NOVEL NEXT WORLD The Strongest Solo Gamer with Terrible Social Skills Reincarnates as a Hated NPC in a VRMMO Chapter 135
135 Unwavering Resolve
“＜Huh? Maximizer?”＞
“＜Isn’t that just a trash skill?”＞
“＜The effect lasts for 360 seconds. During that time, you can’t use skills, and it doesn’t even deal DPS. It’s better to just buff your party members, right?”＞
“＜Tsukasa? If we use this skill, the attacker, tank, and healer’s roles won’t function!＞”
“＜It’s impossible in the current environment…＞”
“＜Seriously. You can’t take aggro… When I tried to use Maximizer as a tank, the hate effect disappeared the moment the skill activated, didn’t it?”＞
“＜Ahh… Because you can’t stack buffs?”＞
“＜Maximizer priority erases other buffs, doesn’t it?”＞
“＜Geez, it really is a trash skill.”＞
“＜The clown’s unique skill is… Don’t aim for it in a place like this!!＞”
“＜The developers should reflect on this!!＞”
“＜It’s really useless…＞”
“＜Trash—＞”
…….
………….
“—Did you see that…”
A dry wind brushes against my cheek.
With a single strike from the energy blade extended from the tip of my slender sword, the demon god Atlanaata is bisected. No question about it, an instant kill. Just one strike, and I achieved this result. What’s trash? What’s useless? You fools on the bulletin board!
Maximizer is my hope!!
Just one person.
My precious weapon, which has allowed me to survive solo.
Can one person really do it all? Can one person deal DPS? Can one person defeat a raid boss?
Am I really useless in the game world too? That’s when I was driven to desperation. The [Clown] job, added in ver.1.20, was ridiculed as a useless job, but it had a sharp, solo-specialized skill that surpassed any other job!
Hate management? That’s unnecessary for solo play. When Maximizer’s single strike, which risks life and limb for 360 seconds, is unleashed, it’s overwhelmingly powerful. That’s far more DPS than players who are carefree and playing with their party!
The evasion judgment is 0.5mm from the body. If you fail and get attacked, it won’t absorb the damage; you’ll just take the hit. That’s the harsh setting. Many players have given up, but I didn’t.
I knew it instinctively.
This is it.
What I should risk my life for――
Is this skill.
I’ll master it absolutely. With a momentum that synchronizes with my heart, I was captivated by the Maximizer.
And then, the reality――it came true……！
……The magical crystal terminal (Portal) in my pocket vibrated. Is it a level-up notification? As I gazed at the Atlanata transforming into a magical crystal, I was vaguely thinking about such things.
The Demon God Atlanata……also known as Attrac=Nacua. If I recall correctly, it was one of the gods in the Cthulhu Mythos? A god imprisoned at the bottom of the earth……What kind of circumstances led it to be caught in the ABYSS……？
“――Cutta……”
“Huh?”
In the instant it vanished, Atlanata gazed at me and murmured something. Was that really a word? With a gentle expression, it disappeared soundlessly, like a spider girl.
Her face――it looked so painfully familiar that I couldn’t help but stop moving and think.
The meaning of the words.
The girl’s face.
The resemblance.
“――It was good.”
What was?
Was it good that it disappeared?
A gentle-looking face that seemed familiar.
Player……? Avatar……?
Ke……i……to……?
“――Ggggguuu!!?”
My head hurts like it’s going to split open!?
Is this happening again……!?
I get it, I won’t think about it anymore……!
So, please……heal……!
“――Shouma-kun!! Shouma-kun!!”
“……H, h, Touka……?”
“……You fool……You’re back, Shouma-kun……”
“Ha――?”
You’re back? What’s going on, what’s happening?
“You said you’d call me by name, didn’t you……?”
“A, ah……”
I nodded while holding my head. What’s with that? The pain in my head subsided as I thought about it.――That’s right. What about our usual companions?
As I turned my thoughts around, I heard Taichi’s sorrowful voice from behind.
“――Siell!? Oh, Siell!? Do you understand what’s going on with me!? I’m Durado!? The headless man who grew up with you in the hideout!? What’s wrong with you……Open your eyes!? We’ve come this far……It’s too late……!! Help me out!!”
“!! Taichi!! What about our companions’ conditions!!”
“Siell, Siell……”
“Taichi!!”
Taichi, who had fallen, clung to the Arachne girl. As I approached him and grabbed his shoulder, he burst into tears and crouched down on the spot.
――Was it all for naught……?
The singing voice that drew near collapsed to its knees, tears streaming down its face as it repeatedly muttered “No, no!” in denial of reality.
Was she… Ciel=Nette?
The girl with green hair and slit-like eyes had her body covered in numerous wounds that seemed to symbolize her harsh life. It was as if her body was a testament to her cruel experiences.
After escaping from Atlanaata’s control, the power she was given disappeared. Perhaps the demon god’s contract was like a life support system. As someone who was originally dead, she was trying to take her last breath naturally.
“Not yet!! Don’t give up!!”
I took out all the recovery medicine I had from my dimensional storage and poured it onto Ciel’s body. I wouldn’t give up as long as there was a possibility.
I remembered the last expression of the demon god Atlanaata. I didn’t want her to end up like that. I was desperate to revive her, and it surprised even myself.
“Shouma-kun――”
Please breathe.
Any faint breath would do.
Don’t give up.
Don’t give up on her.
Even if we’re alone――
I won’t give up!!
“………”
“――!? She’s breathing!? She’s alive!!”
“Si, Siel……!!”
“You’re saved!? Your friends are saved too!? This isn’t the time to cry!!”
I put a mantle on Ciel from my dimensional storage and gave instructions to the two.
“I’ll collect Arachne’s threads! You two take Ciel and rely on the Magic Research Department’s director in the exploration zone!!”
“The Magic Research Department… that abandoned alleyway!!”
“But the opponent is human――”
“Do you want to help her!? Then there’s no time to hesitate!!”
“!!”
Although she had started breathing again, it was clear that she was still in a critical condition. We didn’t have time to chat with the two here. They seemed to understand, and they moved according to my instructions.
“What’s the director’s name again?”
“It’s Doumouji Kusako! He’s a weirdo, but because he’s a weirdo, he’ll help you guys too!!”
“Got it! We’ll go!!”
“I’ll meet up with you later!! You guys do as Kusako says, okay!!”
“A――ah!!”
“Ciel… hang in there…!!”
“……”
Taichi, who was carrying Ciel on his back, quickly escaped from the 20th floor. The singing voice was with them. I! was left alone.
Don’t worry……!!
For now, let’s prioritize what we can do――