Chapter 4: 3. Ruins of Genesis – 3

"Team! Get ready! We're at the boss chamber! How much stamina do you have, @whiteassslayer?"

"Half. I don't think I can use my ult CC. Do you have potions, @burgerking?"

"No potions left. How about [Rest]? How much time do we have? Anyone? @TanjiroKamado?"

"30 minutes! We need to finish this boss battle for 30 minutes! @通用名称 heal us!"

"I can't! Captain @bloodsilverwarrior, what's the plan!"

"We do our best! We'll attack!" [Final Roar] [Blood Moon] [Crash Door] [Blood for Blood] [Blood Harvest]

"Muahaha! I, Dark-"

"Attack him while he's talking!" [Greater Defense] [Status]

// Name: Lorenzo LVL 10 340000 HP 2000 MP {Dark Knight} {Vengeful One} {Corrupted Holy Unit} {BOSS CHARACTER} Skills: [Lone Knight's Oath] [Paladin's Will] [Blunt Strike] [Multi-Swing] [Heal] [Haste] ...

"He looks easy! Let me-"

[Player @TanjiroKamado died]

"Our DPS died! God! We're just LVL 7!"

"He's careless! @burgerking Tank!  @通用名称 support our tank!"

 

"Pause that video for an instant!"

The video which is a replay of their prototype battle game is paused immediately.

"We have already seen this multiple times, and it is without question this video is our best promotional content for our playerbase."

"Indeed. I can still remember the hype it caused in the internet. Complete VR experience. Full RPG combat. Everything! However, we must stop reminiscing the past. This should be the supposed game with our initial headgear. Show us the new headgear!"

The team responsible for the VR console showed the new headgear..?

"That thing is a headgear without the head part! And why is there a neck part? Might as well call it neckgear!"

"We needed stronger waves so as to bypass the cranium. Now that we are told to weaken the waves, we resorted to parts of the brain that isn't protected by the thick cranium, specifically the brain stem. On the positive side, thanks to its flat board, the issue with overheating is gone, although our players might feel that their neck is slightly hotter."

The technical team is all smiles, knowing that the entire thing is stupid.

"What about sweating?"

"We added additional protection from contact to water. There's also a built-in switch that would terminate the entire power supply once there is a case of electrocution."

"What if it was accidentally turned into a pillow?"

"We... haven't tried using it while lying on bed. We only tried it while sitting."

"Then go do it. What about power source?"

"There's a built-in battery inside. Our design will need a better battery than some lithium ion, although..."

"The cost. It will be hellishly expensive."

"We know, but we are not allowed to connect our headgear to live electricity."

"While we are not allowed to connect it to live wire, how about having an adapter instead? It will convert 110 volts into lower, safer numbers."

"We already built one... And it didn't pass the regulations... Substandard, they say."

The entire board is quiet. Their project was always denied for a lot of reasons, but they won't simply give up for it. They spent a good 5 years for this.

"... the regulations didn't allow us commercially, right? What we need  the most is to calm down the playerbase. I heard that some are planning to sue us for not keeping up to their expectations."

The board agreed to his words. They have already promised that the game will be launched this month, and it's already the end of the month.

"Supply a small number of players with this headgear... No, donate... research! That's the magic word. Supplier issue, or whatever excuse you throw, as long as it's not our fault. This way, we can extend the project for... 6 months. Say it's beta testing or something. It's a tradition to publish the incomplete beta version first anyways."

"Boss, there's still a problem."

"What is it?"

"The UI. Look."

Another video was then played. It was the same scene from before, same players, but-

"The UI doesn't exist."

"What? We only changed the hardware. Why would it change the software?"

"Ehh, we only had 3 months! With our new console, the input variables are different now... And the same can be said to input and output brain waves. Long story short, the brain doesn't register the UI... although we can't explain why it's still fine to load the gameworld. As for now, we only built a simple UI for logging off, setting volume, and main menu."

"... Publish it. We'll fix it during beta testing. The game engine works fine anyways. Say it's a new experience... To fully immerse and for minimum UI style something something... We gotta prioritize the hardware first! Make sure to check all regulations!"

"Yes sir!"

"Marketing team, same commands as always. Development team, launch the world server!"

"... We already launched it a month ago."

"Then... Launch! Launch the game!"

The rest of the staff just nodded to his words. They can't blame him, his liking to say the word launch feels like they're committing a space launch."

---

 

In front of me is a girl of the same age as me. She introduced herself as Tanisha. How should I respond to a nobility? I heard that there are restrictions and that the punishment is death.

After introducing herself, she motioned her hands to... what is she doing? Is she sending a special message through her hands? Wait, X. S... what's with thump to her heart at the end?

"I received a message from my loyal subordinates that there is an illegal arms dealer inside our territory. While your future is guaranteed to be terrible, as a person who once entered the darkness, I will close an eye for this, for a favor. Give me an access to your powerful weapons."

What is she talking about? Arms dealer? I've been selling sweets most of the time! I then remember what Isaac said. I shall take this as an opportunity.

"Yes, m'lady Tanisha. This secret shop houses powerful weapons. Please take a look at our items at the shelves."

She then broke eye contact and swiftly observed the items at the shelves.

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"What's this? Crossbow? Beautiful!"

"It's the Kelvin Crossbow. It casts ice element into the bolts. 500 gold."

"Hmm. Can I test it?"

"Apologies, but if we used it, we might attract the attention of the authorities."

"Indeed."

Such conversation occurred inside. She left the door opened and outside, two soldiers can be seen. It is obvious who they are protecting.

"How about this one?"

"It's a Dreamcatcher. Made purely from rare birds' feathers. It grants its users a good dream from time to time. 300 gold."

"It would be a great thing to sell to mother. She has fascinations to rare birds and seeing an item built from one will surely impress her. Too bad I no longer consider her my mother. I... I can't tell you yet. It's a long story."

You just called her mother previously. And what's with the tone? Why do you act deeply pained?

"Most importantly, I need a weapon, not a piece of art. Do you have one?"

"This. I present you, the Grazier's Necronomicon. It's a book with list of dark magic spells. It also has a built-in mana gem... 350 gold."

"Dark magic... How scandalous! I heard that only students of dark arts sacrificed human lives just so they are sinned and can have a glimpse of the necronomicon because only sinners can see these sinful books without extreme fear!.. Can I check it?"

"Of course." I guess the civil servant from before is actually an evil murderer of dark arts. He took interest in that book and flipped a few pages himself on the way out.

"Interesting. The drawings are very detailed. 350 gold? Hmm, do you take gold bars?"

"Yes." I remember that the thing is fine taking items of equivalent value as payment. After all, someone offered a basket of corn in replacement of few silvers and the corn basket disappeared after the deal.

"Let me check everything else first. Is there anything else of interest?"

"This is the World Tree Wand. It boosts nature-type spells. It also has a built-in cleansing, and fire spell for survival."

"Ah! Let me hold it!"

She swung it excitedly. She also used mild spells and some elementary nature herself.

She's a talented mage.

"50 gold for that."

She then took out 2 gold bars.

"This should be worth 400 gold coins. I shall go."

She then took the cape again which only covered her face and hair. Her expensive shoes, beautiful clothes, and the book she bought last time is all visible, uncovered by the small cape she's hiding in.

---

 

Three days has passed. Since the entire candy jar has ran out, fewer customers bothered to go here anymore. Isaac hasn't returned yet, despite his words. The noble woman from last time earned me a whopping 180 gold coins,  double the earnings.

"You remember me?"

A large bulky man appeared before me. He rushed entering this store. He appears to be an explorer.

"Marco. Remember? I wished to reserve an item last time I was here."

"No clue. What do you need?"

"This."

Marco then took an item from the shelf. It's a compass with a chain.

"20 gold coins."

"I have an item worth of the same value. This is an item that teleports you into a random place once a month. I sneaked into the inner city just so I can identify what this item is."

"I accept the deal."

"Haha, I rushed going here. I heard that the city guards are planning to close the gates. Bye!"

Gates are closing? Don't tell me...

"Is the shopkeeper here?"

The civil servant from before entered, ringing the bell. His expression is one of urgency.

"Is Lady Tanisha here 3 days ago?"

"Yes."

"Did she tell you where she plans to go?"

"No."

"..."

He then closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, pulling out a map.

"Before you came here last month, where did you came from? Here?"

"I... I don't remember."

He then changed his question.

"Did you visit 13 villages before coming here?"

"... Yes."

"A ruin suddenly appeared at the same village you came from. The name of the village you came from is Genesis, and as we speak, it was conjectured that Lady Tanisha arrived at the same Genesis Village. It is no coincidence the three events happened at the same time at the same place-"

"Is the shopkeeper here?"

A fully armored man entered the shop. His appearance is one of honor and dignity.

"I'm Lorenzo, the holy knight and protector of House Garnet. Please follow us."

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