01x05 - Lo, Thou Art Assailed on All Sides

[bunniefuu]

There are countless number

of video games in this world.

However, most of them

gets buried under many others.

Standing atop of those many titles

is this Full-Dive VR game that has

over thirty million players worldwide.

The game that earned

the reputation of being a god-tier game,

Shangri-La Frontier.

The boy who loves trash game,

Rakuro Hizutome

challenges the god-tier game,

Shangri-La Frontier!

What kind of adventure

awaits him in his path?

I throw away my defense

and put on my bird mask headgear

I'm a hustler

My point only goes to my luck stats

Parry parry

now this is my style

playing broken games all night

who's that knight?

Broken game is sickness

toxic scattered, now I'm a patient

My heart is beating almost twice as fast

The chaos wither get it bite that bug

Terrible gimmick

new game a.k.a suicide??

I don't give a damn

(Do it, Do it)

No, not yet NO it's not enough

(Do it, Do it) NO it's not enough

I still can go

Everyone looks dirty to me

Everything looks broken to me

we can go, we can go

to that mountain top, not afraid to drop

this world is going to be mine duh

I'm done checking,

so I'll announce our plan!

Ignore all the mobs!

Fight area bosses only!

Over!

Get on my shoulder!

Aye-aye!

The muck system in

Shangri-La Frontier is as follows:

Upon entering until

your foot hits solid ground

your other one is stuck in the muck,

putting you in a forced walking state.

(Mud Digger)

Which means

(Mud Digger)

This guy and me are a terrible match.

(Beware, For Thine Enemies are Legion)

With my speed getting

cut off in the muck

How will I fight?

It's not that deep,

so how can it dive like that?

Well, this IS a game.

Sunraku-san, here it comes!

Nooo! He will skin me alive!

You're not the Hare of Inaba!

Hold tight, Emul!

Aye-aye!

(Slide Move)

Slide Move!

(Slide Move

Evading in slide-like motion)

My skills has been upgraded

after the fight with Lycagon.

But how should I use them?

That will be

the key to this battle!

Evolved skill from Perfect Parry

Repel Counter!

(Repel Counter

Parries into a counterattack.)

Great job, Sunraku-san!

I only barely pulled through

using my skills, though.

The problem is after this.

In just a few seconds in, I already

used up two skills to dodge its attack.

(Repel Counter) (Slide Move)

They each has a recast time of 10 seconds.

I've got no means

to defend myself until then!

What now?

Magic Edge!

I did it!

Whoa!

What was that? A spell?

I hit him real good!

Right

I was tackling this

thinking I'm playing solo,

but I've got a companion now.

I don't really like relying on an NPC

that's stronger than me as a gamer.

But I'm not gonna waste this

opportunity she made for me!

Let's go, Emul!

We'll use Accel to close the gap

while its down!

Argh! What a pain!

Then

Evolved skill from Screw Pierce

Spiral Edge!

Time to strike it down!

Edge Climb!

(Edge Climb, Plunge blades

into vertical surfaces to climb)

Oop!

Emul!

Yes?!

Can you give me a big one?

I I will do it!

Add Spell!

(Add Spell)

I've played trash games

with far worse platforms!

Try eating me if you can!

Too slow. It has been ten seconds.

Repel Counter!

Here goes a big one!

Power-Boost Magic Edge!

(Power-Boost)

(Magic Edge)

All right!

(Fall Damage -8)

That was perfect, Emul!

Nice shot!

Ughaa! My outfit!

We landed quite the blows on it.

I'm sure

Huh?

Where did it go?

What?

This shaking

It's like my feet are stuck

to the ground! I can't move!

Sunraku-san, this is

He'll jump outta the ground

and bash into you,

so you gotta keep him from moving!

What?

What?

WHAT?!

Sunraku-san!

It threw me into the air?

I thought it'll do an insta-k*ll attack,

but I barely suffer any damage!

Wait, this height

Mud Digger.

A mole-like creature

with a shark's head

and catfish-like whiskers

that walks on four legs.

Its most notable trait

is the special moveset

it exhibits when its HP

goes below a certain level.

It paralyze players by burrowing deep down

and vibrates the marshland.

Then it randomly rams

one person into the air from below.

If taking it on solo,

you're guaranteed to be hit by it

when in the mash,

and you will most certainly lose

all of your HP from the falling damage,

earning it the nickname "Solo k*ller."

It's trying to k*ll me

with fall damage?!

And given how the ramming attack

itself didn't deal much damage

The guy who made this boss

must be a huge prick!

This got nothing to do with

the player's skill!

What do I do?

Should I have Emul hit me

from the side with her Magic Edge?

No, it'll just vaporize me!

What about other spells?

Items? Methods?

Isn't there anything?!

Aah, it's no use.

I'm screwed.

I never got used to dying

from fall in VR games.

This moment when you feel

a rush through your whole body,

followed by losing all your senses

Some games even got banned

because they pursued

that level of reality.

Reveal yourself, Vorpal Spirit!

(Magic Scroll)

(Teleport)

What?!

There's an attack skill named Meteor Fall

that relies on falling kinetic energy.

Sunraku, along with

his free-fall kinetic energy,

was teleported by Emul

to above the Mud Digger's head.

Thus, the falling throw

that would normally have k*lled him

is now a very sloppily-constructed

suicide attack.

It's no Meteor Fall,

but a Mistake Meteor Fall.

I'm still alive?!

Whoa!

We did it, Sunraku-san!

So many things happened,

I can barely keep up.

But I gotta say, Emul

you're a very very great bunny!

I-I would appreciate it

if you don't imitate me

Just like when I fought Lycagon,

the situation was quite hopeless.

But this time around, we survived!

(Area Boss

Mud Digger)

(Defeated)

(Herbs used)

Guess herbs aren't enough

to fill my HP all the way.

You're stuffing them down your throat!

It won't reach my mouth otherwise.

That aside,

Emul is way stronger than I imagined.

As a matter of fact,

I was practically riding on her shoulder.

After all my bravado, this kinda hurts.

Until I make it up to her level,

I'll have her act as my mascot.

Otherwise I'll lose my motivation. Yeah.

We're almost at Thirdrema.

Once we are there, you can finally

make a long stay at Rabituza!

I can't wait!

About that

I'm still unsure how to hide you in town.

We might cause a commotion like before,

or get attacked at worst.

Then

It's time to break this out.

"This"?

(Mysterious Vorpal Bracelet)

This our secret Vorpal Bunny magic!

Please don't tell anyone, Sunraku-san!

Sure.

Metamorphose!

Surprised?

Now we can get to the town

without looking suspicious.

Weird.

I'm still playing

Shangri-La Frontier, right?

The game with the catchphrase,

"Explore the world and enjoy its vast land."

A god-tier Japanese game

with a world-wide appeal?

Sunraku-san?

It's definitely not

Sunraku-san?

A dating-sim where you flirt

Sunraku-san!

Hello?

Sunraku-san?

Sunraku-san!

with an anthropomorphized animal girl!

Huh?

This transformation is really exhausting,

so I'll turn back when we reach the town.

I can only do four or five minutes

at a time right now.

I see.

So you'll need to hide in an alley

or something to transform back, then.

However, Emul.

You've forgotten something.

Right.

A very crucial thing.

A mistake that's vorpal in size.

You're traveling with

a half-naked dude with a bird head.

We're as suspicious as it can ever get.

Well, at worst you'll just be "a nutty girl

dragging a half-naked bird-man with her."

Hang in there!

Now my legs are dragging

like in the marsh

(Thirdrema)

It's such a big

and beautiful town as ever!

Oh-oh, so that's Thirdrema?

You don't sound too excited, Sunraku-san.

Well, I'm no warrior guided

by the gods of fate,

but I've seen my way around

plenty of places in my time!

Wow!

You adventurers must have been

to all kinds of places!

All right, let's go, Emul!

Make sure you're ready to transform

at any time, just in case!

Yessir!

Huh? Hold right there!

Why are you half-naked?

Were you robbed on the way here?

Yeah, I knew I'll be the problem.

And those vivid scares on your body

On your legs, too.

Hold it there, guards!

He's actually been through a lot!

It's a story as sad as

to hear as it is to tell!

What?

This man has been reincarnated as

a super warrior by the great gods of fate,

destined to put an end

to a conflict from the bygone era.

and face his rival, Lycagon,

in a battle of life and death!

However,

by only the slightest of chances,

as slim as a mere hair's breadth,

or as small as a single handful of sand,

he survived only to be engraved

with the scars you see on him right now!

What an absurd backstory

But his sad and complex fate

did not end there,

for he has continued to let destiny

guide him as a wandering warrior,

as he engages on a noble pilgrimage

to undo the curse laid upon those scars!

Sunraku, that great figure,

is none other than this man before you!

Hey, wait.

Miss

The legend of Sunraku the super warrior

has only just kicked off its second chapter!

But

Next time,

"Super Warrior Sunraku,

As the Wind Blows

and the Carrot Leaves Sway!"

F-Fine, we get it, we get it.

Half-naked adventurers are rare,

but not unheard of.

You may pass.

Hey, look.

Yeah.

Is it just me?

They're looking at me

a bit differently than usual.

Let's go now, Sunraku-san.

Y-Yeah.

That outfit

You must be Sunraku.

U-Um

and you are?

(Several Hours Ago - Secondale)

Hey, wait!

Aww, I wish he could at least

told us how to tame one.

(Saved)

I took a screenshot.

Let's ask about it on the forum!

Good idea! The veterans

should know more about it!

Um

"I have a question for

all you veteran players."

"When I was picking up some equipment

in Secondale, I ran into this player."

"He had this really cute

talking rabbit with him,

but does anyone know how

can I tame monsters like this?"

Sent!

What's with this dude?

He dresses like streaker.

Talking? Do monsters talk in this game?

Wait So precious!

What is this?!

They haven't implemented

any tames besides

Buddy Dog and Buddy Cat

in this game, right?

A cheat?

Did you get permission

to take this screenshot?

Doesn't look like you did.

Eh? P-Permission?

Should I have?

I mean, this is a game.

Don't people take pictures all the time?

His name's Sunraku, right? Got it.

He's in Secondale, right?

I'm heading there now!

But what's that tattoo skin?

There wasn't any full-body designs

like this during the character creation.

That means he encountered Lycagon, then?

Lycagon's a random encounter,

so it's not weird that a beginner ran into it.

But how did he get that curse?

Orcelott from the Ashura Kai?

Eh? The Ashura Kai?

As in the PK clan?

Is that Sunraku guy gonna be okay?

I'd love to meet up and have a talk.

Sunraku, if you see this,

talk to any player

with a wolf-and-sword emblem.

I feel bad that you got exposed like this

without permission,

but we can give you some backup.

Lycagon's Mark, huh

Psyger?

Whoa, the hardcores

are coming up one after another.

That Sunraku boy is in trouble.

He's treated like an event boss.

Maybe I oughta join the hunt.

Just one thing

Be honest with me!

Tell me how did you tame a Vorpal Bunny!

No need to play dumb, okay?

I know you had a talking

Vorpal Bunny with you.

It already got leaked?!

Was it from that time

back in Secondale?

What do I do?

Tell me!

No way I can tell her

about the Unique Scenario.

Besides, I also don't have any idea

what triggered it anyway!

W-Well, I don't know either

Hogging it up all by yourself

is not nice.

You need to share things like this.

Revolutionary Knight Sunraku.

There you are, Pencil Knight!

There, there.

Don't treat a beauty like me

like some kind of vicious monster.

Also

In SLF, I don't go by Pencil Knight.

I'd love if it if you could call me

Arthur Pencilgon.

(Arthur Pencilgon)

I scream in envy so much it hurts

I cry that this is where it ends

It's going to change, I'll change it

I don't want to think

it's impossible anymore

The goal I set up is now

the starting line for me to run again

Hit me with that despiar, it excites me

Telling me give it a go

I should be able to go as far as I want,

yet I mistake this to be my limit

Is getting an easy win

sometimes necessary?

It exhilarate me,

telling me to give it a go

I have a dream,

so even my complaints is not a joke

I scream in envy so much it hurts

I cry that this is where it ends

It's going to change, I'll change it,

I don't want to think

it's impossible anymore

I don't mind breaking if I can move on

I hate giving up even more

I'm going to make it come true,

make it a reality, I'm always serious

Make it so I'm only

a little away from obtaining it

Let me ace this even if it burns me

SLF Theater!

(#7 SLF's Moon-Viewing)

Mini!

(#7 SLF's Moon-Viewing)

(#7 SLF's Moon-Viewing)

What's with this tense atmosphere?

Dad, Boss.

Thank you for

taking care of me to this day.

This time has finally come.

I'll use every fiber

of my being to show it!

The essence of the Vorpal Soul!

E-Emul is all fired up!

Just what's going to happen?

There!

There!

There!

There!

Vorpal Soul at full throttle!

You're pounding mochi for moon viewing?!

So tasty.

I'd like some kinako or soy sauce

to go with this.

SLF Theater!

(#8 Emul's Frog Counseling Room)

Mini!

(#8 Emul's Frog Counseling Room)

(#8 Emul's Frog Counseling Room)

Ribbit.

I get that feeling.

I have plenty of siblings myself.

If I don't eat fast,

my food gonna be taken from the side.

You've gotta do your best.

Ribbit.

That's a difficult problem.

"Individuality is something that you

naturally develop over time as you live."

That's what my Edward-oniichan told me.

"Even if you're only

one among many right now,

you'll surely find something

that only you are good at.

There's no need to rush.

Just keep on polishing yourself."

That's what my dad told me, though.

Ribbit.

"I can't be anything"?

That isn't good.

One mustn't be so pessimistic

about the future.

Even the current you is not the same

as when you were born.

Not that I know, though.

That's right!

Anybody has the potential to change!

As long as you don't give up,

you can be whatever you want!

That's what my dad told me, though!

Ribbit

"What happens when I die?"

That's a very difficult question.

She said she doesn't understand

what the frogs are saying,

but she started talking

to herself with them.

Also, I hate to say this,

but no matter how much

they polish themselves,

I think a Mud Frog will still

be just a Mud Frog.

Wait, maybe they can evolve?