1. We live in a worldCopy !req
2. so saturated with games,
that it's hard to keep up.Copy !req
3. In fact, most are released
with little fanfareCopy !req
4. and fade into obscurity.Copy !req
5. But there's one that's captured
the imagination of the masses.Copy !req
6. A fully immersive VR MMOCopy !req
7. that boasts over 30 million
players world-wide.Copy !req
8. The definitive
triple-A Experience,Copy !req
9. Shangri-La Frontier!Copy !req
10. One such player,
Rakuro Hizutome,Copy !req
11. has set aside
his trash-game obsessionCopy !req
12. to try his hand
at a god-tier title!Copy !req
13. With a bug-free game
on his horizon,Copy !req
14. who knows what exciting
new adventures await!Copy !req
15. Hey, Sunraku's back!Copy !req
16. Who's dumb enough to fight him?Copy !req
17. Never seen him before.Copy !req
18. There's no way
it's a new player, right?Copy !req
19. Hard to believe, but I thinkCopy !req
20. we've got ourselves a noob!Copy !req
21. I'll beat you at least once
before I'm done!Copy !req
22. Quickdraw Fist!Copy !req
23. You lose!Copy !req
24. Man, no matter
how many times I try,Copy !req
25. you still wreck me!Copy !req
26. "Quickdraw Fist" style
is basically unbeatable!Copy !req
27. Come on, one more time!Copy !req
28. This'll be it, I promise!
Best outta three!Copy !req
29. Yeah, all right, fine,
but this is it!Copy !req
30. Sweet, thank you so much!Copy !req
31. And the rules, of course.Copy !req
32. Bug tudo! Right!Copy !req
33. Battle start!
Round One! Fight!Copy !req
34. Third time's a charm, huh?Copy !req
35. Not bad!Copy !req
36. Looks like someone figured out
how to trigger the "Yo-Yo"Copy !req
37. in time
with their foe's attacks!Copy !req
38. Yeah, I think
I'm getting the hang of it!Copy !req
39. You know, I logged
into BERP to brush up my skillsCopy !req
40. for the Wethermon fight.Copy !req
41. But here I am,
training some wayward noob.Copy !req
42. Typical me.Copy !req
43. Ain't that the way?Copy !req
44. Maybe next time,
I'll bump into someoneCopy !req
45. that gives me
a run for my money.Copy !req
46. Flying Smash!Copy !req
47. He used the speed
from his bugged leg snappingCopy !req
48. back to close the gap!Copy !req
49. Dude sucker punched me!Copy !req
50. Dang, man!Copy !req
51. Impressive stuff
for your third round!Copy !req
52. You coulda won!Copy !req
53. Except you decided
to use Flying Smash,Copy !req
54. which is a normal move,
not a glitch.Copy !req
55. It does packs a punch,Copy !req
56. but now you're stuck
on cool downCopy !req
57. Kinda hard to land
a finishing blowCopy !req
58. when your avatar's frozen up.Copy !req
59. Please, allow me.Copy !req
60. Pile... Bunker!Copy !req
61. Crap, he's fast!Copy !req
62. Not again.Copy !req
63. If I can't get away,
I'm screwed!Copy !req
64. Still charging in headfirst,
are we?Copy !req
65. I'll just counter
with a Quickdraw Fist!Copy !req
66. The hell is that?Copy !req
67. Flying Smash!Copy !req
68. He triggered
two of 'em at the same time?Copy !req
69. Never seen that before!Copy !req
70. A Quickdraw Fist
could counter it, but...Copy !req
71. Smash me, daddy!Copy !req
72. You win!Copy !req
73. Hell freaking yeah!Copy !req
74. Took three rounds,
but I finally beat ya!Copy !req
75. How is that even a thing?Copy !req
76. Dude just stacked
two Flying Smashes, right?Copy !req
77. Oh yeah, never seen
anyone do that before.Copy !req
78. Hey,
you guys saw that, right?Copy !req
79. Two Flying Smashes,
and both of 'em had hitboxes.Copy !req
80. Fundamentally speaking,
it's just a Pile Bunker,Copy !req
81. but that shouldn't enable
someone to duplicateCopy !req
82. gauge-based attacks.Copy !req
83. Totally,
so I guess it falls underCopy !req
84. the Doppelganger
bug umbrella, huh?Copy !req
85. 'Cept we've never
been able to create a doubleCopy !req
86. on the same coordinates.Copy !req
87. That's already been verified.Copy !req
88. And you can't
execute a ChimeraCopy !req
89. from a Doppelganger,
if that's the case...Copy !req
90. Oh, yeah.Copy !req
91. If the exploiters
can reproduce it,Copy !req
92. we've struck gold, fellas.Copy !req
93. Yo, Dragonfly!Copy !req
94. Uh, 'sup?Copy !req
95. Congrats, lil' noob...Copy !req
96. It's not quite official yet,
but that's a new bug,Copy !req
97. and you're the one
who found it, capitan!Copy !req
98. - Congratulations!
- Wonderful!Copy !req
99. - Bravo!
- Congrats, bro!Copy !req
100. Oh, yeah, right on, thanks.Copy !req
101. As per BERP tradition,
he who discovers a bugCopy !req
102. also names it, so whatcha got?Copy !req
103. Go!Copy !req
104. Hang on, I just started!Copy !req
105. It all happened so fast,
I uh...Copy !req
106. Let's see, what's a good name.
Lemme think.Copy !req
107. Chillax, you don't have
to choose right away.Copy !req
108. Take some time
and think about it.Copy !req
109. Besides, we've still got
a couple fights in the tank.Copy !req
110. And since you unearthed
a new bug for yours truly,Copy !req
111. it's only fair
I show you one, too.Copy !req
112. Whoa, you mean it?Copy !req
113. Now you can only trigger it
at the very momentCopy !req
114. the round begins.Copy !req
115. Dude, this is gonna
blow your friggin' mind.Copy !req
116. Battle start!
Round two! Fight!Copy !req
117. - Dragonfly, meet Doppelganger.
- Dragonfly, meet Doppelganger.Copy !req
118. There's two of you?
What the hell?Copy !req
119. I'll admit,
I didn't know what to call thisCopy !req
120. when I first
discovered it either.Copy !req
121. Too many choices.Copy !req
122. There was "Shadow Clones,"
and then "Swampman."Copy !req
123. Pretty amazing, right?Copy !req
124. Just when you think you get it,
the community finds a new bugCopy !req
125. and knocks your ass
back to square one!Copy !req
126. That's why, no matter
how empty the servers are,Copy !req
127. I can't help but drop in
every now and then.Copy !req
128. That's what BERP's all about!Copy !req
129. Berserk Online...Copy !req
130. Passion!Copy !req
131. You okay, bro?Copy !req
132. You mean, other than
losing twice in a row?Copy !req
133. To add insult to injury,Copy !req
134. you had your clone
hold me in placeCopy !req
135. while you pummeled me.Copy !req
136. Not cool, man!Copy !req
137. The AI takes over
if you ignore your clone.Copy !req
138. Totally not cool,
freakin' blows.Copy !req
139. All good.Copy !req
140. Thanks, you didn't have
to put up with a noob.Copy !req
141. I appreciate ya!Copy !req
142. No prob.Copy !req
143. Man, I learned so much today!Copy !req
144. I'm not gonna stop
'til I come up with a name!Copy !req
145. Maybe "Swampman Two!"Copy !req
146. Oh, hey,
before we go, there is thisCopy !req
147. one super creepy bug
a friend of mine foundCopy !req
148. that'll scare your nuts off.Copy !req
149. Not sure I can pull it off,
but you wanna see?Copy !req
150. Duh!
What are you waiting for, man?Copy !req
151. Sweet!Copy !req
152. Meanwhile,
in a less buggy world.Copy !req
153. His "friend"
could use a Doppelganger.Copy !req
154. Come on!Copy !req
155. Why the hell
am I working overtime alone?Copy !req
156. Those three levelsCopy !req
157. won't ding themselves,
Forty-Seven!Copy !req
158. "Tuna" my ass,
more like "minnow!"Copy !req
159. For the love of God,Copy !req
160. log back in, Sunraku!Copy !req
161. Cry, fish boy!Copy !req
162. And boom!Copy !req
163. Let's go!Copy !req
164. I've got nothin'
on the scheduleCopy !req
165. but SLF today!Copy !req
166. Perhaps you'll share
your schedule with me!Copy !req
167. Come on, Emul,
I've been dyin'Copy !req
168. to try out
that skill-combo stuffCopy !req
169. Katzo was babbling about!Copy !req
170. Oh, uh, righty-o!Copy !req
171. So it's this way, yeah?Copy !req
172. May I ask how often
you start runningCopy !req
173. before you know
where your destination is?Copy !req
174. Oh, never mind.Copy !req
175. It's just that,
your vorpal soul is glowing!Copy !req
176. You were
so exhausted last nightCopy !req
177. that I couldn't help
but worry myself sick over you!Copy !req
178. Well, you're not
wrong, I was pretty wiped out.Copy !req
179. But when I discover a new
game mechanic or something,Copy !req
180. it really fires me up, ya know?Copy !req
181. Especially if it's something
I can really sinkCopy !req
182. my teeth into!Copy !req
183. Wait, Sunraku, slow down,Copy !req
184. you're gonna miss it!Copy !req
185. The Skill Garden is this way,
not far from here!Copy !req
186. To my left,
just down the hallway!Copy !req
187. You're kidding, right?Copy !req
188. The Palace of Rabituza
has a Skill Garden, too?Copy !req
189. What's next,
a discount clothing store?Copy !req
190. Why would I joke about that?Copy !req
191. And the Skill Garden here,
it has a selectionCopy !req
192. the likes of which
you'll never findCopy !req
193. from your average city garden!Copy !req
194. Far superior, you'll see!Copy !req
195. But it's our little secret, okay?Copy !req
196. Wink.Copy !req
197. You say "secret,"
I hear "advantage".Copy !req
198. Me likey!Copy !req
199. Hello! Welcome!Copy !req
200. Gracious me!Copy !req
201. If it isn't sister Emul
and her birdman friend!Copy !req
202. And it was
on this day he realizedCopy !req
203. "birdman" was here to stay.Copy !req
204. This is my big sister, Elke.Copy !req
205. I actually have
two big sisters,Copy !req
206. we're Rabituzan triplets!Copy !req
207. The pleasure's all mine!Copy !req
208. A pleasure, indeed!Copy !req
209. Well, she does have
the floppy ears.Copy !req
210. I guess I see the resemblance.Copy !req
211. And if they're triplets,
I wonder who the third is?Copy !req
212. So, how may I be
of service to you today?Copy !req
213. A little birdie
told me, scratch that,Copy !req
214. no, I heard this is the place
to combine skills.Copy !req
215. You heard right, birdman!Copy !req
216. It just so happens I have
a rather particularCopy !req
217. set of skills.Copy !req
218. Skills that make me an asset
to people like my father,Copy !req
219. so he bestowed the title
of "palace gardener" to me.Copy !req
220. Oh, did he, now?Copy !req
221. Mirroring her speech pattern
must be a special strategy!Copy !req
222. Well, then,
if you'd be so kind,Copy !req
223. I'd be ever-so-happy if you'd
help me combine my skills.Copy !req
224. But of course, birdman!Copy !req
225. I leveled up so fast,
I can barely keep trackCopy !req
226. of what I've learned,
which might be a problem,Copy !req
227. and I think some of 'em
changed on me, too.Copy !req
228. My friend,
there's no need to worry.Copy !req
229. When you have
one high-level skillCopy !req
230. and you match it with
another high-level skill,Copy !req
231. they combine
into a superior skill.Copy !req
232. Really?Copy !req
233. Now I kinda wanna max 'em out
before I go through with this.Copy !req
234. But I'm also trying
to clean house a bit.Copy !req
235. Screw it, let's do the deed.Copy !req
236. Yes, yes, do the deed, indeed!Copy !req
237. Bing, bang, boom!Copy !req
238. I'm guessing these
are all the skillsCopy !req
239. I can combine
at the moment, right?Copy !req
240. Mm-hm.Copy !req
241. And you're sure
this is the recipe you want?Copy !req
242. Your total for six combos is...Copy !req
243. a nice, even
six thousand mahni.Copy !req
244. You got it,
carry the zero and...Copy !req
245. Oh yes, sit tight now,
it won't be long!Copy !req
246. Oh, if you please!
Oh, if you please!Copy !req
247. Ugh, stop mimicking me!Copy !req
248. This is the perfect opportunityCopy !req
249. to finally check my stats.Copy !req
250. Sure, I'm level fifty-one now,
which is great.Copy !req
251. But I had to strategically
use my stat-pointsCopy !req
252. from leveling
to equip my Moonblades,Copy !req
253. so I had nothing left
to boost my vitality.Copy !req
254. Which unfortunately means
my defense is still paper-thin.Copy !req
255. No, no, make that
"tissue-paper" thin.Copy !req
256. Okay,
you're good to go, birdman!Copy !req
257. Wow, talk about
customer service!Copy !req
258. They're combined
and ready for you!Copy !req
259. It's six-in-one, so the amount
is on the excessive side,Copy !req
260. but as soon as you finish it,
you'll learn all the skillsCopy !req
261. you purchased
in an instant, you'll see!Copy !req
262. Do I have to chug
the whole dang thing?Copy !req
263. There's a freakin' twig in it!Copy !req
264. Yes, all at once, glug, glug!Copy !req
265. No way in hell
I'd do this in real life.Copy !req
266. Go on, bottoms up, friend!Copy !req
267. - Go!
- Go!Copy !req
268. Whoa!Copy !req
269. Whoa! She wasn't
lying, there they are!Copy !req
270. Six new combination skills,
all at once!Copy !req
271. Later, oldboys!Copy !req
272. Plus, there's
the nine I learnedCopy !req
273. or evolved from other skills
when I leveled up.Copy !req
274. I hope at least
some of 'em are powerful.Copy !req
275. Congratulations to you!Copy !req
276. Isn't it just lovely?Copy !req
277. Oh, I almost forgot.Copy !req
278. Look at these before you go.Copy !req
279. There are items called
"Skill Grimoires"Copy !req
280. that may suit your fancy.Copy !req
281. You can only acquire them
here in Rabituza,Copy !req
282. if you'd like one!Copy !req
283. You don't say?Copy !req
284. And as my sister
is so very fond of you,Copy !req
285. I'll give you
the family discount!Copy !req
286. You mean it?
Sign me up!Copy !req
287. Sunraku, approach
with caution, please!Copy !req
288. She may look friendly,Copy !req
289. but she'll do
anything for mone...Copy !req
290. Wow, You're definitely related,Copy !req
291. she moves as fast as you do!Copy !req
292. Don't sweat it, Emul.Copy !req
293. This isn't the first time
I've encountered merchCopy !req
294. in a special event zone
like this.Copy !req
295. I'm always prepared
to pay jacked-up prices.Copy !req
296. Oh my,
you're a wise birdman, indeed!Copy !req
297. If I may be so bold,
what's your budget?Copy !req
298. I've had a fire sale
on materials lately,Copy !req
299. so I've got about
eighty-thousand mahni on-hand.Copy !req
300. Gracious me!Copy !req
301. Lucky for us, you won't have
a problem paying for these!Copy !req
302. Holy crap,
do you hate your family?Copy !req
303. This is what you call
a "discount?"Copy !req
304. You're ripping me off
on purpose, aren't you?Copy !req
305. Well... is today the day?Copy !req
306. You're no fool.Copy !req
307. Surely, you wouldn't pass up
a once-in-a-lifetimeCopy !req
308. Rabituzan family special,
from a capable gardenerCopy !req
309. such as myself, would you?Copy !req
310. Uh... kay.Copy !req
311. I guess I'll take
the Vorpal Blade Tech,Copy !req
312. the uh, Moon's Reflection,
if you please.Copy !req
313. Excellent choice!Copy !req
314. That'll be
eighty-thousand mahni!Copy !req
315. Please come back and see me!Copy !req
316. Thank you for your business,
my feathery friend!Copy !req
317. I just couldn't say no.Copy !req
318. Hey, Sunraku,
are you gonna be okay?Copy !req
319. There was this look
in her eyes,Copy !req
320. like she was gonna pluck
the feathers off my mask.Copy !req
321. Big Sister Elke?Copy !req
322. She would never do
something so cruel... oh.Copy !req
323. That's a lie, she's a mess.Copy !req
324. I had my eyes on this
super sick belt in Thirdrema,Copy !req
325. it was gonna tie
the whole look together!Copy !req
326. Birdman's gotta farm some mahni
before the big Wethermon fight.Copy !req
327. - What time is it?
- Huh?Copy !req
328. Man, that was close!Copy !req
329. If I showed up late
to another meeting,Copy !req
330. they'd skewer me
with my own moonblades!Copy !req
331. Emul, gate me, stat!Copy !req
332. Righty-o!Copy !req
333. Good evening, madam.Copy !req
334. Is that Sunraku?Copy !req
335. It can't be, you're actually
on time for once!Copy !req
336. You have a good day today,
or what?Copy !req
337. I wouldn't say that, exactly.Copy !req
338. But I've made a decision.Copy !req
339. About what?Copy !req
340. What
do you think, Mister Punctual?Copy !req
341. We're only two weeks away
from our fightCopy !req
342. with Wethermon the Tombguard.Copy !req
343. We've got a problem, guys.Copy !req
344. Whaddaya mean?Copy !req
345. We're both
over level fifty now,Copy !req
346. I thought we'd be in the clear?Copy !req
347. As it stands,
there's only one other groupCopy !req
348. that knows how to trigger
the Wethermon fight.Copy !req
349. Unfortunately,
it's my PK clan, Ashura Kai.Copy !req
350. They've got a jump on us.Copy !req
351. They know you get experience
for encounteringCopy !req
352. a unique monster,Copy !req
353. so they've been exploiting
the system to level up.Copy !req
354. Since it's just NPC mobs,
it's also a low-risk wayCopy !req
355. to practice their PVP skills.Copy !req
356. Well, that's great.Copy !req
357. Those guys again?Copy !req
358. Makes sense,
when you think about it.Copy !req
359. Lycagon is a random spawn,
but you can meet upCopy !req
360. with Wethermon on his schedule,Copy !req
361. which makes him
the perfect fodderCopy !req
362. for a monthly skill grind.Copy !req
363. Exactly, which is bad for us.Copy !req
364. You're telling me
that when the nextCopy !req
365. "night of the new moon"
comes aroundCopy !req
366. and we fight Wethermon.Copy !req
367. We're gonna end up
in the middleCopy !req
368. of an Ashura Kai grind-fest,Copy !req
369. because they've accepted
the scenario as well.Copy !req
370. Am I right?
Yep.Copy !req
371. But aren't you
part of their clan?Copy !req
372. Couldn't we just reason
with them or something?Copy !req
373. I dunno, negotiate
to take this month,Copy !req
374. or, swap with us?Copy !req
375. Not a chance.Copy !req
376. The clan is opposed
to defeating him,Copy !req
377. there's no wiggle room.Copy !req
378. Ah, I'm not sure I seeCopy !req
379. where you're going with this.Copy !req
380. What exactly is it that
you've "made a decision" about?Copy !req
381. You the clan baker now?Copy !req
382. The clan is all about PKing.Copy !req
383. They're pretty much
universally hated for it.Copy !req
384. Not a good way
to make friends, ya know?Copy !req
385. Firsthand, yeah.Copy !req
386. After the last update,Copy !req
387. anyone who decides to PKCopy !req
388. receives a special
status condition,Copy !req
389. like an invisible mark
that applies a specific effect.Copy !req
390. What makes it so special?Copy !req
391. If you have the mark,
and another playerCopy !req
392. manages to kill you.Copy !req
393. They don't just get the bounty,
they've now also earnedCopy !req
394. the right to seize any items
or equipmentCopy !req
395. you've got on your person.Copy !req
396. Your whole inventory, yoink.Copy !req
397. All of it, including stuffCopy !req
398. you've got in storage.Copy !req
399. Nothing is safe.Copy !req
400. Oh?Copy !req
401. If you are
a high-level playerCopy !req
402. in Ashura Kai,Copy !req
403. chances are you've pillaged
a fair amountCopy !req
404. of rare items over time.Copy !req
405. Us PKers, we're basically
just walking treasure chests,Copy !req
406. nothing more.Copy !req
407. With targets on our back, yeah.Copy !req
408. By design, you have
a new class of PK Killers.Copy !req
409. Naturally,
we've found loopholesCopy !req
410. and developed
counter-measuresCopy !req
411. to combat
the rise of PK Killers.Copy !req
412. Sure, we can reduce
the harm they do to us,Copy !req
413. but anyone can
skirt around those safeguardsCopy !req
414. by attacking our hideout.Copy !req
415. Back it up, your hideout?Copy !req
416. I smell what you're cookin'
and I like it.Copy !req
417. Are you serious?Copy !req
418. Oh, yes.Copy !req
419. As a ranking member,Copy !req
420. I know exactly
where the hideout is.Copy !req
421. At this point, those useless
cowards are nothing moreCopy !req
422. than a big thorn in my side.Copy !req
423. I was thinking.Copy !req
424. What better way
to prep for our fightCopy !req
425. than to smash Ashura Kai?Copy !req
426. Shangri-La Frontier.Copy !req
427. Everyone's favorite
immersive VR experience.Copy !req
428. Has finally received its hotly
anticipated summer update.Copy !req
429. And of course, on the night
of this major content patch...Copy !req
430. Sunraku and his party
will finally take onCopy !req
431. Wethermon the Tombguard.Copy !req