'The greatest advantage of virtual space . That is, you can be forgiven for committing crimes in the virtual space.

　As for the physical abilities in the virtual space, I heard that they can be changed freely by the game's numerical values.
　I heard that the five senses conform to reality to some extent.
　After a brief explanation that even I knew about, Toki-san said.

'Does crime ...... mean killing, stealing, and so on?

'Yes. To be precise, the pseudo-criminal experience in the virtual space will not get us arrested in the real world. There is a penalty for each game, but that's just a specification in the game.

　I suppose that's true.
　If people in the real world were arrested for killing people in games, most shooting games would not exist.
　Some VRMMOs allow PK, some don't, but if you kill someone in a game that allows PK, there is only an in-game penalty.
　Except for a few exceptions, such as cheating or cheating involving real-world money, or violating the game rules, it was natural to be allowed to do anything in the game.

'In the early days of VR, the technology of virtual reality was most utilized in simulation software. For example, pilot flight training, a task that would have been very costly in the real world, was supplemented by simulations that were as close to reality as possible, with the aim of reducing costs and increasing opportunities.

'Hmmm...'

'This VR Dojo is not actually a game, but a function of simulation software.

　Indeed, this dojo may be a little too tasteless to be described as a game.
　It seems more like a teaching material for a class or something like that than a simulation.

'Well, a virtual space is a free world. You can theoretically do anything you can imagine by playing with the numbers.

'Even if it's a simulation of a crime, you mean?

'Yes, that's right.

　Toki-san nodded his head in response to my question.
　As Toki-san said, the virtual space can simulate anything as long as it is created well.
　In the first place, it seems that games in which players land in a big city and do whatever they want are popular now and in the past.
　It's just that I've never played such games because Rin doesn't play them, but I suppose they are a popular genre in some parts of the world.

'However, it's not that I aim to commit crimes. It's just that I've been creating realistic interpersonal simulation software as a hobby and researching the art of killing in virtual space.

'What are you doing, Toki-san? ......'

　You're the one who taught me how to destroy people a long time ago.
　I don't think it's strange that he has that side of him, but I don't want him to try to hone his killing skills as a hobby.
　Even though I stared at him, Toki-san continued to talk with an unconcerned look on his face.

'I can't help it, it's my natural hobby. Nanaka, I'm the one who taught you how to destroy people, remember?

'That's true, but...'

But as a result, I am able to tell Nanaka about it like this. The time I spent studying as a hobby was not a waste of time.

　As he said this, Toki-san took out a large survival knife from somewhere. It was thick and seemed to be very sharp.
　By the way, where did he get that knife from?



'This software has several kinds of weapons for thugs to study self-defense.'

'That seems like a very useful feature!

　There are also bats, stun guns, batons, knives, and a wide range of other weapons, up to the level of police guns.
　VR Dojo is a software that looks like it can be played in a low-key way.


'Now, the simulation of the art of killing in a virtual space has sharpened my combat skills, which had been immature and impractical until now, and raised them to a practical level.

'How practical is practical?

'Literally, to the point where you can actually use it. Although, I've never tried it in the real world. ......'

'That's true.

　If he really tried it in the real world, even Toki-san would go straight to jail.

'In the real world, the most effective weapons against the human body are guns and knives. People are creatures that die just by spilling a certain amount of blood. Conversely, it's hard to kill a person by hurting them to the extent that they don't bleed.

'But blood doesn't flow in virtual space, does it?

'There are games that have bleeding conditions, but there are restrictions on expression in ...... commercial games.'

　Toki-san was quite serious about the fact that VR games can be used to kill, but public authorities are not stupid.
　Even in the early days, most of the VR games nowadays have restrictions on bleeding and loss.
　Most of them have red polygons splattering like in WLO, or some other damage effects to cover it up.
　A game in which you cut your arm and see bones and flesh and blood flowing out is no longer available in VR.

　I think that the software Toki-san used for the simulation is a local software developed by the Takasho group.
　The software used by the group's security company was customized for Toki-san and made into a simulation that can kill people.

'That's why there's not much point in teaching a serious killing technique that assumes bleeding as a technique to be used in a full-dive game.'

'I see.'

'So, what I'm going to teach you now is an application of the 'technique to neutralize the opponent by destroying their parts' like Nanaka has been using so far. It's a technique for killing, not disabling, and it's a kind of mindset.

　Is it because the technique is not so different from the previous ones?
　Or .......

'Is that to overcome the fact that I can't really show my strength in person?

'Yes, it is. Technically, it's not so different from what I taught you in the past.

'Well, ...... at that point, it was a killing technique depending on how you used it.

　That's because, as Toki-san said earlier, we were taught a technique that could kill a person just by striking them in the vital points.
　When I think about it again, it's not something I would teach to a four or five year old. .......

'Nanaka, I don't think you don't like interpersonal combat itself. I heard that it was not settled, but it was fun to fight against PK players, wasn't it?

'Sure, I had fun fighting Lowe.

　The only PK player I've fought in WLO is "Murder Princess" Lowe.
　The fight with Lowe wasn't broadcasted, so he must have heard about it from Rin.
　It was a really fun fight too, though it got fizzled out due to a spear.

'Ever since the day you almost destroyed your mother in the real world, you've been unconsciously afraid of hurting people. On the other hand, the fact that you have no mercy for monsters is probably due to the memory of the time you protected Butane from a raging dog.



　Now that you put it that way, it's probably true.
　It's true that he was traumatized by hurting his mother, and it's also true that he lost his tolerance for animals when he protected Rin.

　However, would it be so easy to get rid of it just because someone pointed it out?
　Perhaps such thoughts were showing on his face, but Toki patted me on the head to calm me down.

'It's okay. The current Nanaka can easily overcome that fear. Because at the root of that fear is the trauma of hurting my mother because she couldn't control her power.

'Oh, ...... that's...'

'Yes, you've already conquered the control of power long ago, haven't you?　You don't hurt people by miscontrolling now. You can love butterflies and flowers, but you can also slaughter beasts of prey. Wouldn't it be easier if you were self-aware?

　I chewed on Toki-san's words of admonition.
　That's right. It's been almost ten years since I've had this extraordinary physical ability under my complete control, so why didn't I realize it?
　The only reason I hurt my mother back then was because I genuinely couldn't control my strength.
　And I can do that now. There's no such thing as a mistake anymore.

　I feel more confident now.
　Toki-san smiled at me, clasped his hands together lightly, and said.

'Now, even though your mind has changed, I cannot say that you have overcome the trauma by yourself. So, let's practice it first to get used to the sensation of killing people.

'Practice?'

'I can't do it in the VR Dojo, so I'll change the location.

　As Toki-san fiddled with the menu window, the scenery that had been the spacious dojo turned into a jungle, and our clothes changed into camouflage military uniforms.

'Originally, this space is an anti-military combat simulation software that I developed in order to study the art of killing. The VR Dojo is one of the functions of the software, and this is the proper way to use it.

'Wow, that's really useful.

　If you're not a soldier, you don't need a simulation of military combat, right?　Aside from the question, the design of this jungle is very well done.
　It looks like the Amazon rainforest, and it's very exciting.

Let's begin. You can choose the number of people you want to play with from one to five, but for ...... Nanaka, I think we should start with one to one thousand.''

'Huh?'

　Toki-san said something outrageous with a smug look on his face, and then did something in the menu window.
　Before I could ask back, signs of life scattered around me.
　The peaceful jungle was suddenly dominated by the tension of a battlefield.

'Now, today we will not eat until we complete this simulation. Don't worry, Nanaka can do it. I've been able to clear up to one hundred against one.

　Toki-san smiled kindly, but I could only see that smile as that of the devil.



'No, no, no, but one against one thousand is impossible. ...... Hee!

　As I tried to protest, a bullet was fired at my feet.
　I'm not sure if it was a rifle shot or not, judging from the impact on the ground.
　Could this be a serious 'anti-military' training?

'Good luck.

　He handed me the thick survival knife that Toki-san had just taken out.
　After that, Toki-san turned into a particle of light and disappeared.

　The camouflage military uniform he wears contains no weapons of any kind.
　What, do I have to fight with just this knife against an army that's heavily armed?

It's just too much!

　And so the death game against the army began, without even knowing where the word "hand-holding" had gone.