Log Horizon

001 Beginning of different worlds (top)

Dark clouds, like liquefied, flow under your eyes.

Heaven is unconscious. As God regretted that mercy.

Sometimes we head to that unconscious heaven, and yet more blue and white lightning rushes up from the pitch-black cloud sea. In the sight of the deviation from the normal trajectory, the sight is sickening.

Far beyond is the enormous collapse that floats over the pitch-black clouds.

A giant building made of collapsing marble.

Columns of columns and numerous corridors, stairs, spires and temples like those created by madness. The endless connection of that line.

Suddenly the blazing sword waved.

A bloody red logo appears in the air as if to mark the end of the world.

- Opening of the Nouazphere.

What the hell do you mean, open up? What do I get? Even though the end is so imminent.

In the roaring voice of a barking wind, the Illusional Temple of Madness begins a nightmare and a pulse. That's hundreds of souls. I visited this world - the martyrs of the other world.

The awakening of consciousness had roughly the same significance as the reconstruction of the world.

Leaving behind tinnitus that also attracts visual abnormalities similar to severe noise. Once, with the discomfort of being forced to reconnect an interrupted object, Shiloe was nodding off the city of Akiba.

- Like glass.

The first sharp angle “something” I thought so was light. It was a bright sunshine, as Siloe had never seen many times. Siloe breathes heavily with almost thoughtless conditional reflexes and tries to touch her body.

My own hands and feet. I can't feel the damage, and I don't see any injuries.

Move as you wish properly, everything feels right.

But that "move as you wish" makes you feel uncomfortable with siloes. That's what makes this anomaly so unusual.

"What the..."

"Oh, me. Funny, what the fuck!?

"So, somebody come out. Yikes! Whoa, whoa! You're asking. Ugh!!

I hear screaming like a dying animal from the side.

Too pitiful a scream. Later on, that was the luckiest thing for Siloe that day.

(Wow.... badly dressed)

That's what Siloe thought of the Lord of Screams. People in conditions similar to their own, crawling on the streets without a look, checking their bodies like they panicked, yelling in pitiful voices.

Even if you look at it all the time, there are more than a hundred people in sight.

(Nothing. I don't look good either.... just suddenly screaming out, pull it off)

Siloe's superficial thinking is still largely unused today. I'm panicking, just like all the people around me. However, the inner part of it, even with the main body of the siloe, had regained only a little calm.

I don't intend to do that in person, but I may still be getting old. It's not like I wanted it, but somewhere in my brain is cold.

If you say so, it's a pleasure.

The "I don't want to look bad" look ended Siloe's boyhood as soon as possible. I guess he called it calm.

(Foxes and foxes turn me into a fox, I don't know what to say... Wow, this. It's too ridiculous to create a sense of crisis...)

Hold or open the palm. My own hand that moves the way I want.

But those hands are more sneaky than the things Siloe's used to seeing, and they look clever. The body also has a subtle difference in the ratio of each part to its own, putting together something like a loose tunic that you shouldn't have worn. Even though I don't remember the comfort of that garment at all, the shades themselves look familiar.

(The body moves as it wishes.... Sounds uncomfortable because of the subtle differences in the size of your hands and feet... I'm glad it's not a big difference)

It is the city of Akiba that is spreading in front of you.

The home of many players, where a number of abandoned buildings are entwined by a thriving twat stretching from all over the asphalt, fused with ancient trees blessed with spiritual power. Not so familiar as to remember the grief - "Elder Tail" is the largest city on Japan's servers.

"Where are you, here... eh"

"Akiba? - Are you kidding me, VR? You're driving me crazy."

Men who were nodding around similarly to Siloe raise their voices. Everyone and he all look like residents of the medieval fantasy world wearing clothes with plenty of cloth or armor.

That should be it, too.

"Elder Tail" is the world's largest online game, inspired by swords and magical worlds in content.

But that was just a game, I bet.

Siloe shook her head and remembered.

I was playing Elder Tail.

I can remember sitting at my desk at home and enjoying the games shown on my LCD monitor.

"Elder Tail" is actually a 20-year-old classical title. Of course, the content and the game's depiction engine had been exchanged with the latest objects over and over again with repeated versions, but elements such as deep data and gameplay coming from twenty years of accumulation had gained popularity from users and received tremendous support, especially from "Xuan Preferred" heavy users.

Today should have been a memorable day to win the twelfth extra pack on such a "Elder Tail". Pre-downloaded data unlocked today, and many players were shaking their expectations after connecting to the Elder Tail world by saying that the Elder Tail world would have new items, new zones, new monsters, battles, and above all, an increased level cap.

Shiloe is a veteran player in Elder Tail.

I've been playing in this game for eight years now counting from junior high.

Of course, it wasn't like I wasn't excited about the extra pack, but I was still distracted to shake like a newbie and practiced hunting in the beginner's area with the twins who had recently taken care of me trying to be amazing as usual.

- Should be.

But memories show disconnection there.

I remember seeing some kind of demo.

On a black screen, glowing flaming letters.

A sky with sticky darkness like asphalt scrolling fast and a white moon like cut through its lacquered black.

But that's all.

And now, Shiloe is nodding off the city of Akiba to check his limbs. As a player with a real body that has been captured in the game world.

(For now, the body moves freely -)

Siloe stopped thinking about the extras.

If I think about it, I can't move.

If the panic swallows you, you'll end up joining the underdressed people around you. I want to avoid that under this circumstance.

I'll try to get up. Body movements are mild.

Looks thin but like an agile flesh. My head is filled with questions that seem panicky enough, but I can't help but compress them into one place and shut them up.

(You're a little taller in this body. That makes my vision unusual.)

Concentrate your consciousness on the knowledge you need to move in for the moment and confirm it in your brain. Otherwise, he was going to drown in the excess.

The next thing I felt in height was the wind.

The damp smell carried by the gentle warm wind, and the cool tone that passes through the tree's edges. And a dazzling light.

It's a dazzling early summer light.

A pure, - overwhelming amount of light that, in a chilling breeze, brings a brilliance that can just bounce white, rather than call it the heat of sunlight.

The city is illuminated by the light of its early summer, and the boulevards covered in black earth and asphalt are shaded by old giant trees and building shadows. Its beautiful contrast.

(It's been a long time since I've been outside. - Outside? Outside, this?

Siloe thinks so. "Pure sunlight” is something you rarely feel if you try to make it a fairly drawn-out silhouette in public. But the moment he thought so, Shiloe realized.

This is apparently not a dream or a joke, he said.

It was such an unrealistic event that it would not be strange to scream and roll around aloud if it were true, and in fact, there were people who still nodded silently in their sight or who, whoever they might be, were forced to explain with their knees.

What is clear is that Siloe doesn't know the answer to that at this point. It's a pretty uncool thing to go around claiming answers that you don't know. You can call it childish.

"Why not?!? Why am I here? Hey, I ate potatoes earlier, didn't I?

- How dare you expose yourself to ugliness like that man over there standing up. I want you to give me a break about that.

(But looking at how they are, I wonder if there are many other players involved. I thought of you as a player. I am now. Even though it's not clear if this is Akiba's street yet)

Think about it, Siloe's current vision remains the real world.

If this is the world of gaming, it's a bar that shows HP, it's a display field for various icons... Well, that kind of mess was displayed on the screen, so it's odd that there's no information of that kind.

Maybe this place is just very similar and has nothing to do with the world of Elder Tail. When you point your fingertips at your jaw with the habit of etc. and siloe when thinking, a series of menu screens emerge to overlap your vision.

Precisely it seemed to exist within the sight, rather than within the consciousness. Siloe breathes into the phenomenon, but at the next moment begins to observe it with interest.

It feels like a distraction from the view in front of you, and when you concentrate on your forehead, you seem to see a familiar data group. No, "I know" though it doesn't mean I can see it if I describe it more correctly.

That shows the names of the characters he uses in "Elder Tail" (well, it's siloe), their appearance, their equipment slots, etc. All kinds of icons have been carefully displayed.

"Confirmed..."

I suspected it wasn't since I saw the streets, but I no longer seem to have to believe it. As far as that data goes, this is the world of Elder Tail. Or not, it's a very approximate world.

It's "Siroe" here, not "Castle Bell Eye" who was playing games in his room.

Many people around them have noticed it too, whispering surprises and doubts.

Siroe looks around left and right and walks straight out.

If this is where Siloe knows it, there must be an abandoned building where you can get into the corner. This city of Akiba... in that sense it is everywhere in the world of "Elder Tail" but it is full of ruins and abandoned buildings.

It's not like there's anything going on in the abandoned building, but for now, I wanted a place to sit calmly.

From what I've seen from earlier, it seems like a sizeable number of people are lost in this world. Working with them to solve things - or at least embarking on a clarification - may be the whole idea, but Siroe can't move that way.

I feel kind of out of place, and I'm not good at it.

I don't have enough information.

Nor is there at all enough information, which is very obvious.

Even if I try to work with someone right now, I don't have enough information to even have a decent argument, and if I do poorly, it just seems to infect panic and make us all feel hopeless.

(I actually just don't like the noise)

Reminds me of a look of confusion like the man I saw earlier without himself or the world.

Shiloe can be calm because of the disturbance that the guy gave me next door. Humans, if there are others in the immediate vicinity who expose themselves to a more obscure state than you, it's something you can do to regain yourself.

First of all, whatever it is you have to try first.

Siloe attempts to manipulate by calling brain information as she lowers her back to one of the rubble on the tip of the abandoned building.

Seems like all you need to do is concentrate around your forehead to call the display. Similar to feeling like when thinking in a train car.

However, I am quite focused when manipulating menus. It's hard to move the cursor on the menu just because of the mood. I wish I could move it with my fingers, but when I imagined touching it lightly, the menu opened like a petal.

This one is definitely faster.

What I was looking for was a "reporting function". "Elder Tail" is an RPG where thousands of players simultaneously access servers for adventures in a vast world. The ability to communicate troubles and bugs to the operating company goes into this "reporting function".

Assuming that a "quick" means exists that can solve this ridiculous situation right now, it cannot be anything other than a "fault report" in the "reporting function".

But as a matter of course, the "fault reporting" column in the "Reporting Function" was blank.

"... hey"

Siloe singles with her glasses slipped up. I wasn't expecting that much. If such a ridiculous situation could be solved by a single call to the operating company, I would say that this otherworldly entry was an event set up by the operating company.

That means so much real Virtual Reality can be technically reproduced, and it's a major global invention. Even today, in 2018, when Shiloe lived, I have never heard the news that an all-sensory immersive system like the SF novel was completed.

(At least, the operating company cannot be contacted.

This might be more like a situation that doesn't make any of it possible)

Siloe keeps the menu in operation.

Shiloe...... The status of this character, which is no longer Shiloe himself, was the same as it was before this incident. There may be minor changes due to fine numbers, etc., but there is no reason to remember that much, so there is no need to confirm. At least, every number fits in the same range as Siloe's memory.

Elder Tail is a level-based RPG. Siloe has level 90, the highest level in this world.

That said, that's nothing special.

Less than half the players are at level 90.

"Elder Tail" is a long history game. It has a history of being added many elements with hundreds of fix patches, as many online games do.

Not that Siloe actually experienced it, but when Elder Tail first came out, he said its maximum level was 40. Fans enjoyed that [Elder Tail] and after growing it to its maximum level, they said, "More adventure to come!" I raised the voice of my request.

Expansion packs were released in a way that meets the wishes of many such players, with a level cap of 50.

Such an increase in the ceiling was repeated, bringing the current maximum level to 90.

"Elder Tail" as a game adds a new adventure with an increased level cap. Players enhance their characters throughout the adventure and reach a new level cap. And for a while... many of them after a year or two the new expansion pack raises the level cap again. It was that repetition.

Shiloe had also heard that the level cap would be 100 if this expansion pack, "Opening the Nouasphere," was released. At this point in time, that is, just before or after the launch of the expansion pack, it is no surprise or anything that the majority of players have the greatest level.

(In the first place, it doesn't even mean we need to raise the level.)

Check "Talent" to view "Skills". There's nothing abnormal about any of it. Stay in the game.

The profession of Shiloe is the "conferring magician" (enchanter), a kind of magician profession. "Elder Tail" has eight races, twelve main occupations, and numerous sub-occupations. The most basic of these is the main occupation, which has a total of twelve species: three warrior, three weapon attack, three recovery, and three sorcerer.

"Granting Artist" was an overwhelming unpopular position in the world of "Elder Tail", a profession dedicated to support and tricky behavior among the sorcerer systems, and is said to be the least populated of the twelve.

The reason is obvious, it's not suitable for solo adventures in the nature of covering for others, besides being less aggressive. "Elder Tail" recommends a multiplayer adventure, but naturally, if you don't have the time with your buddies, any player will act alone.

There was no alternative to the popularity of stand-alone, high-performance warriors, weapon-attack positions, or recovery systems that can restore themselves and cut through the pinch.

(There's nothing wrong with that because I like it.)

Siloe sighs just a little.

Shiloe herself does not see [the granting magician] as such a bad profession. If you say you're happy to be seen with colored glasses and fooled because you're an unpopular job, you're happy.

I went that far to check the information, and Shiloe finally came to mind with the "talking function". "Talking Function" Yes, the ability to contact acquaintances who are currently accessing the server. If you're in front of me, you just have to speak up. Perhaps it can be done in this body and in the world today. I'd be in trouble if I couldn't.

On the other hand, this "talking function" is like a cell phone, so to speak, that keeps in touch with a distant acquaintance. Siloe calls her friend Liszt and lets her scroll.

Friend Liszt has the name of an acquaintance registered by Siloe and the main occupation registered. The dark gray name means that the server is not currently present. Perhaps those acquaintances had not been able to log into the gaming world for the "Additional Moments of the New Patch," a major annual event in the [Elder Tail] world, due to errands at work, school, etc.

They must have felt a lot of regret in person.

But when this happens, I can also say that I'm lucky I wasn't involved in this case.

The white glowing display is connected. Shiloe laughs bitterly at herself for thinking about connecting.

(It's also a weird story about connectivity. In this situation, I wonder if being in this world...)

As long as I look at the menu screen, I can feel like I'm connected to the game. But on the other hand, the smell of the wind and the warmth and everything keeps complaining that this is the only place in the real world that is unique.

As a matter of course, even if (Elder Tail) is an excellent game, the game was not even described as a game and the dusty smell of wind and ruins stroking cheeks.

(I wonder if it's really true. - Maybe if you sleep or die in this world, you can go back to your original world? Before that, maybe it's just a dream?

Etc. and Shiloe come up with it, but I reconsider that sleeping is still not a good idea to die. Of course there is a chance that we can go back to the original world, but there is no such thing as a "real possibility of dying".

No, having a real feeling so far, I feel more likely that way.

(Well, that's later. It's Fre's check now)

Siloe is still quite an old stock in (Elder Tail), and even people I know exist there. I don't like people, but I don't hate them. So the list is not short. Not short...... then who do we contact? If asked, that's troublesome.

I don't admit it otherwise, but - rely. I was terribly bad at that. You can say it sucks.

If you can, you're cool, you know the story, and you're good with someone who can exchange information. Siloe tries to think of opponents in her head, but there aren't many of them. Because we're dating online, most of us have shallow relationships.

Online gaming is virtual space play.

Shiloe herself doesn't think so, but a few players think "dating and trusting on the spot is a fantasy". Of course, there aren't that many outspoken people on Siloe's Friends List, but it's more overwhelming that players who aren't deeply associated with it.

(There's no such thing as a fellow who wants to fly away at a time like this)

- I don't have ten people like that.

Siloe startles me with the numbers.

But there are not ten of them, if only a few of them. It also means. Because it's very... blessed.

Siloe knows that very well.

For "normal" players, other players are not trustworthy opponents, but beings who happen to be there at that time to play conveniently. That kind of relationship is more common.

The gesture at your fingertips carrying the list stops.

"Why is there a direct line?

I felt brighter in front of me.

Naoto Ip Segawa.

That's one of the first things that comes to mind when Siloe is asked who he can count on in this game. I know Siloe's real name, which means that Siloe has given her real world contacts directly, and she has faced reality, not just games.

Direct transmission is also such a handful of players.

Direct and Siloe fought many days and nights at the "Tea Party of the Prodigal" and the "DeBocelli Tea Party", in several border zones, shoulder to shoulder on numerous adventure journeys. He is one of the closest players in this Elder Tail.

Launch the conversation function without even confirming it. The distant bell sound that informs the call. Wait carefully for the person to respond and speak up without even checking the moment they connect.

"It's a direct line. You're back?

'What? Huh? What is this? Who, are you talking to? Ha-ha-ha. Maidi, Maidi, this is the big mythical pinch. "

"It's me. It's siloe."

Nostalgic direct voice. Low, calm alt. The best warrior in The Prodigal Tea Party that didn't work any pinch...... make it a joke.

Even in a situation like this where everyone is panicking, Siloe relieves herself before she penetrates into a piece of crap that is not at all the same as it once was.

"Siloe? Hey, what's going on? Has Elder Tail made so much progress while I'm gone? It's amazing enough to pull it off, to be honest. Didn't you go over the particles, the rendition engine improvements?

"I don't think that's progress. Doesn't it feel more like a mutation, a catastrophe, a disaster?

'I guess. It looks amazing. Already, it's a snort. It's a reality festival. Real overdose, reality overflow. Mega platter? Terra platter? I'm hungry.'

Nostalgic light mouth interaction.

It made Siloe feel a far stronger reality than this unfamiliar flesh than the entangled otherworlds.

"Where are you, direct?

Behind the direct voice, you can hear screams and noisy noises.

Apparently, this mindfulness feature even picks up the audio behind it, just like a real life phone.

"Station Square. Uh. Around where there was a herbal sale before?

"Let's rendezvous anyway.... Remember Sidden's Tavern? You had a broken building on that back. Upstairs."

'Okay. I'll be right there. "

"I'm in Akiba City, too. I can rendezvous in five minutes."

When Shiloe told him so, he immediately got out of the abandoned building.

Be sure it's important to rendezvous with an old friend now.