I fed Nagi a potion to heal her and sat her down to ask.
“Nagi, can you open your status window? Can you share it with me?”
“Yes.”
Ding!
[Nagi]
[Level 15 Swordsman]
[HP 664 / 664]
[Strength 14]
[Agility 21]
…
[Sync Rate: 49.8%]
I blinked in disbelief.
What’s with this high sync rate?
In Astria Online, even adults rarely see sync rates above the mid-20s.
But Nagi’s sync rate was nearing 50%. When the sync rate exceeds 50%, a signal forcibly goes out to the server. Of course, I get to bypass that thanks to my privileges.
So, this is the maximum sync rate just shy of being flagged as an abnormal player.
The pain must feel pretty intense. Moreover, being a minor, if she dies, it could leave a significant psychological impact.
Asking about real-life issues in-game is a taboo. But I couldn’t help but ask.
“…Nagi, this might sound a bit strange, but do you perhaps remember your past life, or were you a hero in this continent before?”
Nagi tilted her head cutely, as if question marks were popping up above her head.
“Past life? Hero?”
“…Never mind. I can tell from that reaction.”
Thank goodness that’s not the case.
But such a high sync rate is clearly odd.
I need to ask Chris about this.
The question is whether Nagi can continue the game with her current sync rate. I personally experienced the phenomena. High sync rates can cause issues in the real body. Due to psychological shock, one’s body may react abnormally. While a 50% rate might not lead someone to bleed like I did, continuous play will definitely have negative repercussions.
Adjusting the sync rate seems prudent, but truthfully, that’s not my call. The player’s own will is important. Chris respects my approach too.
With this high sync rate that feels intense pain, Nagi must have sensed something odd since joining the game. Yet, the fact that she hasn’t adjusted her sync rate…
“Nagi, is this game fun?”
“Yes.”
“What do you like about it?”
“The wind feels nice, the sensations on my body are fascinating, and the scenery is beautiful.”
Nagi beamed, and her pure smile bloomed on her cute face, striking a chord in my heart.
Reality.
The thing I regained here.
What could Nagi be searching for here as well?
And why is she even playing ‘Astria Online’? There are other virtual reality metaverses out there.
“I see.”
Ultimately, I couldn’t tell Nagi to lower her sync rate.
Pop! Pow!
“That’s right, backward evasion! And…”
“Block… Thrust!”
Pow!
Thud.
Finally, the Orc Fighter’s body collapsed to the ground. Nagi had successfully cleared a Level 1 Named Enemy all by herself.
“I… I won!”
A bright smile spread across Nagi’s face.
Boing! Boing!
Her tiny frame seemed to leap into the air. The sheer joy enveloping her was palpable.
“Dawdle, Rain Onee-chan! I won!”
“Good job! I knew you could do it!”
I stroked Nagi’s head as she bounced over, seeking praise. She narrowed her eyes slightly, not taking the smile off her face as she accepted my pats.
It felt different from patting little Chris. I could sense Nagi’s pure joy in my gentle touches.
“Here, this is the accessory you earned with your strength.”
I approached the box dropped by the Orc Fighter and added the ‘Orc Fighter’s Earrings’ to Nagi’s inventory.
“Wow.”
Nagi put on the earrings and curiously touched them hanging from her ears.
“You’ll see a big boost in stats, and you can hide them if you want.”
“How amazing.”
“How about we try for the next Named Enemy?”
“Uh-oh, there’s another boss?”
“Yep. Elite dungeons usually consist of three Named Enemies. Hehe, we still have two more to beat.”
I took Nagi’s hand and led her toward the Level 2 Named Enemy area.
[Level 2 Named Enemy]
[Level 16 Orc Assassin]
[HP 16,104 / 17,700 (91%)]
[Level 15 Orc Mage (Ice)]
[HP 2,920 / 3,000 (99%)]
[Level 15 Orc Mage (Fire)]
[HP 304 / 3,000 (10%)]
Nagi was quickly soaking up the swordsman’s know-how I provided.
Clang! Clang!
“Maintain your angle! Don’t tilt even a bit! Once we take care of one more mage, the rest will be easy!”
“Y-yes!”
I was cheering for Nagi, my palms sweaty.
Blocking the Orc Assassin’s counter and the ranged spells from both mages with a perfect right-angle formation was initially tough. After numerous tries, Nagi began responding beautifully to the patterns of the three Orcs.
She particularly focused on the Assassin’s rear attacks while I advised her to worry less about the mage’s non-lethal spells. When it seemed she might be exposed to the Assassin’s counter, I scooped her up and escaped.
Swish!
Thud.
Boom!
At last, with a continuous focused assault through my openings, one of the Orc Mages hit the dirt. Nagi used our backward evasion trick to close in on the last Orc Mage.
“Great! Only one more mage left!”
I sighed in relief.
For the Level 2 Named Enemy in the Orc King’s Cave, ‘Orc Assassin,’ the hardest part was taking down the first one. Afterward, it’s smooth sailing.
Pop! Pow!
Nagi diligently cleaned up the remaining Orcs. Following my guidance, she exploited her small size and high agility, diving into the Orcs’ reach to continue her attacks. It’s a fighting style unique to small-bodied players like us.
“Anyway, I’m not going to be able to keep watching this forever.”
Before celebrating her growth, concerns crept in.
There were multiple times she had her back turned during the trial against the Orc Assassin’s counters. I saved her each time.
With such a high sync rate, would she be able to withstand the psychological shock of dying? Could her fragile mind handle it?
Whoosh.
“I did it!”
Boing! Boing!
While I was lost in thought, focused only on the front, Nagi’s sword took down the Orc Assassin.
Flap! Flap!
Her movements, like a baby bird, expressed her joy throughout her entire being, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“Well done! This is really tough, but you did it! The last Named Enemy will be easier, it just has more health.”
“Phew, that’s a relief.”
Watching Nagi pat her chest in relief, I casually asked, “By the way, do these guys’ attacks hurt?”
“Um… it hurts a bit, but it’s not unbearable.”
“…?”
That’s an unexpected response. Nagi shook her head as if it was no big deal.
Of course, with a 50% sync rate, it makes sense that it would be about half the pain I endure. For a patient person, it might not be unbearable.
But a little girl, who seems unrelated to pain, can withstand it?
When we first met outside the dungeon, she was clutching her chest, gasping for breath.
“Nagi, when I met you, you just came out from attempting the dungeon, right? Can you tell me what happened in there?”
“Uh… I swung my sword at the Orc Fighter, but I got countered and hit in the stomach a few times. Then, I suddenly went blind and came back to the dungeon entrance, so I ran away because I was scared.”
I stared at Nagi with deep concern.
This child must have died once before meeting me.
I can relate because I had a similar experience. The psychological shock must have been immense, but despite that, she didn’t bounce out of the game and expressed her will to try again. She’s a strong-willed and resilient kid.
Is it really okay to let her continue like this?
The final Named Enemy, ‘Orc King,’ in the Orc King’s Cave fell easily. Even without much instruction, Nagi skillfully dodged the Orc King’s jumps and blocked his charges.
Despite her high sync rate, Nagi had an excellent sense of virtual reality. Just based on that talent, she outperformed many raid advance users. Truly, she was the kind of ‘newbie worth nurturing.’
Returning with Nagi to the dungeon entrance, I stroked her head and said, “Can you do it alone now? I have things to take care of. If anything comes up, be sure to let me know.”
“Yes, Onee-chan.”
Nagi looked up at me, clenching her tiny hands and nodding.
I registered her as a friend too. I became Nagi’s first friend.
Then, with her hands clasped, she twisted and said, “Rain Onee-chan, you’re super pretty. …And strong too. I want to be a pretty and cool swordsman like you.”
Whoosh!
With those words, she dashed back into the dungeon, seemingly shy.
For a moment, I gazed at the disappearing figure of Nagi.
Whoosh!
A burst of light appeared before my eyes, and a blond-haired mage with a striking figure wearing a robe materialized, flaunting her presence.
It was Operator Summer, Team Leader Han Yeoreum.
“Rain-san, I’m sorry for being late! I brought the safety guard release code!”
I puffed my cheeks and scolded her. “Why are you so late? Everything’s almost gone. Hurry up.”
Swish!
The scatterbrained twenty-something magical girl waved her staff like a magic wand, promptly dissipating the green curtain that stood before me.
“Hmph, understand that the great Rain-san is being generous here. I’ll be busy for the rest of the day. Sigh, that’s all.”
Whoosh!
With a sigh, Summer vanished in a burst of light.
I blocked her from my mind and stared blankly at the entrance of the Orc King’s Cave where Nagi had disappeared.
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