Shangri-La Frontier — Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: A UNIQUE PERSON

Sunraku Poison HP 25/30

RATE- BASED POISON DAMAGE...

ONE POINT EVERY TEN SECONDS?

SO I HAVE ABOUT FOUR MINUTES LEFT TO LIVE...

I WON'T BE IN TIME... ...UNLESS I GET REAL ACCURATE WITH MY CRITICALS!

CRITICALS, IN THIS GAME, AREN'T RANDOM OCCURRENCES.

THEY APPEAR WHEN YOU LAND AN IDEAL STRIKE...

...OR HIT ONE OF YOUR FOE'S WEAK POINTS.

THE RAVENOUS SNAKE'S THICK SCALES... ...MAKE A CRITICAL IMPOSSIBLE EXCEPT IN THE HEAD.

THE HEAD'S ITS ONLY WEAKNESS?!

BUT... A LOT OF ITS ANIMATIONS MOVE THE HEAD AROUND...

I'LL JUST HAVE TO MAKE SOME...!

Sunraku Poison HP 19/30 BIP

IT'S HARD TO HIT HIS WEAK SPOTS...!

JNN JNN JNN JNN...

YES!

I'VE PROVEN THAT SCREW PIERCE LEAVES A "WOUND" OPEN FOR A FEW SECONDS.

I CAN ATTACK IT AGAIN...!

IT CHANGES THE NATURE OF THE FLESH...

...AND OPENS IT UP TO CRITICALS!

HYAAAAHHH!!

NOW I JUST GOTTA ATTACK...

DAMN IT! I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HP HE HAS LEFT...!

AM I GONNA BE ON TIME...?!

OH?

...I KNEW IT.

JeeH...

BEATING FAILIA CHRONICLE...

...GOT ME A BIT TOO COCKY.

"I CAN BEAT IT WITH NO DAMAGE!" YEAH...

THIS IS A "MAIN- STREAM GAME."

I GOT FULL OF MYSELF.

BUT, YOU KNOW...

Unequipped.

YOU CAN'T EAT ME UP THAT EASY!

I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR SHITTING ALL OVER ME!!

LEVEL UP 12 > 14 TA-DAAH THUN WHOA!

ALL RIGHT!!!

I TOTALLY DID IT!!!

AND THESE DROPS LOOK LIKE THEY'RE WORTH A CRAPLOAD...!

YOU SEE THAT, YOU SHITTY SNAKE?!

Sunraku Poison HP 9/30

OH CRAP!!

OH, RIGHT, MY LEVEL ROSE!

PUT 'EM ALL IN STAMINA AND AGILITY!! DAHH!

ARE THESE ALL THE ITEMS?! I DIDN'T MISS ANY?!

RIGHT, I WAS OUT OF TIME!!

Sunraku Poison HP 9/30

ONCE I'M IN TOWN, I GOTTA BUY SOME ANTIDOTE...

...BUT WHERE'S THE SHOP?! I DUNNO!!

THEN I GOTTA AT LEAST UPDATE MY SPAWN POINT...!

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS EITHER!

THAT MEANS I GOTTA FIND AN INN...

GOD DAMN IT...!!

UM... OH, THAT'S RIGHT, MIA...

YOU WANTED TO TAME A DOG MONSTER, DIDN'T YOU?

YEAH!

BUT MY FRIEND SAID YOU COULD TAME MONSTERS IN THIS GAME.

I CAN'T KEEP PETS IN MY APARTMENT...

SO I HOPE YOU CAN... ...SHOW ME THE ROPES TODAY.

AFTER THREE LONG, HARD MONTHS...

OKAY, YAMAMOTO?

NOW I'VE SET IT UP SO I'M THE OLD HAND... ...LECTURING HER AS A BEGINNER!

B-KO.. A-KO You got it!

USING ALL THE TRICKS AND BRIBES IN THE BOOK...

I GOT MY CRUSH TO PLAY S.L.F.

OH! SORRY, NEVER MIND!

ALSO, MIA...

IN THE GAME, IT'S POLITE TO CALL PEOPLE THEIR PLAYER NAMES, NOT THEIR REAL ONES.

UM... I'VE GOT TO MAKE THE MOST OF THIS...!!

YAMA- MOTO?

OH! I GOT IT.

SO... "REIJI,"

THEN?

SO TO TAME A MONSTER...

OKAY, LET'S GET GOING!

WOO- HOO!

NOW SHE'S USING MY FIRST NAME ALREADY! Thanks, S.L.F.!

SURE!

WHAT'S THAT?

HUH?

NO! THERE'S A PLAYER NAME OVER HIM!

MONSTER?!

IT'S A PLAYER!

I BET HE'S POISONED RIGHT NOW.

HUH?

HEY!

HEY, YOU! SUNRAKU!!

HUH?!

GO STRAIGHT INTO TOWN! THE INN'S THE BUILDING WITH THE WHITE ROOF!!

YOU GOTTA LIE DOWN ON A BED TO UPDATE YOUR RESPAWN POINT!!

AAAHHH, THANK YOUUUU!!

I'M GUESSING HE SOLD HIS ARMOR FOR MORE SPEED AT THE START.

YEAH, BACK WHEN THE GAME LAUNCHED AND THERE WAS NO INFO... YOU SAW PLAYERS SPRINT FOR TOWN AFTER THAT SNAKE POISONED THEM.

WOW...

AH HA HA! YOU THINK SO?

HUH?

BOY, REIJI... YOU REALLY SOUND LIKE A VETERAN! THAT'S SO COOL!

THANKS, WEIRD BIRD GUY!!

I haven't seen you for a long time.

INN Inn

I was super wasted,

ARE YOU STAYING TONIGHT?

Reception

I DON'T NEED THE WHOLE SPIEL! GIMME A BED!!

FOR EXAM- PLE... THIS INN PROVIDES A SAFE REST FOR ALL OF OUR EXPLORERS.

ALLOW ME TO EXAMINE OUR FREE ROOMS... VERY WELL.

ROOM 201 IS READY FOR YOU!

HURRY UP!!

RIGHT! THANK YOU!!

MY HP'S DOWN TO 1!!

HYAHH!!

Respawn point updated. Sunraku Poison HP 0/30 bip Yesss!! I made it-- URKK ... Respawn point updated. BONG

Penalty for Death All stats lowered for limited time

THAT WAS SO CLOSE...

I did die, but...

SO MY STATS GET DEBUFFED FOR A WHILE AFTER DYING?

I JUST BARELY MADE IT IN TIME!

GOOD THING I DON'T LOSE ANY ITEMS.

THAT PLAYER WHO SHOWED ME THE INN...

BETTER THANK HIM WHEN I SEE HIM.

NOW...

Reiji

THIS IS MY FIRST TOWN IN S.L.F.

I REALLY WANT SOME HEALING ITEMS AND A BETTER MAP... MAYBE SOME EQUIP- MENT.

BAR

IT'S THE TOP PLAYER RANKS OR NOTHIN'!!

TO DO THAT...

IF I'M GONNA PLAY THIS GAME, I WANNA GET SERIOUS!

I WANT A BETTER MAIN WEAPON THAN MY TWIN- BLADES.

PFFT! WHAT'S WITH HIM? A HALF- NUDE BIRD MAN?

IS THAT A PLAYER?

EW, OUR EYES MET! SCARY!

THAT EQUIPMENT IS A JOKE.

LET'S BUY...

YES.

...SOME CLOTHES FIRST.

防具屋 Armor shop

HARD CHAIN EQUIPMENT SET

THE CHEAPEST STUFF IS FINE FOR NOW.

SPLITBLADE LEATHER EQUIPMENT SET

SNAKE LEATHER EQUIPMENT SET

I DON'T CARE ABOUT DEFENSE... I JUST DON'T WANT PLAYERS TO LOOK AT ME LIKE A FREAK.

THANKS FOR YOUR PURCHASE!

SPLITBLADE LEATHER EQUIPMENT SET LEATHER CLOTHING MADE FROM TANNED MUD FROG SKIN PROVIDES SLASH RESISTANCE. 4000 MAHNI

...ACTUALLY, LET'S STICK WITH WHAT I GOT.

NOW FOR THE HEAD...

SPLITBLADE LEATHER MASK

WHA?

YOU WANT ME TO BUY THIS PIECE OF JUNK?

SHOW ME THE LINEUP YOU GOT IN HERE, THEN. YEAH, NO DICE, HUH?

YOU GOT IT.

Weapon Category

HMM, NO REAL STAND- OUTS...

MY VORPAL CHOPPERS ARE FAR BETTER.

Twin Blade Sword

WELL, A VORPAL CHOPPER'S A PRETTY RARE FIND, Y'KNOW.

OH? CAN YOU DO THAT?

IF YOU WANT SOMETHING BETTER, WE'LL HAVE TO CRAFT IT.

OH, IT IS, HUH?

WITH THE RIGHT MATERIAL.

...ALL AROUND THE ROADS. IN BETWEEN SECONDIL AND THIRDREMA, THERE ARE MARSHLANDS...

Diremarsh Waste

Thirdrema

THEY'RE CALLED "DIREMARSH WASTE"...

...AND THERE'S A SPOT IN THEM WHERE YOU CAN FIND IRON ORE.

BRING ME SOME ORE FROM THERE...

...AND I'LL CRAFT A WEAPON FROM IT.

ONE, TWO...

STONE JUST A REGULAR STONE

THE HELL'S WITH ALL THESE STONES?!

THIS AIN'T GIVING ME IRON ORE AT ALL!

GRAY ORE CAN BE CRAFTED FOR ASSORTED PURPOSES, BUT PROVIDES NO SPECIAL EFFECT

HE SAID I NEED FIVE OR SIX TO CRAFT A GOOD WEAPON... BUT HALF AN HOUR WITH A PICKAXE HAS ONLY GIVEN ME TWO!

AND THE PICKAXE I BOUGHT TO MINE THIS STUFF...

THE MUD MAKES IT HARD TO MOVE AROUND...

IT'S WAY TOO HEAVY...!!

...TAKES UP MOST...

...OF MY STAMINA!!

JUST ONE SWING...

AHH... THIS IS SO INEFFICIENT, IT'S DRIVING ME NUTS...

MUD FROG COVERS ITS BODY IN MUD FOR PROTECTION

WHAT? STAY OUT OF MY WAY. I'M BUSY.

I WAS PREPARED TO LEAVE IT... ...IF IT WASN'T GONNA ATTACK ME...

OKAY. I GOT IT.

BUT IF YOU WANNA BECOME "MATERIAL" THAT BAD...

LEMME HELP YOU!!

CROOAK?!!

NOW TO FINISH YOU OFF!

SEE THAT, YOU STUPID FROG?!

MY SPLITBLADE GEAR WAS MADE FROM MUD FROG SKIN. IT'S GOT SLASHING RESIS- TANCE.

CHANGES ARE THIS FROG'S RESISTANT TO SLASHES TOO.

SO...

AND THIS GOBLIN HAND AXE IS SO DULL, IT COUNTS AS A "BLUDGEON!" NOW'S THE TIME TO USE IT!

EITHER BLUNT FORCE OR STABBING WILL WORK!

HAH HAAA!!

WHY CAN'T I RUN IN THIS DAMN MUCK?! I'M SO SLOW!

MUD FORCES PLAYERS INTO THE "WALKING" STATE, DRASTICALLY LOWERING SPEED.

WITH THAT BODY... I GUESS YOU CAN'T GET UP FROM YOUR BACK TOO EASILY.

CROOOAK?!

HNGH!

GREHHH!!

Mud Frog Skin

A FROG LIKE THIS... ...DIDN'T EVEN IMPROVE MY MOOD.

BACK TO MINING FOR ORE...

IT SUCKS, BUT...

No, it's fine!

WE'LL SEE MORE NOW THAT SUMMER BREAK'S UNDERWAY. WON'T BE LONG BEFORE THERE ARE MAD SCRAMBLES FOR MATERIALS.

We can do it! Not at night... I'M SEEING MORE NEW PLAYERS AROUND NOW.

IF I WANNA AVOID THAT, I BETTER COLLECT AS MUCH AS I CAN NOW.

GUESS I GOTTA DO THIS...

A STONE? AGAIN?!

THREE HOURS LATER...

WHOA, WHOA, THIS IS A MARSH- COFFIN FOSSIL.

YOU CAN MAKE SOMETHING GOOD NOW, CAN'T YA?

MM-HMM!

OH, YEAH, THAT WAS AN ODD ONE.

YOU SURE, UH, COLLECTED A LOT.

A rarity!

HANG ON. I’LL GET YOU A LIST.

THEN HOW ’BOUT I CRAFT THIS?

YOU GOT IT! GO BUMP AROUND TOWN UNTIL THEY'RE READY!

OOH, SOUNDS GOOD.

OKAY, LET'S DO IT. TWO OF THEM.

Items

HERE YA GO.

MARSH DAGGERS CUTS-ENDURANCE-USAGE-BY-HALF-FOR A TIME AFTER A CRITICAL ATTACK

THEY MATCH MY STYLE SO MUCH! THESE BLADES ARE TOTAL GOD- TIER...!

COME BACK IF YOU COLLECT MORE MATERIAL.

IT'S MY JOB TO RAISE YOUR WEAPONS TOO. COME BACK IF YOU COLLECT MORE MATERIAL.

SINCE I CAN USE FORGING MAGIC... I CAN NOT ONLY MAKE WEAPONS, BUT STRENGTHEN THEM TOO.

A BLACK- SMITH'S WEAPONS ARE KIND OF LIKE HIS CHILDREN.

RAISE?

SO INSTEAD OF "STRENGTHEN," I RAISE THEM.

OH...

I HAVE TO SAY, THE NPC'S MOVE AND TALK SO WELL. THEY RESPOND TO MY WORDS AND SITUATION.

IT'S ALMOST DARK.

YOU BETTER NOT LEAVE TOWN IN THAT OUTFIT.

WHAT KINDA AI RUNS THEM?

BECAUSE A LOT OF NOCTURNAL MONSTERS ARE DANGEROUS, THAT'S WHY!

WHY NOT...?

WHY NOT?

OKAY.

RIGHT. SEE YOU.

OH, THAT'S HOW IT'S SET UP?

I'LL BE CAREFUL.

LET'S TEST OUT MY NEW TWIN BLADES... ALL RIGHT!!

BUT MY "DEATH" PENALTY JUST EXPIRED... ...I KNOW I SAID THAT,

AND I GOT ME SOME GOOD INFO.

...ON THOSE "DANGEROUS NIGHT MONSTERS," THEN!

STRANGE..

I LOOKED UP AND DOWN THE BEGINNERS' AREA...

BUT HE'S NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.

ALL I CAN THINK...

...IS THAT HE DEFEATED THIS SNAKE...

...WITHOUT GOING INTO A TOWN OR DYING ONCE...

...THEN HEADED FOR SECONDIL.

BUT DOES ANY NEWBIE PLAYER DO THAT...?

KNOWING HIM... MAYBE HE DID, HUH?

Redcap Goblin

NOT BAD...!

...FOR NOW...

LET'S GO THROUGH WHAT I'VE SEEN.

FIRST, MONSTERS DEFINITELY CHANGE BETWEEN DAY AND NIGHT.

JUST LIKE THE WEAPON GUY SAID, A LOT OF NOCTURNAL MONSTERS ARE DANGEROUSLY VICIOUS.

I'M TALKING WAY BEYOND THE FOREST GOBLINS.

BUT AIN'T THIS ONE WEIRDLY OFF THE CHARTS?

THEY MESSED UP HIS BALANC- ING!

HE'S LOADED WITH HP, AND THOSE FEINT-ORIENTED ATTACKS...

HE'S USING THEM LIKE IT'S TOTALLY NORMAL!

AND...

WORST OF ALL...

MORE MONSTERS ANSWERED THE CALL!

WHOA WHOA WHOA!

GAGH GAGH

GAGH

CALLING FOR ALLIES IS A "WEAK MONSTER" TROPE...!!

JUST ONE IS ENOUGH OF A PAIN. BUT THIS MANY...

EVEN IF I RAN, I DUNNO IF I'D SURVIVE...

ARE YOU DREAMING? WHOA, WHOA...

...REALLY UNDERESTI- MATED THIS GAME.

I'VE BEEN HAVING FUN.

A GOD-TIER GAME LIKE THIS ISN'T SO BAD.

YOU COULD SAY I'VE EVEN GOTTEN ADDICTED.

ON THIS DAY...

AT THIS MOMENT...

IT WAS NOTHING LIKE THIS.

...WITH THE REAL SHANGRI-LA FRONTIER.

I MADE CONTACT...

Unique Monster Lycaon the Nightslayer encountered

READ TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SLF WORLD!

SHANGRI-LA FRONTIER STRATEGY FORUM

VOL. 2 LET SLF MASTER REI-CHAN TAKE YOU THROUGH THE WORLD!

REI-CHAN

THIS WEEK'S AREA! DIREMARSH WASTE Q. WHAT KIND OF MINED ITEMS CAN I FIND IN DIREMARSH WASTE?

DIREMARSH WASTE A SWAMP-LADEN WASTELAND YOU MUST TRAVERSE FROM SECONDIL TO THIRDREMA. ◆ A. STONE JUST A REGULAR STONE. NO VALUE AT ALL AS AN ORE, BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS CHUCK IT AT FOES. MARSHCOFFIN ◆ FOSSIL RARE ITEM NEEDED TO CREATE MARSH DAGGERS. LIKELY ONCE PART OF SOME MONSTER, LONG AGO. A GREAT RELIC, OR RANDOM JUNK? IT ALL COMES DOWN TO LUCK! MARSH DAGGERS ◆ GRAY ORE A GRAYISH ROCK WITH NO SPECIAL EFFECTS, USED FOR MANY PURPOSES. HAS NO SHEEN WHEN POLISHED, MAKING IT POOR FOR EQUIPMENT. ◆ SILVER ORE A SILVERY ROCK THAT IMPARTS MAGIC RESISTANCE ON EQUIPMENT.

IF YOU WANT RARE ITEMS, YOU HAVE TO DIG, DIG, DIG! YOU MAY FIND SOMETHING NO ONE HAS BEFORE!

IT'S NEWBIE ADVENTURER SUNRAKU VS. UNIQUE MONSTER "LYCAON THE NIGHTSLAYER" IN BATTLE! HOW DO THEY COMPARE? HERE'S A PEEK AT THEIR STATS!

Sunraku Level: 18 HP: 30 MP: 10 Stamina: 40 Strength: 10 Dexterity: 15 Agility: 40 Tech: 20 Vitality: 15 Luck: 55

Lycaon the Nightslayer Level: 165 Dexterity: ????? HP: ????? Agility: ????? MP: ????? Tech: ????? Stamina: ????? Vitality: ????? Strength: ????? Luck: ?????

L... LEVEL 165?! OTHER STATS UNKNOWN?! PLEASE RUN AWAY, SUNRAKU-KUN!