SBC Glocken, serving as the world capital in GGO, features a far more complex structure than typical in-game cities. Its expansive layout includes underground streets, narrow alleys, aerial walkways, skyscrapers, and even highways.
The crisscrossing roads allow NPC-driven vehicles to navigate the city, creating a vision of a futuristic metropolis. However, this intricate design makes the streets exceedingly complicated, especially for new players. Without guidance, newcomers can easily spend an entire day lost in Glocken.
Although maps are available, they are equally complex, and few players manage to memorize them effectively—testament to the city's grandeur.
This, however, posed no challenge for Rozen. With just a glance, he had memorized the entire map of Glocken and could easily navigate its maze-like streets. Along the way, the vibrant sounds of players' laughter and sporadic gunfire filled the air, evoking the ambiance of a lawless Wild West frontier.
In addition to these sounds, the cityscape was adorned with neon-like advertisements standing tall, adding to the unique charm of GGO. These advertisements weren't merely fabricated—they were the result of collaborations between real-world companies and the game's operators, bringing real-world products into the virtual world.
With the advent of advanced full-dive technology, many individuals in the real world spent significant amounts of time in VR games, living fully immersed experiences. This large audience naturally attracted external companies to advertise their products within these virtual environments.
In fantasy-themed worlds, such ads would likely draw player complaints for "ruining the atmosphere and setting." However, in GGO's futuristic environment, they enhanced the realism, becoming an integral part of the world. This collaboration with major corporations was one of the reasons GGO was regarded as the most popular game.
Understandably, the game's operators made substantial profits from advertising fees. And Rozen, too, reaped benefits from these earnings.
While merchandise based on the game itself didn't involve him, all business conducted within the game world—such as advertising—entailed Rozen taking 50% of the profits. This ironclad rule ensured Rozen had no complaints about the advertisements as he headed toward the weapon shop.
Upon entering GGO, a player's first task was to equip themselves with weapons. Without them, combat was impossible. In a game like GGO, being unarmed was equivalent to being a walking target.
Rozen needed to acquire weapons before venturing into this world. Based on information provided by Yui, the weapons in Gun Gale Online were broadly categorized into two types:
1. Bullet-based Guns
2. Optical Guns
Bullet-based guns, modeled after real-world firearms, operated identically to their real-life counterparts in terms of usage and performance.
Optical guns, on the other hand, were fictional sci-fi weapons like laser guns, beam cannons, and plasma rifles, crafted with unique names and designs.
Both categories had distinct advantages. Optical guns were lightweight, offered long-range accuracy, and utilized energy cartridges that were easy to handle. As such, they were the go-to choice for many beginners. However, their power was reduced when facing players equipped with items like protective shields, so they were generally used against monsters.
Bullet-based guns, in contrast, packed significant destructive power, capable of penetrating protective shields. Their drawbacks included heavier ammunition, susceptibility to environmental factors like wind and humidity, and lower accuracy. This made them challenging to master, often reserved for PvP combat.
The general strategy in GGO was to use optical guns against monsters and bullet-based guns against players. This convention led many players to carry both types, though weight limits made weapon selection critical.
For skilled players, bullet-based guns alone sufficed. However, equipping high-performance firearms depended on whether players met the necessary equipment requirements.
As GGO's maps continued to be explored, more powerful and rare bullet-based guns were being discovered. These weapons required significant STR (Strength) stats, which meant players needed to prioritize this attribute to wield them. Without investing in STR, players were limited to standard firearms.
This dynamic had shifted the player meta in GGO. Initially, AGI (Agility)-type players dominated the game with their superior evasion and rapid-fire abilities. However, as rare and powerful weapons demanding STR began to emerge, AGI-type players struggled to maintain their dominance. Coupled with improved hit rates for these guns, AGI players found it increasingly difficult to evade bullets.
By the eighth month of GGO's launch, AGI-focused players had largely faded from prominence. The turning point came during the previous BOB tournament when Yamikaze, a player specializing in extreme AGI, was defeated by a STR-VIT (Strength-Vitality) type player. Yamikaze's inability to deal significant damage to their opponent, who wielded a rare and highly accurate weapon, ultimately led to their loss.
Rozen, having transferred from ALO, didn't need to choose stat allocations; his stats were already distributed. This proved advantageous, as his focus on STR throughout his journeys in SAO and ALO made him a pure STR-type player.
Unlike Yamikaze, who maximized AGI, Rozen had always invested in Strength due to his Mind's Eye ability in SAO. In ALO, his speed was already sufficient, allowing him to continue focusing on Strength. Now in GGO, Rozen was a fully realized STR-type player, capable of wielding almost any firearm.
Unfortunately, as a newcomer, Rozen's initial funds amounted to only 1,000 credits, enough to buy either a small laser pistol or a second-hand revolver. However, GGO featured a unique currency conversion system, allowing players to exchange real-world money for in-game credits at a rate of 1:100.
Without hesitation, Rozen transferred tens of thousands of yen, amassing millions of credits. With such wealth, he could afford the strongest firearms. However, as weapon shops and player workshops only offered mid-tier gear, Rozen settled for two guns:
- A rifle as his primary weapon
- An automatic handgun as his secondary weapon.
Both were bullet-based firearms. He also stocked up on ammunition and grenades and equipped himself with a lightweight combat outfit before concluding his shopping.
Next…
"Let's test the guns outside the city," Rozen remarked, slinging the rifle over his shoulder. With a handgun on his waist and grenades secured, he smiled and headed toward the outskirts.
Unbeknownst to him, several figures trailed behind, following him out of Glocken.
"Whoosh—!"
Amid the whistling of the wind, a wave of sand swept across the desolate wasteland, leaving traces in its path.
Rozen walked forward step by step through the swirling sand, glancing around at the barren landscape while pondering matters entirely unrelated to his current predicament.
"Is the outside of the zone always this desolate?"
It was a question with an already-known answer.
This world's setting was Earth after civilization had been annihilated. Outside the cities, nearly all that remained were barren wastelands.
Even where traces of civilization existed, they were merely ruins—decayed remnants of once-thriving societies.
Mutated creatures and unmanned robots served as this world's "monsters," hunted by players for sport or resources.
Now, Rozen, armed with a live-ammunition rifle, had ventured into the wasteland, arriving at a training area some distance from Glocken.
But when Rozen spoke of "testing his gun," he didn't mean hunting monsters.
In his current situation, as long as he stepped out of the safe zone, there were plenty of "targets" for testing.
"Should be about time."
Muttering this, Rozen took advantage of yet another gust of wind and sand, hiding himself within the storm. He darted toward a rock hill, climbed to its highest point, and lay prone.
There, Rozen set up his rifle, aiming it in the direction of Glocken City.
And sure enough…
"Hurry!"
"He should be just ahead!"
"Let's catch him and take him down a notch!"
"Let's see if he dares to underestimate us again!"
Amid these shouts, figures appeared one by one.
Armed with various firearms, they charged from the direction of Glocken City, grinning maliciously as they ran.
Through the scope of his rifle, Rozen observed the scene without a trace of surprise. He smirked.
"They came, just as I expected."
Rozen knew that in his current position, there would undoubtedly be players targeting him, waiting to ambush him as soon as he stepped out of the safe zone.
This was the norm in Gun Gale Online.
Sometimes, players would hunt each other for rare items or equipment. Once a target left the city, they'd be stalked and ambushed by other players eager to claim their prize.
Previously, when Rozen had openly provoked them, the players surrounding him didn't take the bait, wary of the risks of a direct confrontation. But now, following him in secret to launch a covert ambush seemed far less risky.
Especially since Rozen had not only purchased a gun but also bought a lot of gear. Taking him down now wouldn't be without rewards.
Given this, it was no surprise that some players couldn't resist following him.
Unfortunately for them, they had no idea they were already in his sights.
Through his scope, Rozen watched the group of approaching players.
At that moment, within Rozen's field of vision, a translucent green circular marker appeared, fluctuating in size—expanding, contracting, and pulsating.
"So this is the Bullet Circle?"
Rozen recalled the intelligence Yui had gathered for him.
In Gun Gale Online, there were two major battle-assistance systems:
One was the offensive-assistance system—the Bullet Circle.
The other was the defensive-assistance system—the Bullet Line.
The Bullet Circle appeared when players aimed their guns at a target. It represented the random spread of bullets, indicating where a shot might land.
After all, aiming and hitting a target without any assistance was no simple task.
The Bullet Circle solved this problem, allowing players to achieve successful hits.
The size of the circle depended on various factors, including the distance to the target, the gun's performance, weather conditions, lighting, skills, and attribute allocations.
The most critical factor, however, was heart rate.
The AmuSphere VR system could monitor the player's real-world heart rate and transmit the data into the game. The circle expanded to its maximum size with each heartbeat before contracting again. To increase accuracy, players needed to shoot during the low points of their heartbeat and remain as calm as possible.
If a player's heart rate accelerated due to tension, the Bullet Circle would fluctuate wildly, making precise shots nearly impossible.
This difficulty was why snipers were rare in Gun Gale Online.
Hitting a distant target required extraordinary skill, and the tension during sniping often disrupted heart rate control.
In close combat, while a rapid heartbeat still caused the circle to fluctuate, the proximity often made hitting the target manageable—especially with automatic weapons like submachine guns or assault rifles. But for long-range sniping, the circle could expand far beyond the height of a human target, making accurate shots exceedingly difficult.
However, snipers had one significant advantage:
Their initial shot didn't produce a Bullet Line.
Unlike the Bullet Circle, which aided offense, the Bullet Line assisted defense and evasion.
In Gun Gale Online, bullets traveled at realistic speeds. Dodging them without any aid was nearly impossible.
The Bullet Line addressed this by projecting a translucent red trajectory whenever a player aimed their gun, indicating the path of an incoming bullet. With quick reflexes and high AGI (Agility), players could dodge most bullets fired from within fifty meters.
But a sniper's first shot didn't produce a Bullet Line. With sufficient skill, that initial shot could be a guaranteed kill.
Knowing this advantage, Rozen had decided to become a sniper even before entering Gun Gale Online.
Because…
"A Bullet Circle?"
Rozen scoffed inwardly. "I don't need something like that."
Closing his eyes, Rozen activated his Mind's Eye.
Wind direction.
Humidity.
Air pressure.
Distance.
And the sound of footsteps.
Rozen perceived all of it with crystal clarity.
Thanks to this ability, just as he could execute a perfect strike with a blade, he could also fire a flawless shot.
The Bullet Circle?
Rozen had no use for it.
And so…
"Bang—!"
As Rozen pulled the trigger, his rifle spat fire, and the bullet tore through the wind and sand, striking a grinning player.
"Thud!"
The next moment, the bullet pierced the target's forehead.
"Ugh…"
The player let out a strangled noise, his head snapping backward. His body collapsed, HP plummeting from full to zero.
"Crack!"
With a shattering sound, the fallen player disintegrated into countless polygons and vanished.
Instant death.
"—!"
The other players froze, eyes widening.
At that moment, a translucent Bullet Line extended from Rozen's position, finally revealing his location.
"E-enemy attack!"
"There's a sniper!"
"Take cover!"
"Watch out!"
The group panicked, scrambling for cover.
Seeing this, Rozen's lips curled into a smirk.
The real game was just beginning.
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