Chapter 368 : ss1
Now, ladies and gentlemen, I believe Christmas and games have an inseparable relationship.
Even in a game like FBO which recommends solo play, the moment you are active in a VRMMO environment connected to the internet, you cannot escape the battlefield that is the Christmas sales season.
Christmas-exclusive equipment, events, skins, characters—I think the online gaming world at Christmas attacks you from all angles, demanding your money through various means.
Well then, shall we talk about that very Christmas sales season in FBO?
In my hazy consciousness, even at this stage, I can assert this is a dream.
It's different from the childhood dream I saw before.Seeing the players clad in Santa Claus skins, I understood these were memories from a few years after I started playing FBO.
Ah, yes. This is that insane Christmas event.
'Kah kah kah kah! Even though it's Christmas, you're all still in an online game world, huh?'
That distinctive laugh, that good-looking older guy with a huge staff... is that Handa-san?Ah, nostalgic. He was a strange player who used a staff but was a physical attacker, raising his magic power to hit things physically.
He said he was a winner who made a killing in stocks, but I thought it was contradictory for a winner to be playing a net game in the middle of Christmas.
'Handa, you're one to talk!'
The one quipping back at Handa-san is Masher-san, who loves using a nail-studded bat as a joke weapon.Ah, this person is nostalgic too.He said he was a former Koshien baseball player, a die-hard fan of a certain Kansai team.You might think he should play baseball games instead, but this guy was a pro VR baseball game player, so FBO was for relaxation and training.
'Better than a lonely Christmas.'
Ah, that baritone voice and the seven-three parted avatar I could never forget.That's the eccentric player 'Butler,' who boasted that pushing up glasses was the coolest gesture a man could make.Yeah, when I first met him, I quipped, 'Aren't you Sebastian?!' — his name was that unusual.
He was really good at support.
'But there's zero female presence here!!'
And the one with those three was me, playing under the name Liberta.The past me, wearing a Santa costume and holding a scythe-spear, the most normal weirdo in this group of eccentrics.
'Don't say that!'
As we spend a cozy online Christmas together, it's obvious none of the four of us here had a significant other.
I think during this period, we got along well and often formed parties with this crew.It wasn't so much that we all loved the same game, but more that we strangely clicked as people.
FBO events are often quite unique.And this Christmas event is no exception.While most games prepare flashy events, FBO offered a different flavor of Christmas, and the fact we gathered for it can only be explained by saying we just 'clicked.'
'Kah kah kah! Well, well, we've hunted a lot of reindeer again this year.''Totally, reindeer day in and day out... the main Santa is nowhere to be found! If it's a Christmas event, they should at least prepare a miniskirt Santa or something. There's a severe lack of eye candy!''Masher-san, if you're looking for that, the gathering hall is full of them.''But they're all NPCs!''Butler! Liberta! Masher! Enough chatter, it's starting!!'
The FBO Christmas Event: Rebellion of the Reindeer.Every single year, forced to deliver massive loads, the priceless reward being children's smiles.The reindeer, their patience worn thin by endless delivery work, raise the banner of rebellion and assault the Santas' dwellings. That's the event story.
'Oh, here they come.''The physical-type reindeer this year have some serious muscle definition.''Somehow, they get more intense every year. The sorrow, obsession, and perhaps murderous intent of the developers who can't spend Christmas... or maybe it's just that the prelude quest is too tedious.'
Following Handa-san's voice, we each ready our weapons.Placing my palm on my forehead and gazing into the distance, I see reindeer charging forward, kicking up not sand but snow.
The boss that appears after the prelude.
But the size is insane.
With the scale of a certain mobile suit, a muscle-bound, bipedal reindeer runs towards us with blood-red eyes.
'Death to normies! Oppose black companies! We want dates on the holy night too!!'
And so the battle began with their screams, but for us, trained up to Class 10, defeating the event boss 'Berserk Rindeer,' even at its highest difficulty (roughly Class 9), isn't particularly hard.
'The gag is funny, but as game dialogue, it's crap.''Nah, isn't it pushing it even as a gag?''It's hard to fight because you feel guilty or even empathize.''It was trending on social media recently. People sympathizing with the reindeer.'
I thought they should think more seriously about the event story, but reacting to the telltale initial movements of its attack pattern, we dive into battle.
'First, a blow to the shins!!''A thousand deliveries in one night is impossible!!'
With Handa-san's strike, the Berserk Rindeer lets out a pained cry.Though what it cries is just too sad.
'When it stumbles, a smash from the back of the head!!''Don't get all lovey-dovey in front of us while we're working!!'
As it kneels, Masher-san assaults from behind with his nail bat.The damage voice lines are rumored to be actual recordings of the devs' screams.
'And then, Chain Magic Bind.''You said it was a family-friendly workplace!!'
As it topples over, magical chains bind the Berserk Rindeer.I hear some players stop attacking after hearing that, but we press on without hesitation.
'Neck Hunt.''..............'
There's no point if we defeat it before it can deliver its line.With my finishing blow, the Berserk Rindeer is defeated.
'Sigh... The other difficulties are normal, so why does the Hell difficulty, which has the best material drop efficiency, have to attack you mentally? They could just raise the stats and change the moves.''Kah kah kah, rumor has it it's a bitter decision because we got too strong, and even with normally strong monsters, we'd just clear them.''I also heard they have too much work and no budget or time to add new motions.''Dammit!'
Material grinding in the Christmas event.If you prioritize efficiency, you should run the difficulty with the most materials.But to not make it that easy, the developers thought up this psychological attack. Masher-san lodges his complaint, and Handa-san replies with a wry smile.
'Liberta, did it drop?''Not this time. As expected with a 0.03% drop rate.'
Opening the golden treasure chest from the defeated Berserk Rindeer to check the contents, the material we want isn't there.
'Damn it!!! The event ends at midnight tonight!! At this rate, I won't complete the limited NPC equipment set!!''That's because you slacked off on grinding, Masher-san.''I can't help it!! The end of the year is packed with events, so there are more games too!!''And it's a limited NPC outfit voiced by your favorite voice actor, right? It'd be pretty bad if you missed it.''Plus, it's a miniskirt Santa costume, a direct hit to Masher-san's taste.''Hey Liberta! Don't act like it's not your taste either!! And you, gloomy butler! Don't act all innocent like it doesn't concern you! I know you're the one among us who gathered the set the fastest!!'
This is probably another gaming trope.The desire sensor is working hard, eating into working adults' time.The scene of people playing together, trying to raise efficiency even a little.
And the trivial banter between gamers.Ah, it's truly nostalgic.
But it seems time is up for this too.Nostalgic memories, nostalgic recollections.
Perhaps they appear so vividly precisely because this is a dream.
The conversations are becoming harder to hear.
That means, it's time to wake from this dream.
Part of me wants to keep watching.
But it's not a scene meant to be viewed forever.
Well, if there's another chance, I'll probably see it again.
I wake from the noisy dream.
Surely, this nostalgic, fun dream is a Christmas present from Santa Claus himself.