Chapter 3.2 Sea Labyrinth
“You see, the sponsors are having doubts,” Ishigawa’s voice echoed through the comms, accompanied by the steady *tap, tap, tap* of his fingers on the virtual keyboard. The sound meshed with the faint hum of code windows materializing around him, saturating the air with bright holographic lights. It was as if the entire virtual space around him was cluttered with layers of streaming data, each line of code blurring into the next.
My eyes darted between the koi fish lunging at me and the glowing windows in my peripheral vision. The cold water splashed against my legs as I moved, dodging a flurry of scaled bodies. Yet despite the chaos, Ishigawa’s words had my full attention.
“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to keep my focus on the battle as my harpoon sliced through another fish. Its scales gleamed in the dim light before it dissolved into virtual particles.
“The higher-ups want to secure a spot for SOLA International,” Ishigawa continued, his voice almost drowned by the rapid beeping of alerts around him. “They’re worried about the 7th Alliance holding out through the entire event. Hell, they don’t even think we can secure a slot. We're not like the top alliances that get an automatic invite.”
His words tugged at me, but the koi weren't giving me any room to breathe. I grit my teeth, the sharp *whoosh* of their tails cutting through the water as I narrowly dodged another bite. My harpoon met its mark, the satisfying *thud* reverberating through my arm as the fish burst into shimmering pixels.
“Don’t beat around the bush, Ishigawa,” I growled, irritation creeping into my voice. “I need the research team for my daughter. What do you need from me?”
There was a pause, followed by Ishigawa’s unsettling chuckle. “I love how you’re always all in, Ryuujin-kun. This is exactly what I meant.”
Before I could respond, another notification popped up, its jarring *ping* cutting through the virtual battlefield. My vision momentarily blurred as a quest-like interface materialized in front of me.
What is this?
[7th Alliance Announcement:
Congratulations, you have successfully joined the alliance.
As part of the contract, we trust you will prioritize our singular goal: standing among the top alliances.
To kick off our initial activities, we’ve secured registration for the SOLA VR International!!
Please note that all players are required to reset to level 20 cap. If you have not done so, please complete this before undertaking the next tasks.
Due to high registration volumes, a simple quest will determine who qualifies:*
Quest Requirements: Kill 3000 Dungeon Bosses
Event Period: February 21 (08:00H) to February 29 (08:00H)
Alliances who qualify within the event period will be eligible for the SOLA VR International!
Dearest 7th Alliance Guildmasters,
Your specific tasks will be sent shortly to maintain your 7th Alliance position.
Please complete them immediately.
—**Sponsor 7**]
I finished reading the long message that generally says we should kill dungeon bosses to qualify at the biggest event of SOLA VR Online.
One thing immediately came into my mind. Killing 3000 Dungeon Bosses in a span of 7 days is on the line of impossible.
Just think about it, every dungeon boss needs five to six decently equipped teams to fight it. Even if they're completely equipped with high refines, it will probably take two to three teams to fight it properly.
Well, let's say that the dungeon boss has been killed. The raid party will then wait for an hour for the dungeon to reset and fight the boss again.
Even with the maximum number of guilds of 40 in an alliance and 10 members for each guild, it will still be pushing through impossibility. It is already twelve hours before the start of the event.
From the introductions earlier on the event, most of the guild masters have reset back to level 20 because they came from higher level. But about fifteen of us have still not yet reached the level cap.
Can we really secure a slot? This seems impossible if I thought about it. With a quick computation of 3000 dungeon bosses to 40 guilds, each guild needs to kill 75 dungeon bosses by the end of the event period.
A really well managed alliance can probably pull this off considering which dungeon to attack and scheduling it efficiently by the managers. I hope that the 7th Alliance will also help us in managing this raids.
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
I was pulled from my frantic thoughts by another *ping*. A message.
[7th Alliance Achievement (7AA) Quest
Dear Ryuujin Mizushiro [Ryuusei Guild]
For the 7th Alliance qualification for SOLA International, you have been assigned the following task:
Quest: Kill 1000 Dungeon Bosses
Progress: 0/1000 Killed ]
I froze, my body stiffening. The koi fish I had been battling seized the opportunity, its razor-sharp teeth sinking into my shoulder. A sharp pain shot through my nerves, but I was too stunned to react. The notification flickered in front of me, taunting me.
“Are you for real?” I whispered into the voice call, disbelief settling into my bones like ice.
“Yes. It’s as real as it gets,” Ishigawa’s voice replied coolly, as though he were discussing the weather.
I clenched my jaw, ignoring the dull ache from the fish gnawing at my virtual flesh.
These bastards were asking me to handle one-third of the entire requirement for the event?!
A thousand dungeon bosses? In seven days?
These *fuckers*.
“You know I’m still playing solo right now, right?” I muttered, my voice laced with irritation as I wrenched the koi fish off my shoulder. Its teeth released with a sickening squelch, and I tossed its wriggling body aside. The stench of algae and damp scales clung to the air, making me grimace as I wiped the virtual blood off my hands. The cold water lapping at my legs felt oddly heavy, as if the weight of my frustration was sinking me deeper.
Ishigawa’s chuckle crackled through the voice chat, still annoyingly amused. “The guilds and registered players under each one are already locked in,” he said, his tone light despite the situation. I could almost imagine his smug grin. “And you’re not alone. I’m under your guild.”
I froze for a second, the hum of the virtual world around me fading into the background. “Since when was that decided?”
“Each guild gets ten members,” he continued, nonchalant, like this was common knowledge. “You’re the leader, of course. Then the other seven, plus Ayaka. That leaves one spot open, right? Since I’ve been managing the other seven for the past three years, doesn’t it make sense for me to be part of your team?”
His words held logic, sure. But something about it made me uneasy. The sensation of damp scales and icy water was still fresh on my skin, grounding me in the moment. Even though he laid it out so matter-of-factly, I had only met him last week. There was still this strange unfamiliarity that gnawed at me. The cold breeze in the virtual space only added to that feeling.
“Anyway, we can’t do anything about the lineups now,” Ishigawa pressed on. His voice, usually full of confidence, had an underlying tension to it. “Even I don’t have that much authority with the higher-ups in the alliance. We need to focus on meeting their demands, or we’ll both be out of work.”
I could hear the faint sound of keys tapping on his end, rhythmic and steady. The fact that there was something at stake for him too was clear, especially with that wry smile I could practically feel through the voice call. His amusement had faded, replaced by the weight of the situation.
“Besides,” he added, his voice softening, “my developer authority gets revoked at midnight tonight.” There was a hint of sadness there, maybe even worry. “But don’t stress. I’ve made all the preparations I can.”
I glanced at the small digital clock hovering at the top corner of my vision. *8:05 PM*. Four hours until midnight. The ticking seconds felt slower than usual, each passing moment a reminder of how little time we had left.
“If you say so,” I muttered, resigning myself to the circumstances. The cold dampness from the virtual water still clung to my skin, making me feel strangely powerless. “I don’t really have a say in it anyway.”
The virtual world around me continued to move—fish swimming in patterns, water splashing quietly—but the weight of Ishigawa’s words seemed heavier than everything else.
"Anyways, you get what we have to do now, right?" Ishigawa stretched his arms above his head, the virtual windows around him flickering shut one by one like dying embers. I could almost hear his joints popping as he stood up, the faint, metallic hum of his virtual environment now eerily silent.
"Yeah, I got the gist. You kill 999 bosses, and I’ll handle one," I replied, sarcasm lacing my voice. My frustration from the endless conversation fueled my movements as I dove back into combat, slicing through the shimmering, translucent bodies of the koi fish with newfound vigor. The splash of water felt cool against my legs, the damp air thick with the smell of wet stone and algae. I moved faster, the rhythmic slashing and dodging almost therapeutic.
"Give me a break," he chuckled through the voice comms. His laughter sounded light, but there was a tiredness underneath it. "Even for me, that’s impossible."
"That’s exactly what I’ve been saying, man." I slashed through another koi, its scales gleaming under the soft virtual light before dissolving into a puff of data. Maybe if he actually understood the gravity of the task, we could convince the alliance’s higher-ups to reconsider.
"I know what you're thinking, but that won’t work, Ryuujin-kun," Ishigawa cut in with a knowing smirk, his voice tinged with amusement. He started doing some exaggerated stretches, his avatar’s limbs moving with a smooth, mechanical precision. I couldn't help but wonder if he was planning to join me in this ridiculous koi battle.
"Alright, I’ll help you for a bit since the others aren’t here yet," he said, flashing a grin that made me question whether he was serious or just looking to stir things up. Moments later, a small notification blinked into my vision.
[ Ishigawa has joined your team!
Party: 2/10 ]
I didn’t even get an option to accept or decline. Damn developer privileges.
"Don’t hate me for what’s about to happen, okay?" Ishigawa’s voice was teasing, but there was a hint of excitement behind it, like he was about to show off something ridiculous.
"Do you even know how to fight?" I glanced at him skeptically, watching as his character jumped around like some overenthusiastic gym rat. "What job class are you even?"
He let out a laugh, one that echoed through the watery, koi-infested battlefield. "Do you even need to ask that? Of course! The all-time crowd favorite support!"
I had some expectation but I knew it well that the number one support class of this game with numerous buffs and heals spells is the: "You'll be a priest?"
The idea of Ishigawa as a priest didn’t sit right with me, though. His character seemed too cocky, too reckless for something as noble as healing and buffing.
"Huh? Priest? No, no, no!" His voice was full of mock offense, as if I had just insulted his entire lineage. "I’m going to be an assassin!"
I stopped mid-attack, letting the koi fish circle me for a moment as I blinked in confusion. "When in the world did an assassin become the ultimate support?"
I sighed, feeling the weight of the absurdity sink in. The sensation of cold water lapping at my legs grounded me once more, the faint smell of fish clinging to the air as I reluctantly prepared for whatever nonsense was coming next.