大会経過とおかしな呼び名
「公式チートの化身とか呼ばれていたでござるよ。既に掲示板では、話題の中心になっているようで」
トビはログアウト中に掲示板を見てきたようで、試合終了直後の俺達に情報を教えに来てくれた。
リィズとセレーネさんも席を立って、今は通路の上の方で固まって話をしている。
話題はもちろん、俺達が戦ったグラド皇帝に関するものだ。
レベル100に職を無視したスキルの使用、異常なMP回復速度とまさに常軌を逸した能力だったからな......。
『レイジングフレイム』の詠唱時間も、本職の魔導士より極端に短かったし。
もしこのゲームに全体チャットがあったら、さぞ酷いことになってたんだろうなあ......。
「掲示板ではそのまま他のNPCの強さを類推したり、果てはあの強さで魔王軍を倒せないならどのくらい魔族は強いのか? という議論にまで及び――」
「つっても、あの皇帝様が特別なんじゃないのか? 強いと言っても戦争には数が揃わないと無意味な話だろうし、前提がおかしくないか?」
「うむ。あんなのにゴロゴロ居られたら、プレイヤーの存在価値が無くなってしまうではないか!」
思い返すと、国境警備の帝国兵士のレベルが平均30。
サーラの王宮を守護していた兵士に至っては25前後、近衛隊長まで行ってようやくレベル35という体たらくだったはず。
TBがNPCに暴力行為可能なゲームだったら酷いことになっている設定だ。
そんなNPC達と戦えるのは、双方が決闘を承諾した時のみとなっている。
「でもキャラバンの傭兵隊長はレベル50ありましたね、ハインドさん」
「だったな。隊長格でそんなもんだし、アレはやっぱり特別だろうよ」
「国防の費用が少ないサーラの兵士の練度は低いだろうから、それを踏まえて他国の隊長のレベルを考えると......高くて60位だよね? 流れ的には」
「まあ、少なくとも100は無いでしょうね」
纏めると一般的な市民や商人が10前後、鍛えた一般兵のレベルが30付近。
隊長格はやや上の50からで、チラッと掲示板で情報を見掛けたベリ連邦の将軍が確かレベル70だったはず。
その将軍も特別なNPCなのは間違いないので、皇帝の異常さが更に浮き彫りになった形でしかないのだが。
「しかし、皇帝陛下はハインド殿とユーミル殿の試合で特殊な挙動をしていたでござるな」
「特殊? どんな?」
「陛下が穴埋めで出た他の試合もざっと見てきたのでござるが、その全てが二人の内の片方を戦闘不能にした時点で終わらせていたでござるよ」
「そりゃ単なる偶然だな。ユーミルが戦闘不能になった直後に蘇生したから、タイミングがズレたんだろ。俺達の時も終わらせようとはしていたはずだぞ?」
「それだけでは無いような......いや、拙者の気のせいでござろう。忘れて下され」
「?」
俺が蘇生可能な神官だったから、というだけの話に思うのだが。
しかしトビは結局、何に引っ掛かりを覚えたのか教えてくれなかった。
と、そんな話題を呼ぶ皇帝に関しては、運営からのサプライズとしか言えない存在だったな......というのが俺達全員の感想だ。
でっかい竜巻を遠くから眺めている気分というか。
「ぐぬぬ......いつかリベンジしたいな、あの皇帝に。完全に負けた気分だ」
「そうは言ってもレベル100に近づけるのはいつになるやら、だがな」
「今のままではとても勝てませんしね。本気ではなかったようですし、仮に五人で挑んでも難しいかと」
「そうだねえ......――あっ、トビ君! それよりも時間は大丈夫? 次の試合、もう直ぐじゃないの?」
セレーネさんがメニューを開いて時間を確認する。
慌ててトーナメント表と共にこちらに見えるように拡大して表示すると、時刻は既に......
「ひいいいっ!? まずい、残り一分でござる! あっ、もう舞台上に三人揃って――感謝致す、セレーネ殿! 行ってきます!」
「頑張れよー」
転がるように駆けていったトビは、舞台に辿り着くとミツヨシさんに謝り倒していた。
どうにか試合開始には間に合ったようで、そのまま問題なく試合がスタート。
会場が歓声に包まれる。
「それにしても、ちょっと疲れたな......トビ達の試合を見終わったら、俺達も一度ログアウトしないか?」
「賛成だ。トーナメント後半になるほど、休憩に取れる時間が減ってしまうからな」
「勝つこと前提の意見ですか。自信満々ですね」
「当たり前だ! 私達はちゃんと勝つ!」
「ま、まあまあ二人とも。ハインド君、私も賛成だよ。今の内に休憩しておこう」
そういうわけで、近くの空いていた適当な席に座ってトビとミツヨシさんの試合を観戦。
無事に勝ったところまで見届けてから、俺達は闘技場の片隅でログアウトした。
再度ログインしてからの試合は順調に勝ち進むことが出来た。
二戦目は武闘家(拳撃型・蹴撃型)の二人組で、互いに回復持ちということもありかなりの長期戦になったが......。
『バーストエッジ』発動まで無事に耐えきり、片側を撃破。
残った一人が諦めずに粘ったが、二対一になればもうこちらの優勢が揺らぐことはない。
俺達にとって一撃で倒し切れる『バーストエッジ』の瞬間火力が如何に大事か分かる試合でもあったが、勝ったのでそれで良しとしておく。
それにしても、何度も死んでは蘇るを繰り返すユーミルを指して「ゾンビ」、復活させている俺を「
異名ならもっとまともな物を寄越せと言いたい、切に。
続く三回戦は重戦士(攻撃型)と弓術士(連射型)、最もこの大会で多い組み合わせである。
だが、多いということはその分だけ予選も含めて対策を練り切っているということで......。
今回はいくつかある対策の中でも「速攻」で勝負を決めることに成功した。
MPチャージからの神官スキル『ライトエンチャント』でユーミルの通常攻撃に光属性を付与。
ユーミルが俺ばかりを狙って突進してくる重戦士をあっさりと倒し、『アローレイン』発動に必要なMPが貯まる前に弓術士を制圧。
結果的に二回戦よりも短時間での決着となり、随分と楽に突破することができた。
ただ、開始直後から相手の弓術士が叫んでいた「本体を狙え!」という言葉の意味は分からず終いだった。本体?
そしてグループHの準決勝......。
隣のユーミルが敵のプレイヤーネームに目を凝らす。
「おおっ、ハインド! 名前がオレンジだぞ、本当に! 噂通りにガチガチのPK野郎どもだな!」
「そうだな、ユーミル。だがな......名前の下のギルド名に非常に、ひっじょーに見覚えがあるとは思わないか?」
「む? ......リア充、撲滅......あっ!」
嫌な予感が的中してしまった。
掲示板で見た時からもしやと思っていたが、覆面を付けた二人組の所属ギルドはゲーム序盤で出会ったPKと同じものだった。
何だっけ......確かポーカーフェイスとかいう名前でありながら、全く怨念を隠し切れていないプレイヤーだったはずだが。
「カップル......カップルぅぅぅ......ぶあああああっ!!」
「「!?」」
俺達がひそひそと話をしていると、鉄仮面を着けた大柄な男が突然吼えた。
それをピエロの仮面を着けた黒衣の男が
「気を静めなさい、ジャルジー。試合開始までの辛抱です」
「兄者ぁ! でもよぉ!」
「あの、一つ訊いてもいいかな?」
話が通じるかは疑問だが、俺は気になっていることがあったので声を掛けた。
意外にもピエロ面の男は「何ですか?」と応じる姿勢を見せる。
「君らのカップル認定の基準って一体......?」
「知れたこと。男女が二人でパーティを組んでいれば、それは全てカップルと相場が決まっているでしょう?」
「基準ゆるっ!? そんなもの、誤認し放題ではないか! 現に私達とて――」
「黙らっしゃい!! あなたたちも直ぐに血祭に上げてやりますから、覚悟しなさい!」
そいつらがいきり立って武器を構えた直後、試合開始の合図が行われた。
Chapter 75 - Progress In The Tournament And Weird Name Being Given
[They called it the official cheat avatar. It's already the main topic in the BBS.]  (Tobi)
Seems like Tobi took a look at the BBS while he was logging out. He came to give us information as soon as the match was over.
Riizu and Selene-san also stood up from their seats, we were currently standing on a pathway talking.
Of course, the topic was about the Grado emperor we just fought.
Level 100, he was able to use skills regardless of his job, and that abnormal MP recovery speed, they were all aberrant abilities after all...
Even that {Raging Flame}  casting time, it was extremely short compared to when its main job, mage, used it.
If this game had all chat, it would probably have turned really bad by now...
[In the BBS, they used his strength as a base for the other NPCs, and they thought that if they couldn't defeat the demon army with such strength, just how strong are demons then? They were in such a discussion-]  (Tobi)
[But, shouldn't that emperor be a special case? Even if we say he's strong, in war, if the numbers are uneven it's meaningless, isn't the premise quite weird?]  (Hind)
[Umu. If people like him were common, there would be no reason for players to exist, right!?]  (Yumir)
Thinking about it, the imperial soldiers guarding the border were around level 30.
The soldiers protecting the royal palace in Sala were around level 25, and the commanding officer for the imperial guards was level 35.
It's a setting where it would be pretty bad if players could commit acts of violence against NPCs.
In order to fight said NPCs, it's made so that it's only possible if both sides agree to a duel.
[However, the commanding officer for the mercenaries in the caravan was level 50 right, Hind-san?]  (Riizu)
[You are right. That's how commanding officers are, so I believe they are a special case.]  (Hind)
[The funds of the national security is low in Sala, so the soldiers are not that skilled, so if we used that as a base and thought about the commanding officers in other countries...they would be as high as level 60? If we follow this trend.] (Selene)
[Well, at the very least, they wouldn't be level 100.] (Hind)
To summarize, normal people and merchants would be around level 10 and a trained soldier would be around level 30.
A commanding officer would be above level 50 and when I took a look at the BBS, if I remember correctly, the general of the Beli Confederation should have been level 70.
There's no doubt that said general is also special, so it does prove further just how abnormal that emperor is though.
[However, the emperor's behavior was special during Hind-dono and Yumir-dono's match.]  (Tobi)
[Special? How so?]  (Hind)
[I took a quick look at the other matches he filled in for, but those matches all ended with one side being at a clear disadvantage.]  (Tobi)
[I mean, that should have just been a coincidence. Since Yumir was immediately revived right after she became incapacitated, he was probably slightly thrown off by that timing. He was probably planning to finish the match at that point too?]  (Hind)
[I get the feeling that it wasn't only that...no, it's probably just my imagination. Forget about it.]  (Tobi)
[?]  (Hind)
I get the feeling it was just a matter of me being a Shinto priest and being able to revive people.
However, in the end, Tobi didn't tell me what he found strange.
Oh, now that we are talking about the emperor, all of us thought that...it was just a surprise prepared by the developers.
It felt like staring at a huge tornado far away.
[Gununu...I want to get my revenge against that emperor one day. I feel like we completely lost.]  (Yumir)
[Even if you say that, I wonder when we'll get closer to level 100, though.]  (Riizu)
[We definitely can't win in our current state, after all. He didn't look like he was fighting seriously, it would be difficult even if we challenge him as five.]  (Hind)
[You are right...ah, Tobi-kun! More importantly, are you fine on time? Isn't your next match soon?]  (Selene)
Selene-san opened her menu and checked the time.
She hurriedly opened the tournament bracket and amplified it so she could show it to us, the time was already...
[Hiiiiii!? This is bad, there's only 1 minute left!! Ah, there are already 3 people standing in the arena...thank you, Selene-dono! I'm going!]  (Tobi)
[Do your best.]  (Hind)
Tobi started running and looked as if he would trip and fall, and he apologized to Mitsuyoshi-san, who had arrived at the arena.
Seems like he managed to get there before the match started, so the match began without any issues.
The venue was enveloped in cheers.
[Nevertheless, I'm a bit tired...once Tobi's match ends, shall we log out for a bit?]  (Hind)
[I agree. Once we enter the second half of the tournament, the times we can take a break will decrease.]  (Yumir)
[So you are speaking as if you were going to win. You sure are confident.]  (Riizu)
[Of course I am! We are definitely going to win!]  (Yumir)
[C-Calm down you two. Hind-kun, I also agree. Let's take a break now that we can.]  (Selene)
With that being said, we sat down in some empty seats that were close-by and watched Tobi's and Mitsuyoshi's match.
Once we made sure that they were going to win, we logged out in a corner of the arena.
Once we logged in again, we were able to safely advance through the rounds.
The second match was against two martial artists (Fist style*Kick style), since they both could heal themselves, it turned into quite the drawn out fight...
We stalled until we could release {Burst Edge}  and crushed one of them.
The one left didn't give up and kept trying, but having it become a 2 on 1 we had the upper hand.
It was a match that made us realize just how important that instant firepower of {Burst Edge}  was for us to defeat someone in one strike, but let's leave that aside, it's fine since we won.
Be that as it may, I think it's very cruel that they pointed at Yumir and called her [Zombie]  because she would return from the dead no matter how many times you killed her and they also called me a [Necromancer]  since I was the one resurrecting her.
If they are going to give us nicknames, I would prefer if they gave us something better.
Next up, the third match against a heavy warrior (Attack type) and archer (Speed type), the most popular combination in this tournament.
However, since there are so many it also means that since the preliminaries we have been developing countermeasures against them...
Among those measures, this time we successfully decided the match with the [Swift attack]  one.
Once I charged MP, I cast the Shinto priest skill {Light Enchant}  and gave Yumir's basic attacks light element properties.
Yumir quickly got rid of the heavy warrior that kept rushing at me, and we gained control of the match before their archer managed to save up enough MP to release {Arrow Rain} .
As a result, the match ended way sooner than the second match, we were able to get through quite easily.
It's just that, the match ended without me understanding the words of the archer, who after the match started shouted [Aim for the true self!] . True self?
Group H's semifinals...
Next to me, Yumir was concentrating on their player names.
[Ooh, Hind! Their names are really orange! Just as the rumor said, these guys are really PKs!]  (Yumir)
[You are right, Yumir. It's just that...the guild name under their names is quite unusual, don't you have the feeling you've seen it somewhere?]  (Hind)
[Muh?...Normie, extermination...ah!]  (Yumir)
My bad premonition has come true.
Since that time I saw it in the BBS, I was wondering if the guild these masked guys belong to is the same as that PK guy from when the game launched.
What was it again...if I remember correctly, even though he was called Poker Face, I believe he was a player that was unable to hide his hatred.
[Couples...couples...buaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!] 
[[!?] ]  (Yumir and Hind)
When we whispered to each other quietly, the large build man with the iron mask suddenly roared.
Then the man in wearing black clothes and a clown mask protested.
[Calm down, Jalousie. Endure until the match starts.]  (Zelos)
[But big bro!]  (Jalousie)
[Excuse me, is it fine if I ask you a question?]  (Hind)
I don't know if my words will get through them, but since there was something that I was curious about I talked to them.
Unexpectedly, the man with a clown mask took a posture as if he was saying [What is it?] .
[What is your basis for deciding if people are a couple...?]  (Hind)
[As if you didn't know already. Isn't it pretty obvious that if a guy and a girl form a party together, they are all couples?]  (Zelos)
[That criteria is so loose though!? If you do it like that, aren't you guys mistaking them for couples as you see it fit!? The truth is both of us-]  (Hind)
[Silence! We'll turn you guys into a bloodbath soon enough, so prepare yourselves!]  (Zelos)
Right after they lost their temper and took up their weapons, they gave the signal for the match to start.
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