Chapter 90

The World Quest "Demon Invasion." This battle marked the first large-scale event after the official service began.

After logging out from the battle, Asakura Asuka lay sprawled on her bed in her room.

A battle against numerous enemies, and a powerful foe that she could not defeat on her own.

However, even after such a fierce battle, Asuka couldn't suppress the relaxed smile that spread across her face.

"Hehe... As expected, Sensei is amazing."

The figure that effortlessly crushed the opponent she couldn't defeat.

Asuka had etched every move and gesture into her memory.

To her, he was the most respected existence, a formidable warrior whose shadow she could not even catch a glimpse of.

For Asuka, he was a kind of salvation.

"Battle Etiquette, Oni Cry... Secret Transmission Armor Break... and many more. I really envy Lumin."

Thinking about the techniques she couldn't master, she considered how to adapt them to herself.

This had been a daily life work for Asuka ever since she joined the Kuzen Shintō-ryū.

—Asakura Asuka is a genius.

This was the evaluation given to her within days of her picking up a sword.

The martial arts concept of Shuhari—mastering, breaking, and transcending the rules—essentially refers to how one adjusts established forms to fit oneself.

Asuka possessed exceptional talent in this adaptation.

The techniques of the Kuzen Shintō-ryū are extremely complex, and even the basics like Bamboo Separation and Flowing Water are profound.

Asuka had added her own twists to these complex techniques on the very day she learned them.

This is why she was hailed as a genius by those around her. It was an undeniable fact—yet, to Asuka, it was a meaningless evaluation.

(Ah, I can't reach him... I'm still so far behind, I can't even catch his shadow.)

Because there was a genius even greater than herself.

Kuzen Sōichi—born into the Kuzen clan, the main family that inherited the Kuzen Shintō-ryū, and a demon child.

Favored by the renowned head of the clan, Kuzen Genshirō, he endured his torturous training without ever faltering.

Asuka knew that he was the true genius. And at the same time, he was a genius who had accumulated an incredible amount of effort.

Compared to him, her talent was nothing more than a superficial trick. Therefore, Asuka had continued to train without being complacent about her abilities.

However, she also felt a sense of frustration.

(That's why I have to follow Sensei—)

He was Asuka's goal.

A place she wanted to reach, a place she wanted to stand beside.

But his gaze was always on his teacher, the previous generation.

Always looking up, running without looking back. The feeling of being left behind, of the distance growing ever wider.

Even for Asuka, who thought that the distant goal was not a problem, she did not want to be left so far behind that she could never catch up.

—Standing by his side, becoming someone who could stand beside him, was the meaning of Asuka's life.

"—When you return, please make me your disciple!"

That's what Asuka told Sōichi on the day she set out six years ago.

She made her wish, understanding its meaning.

To stand beside him, to reach the place she wanted to be—she wished with all her heart.

At that time, Sōichi was already recognized as the next head of the Kuzen Shintō-ryū.

Being a direct disciple of the head is a very special position, and Sōichi should not have chosen a disciple so easily.

However, he made the decision immediately, affirming it without hesitation.

"Sure, you'll be fine. If it comes to that, it should be you."

On that day, Asakura Asuka's fate was decided. No, she had seized it with her own hands.

To one day stand beside the man who would carry the Kuzen Shintō-ryū.

—To stand beside him and support the Kuzen Shintō-ryū together.

That's why Asuka rejoiced at the height of Sōichi's peak.

Understanding that the journey was long, she still felt—

"…This time, I'll go with you. I'll become stronger. So—"

Swallowing the words that followed, Asuka smiled.

She had felt jealousy. She had been ostracized by others.

But to Asuka, those things were meaningless.

She would definitely support him—prove that he would never be alone as he ran far ahead.

"…I'll do my best, Sensei."

With renewed resolve, Asuka whispered softly.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

The VRMMORPG, [Magica Technica]—its development is primarily driven by the large-scale group company, Aikazaki Group, which has business ventures in various industries.

Among them, the game is operated by the game development team 'AURA,' and in their office, the staff were moving busily while maintaining a slightly relaxed atmosphere.

It was understandable. A very busy large-scale event had just ended—though whether it could be called a success was a bit debatable.

"Good work, senpai."

"Yeah, good work. Man, events are tough."

"The development staff must have had it even harder."

"I wonder. At the progress meetings, they always look so cool…"

This was the office of the management staff. The department where the staff who act as GMs in the game and handle player support are based.

They mainly deal with in-game issues and adjustments, and also impose penalties for cheating and harassment.

Taking a sip of the coffee handed to him by a junior, senior employee Namiyoshi shrugged.

"Well, it's a relief that it ended safely. The department head was in a good mood for the first time in a while."

"Really? I heard he's been irritated lately."

"Yeah, his mood had been improving a bit recently. But once this event ended, he's in a great mood… He seems to really like 'him.'"

"Him? The department head likes him?"

Namiyoshi chuckled at the junior's puzzled expression.

'He' was none other than the player named Quon, who had been causing a stir in the game recently.

The information that he was the master of the famous player Hishin had been known to the staff since his first login—his skills far exceeded their expectations.

Starting with the acquisition of the Three Demon Swords skill, which was expected to be at level 30 or higher, the discovery of a fairy, contact with a Sword Saint, reaching the Fairyland, obtaining the skill [One Thousand Men], and turning a noble demon into an enemy—Quon had taken unexpected actions that the developers had not anticipated.

"The staff who created the 'Fairy Garden' setting were screaming."

"The [Fairy's Blessing] spread… On the other hand, the staff who created the Valkyrie setting were overjoyed."

"The spirit transformation into a Valkyrie at that point was completely unexpected. We thought it wouldn't happen for a while."

The fairy, a tameable monster, was originally supposed to be obtainable in the 'Fairy Garden' area, which is in a country outside of Alphasia.

In that area, fairies could be seen, and thus could be tamed.

No one had considered that they could be tamed by sensing their presence and using the [Tame] skill.

"At least half of the recent inquiries are related to him. What was with that scream… All the monsters and demons in the area went into a panic."

"Even with enemies, the AI is fully implemented. If the AI feels fear, it will panic and be scared. The problem is that there's a presence that can realistically exert that level of intimidation."

Immediately after the event started, Quon's scream caused all the enemies on the eastern side to go into a panic.

This could be called a drawback of having advanced AI—however, if the AI was simplified, organized actions would be difficult.

For this large-scale event, advanced AI was necessary to control the army's movements.

"…By the way, didn't the AIs with emotional computation engines all die? Fortunately, they're not used much in normal times."

"Doesn't that mean all but the golem-type AIs are dead?"

"No, there are others too… Anyway, he hasn't cheated at all. That's an undeniable fact, and as long as that's the case, we can't interfere. Plus, he's the department head's favorite."

Sighing, Namiyoshi operated his PC.

A simple 3D CG model was displayed on the screen.

Peering at it, the junior's eyes widened slightly.

"Is this… a recreation of the scene where he fought Barzest?"

"Just a part of it… the scene where he delivered the final blow."

"The scene where he cut through the armor… Even with a weapon that deals durability damage, cutting through armor is…"

"It actually happened, so there's nothing we can do. But… surprisingly, if the blade had been off by even 0.1 millimeters, it would have failed."

Namiyoshi displayed the simulation results.

The blade wielded by the Quon model had stopped halfway through the opponent's armor.

It couldn't be pulled out as it was in the actual scene.

"This is…"

"He didn't force it. The blade's angle, the thickness of the armor… he adjusted the force perfectly to match these factors."

"But… that changes depending on the opponent! Are you saying he adjusted it on the spot!?"

"Since he actually did it, that's probably the case… I really don't understand."

Shrugging, Namiyoshi closed the window and leaned back in his chair.

He had considered using this to create a monster, but there was no AI that could replicate such precise adjustments on the spot.

The data of his movements could not be used in such a way without the ability to make instant judgments and adjustments.

"Ha… Anyway, we'll have to explain a lot in the event results announcement. We won't give him any special treatment in the system, but in terms of what he can do, he's special."

"With two titles and that prize, he's practically getting special treatment from the system, isn't he?"

"Everyone has a chance at those. It's not special, it's equal. Well, he'll be a topic of discussion for a while… If his existence is recognized as special, it will ease up a bit."

"…Until then, we have to work hard, right?"

"Haha, I'll let the department head know."

Finishing his coffee, Namiyoshi sighed.

[Magica Technica] had just begun—no, the real game was about to start.

In the midst of this tumultuous flow, what kind of chaos would this outrageous player cause?

With a mix of great anxiety and a bit of anticipation, Namiyoshi returned to his work.