今回の基本方針としては、騎乗戦闘を中心に囲まれないように立ち回ることが重要になる。
そういう意味では、まず最初にトビの馬を狙って攻撃してきた相手の戦術は正しい。
「!!」
グラドタークを体当たりさせて敵の馬を吹っ飛ばす。
これ、楽しいぞ......! まるで気分は重戦車だ。
それくらいグラドタークと普通の馬とでは性能差が大きい。
「も一つオマケでござる!」
そして吹っ飛ばした馬に、後ろに乗ったトビが投げ苦無を投擲。
これには一発で『猛毒』状態になる濃度の高い毒薬を塗り付けてある。
毒状態になった瀕死の馬は、相手が回復させる間も無く死亡して消え去った。
こうして次々と敵の機動力を奪っていく。
とにかく足を止めず、的を絞らせないように前へ前へ。
潜り込んでしまえば、フレンドリーファイアを恐れて大規模な遠距離攻撃は飛んでこない。
「はっはっは! この機動力の差ぁ! 捕まえられるものなら捕まえてみるがいい!」
ユーミルがロングソードで相手の馬をすれ違い様に斬り裂いていく。
今回の作戦を立てる上で最も注目したのが「乗り物はHPが尽きた直後に厩舎に移動させられる」という特性である。
乗り物のHP回復そのものは生きていれば可能だが、死体が残らないので蘇生は不可。
これを利用して、相手の馬を次々と厩舎送りにしていく。
一般馬のHPはユーミルの攻撃なら一撃で確殺できる低体力である。
そして数で劣る俺達が確実に勝っていると断言できるのが、このグラドタークである。
数本の矢を受けた程度では止まらない高HPに――おっと!
「ひょー! グラドターク最高でござるな!」
「ああ! 野郎が二人乗っててこれとか、笑いが止まらんぜ!」
敵の魔法攻撃すら回避可能な、この速度。優勝報酬は伊達じゃない。
ユーミルと俺(結果的にトビも乗っているが)とで敵陣を引っ搔き回し、相手の馬を狙って攻撃。
レンタル一般馬のメンバーは防御・回避重視で無理をせず、相手の詠唱妨害等を優先。
序盤はこの戦法で上手くいっていたのだが、徐々に相手が混乱から復帰し......。
「――あだっ、だっ!? ハインド殿、グラドタークが遠距離攻撃に捕まり始め――ぶっ!」
「いてっ! ちっ、相手がこっちの速度に慣れてきたか......下がるぞ!」
「合点承知!」
ユーミルの方はまだ大丈夫そうだが、二人で乗っているこちらのグラドタークのHPが危険域だ。
自家製の中級ポーションをグラドタークに振りかけ、『ヒーリングプラス』を詠唱開始。
追り来る敵の馬に向かってトビが焙烙玉を投擲、更に短いWTを利用して苦無を次々と投じていく。
どうにか詠唱を最後まで終え、グラドタークのHPが全快。
相手の馬の残りは半数ほどまで減り、かなり戦いやすくなっているが――
「ぬお!?」
一瞬の思考の隙を突くように、自分の馬を踏み台にして短剣を持った男が飛び掛かって来る。
慌てて片手で杖を上げるが、間に合わない! ダメージを覚悟した直後、声が響く。
唸りを上げて飛来した力強い矢が、敵の体を空中で攫っていく。
普段よりも小型のクロスボウを馬上で構えたセレーネさんが、離脱する俺達を迎えるように円を描いて並走に移る。
い......息が止まるかと思った......。
「セレーネ殿ぉ! マジ救世主!」
「ありがとうございますセレーネさん! タイミング最高! 愛してる!」
セレーネさんの顔が朱に染まる。
彼女が戦闘中であるにも関わらずモジモジし出すと、俺も自分の発言に気が付いてオロオロし出した。
「――弾みですよね? ついですよね? そうですよね? 本心や真心から出たものではありませんよね? あ、そうですよねピンチでしたから吊り橋効果という考え方も――」
「ひいっ!? リィズ殿、どっから湧いたの!?」
突如、真後ろからブツブツと呟く声が耳に入ってくる。
俺は這い上がって来る寒気に背筋をぶるりと震わせると、暗い表情のリィズの方に顔を向けた。
「お、おう。つ、つい気持ちが高ぶってだな......ごめんなさい、セレーネさん」
「う、うん。気にしてない......よ? うん......」
そうは言いつつも、セレーネさんが少しがっかりしたような表情になる。
いや、ほんとすみません......一方のリィズの目には光が戻り、にっこりと笑う。
「気を付けて下さいね? ハインドさん」
「わ、悪かった......半端な気持ちで言っていい言葉じゃなかった......」
「ええ。それはそれとして、次は必ず私がハインドさんをお助けしますから」
命を救われた直後に、命が縮むような恐怖に襲われたぞ......完全に自分のせいだけど。
今後は急場だろうと軽はずみな発言はすまいと、固く心に誓いつつ。
俺達は話している間も足は止めずに、フィールドを広く使って連携しつつ後退を続けた。
「む、ユーミルが突出し過ぎているな......」
「私に任せて!」
言いつつ、次矢を装填してユーミルに後方から迫る敵の馬の目を的確に貫く。
「おっ!? セッちゃんか、助かる!」
セレーネさん、この集団戦で一番輝いているかもしれない。
彼女の放つ一射一射がことごとく有効に働いている。
ユーミルも今の後ろからの攻撃で位置取りの悪さに気が付いたのか、敵中を突破してこちらに駆け戻ってくる。
「せんぱーい、お助けー。へーるぷ」
弱々しい声がどこかから聞こえてくる。
キョロキョロと辺りを見回していると、トビがある場所を指差した。
「あっ! ハインド殿、ヒナ鳥ちゃんズがやばいでござる!」
三人とも馬を倒されたのか、声を上げたシエスタちゃんはリコリスちゃんの後ろで魔法を詠唱していた。
サイネリアちゃんが矢をばら撒いて牽制するものの、敵の馬を射るには至らず。
ヒナ鳥達の周囲をぐるぐると旋回しながら、騎乗したPK達による包囲が狭まっていく。
「二人とも、ユーミルのフォローを!」
「......トビ!」
投擲アイテムのほとんどがWTに入っているトビが、俺の肩に手を掛けながらくるりと宙返り。
軽やかに前後が入れ替わり、トビが手綱を握ってヒナ鳥達の元に駆ける。
『グラドターク』で敵の妨害をしつつ、WT毎に投じる苦無が敵の馬の首筋に次々と突き刺さる。
攻撃の手が緩み、シエスタちゃんが魔法の詠唱を成功させて『ヘブンズレイ』の光線で敵を吹き飛ばした。
「おお! ハインド殿、投擲の命中率たけえ! やるう!」
「いつも動き回るお前らに回復薬を投げつけているんだ。これくらいはやれるって」
「おー、先輩かっくいい。惚れ直しちゃいますぜー、このこのぉ」
合流したシエスタちゃんが肘で俺をつつくような仕草を見せる。
こちらは馬に乗っているから全く届いていないけれど。
ホッとしたように息を吐いたリコリスちゃんとサイネリアちゃんは、こちらに向かって頭を下げた。
「「ありがとうございます!」」
「無理せずにちょい後ろで援護を。敵の馬が来たら必ず呼んで」
「「はい!」」
こうして互いをフォローしつつ、しかし人数差を覆すには至らず徐々に戦況は押されて始める。
もっともこちらが優勢になり過ぎても『夜陰の牙』が撤退を始めてしまうだろうから、これで良いとも言えるのだが......。
元気に動き回っていたユーミルも馬を失ったヒナ鳥達の護衛に回らざるを得ず、俺達は一度目の様に一塊でじりじりと下がり出す。
「ハインドさん、これ以上は......!」
「くっ、まだなのか!? ミツヨシさん達の援軍は!」
PTの限界が近付き、俺がたまらず叫んだ瞬間だった。
――矢、石、火、水、風、土、闇、光が空から殺到。
オレンジネームへの先制攻撃にペナルティは無い。
奴ら『夜陰の牙』とは質も量も上の、組織立った遠距離攻撃が敵の隊列に降り注いでいく。
「待たせたな! ......全員逃がすなっ! 進め!」
ミツヨシさんの号令の元、前衛の鎧武者達が一斉に襲い掛かる。
突然の援軍に『夜陰の牙』は大きくたじろぎ、その動きを止めた。
「......! 退け! 退けぇ!」
奴らの中の一人が、そこで初めて声を上げた。
その声でようやく金縛りが解けたかのように、俺達が来た方向『カナリスの町』の反対方向『港町ノトス』の側へ逃げ出し始める。
だが、直後に奴らは再び凍り付くことになった。
半分に分けて『港町ノトス』側に配置していた『和風ギルド“凜”』のメンバーが、PK軍団の退路を断つように出現。
「クククク......どこへ行こうというのかね?」
そんなセリフと共に先頭に立つのは、鹿の角と三日月が装飾された兜を着けた青年。
これは誰をモチーフにしているか分かりやすいな......七難八苦のあの武将だ。
「さあ者共、仕上げと参らん! 無法者に天誅を!」
「「「天誅ーっ!!」」」
「ノリノリだなぁ、ミツヨシさん達......楽しそうだ」
「私達も行くぞ、ハインド!」
「拙者も! レンタル馬の恨みぃ! 天誅ー!」
ここに来て俺達が相手の馬を減らしておいたことも幸いした。
逃げ切れずに捕まるPKがほとんどで、結局は抗戦するしか道が残されていなかった。
更に人数的には双方五分だったはずだが、『和風ギルド“凜”』の集団戦能力は桁違いで......。
海に飛び込んで逃げ去った者も数人居たものの、包囲された『夜陰の牙』は数分後に壊滅した。
The base of our strategy this time around is to fight while riding on our horses and give priority to not getting surrounded.
In a certain way, you could say their plan to aim at Tobi's horse from the start was good.
[!!] 
By ramming my Grado Turk into the other person, his horse was blown away.
This is quite fun...! It felt like I was riding a heavy tank.
This shows just how much of a difference there is between a Grado Turk and a normal horse.
[Take this as an extra!] (Tobi)
Then, towards the horse that had fallen over, Tobi threw kunais at it.
These ones gave a status ailment called {Deadly Poison} . They were smeared with highly concentrated poison.
The horse was on the verge of death and since the opponent didn't have enough time to heal it, it disappeared.
Like this, we kept getting rid of their mobility.
Anyway, we didn't stop and just kept going forward.
If we get closer to them, they'll try to avoid having friendly fire and will not use long range attacks.
[Hahaha! Look at this difference in mobility! Do your best to try to catch me!] (Yumir)
Yumir slashed at the opponent's horse when they passed by each other with her longsword.
The most important fact for this strategy is the system of [If the HP of your mount is gone, it'll get transferred to the nearest stable] .
If you heal the mount, it's possible for them to remain, but since corpses don't remain, it's not possible to revive them.
Using this fact, we kept sending their horses towards the stables.
Common horses have really low HP so a single attack from Yumir is able to kill them.
And the reason we can say we'll win even with our limited number is because of these Grado Turks.
This high HP that won't make them stop even if they were to get hit by a few arrows-...whops!
[Whoa! Grado Turks are the best!] (Tobi)
[Yeah! Ending like this when it's only two of us, I can't stop smiling!] (Yumir)
This speed makes them able to dodge even the magical attacks of the enemies. As you'd expect from the reward for winning the tournament.
Yumir and I (though Tobi was also riding with us) were going around the enemy camp aiming at their horses.
The members with rental horses were focused on evading and defending themselves, their priority was to obstruct the people that started casting.
At the beginning, this strategy was going well but...the opponents gradually started to compose themselves...
[-Adah, dah!? Hind-dono, the Grado Turks are starting to get hit by long distance attacks-buh!] (Tobi)
[That hurts! Tsk, I guess the opponents have started to get used to our speed...we are falling back!] (Hind)
[Understood!] (Tobi)
Yumir should still be fine for now, but the Grado Turk we were riding was in critical condition.
I poured one of the crafted intermediate potions on the Grado Turk and began casting {Healing Plus} .
Tobi threw a bo-hiya towards the horses that were chasing us, furthermore, he started throwing kunais since they had low CD.
I was somehow able to finish casting and the Grado Turk's HP was back to full.
The opponent's horses were reduced to about half their numbers so the fight had started to get easier but...
[Nuoh!?] (Tobi)
As if aiming at the moment I was thinking of something else, a guy jumped from his horse towards us while wielding a dagger.
I tried to raise my staff in a panic, but I won't make it in time! Just when I was readying myself to take some damage, a voice could be heard.
A powerful arrow came flying and hit the enemy's body dead center.
Wielding a crossbow that was smaller than what she used normally, Selene-san came over to get us, who were withdrawing and started to run parallel to us.
I...I thought that was going to give me a heart attack...
[Selene-dono! Our savior!] (Tobi)
[Thank you very much, Selene-san! That timing was just perfect! Love you!] (Hind)
Selene-san turned bright red.
Even though we were in the middle of a battle, she started to fidget, then I realized what I just blurted out and started to panic.
[...It was a spur of the moment thing right? It just happened right? That's the case right? It was not as if he was saying his true feelings right? Ah, I should think that it was some sort of suspension bridge effect because he was saved when he was in a pinch-] (Riizu)
[Hiiii!? Riizu-dono, where did you come from!?] (Tobi)
Suddenly, grumblings could be heard from just behind us.
Chills started to crawl up my spine and I started to shiver. Then I looked towards Riizu, who was looking at me with a dark expression.
[Y-Yeah. I-It was just a spur of a moment thing and I got excited...I'm sorry, Selene-san.] (Hind)
[Y-Yes. I don't...mind? Yes...] (Selene)
While saying that, Selene-san looked slightly disappointed.
I'm really sorry...on the other hand, light returned to Riizu's eyes and she smiled sweetly.
[Be careful, OK? Hind-san.] (Riizu)
[M-My bad...those weren't words that I should have said half-heartedly...] (Hind)
[That's right. Leaving that aside, I'll definitely be the one that comes to rescue Hind-san next time.] (Riizu)
As soon as my life was saved, I was assaulted by fear that it would take years off my life you know?...Though it was my own fault.
I then bowed to never say another thoughtless remark even if my life was in danger.
While we were talking, we never stopped moving and we used the wide field to continue our retreat.
[Muh, Yumir is going too deep...] (Hind)
[Leave it to me!] (Selene)
While saying that, she loaded another bolt and accurately hit the horse of the person that was chasing behind Yumir.
[Oh!? Secchan, that really helps!] (Yumir)
Selene-san might be the person that's standing out the most in this group fight.
All the bolts she's shooting are proving to be effective.
Maybe she realized that she was in a bad position from the attack just now, Yumir rushed through the enemies and started to come over here.
[Senpai, save me. Help.] (Siesta)
A frail voice could be heard from somewhere.
I started to look around me and Tobi pointed towards a certain place.
[Ah! Hind-dono, the members of Baby Bird are in trouble!] (Tobi)
It might be because their horses were gone, Siesta-chan, who had raised her voice was casting magic while standing behind Lycoris-chan.
Cineraria-chan was shooting arrows towards the enemies' horses to keep them in check.
While going around in circles around the members of Baby Birds, the PKs who were riding on horses were slowly closing in.
[You two, go support Yumir!] (Hind)
[...Tobi!] (Hind)
Since most of his throwable items were on CD, Tobi placed his hands on my shoulders to support himself and did a somersault.
He easily switched places with me and went to the front and took the reins of the horse, then rushed towards the members of Baby Bird.
While obstructing the enemies with the {Grado Turk} , I pierced the enemies' horses with kunais as they came back up from CD.
Thanks to the enemies being distracted, Siesta-chan was able to finish casting {Heavens Ray}  and blew the enemies away.
[Ooh! Hind-dono, your throwing accuracy is so high! Not bad!] (Tobi)
[I'm always throwing spells around while you guys are moving all over the place. I can do at least this much.] (Hind)
[Ooh, senpai is so cool. I might fall in love with you all over again.] 
Having converged with Siesta-chan, she made a gesture as if she was poking me with her elbow.
Though she wasn't reaching at all because we were riding on a horse.
Looking relieved, Lycoris-chan and Cineraria-chan took a breath and came towards us and bowed.
[[Thank you very much!] ] 
[Don't try too hard and support us from a bit further behind. If enemies come, be sure to call us over.] (Hind)
[[Yes!] ] 
Like this, we kept supporting each other. However, it was gradually becoming a situation where we couldn't get past the difference in numbers.
Though, if we were to gain the upper hand {Night's Edge}  would begin to retreat. You could say that would be good but...
Yumir, who was moving around energetically, didn't have any choice but to act as an escort for the members of Baby Bird who had lost their horses and we had to gradually move back as a group like the first time.
[Hind-san, at this rate...!] (Riizu)
[Kuh, are they not here yet!? Mitsuyoshi-san and the others reinforcements!] (Hind)
Our party was at its limits, the moment I shouted that...
...Arrows, stones, fire, water, wind, earth, darkness, light rained from the sky.
There's no penalties for preemptively attacking orange named people.
They were  better in terms of quality and quantity compared to {Night's Edge} , the planned long range attacks rained incessantly on top of the enemy ranks.
[Kept you waiting! ...Don't let anyone get away! Forward!] (Mitsuyoshi)
With Mitsuyoshi-san's order, the armored players simultaneously charged forward.
Due to the abrupt reinforcements, {Night's Edge}  shrank back and stopped their movements.
[...! Drive them away! Beat them up!] 
From within their ranks, one person finally raised his voice.
As if the shackles that bound him came undone with his voice, he started to run away in the direction opposite of {Town of Canaris}  we came from, towards {Port Notos} .
However, he immediately froze again.
Having split into two groups, the members of the {Japanese Style Guild "Rin"}  cut the PK guilds escape route from the {Port Notos}  side.
[Kukuku...I wonder where were you planning to go?] 
Along with those words, the one that stepped forward was a young man wearing a helmet with antlers in the form of a crescent moon.
I don't know who he's trying to imitate with that...ah, that military commander of the seven misfortunes and eight pains.
[Alright, people, let's join the party! Divine punishment to the outlaws!] 
[[[Divine punishment!] ] ] 
[They sure are getting into it, Mitsuyoshi-san and co...looks like they are having fun.] (Hind)
[We are going too, Hind!] (Yumir)
[Me too! Vengeance for my rental horse! Divine punishment!] (Tobi)
Having reached this point, fortunately we had decreased the number of horses on their side.
The PKs practically couldn't escape and were caught, resisting was their only option left.
Furthermore, their numbers should have been about the same but...the strength of the {Japanese Style Guild "Rin"}  was on another level...
There were some that tried to escape by jumping into the sea but having been surrounded, {Night's Edge}  was annihilated after a few minutes.
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都