Story Reader / Festival Event Story / Dreams Inscribed / Story
The carriage wheels emit a rhythmic creak as they traverse the uneven road, steadily making their way forward.
The occasional jolt caused by small rocks prompts a few complaints from those inside, but these grumbles quickly give way to lively banter.
Capt., can you scoot over a bit more?
Then I would push Wanshi off the carriage. Moreover, we have to leave some space for the commandant.
Due to the limited space within the carriage, it has become crowded with the presence of two squads in addition to Sophia and Changyu.
Consequently, Little Gray Raven has to utilize the supply chests as makeshift steps and adjust their postures to accommodate the confined space.
Kamui and Chrome are seated at the back of the carriage, while Wanshi, as per his own request, is staying on the edge and securely bound with ropes.
Seemingly using the support of the ropes for a relatively comfortable position, Wanshi's gaze remains fixed upon the meadow, diligently keeping a watchful eye over the hero.
Thanks to his efforts, Camu, who is positioned atop the carriage, can fully concentrate on his watch duty.
Sophia is clutching the last chest of gold coins, nestled in a corner of the carriage and ensuring the other supplies remain secure. Meanwhile, Changyu takes his place at the front, steering the carriage along the road.
And as for you... In order to maximize space, you find yourself situated in the middle, surrounded by everyone.
Bam!
Suddenly, a crisp sound fills the air, causing the entire carriage to tilt perilously to one side.
Whoa!
Amidst a flurry of flustered movements to restore balance, the vehicle manages to regain its steady position. True to form, Changyu steps outside to inspect the carriage.
Oh, another broken wheel... I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. Let me see if I can reinforce these wheels.
Everyone, could you get out of the carriage first?
Upon hearing Changyu's request, everyone exits the carriage and begins stretching their bodies.
Yeah, we should consider getting one more carriage, but it comes with the risk of drawing more attention to ourselves.
Speaking of that, our group has been expanding, but the wizard is still traveling all by himself.
I guess moving alone suits someone experienced like him better.
The long tailing operation has confirmed the notion that the traveling wizard remains quite unreliable. However, it has also revealed a side of him as a former hero that you were previously unaware of.
Apart from specific missions assigned to you by Ayla, such as the revelation, you haven't found it necessary to provide assistance to the traveling wizard regarding the various challenges he has encountered so far.
However, he will soon reach Rivervale, where a perilous ruin sits awaiting the hero's arrival. Is he truly intending to venture into it alone, with no companions by his side?
You recall all the people you encountered in your previous adventure—the knight, the sharpshooter lady, the old blacksmith...
You can't help but ponder where they are and what they are doing now.
Are they aware that the traveling wizard has embarked on a journey toward the Realm of Dragons...
...
What? He's going to explore that ruin all by himself?
Is this some kind of joke? If he's so eager to kill himself, he might as well find a nice rooftop spot and take a jump.
Upon arriving in Rivervale, your group reunites with Teddy and Karenina, who have been stationed in this location.
That's the conclusion we've come to based on our observations so far. It seems that he really doesn't intend to seek any companions.
Ha? But he can just hire some people, can't he?
A hero-level ruin adventure... Only desperate outlaws would probably be willing to take payment for that kind of job.
Tsk... What a pain in the ass.
Captain and I have gathered some information about that place. Despite its vertical structure, it's not any less perilous than those confusing mazes. On the very first underground floor, you'll encounter skeleton dragons composed of remnants.
That creature can easily beat a veteran adventurer, and there are tons of them lurking in the depths of that ruin.
After an exchange of intel with Teddy, a collective frown settles upon the faces of everyone present.
How can you help the hero overcome this challenge without revealing your identities?
Seems like we're left with no other option but to move first and deal with the threats inside the ruin.
But Lee, I would expect a good amount of foes there. Based on my gaming experience, this is probably one of those instances packed with monsters.
Given Gray Raven's limited power, it's gonna be a real challenge for us to clear out all those monsters in a short period.
After all, Gray Raven was the only squad involved in the final battle last time and acquired the ultimate rewards. Other people don't have character stats as powerful as yours.
...
Don't be so desperate yet. Captain and I came up with a plan, but it's only theoretically feasible for now.
Rather than answering your question directly, Teddy proceeds to push open a wooden door and leads you down into a basement.
Before you is a spacious area filled with piles of small cylindrical objects that permeate the air with the distinct scent of explosives.
Karenina is standing beside a workbench, her hands moving with remarkable speed, deftly crafting multiple copies of the same item.
...
...
As if having not heard you, Karenina seems engrossed in her task.
Don't bother. Karenina is not here—the real Karenina is not here, so to speak.
Teddy approaches Karenina and pokes her face with a finger. In response, Karenina's body tilts slightly to the side but swiftly bounces back to her original position like a tumbler toy, all the while maintaining her focus on the item crafting.
Captain got tired of constantly crafting items, so I wrote her a mod that lets her in-game character craft items automatically.
She's probably occupied with something else right now, not actively controlling her character.
Asserting her point further, Teddy pokes Karenina a few more times.
However, Karenina's high-speed production does not last long.
Her in-game character begins to exhibit transparency, fading away into the air after completing one final item.
[Player Karenina's character has been banned due to the use of third-party software.]
...
I forgot that Ayla has been watching over you...
Yes, Teddy. Although there's no competition among players this time, the use of third-party software is still prohibited.
Even not for auto-crafting...?
No. We are making this into a movie, after all. How should I explain Karenina looking like a tumbler toy?
Tch...
Teddy!
The familiar voice finally sounds as Karenina pushes open the basement door and appears before everyone.
Pfft...
What's so fun?!
What is that character name of yours?
What do you think the reason is? I couldn't use the same name again, so I just mashed some random letters on the keyboard!
Alright, alright, Captain Kareninaasd.
Enough with the distraction. Why is my character banned? Didn't you say that using the mod would be fine?
A little accident happened. Commandant's group brought Ayla along.
But hey, nice new character you've got there.
Nice your ass! Now I gotta level it up all over again. What about our plan... Huh? Commandant, and everyone else, you're here too?
Ugh—TEDDY!
Easy, it's just leveling up a new character. I can protect you for the rest of the game until your character is all set.
Captain Kareninaasd.
It's not fair! Ayla, Teddy is the one encouraging me to use the mod. She should be banned too!
I didn't use any mod on my character. The system has no reason to ban me.
But I guess I better come up with a plan to boost your character level. Let's...
As Teddy outlines her plan, she meticulously counts all the crafted items, oblivious to the fact that her in-game character is gradually becoming transparent.
A total of 999. This should be enough. We can stop crafting it for now.
Hm? Guys, say something...
Before Teddy can finish her words, her in-game character reaches its limit and vanishes into thin air.
[Player Teddy's character has been banned due to a violation of game rules.]
...
Well, if my guess is correct...
Karenina shifts her gaze toward the basement door, and as she anticipated, another Teddy emerges there.
...
Well, hello, Teddy123. You sure came fast.
There's another thing I forgot—why in-game supervision even exists.
Haha, I'm glad you get it. Remember to ask first if you want to use a mod, alright?
Don't worry, Commandant. Our plan doesn't involve any fighting.
Teddy picks up one of the scattered items and showcases it under the light. It's only at that moment you realize it's an explosive with a visible fuse.
By the way, this basement is filled with this kind of stuff.
...
BOOM!!
Later that night, thunderous explosions reverberate throughout the entire city.
As reported by the scouts who ventured for investigation, that treacherous abyss-like ruin has been reduced to a scorched land, bearing the aftermath of the relentless explosions.
Afterward, Ayla deeply regrets her choice to design the ruin as a simple vertical structure.
Her intention was to create an adventure experience in an abyss, but she completely overlooked the modern knowledge the Engineering Force has.
And for them, the ruin is simply a straightforward graveyard for monsters, making it a prime target for explosions.
