Chapter 5

After being bombarded with questions from Saya, I ended up spilling almost all the information. Not that it matters much, since the information was scarce to begin with. Still, there is one thing that bothers me.

"By the way, how did you know my name and that I'm a player?"

"My name? You can see it just by focusing on the cursor... Don't you have the 'Identification' skill?"

"Identification? That useless skill? I don't have it."

"Right, that one. In the offline version, it just shows what you see and is only useful for filling up the encyclopedia."

In the offline version, 'Identification' was a necessary skill in the early stages for those who wanted to delve into the game, but it wasn't useful for anything else. The skill 'Insight' was a much better alternative.

"It seems the mechanics have changed, and it's actually quite useful now. Without 'Identification,' I wouldn't have realized you were a player."

"Hmm, that's interesting. How do you get it?"

"I don't know. It was an initial skill, but maybe it's a regular skill now? I think you can get it through some means..."

In the offline version, it was a general skill that any race could obtain, but it seems to have been adjusted for the online version. Maybe it's a skill like 'Wild Instinct' or something? If so, it could be a common initial skill for animal-type monsters...

"There are more changes from the offline version than I thought! I want to gather more players and exchange information!"

"True. But in that case, Kei will probably be the one asked the most questions, being a unique race with the official seal of approval."

"...Yeah, that's true. I'm a bundle of changes, no matter how you look at it."

"Hehe, I'll be showing you a lot of new elements from now on."

"Sure, but Saya, you have to share information too. Long-term information exchange should be mutual."

"That's true. Hmm..."

Saya put her hand on her chin, as if deep in thought. If she were a normal human, it might make a good picture, but she's a bear. It's a surreal scene... This surrealness is apparently one of the reasons for her strange popularity.

Saya seemed to have gathered her thoughts and clapped her hands. A real bear doing this is indeed a surreal scene. Or maybe it's just creepy?

"Alright, let's form a party!"

"Huh, this game has a party function!?"

"...You really haven't read the help, have you? Since it's an MMORPG, it should have that."

"But there's no currency or towns, even though it's an MMORPG."

"Ugh, that's a tough one... This game is really strange, isn't it?"

"What are you saying now? Well, if there's a party function, that's good. This moss is really hard to move around."

"I heard a bit earlier, but I'm really curious about how it moves. I'll help you test it, so let's form a party."

"Oh, got a hand! Or a bear hand? No, that sounds like something else..."

"Stop saying silly things. Here."

Saya sent a party request. Since she's willing to help and I was planning to test it anyway, it's fine. I'll accept it.

<Party led by Saya has been formed>

Oh, the party function is there. Yeah, Saya's HP in the party member list is definitely HP. My group number is really strange, though...

"By the way, how do you reduce the group number?"

"I explained it earlier, didn't I? The 'Dissolve Group' skill—"

"No, I mean for other players or normal creatures?"

"…I don't know?"

Now that you mention it, how do you get rid of them? Hmm? Can you earn survival evolution points as a bonus...? The only attack method I have is to slide, and the enhancement evolution points are tough!?

Maybe I have to use fusion evolution points... But those points are only given the first time you reach the maximum group number, so I haven't been getting any points since I reached 500...

"Can you reduce it by squishing? Moss seems fine even when squished, right? Burn it? It's too moist to burn, and how do you even start a fire... Oh, I remember, the help has a magic section..."

"Ooh, there's magic! In the offline version, it was just pseudo-magic based on race-specific abilities. I want to use it!"

"We don't know how to get it yet, so we can't guarantee it works."

"Damn, not enough information..."

"Well, let's start with what we can do."

"Right. First, we need to find a normal creature for the experiment."

"I saw one over there earlier."

"Oh, really!"

Knowing this makes things easier. Let's go!

"Kei, hold on!"

"What is it? You're ruining the mood..."

"I'm sorry. Can you show me the group formation and movement within the group? I might lose track if I don't see it..."

"...That's true. This movement method is too special. Okay, there's some moss on that rock over there. I'll move there."

"Got it. I'll watch the movement carefully."

The bear stared intently at the moss. It's surreal, isn't it? But that's fine. I need to show the practical movement within the group. I'm also curious about how it looks objectively. Okay, my action points are fully recovered, and there's room in my group number.

<Consumed 1 action point to activate 'Group Formation Lv1'> Action Points 9/10

Now the moss on the rock is part of my group. Next, I'll move!

<Consumed 1 action point to activate 'Group Movement Lv1'> Action Points 8/10

Okay, the move is complete. Wait, why is Saya still staring at the previous spot? She's tilting her head curiously. What's going on?

"Hey, the move is done!"

"Huh!? Oh, really!? The cursor is now on the moss on that rock!?"

"Hmm? Did something strange happen?"

"The cursor suddenly disappeared, and there was no other visible change. It felt like instant teleportation!"

"Instant teleportation, huh? That's a good description. It feels like that, conditionally. But I wonder how it looks objectively."

Hmm, that's good information. It could be useful for surprise attacks! The problem is that I can only slide right now. If I think of more ways to use it, I might be able to do something amazing.

"Hey, can you move to the moss on that small rock?"

"Hmm? I think I can, but why?"

"So I don't lose track of you. Can I carry the small rock?"

"That would be nice. This movement method is a bit troublesome..."

"Yeah, you're moss..."

"Exactly... Being a unique race, I guess."

So, I'll move to the moss on the small rock, and Saya will carry it. Yeah, it's an easy way to move.

Other monsters don't have such a cumbersome movement method, but I can't walk, so it makes sense! Oh, but plant-type monsters had a hard time moving in the early stages in the offline version. But they eventually learned to walk...

Moss can't walk! Should I try to find a way to walk? Hmm, I don't know.

"Anyway, why don't we start by unlocking the map?"

"Good idea. That way, you won't lose track of me. In the offline version, you unlocked the map by moving a certain distance, right?"

"Only if the conditions are the same."

Having a map will prevent us from getting lost (except for directionally challenged people). It's always good to have one. With the party function, the map might show party members, so we won't lose track of each other.

"Alright, let's explore to unlock the map and find a normal creature!"

"Sure, but Kei will just be carried."

"Alright, thanks!"

"You're adaptable... But I did suggest it."

I immediately used group formation and group movement to move to the moss on the small rock. Saya picked up the rock and started walking on two legs. Running on all fours is faster, but she can't carry the rock that way. It's easy.

If we find a normal creature on the way, I'll do the sliding experiment this time. Understanding its performance is quite important!