Author's Note:
Character Map:
"X" = Loid Orcus (protagonist)
"(X)" = Loid Orcus (strong inner thought)
°X° = Makina
•X• = Soul Goddess Aksa
^X^ = Sebastian (AI Assistant)
'1 X 1'= Human male Swordman, Daren
'2 X 2'=Dwarf Male Tank Garius
'3 X 3' = Beaskin Male Scout, Krivven
'4 X 4' = Human Female priest, Dianara
'5 X 5' = Elf Female Mage, Velenya)
X>X = Chat Window/Panel in the Livestream
*X* = God and Goddess
#X# = Deities
?X?=Unknown Person
' X '= Extra (Maybe or maybe not one time character(for convenience, if their extra that more than one, i will put number('A A') to the second extra and so on)(NEW)(At least compared to before, Know why)
×X×=Monster/Enemy
Others:
[X] = Status Board/What is written on it/ Status Window (New)
--- = POV Change
|||| = Time Skip/Time Preview(New)
(X) = Explanation/author/ A.U.T.H.O.R.
([X]) = Sound effect
{X} = Buttons, or something that may cause a certain action
---
Now, with funds running low, the party has resumed their adventuring duties.
And with that—at last—I will have my first real adventure.
A new day dawned. The sun had just risen above the horizon, casting its first light across the land. I stood at the west gate—our usual meeting point—accompanied by four AI personnel acting as my guards.
The AI had already greeted the gatekeepers and informed them of our agenda, ensuring there wouldn't be any trouble like the last time we brought vehicles to the gate. Back then, the guards were unsure how to handle it and, after some tense back-and-forth, compromised by treating the vehicles as a different type of carriage. They let us through—but with nervous expressions.
Ending my brief reminiscence, I turned to the present. The party I had been waiting for had arrived. This time, they were fully geared up for an adventure, unlike before when they were still on break and dressed more casually, though still with hints of their adventuring attire—minus the large bags now strapped to their backs.
Noticing me, although it was more likely they noticed the Vehicle that was noticeable even from a distance, they waved from where they were, still undergoing inspection by the guards. I returned the wave casually.
After completing the inspection, each of them made their way forward in their own distinct style of walking. One by one, they reached the vehicle—and finally greeted me with words instead of gestures.
'1 1 Hello A1!" the warrior greeted with a grin. (Though it's pronounced in English, it's said with a local otherworldly accent(Tranlated by A.U.T.H.O.R. the Block AI)) Sorry, we're late! And that goes for you too—A2, A3, A4, and A5. Had to wait for someone, hahaha! 1'
'2 Blame the little elf, 2'
Grumbled by Dwarf Garius.
'2 Still can't wake up properly. She's been out of the forest for a while now, but she hasn't shaken that habit of sleeping in until the sun's halfway through the sky. 2'
'3 Yoho! #$%^(a Beastkin phrase for 'Good morning')—Let's enjoy the hunt today!" the beastkin scout called out cheerfully. 3'
'4 Good morning. Thank you—and sorry for making you all wait," said the cleric politely. 4'
'5 Hey Dwarf! Dwarves are weird. No matter how much I think about it, waking up before the sun even rises is just unnatural. 5'
'2 Hahaha! That's because a good dwarf starts early and works hard! Unlike you lazy elves—ahahahaha! 2'
'5 !!! You @#$% Dwarf!!" the elf snapped. (A rough translation might be something like "muscle-headed idiot.")5'
'2 What did you say, you little elf!? 2'
As the party exchanged their morning greetings—well, except for the two already flinging insults—I returned their greetings with a smile. I didn't bother trying to calm the bickering pair immediately. Instead, I opened the trunk of the vehicle and invited everyone to hop in.
Only when the rest had climbed aboard did I finally cut into the banter between the dwarf and elf.
Following my words, the two finally ceased their bickering and, with a huff and muttered grumbles, climbed into the trunk along with the rest of the party.
And with that, we set off. Out of stubborn habit, I tried to take the driver's seat, but Makina quickly stopped me with a sharp chime through the comms.
•You're not driving. Sit in the back and entertain the party. They've known you for a while now, and they probably discuss their plan on their quest onward, so go and hear them•
With a sigh, I gave in to her command. It wasn't worth the argument, especially with Makina in logistics mode. I took my place in the back with the others.
As the vehicle rolled along the path, the party did what they always did—talk, laugh, banter. As expected, they filled the ride with chatter, and I, along with the AI personnel, joined in. The conversation flowed naturally, bouncing between what we'd do when we arrived and more casual, light-hearted topics.
'1 But I must say—though I've ridden one back when we were touring the city—I expected the ride to be rough on roads outside the walls. Turns out, I was wrong. Even on uneven terrain, this ride is far smoother than any carriage I've ridden within the city. Makes you wonder just how bad those carriages are by comparison. 1'
'2 You said it, Human Daren. Even though we dwarves are sturdier than most races, better things are still better. I'm already fond of this "vehicle" you introduced us to. 2'
Technically, "vehicle" was just a general term. This one we were riding was specifically called a truck—GMC CCKW, nicknamed the "Deuce and a Half" back in my world. It even had a roofed trunk, offering cover and comfort with some adjustment to have an open view in the back. But I didn't bother bringing it up. The conversation was flowing, and I didn't want to interrupt the mood just to drop technical trivia.
'5 Hmph. As much as it pains me to agree with a dwarf—good things are good. This ride suits my taste far more than those stiff, rattling carriages. 5'
'4 A truly blessed ride... I do hope one day this kind of comfort can be shared with everyone. It would surely ease the burdens of many. 4'
Hearing their words, I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and satisfaction swell inside me, especially when my gaze drifted to Krivven, the Wolfkin scout that I mistakin as some kind of feline earlier time because of fur that been trim making me mistaken about his possible race, who had his head leaned out of the vehicle, his tongue lolling as if tasting the morning breeze—just like a summer dog back on Earth. The image made me chuckle softly to myself.
As we continued our chatter, we finally arrived at the location we had discussed earlier—a wide expanse of green plains. However, traces of miasma had begun to appear. Although the contamination was measured at low levels in this area, prolonged exposure was still risky and required immediate purification at an early stage of Miasma Enroachment.
Miasma Encroachment is the measurement system used by the inhabitants of this world to determine the degree of corruption caused by miasma exposure. It is classified into three distinct stages:
Early Stage – At this point, only the physical body is affected. Minor symptoms may occur, but the individual still retains full control and awareness. With proper purification, recovery is easily possible.
Mid Stage – In this phase, both the body, and the mind are encroached upon. Victims may experience hallucinations, aggression, or emotional instability. If untreated, further exposure may accelerate the descent into full corruption.
Final Stage – The mana and soul itself begin to be tainted by miasma. At this point, the individual is on the verge of complete transformation into a monster. Purification becomes extremely difficult and, in many cases, impossible. The only option may be to eliminate the afflicted before they fully turn.
It is said that once the soul is fully enshrouded in miasma, the person is no longer themselves, and all traces of their former being are lost to the corruption.
Speaking of this, magic beasts could be seen roaming in the distance across the grasslands. Judging by the taint in the air, they were on the verge of turning into full-fledged monsters, as they are the Last and Final Stage of Miasma Enroachment. If left alone, they would soon succumb to the corruption—so it was best to cut the threat at the bud before that transformation occurred.
Even from afar, we could tell the situation needed action. We disembarked from the vehicle and began making our individual preparations. Each of us checked our gear, confirming our readiness with one another.
Once everyone agreed they were ready, the party steadily advanced toward the miasma-tainted beasts. Meanwhile, I and the AI personnel remained behind, taking defensive positions around the vehicle.
I took the forefront, reverting to my knight form—shield in one hand, sword in the other. The AI personnel, also in knight form, were equipped with firearms strapped to their bodies, swords at their waists, and shields slung across their backs.
The sight of armored figures wielding both magic-age swords and modern firearms was nothing short of surreal—but I gave it no further thought. A clash was about to unfold between us and the Infected Magic Beast.
One of the AI personnel, equipped with a long-range sniper rifle, reported its findings through the scope—identifying the beast's species and assessing its stage of miasma encroachment.
The party, momentarily puzzled, asked how we gathered such detailed information from so far away. In response, we explained the use of the sniper's scope, a tool capable of scouting distant targets with precision.
Curious, they asked to try it themselves. We handed over a proper scouting scope, and after taking turns peering through it, they couldn't hide their amazement. It was their first time seeing something that could be observed clearly from such a distance without using magical means like spells or skill, and other wonders from this world.
Of course, I and the AI personnel didn't rely on it as much—we had our augmented mimic bodies with integrated sensors and enhanced vision. But for others, this kind of technology was a marvel, but we are instructed to pretend by Makina, so we are.
After that brief exchange, we returned to our positions and followed the plan we had discussed during the ride.
Once the infected magic beast was within the right distance, the AI personnel with the sniper rifle and Wolfkin Krivven, who had already strung his bow, took aim. The arrow shimmered with a faint green light, a subtle mana infusion, and in perfect synchrony, both fired.
The bullet and the arrow flew across the open plain and, despite what it might have looked like and result it be as the common sense in earth say the bullet is faster than the arrow, landed at almost exactly the same moment—both striking the intended target at the front of the herd. The shots were intentionally non-lethal, aimed to wound but not kill.
The beast let out a guttural, pained scream that echoed across the field. The rest of the herd—creatures resembling buffalo, nearly identical in size and build to those found on Earth—immediately turned toward us, alerted and agitated.
Much like a bull provoked by a matador's red cloth, the eight beasts lowered their heads and charged at us in rage.
With that, Phase One of the plan began.
The party took position at the front line, while we—the AI personnel and I—flanked from behind. Everything was now in motion, just as we had planned.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________Tired but have a good read and day to come(School is around town now so well, never mind, well good read and good day all of you, then bye)