章 23: Excursion
In the Eldertree Demonic Forest of Helheim, an unusual atmosphere pervaded the area. Several players stood amidst the dark forest, surrounded by wriggling black obsidian trees, eagerly awaiting the arrival of someone.
The Eldertree Demonic Forest was one of the largest forests in Helheim, situated at its outermost edge, known as one of the most dangerous areas. Yet, these players stood there as if they had no concerns or worries.
Suddenly, a new player materialized with swift data-driven motions, conjuring his avatar into existence—a goat demon adorned in a velvet cape and suit.
"I'm back, baby!" shouted the demonic goat player as he scanned his surroundings and spotted his waiting friends. "Kekekeke... Quite a surprise to see Peroroncino here. I didn't realize you were so eager to take the plunge," followed by a maddening laugh and a snarky remark. The one who made this comment was Ulbert Alain Odle, known as the great demon of disaster.
"Ulbert, you bastard!" The birdman with the golden mask, and his usual golden gear, appeared beside the demonic goat. He grabbed his friend's head and playfully ground it with his hand. "What the hell took you so long? I thought LuciLuci said we'd all meet at 10 in the morning. It's 20 minutes past that, you bastard!"
"Ai ai ai ai, you can't do that, Peroroncino. Wait, listen to me. I was late because I had to submit my reports to my company," Ulbert said as he pushed the angry birdman aside.
"Even on weekdays? Stop lying to me, you crazy demon spawn!" Peroroncino persisted, forcefully pushing Ulbert back against the tree, leaving him no space to evade his answer.
"I'm not lying. My company is going through some changes, so I had to work on weekdays. But I managed to complete my work by staying up all night so I could play the game," Ulbert explained with a tired sigh, shaking his head.
"Oh, well, sorry about that, buddy," Peroroncino apologized after hearing Ulbert's explanation and the sincerity in his tone.
"It's fine, dude. I'm used to pulling all-nighters and playing games all day after that. Hahahahaha," Ulbert said, followed by a hysteric laugh. However, the laughter sounded hollow for some reason.
"Now, where is my arch-rival? Where is Lucian?" Ulbert asked as he looked around, but all he could find was a woman who appeared to be made of pink slime. She was sitting near a rock bed, wearing loose garments that were actually Legendary Class gear, with her slimy body constantly shifting and dripping onto the ground.
"Are... Where is Lucian?" Ulbert asked, still searching for his best friend.
"He's not here yet. I don't know why, but he's late," Peroroncino replied, expressing his concern," again..."
"Oh, he's always late. Alright, come with me," Ulbert said, grabbing Peroroncino's hand and leading him towards one of the dark obsidian trees with wriggling tentacle-like roots.
"What's going on with her?" Ulbert whispered, discreetly pointing at the sitting Bukubukuchagama.
"I don't know, she's been like that since morning. Probably some women's issue," Peroroncino replied, not bothering to lower his voice, earning a glare from Bukubukuchagama.
"Will you shut your mouth, or I'll have to shove your erogames down your throat, little brother?" Bukubukuchagama's low voice sent shivers down both Peroroncino and Ulbert's spines. She rarely used this serious and deep tone, and it always unnerved them, as it indicated her extreme anger or seriousness.
"Sorry, aneki!" Peroroncino hastily bowed his head, his fear evident as he apologized. He couldn't bear the thought of his sister throwing his beloved H-games away because of this small instance.
The scene struck Ulbert as both laughably funny and slightly unnerving since he had no siblings to berate or get angry at him. He watched with some trepidation as Bukubukuchagama exerted her authority over Peroroncino.
Just as tension filled the air, the player they had been waiting for finally materialized. With his long golden hair flowing behind him and his blood-red eyes fixed on the others, Lucian arrived. He was wearing a robe version of his usual armor, with minor modifications like removing the shoulder pads.
Bukubukuchagama's eyes lit up the moment they landed on Lucian. She got up from her seat, ready to greet him by throwing herself at him, but someone else beat her to it.
"Luci!" Suddenly, a player materialized out of nowhere. A half-golem wearing ninja-like armor jumped straight at Lucian, knocking him down to the ground.
"Luci, these people are so cruel! They are like freaking psychos! They don't even understand social cues. They were just standing there like monsters. The atmosphere was palpable," Nishikienrai started ranting as he held onto Lucian's waist as if a child had found his mother.
"Okay okay, but let me go first before we can talk," Lucian said, attempting to free himself from Nishikienrai's grasp. Fortunately, someone else stepped in to assist him.
"He said get away from him, you idiotic ninja!" Lucian suddenly heard a loud but familiar voice. When he looked ahead, he saw Bukubukuchagama extending her slimy hand at a rapid speed, grabbing Nishikienrai, and forcefully tossing him toward a massive Eldertree.
"Thank you—" Lucian began, but before he could finish his sentence, Bukubukuchagama used her other elongated hand to propel herself toward Lucian, sending him hurtling toward the base of one of the towering trees.
"Lucii-iiii-aaan, I missed you. This week has been rough; I had to do my takes 50 times. This week was the worst. I need some help. I want you to sing me a lullaby so I can sleep. I want you to pat my head and make me reach heaven. I want you to shower me with sweet words so I can sleep well at night, free from nightmares about terrible scripts and stressful takes." Bukubukuchagama spoke rapidly, her words a torrent that Lucian found difficult to follow. He glanced at Peroroncino, who seemed equally bewildered by her rant.
"Looks like it's going to take some time before we can start our excursion," Lucian commented as he gently held Bukubukuchagama, attempting to calm her down from her excited state.
"Calm down, Kumi-chan. I'll listen to everything you have to say, but I can only do so when you're speaking coherently," Lucian reassured her as he patted his friend's slimy head. Although her avatar used to appear grotesque, with Lucian's assistance, she had invested a lot of data in making her avatar as humanoid as possible.
"Uhm, uhmm..." She nodded her head in response to Lucian's words, and the scene finally began to calm down.
"Are they going to completely forget about me?" Nishikienrai wondered aloud as he managed to free himself from the tree he had been thrown into. Fortunately, the game didn't have friendly fire; otherwise, Nishikienrai's glass build would have been in serious trouble.
*******
"So Momonga is coming? Let's get going!!!" Ulbert shouted excitedly upon hearing Lucian's words. Lucian had just announced that Momonga would also be joining their excursion into the Eldertree forest to confront the Elder Demon.
Just as he said that, a player materialized near the group of players. It was a skeletal mage wearing a dark red and blue mage robe, holding a staff with three skulls on each side – a divine class item, undoubtedly.
"Momonga, you nutty bastard!" Ulbert went straight toward Momonga the moment he materialized, his eyes fixated on the staff. "This is a divine class weapon! You finally got yourself a divine class weapon!" Ulbert shouted in excitement as he examined the staff.
"Ulbert-san, I didn't craft the item... I actually won it through Gach-" Momonga began to speak but immediately covered his mouth as he realized he had messed up.
"You too?" Ulbert shouted, feeling betrayed by his best friend.
"Look, I only brought aesthetic mode and texture for my avatar, and Momonga went for the gacha. I think Momonga is the worst of the No-cash item alliance," Peroroncino chimed in, laughing heartily as if he had won a game.
"Sorry, Ulbert-san! I just wanted to try, and it just happened," Momonga tried to justify it, waving his hands apologetically.
"Ugh! My spirit is getting hurt by you cash item enjoyers. You guys are the real evil, even though I'm the demon," Ulbert complained, holding his heart dramatically.
"Guys, can we calm down and discuss the strategy first?" Lucian intervened in their conversation, finally separating from the slimy Bukubukuchagama, who seemed to be sticking to him like glue today.
"Ah yes, sorry for that, Lucian," Ulbert apologized, snapping out of his reverie and returning to his usual self.
"Wasn't Touch Me-san going to be on the excursion too?" Suddenly, Bukubukuchagama asked, having finally calmed down as she looked at Lucian and the others.
"Chagama-san, actually, Lucian and Touch Me-san had a fight, so Touch Me-san decided not to join today's excursion," Momonga replied to Bukubukuchagama's inquiry.
"It wasn't a fight. It was just an argument. Nothing to be worried about. Anyway, let's prepare before we dive in. Doesn't Ulbert need the Elder Demon's heart for his new gear? I think we should get going before someone else beats us to it," Lucian suggested, trying to change the topic.
******
"Ulbert-san, now!" Bukubukuchagama shouted as she braced herself to absorb an intense attack from the Elder Demon, Apathy, by expanding her slimy body and activating her Aegis skill. The massive creature's enormous worm-like mouth opened, revealing rows of sharp, human-like teeth, and it unleashed a powerful blast of demonic mud towards her.
"[Maximize Magic - Explosion]," Ulbert chanted, skillfully using his console to cast the spell, aiming towards the demonic minions of the elder demon. A surge of energy erupted from his body, enveloping the entire area around him. The resulting explosion echoed through the battlefield, covering half of their fighting area in chaos. As the dust settled, the elder demon's minions lay defeated, and only the Elder Demon itself remained.
"Nishikienrai, deal with the rest of the minions. Momonga-san, help Kumi-chan. Peroroncino, we're doing the combo. Take your positions!" Lucian's voice echoed from the air as he hovered with two massive white wings sprouting from his back. These radiant wings glistened, emitting bursts of celestial energy as Lucian remained afloat. A glitter like effect taking place, everytime the wings flapped.
"That's what I was hoping for. It's the best time to have some fun," Nishikienrai responded, vanishing into the shadows to take out the demonic minions one by one.
Bukubukuchagama held the boss monster at bay, while Momonga followed Lucian's instructions, casting 10th-tier spells on the boss monster to assist.
"I'm taking the position. It'll take 30 seconds for the skill to charge," Peroroncino announced as he readied his golden bow, a Divine-class weapon he had painstakingly crafted. He stood at a distance from the battle, observing the chaos caused by the Elder Demon Apathy for Momonga and Bukubukuchagama.
"Just hold on a little longer, Momonga-san and Kumi-chan," Lucian reassured them as he also prepared himself. His ring gleamed in his hand as he boosted his stats slightly to maximize the impact of his skill.
Momonga and Bukubukuchagama continued to battle the Elder Demon Apathy, a monstrous worm-like creature with humanoid teeth and a gaping maw capable of swallowing them whole. The worm unleashed a barrage of attacks, including breath attacks and ground-based assaults. Fortunately, Nishikienrai was handling the minions, allowing Momonga and Bukubukuchagama to focus on the boss for a brief respite.
Lucian observed the battlefield, while Ulbert contributed by casting lower Tier 5 to 6 spells. However, he had already expended much of his MP and sustained damage, so he proceeded cautiously.
Standing in position, Lucian accessed his job skills menu via the console and selected a skill he had been frequently using. A 10-second timer appeared on his screen. Lucian had synchronized the activation of his skill with Peroroncino's.
"5 seconds," Peroroncino's voice rang in Lucian's ear. Lucian promptly shifted his gaze towards the monstrous Elder Demon Apathy, a sense of anticipation filling the air.
"3...2...1," Peroroncino counted down, and Lucian's timer reached zero in perfect unison. It was time to unleash their coordinated attack.
Peroroncino released the magical arrow, connected to his golden bow, allowing it to soar toward the monster as his skill, [Sacred Golden Arrow], took effect. His eyes, enhanced by his [Hawk Eye] skill, remained fixed on the arrow's path.
Then, the culmination of their coordinated strike arrived. Lucian's [Crimson Harmony] bathed the entire landscape in a crimson hue, setting the stage for the impending explosion. The golden arrow found its mark, the Elder Demon, Apathy, triggering a massive explosion that transformed the surroundings into a dazzling golden and bloody red spectacle. Fortunately, thanks to the friendly fire settings being off, none of the party members suffered any harm.
After the attack's aftermath, Lucian examined the boss's HP to determine whether it was still alive.
[Elder Demon / Apathy]
HP - 000/240
MP - 00/70
Class: SP Boss
"We did it! We're done for today, and the rewards are going to be incredible!" Ulbert shouted with excitement as he witnessed the boss disappear entirely.
Peroroncino joined Ulbert, clapping him on the back in celebration. Lucian, satisfied that the boss was defeated, joined Momonga and Bukubukuchagama, the team's success evident in their smiles and camaraderie.
"Good job, Lucian-san," Momonga said with a polite yet thankful tone.
Lucian returned the compliment, saying, "I think it was Bukubukuchagama and you who did the most work. Good job."
Hearing this, Bukubukuchagama playfully complained, "Then why don't you just praise me?" She held her head as if expecting a pat from Lucian, who agreed with a smile.
"Sure," Lucian replied, about to pat her head when Peroroncino interrupted.
"Our skill combo is awesome, Lucian! We need to do more of it! Your [Crimson Harmony] combined with my [Sacred Golden Arrow] skill is gold," Peroroncino exclaimed, making a pun.
Lucian nodded in agreement, saying, "I know, I know... Crimson Harmony is like a powerful skill on its own, but when combined with a powerful magical attack, it's a killer skill."
Lucian and Peroroncino continued their conversation, with Momonga, Ulbert, and Nishikienrai joining in once they finished dealing with the minions.
"You little scoundrel!" Bukubukuchagama muttered in frustration as she glared at her brother, already devising various punishments, including deleting all the H games he had stored on his PC.
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[Racial Class]
• Transcendant Vampire
[Description]
A race of vampires with a mysterious origin. It is said that these vampires originate from a place known as the Celestial Origin and have transcended the essence of being alive to attain a deity-like state. It is believed that the World Devourer is the reason these vampires can cross over into this universe. These vampires are highly holy beings, devoid of weaknesses to negative energy. They are esoteric creatures, forged into deities by enigmatic unknown forces that caused their origin. Their true power still remains unknown.
- This class offers a very limited number of stat points.
- To unlock all of its skills, one must defeat all the Vampire Deities scattered throughout the 9 realms.
Skills: |Nova Battery| |Nova Burst| |Esoterica| |Mana Excuse| - After defeating each deity, a new Skill is unlocked
Abilities: |Arcanum Regeneration| |Celestial Origin| |Charm of the First Night| |Eclipsed Immortality| - After defeating each deity, a new Ability is unlocked
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How was the chapter?
Sorry, if this chapter was boring for you. But this was necessary for future development.
So, do you guy's want Bukubukuchagama In the new world or not?
Give some Power Stones for motivation.
Today's chapter was long, because there will be no chapter tomorrow.(For real this time)
週次パワーステータス
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