HPDBC Chapter 77 Events
Chapter 77 Events
As expected, high praise.
Why didn't I win first place?
Could it be that "I didn't have the **Sculpture** skill, so my piece didn't have any effects" that caused the problem?
There's no way, right?
I acknowledge functional beauty, but in the face of this quality, function should be irrelevant.
It must have been rigged.
Next time I see that host, I will make sure they disappear. They're an enemy, an evil god. Shio wholeheartedly agrees with me on this matter. Yesterday was ruined by foul play, but if I set that aside, it was a wonderful day.
Today, my task is to lightly browse the shops and participate in the second "Class Exhibition." But before that, I head to Class 3 Black.
In the end, Class 3 Black changed their exhibition method. They switched to a system that charges an entrance fee. Apparently, they made quite a bit of money. They want me to take a share of the profits and decide the fate of the piece I created.
When we arrive at Class 3 Black, we are greeted by the same little white-haired girl I saw earlier, standing with her arms crossed. Behind her, three attendants stand by.
"Welcome to my class's exhibit. The piece you made? We will buy it. Gehe—"
"The attendant goes 'Gehe-gehe!' We've got plenty of money, please accept our offer."
The attendant seems to have an [Item Box], as large sums of money appear one after another, soon covering the room in gold. I had already suspected it, but it seems they're of a very high level since my [Appraisal] is blocked.
The other two attendants are quite imposing as well. One is a towering giant, nearly three meters tall. Bald, with no eyebrows, his rugged face carries the air of a seasoned warrior. His entire body is like armor made of muscle.
The other attendant is a stunningly beautiful woman. Dressed in a revealing, seductive gown, she wears an elegant, graceful smile that captivates anyone who looks at her.
"But still," the little white-haired girl tilted her head, "Where is Pity? This is my first outing in centuries. Has she given up on being my friend?"
"She was excited about getting some good materials and is busy with her research, as usual," the attendant answered.
"Hmph! How cute... I wanted to enjoy this festival with her," the mysterious little girl muttered, causing the large man behind her to smile faintly.
"That is her own battle. Pity likely holds a different form of loyalty from us."
"...Huh! I fell asleep. Where am I? Kidnapped? Am I about to be violated?"
The beautiful woman who had been smiling had apparently been standing there asleep. After shaking her head, she hugged the little girl and then looked at Atori with wide eyes.
"Wait, there's another one...? What on earth..."
The mysterious beauty rubs her cheek against the little girl. What an odd group. Well, I think I'll accept their offer. Whether the price is right, I'm not sure, but they seem like a good fit for the piece.
They'll likely turn my work into a part of their everyday life in the best way possible.
"Atori, let's agree."
"The gods say to agree."
The little white-haired girl nodded grandly.
"Good. My name is Googiasdis Medtarva. You two were interesting yesterday. I commend you."
"?"
"Rouro."
A giant skeletal monster suddenly appeared, swinging its massive fist at Geese.
Thus, under the clear sky, the battle between the strongest NPC and the most insane little girl began.
▼
Rouro's first strike was completely destroyed, shattering into countless pieces. The scattered bone fragments lightly grazed Atori's cheek.
Though it was hard to tell what happened, the result was clear: the enemy was unharmed.
Meanwhile, Atori had lost the Rouro card, at least for a while.
Amidst the destroyed flower beds, Geese stood unscathed. Not a speck of dust on his clothes, and he hadn't even shifted his posture.
He slowly pulled a chain from his pocket while whistling.
"Well, well, not bad, kid. Any weaker, and you'd be dead!"
"You'll die soon too."
"Oh yeah, maybe in a hundred years! But you'll be dead right now!"
Geese threw the chain into the air, and a mysterious light surrounded them. It seemed to be some sort of buff item.
The chain hovered in midair as his four companions charged toward Atori.
Apparently, a one-on-one battle wasn't in their plans.
Atori immediately summoned Shio and used [Hound Lightning] to keep them at bay. She hasn't grasped their skillsets yet.
Jumping into melee combat right away would be risky.
"Sword Art: [Paralyze Slash]!"
"Spear Art: [Spin Rush]!"
Two of the frontliners charged with a sword and spear. Shio's tentacles blocked the sword, while Atori's [Flash] stopped the spear's movement. In that moment of vulnerability, Atori's [Snipe Lightning] struck.
A direct hit to the head.
However, despite the concept of headshots in [Snipe Lightning], it didn't kill the enemy.
Instead, the glowing chain above them dimmed slightly.
It seemed to provide some sort of armor effect for party members.
Suddenly, Atori sensed a presence behind her. One of the enemies was likely using a rogue-type skill, as a dagger stabbed into Atori's back from a blind spot.
"...!"
Atori coughed up blood, but being a regen tank, she quickly healed the damage and unleashed [Lightning Burst] to blow the rogue away. However, the rogue skillfully evaded the attack with a perfect backstep.
Even the lackeys are strong.
This is going to be a tough battle...
Wiping the blood from her mouth, Atori enveloped herself in the glow of regeneration. As that light grew, she activated [Dark Aura]—a little death god, shrouded in both white and black, took a step forward.