CH 122

Data.114 – Old Bowman, Ballista

“Miracle Effect…!”

“Now, the performers have arrived!”

“…Huh?”

Three other players gathered around Slime Man.

It was a mixed group and they all wielded different weapons.

However, they all wore the same flashy green color.

“We had actually planned to scatter out and wait before surrounding you…”

“But who would have thought that you’d ignore that fascinating town and go straight out to the field…”

“We didn’t have any time to prepare! It’s no wonder they call him Kyuji of the Star… He brings terrible luck!”

Uh, what were they talking about!

Well, nevermind. I just hoped they didn’t spread that nickname any farther…

It was probably from that charge attack I used in the final battle…but I hated it.

“Yes, yes. Let’s not waste any more time talking! It will only make editing the video harder!”

“S-sorry, leader.”

“I’m sorry, leader.”

“Forgive me, leader.”

“Yes, I’m the leader! We wanted to ambush you from all sides, as that would be the most effective way of taking you down, Mr. Kyuji. But you ruined our plan by going out into the field! And so we switched back to the first plan!”

“First plan…?”

“I don’t remember that?”

“It’s that plan! Wait, what plan?”

“Make use of our superior numbers and attack from the front!”

The three now had a satisfied ‘Ahh’ expression.

It had been obvious just by looking at them, but these four were comrades.

So they had intended to defeat me as a party…

Well, that was no surprise!

If they recognized me as an enemy, then there was no reason to challenge me while solo.

I had underestimated them.

At this point, I could not take them on light-heartedly.

While this Slime Man was strange, he was likely strong.

And with these reinforcements, I was clearly at a disadvantage.

If all four of them activated a charge attack at the same time, Garbo and I would not be enough to handle them.

When all was said and done, NSO was a pretty balanced game, and so if these charge attacks hit each other, of course the superior numbers would win.

Unless it was some exception, where some of them happened to be weak or not for attacking…

However, that was unlikely, given that they were a professional team.

And so I couldn’t expect them to accidentally use a charge attack that didn’t deal damage…

If there was one thing that I could hope for…it was the power of this ME medal. The miracle effect.

Perhaps it was capable of wiping out 4 ordinary charge attacks.

Erase the charge attacks and deal damage. Then use Warp Arrow to run away. It was possible.

That would then open up other options for me…!

In order to do that, I had to make them believe that I was serious about fighting them as well.

First, I would use Meteor Bow to attack all four of them.

As combination charge attacks were more powerful than normal charge attacks, if they wanted to kill my attack and deal damage, they would activate all three of theirs at the same time.

Furthermore, if they wanted to deal a lot of damage, they would aim to activate all four at the same time.

If their four charge attacks were to erase my Meteor Bow, then I would activate Ballista.

Their attacks would be weakened after erasing my Meteor Bow, so then my attack would reach them…!

And if I could defeat them then that was good. If not, I will either unleash a followup attack or run away.

So, it was time to put it into action!

This was my best chance, as they were now all gathered in one place!

“Meteor…”

“Um! Excuse me, old man!”

“…Huh!?”

Wh…at…

There was someone behind me!?

They were waving as they came closer!

And it wasn’t a player that was just passing by!

The Slime Man was waving back!

Did they have a different party waiting?

So they were that big of a guild…

And I was a target that they really wanted to defeat.

When I thought about it, making money through games had become normal in this great VR age. And now, a famous player who was walking around solo. Defeating such a player was a sure way to attract attention.

I had given them a perfect opportunity.

Was I now too confident in my own ability…?

Did I think that I could defeat any player…?

“Ah, I knew it! You’re Mr. Kyuji, right?”

“Huh? Ah, yes.”

“Wow! So I finally met you!”

The female player was clearly waving at me now.

Not only that, but she was wearing something strange. It was like a black nun outfit with armor on top.

Was she a nun or a knight…

In any case, it wasn’t the same green that the Mad Slimes all wore.

“Um, are you friends with that green man over there?”

“No, I don’t know him. Who is he waving to then?”

I glanced over to the Slime Man.

Ah, his face was bright red.

Yeah, it must be pretty embarrassing…

I had done it a few times in real life when out in the town.

“Surely you should remember the faces of all of our guild members! Why did you wave at her, leader!”

“I just thought it was a fan… But since we’re filming now, I waved for her to wait…”

“Clearly someone like Mr. Kyuji would have more fans, leader!”

“I won’t forgive you…! Embarrassing me like this! And for having friends that we didn’t know about…!”

This was ridiculous…

Besides, I didn’t know this person either!?

“Um, this place will become a battlefield, so you should…”

“I know. That’s why I took out my weapon. They won’t wait for us.”

Before I knew it, she was brandishing her weapon.

It was giant steel gauntlets and a spiked ball and chains.

“Would you believe me…if I said that I was the 4th member of the Ghost Guild?”

…I did not expect to hear that name here.

Was it true or a lie? I could not decide right now.

However, an armored advance guard was exactly what we needed now…

Besides, she wore armor and a nun outfit, and carried a unique weapon. She was the kind of person who you would expect to join.

But more than anything, I wanted it to be true, due to the situation…!

“As for whether I believe you…that can wait.”

“Well, I thought you would say that.”

I held my bow up.

The Slime Man was about to make his move.

“We will defeat you! Everyone, move according to plan! Slime Wave!!”

Slime Man’s whip lashed out, causing great waves to erupt.

The wide-area attack was huge…!

However, it was not that fast. And more than anything, the dark green mucus acted as a wall, and so Slime Man could not even see us…!

If I was solo, I could easily use Warp Arrow to escape…

“Oh, don’t think that you can escape!”

The trio had appeared on top of the wave.

They were riding on the waves by using long shields like surfboards…!

While this attack looked like a joke, it was actually quite sensible.

As I said before, the great green waves blocked the Slime Man’s vision.

And so the three others watched from the top of the waves and attacked any players that tried to escape the waves.

They would not be able to move after being attacked, and then they would be swallowed up by the waves and killed.

Even if that didn’t happen, it was dangerous to be attacked by three players who were high up in the air.

As I thought. They aren’t just some weird group of players…!

“Giant Star!”

The woman threw the spiked iron ball at the waves.

The ball started to grow larger until it slammed into the wave!

“A normal charge attack? How weak!”

“After all, this is the leader’s most powerful combination charge attack!”

“You can’t cancel it out with just one ordinary charge attack!”

That was some good information they gave us!

So I could kill it with Meteor Bow, and the surfers would fall to the ground…

“Oh? Did you not know? This is the end.”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

The great waves started to become smaller…!

At the same time, the hammer started to sink into the ground.

Could it be that this ground…

“Hurry up and run away from the waves! You will fall! Didn’t I tell you that holes will easily open up in this ground!?”

“Huh? Did you?”

“We’ve never been on this island before…”

“Leader has been here several times, but I can hardly believe that I’m here!”

The iron ball returned to its normal size, and there was now a large, gaping hole in the ground.

And so the three players fell head first into the hole.

“S-sorry, leader.”

“I’m sorry, leader.”

“Forgive me, leader.”

I guess they really were just some weird group…

“Tsk… This is why I didn’t want to bring them to this island where it’s mainly PvP!”

Slime Man was still activating Slime Wave.

However, the new slime that was created was just being sucked into the hole in the ground.

I guess the demerit of the attack was that it stayed activated for a long time, could not be canceled, and he could not move.

So it was kind of similar to Meteor Bow.

“Now! Now! Finish him off with it, Mr. Kyuji! Your Miracle Effect!”

So was she really on my side?

…In any case, I would deal the finishing blow to the Slime Man.

To be honest, this was not the situation to use the Miracle Effect, which I had not shown to anyone yet.

But this was like a farewell present to him, and for me as well.

In the future, I won’t have to hesitate when using it, just because I hadn’t shown it to anyone yet.

“Southern Cross Ballista!”

It was like a giant launcher from a robot anime.

A mechanical bow that carried an arrow that was longer than I was tall… That was the Southern Cross Ballista.

I held the two grips that were in front of me and pulled with all of my might.

The great bow that extended to the left and right started to bend.

The force was not focused on the arrow, and it was ready to fire.

Normally, I would then have to aim with it…but it was not necessary.

Because the target had not moved at all.

“Fire!!”

“Too slow! My charge attack stopped just a moment ago! An arrow can only hit a single point! All I need to do is hop to the side and…”

Spaaaan!

The Slime Man was torn in half by the arrow.

As this was not something very family friendly, his body quickly turned into light and disappeared.

The arrowhead of the Southern Cross Ballista was cross-shaped.

It was very long and glowed with light. And so anyone who tried to dodge it would end up being split into two.

However, had it been an ordinary arrow, he would have been able to dodge it.

Fight in order to be the last person standing…I really was a gamer.

“You did it! Mr. Kyuji!”

Who knows what would have happened had this mysterious person not appeared?

Perhaps I would have lost.

While she had saved me, I still did not trust her.

“Thank you for helping me. So, you said that you’re from the Ghost Guild…”

“I lied.”

“…”

This Ghost Float…was really not what I had expected.