「ざっくり言うなら、武器・防具の強化イベントだな」
「そういう認識で構わないのですか」
三角帽子のズレを直しながら、椅子に座ったリィズが呟く。
話の内容は、やはり先程のイベント告知に関してだ。
メニュー画面に詳細が載っているらしく、ユーミルはそれを熱心に眺めている。
俺もそれを見ながらリィズと話している。
「普通の運営的に発表するなら、期間内に素材を集めて限定装備を作ろう! って感じだと思う」
「それらしい雰囲気を作る為にああいった演出を行った訳ですね?」
「そういうこったな。プレイヤー達も喜んでいたし、反応は上々みたいだ。直接見れた俺達は運が良い」
「後から動画でも見られるのですよね?」
「らしいな。でも、やっぱり直接見たい人間は多いだろうから、恒例にして同接を稼ぐ方針なのかも」
「へえ......色々と考えられているんですね」
魔王ちゃんとやらの人気によってはそれも可能になるのだろう。
個人的にはちょっと狙い過ぎなキャラだと思わなくもないんだが。
それでも乗せられてしまうのが男って生き物だからな......。
女性受けに関しては良く分からん。
「じゃあイベントの詳細を確認するか......タートル系の魔物を倒すと素材で甲羅がドロップ。それを使用した武器・防具の生産時には必ず上質以上になることが保証されてる。鍛冶が苦手でもそれなりの性能の物が手に入るってことだな」
「サンプルが載ってますけど、防具の見た目は余り......」
言いつつ、リィズが椅子ごと移動して体を寄せてくる。
何で俺の方のを覗き込んでくるんだ?
自分のメニュー画面で見れば......まあ、いいか。
防具は亀の甲羅の模様が浮かんだものが多い印象で、リィズが言う通り......。
「確かに見た目はイマイチだな。ただ耐久値が他の鎧よりも高く設定されているのもあって、序盤では重宝しそうな感じがする」
「修理費用もタダではありませんからね」
長時間ひたすら狩りをしたい! という場合には最適だろう。
金策的にも維持費が安いので、おいしい装備だと言える。
その点、もう性能的に必要ない人でも多少は手に入れる価値がある。
い所に手が届く良い設定じゃないか。
「そしたら、防具の見た目が気に入らないなら武器だけでもどうだ? 武器の見た目は中々だぞ。他には......アクセサリーにするとか。
のアクセサリーが作れたら面白そうだ」
「あっ、それは素敵ですね」
「ユーミルはどう思――ユーミル?」
妙に無反応だと思ったら、ユーミルはとあるページで手を止めてかぶりつくように何かを注視している。
俺達の視線にも気付く様子がない。
仕方なく放っておくと、急に興奮した様子のユーミルが椅子から立ち上がった。
「おおおおおおおっ! ハインドッ、行こう!」
「行くって、何処に?」
「亀退治に決まっているだろう! さあ、さあさあさあ!」
「落ち着いて下さい、この
「ポゥッ!?」
リィズがユーミルの膝裏に杖で打撃を叩き込む。
結果、ユーミルは奇声を発して椅子の上に崩れ落ちた。
我が妹ながら、恐ろしい事をするな......。
微量のダメージが入ったので、俺は黙って『ヒーリング』をユーミルに使用した。
「な、何をする貴様ーっ!」
「闇雲に向かって何がしたいんですか。イベント期間は一週間なんですよ? 目標によって敵を倒すペースやイベントにどれくらい参加するかなど、全て変わってくるんですから」
「ぬぐっ......反論できない......!」
「アタックランキングの一位報酬だ」
「アタックランキング? ああ......そういや魔王達がエルダータートルがどうとか言ってたな」
イベントの情報ページをめくっていく。
討伐合計数報酬、アタックランキング報酬――あ、ここか。
一位、アクセサリー『勇者のオーラ』......動画付き?
再生ボタンを押すと、全身鎧のプレイヤーが剣を振り回す度に剣に青い光の軌跡が走っている様子が流れていく。
更に立ち止まって剣を構え直すと、バリバリと稲妻の様なエフェクトが体の周囲に走る。
他にも幾つか紹介されているが、要は勇者っぽいオーラを纏う「だけ」のアクセサリーのようだった。
動画では無意味に格好をつけたポーズを決める度に稲妻やら輝く光やらが走って――否、
......うん、見た目は非常に派手だ。
そして心の底から納得した。
これはこいつが欲しがる訳だわ。
「......欲しいのか?」
「欲しい!」
「このアクセ、見た目だけで全くの無能力なんだけど......」
「そんなものは知らん! それよりも、格好いいだろう!?」
「......あー......」
いや、でも一位......一位かぁ。
過疎とは無縁のこのゲームで、一位......ううむ......。
ユーミルは期待に輝いた眼で、リィズは心配そうな眼で俺を見てくる。
サービス開始初週という情報が出揃っていない時期だし、充分に付け入る隙はあるか?
それに、掲示板で「いらねー」とか言われそうな趣味装備だし......。
競争率が低ければ、それだけ難易度が下がっていくということになるだろう。
「......分かった。やれるだけやってみよう」
「本当かハインド!?」
「ただし、取れなかったとしても泣くなよ? リィズも、今回のイベントはそれで構わないか?」
「......では、私用のアクセサリーはハインドさんが作って下さい。それで納得することにします」
「お安い御用だ。じゃあ、当面はアタックランキングの一位を目指すってことで」
「分かりました」
基本方針が決まったところで、適当に行動順序を組んでいく。
必要なのはレベル、攻撃力の高い武器、出来得る限りの補助魔法って感じか。
まずはタートル系の魔物の経験値を調べるのが最初だな。
効率によっては先に進んでから『ホーマ平原』まで戻ってこなければならない。
イベント期限ギリギリまで準備して、最終日にランキングを狙うという形になるだろうな。
話は終わったので、酒場の扉を開いて外へ。
「いってぇ!? 何だっ!?」
「ハインド!?」
「だ、大丈夫ですか!?」
上を向いた瞬間、顔面に何かが直撃した。
そのまま顔から地面に落ちた物は、何かの荷物が入っていそうなバッグだった。
リィズが俺を介抱し、ユーミルがバッグを拾い上げる。
落とした犯人だと思われる何か巨大な生き物は、上空をゆっくりと旋回した後、余裕を感じさせる動作で優雅に去って行った。
遠目だったので確証はないが、あのトカゲに羽が生えた様なフォルムは、もしや......。
「は、ハインド......バッグの中にポーションと手紙が」
「は!? まさかサマエルか!? 野郎、本当にポーション送ってきやがった......」
「て、手紙を読み上げるぞ?」
――親愛なる我が友、ハインドへ。
貴殿のヒーリング、あの罵倒の嵐の中に在って非常に心に沁みるものだった。
粗品ではあるが、返礼として初級ポーションを贈らせて頂く。
戦いに役立てて欲しい。
魔王軍No2、サマエルより。
貴殿の幸運を願う。
「......だそうだ」
「ゲホッ、ゲホッ! ゴヘッ!」
「むせてる!? 大丈夫か!?」
「手紙では丁寧な態度なんですねぇ、あの人......」
「それよりも、ハインドが誰よりも早く一個人として魔王軍に認識されてしまっているのだが。これは喜んでいいのか?」
「微妙ですね」
もう、何処から突っ込みを入れればいいのか分からねえよ......。
それでも一応、貰った物はありがたく使おうと思う。
呼吸を整えて初級ポーションをインベントリにしまうと、俺達三人はホーマ平原へと向かった。
[Roughly speaking, it's a gear improving event]  (Hind)
[Is it OK for us to think about it like that?]  (Riizu)
Said Riizu, who was sitting down on a chair while fixing her bent tricorne.
The contents of our conversation were obviously about the event that was announced a while ago.
The details were shown on a window and Yumir was enthusiastically looking at them.
I talked with Riizu while looking at them too.
[If it was announced by the developers themselves, it would have been something like...gather limited materials during this time frame and craft limited-time gear! ]  (Hind)
[So they made that act to give players that kind of feeling?]  (Riizu)
[Probably. The players liked it and their reaction was good. We were quite lucky to have seen it first-hand]  (Hind)
[They should still be able to watch it later on video right?]  (Riizu)
[Most likely. However, since there are probably many people that want to see it first-hand, they might have to do work on doing things like this moving forward]  (Hind)
[Eh...so they have to consider many things]  (Riizu)
It's probably possible considering how popular Maou-chan was.
Personally, I think her character is aimed at a certain type of people though.
Even then, being excited about this is a part of being a man...
Though I don't know if females will like her.
[Well then, let's verify the details of the event...after beating turtle type monsters, they'll drop shells as ingredients.
[They showed a sample, the appearance of the defensive gear is a bit...]  (Riizu)
While saying that, Riizu moved from the chair and approached me.
Why is she looking at mine?
She could just look at them on her own menu screen...oh well, whatever.
The defensive gear did give the impression of them being the shell of a turtle, just as Riizu had said...
[You are right, the appearance is quite lacking. However, it's also true that its endurance is higher than other defensive gear, I feel like it'll be convenient to have at this point of the game]  (Hind)
[Repairs are not free after all]  (Riizu)
I want to devote all my time to hunting! In that type of situation, they'll be the best to have.
Getting money to repair them will be easy too so you could say that they were attractive gear for people.
In that regard, for people that don't need them to have high performance, there's merit in obtaining them.
They have set it up quite well.
[In that case, if you don't like the appearance of the armor...how about just making the weapons? The weapons look quite good.
Making accessories from tortoise shells sounds quite interesting]  (Hind)
[Ah, that sounds lovely]  (Riizu)
[Yumir what do you thin-...Yumir?]  (Hind)
Just when I thought that she hadn't been replying for a while, I saw Yumir with her hand stopped at a certain page and she looked as if she was trying to burn a hole through it.
She didn't notice us looking at her.
Just when we were going to give up and leave her alone, Yumir excitedly stood up from her chair.
[Ooooohhhh! Hind, let's go!]  (Yumir)
[Go? Where?]  (Hind)
[We decided to go turtle hunting right!? Come on!]  (Yumir)
[Calm down, you thoughtless girl]  (Riizu)
[Poh!?]  (Yumir)
Riizu drove her staff into Yumir's knee.
As a result, Yumir let out a strange sound and crumbled on top of the chair again.
My sister sure does frightening things...
Since she took a minuscule amount of damage, I silently cast [Healing]  on her.
[Wh-What do you think you are doing!?]  (Yumir)
[What do you think you are going to accomplish by blindly going there? The event is going to last an entire week, right? Things will change depending on how fast the enemies of the event are killed and the number of participants]  (Hind)
[Nuguh...You are right...]  (Yumir)
[The reward for the top player in the attack rankings]  (Yumir)
[Attack rankings? Ah...Maou said something about smashing that elder turtle]  (Hind)
I turned to the event information page.
Reward for number of exterminations, reward for attack ranking....ah, this one.
First place, accesory [Hero's aura] ...there's a video attached?
After pressing the playback button, a player brandishing a sword in full body armor appeared. Each time he swung the sword, an azure light flowed through the sword.
Furthermore, when he stopped and readied his weapon, lightning bolt like effects appeared around his body.
There were other things mentioned in the list...but the point was that it was an accessory that [Only]  gave you a hero like aura.
In the video, each time he made a meaningless pose, light ran...no, gushed out.
...Yup, it is kind of flashy.
I could understand her from the bottom of my heart.
She would definitely want something like this.
[...You want it?]  (Hind)
[I want it!]  (Yumir)
[You know that this accessory is just for looks and doesn't have any stats though...]  (Hind)
[I don't care about that! More importantly, it's cool, right!?]  (Yumir)
[...Yeah...]  (Hind)
However, first place...first place, huh?
Getting first place in this game that is not desolated...first place...huh...
Seeing Yumir's eyes glittering with expectation, Riizu looked at me with a worried face.
Since it's release week, I doubt there was enough time for information to be out there so could we take advantage of that?
Besides, it's more of a equipment for those that like this kind of thing and there are already posts in the BBS saying they don't want it...
The less people that participate in it will mean that the degree of difficulty will go down accordingly.
[...Got it, let's do what we can]  (Hind)
[Really!?]  (Yumir)
[However, don't cry if we don't get it, OK? Riizu, do you mind if we do this time's event like this?]  (Hind)
[...In that case, Hind-san, make me a personal accessory. I'll agree if you do that for me]  (Riizu)
[No problem. Well then, for the time being, let's aim for first place in the attack rankings]  (Hind)
[Understood]  (Riizu)
Since we had decided on a general plan of action, we started to think about the steps we should take.
What we needed was levels, a weapon with high offensive power and getting as many support magic as we can.
We should start by examining how much experience we can get by fighting those turtles.
For efficiency, we won't return to the [Homa plains]  until we have progressed.
We'll make our preparations until the event is nearly over and then aim for the rankings on the last day.
Since we were done talking, we exited the pub through the door.
[That hurts! What happened!?]  (Hind)
[Hind!?]  (Yumir)
[A-Are you OK!?]  (Riizu)
The moment I turned to look upwards, something hit my face.
What fell from my face to the ground was some kind of package.
While Riizu was nursing me, Yumir picked up the bag.
With calm and elegant movements, it went away.
Since it was very far I couldn't see it very well, but it seemed to be some form of lizard with feathers growing in its body, is that by any chance...
[H-Hind...inside the bag there's potions and a letter]  (Yumir)
[Huh!? Is that from Samael!? That guy, he really did send me potions...]  (Hind)
[So, I'm going to read the letter, OK?]  (Yumir)
...To my beloved friend, Hind.
Your healing amidst that barrage of insults really touched my heart.
It might be just a small gift, but I'm sending you some beginner potions as thanks.
I would like you to make use of them in your fights.
From Samael, Maou's army Number 2.
I pray for your good fortune.
[...Or so it says]  (Yumir)
[Cough, cough! Cough!]  (Hind)
[You are choking!? Are you OK!?]  (Yumir)
[When writing letters he's quite the the courteous person, huh? That guy...]  (Riizu)
[More importantly, it seems like Hind has been recognized by the Maou's army faster than anyone else. Should we be happy about this?]  (Yumir)
[It's quite the complex situation...]  (Riizu)
I don't know know where to retort anymore...
For the time being, I'll gladly use them now that we received them.
After taking a breath, I put the beginner potions inside my inventory and the three of us headed to the Homa plains.
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