Episode 36: This time, it’s not ordinary (4)
Common mass-produced mobile games have a variety of ways to attract players.
Among them, the easiest way to take money from players’ wallets is to utilize attractive characters in the game.
In some ways, it may seem like an extremely simple and clear method, but it may also be a difficult method.
But in our friendly domestic mass-produced mobile RPG game ‘Miracle of Protection M’, we prepared everything because we didn’t know what to prepare! We made the characters’ individualities clear.
There were times when some people said it was a bit too much depending on taste, but anyway, the sales ranking is proof of its success.
The reason why this extremely ordinary game was able to settle into the top 5 to 10 of the store rankings is also thanks to the characters, each with their own unique personality.
Especially in games like ‘Miracle of the Guardian M’ that are set in an academy, the character’s charm is a good way to empty players’ pockets. It’s a genre with a strong class structure.
Even I, who was reluctant to spend money on games, was drawn to the charm of the character Abel and opened my wallet as if possessed while playing.
… If I had known you would drag me into this world, I wouldn’t have done it.
Anyway, since the story of this world revolves around the unlucky and handsome Leon, pretty girl heroines are drawn to him like a magnet.
But think about it. The law of supply and demand. Simply put, there is only one protagonist, Leon, but there are too many women who want him. By the middle of the story, there are about five or six heroines who are obsessed with him.
Probably by the time we get to the second half and Leon awakens as the strongest Munchkin, it will be impossible to count them all on one hand and toe.
that
So, except for the main heroine, Abel, the rest gradually disappeared into thin air.
Although each of them showed off their unique personalities and abilities, the story of the work solely depicted the process through which she and Leon overcame adversity and hardship and their love blossomed.
Well, it would be difficult to surpass Abel, who was singled out as the main character by the game company.
Anyway, among the countless defeated heroines, the one who becomes an empty character the fastest is the pretty girl who looks like a noblewoman in front of you and you can’t take your eyes off the rice cake.
The prodigy of the archery world was Saki Ryozo.
Although Saki was the first to be eliminated as Leon’s partner, her position in the community was quite solid. She had a thick fan base.
This is because she has the setting of an elite who is at the top of her class despite looking like an idiot, and she is the heroine with the least amount of the so-called sweet potato traits, as she sleeps all day long and is a problem, but does it when she has to.
Unlike other girls who were taken hostage or cried out for ‘help!’ depending on the episode, Saki never showed any of that, and she was quite capable as a helper.
In addition, at the time of play, Saki Ryozo had a unique characteristic: the health recovery value of her Yokan was higher than that of higher-level potions.
It was a cost-effective heroine that was favored by many players because it allowed them to save on expensive potions.
At the time, I just thought it was a peculiar trait, but it turned out that he was a Yanggaeng fanatic.
I looked at Saki. A girl with refreshing sky blue hair. Calm, calm eyes that resembled those of a bowwoman, and eyes that reminded me of a cat.
‘There was a reason Weapon made such boasts… … .’
The weapon that seemed tough was confident enough to bring me here. Although my perspective on her may be a bit different, she is still a very desirable resource for me as a player. In addition, having a ranged dealer in the party is not enough to make it any less reliable.
Since one ranged player can take charge of the front and rear guards, it raises the stability of the party to the next level.
Even Saki Ryozo wasn’t a character that had a large presence in the story of Miracle Protection M.
As mentioned above, she is the heroine who becomes air the fastest.
The community protested to the game company, asking why they were only focusing on Saki Ryozo, but of course, the game company behind our Miracle Guardian M just coolly ignored it.
So, I wanted to believe that her attending this party would not cause any political turmoil or anything.
Weapon approached Saki and took out another piece of yokan. When Saki Ryozo reached out to grab it, Weapon smiled and put the yokan in his bosom.
Saki Ryozo asked sharply, his lips sticking out. The bird-like eyes of the archer were fixed on the inner pocket of the speed weapon.
“What brings you here, Weapon?”
“Well, that’s the point.”
Soon after, Weapon began to explain to her. Her flowing speech, and the way she explained things logically while strictly adhering to the six principles were good, but… … .
‘You talk too much.’
Too Much Talker. He was so talkative that it reminded me of a baseball player on Earth. His lips were constantly moving.
I burst out laughing at the very different appearance from his first impression of being a reserved person.
‘It’s worth the nickname.’
Saki nodded halfheartedly, listening to his words with one ear and letting them go out the other as if she was used to it.
When it seemed like the weapon’s description would get longer, she blinked and cut him off.
“So what you’re saying is, I want you to join the dungeon party next week?”
“yes.”
Weapon, who had been excitedly explaining for a while, wrinkled his nose for no reason and replied. Saki Ryozo put his index finger on his cheek and spoke in a languid voice after thinking about it.
“The reward for clearing dungeons is reflected in your grades, so there’s no reason to refuse it.”
Saki’s gaze glanced at me. Then she nodded to me and asked absentmindedly.
“You, were you that guy from the subspace sparring match back then?”
I nodded in agreement without saying a word. Saki collapsed back down.
“You seem to have less grit than I thought.”
“… … .”
I never thought I’d hear the word ‘guts’ spread around in broad daylight from someone who was sleeping. There’s probably no one whose name fits the two letters ‘guts’ as well as I do.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to hang out with someone who looks like they have no guts.”
Saying that, Ryozo Saki stretches out one hand to the weapon. Unlike his drooping body, his flag is clearly appealing.
“Saki, you saw the sparring too. And I told you that this guy Kanggeomma is no ordinary guy.”
“I guess the opponent was weak.”
“No, you’re crazy. The opponent was from Auditore! And this kid, during the midterm exam… … . Oh, I can’t tell you and it’s frustrating. Just listen to me, you bitch!”
“Am I your dog? If you tell me to listen, I’ll listen to you straight?”
“Hey, if a dog drools just looking at a piece of rice cake, then what is it?”
“Weapon, what do you know about Yanggaeng?!”
A scuffle between Speed Weapon and Saki Ryozo that lasts for several minutes.
I frowned inwardly, feeling annoyed. What do you want me to do?
Being envious of her as a party member and being shameless are two separate issues. There is no need for her to be so humble as to need her.
I nodded to Weapon, who was trying hard to persuade her.
“Weapon, that’s enough. Let’s go. That kind of uncooperative attitude is poison to the party. Let’s find someone better.”
Saki Ryozo’s eyes curved gently.
“I guess the dungeon raid isn’t that urgent?”
I didn’t answer. I let out a sigh of relief as the thoughts came rushing in.
I realized this a few days ago when I saw Knox, but nothing beats a carrot and a stick for a black-haired beast. Well, come to think of it, there aren’t many black-haired people here, right? Anyway.
I took out the sashimi from my pocket without saying a word, recalling the lesson. Then, the two people flinched for a moment. I looked in the direction of the target.
Whoosh, bang!
Immediately, a piece of sashimi was stuck exactly in the center of the target at a distance of 50 meters. The blade, which was stuck perpendicularly to the red circle with a gap of about a meter, flashed coolly.
“… … .”
Saki and Weapon stood there blankly, looking back and forth between me and the target.
Saki was drooling for a moment. I casually took out another piece of sashimi and threw it away.
Bam!
The ray of light extends towards the target and is lodged in the tip of the sword hilt.
“… … .”
“… … .”
The moment our eyes met, Saki swallowed hard.
“Can you give me more?”
When I asked, Ryozo Saki nodded slightly as if he understood.
As smart as he is, he must have figured out the hidden meaning of ‘The next target is yours.’ As expected, there was no better means of communication for a swordsman.
“Weapon, pass me a piece of Yanggaeng.”
Weapon, who had been opening his mouth several times, offered some rice cakes. In the meantime, Ryozo Saki accepted them and ate them.
I felt that this party was also unusual. I put my hand on my forehead and shook my head.
* * *
Inside the Starbucks Cafe conference room inside the Academy.
Chloe came to me first and expressed her intention to join the party. Furthermore, perhaps because of the work at the archery range, Ryozo Saki also joined the party without hesitation.
Contrary to her cold first impression, Saki showed a cooperative attitude. From dungeon selection to the Academy’s permission procedures.
If it were just me and Weapon, parts that would have taken some time were smooth sailing with her by my side.
To be honest, my first impression wasn’t that great, but now that I think about it, I’m glad she came.
Although I did nod off here and there, I was able to do everything I had to do, so it wasn’t a big flaw.
Saki occasionally gave me a cold glare whenever our eyes met, but she was basically calm.
Long, light blue hair cut in steps. I think the younger generation on Earth called it a hime cut… It was an unfamiliar style, but it suited her well.
Should I say that she is the most girlish among the heroines?
However, it was a bit annoying that I was always eating Yanggaeng.
Well, I can’t say anything since it’s a food item, but I had it in my mouth every time I saw it because of the level of addiction. People who use their brains a lot say that sugar intake is essential or something.
‘If you can’t even speak.’
I looked at Saki’s profile while sipping my espresso. Chloe, sitting next to me, glared at me with her halibut eyes. I immediately looked away and took a sip of my coffee.
Wow, that’s really annoying.
“As the name suggests, Buffalo Dungeon is where C-class demon buffalos reside. They are also commonly referred to as ‘water buffalos.’ They charge at you from a distance, so unlike the mermen during the midterm exam, they are difficult to fight in close combat, but they have a clear weakness in that they are helpless against long-range attacks. That’s how important the role of long-range dealers is in this dungeon.”
Weapon stood up and asked for our opinion. We nodded in agreement. Then he began to talk with an excited look on his face.
Weapon’s gaze turned to Saki. She nodded as if she understood, munching on the yokan. Weapon moistened his throat with iced Americano and continued his explanation.
“The number of individuals is not that large, and the reward for clearing is good, so second- and third-year seniors often visit here, and there are few casualties. Still, let’s learn from the midterm exam and not let our guard down. Oh, right. And there are some things you absolutely must not do.”
Weapon raised his index finger for emphasis.
“Never open the stone gate in the center.”
Chloe asked with a puzzled expression.
“What happens when you open the stone gate?”
“Rumor has it that it’s something similar to a seal. It’s just a hypothesis, so nothing has been confirmed for sure.”
To my question, Weapon shrugged and shook his head.
“Well, the condition for permission from the Academy to raid the Buffalo Dungeon is ‘don’t open the stone gate.’ There’s no reason to do something you’re told not to do, right?”
“That’s right, you should never open that place.”
As I said that, everyone’s eyes turned to me.
“What? Kanggeomma, do you know what’s behind the stone gate?”
“Oh, that’s not what I meant. I just mean, don’t do what I’m told not to do.”
“Oh, what should I say?”
Weapon looked away with a puzzled look at my indifferent words. Then, we talked about various things such as coordinating dungeon routes and schedules.
‘No matter what happens, the stone gate must never be opened.’
I chewed on those words and wiped the corner of my mouth. I know this because I have the experience of being a player, which can be considered a special privilege.
The hidden boss is sleeping in the dungeon most frequently visited by Academy students. I’m probably the only one here who knows about it.
However, the stone gate is a place that can only be opened if certain conditions are met. Since it is a place blocked by the game system, it is a door that cannot be opened even if you want to open it at this point.
Besides, Buffalo Dungeon was a dungeon known for its cost-effectiveness, except for the risk factor of the stone gate. It would be a shame to just pass over it just because it had one hidden dungeon.
‘…however.’
A sudden chill ran through my entire body. The feeling of my heightened senses prickling my skin. A chilling sensation felt from beyond the transparent glass walls of the conference room.
I turned my head and looked across the conference room. There were cadets enjoying their youth, each holding a drink in one hand.
“Geumma-kun, what’s going on?”
After a quick glance around, I shrugged my shoulders as if nothing was wrong.
“No, I just felt like someone was staring at me.”
As I said that, Chloe’s eyes became wary. Before I could say anything, she glared at Saki Ryozo.
Saki was already half-asleep with her eyes half-open. Chloe glanced at her and then looked away.
“… Now that I think about it, it doesn’t seem like a big deal, Chloe.”
“Ah, yeah!”
He scratched the back of his neck and looked straight ahead again.
‘I see you’re watching.’
Although I felt a bit uneasy, I decided to wait for now. When the time comes, it will appear before my eyes.
