The Flying Arrow quest is simple. Touka, who was troubled because her family’s ancestral spirit armor was stolen through a cunning scam, asked for help. It’s really just a straightforward scam.

In reality, though, it’s hard to see what’s so cunning about it. Touka happily handed over the Flying Arrow, but most people wouldn’t fall for something like that. Maybe she has a sponge for a brain.

This time, Lanpeach wanted to do this quest, so he convinced Touka to hand over the Flying Arrow to the scammers.

There’s a reason why the method of triggering this quest is unclear. It is because the Flying Arrow Retrieval quest is a time-limited quest. 

Time-limited quests only appear within a certain period, and this one is particularly difficult to trigger. Even the top players couldn’t fully analyze it. It seems to depend on a mix of factors, such as the progress of other quests, the main storyline, and how many days have passed since the game started.

If you miss this quest, it changes into another one. It evolves into a mission to defeat a clan of criminals, but…

(A clan of criminals, huh… If that storyline is involved, it’s going to be a problem -a huge problem.) (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach muttered to himself as he walked down the hallway of the enemy’s base in the dilapidated building. The clan conflict quest has two sides to it…

“Die, you bastard!”

[Iron Body]

Thugs came rushing out from the hallway, wielding swords and spears as if they were from the prehistoric era, their faces red with rage. They used a defensive technique as soon as they stopped. It seemed to be some sort of buff magic.

“What are they, Stone Age thugs?” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach sighed in exasperation and aimed his BD gun, shooting them dead. The thug cavemen screamed “Ababa” as they were easily killed with headshots.

[This feels like a game. Even in games, there are enemies who buff themselves first, but they go down like scarecrows in the face of high firepower.] (Lanpeach)

[Aah… Maybe these thug cavemen don’t have enough research points. They probably need more points to advance to the Early Modern Thug era.] (Libra)

[It looks like it’ll take a lot more time for them to get there.] (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach and Libra continued walking through the blood-soaked hallway, joking lightly as they passed by the corpses of the thugs.

“Hmm, at the magic academy, we were taught to buff ourselves first when encountering an enemy, but seeing this makes it clear that education was wrong. I need to get my failing grades reassessed.” (Touka)

“Is that really a test question? What subject was it?” (Lanpeach)

“Fundamentals. I barely avoided failing by one point.” (Touka)

“I don’t think they’ll reconsider that score.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach couldn’t tell if Touka had iron willpower or just an otherworldly mindset, but he was starting to worry that all the students at the magic academy might have similarly messed-up brains. She showed no fear even in the face of so many corpses, walking as if she were just on a stroll.

The endless stream of small fry enemies, the thugs who start every fight with buffs… It was as easy as mowing down soldiers charging up a hill with a machine gun, but for an ordinary person, the guilt of pulling the trigger would probably weigh heavily.

“Well, I don’t feel any guilt at all.” (Lanpeach)

The surreal nature of the enemies didn’t stir any emotions in him. To Lanpeach, with his gamer brain, they were just like treasure chests that dropped items.

“They could at least show some learning ability.” (Lanpeach)

He discarded the empty magazine and reloaded a new one, wishing for a change in the enemy patterns. 

Finally, the thug cavemen stopped coming, and it grew quiet.

“Now then, it looks like they are beginning to run out of thugs. I don’t hear the sound of them charging anymore.” (Lanpeach)

“Uuh, it seems like we’ve taken down about 30 of them. Is that it for the scam group? I didn’t even do anything, old man?! I wanted to show off a bit too!” (Touka)

“That’s not really important, but the boss is probably waiting in the boss room. When attacking a base like this, it’s easier to explore if you kill all the small fry first. You know, like how you’d clear out all the zombies in a mansion before exploring?” (Lanpeach)

“What’s that? Sounds fun! Which mansion? Take me there next time!” (Touka)

“You’d probably visit it without hesitation, even if it were infected with a virus.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach sighed as Touka’s eyes sparkled with excitement at the thought of something fun and continued walking…

“It’s no good! Retreat to Avege-sama’s location! We’ve been ordered to regroup in the warehouse!” 

“Oh, some are still left. So they know how to run away.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach shrugged after hearing the frantic footsteps ahead. It seemed that fear was a spice with the reality modifier.

“We’re also supposed to retrieve the treasures from the warehouse and rearm ourselves, so let’s head there!”

“Oh, there are magic tools stored there too after all!”

They also learned that these thug cavemen have empty heads.

“Ah! Did you hear that, old man? Maybe the Flying Arrow is stored there too!” (Touka)

“They’re shouting lines straight out of a game as they flee. In a game, that would be a hint, but here, it smells like a trap.” (Lanpeach)

Game tropes. The thugs who conveniently blabber about where they hid the key or where the prisoners are being held to help the protagonist. Those fleeing thugs might be the same, but better to be cautious.

“I’d better take precautions. Mimi, where are you now?” (Lanpeach)

He sent a message, and a sleepy voice responded with a beep.

[…Fuwaa~, so sleepy. It’s cold here, so I want to go back. I want to sleep on Boss’s head.] (Mimi)

The voice was extremely drowsy. Mimi, who had been tailing the Flying Arrow, had been waiting in the same spot.

“Where are you? Are you in the warehouse?” (Lanpeach)

[Hmm, there seems to be a lot of items around-usa, so it’s probably a warehouse.] (Mimi)

“Alright, then [Expedition Command]. Guard the warehouse door and don’t let anyone in.” (Lanpeach)

[Ehh, I’m sleepy. Can’t Mimi just sleep in the corner-usa?] (Mimi)

The rabbit sounded lethargic and unmotivated. Is she really an Artificial Spirit? Isn’t she just a regular rabbit?

“No, I’ve issued an official Expedition Command, so you need to follow through.” (Lanpeach)

The [Expedition Command] is a base command that allows you to give specific instructions to soldiers like: defeating enemies, scouting terrain, or searching for items.

Normally, issuing this command should ensure proper action, but Mimi rarely listened.

“Just guard the place until we get there.” (Lanpeach)

[…Fine-rabbi. I’ll guard it instead-rabbi.] 

“Alright, I’m counting on you.” (Lanpeach)

[Leave it to me. The pretty artificial spirit Mi will ensure all the treasures in the treasury are safely secured-rabbi.] 

“Hm? No, we’ll be collecting the treasures from the warehouse, so just guard it—” (Lanpeach)

[When talking about treasures, you talk about me, when talking about me, you talk about treasures. You can rest assured that I’ll secure everything in the treasury-rabbi. From frayed copper wires to old, tattered magazines, I’ll collect everything-rabbi.] 

Was it just his imagination, or did her voice sound a bit off? Did she sound more like a cute girl now?

“Hey, do you think you can deceive me by just adding ‘rabbi’ to the end of your sentences?” (Lanpeach)

[It is because you focus so much on trivial things that you can’t escape from being a minor villain. Wouldn’t it be more fitting to encourage the rabbit working hard on defense with some words of support so that you become more open hearted and forbearing?] 

“Oh, uh, good luck?” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach felt pressured by the girl’s words. His Coward Minor Villain skill was definitely activated.

[I’ve already set sulfur energy mines in the hallway. I’ve rigged beam wire traps, and I’ve stashed away my treasures in my pockets to keep them from being stolen. Everything is set-rabbi.]

*Boom! Boom!* 

Explosions echoed from the upper floors, and the building shook violently.

“What the hell is this?!”

“My body’s melting! Help me!”

“His body’s been blown to bits!”

The screams of the thug cavemen could be heard as well.

[Everything’s under control here. The only thing left in the warehouse is the Flying Arrow, which I’ll guard with my life. Player, please head to the boss room-rabbi.] 

“You have become a bit twisted, haven’t you? We’ll talk about the items in the warehouse later. For now, let’s head to the boss room.”

Although he doubted Mimi had left anything, Lanpeach sighed and refocused, sprinting ahead.

“There doesn’t seem to be any reinforcements from the warehouse, so we just need to head upstairs, Touka.” (Lanpeach)

“The noises coming from the warehouse are a bit concerning, but got it, old man!” (Touka)

[Soldier, leave the claims for reparations to me later!] (Libra)

Lanpeach led Touka and Libra to the top floor with a mix of resignation and amusement.

◇◇

There were no enemies on the way to the top floor, and they stopped in front of a large door.

“This must be the boss room. A bunch of thug cavemen are waiting inside.” (Lanpeach)

“No enemies on the way up. The boss fight is going to be intense, right?” (Touka)

“Yeah…the enemies here are tough. This fight might be a real challenge.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach grimaced, recalling the game boss. The boss here was definitely a tough one.

[Presence Detection] picked up a significant number of enemies. There were about 20 of them. 

It was about time to get serious. 

When Lanpeach opened the door, thug cavemen were standing ready with swords and spears. And at the back stood the boss, Avege the Scammer, clad in a purple robe with a hood over his head.

“So, you managed to find this place? But showing yourself before the great Avege-sama was your last mistake.” (Avege)

Avege’s face twisted into an expression of rage, glaring at them like a demon. He never imagined that most of his subordinates, who were wearing spirit armor, would be killed.

“There’s also the route where you just steal the Flying Arrow in a sneak mission, but then I wouldn’t get the dropped items, right?” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach smirked, taking two steps to the right and slightly angling his body.

“Here should be about right.” (Lanpeach)

“Huh? What do you mean by ‘here’?” (Avege)

“I mean this angle is just right.” (Lanpeach)

[Instant]

[Piercer]

[Fan Shot]

Lanpeach coldly announced these words to the suspicious-looking Avege and then stopped time. Lanpeach aimed his BD gun and pulled the trigger in the still and silent monochrome world.

All the enemies, including Avege, were within the range of the Fan Shot. The bullets, imbued with a defense-penetrating skill, were unleashed toward them.

Twisting causality, skipping over the process, with only the result remaining.

Countless bullets accurately and mercilessly pierced and destroyed the heads of the thugs with a single light gunshot.

“Wa?! What just happened?” (Avege)

Avege’s eyes widened in shock as he saw his subordinates suddenly collapse. It was only natural -he thought they could close in for melee combat despite the use of firearms.

“So, you had Missile Protection cast on yourself after all. You should’ve cast it on your subordinates too. Don’t you feel pity? Now they’re all dead.” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach clicked his tongue in annoyance, seeing that a wind barrier had surrounded Avege’s body, deflecting the bullets.

“Ah! He’s an elf, old man! Could he be from the Yumi family?” (Touka)

Touka shouted in surprise when Avege’s hood fell off and revealed his face. It was no wonder. Avege’s ears were long and pointed like bamboo leaves.

“An elf! In this world, that means he’s a being created through genetic engineering, right?” (Lanpeach)

“Yeah, the Yumi family was famous, but the members loved nature so much that they disappeared into the forests. Sometimes they come to the city to sell spirit stones, but I’ve never seen one active in the city! He must have been using [Disguise] last time!” (Touka)

Lanpeach knew Avege was an elf, but he prompted Touka to explain, as she seemed to enjoy giving explanations.

“Ha, that’s right. I am from the fallen Yumi family. You inferior creatures, behold the power of an elf with superior magical abilities!” (Avege)

Avege pulled out a gem from between his fingers, grinning smugly.

“Have you ever witnessed the power of a spirit user? Of course not! Let me show you the power of the spirits!” (Avege)

“Old man, be careful! Elves summon spirits to fight using magic gems!” (Touka)

“Yeah, looks like this is going to be a tough fight!” (Lanpeach)

[BOSS FIGHT: Defeat the Spirit User Avege!]

Lanpeach, sweating from the upcoming tough battle, prepared to engage in the boss fight alongside Touka.

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