Ch.4The Fleeing Groundskeeper NPC (4)

Every open-world game has mounts.

If there are no mounts, there’s definitely at least some means of fast travel.

And naturally, Eight had mounts too, with an incredibly diverse range from those sold in the cash shop to ones you could get for free.

Moreover.

‘In ep.4, you can get flying mounts.’

Flying mounts. Or “flymounts” for short.

They were introduced after ep.3 was updated and were sold exclusively for cash for a year. After ep.4 was released, they made it possible to obtain just one flying mount after completing the raid in the Ponia Mountains.

However.

‘This is reality now. Plus, Ponia hasn’t been destroyed yet, so there’s no reason for a raid to exist, and no reason for a boss to be there.’

In other words, I can get it for free.

A free flying mount event? Isn’t this just too sweet? Is Ira a genius?

My stupid brother couldn’t think of this even with his past life memories, but my little sister noticed it right away while eating skewers.

I really can’t help but adore my sister.

I run quickly through the mountains.

For someone with only 40 Agility, my movement speed is definitely fast.

Like a true mountain keeper raised in Zolryeol Leaf Village, I run with my arms behind my back, stepping on trees—looking just like a ninja aiming to become the Hokage of Zolryeol Leaf Village.

Of course, I wouldn’t take that job even if they offered it.

Following my memories, I quickly arrive at the area where the raid boss should be, and a huge cave appears.

“Hmm. This is definitely different from the game.”

Perhaps because the boss hasn’t appeared yet? Originally, there should be a massive Greek-style entrance built here, but there’s only a cliff-like cave that drops straight down.

And there’s clearly no sign that anyone has tried to enter it.

“…I’m not even sure what exactly constitutes the Ponia Mountains.”

[Mountain Keeper Effect: All stats slightly increase in the mountains you manage.]

[Mountain under management: -Ponia-]

Judging by how my stats keep showing ??, they must be increasing. But where exactly are the boundaries of the Ponia Mountains? Does the inside of this cave count as part of the mountain?

“…Well. Even if the boss is here, I won’t be able to one-shot it.”

[HP: 300,000+???]

Considering that a normal player at level 1100 has around 50,000 HP, 300,000 is a number only possible because I’m an NPC.

HP higher than the max level.

Literally, unless my head gets blown off in one hit or my heart gets ripped out, I probably won’t die. At least that’s what I want to believe.

Trusting my insane HP pool, I jump straight toward the cave.

Kicking off the walls, I slowly descend, and hmm, I can’t see anything.

After lighting a torch I had prepared, I look around to find it’s just an ordinary cave.

The absence of even a single bat is rather eerie, but if I can get a flying mount here, it will definitely speed up my journey to Aigram.

‘The ultimate goal is the Celestial Realm. Aigram is the safest place before that, so that’s where we’re going.’

Aigram, the trading city where ep.1 Star’s Dream begins.

The only place in the game where the protagonist and players appear simultaneously to save it from crisis, completely avoiding destruction, and the first to learn of the world’s danger, gathering the strongest city walls and forces.

Of course, one reason is that the bosses and monsters that appear there are low-level, but Aigram is literally the holy land of all plot hooks.

Befitting the land that first threw out the damn plot hooks in this dark fantasy, even as some nations are destroyed or their names erased from maps, Aigram stands firm.

In other words, it’s the safest place in all storylines after the Celestial Realm of ep.8. That’s why I’m taking my sister there.

‘And I need to get there faster since I don’t know when the story will begin.’

Ponia’s destruction was completed in just two weeks.

In the original story, Ponia was destroyed because humans summoned demons, but the truth revealed in ep.4 was different.

The demons weren’t summoned. They invaded directly.

Meaning, if the story starts today, Ponia could be destroyed immediately.

‘If that happens, I might survive with my crazy HP, but Ira will definitely die.’

With that thought in mind, I quickly push through the cave.

Normally, this would be a demon realm teeming with monsters, but perhaps because there’s no raid boss, I was able to proceed comfortably.

And then.

“Found it.”

A large, round door. Originally, you’d have to kill the boss here and come back to find this door.

“My flying mount. Get!”

I place my hand on the round door, and it naturally rolls aside.

Wow, it’s this easy, but according to the story, you have to defeat the boss first—that’s really disgust—

“…Oh my.”

The space beyond the door. A temple-like area filled with torches appears, and in the center stands something like a mannequin in an acrobatic pose.

“Wow, shit. There is a boss?”

I’m screwed.

*

“…Now. What do I do about this?”

I opened the door, but the boss shows no sign of movement.

The name of that golem is Mime Golem. I definitely thought it would be a gimmick set up by the raid boss of this place, but apparently not.

And if that thing comes out of here, it’s going to be a headache.

“Hey. Status window.”

[……]

I unconsciously speak to the window floating above my head that isn’t displaying anything.

I hope it works.

“Can you tell me its specs?”

Even a support player who defeats the boss can take it down individually without much difficulty.

One of Eight’s more fun features: the NPC party function.

You can form a party with an NPC whose favor you’ve raised, and against this creature that just mimics the same actions, you can make the NPC act while you attack from a distance, and it will eventually fall.

The problem is that it’s incredibly difficult to defeat 1-on-1. Because it does exactly the same actions as me. If I get close and hit it, it hits back the same way, and if I move away, it naturally moves away too.

It’s easy to run away from, but defeating it is definitely not easy.

To defeat it 1-on-1… Considering my HP, it might not be impossible, but if I’m unlucky, it could have higher HP and defense than me, and I might end up running away after getting beaten like a dog.

And as I stare at the status window, it still doesn’t move.

The status window that didn’t show names or levels of monsters on the way here. I really don’t know if this thing is useful or not.

Finally, I enter the room. I’ll fight once, take a hit, and then decide.

As I enter the room, the door behind me naturally closes, and the acrobatic figure makes a clunking sound as it assumes the same posture as me.

“Hmm. This is exactly like the game.”

As I stand still, it also stands still.

To check, I raise my right arm, and it raises its right arm just like me.

It feels like looking in a reverse mirror. Of course, the impact is a bit lacking to forget that this mannequin-like golem is the boss.

“First…”

I bend down to pick up a stone that was in front of me. There was no stone under its feet, but there was one under mine.

So it mimics my actions exactly, but holds nothing in its hand.

“Here comes the first pitch!!”

-Pat!!

-Tak!

Thinking of baseball from my past life, I lift my leg and throw the stone at its head, but it just assumes the same posture as me without any other action.

The problem is not only that there’s no other action, but it seems there’s no damage either.

What is it made of that there’s not even a scratch on its forehead?

Having confirmed that it’s exactly the same as in the game, I slowly approach it.

It also slowly approaches me, and we get close enough that we could touch each other by just extending our hands.

“…Whew, scary. Even a blank face with nothing on it can be this frightening.”

It has a visual straight out of a horror game. I’ve seen horror games where mannequins like this chase you, and honestly, it’s scary to look at.

I slowly extend my left hand, and it also slowly brings its hand to my body.

Hmm. If I don’t hit it, it won’t hit me.

Then.

“Hup!!”

-Thwack!!

“Guhk!!”

I throw a punch hoping it would react a bit slower, but it lands exactly the same punch on my abdomen, and I collapse forward.

“Cough, cough, th-that really hurts!!”

[HP: 300,000+???]

In extreme pain, I look forward to see the golem clutching its abdomen in the same posture as me, and the status window.

Wait. I’m in this much pain but my HP didn’t decrease? Really? What’s with those ??? How much additional stat is that? Maybe the status window only has three question marks for HP, could that be three digits?

“Haa. But the HP not decreasing isn’t the issue? It seems my attack didn’t work?”

As I get up and dust myself off, there’s no trace of my punch on its abdomen. Maybe it has HP like me, and wounds don’t appear unless the HP is reduced below a certain level.

“Sigh. Status window is so useless. It should show its HP at times like this. How am I supposed to form a strategy or decide to give up?”

The stupid status window that keeps flickering in front of me as if wanting to warn me of danger only displays my HP… Wait, what?

[Mime Golem: Level 362]

[HP: 199,992]

[MP: 150]

Wait, what? The status window showed it after I insulted it? What’s going on?

“What? Are you a masochist?”

The status window seemed to tremble slightly at my words, as if it had its own will.

What’s this? Does it get turned on by insults?