Quote:
"There was no need to think… victory was already decided the moment he moved."
2,910 word count
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Tanaka rested the Zweihander on his shoulder as he stepped out of the tunnel, its immense weight pressing down on him, yet his posture remained steady and relaxed, as if the burden meant nothing.
He glanced at the map and gave a small smile.
"Before I head out… I should get proper gear."
The Zweihander is a heavy weapon, so his playstyle will be different, unlike when he was using a dagger, where it was easier to move around.
The heavy sword limits his mobility by a lot, but that doesn't mean he is very slow, and there is a beneficial sword style for the Zweihander.
And Tanaka had already learned it after a few swings inside.
He looked at the timer for the quest and saw that he had two days to get there. And looking at the map, it only takes an hour on foot to reach Carne Village, which is actually near Secondil, a city that he must pass through to leave Firstia.
"I'll go to Secondil first, then buy some equipment there. The ones here aren't that good," Tanaka said as he looked at the livestream.
[YAnnaY: Yeah, that is a good idea!]
[PeachyMarine: Go! Go!]
Devilwithagun had been quiet since he fought the Day Walker, but Tanaka didn't mind. Yoichi had always been a busy person.
The road to Secondil was a breeze. With his upgraded weapon that deals more damage, it only took a few swings to instantly kill the mobs.
And he did get to familiarize himself with the Zweihander after he encountered a few Vorpal Bunnies.
With their small size and fast speed, they are like natural enemies of heavy sword styles, but Tanaka could easily defeat them.
For the record, his Zweihander has only killed a single Vorpal Bunny, while the rest were killed with either a punch or a kick.
No, the sword is not useless, because if he hits the enemies or forces them to block his attacks, they will be crippled and left open to follow-up attacks.
And this sword really goes well with his Full Counter skill.
It didn't take long for Tanaka to reach the bridge toward Secondil, and blocking the way there was a gigantic snake.
[Ravenous Snake]
"Oh, a boss fight!" Tanaka's eyes gleamed. Honestly, the monsters he fought along the way didn't challenge him, their attack patterns were obvious, and they died after only a few hits.
And everyone knows that in games, boss monsters are a different breed.
[YAnnaY: This monster looks strong!]
[PeachyMarine: This battle will be legendary!]
[YAnnaY: I got the reference there!]
Tanaka didn't have time to look at the chat as the snake lunged toward him with its mouth wide open. Despite its large size, its speed was even greater than a Vorpal Bunny.
Dang!
Tanaka raised his sword and blocked the biting attack of the snake, skidding back a few inches and creating a trail beneath his feet.
The attack was heavy, but there was no damage as he fully blocked it.
"You are heavy!"
Tanaka said with a smile before pushing it off with his sword and following up with an elbow strike to its chin. The snake was blown upward, and Tanaka used this chance to pull his sword back and perform a powerful attack.
With a large motion, he struck while the snake was still stunned from the chin hit, slashing toward its underbelly.
Dang!
Sparks flew as the sword made contact with its scales, but because of the power of the attack, the snake was blown away and rolled several times before regaining its balance and lunging once again.
This time, Tanaka didn't block. He sidestepped, dodging the snake by a few inches, then followed up with a powerful stab.
Dang!
Scales were blown away as his attack connected, and the snake roared in pain as it turned toward him and opened its mouth.
Tanaka already sensed a malicious attack coming, but he was in an awkward position where he couldn't pull away immediately.
Without hesitation, he let go of the sword and rolled on the ground, barely dodging the poison spit from the snake.
"That was close," Tanaka said, his face calm, though his sword was now beneath the snake.
"What a nasty spit."
He looked at the poison that was melting the ground.
"I guess back to the basics."
He pulled out a novice dagger from his inventory and took a step forward.
Then he disappeared.
Splurt!
Goo spurted everywhere as Tanaka reappeared in front of the snake and stabbed its right eye.
Roar!!?
The snake roared in pain as it thrashed around, trying to throw Tanaka, who was hanging on the dagger stuck in its right eye.
But instead of being thrown off, Tanaka used the momentum to move toward its left eye and stab with the other dagger, but the snake reacted fast and closed its eyes in time.
Dang!
The dagger turned into particles of light as it broke from the impact, but Tanaka didn't mind. He threw it at the left eye of the snake, giving him just enough time to retrieve the Zweihander.
As he got the sword, instead of retreating and repositioning, Tanaka charged as soon as he regained his balance and attacked the part of its body where the scales were destroyed from his earlier attack.
[Vital Stab]
Splurt!
Roar!
The snake roared in pain before slowly, its body turned into particles of light, leaving only a few drops of loot.
"Nice," Tanaka said with a sunny smile as he turned toward the livestream.
[YAnnaY: Yay! A good fight!]
[PeachyMarine: Yay! A no-hit run against the boss!]
With the snake out of the way, Tanaka made his way to Secondill. He first went to an inn after Anna told him to reset his respawn point in Secondill.
With that done, Tanaka now had enough time to look around Secondil, which is definitely bigger than Firstia. There are also lots of golden pillars here, much brighter and bigger.
But since he still had a quest with a deadline, Tanaka ignored those for now and made his way toward the shops, and here the items were much better. He checked a few shops and finally settled on one with the best quality.
He selected a pair of reinforced greaves and metal gauntlets, equipment that would allow him to fully utilize his entire body in combat rather than relying on the sword alone.
Once equipped, the added weight settled naturally onto him, as if it had always been part of his body.
[YAnnaY: Oooh!! You look stronger already!! 😳✨]
[PeachyMarine: WAIT—YOU'RE GONNA PUNCH PEOPLE WITH THAT?! 😭✨]
[Devilwithagun: Good drip keke.]
"With these, I won't mind taking some damage," Tanaka said with a smile. He felt an itch to try his new equipment, so he immediately made his way to Carne Village after shopping.
Tanaka smiled faintly.
"Let's try it."
The road to Carne Village was quiet, but that silence didn't last long.
Three wolves burst from the bushes, their movements fast and aggressive as they charged toward him.
Golden guiding lines appeared instantly.
Clear.
Absolute.
Tanaka stepped forward.
The Zweihander swung in a wide arc, and before the wolves could even react, one was sent flying the moment it tried to block, its body crushed by the sheer force.
At the same time, Tanaka's body moved seamlessly with the flow of the strike.
As the sword completed its motion, his left hand followed.
A precise punch.
The second wolf was struck mid-air and thrown aside.
The third attempted to attack from behind, but Tanaka's leg moved exactly along the golden line.
A clean kick.
The wolf collapsed before it even understood what happened.
[PeachyMarine: THAT WAS SO CLEAN!!! 😭✨]
[YAnnaY: You didn't even stop moving!! 😳✨]
[Devilwithagun: Perfect flow.]
Tanaka didn't pause as he finished the remaining movements, ending the fight in a single continuous sequence.
[You have defeated Field Wolves x3]
"…This feels better," he said softly, his smile unchanged.
As he continued forward, more monsters appeared, but none of them could disrupt his rhythm.
Each movement he made was already correct before it even began, guided by the golden lines that never wavered.
There were no wasted actions.
No hesitation.
No openings.
At one point, five goblins surrounded him, attempting to overwhelm him with numbers.
Golden lines filled his vision.
Tanaka moved.
A single swing forced two goblins to block, but the impact shattered their defense instantly.
Before they could recover, his elbow followed naturally, crushing one's throat, while his leg moved in the next instant, striking another down.
A dagger came from the side.
Tanaka's blade met it at the exact moment it needed to.
Full Counter activated.
The next motion was inevitable.
The Zweihander pierced through the goblin without resistance.
The remaining enemies never had a chance to escape.
[Ding!]
[Level Up! 9 → 10]
Tanaka exhaled lightly, his breathing still steady.
"…Level 10 already."
[YAnnaY: That was amazing!! 😳✨]
[PeachyMarine: YOU MAKE IT LOOK SO EASY!!! 😭✨]
When Carne Village came into view, it was already nighttime, just in time before the village gates closed.
Tanaka then made his way toward the house of the village chief, and after explaining the situation and the quest he received, the Village Chief's eyes widened in shock.
He immediately gathered the guards and important people of the village.
After all, the situation was very dangerous and could cause the death of everyone.
They immediately sent scouts around the perimeter, and after confirming that there were already camps around the village, escaping was impossible.
The only thing they could do was send a letter asking for help, but it would take until the next morning for reinforcements to arrive.
"Oh adventurer, please, we need your help!" the village chief said, turning to Tanaka.
[Quest: Defend the Village until the reinforcements arrive]
[The attack starts in 8 hours]
[Survive for at least 3 hours]
[The village population must not drop below 70%]
"Village Chief, relocate every young and old into a shelter. The strong men will guard it. Make sure they are safe. I will defend the village gates," Tanaka said as he gave commands.
Since the quest required the village population to not drop, it was better for him to fight alone.
The village chief wanted the strong men to help him, but Tanaka refused, and after convincing them to trust him, he went to the inn and rested.
His stamina was already halved, and since the mission stated 8 hours, the attack would surely start then.
The next day, Tanaka woke up early with an hour left before the attack. He prepared some items such as spare swords and daggers.
Soon, the villagers were relocated into the shelter, and Tanaka stood before the gate. In the distance, an army of soldiers approached.
[YAnnaY: Wow, that is a lot! Can you really do it?]
[PeachyMarine: Be careful! The death penalty is severe!]
"Do not worry, I will win this," Tanaka said with a smile before pulling out the Zweihander from his back. The horse riders were already charging with no intention of talking first.
They came to slaughter.
"Since this is a role play, I guess I should immerse myself. I won't be looking at the chat, so just watch and enjoy," Tanaka said before closing his eyes and taking a breath.
When his eyes opened, his aura had changed. His posture, the way he held the sword—it made him look like a knight from legends.
Swooosh!
Tanaka stepped forward, and like an arrow released from a bow, he lunged forward and arrived in front of a knight, beheading him instantly.
"You knights with no honor, this village is under my protection. If you insist on continuing, then none of you will leave alive."
Tanaka stood before hundreds of soldiers without fear.
His eyes glowed brightly.
This gave the charging knights great pressure, as if they were standing before a god.
"It's just a single bastard! Kill him!" a knight, likely a leader, roared as they charged.
One against hundreds—something told only in legendary stories.
A hero standing without fear.
Inside a well-lit room filled with anime, manga, and doujinshi posters, a girl watched from her computer, her eyes gleaming brightly as she couldn't look away.
PeachyMarine, also known as Marine Kitagawa, felt her body tremble—not in fear, but in an inexplicable excitement surging through her.
On the screen, the battle of Tanaka against the hundreds of knights was in full chaos, even though he stood alone.
His movements were that of a hardened warrior who had fought thousands of battles and survived all of them, just like the knights in stories… No, this was different.
This wasn't scripted like those in movies or anime. It wasn't predetermined like stories. No—this was just a person who had immersed himself into a realistic game, turning it into his own story.
—
Tanaka stood on the vast field. The hundred knights didn't dare take him lightly anymore—they were now cautious in engaging him.
They also refused to engage immediately because reinforcements had arrived, riding on horses.
As soon as the reinforcements arrived, they clashed against the low-morale knights who couldn't get past Tanaka.
Tanaka felt some pressure lift from his shoulders as the battle between both armies began, when he suddenly felt a pat on his shoulder.
"Thank you for holding the line, adventurer. I am Gazef Stronoff. We will take care of things now."
Gazef was a muscular man around thirty years old. He had a sunbathed, dark face with noticeable wrinkles, short trimmed black hair, and black eyes that were as sharp as a sword.
Gazef was a powerful warrior—one swing of his sword defeated multiple knights at once.
"It is my own will to do this," Tanaka replied with a nod, but he didn't leave the battlefield. His eyes were fixed on the horizon.
There stood a group of people wearing robes. Even though their allied knights had perished, they didn't seem to care. Their faces were covered with cloth marked with strange scribbles.
Only one man had his face uncovered, wearing an arrogant expression as he looked at Tanaka and Gazef.
They walked forward slowly, giving Gazef enough time to gather his army.
"You are finally here, Stronoff. And it was good entertainment, adventurer—but it ends here. Behold, the divine beings!" one of them said.
Tanaka focused on the man speaking and saw his name.
[Nigud Grid Luini]
Then, beings appeared in the sky. Tanaka checked their names.
[Summoned Monster: Angel]
But they didn't look like the beautiful and kind angels people imagined. No—they looked more like mechanical beings.
"Kill them!"
As Nigud gave the order, all the angels moved at once, immediately massacring the army Gazef had brought.
Even when Gazef tried to protect them, it was useless. The angels had self-healing properties, and even when Gazef defeated one, another would be summoned immediately.
Tanaka also defeated several angels, but they kept being summoned again and again. However, they did give a large amount of experience.
After defeating five angels, he leveled up to 15—but if this continued, his stamina would run out, and he would eventually be killed.
Tanaka had already completed his quest and had no reason to stay in the battle anymore, but because he was immersed in the game, he continued fighting.
Splurt!
Tanaka suddenly heard a sound, and beside him, Gazef was pierced by multiple angels, blood pouring from his body.
"Haha! This is all you amount to, Stronoff!? Die!" Nigud laughed like a madman, savoring his victory.
Meanwhile, Tanaka was also being surrounded by multiple angels, but none of them could even touch the hem of his clothes.
He could have gone to help Gazef… but he felt something.
And it was about to come.
Swoosh!
Gazef suddenly disappeared from the battlefield along with the remaining soldiers.
In their place, a tall figure appeared—wearing a robe, with broad shoulders, and a mask covering its face.
Beside it stood a black female knight clad in full black armor, horns protruding from her helm.
But Tanaka's eyes were fixed on the tall figure.
His divine power couldn't sense anything.
No fortune.
No malice.
Suddenly, he remembered a story from his grandmother.
"A being with fortune are those favored, people who have done good deeds all their lives. A being full of malice is a devil or a monster. A being with both is just a normal human," his grandmother explained.
"Then what if they don't have both?" Tanaka asked when he was young.
"There is no such being. Fortune and malice exist in everything. Even a saint can have malice, and a devil can have fortune. But if such a being exists… then it could only be Death."
"Death has no fortune, because its arrival brings none. But it also has no malice, because it is simply its role to take the dead."
His grandmother's words echoed in his mind.
"So this is Death…"
Tanaka's eyes glowed brightly, filled with curiosity and eagerness to understand this being.
The figure noticed his gaze—but ignored him for now, turning instead toward Nigud.
"Who are you?" Nigud asked, staring at the figure.
"Nice to meet you, people of the Slane Theocracy. My name is Ains Ooal Gown. Call me Ains… and offer me your lives without resistance."
[Ding!]
[Discovered Unique Monster: Ains Ooal Gown]