周囲にも続々とプレイヤーが増えだしている。
身動きが取れなくなる前に、俺達は気になっていたことを実行した。
それは......
「駄目だ、ハインド! 見えない壁があって外に出られない!」
「やっぱりかぁ......帝都を見たかったら自力で来いってことだな」
転移を利用しての帝都観光だ。
試しに闘技場の出入り口に行ってみたのだが、エリアボスを倒していない時と同じ見えない壁が張ってある。
他のプレイヤーも考えることは同じようで、近くで身軽そうな女の子が出入口を避けて壁を乗り越えようとしていた。
無事に登り切ったようだが、手を伸ばした先でバンバンとやはり何かにぶつかっている。
目が合うと苦笑して手を振ってきたので、俺も似たような反応を返す。
「残念だね。帝都のお城とか街並みとか、見てみたかったのに。ここからじゃほとんど見えないものね」
「低レベルのプレイヤーに帝都に残留されたりすると、進行不能になってしまいますしね。仕方ないかと」
「そのためのエリア制度だもんな......リィズの言う通り、考えてみれば当然の結果なんだが」
「それでもやらずには居られないのは人の性だ! ステージの裏側に入ってみたいじゃないか!」
3Dのゲームだと、グラフィックをすり抜けた先は何もない空間だったり、ひたすら落下したりするけどな。
それをやる意味自体は特に無い。
オンラインゲームでそういうものを見つけた場合は、運営に問い合わせるのがマナーだろうし。
だが、登れそうで登れない段差にひたすら挑み続けて気が付いたら小一時間......などという経験は、分かる人なら分かってくれると思う。
「まあ、なんだ......折角早く到着したことだし、今の内に良い席を確保しておこうか」
「おっ、まだ最前列が空いているではないか! 急げ!」
駆け出していくユーミルを追って、俺達も前列の席へ急いだ。
席に座って少し経つと、あっという間に闘技場は満員となった。
やはり後から動画で見られるといっても、臨場感を味わいたいという観客は多いようだ。
「こうしてプレイヤーが沢山居るのを見ると、今更ながらにTBが人気ゲームだったことを思い出すな」
「砂漠だと、そんな実感を全く得られなかったからね......」
席順は俺の左にユーミル、右にリィズ、その更に右にセレーネさんが座っている。
場所は最前列な上に戦う舞台にかなり近いが、決闘中はバリアが張られるのでこちらに被害が及ぶことはないだろう。
安心して観戦することができるな。
「私達の試合はどの順番だ?」
「このトーナメント表通りに進むとしたら、一番最後だな。暫くはのんびり座ってて大丈夫なはずだ」
「あ、メニューにトーナメント表が載っているんですか。へえ......」
俺の動きを見てリィズもメニュー画面を開く。
他の会場のトーナメント表も見ることができるようだ。
アルベルトの兄貴を筆頭に、タートルイベで見た名前もちらほら......。
「! ハインドさん、ハインドさん!」
「どした? リィズ」
「一回戦? ......あ」
どうして見落としていたのだろうか?
グループH、一回戦にはトビの名前がしっかりと記載されていた。
選手の呼び出しが始まり、見覚えのある姿が舞台の上に現れた。
黒ずくめの男――トビが引き連れているのは、弓を持った30がらみに見える成人男性である。
中々にワイルドな風貌で、総髪に和風の甲冑を身に着けて和弓を携えている。
弓術士か......プレイヤーネームはミツヨシ。
相手は重戦士と武闘家の男性二人、両前衛によるストロングスタイルの模様。
「何だあいつ、やけに格好つけて黙っているではないか」
「いや、あれ緊張しているんじゃないか?」
「まあ静かにしていれば目元は涼しげですし、細身ですから格好はつきますけどね。喋り出したら全部無駄になるのに......」
「この前話した、見えない方がミステリアスで魅力が増す理論だね」
女性からそれなりの歓声が飛んでいるからな。
と、そこまで淡々と開始地点に向かっていたトビが急にこちらを向いて指を差した。
「聞こえているでござるよお主等! 余りに言いたい放題だと、拙者泣くでござるよ!?」
「なんだ、俺達に気付いていたのか」
「先刻承知! そもそもギルド員とフレンドは、マップに表示されるでござろうが!」
「はははっ、いいじゃねえのトビ君! おかげで固さが取れたんだから、お友達に感謝しなよ!」
「ミツヨシ殿ぉ!」
騒がしい闘技場の中でも、最前列だと意外に声が届くもんだな。
そんなことを考えていたら、機械音声によるコールと共に視界の中に大きくこう表示された。
タンスの角(グラド帝国)&小指のささくれ(グラド帝国)vsトビ(サーラ王国)&ミツヨシ(マール共和国)と。
出身国、というか所属国がバッチリと表示されている。
やっぱり代理戦争じゃないか......国外に居たはずのトビを見るに、判定は所属ギルドの所在地か。
所属していない場合は転移の出発地点になるんだろうな、恐らく。
名前が消えるとREADY、の文字が表示されて舞台上の四人が一斉に武器を構える。
「実況のようなものは無いのか。残念だな!」
「確かに演出的に寂しいな。明日からの試合にはあるって可能性も......」
「ですね。会場も一本化されるわけですし」
「――あ、始まったよ!」
開始直後、速攻を掛ける重戦士と武闘家。
その時、目を疑うような光景が展開された。
トビの姿がブレたかと思うと、二つに別れてミツヨシさんに向かう武闘家をその片方が遮った。
「分身した!?」
「回避型軽戦士のスキルだな。使い手は少ないが、俺達だって前に一度だけ見ただろう?」
「初手で発動したってことは、HP消費型のスキルなんだね」
セレーネさんの言うHP消費型スキルだが、魔導士が持つHPをMPに変換する『マナコンバージョン』が最も有名だろうか。
『分身の術』で削れる割合は俺の記憶が確かなら最大HPの四割だったはずなので、回復不可な組み合わせであるこの二人の初手の行動としてはかなりリスキーだと言える。
「しかし、あれはどちらが本体か分からないほどにコントロールが上手いぞ! 当たれば一撃で消えるとはいえ、無視もできん!」
分身体は、自分が動きながら操作を続けなければならないそうで非常に扱いが難しい。
しかしトビは本体も分身体も、どちらも被弾せずに相手の前衛を抑え込んでいる。
動きもキレがあり、常に動いていて的を絞りづらい。
確かにユーミルの言うように、これではどちらが本物なのか......。
ちなみに分身体による相手への攻撃は有効なのだが、HPは1に設定されているので何かが当たれば消えるという仕様だ。
「トビ君、すごい......! これは相手、迂闊に後衛に仕掛けられないかも」
させましたね......あ、弓術士が動きましたよ」
風切り音を伴い、強弓による矢が飛来する。
それはトビの背中を貫き、一瞬誤射かと思われたが――そちらが分身体だったらしく、霧散した体を突き抜けて唖然としている武闘家に命中。
そのままヒットストップを利用しつつ、更に狙いを正確にした矢が次々と刺さって武闘家を穴だらけにしていく。
かなり速いな、あの弓術士の攻撃......! 次矢の装填が異常にスムーズだ。
有利を取れると見るや、高コストである分身体をあっさりと切り捨てるその判断力も脅威に感じる。
それを見て焦った重戦士がフォローに駆けつけようとするが、逃さずにトビが追撃。
綺麗にヒットストップ耐性を潰す為の小打撃を入れてからの足払いを決めると、鎧の重量が邪魔になって起き上がり難い重戦士を抑えつけてタコ殴りにしていく。
目まぐるしい展開に、闘技場内に大きな歓声が巻き起こった。
そこから先は何も語る必要はないだろう。
グループHの第一試合は、軽戦士と弓術士による完封という波乱の幕開けとなった。
The players surrounding us also kept increasing.
Before we were unable to move around anymore, we checked out something that we were interested in.
That was...
[No good, Hind! There's an invisible wall and we can't get out!]  (Yumir)
[Just as I thought...so they are basically saying that if you want to see the imperial capital, you should come on your own, huh?]  (Hind)
It was to sightsee around the imperial capital by using this warp.
We tried going through the entrance/exits but there was an invisible wall like when you haven't defeated the area boss yet.
The other players seemed to be thinking the same, a nimble looking girl close to us tried to avoid the entrance/exits and climb the wall.
She did manage to climb it without issues, but once she stretched out her hand it collided with something as expected.
Once our eyes met, she let out a wry smile and waved her hand, and I returned a similar reaction.
[That's a shame. Even though I wanted to see things like the castle or the townscape of the imperial capital. We can't really see them from here.]  (Selene)
[If low level players stayed behind here, they would be unable to move to other places after all. It can't be helped.]  (Riizu)
[That's why they made this area...just as Riizu has said, if you thought about it, it's the natural result.]  (Hind)
[Even then, it's human nature to try to do it! Doesn't it make you want to get to the other side of the stage!?]  (Yumir)
In 3D games, there are times where you slip through the graphics and there's nothing on the other side, and you end up falling though.
There's no meaning in doing that.
If you found something like that in an online game, it's usually a custom to contact the developers.
However, to keep challenging a difference in level that looks like you could climb but you can't and before you notice an hour has passed...that kind of experience, I believe some people can understand that kind of thing.
[Well, I mean...since we got here early and all, let's go and secure some good seats.]  (Hind)
[Oh, aren't there still empty seats at the front!? Hurry up!]  (Yumir)
We followed after Yumir who ran off, and we hurried to the front row seats.
After some time had passed since we took our seats, the arena filled up in a blink of an eye.
Just as I thought, even if you can watch a recording later, there are a lot of players that want to live the experience.
[Seeing this many players, makes you remember even more just how popular of a game TB is.]  (Riizu)
[If it was the desert, you wouldn't get this kind of feeling at all after all...]  (Hind)
Our seating order was Yumir to my left, Riizu to my right, and Selene-san further to the right.
On top of them being front seats, they were close to where the fights would be held, but there will be a barrier in place when battles are going on so there probably won't be a risk of getting harmed.
We can just spectate without worries.
[When is the time for our match?]  (Yumir)
[If this tournament goes in order, we'll be the second to last. We should be able to take it easy for the time being.]  (Hind)
[Ah, there's a tournament chart in the menu. Eh...]  (Riizu)
Looking at my movements, Riizu opened her own menu window.
You can look at the chart for the other venues in the tournament.
Albert aniki is first on the list, and I can see names from the turtle event here and there...
[!! Hind-san, Hind-san!]  (Riizu)
[What's wrong, Riizu?]  (Hind)
[First match? ...Ah.]  (Hind)
I wonder why I missed it.
The name of Tobi was clearly stated in the first match of group H.
Having their names called, a familiar face appeared on the stage.
A man completely in black...the person who was accompanying Tobi, was an adult male holding a bow that looked to be around 30 years old.
He gave the appearance of someone quite wild, he had his hair on a knot at the back, and was wearing a japanese style armor and bow.
An archer, huh...his player name is Mitsuyoshi.
Their opponents were a heavy warrior and a martial artist, both were male and since they were both vanguards, they were going for the strong style pattern.
[What's with him, isn't he acting quite cool and staying silent?]  (Yumir)
[No, isn't he just being nervous?]  (Riizu)
[Well, as long as he keeps his mouth shut his eyes are cool, and since he's slender, his clothes stick to him.
[This is about that theory we talked about, about them being more mysterious and attractive if you don't see them, right?]  (Selene)
There were quite a lot of cheers coming from girls.
Tobi, who had been indifferently going towards the starting point until now, suddenly raised a finger and pointed it towards us.
[I can hear you guys!! If you keep talking as you please, I'm going to cry, you know!?]  (Tobi)
[Oh, so you noticed us?]  (Hind)
[I was quite aware! To begin with, aren't guild members and friends displayed on the map!?]  (Tobi)
[Hahaha, isn't it fine, Tobi-kun!? Thanks to them you have relaxed, so you should thank your friend!]  (Mitsuyoshi)
[Mitsuyoshi-dono!]  (Tobi)
Even inside this boisterous arena, surprisingly you can hear from the front row.
Just as I was thinking that, along with a mechanical voice, something big was displayed within our field of view.
Dresser's corner (Grado empire) & Little finger's hangnail (Grado empire) vs Tobi (Sala kingdom) & Mitsuyoshi (Mahl republic).
The country of origin, that is to say the country they belong to was clearly displayed.
Just as I thought, isn't this a proxy war...? Even though Tobi went to another country, it was still judged by where his guild was located.
If you are not affiliated with any country, it'll probably use the place you moved into the arena from.
Once the names disappeared, the word [READY]  was displayed and the four of them readied their weapons.
[There's nothing like live coverage, huh? That's a shame!]  (Yumir)
[It's true that it feels a bit lacking. There's the chance that there will be starting from tomorrow...]  (Hind)
[You are right. We'll be in the same venue there after all.]  (Riizu)
[-Ah, it has started!]  (Selene)
Right after it began, the heavy warrior and martial artist moved forward for a quick attack.
At that time, a scene that I thought was a lie unfolded in front of my eyes.
Just when I thought that Tobi's image was blurring, he divided in two and one of them went to intercept the martial artist that was aiming for Mitsuyoshi-san.
[He multiplied!?]  (Yumir)
[That's a evasion type light warrior skill. There are few people that use it, we also saw it once before right?]  (Hind)
[If he used it right from the start, it means that it's a skill that consumes HP right?]  (Selene)
About those HP consumption skills that Selene-san mentioned, the most famous one is the mage skill that converts HP into MP {Mana Conversion} .
In the case of {Other self technique} , if I remember correctly, it spends 1/4 of your max HP, so you could say that it was risky to use it at the beginning considering they are a pair that can't heal at all.
[However, he controls it so well that you can't tell which one is the real one! Even though it will disappear if he gets hit once, you can't really ignore it!]  (Yumir)
You have to manage the other self while moving yourself, so it's very hard to use.
But Tobi and his other self are not getting hit and he's shutting down both vanguards.
There are gaps in their movements, but since they are moving constantly they are hard to spot.
It's true that just as Yumir had said, it's hard to tell which one is the real one like this...
By the way, attacks from the other self to the opponent are effective, but since its HP is set to 1, they'll disappear once they are hit by something.
[Tobi-kun, he's amazing...! Like this, the opponents won't be able to carelessly aim for the rearguard.]  (Selene)
[He skillfully turned this battle into a stalemate...ah, the archer has started to act.]  (Hind)
Along with the sound of the wind getting cut, an arrow came flying from the bow.
That penetrated Tobi's back, and the first moment we thought it was an accident...but that seemed to be the other self, it pierced through the vanishing body and it was a direct hit onto the surprised martial artist.
Like that, by making use of the hit stop, the successive arrows found their mark and filled the martial artist with holes.
They are quite fast, that archer's attacks...! The way he loaded the next arrow was abnormally smooth.
Looking at how they had taken the advantage now, I could feel a threat from how he easily judged that he should slay that other self that had a high cost.
Seeing that, the heavy tried to go help him in a panic, but Tobi didn't let that chance slip by and chased after him.
In order to get past his hit stop resistance, he made some light attacks and finished with a foot sweep, because the weight of the armor was getting in his way, the heavy warrior had a hard time getting up and was pinned down by Tobi, then he proceed to beat him up.
Due to the bewildering development, the audience in the arena broke into huge cheers.
There's probably no need for me to say what happened next.
The first match of group H opened with the light warrior and archer causing a disturbance with their shutout.
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