We had only been fighting for a short time, probably less than twenty minutes.
　The number of enemies we had defeated exceeded thirty, maybe even forty.
　Perhaps it was because my SP had almost run out, and I was feeling suffocated in my chest.
　I had already fought close to sixty monsters, including the ones I had just defeated.

'Ah ......'.

　After throwing the Meteor Impact Zero again and wiping out three monsters, he tried to dodge an ice ball that flew at him from behind, but his body stopped.
　That's because I ran out of SP.
　The bullet landed. His HP, which had been rapidly reduced due to his too-low magic defense, naturally dropped to less than half, and he entered the danger zone.

　Unlike when I dared to hit him head-on, I couldn't hold on. Thanks to the fact that I was blown away so vigorously, I didn't get hit by any other spells, but that reduced my HP even more.

　SP is so fluid that it can be recovered even during battle, but once it runs out, there is a strong disadvantage, it seems.
　It is the time of inability to act that makes you laugh at the rigidity after an art move.
　You can't escape death unless you're fighting a very weak opponent.

　Oh, if I could at least get rid of the Moon Camellia Solo, I'd only have to pay half the despena.
　That's what I thought, but unfortunately, the avatar's movement had stopped completely, and I couldn't even operate the menu.
　Magic of all colors was closing in on me. The situation was completely deadlocked.

　In the midst of all this, a sheet of paper suddenly appeared in front of me.

I'm not sure what to do.

　A small but high-pitched sound rang out, and a purple, translucent semicircle spread out with me at its center.
　The semicircle was able to catch all of the magic that flew at me, but it still covered my surroundings.

'Hmm ...... I'm glad you made it in time.

　I'm glad you made it in time,' said a light-hearted woman in a kimono.
　You can find a lot more information on the web at the link below.

'I'm sorry, but I'll take care of the rest.

　The woman who had suddenly appeared in front of him softly released the talisman she had taken out of her pocket, clapped her hands and chanted a jutsu.

『 『Fu-Jutsu: Invitation Thunder Formation』』.

　It was not the sky that made the buzzing sound, but the bill itself.
　The card began to be covered with thunderbolts, and after a few seconds of stagnation, it burst.

　There was not even a scream.
　The monsters that surrounded me were literally swallowed up by the thunderbolt and disappeared.


　And if my eyes weren't wrong, the demon woman who appeared so cool was also caught in the thunderbolt.


☆


'Da, are you alright?

'Geez,......Uh,......, it's very powerful, but the downside is that it will self-destruct if you don't put a boundary around it. Well, I'm glad I could help you.''

　I couldn't help but ask, but the woman said as she straightened up.
　I looked at her again. White hair, red eyes. Blue horns, different from mine. The kimono she wears is dyed black, and she carries no weapon that looks like a weapon.


　And she had no HP gauge.
　This meant that she was an NPC, not a player.

'My name is Amber. I'm a demon like you.'

'My name is Sukuna. Thank you for your help.

'No need for honorifics. And thank you for saving me. Actually, I've been following you since I saw you at the teahouse.''

'What? ......'

　The female NPC of the demon tribe who called herself Amber declared that she was stalking me with a smile, and I was at a loss for words.

'You have received the blessing of the demon gods, haven't you?　It's a symbol of 'pure violence', which is considered the most precious to the demon race.

　Amber's cheeks were slightly red as she spoke, and her eyes did not hide her curiosity.
　I mean, the most precious idea for a species is pure violence?
　No, maybe it's not so strange, since that's the direction our race is headed, but I really thought we might be a brainy race.

　And I somehow knew from her reaction. The blessing of the demon gods she was referring to was probably not a hairpin, but an occupation called "Doji".
　I had completely forgotten that the occupation had the effect of increasing the sensitivity of NPCs of the demon race.
　And now that I've actually met a drunkard, I kind of understand why the "Doji" profession was created.
　The race that worships that thing as a god must be the demon race of this world.

'Yes, drink this. It's an apology for not helping you until the last minute.

'Oh, thank you.'

　As if he remembered, he took the medicine bottle that was given to him. If the system's words are correct, it's a superior potion called High Potion.
　When I drank it, I didn't notice much of a change in the taste, but I did notice that the speed of my recovery was much higher.


'Skuna, if it's alright with you, why don't you come with me for a bit?　I'd like to hear what you have to say.'

'Yeah, sure. I'm curious about the amber myself.

　Waiting for my HP to recover, I gladly nodded at his proposal.
　I've made a connection with an NPC of the demon race. It would be a shame to ignore it.
　There are many questions I want to ask him, including that 'magic'.

'Good!　I think I'm going to leave this forest for now.

'I was planning to do the same, so that's perfect.

'Okay, let's go then.

　Finally, since I started this game.
　I was finally able to interact with an NPC.





'I see, so it was you who defeated the red wolf.'

'Yeah. That was a really strong opponent.''

'I was surprised when I heard that the Wolf King's actual body had been defeated, but ...... it makes sense to me.

　As we made our way through the demon forest, we were having a peaceful conversation.
　I'm still delivering, but I've said no and am prioritizing my interactions with Amber.
　Amber is a very beautiful woman, so the response from listeners has been very positive.

'Utsushimi, the Wolf King?

'Ah. The lone red wolf, Aria, is a false image of one of the monsters.

　When I asked her about the words I didn't understand, Amber held up a finger and explained.

'Requiem for the Wolf King of the Heavens. It's one of the absolute beings in this world, said to have the strength closest to a god.

　The awe and longing in Amber's eyes as she speaks its name.
　The fear of an existence with tremendous power, and the longing for something with that much power.

'The solitary red wolf, the group black wolf, and the illusory white wolf. These three named monsters are all said in the lore to be the incarnation of the Wolf King. It is said, "The path to the Wolf King will be opened when the Wolf King's actual body is defeated.

'So you're saying that three kinds of named monsters are the key?

'It's been said that they might be. However, they've never been defeated before, so I'm not sure if it's true or not.

　The black wolf of the pack and the white wolf of the illusion.
　It can't be a coincidence that Aria was in the city of beginnings.
　The fact that Aria was in the city of beginnings could not be a coincidence. From what Amber told me, it seems that the information is common knowledge among NPCs, even if it cannot be judged as common knowledge.

　Is that why you placed one of the tickets to the strongest monster named Requiem in the city of beginnings?
　I thought about it, but I had no idea.

'In the first place, I've never seen that sign before.

'A sign of a famous lone vanquisher?

'Yes, a gift from that god. There are a very small number of famous killers, but there are only so many single killers that you don't even need the fingers of one hand. The only one still in existence is a vampire hero named Melty the Heavenly Eye.

　The proof on the chest reflects blue light when you touch it with your hand.
　In a world where there are no players, how many NPCs are there that can defeat the Named?
　NPCs have only one life. Unlike the players, the amber here and now will disappear when they die.
　They are not capable of trial-and-error,......, and if they were the sole vanquisher, they would be tremendous monsters and undeniable heroes.

'Do you know that there are different kinds of named monsters?

'You mean the number of people they can fight?

'Yes, that. Named monsters that can only be defeated by one person, including the lone red wolf, have a characteristic that their strength changes depending on the person they fight. And they never attack the weak. That's why they're also called "messengers of trials" in this world.



　I see. So that's why Aria hadn't been defeated, even though the leveling cripple was already over 60.
　It's quite a gruesome story that the strength of the game changes according to the player's parameters.
　However, there was a part of her story that made me feel a little uncomfortable. She said that solo nomads do not attack the weak.

'Well, I was attacked by a level 28 Aria when I was level 14. ......'

'I've never heard of anyone being challenged at that low of a level,......, but it's been said that they see through the strong. Well, do you have any idea if you've killed hundreds of Wolves unharmed, for example?'

'Ugh ......'

　I do have an idea. .......

'I saw the fight you just had, and I guessed. As expected of a child blessed by the demon gods, you have an unparalleled sense of combat. I think the red wolf saw through that and that's why he challenged you to a fight.

　Amber said with a sullen and somewhat happy expression.
　I've been thinking about it for a while, but the way Amber looks at me, her eyes seem to be filled with so much heat that I can't believe we've never met before.

　I wonder if this is because I am a child, a power that comes from the lineage of drunkards.
　I couldn't tell if it was because I was a solo named defeater or not.