NenMaster
patreon
Chapter 77 (2.3k)
🕑 Added 2024-12-01 14:44:52 +0000 UTCMorin, a native of Meteor City and suspected member of an unknown team, left Meteor City and later sought out the veteran Hunter Biscuit to train under her…”
Ickshonpe displayed detailed information about Morin on the card he flipped.
“He currently runs a handyman agency in Yorknew City, acting as the boss. His assistant and apprentice is Kastro.”
“Suspected to be a Conjurer or Specialist, proficient in utilizing a variety of tools.”
“Notes: During the Hunter Exam, he caused trouble for the most renowned rookie Hunters Kuruk, Kanzai, and veteran Two-Star Hunter Botobai…”
As the information on the card reached this point, Ickshonpe’s doodle face lifted again, seemingly gazing seriously at Morin.
The expression on the face appeared odd and intrigued:
“You’re impressive—coming from Meteor City and reaching this point in less than a year.”
The card continued to display text:
“However, aside from your mentor Biscuit, the only other Hunters you’ve interacted with seem to be the examiners during the Hunter Exam.”
“No records of you contacting other Hunters online.”
“So, here’s the question: how did someone from Meteor City know about me?”
Don’t underestimate the information-gathering abilities of the world’s top hackers. In some areas, their expertise rivals that of elite national intelligence agencies.
Morin was well aware of this and had already prepared his response in advance:
“If you can beat me in a game, I’ll tell you.”
“A game?”
The three words clearly struck a nerve with Ickshonpe.
During the Hunter Chairman election, he had shown zero interest in the position, yet had persistently shouted for Ging to compete with him in another gaming match.
Not all elite hackers are gaming enthusiasts, but most of them are.
Ickshonpe was clearly a hardcore gamer.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been one of the developers of Greed Island, let alone responsible for its online promotion and sales.
“What game do you want to play?!”
The mention of a game immediately piqued Ickshonpe’s interest, causing him to temporarily forget the reason he had pulled Morin into his virtual space in the first place.
Soon, a device resembling the cartridge-based gaming consoles Morin had played in the 1990s appeared between the two of them.
It came with two controllers and a large, peculiar display screen in front of them.
“How about a match?”
Ickshonpe’s card displayed the question, but his actions didn’t wait—he handed one of the controllers to Morin.
“A match, huh…”
Morin glanced at the controller in his hand, then at Ickshonpe’s adept movements as he inserted a cartridge. The nostalgic sound effects from the screen made Morin feel as though he’d been transported back to the 1990s.
Well, technically, it was still 197, the equivalent of the late 1980s. Ickshonpe’s game was even a little ahead of its time.
No matter how advanced it seemed, it still felt far too outdated.
“What’s wrong? Not interested?”
Seeing Morin hesitate, Ickshonpe’s card flipped again, displaying a new message.
“It’s not that.”
Morin set the controller down. “It’s just that your games aren’t all that interesting.”
He deliberately provoked Ickshonpe.
“Oh?”
The font on the card enlarged for the word “Oh,” clearly reflecting Ickshonpe’s mood and tone.
“Then what kind of game do you find interesting?!”
Morin smirked. Of course, immersive, interactive games where you’re personally involved are the most fun.
“Are you referring to Greed Island?”
Ickshonpe recalled the reason he had brought Morin into this space in the first place. “Why did you post that message online?”
“Nothing much, just baiting you out. I wanted to meet the creators of this so-called top-tier game.”
Morin looked around at the surrounding space and gave the outdated console another glance.
“I thought the people capable of creating Greed Island would be playing something much more advanced. But now… I’m kind of disappointed.”
Morin shook his head dramatically, leaving Ickshonpe visibly irritated—so much so that the “Pe” character floating above his doodle face seemed to bolden.
“The way you talk really reminds me of a certain annoying, insufferable partner of mine.” Ickshonpe flipped through his cards furiously. “You two share the same aggravating tone that makes people want to punch you.”
“No need to get so worked up.”
Morin waved his hand dismissively. “After you try my game, you’ll understand that what I’m saying is true.”
“Fine! Let’s see what kind of game you’ve got!”
And so, the conversation shifted back to games.
“Alright then, watch and learn~”
Morin thought for a moment. “What type of game do you enjoy?”
“Anything.”
The word “Anything” appeared in large font, taking up the entire card.
“Then I’ll pick something myself.”
Morin glanced at Ickshonpe’s gaming setup.
The cartridge he had inserted bore the title of one of the most classic games: Dragon Quest.
This timeless RPG game, beloved across eras, sparked an idea in Morin:
“Alright, let’s use this as the basis.”
With that, Morin pulled out a unique item from his inventory:
A giant, thick, purple book—“The Great Adventure Gamebook: The Treasure of the Fire Dragon!”
Item: The Great Adventure Gamebook.
Effect: The player places what they value most on the final page of the book. Starting from the first page, players enter the story, overcome various challenges and adventures, and ultimately retrieve the treasure.
[Note: Game difficulty varies depending on the gamebook series. If the player lacks skill, they may become lost and trapped in the book forever.]
The Fire Dragon’s Treasure gamebook was one of the most iconic titles in the series, featuring a classic Dragon Quest-style adventure story.
Morin, who had often played the series in his downtime after training with Biscuit, was deeply familiar with this type of game.
Apart from Fire Dragon’s Treasure, the gamebook series included titles like Grand Theft Auto, The Legend of Zelda, and Contra, offering immersive, real-life adventure games.
This type of interactive, firsthand experience far surpassed the level of conventional gaming.
Any avid gamer who learned of such an experience would undoubtedly be eager to try it.
After Morin explained the game’s mechanics to Ickshonpe, he finally asked, “Is this real?”
Though the words appeared on the card, Ickshonpe’s fixated stare on the gamebook betrayed his eagerness.
“Why don’t you try it for yourself?”
“Then I won’t hold back!!”
The speed of the flipping cards increased—he was clearly impatient and excited.
Ickshonpe used a stack of blank cards as his treasure, placing them on the last page of the gamebook. Then, rubbing his hands together, he prepared to dive in.
“Since it’s your first time playing, I’ll join you. Let’s get familiar with it together.”
Morin opened the first page of the gamebook.
Ickshonpe didn’t object to Morin joining.
While single-player RPGs were usually better, having two players wasn’t a problem.
Besides, since it was Morin’s game, Ickshonpe wasn’t entirely trusting. If he left Morin outside the game, there was always the possibility of interference.
In a virtual space or not, caution was always wise.
“Alright, let’s go!”
Standing before the pitch-black entrance of the first page of the game book, Morin called out, and the two of them stepped inside together.
As soon as they entered, they were surrounded by darkness.
However, after walking only a short distance, a bright exit appeared ahead.
"This environment..."
Ishukube, who couldn’t speak or use his usual message cards to express himself, somehow produced a small blackboard and began scribbling furiously on it with chalk, his excitement palpable.
Before Morin and Ishukube lay a Western medieval-style environment. It looked incredibly realistic yet carried the fantastical atmosphere unique to games.
"I'm a dragon, I'm a dragon!"
As Ishukube enthusiastically wrote on his blackboard, a tiny seahorse with wings fluttered toward them, repeatedly saying, "I'm a dragon."
This was the NPC guide, whose role was to lead them to the final destination—the lair of the fire dragon.
Following this self-proclaimed dragon, the two soon arrived at a cliff surrounded by ruins and broken pillars.
"This is so realistic—unbelievably realistic!"
Throughout the journey, Ishukube couldn’t stop scribbling his impressions on the blackboard. His graffiti-like face even seemed to soften with joy.
"Stop right there."
Suddenly, a deep roar echoed from a slope ahead, followed by a commanding voice.
"If you wish to pass, you must answer my riddle. Those who fail will not proceed."
From the slope emerged a miniature sphinx. Though small, it carried an aura of authority.
"Here is your riddle: What creature walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?"
Ah, that classic. By Morin’s time, this riddle was considered a cliché, beaten to death by overuse. But apparently, even in the 22nd century, it still had its charm.
Morin mentally rolled his eyes, but Ishukube was utterly captivated.
"This is incredible! A riddle challenge!?"
Ishukube frantically scribbled, his excitement overflowing.
"Such high-level intelligence in an NPC model! And a riddle system as part of the challenge! This rivals even the missions in Greed Island! It’s full of wisdom and philosophical depth!"
To someone living in the 1980s, such a riddle was indeed fresh and intriguing. With his sharp intellect, Ishukube quickly deduced the answer—humans.
He explained: "Morning, noon, and evening symbolize the stages of human life. In infancy, humans crawl on all fours, as adults they walk upright on two legs, and in old age, they use a cane, walking on three legs."
Answering correctly earned them a reward—a set of defensive armor.
The journey continued with the pair climbing a rocky mountain. In the vine-laden forest, they assisted a tribe of goblin-like dwarves in overcoming their troubles. As a reward, the dwarves gifted them exceptional weapons—a dragon-slaying sword and a sturdy shield.
Next, they traversed an arid desert plain, gaining magical wings for flight.
Later, they reached the Fountain of the Goddess, where completing a task for the goddess allowed them to bathe in divine spring water, granting immunity to the fire dragon's flames.
Finally, fully equipped and buffed, they arrived at the eerie castle guarded by the fire dragon.
Engaging in a fierce battle, they managed to bring down the dragon, ultimately landing a fatal blow with a sword thrust to its throat.
Thus, they cleared the game and retrieved the cherished item Ishukube had placed on the final page.
"That was incredible—absolutely incredible!!"
Emerging from the last page, Ishukube was practically beside himself, gesturing wildly in excitement. Though he couldn’t clap, the barely legible scribbles flooding his card conveyed his overwhelming joy.
2. A Plethora of Games! And the Reaction to Greed Island
"Your game is incredible!" Ishukube declared, giving Morin a big thumbs-up.
"Being able to conjure such a fascinating game tool means you're definitely not some jerk!! You're nothing like that bastard Ging! My view of you has completely changed—you’ve earned my utmost respect!!"
Hmm. Judging someone solely based on games? Ishukube was even simpler than Morin had imagined.
That said, Ging’s reputation as a jerk must have been deeply ingrained if even creating Greed Island couldn’t improve Ishukube's opinion of him.
"Do you have more? More game books?!"
Ishukube rolled up his sleeves, eager to dive into another round.
"Today, I’m going all out!"
Fully hooked on the thrilling new gameplay, Ishukube had no intention of stopping anytime soon.
"Of course, there are plenty more!" Morin replied with a grin, pulling out several other game books from his inventory.
The Secret Treasure of the Fire Dragon was merely one title in the Adventurer’s Game Book series. There were also shooting games, racing games, war games, and many others.
Beyond these immersive adventure game books, Morin also had an arsenal of other game tools.
For example:
[Space Battle Toy Set]: A game where players use holograms to create a realistic outer-space battlefield. Piloting life-sized starships, players engage in thrilling dogfights against highly intelligent AI enemies, fully replicating the experience of galactic warfare.
[VR Treadmill Fitness Game]: Equipped with a wireless VR device, this treadmill allowed players to experience lifelike running environments. With adjustable speeds and the ability to "stride ten meters in a single step," even the laziest person would be hooked on running.
[Rocket Control Simulator]: This tool let players feel the exhilaration of piloting a rocket through the vastness of space.
[Interactive Video Game Console]: This console turned players into the protagonists of their favorite games, granting full control over their in-game selves.
In short, Morin had an extensive collection of game-related tools, and each one left Ishukube dazzled and amazed.
For Ishukube, these games were a revelation, showing him that gaming could reach such extraordinary levels.
The two dove headfirst into these diverse games, exploring everything from space battles to extreme racing. They played to their hearts' content, thoroughly enjoying the experience.
During these gaming sessions, Morin and Ishukube grew much closer. Their bond deepened, and Ishukube's goodwill toward Morin skyrocketed.
Of course, that wasn’t surprising, considering all the fun revolved around games Morin had introduced.
As for the matter of Greed Island, Ishukube had long forgotten it.
For three straight days and nights, the two immersed themselves in this expansive gaming world.
It wasn’t until Morin remembered his apprentice, Kastro, and thought he should check in on him that they finally paused.
"I haven’t had this much fun in ages," Ishukube wrote on his card, sincerely expressing his gratitude.
"Most of my companions prefer real-world exploration and adventures. While they’ve sought me out before, none of those experiences were ever as fun as this.
"Thank you, Morin."
"What are you saying?" Morin replied, patting Ishukube on the shoulder. "We’re friends now, aren’t we?"
"Yes, we are friends!" Ishukube nodded emphatically.
