落とし穴５０堀：狩りと言ったら？ (Part2)
"The early-game balance is as brutal as ever. Though, I wonder if it’d be better to have these items available in the late game too..."
"Hmm. This quest structure could actually be useful for the guild..."
"As always, the 'toys' from your neck of the woods, Yuki, feel like they transcend the very definition of a toy. Isn't this just a crystallization of advanced technology?"
Even though they were playing separately, they were all exhibiting what you might call occupational hazards.
First, there was Narjia, who loved blacksmithing. To her, this game—where you could clearly see the shape and stats of every piece of equipment—was a kind of bible.
Next, Eris, given her work in accounting, found her eyes constantly drawn to the income and expenditure balance, even in a game.
Then there was Milly, who was looking at the game to see if she could find any references for her work managing quest requests at the Adventurer Guild.
Finally, Ratz was busy observing the Japanese-style playthings and toys, already deep in thought about developing new products.
Still, since they were playing a game, I suppose they were having fun.
"Ah, this is amazing! They say we can play as our 'Nakama' (monsters)!"
"It’s amazing! They’re so tiny and cute, but they’re strong!"
"That’s true. But naming yours 'Steve' was definitely a mistake."
"Um, Labyris? What do you mean by that...?"
The little ones seemed delighted by the new feature that allowed them to hunt using their monsters.
Well, as Labyris said, it’s a bit annoying to have a character named Steve running around being the hero.
I suspect Taiki and I won't be playing as monsters for a while.
First, as always, we’ll stick to hunting as humans.
"Ugh. It really is tough until you get a full set of gear."
"Deryu, you’re rushing in too far. You need to be more careful."
"She’s right. Remember, our stats are lowered while we’re inside the game."
The ones discussing this were the Demon Lord Deryu, the Hero Ria, and the knight Jessica.
Regardless of the bickering, these three had excellent synergy, making them the type to clear stages even when they were backed into a corner.
Deryu was a bit of a reckless charger, but when her health got low, she’d enter a state of hyper-focus, and her judgment would become razor-sharp. I suppose that’s just the nature of a battle-hardened race.
The dynamic was that Ria and Jessica would follow her around, covering her back.
"…Incredible. Why does Yuki’s homeland put so much effort into things like this? Even the way the creatures move is so natural."
"Indeed. But you’ll be defeated if you just stand there staring, you know."
"Nn. I know. But their movements are so sluggish..."
"That’s because those aren't our real bodies, after all. Whoops."
Since it was their first time gaming, the two newcomers were taking it slow and steady.
As Cleena mentioned, we had researched muscle structure and skeletal anatomy to ensure the creatures' movements felt authentic.
Well, creatures that spit beams or create wind pressure that keeps you at bay don't exactly exist on Earth.
That difference probably stems from a culture that doesn't pour such high technology into mere entertainment.
Samantha, on the other hand, seemed to be quite the versatile young lady; she had already grown accustomed to the game. I’m grateful for her quick grasp of the mechanics.
"Everyone, why not take a break? I’ve brought some tea."
"And we have cake as well."
"I wanted to play too—"
Bringing in the tea and cake were Rurua, Kirue, and Sasari.
Rurua didn't seem to be very good at action games and couldn't keep up with everyone else’s pace, so she had been reading a book by herself. Somewhere along the line, she must have started helping Kirue with the tea service.
Kirue, needless to say, was performing her duties as a maid perfectly.
Naturally, the children were all sound asleep together in the same room.
As for Sasari, she was supposed to be playing with Cleena and Samantha just a moment ago, but judging by the situation, she must have been dragged away to help.
And so, on this day, with the end of the year fast approaching, my family had all properly become hunters and experienced a fine piece of Japanese culture.
"…It’s not in the delivery items!!"
Don't worry about it, Taiki.
Yes.
Some of you might think I skipped over Pitfall 49, but I’m sure you can understand the context.
Everyone.
Are you hunting?
I’m working hard at it too, but I have a habit of doing quests one by one. I’m at Village Quest Rank 2, and the sheer number of delivery quests is becoming a pain...
But even so, I’ll keep at it.
Oh, and though it wasn't depicted, Steve and the others are playing *Monster Hunter* too.