On the fifth day of the game’s official launch, I logged in a little before the event’s scheduled opening of 10 a.m. to find Starting Town thronged with players, all checking their status windows and gearing up for a fight.
“All right, guess I’ll do the same.” Let’s see those stats!
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Name: Yuri
Level: 30
Class: High Summoner
Weapon: Bow
Attributes: Strength: 0 / Defense: 0 / Magic: 0 / Agility: 0 / Luck: 390 × 3 × 2 + 39 + 90 = 2,469
Skills: Luck Boost, Relentless, Fatal Strike, Up Close and Personal, Genocide Killer, Merciless Death God, Absolute Zero, Hello? Forgetting Something?, Against All Odds (doubles all attributes while HP is 1), God-Killing Fist, Twisted
Equipment:
Head: Death God Hair Tie
(Minimum requirements: none. MP +30, Luck +30)
Body: Death God Dress
(Minimum requirements: none. MP +30, Luck +30)
Feet: Death God Boots
(Minimum requirements: none. MP +30, Luck +30. Possessed by Mor)
Equipped Weapon: Beginner’s Bow
Accessories: Cursed Ring (limits HP to 1), Dark God’s Covenant Necklace (triples luck when HP is 1)
“Hmmm... Yep, that’s a pure luck build all right!”
This combo of skills and gear was pushing my luck over 2,500. Other level 30 players claimed to have gotten their specialized stats up to about 400, making mine six times as high. Awesome!
I was still grinning at my fast-growing luck stat when another player, equally absorbed in their own status window, bumped into me from behind. I would have tripped, but someone with a manly arm reached out and caught me by the shoulder.
“Are you all right, little miss in the beautiful dress? You could get hurt in a crowded place like this. How about you and I go someplace more quiet?”
Yuck. I’d just been about to thank him for catching me, but it was clear the second he opened his mouth that he’d only had one thing on his mind. That said, I did still owe him a little gratitude. I figured I’d quickly acknowledge him then get out of there, but...
“You again?!” We looked at each other and both sighed in unison.
It was the same bald barbarian as before. This was the third time he’d tried to hit on me.
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“Dang. Just when I thought it had to be fate! Why’s this keep happening, Yuri?!”
“I wanna ask you the same question, Baldy!”
We were sitting on the edge of a fountain complaining. It was actually a lot like the day I’d started the game.
While lamenting how troublesome Baldy could be, I took a sip of some juice that I’d bought on a whim while passing by a store. Huh?! “Ugh! Ack! It’s like a lemon, grapefruit, and kiwi blend?! Who’d put those together?! It’s so sour I can’t even drink it!”
“Bwah ha ha! This game sometimes has weird flavors on sale. Want me to finish it for you?”
“It’s all yours.”
I passed the super sour drink to Baldy, who drank it dry with one big, noisy slurp. For better or worse, he did everything like a man.
As he was finishing the juice, I heard a few complaints from the crowd. “How’d that muscled barbarian get a girl like her?”
“Wish he’d just explode!”
“I’ll be going in for the kill the second I see him in battle!”
Wow, Baldy’s sure drawing a lot of attention. He’s not doing anything besides sitting here chatting to me, but everyone’s out for his head.
“Hey, Baldy, you been making enemies?”
“Huh? Not that I know of.”
“I guess not. You’re a good guy. Speaking of which, got any accessories to give away? I’ll take anything. I’ve got three accessory slots here, but I’ve only got two equipped.”
“That’s a waste of a slot. Do you want this Poison Resistance Ring? I can easily buy another from the NPCs around here, so I don’t mind giving it up.” He handed me a ring that would make me a little less likely to get poisoned.
“Wow, thanks.”
The gift only gave the players around us more to complain about. “He’s giving her a ring as a gift in front of everyone?!”
“Gaaaaaaah! Drop dead already!”
“I’m definitely gonna kill that meathead!”
Oooh! It’s like we’re surrounded by bloodthirsty carnivores! Everyone’s raring to go!
“Let’s both give it our best today, Baldy!”
“You got it, brother. I’m not letting you beat me!”
We bumped fists together.
Suddenly we heard the lively sound of trumpets, and multicolored confetti began raining down from above.
Ooh, looks like the event’s starting.
A voice came from someplace high in the sky. “Combatants! I see many of you have assembled here today!” A huge image of an old man with a crown and a huge beard had appeared in the air. He looked like a king.
The old man went on speaking as tens of thousands of players stared up at him. “I am Odin, the ruler of the Gladsheim Kingdom you stand in today. I have gathered you all here for a single reason: As we ready ourselves to do battle against the Demon Lord—the dark ruler responsible for making monsters appear throughout the world—I desire to witness your power. To that end, I am hosting a battle royale event where every player can compete!”
A huge cheer filled Starting Town. I was just as excited as everyone else. The game had over fifty thousand active players, so an event that had everyone battling it out was sure to be a huge spectacle.
“Mwuh huh huh. Allow me to explain. I’m sure there are combatants among us with other things to do today. That’s why I will be holding five battle royales between now and midnight with one-hour breaks in between. The first will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the second from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the third from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., the fourth from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., then the fifth and final battle royale will take place from 10 p.m. until midnight. Take part in as many as you like. I promise you an incredible reward awaits anyone who survives until the end!”
When the old man finished speaking, a new menu window opened in front of me listing a set of detailed rules. Let’s see...