs had come from, considering how much movement had occurred in the forest during the day.
The small goblins and wild dogs leaped through the icy darkness, but with my 【Hawk Eye】’s night vision ability, I could see them clearly. Additionally, with my enhanced vision, I could spot them from a distance and take them down before they got close.
The goblins and wild dogs were no threat. By normal standards, they would deal damage through surprise attacks, but to me, they were merely delicious prey. If I had the 【Light Attribute】, I could light up the battlefield with light magic, but no one would willingly come to such a place.
It seemed that the imbalance of mobs meant that this kind of environment was tough for beginners. Most would likely prefer to hunt in dungeons with consistent brightness, regardless of whether it was day or night.
From the goblins, I obtained poison blood and skin. “Hey, this is practically telling me to make poison with this,” I thought, only to find it listed in the recipe. It turned out that poison could be made from poison blood and herbs. Presumably, it wouldn’t be created from potion synthesis failures.
There was also an antidote potion. It could be made from poison blood and potions. In other words, could I use poison to counter poison? Well, it was a system thing, after all.
The wild dogs dropped dog fur and fangs. I had no idea what they were for. Surely, these were items meant for other production classes. They seemed like they could be used for leather armor or perhaps for weapon decoration.
MOBs spawned as I defeated them, and since I was hunting solo, the drop rates were quite good. I could take them down with ease, but I imagined that inexperienced players would struggle.
During my hunting, I realized that the light from my enchantment glowed even in the darkness. This might reveal my position to enemies. While mobs operated on AI, it would be a different story for players.
Wait, did I just feel like a bow user blending into the night like an assassin? Since I was a producer, if I couldn’t win in a direct confrontation, perhaps a sneak attack strategy would work.
As night deepened, I decided to call it a day and leave the rest for tomorrow.
The next morning, I headed to the southern district of the first town to rent land, but first, I needed to prepare some funds. Today, I had prepared 33 potions, 5 pills, and as a test, 5 antidote potions.
Well, if I could sell just the potions, that would be a good start.
Once again, I felt the strange gazes of those around me, but I quickly enchanted myself and made my way to the spot where Magi had been yesterday.
I found Magi opening her stall in the same place and called out to her.
“Magi! Good afternoon!”
“Yun! Thank you for selling potions yesterday!”
As soon as she opened her mouth, she expressed her gratitude by waving her hands dramatically up and down. Still, being held by a woman took me by surprise and made me feel a bit embarrassed at the same time. After a moment of shaking hands and calming down, she finally let go. But what was all this about?
“The potions you sold me, Yun-kun. When I sold them at a fair price, people from the front lines came and bought my weapons and accessories too. I thought it wouldn’t work out yesterday, but…”
Ah, so that’s what happened. So, will you buy from me again today? I’ve prepared some.
Yes, yes. Even though I run a weapons and accessories shop, I want to feel versatile, so I’ll sell them at my stall too.
Alright, then.
I opened the trade screen. When I displayed the potions, pills, and antidote potions I had prepared, Magi-san showed a delighted and surprised expression.
“Wow! Thank you for all these items. And these pills are the best recovery medicine available in this town right now. They even have a slightly higher recovery amount. As for the antidote potions, there were people with ‘Alchemy’ and ‘Synthesis’ skills who had the version 2, but according to rumors about the official version, no one is pursuing that direction, so there’s a shortage of status recovery potions.”
“I see. So, it’s lucky for me then.”
“Yes, yes! So, the potions are at 50G each, the pills are at 100G each, and the antidote potions are at 50G each, totaling 245G.”
“Wait, wait a minute. The price of the potions has gone up since yesterday. They were at 40G.”
“Two days ago, I bought them at 60% of the price, but today I’m offering 70%. You see, if they sell, it’ll help my shop’s reputation, and I believe this is a fair price. Plus, I need the money, right?”
Magi-san grinned like a Cheshire pig. I felt like arguing, but the truth was, I didn’t have the funds to do so. I had plans to check out the farm, look for a portable furnace, and see about higher-grade synthesis kits, and I knew I wouldn’t have enough for all that.
“Well, if you insist, I’ll take them at the 60% price…”
“Please! I’ll take that price!”
Yes, yes, her straightforward reaction made me like her even more. Plus, it was amusing to see her flustered and panicking.
No, I’m a man. Am I really being mistaken for a girl? But was she holding my hand at first just to see me embarrassed? No, that couldn’t be it.
All doubts vanished as I looked at Magi-san’s cheerful smile.
“Alright, let’s proceed with the trade.”
“Okay, okay. Here’s the money. I’ll buy any items you create to raise your skills.”
“I’ll be counting on you for that. Oh, right! I almost forgot. Can you take a look at this item?”
I displayed the high-quality iron ore and gemstone I had created yesterday on the trade screen. The moment Magi-san confirmed them, her expression turned serious, and she spoke in a hushed tone.
“Yun-kun, where did you get these?”
“Where? Just from the usual western forest.”
“No, the gemstone. If polished carefully, it can reach this size, so it’s good to have. If you raise your skills more, the breakage rate will decrease, and you can succeed with medium-sized ones too.”
Oh, I learned something useful. Eventually, I’d be able to process gemstones with my skills.
“The problem is with this iron ore. If you’re mining high-quality iron ore in the west, you need to go deeper. You have to reach the mine near the Third Town, also known as the Iron Mountain Town. Plus, that mining is a rare drop from the Sandman, the enemy at the nearby quarry, or a normal drop from the higher-level MOB, the Golem. Don’t joke about defeating them alone. The Sandman is on par with the Big Boar in the east.”
“I don’t know about the Big Boar.”
“No, no, I’m talking about the higher conversion through Alchemy.”
“…I see. If you made it through Alchemy, then I understand.”
“Oh, so you’re convinced now.”
“So, what will you do? If you’re not going to use them, I’ll buy them. High-quality iron ore and regular iron ore are completely different items, and with just two, you can’t turn them into ingots.”
“Wait, seriously?”
“Yes, it takes five to make one ingot, and for weapons, it’s three for a regular sword and five for a great sword or two-handed sword.”
—So in my case, I’d need to consume ten stones through Alchemy to get one high-quality ore, meaning fifty regular iron ores.
So, I’d finally get an ingot. What a hassle. But is high-quality iron ore really that valuable?
“Not at all. It just has a slight bonus to stats compared to regular iron weapons. There’s no value in hoarding iron ore to make them; it would be a huge loss. Besides, even if I had ingots, I’d only use them for accessories. For rings, I need one ingot, and for bracelets, I need two.”
“I see. Then please buy them. I’ll bring more when I make them.”
“Yes, I’d like that until they circulate in the market. I’ll be rolling in riches with high-quality gear.”
I checked the trade screen and selected the high-quality iron ore. The amount offered for trade was 400G. Wait, what?
“Magi-san, are you serious?”
“Well, iron ore is 100G each. Since this is a higher quality, it’s 200G. If I sold it at NPC prices, it would be half, but since it’s not circulating much right now, this is a fair price. Plus, it includes the contract fee until it hits the market.”
“Understood. Magi-san, you seem to have quite a bit of money.”
“Well, I made a killing with the last batch, so I might be able to buy a shop soon.”
“I’m not jealous, not jealous at all,” I muttered.
“Well, well. You made a profit, so it’s all good.”
“Yes.”
It wasn’t particularly exciting, but it was nice to have more money. My current balance was 3430G. However, I had underestimated the minimum price for the farm.
“Are you buying a field? The cheapest one is 3000G.”
“Wait, really?”
A man wearing a straw hat said that. He was clearly an NPC, someone who would explain about the fields and how to cultivate them.
“Right now, there aren’t many buyers, but the land prices will rise eventually. It’s better to buy now.”
“I mean, it’s a game, and hearing such realistic advice is confusing. But the southern area has about three baseball fields open, and there are hardly any people.”
“Alright, I’ll take the cheapest one.”
3000G disappeared from my inventory. Ah, my precious money.
“Here’s the land deed. The location written here is your field. Also, you’ll need tools like a shovel or sickle to cultivate it. That’ll be an additional 300G.”
“Wh-what?!”
I was left with barely any money! But without tools, I couldn’t plant herb seeds.
Grinding my teeth in frustration, I thought,
“Thanks for your business.”
In the end, I bought it. I’ll consider it a forward investment. Yes, a forward investment. If I do Alchemy, I can make back over 2000G. I had to think that way to keep my spirits up.
I headed straight to the purchased field, but what was this heavy labor? It was exhausting.
I dug up the hard-packed soil with a shovel and tilled it.
This was quite a labor-intensive task in the game. Damn it.
“Haah, haah. What is this?”
When I cast the Speed Increase enchantment, my digging speed improved. Though it was a small plot, I felt like giving up before I could even plant the seeds.
Moreover, just planting seeds wouldn’t make the items high-quality.
According to the NPC, I needed to mix various things into the soil. In other words, I needed to add fertilizers like leaf mold, wild herbs, bones, and powder.
So, I had to mix in fertilizer.
I mixed in the fluffy leaf mold I had gathered from the hemp and stuffed wild herbs like medicine.
Preparing to mix in bones and bone powder took quite a bit of time.
And then, I noticed my Sense status growing.
SP: 3
[Bow Lv9] [Hawk Eye Lv6] [Magic Talent Lv6] [Magic Power Lv4] [Alchemy Lv5]
[Enchant Lv4]
[Synthesis Lv8] [Alchemy Lv8] [Crafting Lv5] [Production Knowledge Lv6]
Backup:
[Training Lv1]
I had checked my levels before leaving the hemp field, but I didn’t remember doing anything related to Alchemy.
But if it’s rising, it must be because of this farming work.
I could interpret it as mixing bones and leaf mold into the soil to create fertilizer. If that’s the case, growth is expected.
And it was added to my recipe: fertilizer. This meant it counted as a handmade item.
Hmm. It’s quite surprising that I could do this without a production kit.
But, well, that’s fine.
Now all that was left was to sow the seeds and finish. The land I acquired for 3000G could hold up to twenty spots for planting.
It seemed herbs could be harvested every day. How fantastical.
Hmm. It’s done. Oh, a message.
With a magical sound echoing, the name of the person I had registered as a friend appeared: Taku.
“What’s up?”
“Hey, are you free? If you are, let’s go hunting. In a party.”
“Sure, but where?”
“I’m heading to hunt the Big Boar in the east. You can come without worrying about leveling up.”
“Wait, you’re assuming I’ll come?”
“Why not? Honestly, I’m stuck because I’m low on potions.”
“Got it. Let’s meet at the gate.”
“Understood.”
Hmm, hunting the Big Boar, huh? That means it’s on par with the Sandman in the western mining area. I’m a bit interested. I quickly checked my equipment. I had about three hundred arrows with enhanced durability, so I wouldn’t run out during combat. However, relying only on stone and wooden arrows felt a bit risky. I should buy iron arrows next time and enhance them through Alchemy. But I don’t have the money right now.
When I arrived at the eastern gate, I searched for Taku. He was already waiting, and it seemed his equipment had improved since the first day. It made me a bit envious since I was still in my starting gear.
“Hey, Yun.”
“Yeah. Are you sure it’s okay for someone like me to join?”
Honestly, I felt quite anxious. Well, the gender ratio of the other members was two to two. Since we were both guys, it felt a bit skewed, but it should be fine.
I casually chatted with Taku’s party members.
“A girl character! Aaaah!”
“Wow, she’s beautiful.”
“But she’s not holding a bow. Is she going to be okay? Plus, she’s in starting gear.”
“Who cares? It’s a game; just have fun!”
“Ah, yeah. I’m also worried about being in starting gear with a bow. And I’m a guy, not a girl character.”
“You said you’d bring your real-life friends, but the appearance level is high. Plus, she seems to be the strong-willed type, a classic kuudere. This is going to be fun!”
“She’s a beauty.”
“Please, don’t talk about her looks anymore! I’m begging you.”
A lightly armored man and a blonde-haired mage in a white robe with a staff chimed in.
“Um, this is Yun. As you can see, he’s a bow user in starting gear, but he should be somewhat useful. Even if he’s not, he can serve as a reference for changing skills during this battle.”
“Hey, don’t decide he’s useless from the start. I’m a production class. We fight in different fields.”
Everyone around looked surprised. Yeah, I thought so too. A bow user in starting gear? It felt ridiculous. But the truth was, I was broke and couldn’t do anything.
“Then you might be useful. By the way, what are you making?”
The guy who reacted to the bow and starting gear looked rugged but cool. He had a tough appearance, wearing gray armor that made him look like a seasoned warrior. Cool, but annoying.
[Just some potions]
I pulled out one of the potions I had made from my inventory and showed it. Upon seeing it, he bombarded me with questions.
“Is that a Beginner Potion?”
“No, it’s a regular one, so it can serve as a recovery item.”
“Ah, I sold all mine because I was low on cash. Everything else is just… one.”
Taku burst into laughter. He had probably been holding back his laughter since I was being mistaken for a girl. This guy was going to get it later.
“Are you an idiot? Why would you sell all your potions?”
“Well, I can manage with the Beginner Potions and pills.”
“Are you stupid? Once your total SP exceeds zero, the effects of Beginner Potions decrease!”
“Really? So, that means all my skills are at least around level one. I’m still fine.”
The gray warrior seemed to be holding his head in disbelief. His words didn’t carry any malice; they were likely from a place of kindness, but coming from such a rugged figure, it felt intimidating. The green-hatted mage next to him, wearing round glasses, looked like a witch. It made sense that front-line players needed potions for such reasons.
“Alright, let me introduce everyone. This is Gantz, the martial artist. Next to him is the healer, Minutes. The armored guy is Kei. And the witch is Mami. And I’m Taku, the swordsman.”
After Taku introduced everyone, they all greeted me warmly, and I returned the sentiment, introducing myself as well.
“I’m Yun. As you can see, I’m a broke bow user in starting gear.”
I wondered if that was the best way to introduce myself, but it was the truth. I thought it was better than lying or boasting. After that, we moved through the plains to the location of the Big Boar. As a bow user, I had to be careful not to waste arrows in close combat. So, I wasn’t allowed to participate in the fighting, but instead, I took the opportunity to gather items and enchant in places where everyone couldn’t see me.
I managed to gather basic items like Detox Grass and Detox Herbs, and I updated the recipe for the Detox Potion. The new method involved combining Detox Grass with a potion.
In other words, there were multiple ways to create items. Most players didn’t gather items because they could buy them from NPCs. And it turned out that stones could be combined with iron ore to create bronze ingots. I should consult Magi-san about that.
Also, it seemed that branches could be gathered anywhere there were trees. Plus, I could easily obtain bird feathers from bird-type MOBs. The use for these was to convert them into feathers with the Sense skill, which could be used to create items that increase recovery during rest, like beds or sleeping bags. While everyone sold them for around 200G, I found them useful as materials for my arrows.
Along the way, I was beaming with joy from gathering items. However, I could feel Gantz and Minutes’ gazes on me.
“What’s up? Gantz? Minutes?”
“Are you really Taku’s acquaintance? I mean, a cute girl character with such high player skills… what kind of real-life charmer are you?”
“And she has a sister too. So, she’s a responsible girl character being dragged along by the useless Taku. What kind of romantic comedy is this?”
I had no idea. Besides, I’m a guy.
“If it were me, I’d be smitten. Yun-chan.”
“Guys, no thanks.”
“I like cute girls too.”
“I don’t like that kind of attention!”
Minutes took my shoulder from behind and placed her hand on it. This kind of attention was unwelcome for a guy.
I looked around for help, and Kei, the armored guy, wore a bitter expression and directed his gaze at Mami. “Hey, Taku. You’re the leader, so get it together,” he said with a wry smile.
“Hey, how about we set up an ambush here? We’ve been playing around too much, and Gantz, with his fast feet, can lure the Big Boar over here.”
“No way, that’s impossible. The Big Boar is fast. Let’s leave it to magic and hit it from a distance!”
Satisfied, Gantz and Minutes began to part ways.
“That’s fine, but you know, with my paper-thin armor, one wrong hit could mean instant death for me. Plus, magic can’t be used continuously, so if I get caught in the crossfire…”
Mami expressed her concerns, a hint of anxiety in her voice.
“Ah, um, what should we do?” Tak seemed confused, as if he hadn’t thought this through.
“Hey, all we need to do is land one hit to draw it in, right?”
“That’s right. Well, we can just hit it directly…”
“If we can land a hit from this position, then I’ll do it.”
Tak looked bewildered, as if he couldn’t comprehend what was happening. It seemed I could surprise him after a long time.
/ Enchant
“Just watch. (Enhancement) | | Attack | – Enchant for the player.”
Once the level of the enhancement surpassed the ordinary, the skill’s effects, duration, and cooldown time before the next chant were all reduced.
After boosting my attack power, I pulled back the bowstring. The distance was roughly measured in meters.
It seemed that the range also depended on my attack power, and the growth of the enchantment directly correlated with an increase in range.
The calculation for the shooting distance was complex, but with a grown bow, Arts, and enchantments, I could reach a sufficient distance.
Aiming with the “Eye of the Surroundings,” I heard the bowstring creak as I released the arrow.
The arrow sliced through the wind. Before I could confirm the hit with the “Eye of the Target,” I nocked the next arrow. By the time I released the second shot, I had confirmed that the first one had struck.
“Hit! It’s coming!”
I released the second arrow, but this time I missed.
Having used the Double Shot skill, my MP was running low. I could only manage one more enchantment before returning to normal range.
“(Enhancement) | | Defense |”
I cast a defensive enchantment on Tak to prepare for the incoming attack.
The firepower of magic classes was overwhelming, and the coordination between the two fighters and one tank was seamless.
Kei stood firm in front of the charging Big Boar, not backing down an inch. Tak and Gantz each took on the role of damage dealers. Sometimes, they would draw the Big Boar’s attention to create opportunities for healing, switching targets with bold attacks while accepting damage. The three of them could create the next coordinated move just by calling each other’s names or saying simple words.
Even so, the Big Boar’s attacks could reduce a front-line fighter’s HP by a third with a single hit. Tak, however, managed to hold it to just a fifth. Ah, I see. Tak had armor. And the enchantment’s effectiveness was based on his personal stats. In other words, the higher the stats, the greater the effect of the enchantment.
Yeah, that was a good discovery.
I would shoot another arrow, and once my MP recovered, I would cast a defensive enchantment. It took quite a while, but we finally managed to take down the Big Boar just as Minutes and Mami were about to run out of MP. It was a tough battle, and I wondered if the Sandman was this strong too.
After the battle, we all checked our levels. Everyone seemed a bit pleased. My archery and magic talent had increased, along with my enhancement skill. Fighting strong enemies must provide an experience point bonus.
“I never thought we would take down the Big Boar so easily. Maybe buying items beforehand was a waste.”
“Easy? You were just watching from the back, and it was a nerve-wracking fight!”
“Yun, you’ve never faced a strong enemy in a party, have you?”
I had only taken on small fry enemies alone during the initial tutorial with my sister.
“Normally, if a party that includes players with low SP faces a Big Boar, it’s tough without potions or MP potions.”
Even if they said that, I couldn’t help but be ignorant.
“Hey, Yun, can I ask you something?”
“What is it, Kei?”
“Why did you take the enhancement sense? People say it’s useless.”
“Well, I don’t know. I just thought it would be good to aim for a versatile support character from the start, but it seems to be treated like garbage, so I switched to a production class. I only have enhancement because it was a whim. I was planning to replace it at first.”
“I see. One more thing. Why did you cast a defensive enchantment on us front-liners? An attack enchantment would have been better.”
“Huh? This time, the goal was leveling up, right? The Armor Sense and Gantz’s Leather Armor need to take damage to level up. That’s why.”
“I see. So… the enhancement helped us out this time. Thank you. It felt like a chill ran down my spine. It’s strange for a guy to feel shy.”
“But it’s true. If it weren’t for the defensive enchantment reducing damage and you drawing aggro from a distance with your bow, we back-liners would have run out of MP and been in danger.”
“I’m glad to hear that. It feels a bit embarrassing to be praised by the ladies. But right after, Minutes flashed a grin.”
“But why was Tak the first one you enchanted?”
“Huh? Why would you ask that…”
“Well, when you like a boy, you want to support him.”
“That’s not it! I just noticed him naturally…”
“So, you naturally noticed Tak, huh?”
“That’s not it! Tak is just my childhood friend!” I tried to say he was just a guy, but Minutes teased me, brushing off my reaction lightly.
Her face felt a bit warm, perhaps from excitement. Minutes then turned to tease Tak, who was being playfully handled. I watched their backs with a hint of envy, while the other members secretly smiled at the scene. It felt like I was being jealous of Tak for stealing my spotlight. Ah, I should stop thinking like that and reset my feelings with a light shake of my head.
“Alright, let’s take a break and have a debriefing while checking our inventories. After that, let’s hunt a few more Big Boars before heading back.”
Following Tak’s lead, I checked the items I had obtained in my inventory. Well, since we had just hunted in a party, the items were few, but what was this Big Boar Meat? How do I use it? I put that thought on hold and then checked the other items like Big Boar Fur and Big Boar Essence.
As a result of hunting with Tak and the others, my level increased significantly. Experience points seem to yield better results against strong enemies. So, high risk, high reward, huh? Well, I thought it was fine to take it easy since I wasn’t part of the raid group.
My senses were half combat and half production, so just focusing on combat wouldn’t level me up evenly. What Magi had said about balancing combat and production was true.
“Hmm.”
“What’s wrong, Yun-chan?”
Minutes hugged me from behind. Whoa, women are soft. Wait, that’s not it! I’m a guy! I wish she would stop calling me “chan.”
“Don’t cling to me.”
“I won’t! You’re too cute to resist…”
It seemed she wasn’t going to let go anytime soon, and I couldn’t just push her away since she was a girl. Besides, it wasn’t that close of a contact, so I endured it for a bit, feeling a shiver run down my spine.
(Yun-chan, I’m sorry for teasing you earlier.)
(Minutes)
(I don’t have any intention of stealing Tak-kun from you.)
No, I felt like there was a huge misunderstanding mixed in there, but when I turned my head, Minutes was smiling at me from close range.
“That’s why I’m a guy. So please stop thinking like that.”
“Eh? No way! A cute girl like you can’t be a boy! I mean, you should dress up more stylishly!”
“Tak! You need to prove it!”
“Don’t be shy, Yun. You’re pretty much the same in real life, right?”
“Wha—! Did you just call me a real-life girl?”
“Tak, you bastard!”
The guy in front of me laughed as he watched me struggle against the hug. Damn it.
“But they say archers are weak or unfortunate, but it doesn’t feel that way at all. Plus, enhancement is considered an unfortunate sense, but being able to create potions means you must have Alchemy or Synthesis, right? I don’t think it’s that bad.”
“Ah, now that you mention it, why were they considered weak?”
The women tilted their heads in confusion. I didn’t know either, but it seemed amusing enough. The men, however, wore somewhat ambiguous expressions.
“That’s because of the town raid event back in version 8.”
Kei began to explain.
“In the defense event, a mixed unit of long-range magic users and archers was supposed to reduce numbers, while the front-liners would mop up the remaining forces. However, the archers had to restock arrows in town, which led to a shortage of arrows. As a result, when the defense battle began, the archers were sent into battle without enough arrows and became useless.”
The event ended in a disastrous defeat, and the archers ended up resented by many players.
“Man, I was really panicking back then. We front-liners had to jump back into the fray even with status downgrades from dying.”
“That’s right. The heroes who shone during that time were called ‘Silver Holy Knight’ and ‘Water Witch,’ right, Gantz?”
For some reason, he gazed off into the distance. Don’t give me that dead fish look.
“Also, what’s strange is the enhancement. How can it be used like that?”
“Eh, here?”
No, enchantments can usually be cast on allies, right? Now that I think about it, this might be the first time I’ve cast it on someone else. Why are the women surprised too?
“Could it be that you couldn’t cast it on allies?”
“No, the limitation of the enhancement sense is its range. It’s roughly 2 meters. According to someone who raised it, even after leveling it up, it didn’t change, and they gave up early on and switched.”
“So, it’s the short range? 2 meters is about the initial range of arrows. If it’s that close, you can’t enchant the front-liners, and if you step forward to cast it, you’d get caught in the attack. Enchantments were designed with magic classes in mind, so their defense is cardboard-level.”
“That’s why it’s strange. How could you cast an enchantment so safely during battle? Do you have any idea?”
“No, I just look at who I’m casting it on…”
At those words, only Tak, who knew all my initial senses, reacted.
“Yun, are you still leveling up the Eye of the Hawk?”
Huh? That one is useful. It includes both long-range vision and night vision. Perfect for nighttime hunting, and I’ve been leveling it up constantly at night.
“Try casting an enchantment on me while looking at me.”
Tak said from about 5 meters away.
“I don’t really get it, but (Enhancement) | Defense…”
Tak was enveloped in a lost blue light. After about a minute, the enchantment effect disappeared.
“Next, turn to the right and cast it on me. Don’t let me enter your line of sight.”
“Got it, got it. (Enhancement) | Defense: … wait, what?”
I couldn’t cast the enchantment. Seeing that, Tak sighed as if he expected it.
The others around us noticed. I was the only one who didn’t understand the situation, casting enchantments on myself and others, confirming that I could use them properly.
“We were making a big misunderstanding. The essence of the Eye of the Surroundings isn’t long-range or night vision. It’s a targeting ability.”
I tilted my head at the unfamiliar term.
“In other words, it’s the ability to select a target based on what you can see. If you level it up, it could become an incredible ability.”
“Hahaha, I hope it grows into an official cheat.”
“Eh, what do you mean?”
I was completely lost and wanted a proper explanation.
“In other words, Yun can cast magic on the targets he sees. So if you learn the staff and magic attribute senses, you could become a long-range powerhouse.”
I still didn’t fully understand, but hearing “powerhouse” sounded cool.
“What will you do, Yun? Will you change to a magic class?”
“No, I think it would be boring to be the same as everyone else. I want to stick with my current style as a production class and bow user.”
“Also, should we post this information on the strategy site? If we do, the combination of the Eye of the Dust and Enhancement could elevate both senses from being considered unfortunate.”
“Hmm. I don’t want someone copying my style. I’d prefer to keep it to myself. Let me have my unique style.”
“Understood. Does anyone have any objections to keeping this a secret?”
Everyone agreed. They seemed surprisingly easygoing, and I thought it would be nice to go hunting again if something came up.
I suddenly gained four new friends. I could almost hear the words “I might make friends” echoing in my mind.
The Enhancement and Eye of the Surroundings might not be useful on their own, but together they seemed to have potential. If I continued to develop them, I could support Tak and his friends even more than today. That thought made me a little happy.
Chapter 3: The Crystal Tree and Miu
Having learned the joy of party hunting with Tak and the others, I found myself not making any connections with other parties.
Sadly, I lacked the courage to invite anyone.
According to Tak and Miu, “The beginning of connections with others often starts with calculation.” It’s surprising to have a sister who says such things.
Without forming parties with others, I immersed myself in gathering, which was becoming a life work for me.
As for the other players, while many complained about a potion shortage, some saw it as a business opportunity.
The specific money-making strategy involved pairing up to acquire Alchemy and Synthesis skills, dividing the work to create potions.
I thought that division of labor was necessary for mass production when I heard that.
After a night of calm reflection, I realized that buying herbs from the NPC stock and turning them into potions would yield 2G for one herb and 4G for two. If I generated potions, Magi’s buyback price would be 10G.
In other words, it was like picking up money. Even though I was broke with only 130G, it wasn’t that easy to earn money just from herbs.
Then I could buy them. With that thought, I hurried out on a midsummer afternoon.
I should have gone in the morning. No, that was impossible. I had to handle household chores, like buying food. The weather seemed bad, so I dried things indoors today. Plus, since there was a chance of summer evening showers, I spent time linking the regional weather information to the OSO settings to set alarms during the game. I realized I was somewhat of a tech novice.
Running from the western safety area, which felt like a base, toward town, I remembered I had SP, so I decided to acquire the Speed Increase sense and run. My current senses had grown significantly in combat since yesterday’s Big Boar hunt.
Current SP: 5
[Bow Lv3] [Eye of the Hawk Lv8] [Speed Increase Lv1] [Magic Talent Lv6] [Magic Power Lv8]
[Alchemy Lv5] [Enhancement Lv6] [Synthesis Lv1] [Alchemy Lv1] [Production Knowledge Lv1]
[Training Lv1] [Crafting Lv5]
I felt fast. Miu and Sei also had stat-up senses. Experiencing it firsthand, I found it quite convenient. It was like having a constant enchantment active.
Moreover, if I acted accordingly, I would grow.
To level up, for attack, it was about accumulating damage dealt; for defense, it was about accumulating damage taken.
For speed, it seemed to be about the distance covered.
Looking at the growth methods, I felt there were similarities to armor senses. For back-line classes, the defense-boosting senses could be considered localized unfortunate senses.
Given that the position is fundamentally one that assumes no attacks will be received, it’s a bit of a struggle to balance the sense structure. On the other hand, the skill of “Defensive Stance” can be combined with “Defense Increase” to endure attacks, allowing for damage reduction and an increase in Sense levels.
Hmm, constructing a Sense structure is quite challenging. I’ve seen templates from people in Production Classes, and even those engaged in heavy labor like “Blacksmithing” possess “Attack Power Increase” skills. Apparently, the number of times you strike metal counts as an attack judgment.
As I ponder while running, I arrive at the central plaza. There should be an NPC shopkeeper around here.
“Excuse me! Do you have any Herbs?”
“Sorry, we’re out of Herbs. Apparently, everyone’s been buying them up to make Potions.”
A humble-looking man bows apologetically. Wow, NPCs in recent games are so realistic! Wait, that’s not the point!
“—That’s what I’m saying!”
“Since a few days ago, people have been hoarding them to make Potions. By the way, the Beginner Potion is out of stock too.”
What? Did the resellers buy them all up anticipating the two-person Potion crafting event yesterday? Moreover, I can hear the word “Herb” being tossed around at various stalls on the opposite side of the plaza. I step away from the NPC shopkeeper and head toward those stalls.
“Herbs for 15G! Beginner Potions for 2G!”
What?! That’s just a material item! It’s the same price as the original Beginner Potion, and regarding the Beginner Potion, synthesizing it costs 8G. Only the stall owners could make a profit selling at those prices.
Still, people are happily buying Herbs and Beginner Potions. Why are they so willing to pay those prices? It’s absurd. I see this scene repeated in various places.
I can’t help but feel a bit down. I should hurry to deliver to Miu. With that thought, I leave the scene to vent my frustrations.
I confirm that I’ve messaged Miu in advance and head to our usual meeting spot.
“Miu! You won’t believe what happened!”
“I know! It’s about the Herbs, right? Wow, even I was surprised by that.”
Miu greets me casually, her voice tinged with sympathy. “That’s just highway robbery. It feels like a declaration of war against someone like me who’s always short on cash.”
“Don’t get so worked up! You’ll ruin your cute face.”
I was quite dissatisfied, but to Miu, I must look like a cute girl throwing a tantrum, as she wears a smile that seems amused by my frustration.
While I’m busy grumbling, the delivery is completed.
The items I delivered to Miu were worth 2100G, consisting of Potions x6 and Pills x4 at a 70% price.
Hmm, I’m still a bit short to buy the Production Kit.
I really want money.
“Hey, why not sell those Potions yourself? You could sell them for three times the price right now!”
That’s true. If I did, I’d make about 6000G. The self-made Potions, after the drying process, have slightly better effects. I’m confident I could sell them for that much, but…
“I’ll pass. If I do that, I’ll just be like those resellers. Instead, could you take a look at the items I’ve gathered so far? There might be something worth selling among them.”
“You really don’t want to make money, do you? I’ll buy your material items.”
Miu chuckles as I load up the trade screen with items I don’t need.
I have plenty of unused materials, like the skins dropped from wolves, the pelts from wild dogs, and the fangs. I even have the large pelts I made through Alchemy.
“Hmm, they’re all pretty standard. I’d say they’re worth about 2 to 3 copper coins each. But can I ask you something?”
“Is that large pelt made from that?”
Miu grins as she looks at the large pelt.
“Yes, but I’d like you to keep it a secret.”
“Sure, sure. So, can you make other items using that method? If you do, I’ll buy them after coloring them.”
“But why just this one…?”
“Oh, can I share a little insider info? Pelts and skins are used to make leather armor and coats through ‘Sewing.’ Well, for the early game, the mobs around here don’t drop pelts that are quite the right size. There’s a skill to combine five pelts into one, but even with the ‘Sewing’ Sense, there are seams in the final product… For some reason, depending on the material, the durability ends up being slightly lower.”
So, just like ingots, the ‘Sewing’ Sense is used to stitch together pelts and skins.
“Because of that, the tailors in my circle are synthesizing their own materials, but they still want to make high-quality items, right? So, I’d appreciate it if you could let me have some.”
“Alright, I’ll make some with the other leftover materials.”
There are people around, but everyone is busy crafting Potions with their shiny skills. Well, it shouldn’t be a problem if Alchemy is mixed in, and in fact, you can perform Alchemy without taking out items.
—Alright, here I go.
“Okay, I’ll leave it to you.”
With a flash, the process is complete. I dislike this blandness, so I always take out the items and transform them right in front of me. The items that were once in my inventory have now been transformed.
Large Skins x3, Large Dog Pelts x3, Large Fangs x7, Large Pelts x3.
[Completed!]
“Wow, you really did it! Now, let’s see them!”
I open the trade screen again and load the Alchemized items.
“Thanks a lot! So, how much do you want for them?”
“Well, I’m not sure. Please offer a fair price.”
“Even if you say that, 70% of the NPC price is already cheap in this case. Plus, keeping it a secret means the value won’t drop. What do you say? Should I try to squeeze some extra from you?”
“Why do you always have to say such unnecessarily suggestive things? Just 70% is fine.”
“I’ve said it multiple times, but you really don’t want to make money, do you? Well, honestly, I don’t know the price either, so I’ll ask around among my friends, but for now, this should be good.”
The amount displayed on the trade screen is 2500G! That’s more than I’d make from Potions.
“Every time I trade with you, Miu, I’m amazed.”
Mostly in terms of money. From yesterday’s quality iron ingots to today’s transformed items.
“I’m just as surprised. You have such an interesting Sense structure, Yun.”
That’s mostly in terms of items, I get it.
“Still, despite having such unfortunate senses, how come you’re so interesting?”
“Well, I’m a character that thrives on adversity.”
“Hahaha, that’s exactly the kind of playstyle that slips through the gaps in people’s thinking. Please don’t tease me.”
Even so, I can’t help but smile at the cheerful atmosphere. With this, I’ve made a profit of 4600G. I can finally buy a portable furnace. Normally, those with the “Blacksmith” or “Crafting” skills buy a furnace for 800G, go to the western forest to mine iron ore, and create items. I’ve taken quite a detour.
It feels like it’s taken a long time to get this far since starting the game.
“Well then, trade completed. Is there anything else?”
“Ah, yes! Yesterday, I picked up some Steel Ore and Iron Ore. Can these be synthesized into Bronze Ingots?”
“Oh, that. I did that with a friend in version 8.”
“How did it turn out?”
“The bronze items aren’t very good. They don’t stand out and have low defense, but they’re good for practicing your ‘Crafting’ skill, better than copper.”
Ah, so it’s better than copper but worse than iron. And my crafting skill is still low.
[By the way, you can also buy it from NPCs. Once you’ve made a bronze ingot, it’s done.]
So, once I make it once, it’s done. That’s a bit disheartening. I was so excited to pick those up.
“Well, I’ll just have to practice.”
Yun’s path in crafting seems to be fraught with challenges. I leave Miu’s stall and gather the necessary items from the town’s NPC shops.
I have plenty of money. Even after buying the portable furnace, I still have some left. | 800G
I have plenty of money. I can still buy a higher-grade polishing kit. | 1500G
I have plenty of money. I can still buy a higher-grade synthesis kit. | 1500G
I have plenty of money. So I’ll buy ten iron arrows. | 300G
As a result, my remaining balance is | 630G.
What I gained from that is priceless. Wait, no! I overspent too much. I’m broke again. So, I’ll engage in production activities once more.
I move to my field.
Ah, I’m out of money. If I could sell Potions steadily every day, I could make 2000G.
Plus, I have a portable tool! I can make accessories! I can even cut gemstones properly from raw stones! I can even make iron arrows +0!
But I’m still out of money. What a letdown.
Well, first, I’ll check the field. As a harvest, I got one seed and some quality Herbs from one spot. So, if I keep the seeds, they won’t decrease. And since I’ve added fertilizer, the Herbs are of higher quality. That’s twenty of them. Hmm, even if I convert them to lower-grade items through Alchemy, I’ll have forty. To deliver to Miu, I’m still a bit short, and I can’t secure enough Herbs to make Pills or Antidote Potions.
I guess I’ll still have to focus on hunting and gathering.
Well, even leaving them for a day to produce twenty Potions is significant. That’s a simple calculation of 700G a day. If I just want to cover the land cost, five days should be enough. Well, that’s only for those who have seeds.
And I proceed to dry the Herbs I enhanced through Alchemy, turning them into Beginner Potions. However, since I’m short on time, I’ll use a shortcut method based on the recipe. While it’s less effective than doing it by hand, I’m confident that what I produce will be of higher quality than other Potions. Even so, it’s still a low-grade Potion, so it’s a matter of degrees.
Hmm, this allows me to raise my Alchemy, Crafting, and Synthesis skills simultaneously. Until now, I’ve found it difficult to level up Alchemy, but it’s gradually increasing.
While higher-grade conversions consume items quickly, if I can easily obtain higher-grade materials, I can actually increase my items through lower-grade conversions. Wow, my mediocre skills are blossoming rapidly. However, the conversion rate remains unchanged. Perhaps it won’t change in the future either. If that’s the case, what will change?
Well, time is pressing. Next, I need to make ingots with the portable furnace.
“Miu said that Steel Ore is a low-level ore, so I’ll start with copper.”
I’ll turn three Copper Ores into ingots. I place them in the portable furnace and, using tools like a hammer and pliers, I strike them rhythmically, producing a pleasant sound.
“My arms… what is this…?”
- Seriously, the hammer feels heavy. If I don’t swing it with a certain speed and strength, the glowing copper will cool and crack. If the ingot breaks, it’s a production failure, and the item disappears.
The first one didn’t even turn into an ingot. I continued trying two, three more times, but I couldn’t succeed at all. I must have discarded about thirty Copper Ores, and I’m already below half.
Come to think of it, those with “Blacksmithing” or “Crafting” skills also have “Attack Power Increase” skills. So, is it a lack of Attack Power, ATK? I just acquired the “Speed Increase” skill, so if I hit a wall, should I just acquire more skills?
If I recklessly acquire skills, I might regret it later. However, if it’s absolutely necessary, I should acquire them when possible.
In other words, if I can cast Enchantments on myself while engaged in production activities, then…
It’s worth a try. I cast an Attack Enchantment on myself.
“Oh! It’s light! It’s so light!”
The hammer that felt so heavy before is now easy to swing. Plus, I’m not getting tired as easily. The sound of metal striking resonates rhythmically. So, the Attack Enchantment might be raising my strength, similar to a strength stat in other games. Well, in the case of weapons, it’s not exactly a strength stat… No, I shouldn’t think too deeply about that. In any case, I can use the Enchantment as a substitute for “Attack Power Increase.”
Hmm? Yesterday’s fieldwork was a Speed Enchantment. So, the Speed of actions like swinging is handled by the Speed Enchantment.
I succeeded in making an ingot on the fourth try. However, I felt no excitement, only a need to verify my doubts.
“If I double up on Enchantments while working, wouldn’t that increase efficiency?”
I customize my Sense structure to include “Speed Increase,” “Magic Talent,” “Magic Power,” “Enhancement,” “Crafting,” and “Production Knowledge.”
First, I cast the Attack Enchantment. Next, I cast the Speed Enchantment. Red and yellow lights occasionally mix and clash, enveloping my body. It seems I can stack multiple Enchantments. I lightly swing to the side. With the Speed Increase, it feels like my arm is swinging faster.
And then, I proceed to make the fifth ingot.
Once the Enchantment wears off, I recast it and swing the hammer. It’s fast, really fast. The ingots are being produced quickly. The glowing copper collides with the forceful hammer, occasionally sparking.
Things were going smoothly for a while. However, making ingots takes time. I focused too much and ran out of MP from continuously using Enchantments. I failed just one strike away from success.
“Hmm. If I strengthen my Magic Power more, I could probably do it, but this method won’t work for ingots above iron. Should I really acquire the “Attack Power Increase” skill?”
While waiting for my MP to recover, I cross my arms and ponder. Then I remember. Production classes can use shortcuts for items they’ve made before.
In other words, I can make the ingot. Ah, I wasted five Steel Ores earlier. I consume MP to execute the “Crafting” skill on the Steel Block. It seems to have been done rather easily.
Strangely, it took about 20% of my MP. I can see how easy “Alchemy” and “Synthesis” skills are. My current “Magic Power” is at level 7. Yet, it only took that much. So, when it comes to higher-grade metals, the consumption is proportionate.
Making ingots, like polishing, also carries a risk of failure. Since my “Crafting” skill is still low, there are various issues, like not being able to use the branches effectively.
It’s pointless to dwell on it, so I decide to focus on raising my “Crafting” and “Knee Strength” skills. That way, I can work manually while enhancing the abilities of higher-grade Enchantments. Even though it’s a game, my arms feel heavy, and the heat leaking from the portable furnace warms my face. Regardless, I continue to swing mindlessly.
I repeat the cycle of breaking, succeeding, and breaking again, and I manage to produce several ingots.
I spent quite a bit of time, but I obtained a decent number of ingots.
I got two Iron Ingots. The rest were failures. Two Copper Ingots and four Steel Ingots.
My “Magic Talent” has reached level 7, and my “Magic Power” skill has grown as well. Thanks to the triple Enchantment, I believe my growth is on par with a regular mage.
Looking back, the MP consumption that was initially inconvenient hasn’t changed much from the beginning, but since my “Magic Power” has grown, it’s no longer as cumbersome as it used to be. Combined with “Daylight,” I can compensate for the short effective range.
Even now, I’m properly assisting with ingot production. Thanks to that, my “Crafting” level has risen to 6.
“Miu asked me to trade, but I’m quite fond of my current Sense structure.”
I mutter softly. Ah, I’m satisfied. This is quite fun. Next, I’ll finally make accessories, and with that thought, I log out.
Waiting for me is Miu, who looks hungry and dejected.
I hurriedly prepared dinner for Miu, who was leaning against the sofa, staring at me with a pitiful expression.
“Brother, even if you’re engrossed in a game, forgetting dinner is a bit much, don’t you think?”
“I’m so sorry!”
After dinner, I sat across from Miu, sipping tea. Sure, I had gotten so caught up in the game that I forgot to help with dinner preparations, but she could be late sometimes too.
“If big brother isn’t around, dinner doesn’t get served,” she said with a pout.
“Come on, you could at least think of your brother and cook sometimes,” I replied.
“Is that okay? What if I give you food poisoning?”
“Forget about food poisoning; just learn how to cook first!”
“I don’t want to hear that! How did it come to this?”
“How did it come to this, you ask? I got a bit of money and got carried away.”
Miu looked at me with narrowed eyes, sipping her tea. It seemed she wanted me to elaborate without saying a word.
“Well, I met someone in the Production Class who taught me a lot and bought some of the items I made. With that money, I gathered tools and focused on things I couldn’t do before, and before I knew it, it was this late.”
“Hmm. So, was that person in the Production Class a man or a woman?”
At that moment, Miu’s gaze turned even colder. Her eyes narrowed further, making me feel uncomfortable under her scrutiny. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was losing my grip as an older brother.
“So, how much did you earn today?”
“I sold potions and materials for 4600G.”
I felt a bit proud here. I could earn this much now, and I thought it was a chance to regain my former status as an older brother.
However, Miu’s reaction was different.
“That’s all you earned? Top-level producers can make ten times that in a day.”
“Big brother, my spirit is about to break. I originally had a combat power of 5, you know. I’m a producer, but I’m not top-level. How much do I have to sell to earn that much?”
“By the way, my current funds are 1 million, and I think my sister has 10 million.”
“You’re such a bourgeois! What is that, combat power? Then my 630G is trash.”
“Are people in your version throwing money around? I’ve seen some terrible disparities.”
“About dinner today, if you spend tomorrow with me, I’ll forgive you.”
“Am I carrying your stuff again? Do I have to walk through this concrete jungle in the scorching summer heat?”
“No! I have a quest I want to do in the game! The restriction is that it has to be two women, so I thought of teaming up with you!”
—No, I’m a guy.
“Your character is a girl, right? Besides, many people have a negative impression of that quest, and other female players won’t take it.”
So please, she said, putting her hands together in a cute gesture. Sure, my character was female, but I wasn’t doing it because I wanted to. Plus, I didn’t want to do a quest that was so avoided…
“So, please go with me tomorrow! Otherwise, I won’t forgive you!”
“Is the next thing after begging a threat? Fine. But are you sure it’s okay to go with just your starting equipment?”
“Eh? You’re still in your starting gear?”
“I’m thinking of buying something cheap. If I save a bit, I can afford NPC-made weapons and armor.”
“You should avoid NPC-made gear. The durability of NPC bows is low. However, beginner weapons and armor don’t have durability set, so they won’t break at all.”
“Really? Then I’ll just keep using them.”
“Just know, the design is intentionally ugly.”
Of course. I felt that way too. There were still beginners around, but Miu’s and Tak’s armor and clothes had similar designs, and I envied that a little.
“The bow is fine, but you have to buy some clothes. After we finish the quest, can we go shopping? There’s a producer who sells cheap and cute clothes. Just know, the performance is low.”
“I’m not buying any. I mean, I’m technically a guy, so why do I have to wear cute clothes?”
“I think it suits you better.”
I sighed and refused. Right now, enhancing my equipment and gear was more important than worrying about appearances.
“Fine. Do I have anything I need to gather?”
“Nothing. It’s just for numbers.”
Right? Hearing it so plainly was a bit shocking. My sister was drifting away from me. Miu downed the rest of her tea and dashed up the stairs, her earlier sulkiness replaced with a lightness that made me wonder what had changed. What was going on with her?
That day passed, and the next morning, Miu woke me up with a bang.
It was five in the morning! I was furious, but I reluctantly made breakfast and got caught up in chores. But waking up at five in the morning wasn’t all bad. The early hours were quite pleasant.
It was refreshing, unlike the piercing sunlight when I usually hung out the laundry.
No, that didn’t matter. I planned to take on a quest with Miu in the afternoon, and we would each go our separate ways in the morning.
Today, I headed to Magi’s place to sell items. Since I hadn’t gone hunting yesterday, the only items I had to sell were potions. A total of forty, bringing in 1400G.
There were some good and bad news. The leather materials I brought yesterday apparently had a higher value, so the next buyback would be at a better price.
That was great to hear. But the bad news made my face sour.
“Ah, it seems like there’s going to be an oversupply of potions. So prices are starting to drop everywhere.”
“Does that mean my potions too?”
“Ah, you don’t have to worry about that. They won’t go below the fair price, and your potions have high effectiveness, so they have become a hidden gem known to those in the know.”
“That’s a relief.”
—Oh, and I’m about to open my own shop soon. I finally saved up enough money.
“Congratulations!”
I genuinely celebrated her news.
“Well, it’s at least the store price, but I want to buy the biggest store in town since I’m going to buy it anyway. Plus, I need initial equipment, so I’ve been saving up to 10 million. I need materials too. I think I have about 1 million on hand now.”
“Is that so? You’re rich. 1M, meaning a million. You have more than Miu or Sei. As expected of a producer. You might be a top player.”
“So, bring your potions directly to my shop. I’ll buy them properly.”
“Thank you. I’ll come by then.”
I bowed my head. Initially, it was a calculated meeting of “I wonder if I can sell potions?” but now, I felt we had a pretty good relationship.
Magi chatted with me while occasionally responding to customers, promoting her new shop. I glanced at the prices of the weapons she was selling, and they were surprisingly high for their performance. The cheapest one was 20,000G.
“M-Magi? What about this weapon?”
“Ah, that’s a one-handed sword? I made it on the side. Yeah, I lacked a bit of sense there.”
“No, I mean the performance!”
Wild Blade【One-Handed】
ATK+ Material Additional Effect: Critical Increase (Minimal)
My bow has ATK+2, and iron arrows have ATK+3, totaling 5. Generally, the initial weapons are about the same. NPC weapons max out at 6. Since the game just started, these are relatively high-level weapons. But that’s not the issue. I’ve never seen an additional effect like this.
“Oh, that? The additional effect? Anyone can add that if they reach a higher level in [Blacksmithing].”
“Ah, so leveling up [Blacksmithing] leads to the higher-level sense of [Forging]. Then, weapons gain additional effects. Isn’t that amazing? By the way, [Crafting] can also evolve into [Goldsmithing] with leveling up, so keep at it.”
“Um, is it okay if you share this?”
“Of course! This is something that’s bound to be on strategy sites anyway. What’s more important is the characteristics and combinations of each sense. It’s a game that requires talent. You can’t just rely on standard combinations. Unexpected methods should be kept to yourself.”
I felt like I could relate to that. [Gaze of Purchase] and [Addition]. Others probably wouldn’t think of those.
Ugh.
[Addition] seems like a magic for frontline fighters, and [Gaze of Purchase] is a long-range sense. Front and back. They seem contradictory, yet when combined, they expand the range.
“That’s true. But I’m glad to hear that [Crafting] can branch out at level 3. I’ll try my best to reach that.”
“Yeah, yeah. I like seeing you work hard like that.”
I thought Magi was young too. Probably around college age.
“It’s almost lunchtime, so I’m going to log out for a bit and have lunch.”
“Ah, I need to log out too and make lunch. My sister will scold me.”
“Oh, young lady’s home-cooked meal? I’d like to try it too.”
I felt there was a hint of something in her tone, but I logged out in a place where I wouldn’t be bothered.
- For lunch, I made stir-fried vegetables, miso soup, and white rice. Yeah, a bit healthy with lots of veggies. As a little revenge for being woken up early, I added some enoki mushrooms, which Miu disliked…
While eating, I noticed Miu’s eyes were a bit teary, but I enjoyed my meal. Afterward,
“Big brother, I’m waiting at the East Gate.”
With that, my sister retreated to her room. I wished she would at least finish washing the dishes before leaving. Well, it wasn’t a huge effort, so it was fine.
I soon followed suit and logged back in.
At the East Gate, a crowd had gathered around the Black Mountain, and at the center was my sister.
“Let’s go hunting together. I want to break through Boss MOB 6 soon.”
“Hey, let’s go with us…”
“How about joining us? Well, I’m being called out by both men and women. I might be a sister, but I’m a beautiful girl, so I think I can get some attention.”
“Sorry for the wait. My bad.”
“You’re late! Let’s go!”
Next to Miu, who had changed her sword and shield, was a heavy-looking weapon that matched her character’s image of a holy knight.
“Hey.”
“Just hurry.”
Miu pulled my hand, eager to escape the crowd behind us. I could still hear voices calling out, but I decided it was best to ignore them and follow Miu.
Once we were far enough away, I asked how it had come to this.
“Well, I’m somewhat of a well-known player, but I get hit on quite a bit.”
“Is that okay?”
—And this equipment and armor were custom-made by an acquaintance from version 2.
“I’m just tired of people asking me to introduce them or to give them something.”
“Be careful. Don’t follow any weird guys.”
“What? Are you worried about me, big sister Yun?”
Even though I was concerned, she teased me. She was still grinning at me, making me turn my face away in embarrassment.
“Thanks for worrying about me, big sister Yun.”
“Hey, even though I’m a female character in the game, can’t you just call me brother?”
“Impossible. Besides, it’s your fault for being late.”
“Are you saying I should abandon my chores? You could help too, like drying the dishes.”
“I can’t! The game is calling me! Don’t get emotional about it!” She sighed, clearly done with the topic.
“So, what quest are we taking on?”
“It’s a female-only quest! Plus, it’s a duo quest called [Chris Warm’s Internal Investigation].”
“I don’t know what that is.”
“To put it simply, it’s a cave investigation in the forest. There’s a male-only counterpart quest called [Hymne Pond’s Environmental Investigation].”
“Hehe, so it’s an NPC request, huh?”
“Exactly! And that hunting ground is just right for me. I was helped a lot in version 8, but everyone avoided it. After all, the MOBs in the game aren’t real.”
“Um, there seems to be an ominous atmosphere in this conversation…”
“Don’t worry. Just stay back and let me handle the centipedes.”
“Ugh, I want to go home. I don’t want to go to a place with centipedes.”
“I promised yesterday! Breaking a promise is a big no-no!”
“Before that, it’s your fault for not explaining properly!”
“Ugh, I thought I could finally go on a proper adventure with my big sister.”
“What’s with that teary-eyed look? Fine, I’ll do it.”
“Yay! But I’m just going to stay back and enchant the whole time.”
“Okay! Just watch my brave figure!”
She was teary-eyed a moment ago, but now she was all smiles. VgR games really do have expressive characters.
“But let me gather some materials along the way. This area has copper and iron ores, which are great for leveling up my [Crafting] sense.”
“Did you hear that from that producer girl?”
“Well, sort of.”
“How sly. Let’s also hunt some weak MOBs. You haven’t been here before, right?”
I sensed something in Miu’s tone. Well, I decided not to dwell on it.
I had been here before, but I hadn’t been allowed to fight along the way. Unlike the herbivores in the plains, these monsters were more troublesome. Goblins, slimes? Classic game staples like small green men and jiggly jelly. Miu swung her one-handed sword, taking them down in one hit while I picked off goblins from a distance with my bow.
For me, bow attacks were pinpoint, and if I didn’t hit the slime at the right spot, it barely took any damage. So I left the slimes to Miu and focused on the goblins. With six enchanted iron arrows, I could take one down.
Even with the “Long-Distance Shooting” Arts, there were moments when I felt uneasy as they closed in while I shot. In battles against the Big Boar, my role was more about support and drawing aggro, so I realized that if we were heading to a more dangerous hunting ground, I should have better equipment.
While I was risking my life to take down one, Miu was slashing through them effortlessly. I really felt like a burden.
I wondered what she would say when the battle was over, waiting for Miu to return.
“—Finally done.”
“That was a good warm-up, huh, big sister?”
“Was that a warm-up? I thought it was seriously dangerous.”
“That was easy-peasy. But I was surprised. You’ve gotten good at handling the bow, big sister.”
“I appreciate the compliment.”
“By the way, what’s your current sense like?”
“Ah, it’s something like this.”
【Bow Lv6】
【Hawk’s Eye Lv5】
【Speed Increase Lv4】
【Magic Talent Lv9】
【Magic Power Lv22】
【Alchemy Lv7】
【Addition Lv9】
【Synthesis Lv1】
【Crafting Lv0】
【Production Knowledge Lv5】
【Training Lv1】
【Alchemy Lv3】
I leveled up from the earlier battle. I prioritized leveling up Crafting over Alchemy to identify the stones I gathered.
“Wow, you took Speed Increase. Plus, your Hawk’s Eye and Addition are surprisingly high. How did those get so high?”
“I didn’t do anything special for movement, but I’ve been casting enchantments.”
“Ah, so combat classes are hard to level up since you only cast spells in emergencies. But during movement…”
“This is really useful once you try it out. It can substitute for attack power increase. What about yours?”
“Um, mine is like this.”
【One-Handed Sword Lv7】
【Armor Lv8】
【Attack Power Increase Lv】
【Defense Power Increase Lv】
【Focus Lv】
【Magic Talent LvA】
【Magic Power Lv8】
【Magic Recovery Lv3】
【Light Attribute Lv2】
【Healing Magic Lv5】
“Your levels are so high!”
“Everything’s normal. It’s just a repetition of something I’ve done once, so I can do it efficiently. Besides, once you surpass a certain level, it’s hard for your Sense to increase, so you don’t really need to worry about it, right?”
Miu, who has managed to raise her Sword Sense to the level of One-Handed Sword in such a short time, is just too impressive.
“Actually, it’s been easier to level up compared to when we were in the beta version. It’s definitely the difference in equipment and money.”
She walks ahead, humming a tune. Ah, I secretly vow to gather money quickly too.
“Yun, big sister, we’ve arrived! This is Chris Cave. Are you ready?”
Miu spins around, her silver hair swirling as she beams with a bright smile. Dressed in her silver armor, she radiates the aura of a paladin, or rather, a battle maiden.
Behind her, the cave looms with a gaping, crimson maw. I wonder if we’ll make it back safely?
“Alright, let’s go! (Light)!”
With Miu’s incantation, the dark cave is enveloped in a brilliant white light. Is this also a Light Magic Skill?
However, I possess the Inner Eye, allowing me to see clearly into the depths of the cave where the light cannot reach.
But that clarity is a double-edged sword. Yes, I can see it all too clearly.
Ska-ska-ska-ska
The sound of something scraping echoes in the damp air, thick with humidity. I no longer need night vision. I want to avert my gaze from the grotesque sight before me. A centipede, about the width of a train station, is crawling toward us in droves.
Its round, red eyes glimmer in the darkness as it approaches.
A chill runs down my spine. I forgot to even cast Enchant or focus my gaze, completely transfixed.
“Alright, big sister. I’m going in!”
With that, Miu dashes forward. She stands before the sluggish centipede, gripping her sword with both hands, and thrusts it in.
She forces the blade between the segments of the insect, twisting it to add leverage and tearing it apart.
The severed centipede lets out a high-pitched, dying scream. Its headless body continues to writhe independently for about ten seconds. Just witnessing this scene makes me want to cry.
I can understand the feelings of a fleeing woman. It’s traumatic. Yet, how can she be so gleeful in the midst of this?
“Come on, let’s keep going!”
“I don’t want to! I can’t stand watching this anymore!”
“Before you start whining, let’s divide our roles! You’re the one with paper-thin armor and weak defense, so focus on that! Plus, you’re here to gather items, right?”
Feeling the weight of responsibility, Miu stabs, twists, and divides the centipedes. I suppress any further complaints and avert my gaze from the centipedes.
Ah, since we’re in a cave, there are plenty of stones around. I spot a cluster of three and, upon appraisal, discover they are iron ore. It’s more efficient than running around the western forest, but it’s terrible for my mental health.
The centipede’s dying scream echoes, accompanied by the unsettling sound of skittering as I gather materials. While Miu methodically hunts down the centipedes that appear in groups of three, I continue my gathering, and after about thirty minutes, I can see the end in sight.
“Big sister, this is the boss room. Further in is the room with the quest item.”
“Should I join the fight?”
“Hmm, I guess you’re getting bored too. How about you draw the enemies in and cast Enchant beforehand?”
“Got it.”
For the first time since entering this cave, I draw my bow. The arrow is released toward the massive centipede that resides in the room.
“Hey, what do we do if it gets deflected?”
“Ah, it seems your attack power is too low to even register damage. Next, use Arts to boost your attack power.”
So, my attack power is just too low. I want to change my equipment soon. I think as I ready my bow again.
“Rapid Fire Bow, Type II!”
This is the second Arts of the Bow Sense. With minimal charge time, it releases two arrows in a single breath. One of the arrows finds its way into a small gap between the centipede’s segments, inflicting a slight wound.
Finally, it reacts, lifting its heavy body.
“Alright, it looks like we’ve drawn its attention, so be careful not to get caught in the crossfire.”
“Understood. Also, Enchant: Add Attack, Defense, and Speed.”
The Enchant is chanted in quick succession. It’s my first time attempting a triple Enchant, and it succeeds. However, the MP consumption skyrockets exponentially with each layer added. I realize now that while RPGs usually have fixed costs, the added Sense makes it quite tricky to manage.
“Okay, I’m going in!”
Miu leaps energetically toward the enemy behind her. A centipede three times larger than the previous one raises its flat head, opening its maw to reveal a stream of sleep-inducing gas that hisses and sizzles against the ground.
- Its name is Acid Dozer. By the way, the centipedes we faced earlier were Poison Dozers.
“Yahhh!”
With a loud shout, Miu charges at the Acid Dozer while I walk along the perimeter of the spacious room. Thanks to my night vision, I can easily search for ore even in the shadows where magical light doesn’t reach. I hear a deeper, more guttural scream behind me as I continue my search.
I find a peculiar stone. It’s a fossil. I can’t tell what kind of fossil it is, but it certainly looks like one. I examine it from all angles, but I can’t make heads or tails of it. It looks about the size of a fist, so it could be a fossilized shell or a small fish. Meanwhile, the commotion behind me fades into silence.
“Big sister, I’m done over here!”
“Ah, good job!”
“What happened? Did something occur?”
“I found a fossil.”
“Oh, that’s amazing!”
“Is it really? I have no idea what kind of fossil it is.”
“Don’t worry! There’s an NPC who can appraise fossils. Just have it appraised when we return to town.”
It seems that fossils are remnants of ancient items in this world. When appraised by a specialized NPC, they can be transformed into items under the pretense of restoration. From what I’ve heard, various weapons, armor materials, and even seemingly useless items can be found, mostly based on luck.
“I wonder what I’ll get?”
“Hmm, I don’t know. Well, I won’t get my hopes up too high.”
“But fossils are like a lottery, so there’s a chance it could be a rare weapon material or equipment, or even something useless like dragon dung.”
“Exactly! So there’s definitely a chance for something rare to come out.”
“Is that so? How much does the appraisal cost?”
“Hmm, it’s a flat rate of 5000G per appraisal.”
“I only have 2030G.”
“D-Don’t worry! The quest reward is 3000G, plus the quest item!”
That still only brings me to 5030G. My equipment upgrades are still far off.
“Cheer up! The quest will be over soon!”
With Miu pulling my hand, we venture deeper into the cave. Light filters in from the depths, and the backlight interferes with my night vision, making it hard to see further.
“The final part of the quest is a flower field of the Crystal Tree at the deepest part of Chris Cave.”
Wow, it’s beautiful.
The fragrant scent of flowers wafts through the air, and the cave ceiling is almost completely open, allowing light to pour in. Flowers of various colors bloom vibrantly, seemingly reaching for the light, with a massive crystal rising from the center, bubbling with water.
“This Crystal Tree is the symbol of this quest. The view here is beautiful, and I really like it.”
“Yeah, it’s a nice place.”
“At first, I thought about showing you a screenshot, but since you turned into a girl, I wanted you to see it in person. But since your combat Sense wasn’t growing quickly, I waited until I could safely bring you here alone.”
“Wait, does that mean you were turned down by friends or was it about leveling up?”
“Friends are a lie, but leveling up is true! But thanks to you casting Enchant, our long battle with the giant centipede ended quickly! You’ve been a big help!”
I can’t help but ruffle her hair, thinking how cute she is, even if she is my little sister.
“Thanks for showing me such a nice place.”
“U-uh huh.”
Miu smiles shyly. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that expression. She’s usually so energetic, but it’s nice to see her more demure side.
“I want this scenery too. How do you take a screenshot?”
“Oh, right. I’ll teach you how.”
After a bit of awkwardness, Miu shows me how to take a screenshot. The image of the sparkling Crystal Tree turned out beautifully.
We sit down in the flower field and chat a bit, and the awkwardness fades as we both relax. Lately, we’ve been so absorbed in the game that we haven’t had a chance to talk like this. Well, being a teenage girl, I suppose I was also holding back a bit.
“Yeah, this was a great change of pace.”
“Are we heading back already?”
“We need to finish the quest quickly. It’ll be evening soon. But first…”
Ignoring the water, Miu approaches the Crystal Tree.
“Here goes!”
—Oh, I broke it.
“Yeah. The quest item this time is a branch of the Crystal Tree. Here you go, big brother.”
I receive the sparkling branch of the Crystal Tree.
Branch of the Crystal Tree
A tree resembling crystal. It only grows about one centimeter a year, so a tree that surpasses a person’s height is likely over 150 years old. Apparently, there are Crystal Trees that are over 10,000 years old in this world. That’s the description, but…
No, no, this is only the length of my pinky. “Is it okay to break it?”
“Don’t worry! The broken part will regrow from here.”
“Truly, game quality. It’s fantasy. Also, Miu, you’ve been calling me big brother since earlier.”
“Hehe, you noticed, huh?”
As the sky turns red, Miu wraps her arms around me affectionately. Damn it, even if she’s my little sister, she’s adorable. Seeing her in such a sweet state makes me feel a bit flustered.
The trip here was terrible, but she prepared a wonderful surprise.
On the way back, no enemies appeared in the cave, and we gathered materials together as we returned to the plains.
As we walked back, I talked to Miu.
“I’m sorry for dragging you along today.”
“No, I had fun. I didn’t know a place like that existed.”
Seeing me poke her nose with my finger, Miu chuckles softly, but then her expression fades.
“One more thing, I’m sorry. I got irritated seeing you talk so happily about others when you don’t want to adventure with me. That’s why I forced you to come.”
“Don’t worry about it. I had fun.”
Miu nods.
I gently place my hand on her head to comfort her. I can tell she responds softly without resisting.
Afterward, we received our reward from the NPC geologist who commissioned the quest.
I was tired today, so I decided to log out and continue tomorrow. I also thought about treating Miu to a slightly nicer dinner as an apology for yesterday.
With plans for money-making, equipment upgrades, leveling up, and fossil appraisals, my list of things to do has grown, but aside from that, I feel like I got to see another side of this OSO today.
Chapter 4: Golem and the Third Town
For the past three days, my logins to OSO have only been for an hour each night at ten. I have other things to do and places to go, so honestly, I can’t just indulge in the game all the time.
My parents both work, making summer extremely busy. Additionally, since Miu stays home all day during breaks, I have to prepare three meals and handle chores like cleaning and laundry.
The responsibilities aren’t just at home; at our integrated middle and high school, high school students have designated school days. It’s a tedious day where we gather to clean the school that hasn’t been maintained during the summer, and I can’t skip out on it… Furthermore, to make matters worse, I often get caught by teachers who say, “You’re diligent, so I can count on you for this task,” and I’m stuck doing more work than others. The only compensation is a single bottle of juice, which feels like a rather realistic labor reward.
In that regard, Miu and Takumi have a knack for avoiding such troublesome situations. They manage to evade those scenarios well, leaving me to deal with the extra work that they escape.
After a sweaty return from school, I was greeted by Miu in a cool room, holding an ice cream cone, which made me feel a bit lighter.
With such a situation, I couldn’t find a substantial amount of time during the day, so I only managed to log in for a short while to complete potion crafting and deliver items to Magi’s shop. Feeling that the number of deliveries was insufficient, I decided to buy another one.
Since it was a hassle to move to a distant area, I asked if I could acquire adjacent land, and the NPC replied,
“If that’s the case, it’ll cost you an additional 2000G in fees, totaling 5000G.”
I hesitated at the NPC’s words but reluctantly made the purchase.