Chapter 354
The development site tour for Jinx-san and the others can be called a great success.
Apart from Jinx-san, quite a few people, led by the butcher uncle, said things like "I'll convince my family no matter what," so it looks like we'll secure far more personnel than planned. I'm currently rearranging the schedule on the fly.
I've asked Dark-san to produce additional golems, requested Genjirou's group and the Entertainers to farm for materials in dungeons... things are gradually getting more exciting.
"And with that, we have our proto-village, so starting today, we'll be culling the monsters in this land!"
I'm aware my energy is high, so I step onto the platform with that same momentum. Before me are the Garden Watchmen led by Genjirou, the Entertainers led by Judes and Sharia, and the main party—Nell, Amina, Ingrid, Lady Esmeralda, Claudia—our forces are all assembled.
"Alright, over there—it's fine to be energetic, but no stripping.""Huh!?"
I admonish the few who, caught up in the moment, had stripped to the waist and were posing. The predictable sequence follows: they realize it was unconscious, laughter erupts from the surroundings.
You'd think the serious-minded Genjirou and his group would frown, but they're laughing along too.Having fought together in the purge of the Boldrinde faction before the Aži Dahāka subjugation, and interacting afterward, they've completely warmed up to each other.
Precisely because they understand this is a 'fun-loving' force that also has skill, they can genuinely enjoy it, I suppose.
Grateful for the icebreaker, I clap once to gather attention.
"Alright, today's plan. As explained last night, we'll leave part of the Garden Watchmen and Entertainers for base defense. The rest will be divided into teams and begin culling operations in sequence."
It's great they get along so well. This time, it's a mixed party with the Entertainers handling scouting, detection, mapping, and support, while the Garden Watchmen handle combat.Their respective leaders discussed and decided the formations, which I've reviewed.
"The forest and mountains before us—basically, the land we received is under monster control."
So, what is this "culling operation" we'll be doing with their cooperation?Taken literally, it could mean culling the monsters wandering the surroundings.But this is FBO-level quality.This "culling" isn't ordinary.What we're about to do is something that breaks game balance—or rather, an act that shouldn't be possible within the game's system.
"The maps have been distributed to each team, right?"
Using a pointer on the large map pinned to the board behind the podium, I begin the explanation.
Early in FBO, players who learned you could develop open-world forests wondered if they could create their own original towns.You could build, set up utilities, recruit NPCs as allies.With those three elements combined, gamers naturally thought, "We could probably build a town, right?"
However, one problem arose there.It's a land teeming with monsters.Undeveloped land invariably comes with a set of monsters.Wherever you go, they appear, attacking as if they despise humanity.
If you carelessly build a town or village on random land, it becomes a place constantly assaulted by respawning monsters.If you build a town right on top of a respawn point, it becomes a town where monsters spawn from within.
Monsters are set as creatures tied to the land within FBO's game system.That's typical for a game world where monsters exist.For developing this land, I needed to confirm if the same settings from FBO's game apply to this world.Investigating the possibility that monsters in this world might be born through breeding, the result...
"The base point is this starting village. From there, we'll cull in a fan shape toward the sea side, not the kingdom side."
It turned out the same monster culling methods from the game work fine here.In other words, in this world too, respawn points can be eliminated.
Eliminating respawn points.It's a concept that overturns the foundation of monster-inhabited games.No, perhaps it's more accurate to say it's a concept that could change the game genre.
Even seasoned FBO players were surprised by this feature.After all, pursuing this feature to its logical conclusion means you could eradicate monsters from the entire world.
The main method of building towns in this world is to target empty spaces avoiding monster respawn points.Naturally, such land is limited, and securing farmland is tough.That's precisely why monster eradication is important and why the adventurer profession has a role.
However, using this method makes securing land much easier.It requires appropriate preparation and time, and eradicating monsters in the Central Continent, frankly, requires a level of patience that would make even masochists' eyes go dead.
Well, there are players who overdid it, surpassing masochism and stepping into inhuman territory.Among those with exceptionally high total playtime, some even defeated the final boss evil god and hidden bosses, declared "Peace Declaration," and eradicated all monsters.
Well, after those Peace Declaration posts, overlapping posts about the exact opposite—depletion of monster resources, land disputes, and wars among humans breaking out—popped up, but that's beside the point.
"Each team, check the monster list and separate useful monsters from unnecessary ones when dealing with them."
That's irrelevant for now.The culling of monster respawn points in the land I received needs to be done systematically.It's directly linked to zoning the land.Residential areas, farmland, industrial zones, water sources, resource areas.Monsters are involved in all of these.
"Basically, leave useful monsters be. If they're distributed in extremely crucial areas, confirm with me first."
Monster resources are more valuable than mediocre mines.We must carefully understand what drop items they yield, make selections, and proceed with development.
Ensuring that point is well understood, I finally point at the line of carts neatly arranged in this starting village.
"That concludes the explanation. When moving out, each team take one cart with you."
They're magic tools made by asking Dark-san and the spirits to eliminate respawn points.Something like a keystone for sealing, incorporating sealing formulas and the familiar 'Mark of the Weakling' for an unbreakable attribute.
They require materials of at least equal, ideally higher, rank than the monsters at that respawn point, and have the drawback of being meaningless unless driven precisely into the center of the respawn point.
The carts carrying such items have no wheels.Wheels can't handle traversing this undeveloped wilderness.Carts imbued with a floating skill are convenient items that levitate the main body a fixed distance above the ground when magic is channeled.
"Alright, commence operation!""Everyone, let's move out!""Right!""Everyone! Do your best!""Ooooooh!""Yeah, so again, let's not strip, okay?"
With the operation commencing, each team pulls their carts and departs from the starting village.I ended up delivering a retort to the group that stripped their clothes off in an instant just before departure.
The fact they're posing without exposing vital areas is what makes it really mischievous.Even with Nell, Amina, Ingrid, Lady Esmeralda—women of marrying age—present...Well, they used to react at first, but recently they just give cold stares and don't react much anymore.
"Liberta! We're ready!""OK, let's get going too."
While pondering whether I should provide some education on that matter, we also enter the forest at the foot of the mountainous area.
The characteristic of this area is that, unlike the royal capital or other towns in the Southern Continent, various monsters appear.The closest image might be the Ancient Ruins Madalda.That was also an area infested with various monsters.This frontier land is similar, no—perhaps even more so.
After all, just moving around brings encounters with various monsters, and the combinations keep changing.
"Hunter Monkeys... targets for extermination.""My, they've been screeching incessantly since earlier."
Among them, finding areas where a 'mix'—meaning the appearance frequency of other monsters decreases, and only one type appears more easily—is the key to locating respawn points.Around here, the appearance frequency of Hunter Monkeys, baring their teeth in threat, has increased. That means we're close to a respawn point.
Nell checks the Hunter Monkeys in the trees against the monster list and confirms they're on the extermination list.
"Their drop items are low value, they steal things, they're ferocious, and being near the village is a negative point. We're hunting them.""Got it!""Should I lure them with a song?""Yeah, if we wipe them out completely at once, they won't attack for a while.""Understood!"
First prey, entering combat stance.Nell's halberd is a bit unwieldy in this dense, tree-filled forest.So, she draws her one-handed axe as a sub-weapon.
I also use a kusarigama, usable in mid-range, instead of a spear.
"I'm glad I'm a martial artist at times like this.""I'll support Amina-sama.""Hmm, lightning spells risk forest fires. I'll provide support with ice spells."
As Amina's song begins, Claudia is the first to dash out.This kind of three-dimensional space where you can move using trees might be where she, who has been mastering aerial combos daily, can truly demonstrate her worth.
Frankly, this lineup is overkill against Class 3 monsters.Claudia alone, darting from tree to tree, instantly killing them one after another, is more than enough.
But leaving all the fighting to her would be inefficient.
Nell and I also dash out, using Air Step to move among the trees, entering the territory of Hunter Monkeys gathering in the treetops. Swinging the weight, starting with mid-range attacks, and using the sickle for close combat.
The kusarigama, applicable to both 'Throwing Mastery' and 'Sickle God Arts' skills, is quite excellent as a sub-weapon.
"Ha!!!"
Nell's battle cry echoes nearby, and she proceeds to cleave Hunter Monkeys one after another with her one-handed axe.
Some Hunter Monkeys are lured by Amina's song and approach, but they're also drawn by Nell's voice.
Amidst the song, battle cries, and impact sounds, there's a sound like air being sliced.
"Leave the support to me!"
Lady Esmeralda, skillfully keeping ice boomerangs hovering around her, sends them flying deftly through the narrow gaps between trees, hitting enemies perfectly.
While I trained her to do that, the skill she's acquired is the fruit of her own effort.
"......"
Ingrid stands quietly in place, vigilant of the surroundings.Understanding her important role of guarding the rear, she holds her broom silently.
Hunter Monkeys are fairly numerous.And they engage not only from the treetops but also from the ground.
One Hunter Monkey used the undergrowth to approach the rear from a blind spot.
But no one pays it any mind.Not because they didn't notice...
"...Hmph."
...but because they trust Ingrid.Exhaling quietly, the Hunter Monkey that charged at Ingrid, who had taken an iai-drawing stance, was cut down with a single stroke, turning to black ash without even realizing it was cut.
After about five minutes of such combat, not only Hunter Monkeys but other monsters also stop appearing.
"That's the end of them.""Yeah, so from here it's tedious work, huh."
Fighting suits our nature.But that's not all there is to do forever.
"Alright, Nell, Lady Esmeralda, Claudia-san, if you would. Amina and Ingrid, stay alert. I'll pull the cart."
From here begins the tedious work. The real show starts with the peculiar sight of beauties and a beautiful girl wielding Dark-san's special dowsing rods.