Vermillion

It was roughly twenty years ago that the information science revolution and information processing technologies took a dramatic leap forward.

And it was ten years ago that biological science developed and virtual reality, or VR technology, was put into practice.

Today, the world is overflowing with a variety of content that uses VR technology.

VRMMORPG [DEMONDAL], developed for Nordic developers, is one such piece of content.

"Medieval Fantasy Style, Real MMORPG" -

Implementing the world's highest physical engine, the game is known for its rather poignant specifications such as unlimited all-field interpersonal matches (FreePvP), dropping all possessions (including flesh) on the spot at death, eliminating abilities like automating player behavior, and visualizing almost all game elements such as player names and HP bars.

The development company said, 'We pursued fantastic reality to the extreme'.

[DEMONDAL] stands out from other VR games with strong gameplay elements and is so realistic that it can be called the earliest VR life simulator.

When you open a menu screen in the game, you'll only see three things: [Logout] [GM Call] [Real World Time], and you'll know exactly how oriented it is in real life.

but it's such a pioneering [DEMONDAL] real-life VR game, but sad, it's also a typical example of the truth that 'Reality pursued to the extreme does not receive 10,000 people'.

Unlike other games, the cynicism of the system - in particular, the absence of automated abilities, whether combat or production, was a major obstacle for ordinary people.

All actions in the game are realistic and difficult, and the hurdles are higher than in other games.

[DEMONDAL] has an active player population of just over 20,000, even if many are quoted.

Given that the titles of other VR net games have an active population of at least 50,000 or more people, you will know very well how little of that is.

But for that matter, fierce, freaks, and abandoned people seeking a cynical and realistic 'world' are gathered from all over the world without even being tall.

The darkest (...) VRMMO in the world.

That's [DEMONDAL].

Keiichi Nogawa: Known mainly by the name of "Kay" in the world of "Kiichi Nogawa" - [DEMONDAL], he is also one of those abandoned gamers who love such a fucking world.

"…… Nevertheless, the people just now. That was a pretty temperamental stripping (...)"

Kay speaks to Andrei, who follows behind him as he runs his horse with his bow in one hand.

Enough had already passed since we defeated the strippers. The surrounding landscape is changing from a bustling hilly area with short grass to a forest deprivation with scattered trees.

Evidence of the approaching village of Wolvern, home of the Kays.

You'll be there in twenty minutes.

"Right......... Then maybe another character for stripping RP (role-play)"

Andrei takes the lead in a slightly sinking tone as to whether the impact of the POT (potion) mass loss cannot yet escape.

In contrast to him like that, his ride, which completely healed the arrow wound with POT, is free from tons of luggage and easy to foot.

With one sigh, Andrei shook her head off to shake off her gloomy mood and continued her words.

"At least that collaboration is new (Newby). Bye. If you don't train a lot, you don't have to."

"Yeah, it was pretty good teamwork. If Archer had a good arm in it, it would have been dangerous."

"Ma, after the leader died, it was just a bunch of UAE people."

Having said that, Andrei tilted his neck under the muffler with a fuzzy face.

"... but you knew about me, and you didn't know about you, did you? Are those the other gay guys?

Andrei is one of the leading players in the "NINJA" style and one of the leading [DEMONDAL] servers.

Not as good as he is, but Kay, in fact, is also a famous player there in the game.

He is also known as one of the few Japanese players in [DEMONDAL] to have a battle frenzy of war and have a glimpse at him, even though he is no longer living in the game, and there are so many scrappers who keep logging in through it that he is told.

"No, maybe it's because of him."

Hiya, and Kay showed with a left hand bow - a stunning peach composite bow.

In the world of [DEMONDAL], where all possessions are dropped on the spot at the time of death, the loss of equipment due to death and the emergence of robbery and stripping players who target it are routine tea meals.

As a result, the vast majority of players consolidate their gear with low-cost, substitutable mass production, and very few use luxury or single-point gear from time to time.

Kay does not leak into the example, and the weapons and protective equipment are usually slightly inferior to the highest performance in mass production.

In particular, the bow, instead of being poorly handled and difficult to handle on horseback, used a large composite bow with high power and long range. As a bow cavalry, the unusual large bow was known as a trademark for 'Kay'.

but. Only today is it different on its own.

Vermilion composite bow.

The winged tendons of the "Fei Long (Wyburn)" and the arm trees of the "Ancient Tree Giant (Elder Trent)".

A bow of the highest power, probably non-existent in the [DEMONDAL] world, created with two extremely valuable materials.

I had asked a skilled bowman to create it, but today it was finally finished and a delicacy I had just received in the seaside town of Kitene.

The name is Dragon Scale Through (Dragon Stinger).

The size is a bit larger to handle on horses, but it is compact compared to the big bow that Kay usually handles, making it that much easier to get around.

but its tension is so strong that it can't be compared to just a big bow.

Of course, power and range are out of step.

The arrow released from the "Dragon Scale Throughout", which was tested in the exercise area, penetrated completely the sheet metal armor two hundred meters away and pushed it across to the other side.

This is theoretically the power to beat through the "Dragon Scale," which boasts the best toughness in the game, if it is within a two-hundred meter range.

Therefore, the inscription "dragon scales through".

As things stand, on top of one thing in the game, this beautiful Zhu Painted bow with breaking power will undoubtedly be a new trademark for 'Kai' on behalf of the big bow.

By the way, I still have extra material, so Kay can create two more of these bows if that's what he wants.

In view of the possibility that other players will take it away, it's easy to bring it up for the price. Even in that regard, the "dragon scale through" was a high point.

"It was a showy tree shield, but you laughed at smashing it and piercing it all the way through the armor. Wow, that bow."

"I guess so, I guess so"

I didn't create it myself, but Andrei praised me for letting it go and happy Kay.

"The boulder is" Reaper Japanese. "Jap the Reaper."... Reaper deserves a weapon, right?

…………

but make a turn for Andrei's tease, the tannic surface.

"Reaper Japanese" Jap the Reaper ".

Probably the most widespread of several Kay nicknames.

This nickname, with its famous killer, "Ripped JACK" Jack the Ripper, "was named for the very high mortality rate of those who engaged Kay.

Originally, Kay, who uses a powerful big bow on horseback without difficulty, has the strength to head off other players as a bow cavalry.

Its aim is unparalleled, its sense of reading the wind is natural, and the arrows released from the great bow cannot be prevented by a half-breed armor, which ensures that the prey reaches death.

Therefore, Reaper.

At last, he is Japanese, so connect him to the Shinigami Japanese.

I'm not sure who started calling it, but it quickly spread out of its clarity and drove out nicknames such as "Armored (Stinger)" and "Large Bow (Large Archer)", which were initially attached.

Nowadays it shrinks even further and ends up being called The Jap.

I don't know if there is any malice in those who are calling them, but as a Japanese, it doesn't feel very good to be called "Jap Jap".

"……… I want another nickname soon."

With a distant eye, Kay grunts her simple aspirations.

"Right. I hope it gets a new name."

Behind that, with his arms behind his head, Andrei agrees in some throwing condition.

To be honest.

Gaining "Dragon Scale Throughout" further increased the mortality rate of those engaged with Kay.

Moreover, if we were to carry this bow with us at all times, there would be more robbers after it. That is, while the number of victims increases.

(Doesn't the name "Reaper" just spread more?

It was Andrei, who didn't put it in his mouth but secretly thought so.

†††

Running on horses, even more than enough.

Kay and the others, who had passed through the woodland, were following a small river and going upstream.

In front of you, a canyon entrance, sandwiched by a high cliff with rocks peeled out.

This canyon, its name is Wolvern Valley.

It is used as the most convenient path leading to the player-made fortress village of Wolvern.

If you go through this valley and climb the cliff, you'll reach the village in a few minutes.

"……… Fog?

Kay frowned in surprise, pulling the reins and stopping the horse's foot.

Fog.

The direction of travel, the other side from the canyon entrance, was all covered in milky fog. As if the milk is blending in and drifting in the air, you can't see ahead, dark fog.

"…… that's odd."

"Yeah. It's a beautiful day."

To Kay's whining, Andrei looks up at the clear sky and answers.

In the real oriented [DEMONDAL], the weather is naturally reproduced, and the phenomenon of 'fog' itself is unusual or irrelevant.

But I don't know why the fog is abruptly stuck in the sunny afternoon.

"…" Mist of hallucinations "?"

Andrei turns to Kay to name some of the most major hallucinogenic magic in the game.

But Kay shook his head and denied it.

"No, that won't be there. Think of our magic resistance."

"…… It doesn't look this thick."

"Yeah, at least not for the players. Besides, I have no reaction to my sixth sense."

Kay said as he gazed carefully around him.

"Sixth Sense (Six Senses)".

It is one of the few [DEMONDAL] game-oriented elements.

From the Japanese, if you hear of 'killings', it may be a familiar concept.

If you say so, when an "attack" that hurts you is released, the system generates a "chill" that causes your spine to freak out. And that 'attack' generally includes harmless hallucinogenic sorcery.

"No response to Kay's sixth sense, huh? Then it's not the magician's fault."

Andrei puts his hand on his chin, and, hmm, he roars.

"Sixth sense" - a newly created, literally sixth sense that blends hearing and touch.

In fact, there are a few players who can't really get used to this system and turn off the features.

But once you adapt, Kay thinks there's no better sense of reliance.

Kay, who handles bows and focuses on shootouts from a distance, is skilled at sensing kills and at keeping his spirit calm when attacking and, conversely, concealing kills. Although not officially set, players refer to the former as Passive Sense and the latter as Stealth Sense.

In Kay's case, "passive" is particularly in the divine realm and can be sensed even if it is slightly murderous. Even an unintended attack from behind can be dealt with beforehand. Instead, I'm too sensitive to killing, so I don't like exciting mix-ups.

Even if the raven is a horn and such a kay, I can't feel the 'killer' from this fog.

"... Well, if you're a contractual spirit other than a" fairy, "and you have hallucinogenic magic, it's not the story. Assuming there's zero-setting magic with both threat and hostile intentions, I can't even sense it."

Pulling the arrow out of the arrow barrel, Kay.

"Don't you feel anything? Andrei"

"Nope. You know, I don't like" passive. "First of all, there's no way I know what you don't know about Mon."

Shiraya pulls the sabel out of her back sheath and Andrei shrugs her shoulder.

Besides the White Soldier Battle by Sabel, "NINJA", which also specializes in agitation and ambush, Andrei is a master of melee fighting, both "Active Activity (Active Sense)", which deliberately releases intense killing and intimidates opponents, and "Hidden Killing (Stealth Sense)", which suppresses killing.

Andrei's style of combat is dominated by two skills located opposite the pole, Active and Hidden.

Flirting enemies, cutting down rhythms, and dominating the field air.

but Andrei rarely has a chance to use "passive" because of this style of combat that he takes on his own initiative. The ability to sense the killer remained at a crude level.

It only says "not for advanced players," but at least not at a level comparable to Kay.

"But I know this fog is obviously suspicious, on a boulder."

"Not at all. What's wrong?"

At least as far as Kay knows, the phenomenon of fog being able to get into Wolvern Valley has never happened before. Including on days when the weather was bad.

However, [DEMONDAL] may have minor updates without notice, such as the addition of events, items, or monsters.

This fog was also presumably a newly added 'something'.

"… it's the least risky thing to take a detour."

"But if you don't get through, I'll eat thirty minutes, okay?

Andrei sounds deliberate and barbaric.

If you can't get through the Wolvern Valley, there's no other way to get to the village than to bypass the cliffs and climb the rugged mountain path from here.

"Then do you want to go in?

"Kay... why are you so extreme"

"Adventure. What are you? Besides, isn't that what you're up to?

"Huh, sort of. I've lost most of my potions, and I'm no longer afraid of anything!

Eh, and Andrei, who tends his chest masochistically, but tilts his neck,

"But is that okay with you? In the unlikely event that there is, the bow…"

"Of course, I don't want to lose it, but I have spare material. And if anything goes wrong, I'm gonna leave you and run away."

"You bastard."

Andrei stepped aside and shook up the sabel. Smiling Kay makes his horse run to escape from it.

"Well, let's just go, buddy."

"Ouch."

Laughing, they went straight into the fog.