Chapter 16

"Alright, let's get back to the broadcast."

*Wakotsu*

*Wakotsu*

*First-time viewer*

*Been waiting*

*Punctual working adult*

*Let's go*

It was 1 PM. After taking a short nap, I resumed the broadcast as promised.

I was surprised to see about 200 listeners right away, but considering the peak had exceeded 10,000, I was happy that a certain percentage of them had stayed.

"Hello, first-time viewers. I still haven't recovered from the Desperation Penalty, so I need to replace the broken gold bat and the torn pants."

*Gold bat...*

*He was a good guy*

*Didn't expect it to break after just one battle*

*Heard it had high durability*

*Well, it was against a boss, so it's understandable*

The gold bat and the leather pants with a belt, which were lost along with my damaged leg, were shattered as the cost of using *Finisher*.

I needed to replenish these two items.

Incidentally, when the leather pants broke, they were automatically replaced with hemp pants. No fanservice scenes here.

"Well, the gold bat broke because of the arts I used. It was a final ultimate move that cost all durability."

*Huh*

*Laughing at the total durability loss*

*It's the *Finisher* skill for melee weapons. It's famous for having mediocre power despite the heavy cost. However, it can be used in any stance with both hands, and it can be learned at a low level, so it's not entirely useless as a finishing blow.*

*Durability explanation bro?*

*Your typing is too fast, lol*

*↑You guys are pretty bad too*

The comment section was in an uproar with the detailed information that was posted almost as if they were waiting for it.

It was probably someone who had been in the morning broadcast. At least, I think they were a player, but I wonder if they're okay with their own play.

"Anyway, let's head to the armory. I've already gathered information on a new weapon to replace the gold bat."

Considering the Desperation Penalty that would last for about an hour, I had plenty of time for shopping.

I also wanted to buy potions and antidotes that I hadn't used yet, so I headed to the armory to start shopping.

☆

"Hey, you must be the famous Sukuna, right?"

"Huh?"

When I visited the armory, I was suddenly called by an unknown player.

A middle-aged man with short white hair and a headband, wearing a very intricate light armor that was clearly player-made, not something sold in the shop.

He definitely wasn't a beginner player who would use the NPC shop in the starting city.

He gave off that impression.

I guess I've gathered some attention since my appearance and name are known.

However, talking to me during the broadcast means my face and equipment will be fully visible.

Well, since he approached me, I shouldn't worry too much.

There are about 500 viewers now, so it's not a big problem.

"Who are you?"

"Oops, my bad. I'm Konekomaru, just a regular production player."

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Sukuna."

He introduced himself with a very polite demeanor, though not exactly formal.

However, Konekomaru is quite a cute name.

It's a bit of a contrast for a man with a rugged appearance, but it might be fitting.

"So, what's the matter?"

"You're quick. Did Rinne give you a heads-up?"

"Do you know Rinne?"

"We're close enough to be friends."

Konekomaru showed me his menu window.

Sure enough, *Rinne* was listed among his friends.

"In that case... you're a front-line player, right?"

"Haha, you're sharp. I'm based in the fourth city, *Feas*. Anyway, let's get to the point. Would you let me make your armor?"

Rinne's acquaintance, Konekomaru, made a proposal as expected.

He introduced himself as a production player and even revealed that his base is just one step behind the fifth city, which is currently the front line.

If that's true, he's definitely a skilled production player, and it's not surprising that he would make such a proposal.

"What kind of equipment can you make? I don't usually use full armor or robes."

"My specialty is a full set of light armor. I can handle both metal and leather. The armor I'm wearing now is, of course, my own creation. As a producer, I have to be my own billboard."

"Wow... you have a good sense."

"The key is not to be flashy."

He confidently promoted his work, and I think it's worth it.

The armor Konekomaru was wearing was a very orthodox leather armor, except for the intricate design.

It protected the necessary areas without hindering movement.

In this game, even if the defense stats are the same, the damage taken can vary depending on whether you have armor in a certain area.

It's obvious, but full armor is harder than a bikini.

In that sense, Konekomaru's armor set is well-equipped for defense as a leather armor.

"What are the conditions?"

"Creating a full set of leather armor from Red Wolf materials. If you can give me some leftover materials, I'll offer a very low price. If you have a *Soul*, that would be even better."

The way he spoke smoothly was typical of a front-line player skilled in negotiation.

Hmm. He deliberately kept the details vague, probably to avoid leaking information in front of many people.

What Konekomaru wants, according to Rinne, is an extremely rare material that has only dropped four times in the game so far.

Namely, the *Soul* of a named boss monster, *The Lone Red Wolf Aria's Soul*.

The existence of named boss monsters and the titles obtained from defeating them are mostly shared information.

However, *Souls* are currently treated as confidential information among front-line players, as Rinne mentioned.

Even Rinne keeps it confidential, so I can't carelessly leak that information.

From the invisible exchange, I understood that Konekomaru is a top-tier production player who knows about the *Soul*.

And he wants to use it to produce something.

In that case, I started the conversation.

"Not bad, but I want a bit more."

To be honest, I could have accepted the current conditions.

But since it's a rare item, I wanted to push for better terms.

"Hmm... Okay. It's better to make it for free rather than lose the rare material. I'll prepare all the other necessary materials as well."

While saying he would "swallow his tears," Konekomaru didn't lose his smile.

It was more like he didn't care about the price as long as he could handle the Red Wolf materials.

Feeling good about the negotiation, I also smiled.

"Deal. So, what do we need to do...?"

"First, we need to decide on the *Contract*."

"*Contract*?"

"It's a system to prevent fraud in production by setting conditions and rewards. For example, to prevent the producer from running away with the items or reselling them. It also prevents unnecessary consumption of items and non-payment of rewards. Breaking this contract will brand you as a *Criminal Player*, so it's not easily broken."

I was impressed that such a system exists.

While it might not be common, troubles always arise between people.

The fact that this system can prevent them to some extent makes it quite effective.

If you break the contract for a valid reason, you can appeal to the management with mutual agreement.

Incidentally, the most common reason for breaking a contract is non-payment of rewards in a post-payment contract.

Therefore, pre-payment contracts are the norm to increase credibility.

If a producer commits fraud, they will have their items and money confiscated by the management.

"Since there's no payment this time, the main conditions will be the handling of materials and the deadline. Even though it's a holiday and I have time, I need two days to return to my workshop and produce it. To be safe, I'd like three days including a buffer day."

"I'll leave the time to you. I don't understand production..."

"Thanks, that helps. I'll take all the materials and return them all after production. Then, we'll discuss and decide on the leftover materials. The number of materials used will be clearly stated, and the production itself is guaranteed to succeed, so there's no worry about waste."

By default, the design can be made without moving from the in-game default.

However, the reason for not doing so is not so much a matter of pride as a producer, but because the minimum performance that can be achieved from the materials is a problem.

By considering the design and changing the combination of materials, the equipment produced will have higher performance than the default production.

"I see... there are quite strict rules for production."

"It's not that strict if you just gather materials, produce, and sell them."

But he enjoys it, Konekomaru said with a smile.

"By the way, won't you be attacked by people who want to steal the rare materials by showing your face on the broadcast?"

"Haha, don't worry. There's no fool among front-line players who would attack me. I belong to a famous clan and am a key production player on the front line. Attacking me would mean making the entire clan an enemy. Besides, you can't steal materials through PK."

He confidently dismissed my concerns with a smile.

"Alright, I'll leave it to you."

"Sure, I'll do my best to make equipment worthy of a named boss."

After successfully making the *Contract* and receiving the Red Wolf materials from me, Konekomaru added me as a friend and returned to the fourth city.

He must have rushed to the starting city after watching the video of the defeat and then returned to his base.

Konekomaru must have had that much passion to become a front-line production player.

☆

"Phew... Let's go buy a new gold bat."

*Good job*

*Good job*

*Laughed at your business smile during the negotiation*

"I've been doing customer service for a long time, but negotiation is different."

Even though it's an avatar, I was more nervous than I expected talking to a man who seemed older than me. I took a breath and entered the armory.

Unlike yesterday, the store was bustling with second-wave players who had more money to spend.

"Looking at this, I can see why there are no NPCs..."

While entering the less crowded melee weapon shop compared to the sword, spear, and staff shops, I was annoyed by the crowd reminiscent of a busy city station.

Well, buying equipment is a fun event, so I understand their excitement.

I had my fun yesterday.

With a smile, I visited the one-handed melee weapon corner as I did yesterday.

Actually, when you exceed level 20, the NPC shop adds secret items as a graduation gift.

One of them is a weapon that Rinne confidently said, "You'll definitely like it."

It's...

"Ta-da! The new weapon unlocked at level 20! *Ultra Gold Bat*! I've upgraded and returned after about 5 hours!"

Required strength 50! Attack power bonus doubled to 30! Durability remains at 500!

It's a worthy performance for an "Ultra" version.

It looks the same, but the color is deeper.

Priced at 20,000 Iris. Well, the price is a bit high, but since I got the armor for free, I should spend some money on the weapon.

*Deeeeen*

*Deeeeen*

*Deeeeen*

*↑What's with that unity?*

*Devil with a gold bat...*

*Rebirth of the ghost-killing girl*

That's quite a reaction. I'm not a former commando with bulging muscles.

"Stop calling me a ghost-killing girl? I'll cry? Can we make it more elegant?"

*Ghost killer*

*Angel of slaughter*

*Ghost-killing girl*

"I'm about to snap."

I decided I had to get rid of these evil and violent listeners.

But as a joke, while reading the unchanged bad names, one name caught my eye.

*Melee ghost girl*

I'm not sure if I can be called a ghost girl, but at least it was much more normal compared to the other names, which were essentially bad reviews.

"Alright, by the broadcaster's authority, I'm now *Melee Ghost Girl*. No objections allowed!"

*Eeeeh*

*Eeeeh*

*Yay*

*Eeeeh*

*No, it's fine?*

*Melee ghost girl, noted*

*↑He, he's dead*

*(Oh no)*

*↑You're pushing it...*

"You guys are really ruthless!?"

I don't mind being teased about my age.

Incidentally, I think Rinne is also indifferent to such things.

While being annoyed by the unruly listeners, I also found the teasing somewhat comfortable.

"Alright, we've got the weapon, the Desperation Penalty is over, let's quickly buy some items and head to the Northern Plains! Aim for the *Cave of Trials*!"

With a forced cheerful voice to regain my spirits, I walked towards the North Gate.

The destination is the *Cave of Trials*, a dungeon leading to the second city, *Dyaris*, located beyond the Northern Plains.

Together with the noisy listeners, I was about to take a new step.

The production player from a few episodes ago seems to have succeeded in the RTA.

Sukuna entrusted the materials to him so easily because she liked the look of the equipment he made and confirmed Rinne's name in his friend list.

Just as he has many backers, Sukuna also has a (one-sided) backer through Rinne.

Konekomaru: "Finally got the friend registration."

He's a married man who enjoys networking.

His wife is also in WLO and became a production player to make her equipment. However, his wife is also a production player. They are a like-minded couple.