Chapter 47

I am currently dozing on the sofa in the living room.

After logging out, I realized that drowning in the game's river had unexpectedly worn me down mentally.

My hand trembled slightly as I removed the headset from my head, and my knees felt weak.

I walked to the fridge to get some barley tea that was chilling, but my posture was as unsteady as a newborn fawn.

"Phew. Today might be a bit rough."

I just can't muster the energy to do anything. I'm sorry, Miharu. Is it okay if we have some ready-made or instant food for dinner today? Big brother is really tired.

While I was lying on the sofa, my phone started ringing.

The default ringtone continued, and on the fourth ring, I decided to answer.

"…Yeah?"

"Hey, Shun. …How are you?"

"We met at school this morning, didn't we?"

"You seem a bit down. What's wrong?"

Kou, who seemed to react sensitively to my voice, asked me. Man, he's really something to be able to say that to someone who's feeling down.

"I had the worst death return ever."

"Oh, did you accidentally fight a boss or something?"

"No, I slipped and drowned while picking up items in the river."

No, seriously, it was like dying. It wasn't just uncomfortable; it was an irresistible, absolute force. I'm in a knockout state right now.

"What are you doing?"

"Haha, you can say anything. When I drowned, water filled my lungs, and I was dragged and hit by the current, suffering and dying. You should try it sometime. With the armor, you definitely can't float."

"Ugh…"

Kou let out a disgusted sound, probably imagining it. That place is dangerous, even though you can pick up a lot of stones. You need to take safety measures, like tying a rope around your body, to avoid something like today happening again.

"Where's the river where you drowned?"

"It's in the forest around the second town. Surprisingly, there were flowers and moss, and the scenery was quite nice."

Come to think of it, I forgot to take a screenshot. I don't want to go back there because it brings up traumatic memories.

"Wow. There's a place like that? It might be a safe point."

"Maybe. There were no enemies, and it was a quiet place. So, what's the reason for your call now?"

Oh, right. Kou's voice sounded like he just remembered something. I wonder what it is.

"Actually, I have a few questions. Is it okay if I ask them?"

"Sure, as long as I can answer them."

"Does your enchantment cause a party penalty when used between different parties?"

"No, it doesn't. It's like a street enchantment, not a street heal."

This was proven when we fought the boss MOB with Mew and the others.

"Great! Shun, I want you to join our fixed party."

I can tell you're doing a victory pose on the other end of the phone. But, we've formed parties before, haven't we?

"Huh? Are you just trying to round up numbers for another hunting trip?"

"No, it's different. Last time, we were a temporary party. This time, it's a fixed party. We want to clear the game with just this group."

I guess he's using an extreme example, but that's what he means.

"I'll listen to what you have to say. It's the usual members, right?"

The usual members are Ganz, the martial artist who targets enemies, Tak and Kai as the tanks, and Minits and Mami in the back, casting spells. That's a five-person team.

"Alright. We're adding a high-attack greatsword user to the usual members."

"Huh? If you add me, that makes seven people for hunting. Wouldn't the party penalty… Oh, I see."

"Got it?"

They call a fixed party a group of six combat players and one non-combat support player. Since they asked if my enchantment would cause a party penalty, I'm probably the support player.

Things are simple.

By doing this, they can use the limited six-person party slots for combat and rely on external support, making hunting more efficient.

"Hey, Kou. I'm the support, right? I'll be enchanting from outside the party."

"Exactly. Just having Yun's enchantment makes hunting much more efficient. Like with the big boar, sandman, and golem.

Also, since Minits can heal, we can rotate the support role."

I sit up on the sofa and think.

There are pros and cons to this proposal.

The pros are that I can easily go to places I haven't been before, get items I don't have, and fight higher-level enemies, which will help me level up my combat senses.

However, the cons are that I don't want to move around too much, and the time constraints of group activities are a big minus.

And then there's the distribution of drop items.

If we hunt MOBs as a party and one person supports from outside, the number of drop items doesn't increase. If we don't redistribute the items, it could cause unnecessary conflicts within the party. But I think Kou has considered this.

In the extreme case, this method could allow us to brute-force bosses. However, if the number of drop items is limited and the number of people increases, each person's share decreases. No one will do something that doesn't benefit them. Ideally, there would be one or two support players in a party, and it would run smoothly.

"Isn't this a pretty good deal?"

"Right! So…"

"But I'll decline. First of all, don't drag a production player like me to the front lines."

"What makes you a production player!"

He says that on the phone, but I am a production player. Sort of.

"First, the drop items are tempting, but I can get by with just buying items from other players. I'm not in a rush to level up my combat senses. Since half of my senses are production and the other half are combat, there's no incentive for me to fight.

As a result, the time constraints stand out. I could be gaining senses on my own during that time."

I say firmly.

"That's harsh. We decided by majority vote that you're the best after talking today."

It's nice to be appreciated, but it's a hassle. But I can't just ignore a friend's request.

"Phew. I guess I have no choice. Take me to a place where I can get ore. I'll team up with you temporarily."

"Thanks."

"Occasionally. When I'm in the mood. And the condition is that you visit my shop once. I have a decent selection, you know."

Thanks for the tsundere comment. But I'm not tsundere.

Anyway, this proposal was tempting enough that I might have accepted it if I weren't a production player. But I have a few things I want to do right now.

"I'll go to the library and see if there's any information on potion-making senses. Also, securing a stable supply of stones is a priority."

I stretch towards the ceiling of my home.

"Alright, I feel better! Should I make dinner?"

I cheer myself up out loud. Talking to Kou made me feel a bit better, and I'm grateful to him for that.