Golden Experience

Chapter 195: “Birth of the Evil King”

I roughly understand.

In other words, Lyra used one Philosopher’s Stone on herself.

But from what I can see, she still appears as a Noble Human, so she’s probably holding off on the process.

“I used it when I was a High Elf, not the Philosopher’s Stone, but the upgraded version, the Greater Philosopher’s Stone. After thinking about it and gathering information, I’ve interpreted the announcement at that time as mentioning two routes: the ‘regular route’ to becoming a [Living Spirit] or [Spirit Lord], and the ‘route with special conditions’ that let me become a [Dark Elf] and that would let me reincarnate into a [Demonic Spirit] and [Demon Lord]. Maybe the Dark Elf and High Elf are of the same rank, which means that as long as you meet the conditions, you can have a sidegrade reincarnation in the Philosopher’s Stone system.”

“I see. When was that? In terms of time.”

“It was right before the second official event announcement…”

“So, before Hiers’ something-or-other town and the capital were destroyed.”

“Yes, that’s right. Why?”

What’s the problem with the destruction of the town?

“No, actually I used one on myself, a Philosopher’s Stone. When I did so, all I got was a system message announcing that I had fulfilled a special condition and could become an [Evil Human] or a [Wicked Human]*. It’s as if, if I hadn’t met the special conditions, I couldn’t reincarnate into anything. I was wondering what was going on.” (T/N: this is a bit of an odd translation, because one of the options is literally just ‘evil human’ in katakana, and the other is ‘evil human’ but written in kanji)

In my case, it would be as if I could only go from High Elf to the Dark Elf or Demon Lord route. As usual, it’s unclear what the special conditions are, but it’s hard to imagine that there would be any difference between the Philosopher’s Stone and the Greater version other than potency.

“So, for example, did you fulfill those special conditions too much, leading to the disappearance of the regular route?”

“I thought so as well. That’s why I wanted to ask you about the timing of your reincarnation, Rare-chan. You talked about the ‘dark route’ and Demon Lord, so maybe you did something bad and met the hidden special conditions. But if you overdo it, you might only be able to go through that route.”

“If that’s the case, the destruction of the town is indeed a clear indicator. So, what’s the state of fulfilling both conditions to the limit?”

“Maybe in a state where you’re killing just enough? I wasn’t involved, but do you remember how many participants there were in the first event? I think Rare-chan won. How many people did you kill?”

“…I don’t remember, but I feel like I killed a lot.”

If this hypothesis is correct, even if I try to reincarnate now, I might only get the Demon Lord route. I can’t verify it myself, but if I want to create a Spirit Lord in the future, I need to be careful.

“But if killing is not allowed, I’ve killed quite a bit even at that time using the livestock in the Liebe Great Forest farm. Before that, the ants were also killing quite a few, and players who came to the forest were killing too.”

As initially mentioned, there is no systemic difference between players and NPCs, and the same goes for monsters.

The first half was correct. So the second half should be correct too.

Whether it’s a goblin or a human, the kill count is the same. If it counts separately based on the race of the killed opponent, what exactly is considered as the special condition?

Even if it’s divided into the regular path and the dark path, normal players killing goblins and me killing residents of Hiers should still fall under the category of the ‘right’ path.

“If that’s the case, it makes sense. What could be the conditions for counting?”

Lyra thought for a moment, then began to speak as if summarizing her thoughts.

“…It can be said for anything, but there is always one thing you must consider first in the act of making distinctions. That is, the distinction between oneself and everything else.

In this case, it might be about how many characters of the same race as oneself you have killed.”

I see.

That wouldn’t be too far-fetched.

In that case, for me, perhaps only the players I killed in events or in the Liebe Great Forest are being counted. At that time, I hadn’t met any NPC elves. But among players, the proportion of elves is quite high. Although I didn’t check each time, there should have been many elves among those I killed during the event.

“So, Lyra did you kill too many Noble Humans?”

“I haven’t killed that many Noble Humans, so strictly speaking, it might include the time before reincarnation. Rare-chan, you didn’t specifically kill High Elves either.”

“Then, are you killing a lot of humans?”

“Well, you know, the human race is efficient compared to monsters, so to some extent, yes.”

Since the start of the open beta until reincarnating in the capital of Aural, it seems like she did something. However, it’s undeniable that characters of the human race have a good experience efficiency. Even characters who haven’t learned magic skills and have somewhat high INT don’t have much influence in combat, but in return, they gain a lot of experience points. And characters of the human race tend to have higher INT even if they are non-combatants.

“If you want advice on how to return to the regular route, unfortunately, I can’t be of any help.”

“Yeah, I know. Well, it can’t be helped. Although we can redo the initial selection with premium items, if there’s a factor like kill count being considered, even if we go back to being Human and redo it, it could be the same anyway. This is probably an unavoidable aspect.”

“If Lyra can’t do it, then the Holy King needs to be prepared separately. That’s a shame.”

“It’s harsh to say I can’t do it. And by the way, who is the Holy King?”

“Holy King might be a race that’s the final stage of Human. I don’t think Lyra can do it because it seems impossible to reincarnate from Evil something or Wicked. But I need one for my goal.”

There’s no merit in remaining silent. It’s unlikely that Lyra and I will have conflicting interests in this matter. I briefly explained the story I heard from the Count.

“…Blanc-chan is kinda amazing.”

“I think so too. The story goes that she died, respawned randomly, and her respawn location eventually ended up being the basement of the Count’s castle. So I think it was actually because of her in specific that the respawn point specifications were changed by the devs in the first update after the start of the official service.”

If you initially chose a country, you shouldn’t end up in such a strange place, but if you chose otherwise, it might have been different.

The misfortune of the respawn point becoming someone else’s personal area a few hours after the start is an extreme case, but being thrown into the lair of an incredibly important raid boss almost immediately after you’ve created your character is quite extreme as well. I wonder what bad things she did in her past life to deserve such treatment.

“However, the Holy King huh. It would have been nice if we knew what came after Noble Human. The only thing I can do is reincarnate myself into an Evil Human and see if I can become an Evil King or something by using Philosopher’s Stones.”

“Quickly.”

“Ehhh? Well, if this is the only route I have left anyway, I’ll have to do it someday. But I wonder if weird feathers or horns will grow this time? I’m also a lord, so having such a rock’n’roll appearance would be a bit of a problem.”

“Huh? It’s not weird or anything.”

My horns and wings are not particularly strange. There are times when they feel a bit inconvenient, like when sitting in a chair or lying on a bed, but there are more situations where they come in handy. As for whether it’s convenient for the position of a city lord, I don’t know.

“Well, at that time, I’ll just create a substitute and step down from the stage. I will reincarnate as an [Evil Human].”

That seemed to be her response to the system.

She was immediately enveloped in light, and when she appeared again, it seemed that both the LP visible with [True Sight] and the MP visible with [Demonic Eyes] had increased by one round. Her appearance visible to the naked eye was…

“…You got a tan.”

“A tan…? Oh no, I’m so dark!”

Glossy brown skin. Perhaps Dark Elves also have this color. Well, this is cool in its own way.

“No wings or anything, huh? Maybe next time? Okay, here’s the next Philosopher’s Stone. Has it been more than a day since you last took it?”

“What is this, a prescripted medicine?

I used it the day before yesterday, so it’s been more than a day. But is the cooldown counted from the moment of use, or from the moment the effect is resolved? Depending on that, whether it’s usable now or not changes—well, if it can be used, does the cooldown start counting from the moment of use?”

While saying, “Wow, so expensive!” Lyra was enveloped in light.

The Philosopher’s Stone is consumed and lost at the moment of use. The fact that the system message is on hold is just stopping the process triggered by using it. If there is a cooldown set for usage, this specification is understandable.

Soon, the light converged, and Lyra, now emanating an evil atmosphere, appeared.

“…What’s that, a cloak?”

I had thought that wings might sprout like in my case, but what extended from Lyra’s back was a tattered, jet-black cloak.

“It’s not a cloak. This is like a hand. Probably the [Wicked Hand] skill is unlocked, so maybe that’s what this is. Also, I have [Horns], but do I really have horns after all?”

“You grew some. I didn’t notice because the cloak was so impactful, but they’re horns like those of a sheep.”

If my horns were likened to those of a goat, Lyra’s horns resembled those of a sheep. They were spiral horns, growing from the side of her head and curving backward, with the tips facing forward. Combined with her dusky skin, she exuded a very sinister atmosphere.

Additionally, her ears had changed to a shape resembling something between a Human and an Elf, slightly pointed compared to Human ears. These were the same as mine, even though I was a Demon Lord.

The black thing on her back that looked like a cloak turned out to be several tentacle-like bands upon closer inspection. They seemed to be tentacles made of shadows. Depending on how far they could stretch and whether they could be used like normal hands, this could become a very useful racial skill.

“Oh, there might actually be a cloak. [Flight] is also unlocked.”

And the horns probably had a characteristic that guarded against control.

In the case of me, the Demon Lord, [Demonic Eyes] was already unlocked at this point. Therefore, it wouldn’t be strange if Lyra, the Demon Lord, also had that unlocked.

“There’s probably another skill called [Evil Eye], right?”

“Ah, yeah, that’s right. Rare-chan had something similar.”

It seems to exist after all.

?The Raid Boss of the Evil Route, [Evil King] has been born in Tore Forest.?

“I see. So, this is it.”

It’s extremely suspicious. Although I, being a player, am accustomed to it, NPCs would be thrown into a panic if such a message were suddenly thrown into their brains. In fact, NPCs matching this description all over the continent should be in a state of panic right now. After all, the raid boss of the Evil Route which they had recently heard about is actively acting as an enemy of humanity, having destroyed the Hiers Kingdom.

“So, Rare-chan heard this. It probably refers to players with specific skills. Oh, is this about when I took control of the Holy Church?”

“That’s right. I tried it myself. But now various countries will make a fuss again. I’ll tell the Aural Holy Church myself, but there’s nothing we can do about the others.”

At that time, the Hiers Kingdom organized the Calamity Extermination Army because the disaster originated in their backyard. In the end, their judgment was correct. However, what led to their downfall was just an unfortunate compatibility. The Human army, with overwhelming numbers as its strength, was attacking, and by sheer coincidence, my hand had cards specialized in wide-area annihilation.

After destroying the Hiers Kingdom, I only meddled with Portree, which was causing trouble for me. In this situation, there should be no country dispatching troops to Tore Forest, the origin of the new calamity. The Aural Holy Church already has its hands full dealing with the situation involving the angels.

Promptly, I informed the bishops of the Aural Holy Church about the situation and instructed them to still make a fuss publicly. If not, players might become suspicious of the Aural Holy Church.

“But, you know, this feels good. It’s like I want to beat anyone to a pulp.”

This is the result of a sudden increase in abilities and the emergence of new organs and skills. I have experienced it too. Rather, by honestly releasing this feeling, I went to the Hiers Kingdom all by myself.

“As someone who has gone through this exact same experience, if you get too carried away, you’ll die.”

“It’s okay. Even if I compare myself to how I was just a while ago, I don’t feel like I’m about to die. And it feels good.”

Humans who gain power beyond their status tend to become foolish. It’s as if they’re looking at their own reflection in a mirror. However, I am a senpai when it comes to being an enemy of humanity. I must guide my kouhai sister in the right direction.

“Don’t say such cheeky lines until you can [Appraise] me.”

“Tch-“

?Resistance Successful?

“Won’t you stop that already?”

“…Sorry. I got carried away.”

I once lost to players, but I also fought Lyra to a draw in a magic-and-skill free battle. The danger of overestimating my own power is something I have learned from my own experience. Thanks to those lessons, even if I get carried away, I have invested in myself so that it becomes a fact rather than overconfidence. I am not so weak that I can be [Appraised] so easily by a newborn calamity.

“If Lyra has become the Evil King, there’s no helping it. We’ll have to search for the Holy King separately.”

“Oh. You can use my Cecilia if you want. Although, even if I say you can use her, does that mean I have to pay the 3,000 experience points?”

It’s simply needed as a flag for unlocking content. If we can instigate the royal family of Wells, the only remaining wild human nation, and lead them to become the Holy King, the objective will be achieved. The same goes for the Spirit Lord and the Mythical Beast King.

“I’d like to know specifically what the [Proof of Power] is. Do we just have to defeat them?”

If that’s the case, it could be troublesome for the proof of the Queen of Insects. I can’t afford to let Sugaru die. Also, there’s a possibility that items cannot be obtained within the same faction, just like experience points and drop items.

“I wouldn’t mind if the Holy King dies in my faction… Maybe raise a Holy King without subordinates or skillfully guide a suitable wild NPC to reincarnate and defeat them. Which one is more cost-effective?”

If you defeat a wild NPC, it’s over for them. If obtaining proof through defeat is acceptable, then it’s fine, but if not, everything will be in vain. In that case, the development of revival items or revival skills may be necessary.

“What about reincarnating them as the Holy King or Spirit Lord and then [Subordinating] them?”

“No, considering examples like me, Lyra, and Sugaru, the corresponding races might have high resistance due to traits like [Horns]. It might be a bit tricky.”

Although it’s hard to imagine the Holy King or Spirit Lord having horns, there might be something similar with a different effect. The same can be said for True Ancestors or Sea Emperors.

Assuming that the design allows any player to unlock endgame content, the conditions should probably be able to be met in both cooperative and antagonistic relationships. If it’s cooperation, something should happen if you take them to the scene. It might be difficult for antagonistic relationships, so the problem might be solved by fighting.

“Raising and reaping wild NPCs seems to be the most rational choice.”

“Maybe cornering an NPC royal family, and then using a Philosopher’s Stone while saying something like ‘Do you want power?’ or something.”

What’s with that? Wonderful. A truly cool role.

Then, it’s necessary to have the royalty of each country currently in existence gain as much experience as possible and have them feel a sense of urgency to the extent that they do not die.

We should prepare a dungeon of moderate difficulty at a distance where the knight corps directly under the royal family needs to go.

Since the players have no use for it, there is no need for it to be set as a destination. There is no problem even if the system does not recognize it as a dungeon. It just needs to be a convenient hunting ground for NPCs.

“There are monsters whose materials are appealing, monsters whose experience is tasty but weak, and other such things.”

“I’m glad you’re having fun, Rare-chan. I… will not be able to leave for a bit at this point. I need to put on my full body armor for the ceremony marking the establishment of the new government.”

“What about the [Wicked Hand]?”

“…I’ll slip it in the armor and I’ll have to push the idea of the cloak.”

“Does it have space?”

“I’m talking about drilling holes in helmets and decorating helmets… It’s a hassle! It’s faster to just take a suitable town girl and make her a substitute!”

It takes a great deal of dexterity and functional design to match the rolled horns to the helmet properly. So it would be faster to set up a substitute.

Then for a while, we investigated the range of movement and detailed specifications of the [Wicked Hand] and unlocked the [Evil Eye] a little.

Considering my case, it seems that Lyra will eventually unlock a skill that becomes crucial for her, but for now, it’s not there.

“For now, this is probably all I can do. The strengthening skills for subordinates that can be newly acquired have a high increase rate for those whose race names include ‘Human’ or ‘Evil’, but there’s quite a rise. In any case, most of my subordinates are either Human or Noble, so it’s not a problem.”

It seems that the Evil King can acquire many skills specialized in strengthening subordinates. It’s enviable, but if the Demon Lord had the same specifications, the targets would probably be something like ‘Elf-something’ and ‘Demon-something.’ Unfortunately, there isn’t a single one.

“It would be super convenient if we could create evil dragons or something.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. Try catching lots of Newts and experimenting with them.

Well, since all the objectives have been achieved, and some unexpected work has been added, it’s time to go home.”

Certainly, there might be no more business, but it’s not that simple. Since I’ve been stuck with this much, it’s only fair to keep her company for a while.

I looked up at the sky.

“Well, it’s a rare opportunity, so how about warming up that body before going back?”

“Huh?”

“Look, the second wave is here.”

In the sky, a flock of angels had arrived.