Manowa Chapter 57.1

Maddy here with a bit of a side story
Banzai to FencaR
Enjoy.

Side Story – Chapter 1 – The first time in a parallel world.

※This is the story of Tatsuyos.h.i.+ Kenji, from 600 years ago.

It is a side story of Manowa – the main story will return after these four chapters.

The game called Zexiaharts has been a bit vague, but now we will go into some details.

A game company called Rock Terra made and open-world RPG set and a post-apocalyptic America, named Future wars, and became famous for it. However, despite it being a hit, they suffered a ma.s.sive deficit and astonis.h.i.+ngly went bankrupt. The game development team/department was taken in/over by a j.a.panese game company, and two years later the open world RPG Zexia Harts was released.

Although the game itself is a western open world type, because the scenario was made for j.a.pan, it has a strong j.a.panese RPG element, and being released in advance in j.a.pan, it became a big hit game there.

Although the base game was designed with the basic premise of single player, there was the option to hire from the adventurer guild, making it possible to call another player online to adventure together, later DLC was added to make the game a full MMO experience. Although the MMO element was tacked on last, and it was often ridiculed as a rough whole, through the addition of new features, like 1000 vs 1000 large scale combat events, level scaling and expansions, in the end Zexia Harts had seen over five years of popularity and sales since its initial release.

Zexia Harts, a combination of the bright colourful JRPG elements and the modern monochrome aspects of Western games. Strongly crafted stories backed with American ideology. Simply put, if a modern person entered such an environment, they're dead. After all, the moment you leave town, your fighting tigers on the roads, zombies in the graveyards, and Dragons in the mountains. Being stranded in such a world…well it's something that's best not to think about….the reason is death(TL: Death of reason, insanity).

And this brings us to the main subject, about a swordsman named Tatsuyos.h.i.+ Kenji. Becoming aware, he found himself alone in the mountains somewhere that appeared to in inside Zexia harts.

Of course Tatsuyos.h.i.+ did not wish to be inside the game. The reason is to die/death. He is 25 years old, but is not confident in his physical strength or skill with a weapon. Also his sweetheart/crush is not here. Although I only had one day with her three years ago, I only dated with a girl from a game, who was in middle school then. Moreover, the appearance of the girl looked like she was still in elementary school, and the police were called in to investigate after only one hour, and it developed into a situation where the parents finally prostrated at the girls house asking for forgiveness. Since then, my parents cannot raise their heads. After that, the girl came to kneel down in from of his house for some reason, it was witnessed by his mother, and their head fell even further.(TL: This is about reputation, not being able to be seen in public due to rumours)

Although it's fun to thinking about, at any rate, such a thing right now is not helping.

「Okay.」

There is a group of Ogres wandering/pa.s.sing up ahead. Around 50? They crash with a caravan of slave traffickers, the person in charge of the mercenaries hired to guard the merchant, instead kill the merchant, freed the slaves and fought collectively to be killed … such a spectiable unfolded as Kenji was trembling alone, hidden in the shadow of a tree.

（What? What is this!?）

It is a story that cannot be understood at all. I/he finished my/his work, went home and launched the pc and, as always, started Zexia Hearts. The point was to test out a new killer weapon produced by a MOD…

（Errr, well, let's say this, let's wake up!…I wish.）

Anyway it is a killing. Even if I help, only another overweight person will die. It has no meaning.

I thought so, but I was concerned about the Ogres that were wriggling in front of the wagon. It seems that some people are still alive. It seems like that.

「Is there a person in the cage …?」

I could see it slightly from the gaps between the Ogres. It’s a cage and probably a living person. I guess they were saved because they were in a steel cage, but that is also only a matter of time. With such a number of Ogres it's not even funny to think about how long the iron cage will last.

「… Can you help me?」

A tiny whisper was heard. It is impossible. He has no power.

From what I could see I noticed that this was in Zexia hearts. Perhaps, Tatsuyos.h.i.+ reasoned, this was some kind of dream. However, Tatsuyos.h.i.+ has never had a dream that makes himself the hero. An extension of what was possible at best.

「It’s in the game. I wish I could be a player character at least.」

Tatsuyos.h.i.+ thinks to himself. If it was like a game story, it would be to the extent that the player character would be able to kill the enemy easily.

（Ohh, but if it is a dream in a game, I wonder if I can do it.）

「Command Open」

Tatsuyos.h.i.+, not expecting much, instintively muttered「Ahh」.

It came out. The display window.

（Kenji Tatsuyos.h.i.+, real name play? Reminds me of before, when Kazane got furious at me after seeing my save data. Ahh getting depressed）

No, that’s not the case. I have to face reality.

Tatsuyos.h.i.+ confirmed the status. Start of level 8. Bonus points are not allocated at 10.

（The equipment is… Only clothes and trousers. I do not have anything. Wait, this is here too?）

There is a link to called MOD tool under the command window. It’s an official game remodeling tool.

Of course i is for consumer machines, so what can be remodelled with it is limited. Even so, it takes a lot of time and effort on the PC game, but it is possible to create a whole new map or create a whole new game itself, it processes and prepares items and the data provided by default is unlimited if offline, it is permitted to use items which obtained the maker license in specific areas on the server. Moreover, if it pa.s.ses review, it is possible that it might be formally added to the game.

「Looks like I can use it.」

I don't know why, but only the custom data of items that were registered by Tatsuyos.h.i.+ and obtained the maker license are available.

（If this is the case, will I be able to manage somehow?）

「Item：Clothes items：Heavy Armor・Mark Two, change!」

With a sound of c.h.i.n.k c.h.i.n.k c.h.i.n.k, Tatsuyos.h.i.+s clothes are changed to a suit of strengthening armor based on the Futuristic War which is the predecessor to Zexis hearts.

（Snap a tree branch off, hold it in my hand.）

As soon as the tree branch is registered in the inventory, it was changed to a Laser War Gun as well. The most terrible firearm appeared in the hands of Tatsuyos.h.i.+.

「Ohhh, in this case!」

My mood/look is completely Future Wars.

（Recalling fighting with a giant mutant rat in an underpa.s.s.）

The current opponent is Ogre. The size of the Giant rat is bigger, but there are 50 of them. If it is according to the game specs, even if it is called a firearm it shouldn't have that much power.

「Afterall I guess it's hard against this many.」

Tatsuyos.h.i.+ changes the weapon now to one of the Zexia Hearts ones.

A sword with the design of a large wing, 『Lean』it is called. It is a sword designed by Tatsuyos.h.i.+ himself, using the joints in the wing it was capable of changing into multiple weapons. It seems that is was useable even though the original had been transferred to a friend for inspection review.

「Great wing sword, release mode!」

At Tatsuyos.h.i.+s words, the sword transforms and eight wings spread open.

「Gyouu?」

One of the Ogres spotted it.

（s.h.i.+t, I was found?!）

Tatsuyos.h.i.+ was fl.u.s.tered. I’m not ready to fight yet.

（However, theres no choice now.）

Even if this was a dream, it's no joke to have Ogres pouring down on top of my body.

Several Ogres were rus.h.i.+ng over here.

「Oh no!」

Feeling uncertain Tatsuyos.h.i.+ stabs out with Lean.

「Please strike cleanly!」

My cut struck out timidly.

Eight attribute attacks were released from tips of the eight wings.

The eight side-by-side lights are emitted towards the Ogres and flow sideways.

「「Giyaoroooooooo」」

And the Ogres evaporate without being able to bear that light.

「OP!」

There was no distinction between the game and reality, the ability of the suit Tatsuyos.h.i.+ was wearing was judged to increase the ability to fight. The MOD tool was launched again and the weapon was switched back to the Laser War Gun.

「Whoa, crazy/fascinating/intriguing.」

You can actually fight the same way you would in the game. Even with Tatsuyos.h.i.+s gentle character, it was a wonderfully exciting event. I shot a gun like a flower, swapped with sword, ripped and changed to staff and let out a flame.

The remaining Ogres were annihilated in the blink of an eye. The level rose to level 16 in one go.

「Nnn, there's no value.」

If there was a cheat code, remodelling would be such a thing. If you can't find another interest, your gaming life would become boring. However, I shouldn't be saying such a thing when the situation has life hanging in the balance. Even if it is a dream. While thinking so, Tatsuyos.h.i.+ looked toward the cage.

「I will help you.」

I'm relieved to see the cage hasn't been destroyed yet, I walked up to it saying「It's a game, so it's just good software.」to the strong burnt smell in the air. However, the carefree mood was blown away.

A sight that made Tatsuyos.h.i.+ want to cover his eyes.

「Oh… Oh, my G.o.d.」

A strong smell of ammonia was noticed. There was one girl there.

（What is… this?）

Tatsuyos.h.i.+ muttered in his heart, and was slow to notice the facts.

（Broken … … Eh?）

A young girl of tender years is leaking urine, with eyes rolled into the back of the head. The young girl does not open her eyes and just keeps whimpering while shedding tears.

（Being suddenly attacked by that number of Ogres…did you break?）

It was natural. If the people around me were slaughtered in front of me, and I was stuck trembling inside a cage that would be destroyed while being intently stared at by 50 Ogres, I would be the same. The stress of such a situation is clearly abnormal, it would not be possible to endure it.

（Is it because I was too slow?）

Tatsuyos.h.i.+ fell to sit on the ground.

（A dream…..is it not a dream?）

The point of view is not fixed. Tatsuyos.h.i.+ looked around.

The smell of burnt Ogre.

The smell of torn and crushed human beings.

There is no built-in texture being reused.

None of the meat piece objects lying around have the same shape.

Anyone could see, it was h.e.l.l itself, made reality/real.

「Ahh……AHHHHHH」

Tatsuyos.h.i.+ held his head and trembled. Thinking about how dangerous the situation was, and feeling the fear.

Kiii….the door of the cage was opened.

The result of the winged sword attack earlier. The girl sees the open door and Tatsuyos.h.i.+ who is outside.

（Ah, huh?）

Tatsuyos.h.i.+ cannot look straight at the eyes that have seen h.e.l.l. The girl walks with a smile.Tatsuyos.h.i.+ stares. I can’t do anything.

And the girl whose life had consisted of nothing but being told to obey, just obey. Even crying, no one would help me/her. Given impossible tasks, when failing, a shock was given. Compelled to say「Thank you so much.」for the punishment.

The finished doll was certainly well made, put in a birdcage and carried carefully. To be transported to a certain aristocrat who is attached to eating little girls.

The girl was taught so.

When the destination is reached, and the cage opened, your『Master』will be there.

Taught to stand before the『Master』and say the following.

「Thank you, Master. I am your slave, your toy.」

Tatsuyos.h.i.+ was appalled at the words that leaked from this girls mouth.

It wasn't just the Ogres. Something even darker surrounded this girl. I could feel it.

「Now, I will kiss by the oath of subjection.」

The girl brought her mouth to Tatsuyos.h.i.+s and kissed him with a smile that could not be considered a young girls.

And Tatsuyos.h.i.+ vomited.