Looking at the new viewer who joined the chat.
[Devilwithagun: Yo, T! Streaming without me? Rude.]
Devilwithagun… The only person he knew who used that name was someone he had known for years. Now, how the heck did this guy even know he was livestreaming?
"Hey, you stalking me or something?" Tanaka said, his voice teasing as he leaned back in his chair, smirking.
[Devilwithagun: Tch. Anna told me.]
[YAnnaY: I did! It's fun watching you but it's just me and you so I called Yoichi-san~]
"I see… well, just remember the rules here. Don't use real names," Tanaka said with a small smile as he shifted his attention back to the game.
He glanced at the notifications. Killing a single goblin had already brought him to Level 2, and taking down another one had filled his experience bar halfway. Early progression really was that easy.
"Leveling up is fast… monsters give tons of EXP at the start, but I guess it won't stay like this forever," he muttered. Like most RPGs, the game would eventually force players to adapt and think more strategically.
He hadn't researched the game much beyond the company, the developers, and the manufacturers. He just wanted to make sure it wasn't some dangerous death game like the ones from years ago, so most of what he knew now were just basics—common sense RPG knowledge, like what people say about early levels, loot, and skills.
"Anyway, about that skill…"
Tanaka opened the skill menu again and noticed a small question mark at the top.
"Oh, a guide."
He tapped it and quickly read through the text.
[Skills can be acquired through performing certain actions or from NPCs who teach them. Some rare books grant skills when read.]
[Skills can be improved through repeated use, gaining proficiency over time.]
"That's simple enough… but learning skills through certain actions?" Tanaka's eyes glimmered with interest, a small smile forming as he leaned closer to the screen.
"Then let me try something."
Swoosh!
He stepped forward, and the moment his foot touched the ground, his figure disappeared.
[YAnnaY: Eh?? Did he log off??]
[Devilwithagun: No log out message.]
[Devilwithagun: …Oi.]
[Devilwithagun: What did you do?]
"I'm here~"
The camera swung around, and Tanaka was standing a few meters away, calm and smiling.
[Ding!]
[Learned new skill! Shadow Step!]
[Shadow Step: disappear and reappear within 5 meters. After use, gain 80% attack speed for 2 seconds.]
[Cost: 10 stamina, 5 MP]
[Cooldown: 2 seconds]
"Ooh, nice… pretty strong, but can't spam it freely," he muttered, already thinking that the cost was too high for constant use.
[YAnnaY: HOW DID YOU DO THAT!?]
[YAnnaY: THAT WAS SO COOL!!]
[Devilwithagun: Kukuku…]
[Devilwithagun: Cheater.]
Tanaka chuckled lightly.
"That's a secret~"
He opened the map. The nearest town was Firstia, a newbie-friendly settlement that seemed small on the map but was busy enough with townsfolk and wandering merchants.
"Since it's close, let's head—"
Before he could finish, his eyes glowed. A malicious aura streaked toward him, black and fast, forcing him to lean back as a dagger flew past his face by mere inches.
Swoosh!
Boom!
The attacker crashed into a tree behind him, leaving a huge hole in the trunk, sending dust and leaves into the air.
"Well… if I didn't dodge that, I might've died," Tanaka said casually, brushing a speck of dust from his shoulder as if nothing had happened.
[YAnnaY: WHAT WAS THAT?!]
[Devilwithagun: Heh.]
At the same time, a new viewer clicked into the stream, watching the chaos unfold. She stayed silent, taking everything in with wide eyes.
The dust slowly cleared, revealing a small figure. A bunny. Cute, small clothes, but the dagger in its tiny hands and the killing intent in its eyes made it clear it was deadly.
[Vorpal Bunny]
"…A bunny?" Tanaka blinked.
[YAnnaY: THAT'S NOT CUTE AT ALL!!]
[Devilwithagun: Cute little killer.]
The Vorpal Bunny crouched low and disappeared instantly. Tanaka's eyes followed the faint golden paths only he could see. Streams of light traced invisible attack trajectories, arrows indicated weak points, and faint runes shimmered along the ground—all subtle guidance from his divine power.
The bunny reappeared behind him, dagger aimed at his neck. Tanaka leaned back just in time, letting the black streak of malicious intent pass harmlessly while a golden arrow marked the bunny's weak spot.
Strike.
[Ding!]
[Critical Strike]
The bunny yelped and spun, its attacks growing more erratic, black malicious streaks flashing along every swing. Tanaka's eyes glowed faintly as he followed the golden paths, hitting two more critical points in quick succession.
[Ding!]
[Critical Strike]
[Ding!]
[Critical Strike]
The bunny's rage grew, leaping and twisting unpredictably. Tanaka's movements were guided by the golden paths, every strike landing precisely at weak points. Each swing, each stab, each step was a perfect critical hit.
Finally, the bunny lunged for his chest with all its fury. Tanaka exhaled, golden runes beneath his feet flaring. He activated Vital Strike.
[Vital Strike – Launch a stab that hits an opponent's vital point, dealing 200% critical damage]
[Cost: 5 Stamina Points]
[Cooldown: 15 seconds]
With a single, clean motion, he stabbed the bunny in its vital point. The Vorpal Bunny let out a final yelp and collapsed.
[Ding!]
[Critical Strike – Vital Strike]
[You have defeated Vorpal Bunny!]
Tanaka dusted off his shoulders casually.
"…That was fun," he muttered as the chat erupted.
[YAnnaY: THAT WAS INSANE!!!]
[Devilwithagun: Tch.]
[Devilwithagun: You were just playing around.]
[Devilwithagun: Cheater.]
Tanaka laughed softly. "Jealous?"
[Devilwithagun: Kukuku, I'll clip it when you get banned… nevermind I'm clipping it anyway.]
The bunny vanished completely, leaving behind loot:
Vorpal Bunny Dagger – increases critical chance by 3%
Soft Bunny Fur – crafting material
80 Mani
Finally, the silent viewer spoke.
[PeachyMarin: …WHAT.]
Tanaka blinked. "…Hm?"
[PeachyMarin: WHAT WAS THAT?!?!]
[PeachyMarin: THAT WAS SO COOL!!!]
[PeachyMarin: YOU JUST WENT—WHOOSH—AND THEN—SLASH—THEN SLASH AGAIN—AND THEN—SLASH AND IT'S DEAD?!]
[YAnnaY: RIGHT?! RIGHT?!]
Tanaka scratched his cheek. "Just a normal fight."
[PeachyMarin: NO WAY THAT'S NORMAL]
[PeachyMarin: THAT WAS CRAZY]
[PeachyMarin: I JUST CLICKED THIS AND NOW I'M STAYING]
[Devilwithagun: Heh, one got baited.]
Tanaka smiled. "Welcome to the stream."
[PeachyMarin: I'M FOLLOWING THIS]
[PeachyMarin: DO THAT TELEPORT THING AGAIN!!]
Tanaka glanced at the empty field. "…Maybe later."
He opened the map and headed toward Firstia.
[YAnnaY: Okay, PeachyMarin, first rule—don't challenge bunnies with knives like that.]
[PeachyMarin: Got it, no bunnies.]
[YAnnaY: And second rule—don't let him trick you into fighting them either.]
[PeachyMarin: Wait… I already feel like I'm in trouble.]
Tanaka laughed. "Relax, you'll be fine. Just watch my moves."
[PeachyMarin: Okay, I'm paying attention!]
[YAnnaY: We're a good team already. Right, Light?]
Tanaka:Yeah, you'll survive if you listen, probably
The three of them continued joking and teasing in chat as they walked through Firstia. Tanaka felt a sense of ease he hadn't expected. The adrenaline of the fight was gone, replaced by the lively energy of the stream, the new viewer's excitement, and Anna's teasing.
[PeachyMarin: That dagger you used looks cool!]
[Light: Just a normal weapon.]
[YAnnaY: Haha, she's already asking for tips.]
[PeachyMarin: Don't underestimate me.]
Tanaka smirked. "…This might be more interesting than I thought."
Golden paths still shimmered faintly, guiding him. The game had only just begun, and the adventure felt like it had finally started for real.
While Tanaka was on his way to Firstia, moving through the gently swaying grass and the soft glow of the morning sun, Yoichi was on the other side of the city, sitting in front of his computer. With a few quick clicks, he cut the clip of Tanaka's battle against the Vorpal Bunny—the three critical strikes, the furious bunny attacks, and the finishing Vital Strike.
Without hesitation, he grabbed his phone and called one of his lackeys.
"Hey, edit the clip I sent you," Yoichi said, his grin wide.
It was only a small clip, so it got sent immediately.
"Whoa, Hiruma-san! Who is this god!? His moves are amazing! Is this you!?" the lackey replied, nearly shouting through the phone.
Yoichi chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "I'll tell you later. Edit the clip first, then I'll send you the livestream link. Do it as fast as possible."
"Yes! Got it!" the lackey shouted, already pulling up the stream to start work.
"Kekeke… who would have thought," Yoichi said quietly to himself, leaning back in his chair, "the guy who was hailed as a god of the court is also this godly in games? Genius bastard."
His words weren't malicious—they were filled with pride and amusement, the kind of pride someone feels when a close friend steps back into the world and shows just how much they've grown, in ways both serious and fun.
Yoichi watched the livestream closely, waiting for the perfect moment to send the edited clip online, a small smirk playing on his lips as he imagined the chaos it would cause.
Tanaka entered Firstia, the newbie town bustling with activity. The streets were alive with players of all shapes and levels, some rushing to their quests, others chatting in small groups, and a few practicing combat skills in the training grounds. Bright banners swayed above the market stalls, and the sound of cheerful music floated from a fountain in the town square.
"Town feels… quite good," Tanaka muttered, taking a slow walk through the streets. "Well then, let's do some quests. I only met a few monsters on the way, so I'm still only Level 4 right now." He started scanning the area, his eyes glowing faintly as he observed the NPCs.
These NPCs were far more advanced than he expected. The guard at the entrance, for instance, could carry on a proper conversation, responding naturally to player questions rather than repeating the same pre-programmed lines over and over. Vendors gave useful hints about nearby dungeons, and a few quest-giving NPCs even suggested multiple ways to complete tasks, depending on the player's choices.
[YAnnaY: The NPCs are really advanced in this game! In other games, they just have their scripts and keep repeating the same lines… no wonder this game is the most popular right now.]
Tanaka smiled, noting the attention to detail. "Yeah… looks like the world itself wants players to interact with it.
"Interesting."Tanaka explored the plaza of Firstia, noting the energy of the town.
Players crowded around the most popular quest, the Mayor's request, forming a long, winding line just to receive it. Others were checking the quests posted on the board near the fountain, some pointing, some whispering strategies to each other. Since the line for the Mayor's quest was enormous, Tanaka decided to start with the quest board instead.
He focused on scanning the mission descriptions, feeling the faint guidance of the golden paths appear in his vision whenever a real opportunity presented itself. But the glow was dim, subtle. The quests were fine, but nothing extraordinary. Even the Mayor's quest, when looked at through the lens of game mechanics, was just a common task, offering only small rewards.
Tanaka turned his head, and his eyes immediately caught a pillar of light deeper within Firstia—the same one that had drawn his attention the moment he entered the town. Smaller pillars dotted the streets here and there, but none shone as brightly as this one. Something about it felt… different.
[Devilwithagun: What are you looking at? You see something?]
[PeachyMarin: You've been staring at that thing for quite a while]
[YAnnaY: Maybe he saw a cute girl and can't take his eyes off]
Tanaka let out a soft chuckle as he read the chat.
"I feel like there's something there," he said quietly, a small smile on his lips. "Just a gut feeling… but let's go check it. We have nothing to lose, so I'll trust my gut this time."