This is a Beta Test?! - A Literally Broken System

In any RPG game, I suppose that there were many types of gameplay in terms of combat. Some were turn-based, others were more action-oriented. At the moment, I'd guess that the most popular among the current leaders in gaming were action-oriented in nature. Although turn-based combat still had its uses, the ADHD-riddled masses of today craved the quick and snappy gameplay of real-time combat. Whether by swinging a sword or firing off a gun, action was defined by its constant movement and responsiveness. If a game focused on action and its gameplay turned out to be an absolute trashfire, then it would obviously fail miserably. And that wasn't to mention the other complainers that would whine about slow combat and unintuitive mechanics. They would complain to the developer that their game was garbage, and they'd yell that they should fix it if the dev wanted their money.

Well, fortunately for Guidance, I wasn't picky when it came to my combat styles.

[CHIME!]

[Main Quest Accepted: The Basics]

[Kill Forest Wolf: 0/5]

With Shizu finally giving me the next main quest, I finally had the chance to see just how the combat in this game actually worked. Not that I didn't already know that what with the tentacle monster that appeared back in the spawn area, but it was still inadequate when it came to actual experience. I did just open fire on it like a maniac, hoping to god that it'd kill the thing that almost destroyed me on hour one.

"Forest wolves, huh," I scoffed. "I guess there will always be normal monsters in any sort of game."

"They're not just wolves, you know," Shizu reminded with a pout. "They're Kattleynan Forest Wolves. You should still be careful."

"I know," I chuckled. "Don't worry. I have my [Manifest] with me at all times anyway."

Reaching behind my back, [Blanc and Noir] fit my hands like a glove as I twirled them in each hand. Giving each pistol a glance, I then showed them off to my princess partner as she visibly swooned at the sight of them.

"So that's what a [Manifest] looks like," she whispered out, her eyes wide with wonder as she stared. "I've never seen those kinds of contraptions before..."

I raised an eyebrow, "You don't know what a pistol is?"

"What's a pistol?"

I blinked in astonishment. "Do you know what a gun is then?"

"A gun...." Shizu hummed, her thoughts staying in her throat as she spoke. "I feel like I've heard of them before..."

"Well, think of them like that," I quickly stated. "Ranged weapons that can shoot at far distances."

"Oh!"

Finally!

Letting out a sigh of relief, I chuckled as she sagely nodded in her understanding. Hopefully, that meant she knew what I was talking about.

"I guess they're just another iteration of crossbows then," Shizu opened her mouth in awe, her eyes still wide as she stared at the pistols. "I can see the trigger, and their general shape looks like one too."

Aand... Eh, that's close enough. "Yeah. They're more advanced crossbows," I explained, rolling with her own explanation. "They don't use arrows though. They're using my blood as ammunition."

Shizu looked at me like I was telling her a joke. "Huh? How does that even work?"

I resisted the urge to let out a groan of annoyance. "Let me just show you," I sighed. "Are even you coming along?"

At my offer, the princess gave her fists a passing glance before giving me a nod of determination, "Of course! I can't just leave you out there all alone, right?"

Giving her a small smile, I elected to lead the way into the thick of the forest ahead of us. Walking ahead, the vegetation slowly got thicker the deeper we went into the brush, the trees around us limiting our vision to around only a few meters ahead of us.

"This is so exciting," Shizu vibrated beside me, her hands balled into fists in front of her as she held what seemed to be a fighting stance. "I haven't ventured this far from the city before."

Wow... That was... kind of sad, actually. "You mean you haven't even gone to the backyard of your own city?"

"Nope!" she smiled in excitement, hitting her fists together with a raring energy. "I've been training in secret for this very moment. I wanna see how I really fare against an actual threat!"

I gave Shizu a dubious glance. I seriously doubted that she'd get the challenge she craved while hunting for low-level monsters. Seeing as she was level 80, she'd probably just pop these poor wolves at the slightest touch.

"I think I'd prefer it if I killed them all myself," I firmly suggested, my pistols aimed at the ready as my ears perked at the slightest of movements. "I really need the [EXP] anyway."

"[EXP]?"

[*ggrrroowwll...*]

At the slightest growl, my left-hand pistol immediately trained itself towards the source. Looking back, a gray wolf slowly walked out from a nearby bush, its teeth flaring out as it seemingly prepared itself to attack.

[Forest Wolf: Level 3]

I blinked. No [HP] bar of any kind to be seen, huh... I guess I'll just have to riddle it with bullets until it dropped dead or something. "Get back."

[*BANG! BANG! BANG!*]

[HP: 96/105]

My eyes quickly moved to monitor my health, noting that I still lost roughly three points of [HP] per shot as all my bullets landed squarely on the monster's form.

[*wwhiinnee....*]

Hearing the wolf, I watched carefully for any sign of it lunging forward, only to relax as the wolf dropped on the ground and disappear into motes of light.

[+10 EXP]

[Quest Progress: Kill Forest Wolf: 1/5]

Huh...

"That was amazing, Stranger!"

Before I could process what just happened, I felt something soft press against my back as Shizu hugged me from behind. And while I appreciated the gesture, I immediately tried to break free cause I wouldn't be caught dead being off guard while outside the hub city.

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