結論から言うと、俺達は『ハーピー』に全く苦戦しなかった。
『アタックアップ』の補助を受けたセレーネさんの『ブラストアロー』が直撃し、ハーピーのHPを散らす。
レベル28だもの......加えてハーピーは素早さと攻撃に片寄ったステータスらしく、ユーミルが偶然カウンターで当てた一撃でHPを大きく減らしていた。
高威力の矢に貫かれたハーピーが、地に着かずして光の粒子となって霧散する。
「お疲れさん。低レベル相手だと三人でも結構余裕だなぁ」
俺が声を掛けると、武器をしまいながら二人もこちらに近付いてくる。
「セッちゃんの矢の命中率は凄いな?」
「そんなことないよ。ユーミルさんがしっかり敵を引き付けてくれているからだよ」
「そうか? そうだな! ワハハハハ!」
「お前って幸せなやつだよな......」
世辞の混じった誉め言葉でこうまで舞い上がるんだから。
羨ましいような、そうでもないような。
やや離れた位置から聞こえてくる攻防の音に目をやると、ヒナ鳥PTの戦いも大詰めだった。
トビもリィズも必要以上に手を出さない方針のようで、リィズがデバフを掛け終わった後は最低限のフォローのみに留めている。
リィズの闇魔法で足を止めれば直ぐにでも決着がつくだろうが、それではプレイしていて楽しくないだろう。
「リコ、いいよ!」
「分かった、下がるね!」
「足止めは任せろー」
彼女達の必勝パターンである光属性魔法『ヘブンズレイ』からの『アローレイン』がハーピーに突き刺さる。
やっぱりこの三人の連携、綺麗だ。
ハーピーが多数の矢を浴びてハリネズミのようになり、消滅。
武器を一斉にしまうと、サイネリアちゃんが最初にこちらに駆け寄ってきた。
「ハインド先輩。お二人にサポートして頂いたおかげで、こちらも無事に終わりました」
「OK。休憩は――いらなそうだね? よし、じゃあこのまま進もう」
メンバーの顔色を窺うと、戦闘を挟んだことで気持ちが切り替わったのかまだまだ余裕そうだった。
移動の退屈さも状況が変化したことで多少は緩和されたようだ。
......今夜のプレイ可能時間は残り2~3時間といったところか。
このままサクサク進んで、なるべく海に近付いておかなければ。
「ハインド、ハインド」
「何だ?」
戦闘場所から離しておいた馬の方へ行こうとすると、ユーミルが服の裾を引っ張ってくる。
それからちょいちょいと指で横の方を示すので、そちらを見ると......俺達が戦闘に入る前から戦っていたPTの姿が未だそこにあった。
彼等が戦っているハーピーのHPバーはまだ半分以上残っているのに、既にPTは虫の息だった。
「まだ戦ってんのか、あの人達......」
「どうもレベル25付近の中級者PTのようだぞ」
「......助けを求めているが」
「横入りできるなら助けなくもないけどな......残念ながら無理だ。既に彼らは五人PTだし。文句はこういう仕様にした、開発か運営に言って欲しい」
「......人でなしと言っているが」
「しっ。目を合わせずに速やかに去ろう。俺達にしてやれることは何もない」
「うっせえてめえバーカバーカ! 勝手に全滅――あっ......」
「......どんまい、ハインド」
あの重戦士、明らかに掲示板の住人じゃねえか。
こっちが誰なのか気付いてやがったし......はぁ。
何にせよ今ので気の毒に思う気持ちが薄らいだので、グラドタークに乗り込み早々にその場を後にした。
その後も山を下り、川を越え、橋を渡り順調に道程を消化していった。
現在はマール国内の町を二つ通過し、次の町がいよいよ目的の港町ということになる。
マール共和国はいくつかの島と島とを大きな橋で繋いだ連合国家で、元は島毎に小さな国家が存在していた......という設定らしい。
今も、俺達は島を繋いでいる大きな木製の橋を馬で走行中だ。
「ふー、走った走った。もう少しでござるな! 砂漠とはまた違った爽やかな暑さでござる」
「この潮風の匂い......相変わらずの再現度ですね。海もエメラルドグリーンで綺麗です」
「でも視界に入る限りエメラルドグリーンってことは、相当沖に出ないとマグロは釣れないんじゃないのか?」
俺の言葉に、リィズが一瞬だけ考えるような仕草を見せてから答える。
「そうですね。エメラルドグリーンということは海水に不純物......プランクトンが少なく、水深が浅いということですから。やはり、ある程度は沖に出なければならないでしょう」
「遠浅の海なんだね。浜で遊ぶのには最適だけど、やっぱり船は必要かな」
「浜で!? 遊ぶ!? その手があったか! ......で、ござる!」
「ど、どうしたの? トビ君」
「あ、いや......ハインド殿! ハインド殿! こちらへ!」
そのまま二人と二頭で最後尾に流れてから、トビが小声でボソボソと話しかけてくる。
「ハインド殿! 水着でござるよ!」
「はぁ? 水着?」
何を言っているんだ、こいつは?
「水着を作って、イベント開始前に浜で遊ぶのでござるよ! きっと楽しいでござるよぉ!」
「......うん。遊びたいってのは建前なのが見え見えだな。何を企んでいる?」
「拙者は女性陣の水着姿が見たい! 偶然とはいえこれだけハイレベルな面子、そうそうお目に掛かれないでござるし! この絶好の機会を逃すなんて勿体ない!」
「アホか」
「Youはそれでも男かい!?」
「そういう問題じゃねえ。俺に全員の水着のサイズを訊いて回れと言うのか? 嫌だよ。可能不可能以前に、絶対に冷視線を浴びるもん」
「アレンジじゃなくても、設計図にあるかもしれないじゃんか!」
あるかなあ、水着の設計図なんて......。
あるなら調整機能が働くから、確かにサイズを訊く必要は無くなるんだが。
「いや、待つでござるよ? もしかしたら港町のNPC商店に売っている可能性も......」
「無駄に粘るな、おい。その熱意はどっから湧いて来てるんだ? お前、ちょっと前に魔王ちゃんで満たされたばっかだろうが」
「これは別腹でござる!」
「最低だ!?」
「じゃあ勝負でござる! もし設計図に水着が在ったら6人分、きっちり作ってもらうでござるよ! ついでにハインド殿が上手いことみんなが水着を着るように促すでござるよ! 水着が売ってた場合も同様に!」
「ほう。で、無かったらどうするんだ? 一方的な条件じゃ賭けは成立しないぞ」
「え? えー......わっちの喫茶店で、一番高いコーヒーを
「よし、乗った!」
「あっ! 待って、今のナシ!」
「待たない!」
「あー!?」
本当にブラックアイボリーを注文しろとは言わないが、もし俺が勝ったら少しだけ高い珈琲を奢ってもらおう。
となると、目的の町に着いたら裁縫セットの設計図を確認してみるか。
そして遂に目的地『港町ノトス』を前にした『クレシェンテ海岸』のフィールドボス戦。
相手のモンスターは『フォルティスパグールス』レベル35。
ヤドカリのモンスターである。
「喰らえぇぇぇ!」
ユーミルの『バーストエッジ』がヤドカリの貝殻に突き刺さる。
刀身から流し込まれる魔力と共に殻に無数のヒビが走り、次の瞬間――殻と共に中身も爆散。
久しぶりの大技の感触に、ユーミルが会心の笑みを湛えながら剣を納める。
「よーし、終わり! あっちはどうだ? ハインド」
「もうちょいで......あ、終わったな。珍しくリコリスちゃんが止めを刺したみたいだ」
「――珍しくって、ハインド先輩ひどいですよぉ! 私だってやる時はやります!」
「あ、ごめん聞こえてた? でも、防御型なのに止めを刺したのは純粋に凄いと思うよ」
「リコ、今のは偶然クリティカルが出ただけでしょ? マグレじゃん」
「何で言っちゃうの!? シーちゃぁん!」
そのやり取りに俺達が和んでいると、突如周囲に異変が起きた。
大量の矢と投げナイフが木立の中から一斉に飛んでくる。
偶然そちらを向いていた俺とトビ、セレーネさんが近くに居たメンバーを引き倒しながら砂浜に伏せる。
危ねえ!
「ぶへっ!? な、何だ!?」
「気を付けろ! 何か居る!」
攻撃が飛来した方向を凝視していると、木陰からは続々と人が現れ......そう、モンスターではなく人だ。
そしてそのネームは一様に、ゲーム内の犯罪歴があることを示すオレンジ色だった。
覆面のプレイヤー達が無言で、明らかな害意を放ちながらにじり寄って来る。
そして総勢数十人からなるPK軍団が、一斉に武器を抜いて躍りかかってきた。
If I had to speak from the result, we had no trouble at all fighting the {Harpy} .
After a {Blast Arrow}  buffed by {Attack Up} , the Harpy's HP was gone.
It's lv 28 after all...on top of that, it seems like its stats lean toward speed and attack. When Yumir dealt a counter, she shaved off a lot of its HP in a single attack.
After being penetrated by the bolt with high offensive power, the Harpy fell to the ground and its body dispersed in particles of light.
[Good work everyone. If we are fighting a low lv opponent, we have an easy even with only 3 people huh?] (Hind)
After I said that, both of them sheathed their weapons and came over.
[Secchan's accuracy is amazing?] (Yumir)
[That's not the case at all. It's because Yumir-san does a great job at attracting the monsters.] (Selene)
[Is that so? I guess that's right! Wahahaha!] (Yumir)
[You sure are a happy fellow...] (Hind)
She gets this happy after being complemented after all.
I'm sort of jealous of it, but not at the same time.
When I shifted my gaze towards a spot a bit further away where sounds of fighting were coming, I saw that the Baby Bird party's fight was also in its final stage.
The plan is for Tobi and Riizu not to help out more than it's needed, after Riizu places debuffs on the monster they just support them only when it's necessary.
If Riizu used darkness magic she would be able to stop the monster in its tracks and they would immediately be able to finish it off but...that kind of playing style wouldn't be fun.
[Lyco, I'm ready to go!] (Sai)
[Got it, I'll fall back.] (Lyco)
[Let disrupting it to me.] (Siesta)
The pattern the girls used to obtain victory was using {Arrow Rain}  on the Harpy directly after releasing the light element magic {Heavens Ray} .
As expected of the coordination between those three, it's beautiful.
The Harpy was pierced by the multitude of arrows and turned into a hedgehog and then vanished.
They sheathed their weapons and Cineraria-chan was the first one to rush over here.
[Hind-senpai. With the help of both of them, we were able to safely finish the fight.] (Sai)
[OK. A break...I guess we don't need it? Alright, let's just proceed then.] (Hind)
When I looked at everyone's expressions, their mood had changed because they had gone into a fight and looked as if they had energy to spare.
Traveling was boring and since the situation had changed they felt a bit of relief.
...I guess we can only play for around 2-3 hours more tonight.
We should proceed smoothly and try to get as close to the sea as possible.
[Hind, Hind!] (Yumir)
[What is it?] (Hind)
Once I tried going towards the horses we left a bit further away from the place we fought at, Yumir pulled me from the hems of my clothes.
Then she pointed with her finger towards another place, when I followed with my gaze...the party that was fighting before we started fighting the Harpies was still there.
Even though the HP bar of the Harpy was still over 50%, they were already running out of breath.
[So those guys are still fighting...] (Yumir)
[Seems to be a mid lv party that's around lv 25.] (Hind)
[...They are asking for help though.] (Yumir)
[If we could join I wouldn't really mind helping them but...unfortunately, they are already a 5 man party. If you have any complains, tell the developers that created such a system.] (Hind)
[...You are being called a monster though?] (Yumir)
[Tsk. Let's not make eye contact with them and get away. There's nothing we can do.] (Hind)
[Shut up, you idiots, idiots! You should just go and get wiped-...ah...] (Hind)
[...Don't mind it, Hind.] (Yumir)
That Heavy Warrior, he's clearly someone that is from the BBS.
He noticed who we were after all...sigh.
Anyway, I don't even feel sorry for them anymore, so I got on the Grado Turk and we left that place.
After that we left the mountains, crossed a river and made progress by crossing a bridge.
We have recently passed through two villages in the Mahl Republic, the next one will finally be the port, which is our destination.
The Mahl Republic is formed from the linkage of multiple islands via bridges, originally, each island was its own country...or so is the setting.
Even now, we are crossing a huge wooden bridge that connects the islands.
[Fuh, we sure ran all over the place. Only a bit further! Unlike the desert, this is some invigorating heat.] (Tobi)
[The smell of the sea breeze...as expected of how they recreate stuff. The sea is emerald green and is so pretty.] (Riizu)
[But since it's emerald green as far as our eyes can see, wouldn't that mean that we won't be able to fish tuna unless we go further in the open sea?] (Hind)
Hearing my words, Riizu made a gesture as if she was thinking for a split second and replied like this.
[Let's see. If it's emerald green it means that the seawater...is low in plankton and also the depth is shallow. As expected, we will probably have to go a certain distance into the open sea.] (Riizu)
[This area is very shallow after all. It would be perfect to play on the beach but...we'll need a ship after all.] (Hind)
[Beach!? Playing!? There was that option! ...De-degozaru!] (Tobi)
[W-What's wrong? Tobi-kun.] (Selene)
[Ah, nothing...Hind-dono! Hind-dono! Over here!] (Tobi)
Then our heads got closer to each other and Tobi said this in a low voice.
[Hind-dono! Swimsuits!] (Tobi)
[Huh? Swimsuits?] (Hind)
What is this guy even saying?
[We should make some swimsuits and play around on the beach before the event starts! It's going to be fun for sure!] (Tobi)
[...Yup. I can see that playing around is just a cover up. What are you scheming?] (Hind)
[I want to look at girls wearing swimsuits! Even though it's just a coincidence, we have such a high lv line up here and I can't even look at them! It would be a waste to let such a perfect chance let go!] (Tobi)
[Are you an idiot?] (Hind)
[You(in English), you call yourself a man!?] (Tobi)
[That's not the issue here. Are you asking me to go around asking everyone's size to make them? I refuse. Before we even talk about if it's possible or not, they'll look at me with cold gazes.] (Hind)
[Even if they are not arranged, there's the chance that blueprints exist right!?] (Tobi)
I wonder if swimsuit blueprints exist...
If they existed and the size adjustment system worked, it's true that there would be no need to ask their sizes.
[No, wait a moment? There's also the possibility that the NPC shops in the port sell them...?] (Tobi)
[You sure are persistent. Where is that enthusiasm even coming from? You, weren't you satisfied a while back with Maou-chan?] (Hind)
[I have another stomach for this!] (Tobi)
[Aren't you the worst!?] (Hind)
[In that case, let's have a bet! If blueprints really exist, I'll have you make 6 of them! On top of that, you'll have to skillfully convince everyone to wear them! Same thing if they are being sold!] (Tobi)
[I see. So, what happens if there's none? There's no betting if there's no conditions for both sides.] (Hind)
[Eh? Eh...I'll treat you to the most expensive coffee in Wacchi's cafe!] (Tobi)
[Alright, I'm in!] (Hind)
[Ah! Wait, that one doesn't count!] (Tobi)
[I won't wait!] (Hind)
[Ah!?] (Tobi)
I won't really tell him to buy a Black Ivory, but I'll have him treat me to a slightly expensive coffee if I win.
That being said, I'll check the sewing set and see if the blueprint exists when we reach the port.
Then, we finally reached the boss fight in {Cresciente Coast}  right before our objective, {Notos Port} .
The opponent was lv 35 and called {Fortis Pagurus} .
It was an hermit crab.
[Eat thiiiiiis!] (Yumir)
Yumir's {Burst Edge}  pierced through the hermit crab's shell.
The magic power imbued in the blade ran throughout the shell and in the next moment...the shell and its contents exploded.
Since it had been a while since she had this feeling of using a powerful skill, Yumir was smiling in delight as she put away her sword.
[Alright, it's over! How are things over there? Hind.] (Yumir)
[Just a bit longer...ah, it's over. Surprisingly, Lycoris-chan was the one to deal the killing blow this time.] (Hind)
[-Surprisingly you say, Hind-senpai you meanie! I can do it when it counts too!] (Lyco)
[Ah, my bad. You heard me? But, I really think it's amazing how you were able to finish it off even though you are a defense type.] (Hind)
[Lyco, wasn't that critical hit just a coincidence? It was a fluke.] (Siesta)
[What are you saying!? Si-chaaaan!!] (Lyco)
While we were having such a back and forth, suddenly, a change happened in our surroundings.
A large number of arrows and throwing knives suddenly flew towards us from the thicket.
Because Tobi, me and Selene-san, who was close by, were coincidentally looking in that direction were able to pull the members around us and we lay on the beach.
That was dangerous!
[Buheh!? What's going on!?] (Yumir)
[Be careful! There's something over there!] (Hind)
Staring at the place where the attacks came from, people started to appear one after another from within the trees...that's right, not monsters but people.
On top of that, their names were the same, they were of orange color which indicated that they had a criminal record in-game.
The masked players were silent and they clearly released their evil intent towards us.
Then the PK army, made of ten people, took out their weapons at the same time and leaped towards us.
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