Chapter 18
Let me get straight to the point.
I want to purchase weapons in bulk.
Our rabbit beastfolk face too many threats from every direction, and our lives are still under threat even now.
I would be deeply grateful if you could read this and leave a reply. Squeak.
- I had a feeling these guys would show up too
- Wow, how long has it been since the beastfolk last posted?
- Even the beastfolk can't resist the Head Mod's wares
“Yeah, I was worried about this.”
I read the post with the feeling that what was bound to come had finally arrived.
I had expected that if I released modern weapons and helped one place, others would come forward too.
I just hadn't expected it to be the beastfolk, who had only lurked and never posted a thing.
“How many years ago was it that they went into hiding?”
After being possessed, I explored the gallery.
Naturally, I browsed the posts being uploaded in real time, as well as Featured posts from ages ago.
What I learned from that was that most of the beastfolk had disappeared from the gallery after the Great War began.
- It's been ages since these guys last posted
ㄴ Come to think of it, why did they disappear?
ㄴ Wasn't it because of what those humans did? lol
ㄴ Yeah, the elves who burrowed into hiding after being attacked by monsters and other races during the Great War
- Isn't it because they were afraid their location would be identified?
ㄴ They live hidden away, after all
ㄴ Doesn't the gallery have a location-tracking function?
ㄴ ㄴㄴ It's just that when the season comes around, their instincts make them go into heat and dump posts full of things they should and shouldn't say
ㄴ Yikes;
That was right: the beastfolk's greatest weakness was their inability to control their instincts.
So rather than risk having their location identified after saying something ridiculous, their entire race had switched to lurking.
“So they contacted us after seeing the modern weapons?”
Overwhelming firepower.
With the power of modern weapons, it wouldn't matter even if their location was discovered.
They could simply crush everyone with force.
The rabbit beastfolk in particular, who had spent their entire lives hiding, had completely lost their heads over the power of weapons.
They had even sent out a representative to stir up this much attention.
“But that doesn't mean I should trade with them.”
I can't just distribute modern weapons from another world.
Even if I only gave Elad ten because I was worried the sub-mod I'd been raising would die, going any further would turn this into a genuine apocalypse.
If everyone ran around with guns, there would be no guarantee I wouldn't be killed by a stray bullet.
Bluntly speaking, I wasn't going to distribute weapons I couldn't control, if only for my own sake.
[Would you like to invite ‘Myoran’ to a barter trade?]
So I called the author of the post, Myoran, separately.
It wasn't for the purpose of trading something.
If anything, I intended to turn her down.
Myoran: I am Myoran, representative of the rabbit beastfolk!!!
Myoran: I endlessly praise the Head Mod for accepting my request!!! Is the Head Mod a god!!! Squeak!!!
The excited gallery user misunderstood completely.
*
?? years ago / Come See the Farm I Raised
(A photo of a field so fresh and lush it looks ready to burst)
(A photo of a rabbit beastfolk wearing a farmer's hat and looking proud)
I raised it with all my heart, just like my own child ^^
What do you all think? Squeak?
- Wow, that's amazing!
- (An elf emote giving a thumbs-up)
- The field is so cute and charming~
ㄴ Author) Thank you, elves!
- How the fuck did you do this
- No, how is the field perfect without a single spoiled plant?
- Seriously, did you use some kind of magic?
ㄴ Author) It's thanks to the rabbit beastfolk's traits.
ㄴ Author) We're born with a farmer's disposition, Squeak!
ㄴ Oh...
ㄴ Hmm?
ㄴ Oh, I'm going to raid them
ㄴ They're ridiculously cute too. I want to capture one and raise it
ㄴ Author) ?
8 years ago / Humans, please stop
(A GIF of rabbit beastfolk being sold at a slave market)
(A GIF of rabbit beastfolk working like slaves in a field)
Please stop hating the beastfolk
Can't we trade with you in exchange for fair compensation?
(A rabbit emote pounding its chest)
We're alive too, alive! Squeak!
ㄴ Wow...
ㄴ No, damn, this is really bringing out my sadistic side
ㄴ The tears welling in their eyes are seriously too cute
ㄴ If I had even one, my whole field would be fertile, so why let this go? lol
ㄴ Ah, I can't take it anymore. I'm going to capture one again lol
ㄴ Author) I curse you, humans
5 years ago / Humans, die. All of you die! Kishishit
(A GIF of the Great War breaking out)
(A GIF of monsters crossing over from the ‘outside’)
(A GIF of the beastfolk fleeing underground amid the chaos)
ㄴ No, fuck, where are you going!!!
ㄴ [This comment has been deleted]
ㄴ [This comment has been deleted]
ㄴ I'm sorry, Chunsik. Please come back!
ㄴ [This comment has been deleted]
ㄴ Author) Kishishit, serves you humans right. May you all be crushed beneath your karma and die. Squeak!
I knew all about the beastfolk's hatred of humans; I'd looked into it carefully.
Going back ten years, they had been spotted by humans and forced to live as slaves.
Then they had used the Great War as an opportunity to flee into the underground en masse.
“I suppose it's only natural for them to be desperate about their own safety.”
Myoran: We have lived under persecution for a long time.
Myoran: We need weapons to protect ourselves, and as it happens, the Head Mod has them.
Myoran: Please save the beastfolk! Squeak!
Myoran: (A GIF of rabbit beastfolk looking up with tearful eyes)
Head Mod☆: Hmm...
But before that, something didn't add up.
I'd heard that more beastfolk awakened and learned to control mana than members of other races.
Then couldn't they simply drive out the monsters that entered the underground with that power?
However, a new Featured post answered that question.
Featured Post) Why the Head Mod's wares are fucking amazing...jpg
(A GIF of the high-explosive grenade exploding)
As you can see here, the Bone Dragon is blown apart without being able to do a thing.
But the Bone Dragon is essentially a mass of mana, so an explosion like this shouldn't be anything special, right?
That might raise some questions, but the elves say there was no mana flow in the grenade at all.
(A GIF of a high-ranking mage's explosion spell)
All magic requires casting, and mana builds up as the casting progresses.
That's why monsters generally possess high magic resistance and can defend against attacks like these.
(A GIF of the high-explosive grenade)
But this has none of that.
There isn't even a trace of mana or casting.
Head Mod, what the fuck, how the hell did you do this?
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- Give us a three-line summary
ㄴ Author) Fuck you
ㄴ 1. Every attack contains mana
2. But the Head Mod's wares contain no mana
3. Magic resistance and mana shields are meaningless
- That's what I'm most curious about too, fuck
- I've spent my entire life studying magic, so how the hell did you hide mana itself?
- The Head Mod really is an archmage
- So is the Head Mod a half-elf beauty who's an archmage?
ㄴ Oh?
ㄴ Gasp?
ㄴ Is this for real?
The key point was that they contained no mana.
Most overwhelming attacks were magical, and monsters had high resistance to mana.
But modern weapons had none of that, so the Bone Dragon had become nothing more than a big pile of bones in front of the grenade.
But there wasn't even time to think it over.
In a world where countless people died every day, there was no guarantee that underground areas were safe either.
Title: Head Mod!!!
(A GIF of a Sandworm appearing underground)
(A GIF of it completely destroying the rabbit beastfolk's field)
Help!!!!
Monsters had begun appearing underground too.
*
Monsters had originally existed only as surface mobs.
No matter how bizarre or horrifying they were, they had only ever been capable of wiping out the surface.
“Kieeeek!”
“Who would have thought they'd attack underground too?”
But monsters continued entering from the outside, and their types grew increasingly diverse.
Underground areas could no longer be considered safe either.
“Chief, our field!”
“The field isn't important!”
The rabbit beastfolk's field, where they had established their underground home, was being torn apart, but that wasn't all.
Between the rabbit beastfolk's village and the field, there was nothing but a wooden palisade.
Their outstanding farming skills kept them from starving underground, but they had no power with which to protect themselves.
After the field came the village.
“W-what are we supposed to do...”
Myoran's rabbit ears flapped frantically.
Were they really going to go extinct like this?
It was just as despair swept through her mind.
[Head Mod☆: This really is just this once...]
[Head Mod☆ is offering 1 ‘12-Gauge Shotgun’ and ‘3 Bullets’ as trade items!]
[Head Mod☆: Put up anything and trade, go go]
An unexpected notification flew in.
A trade item?
But there was no time to prepare something and send it over.
“Kieeeek!”
The Sandworm charging toward the palisade in the distance made it impossible to think straight.
KABOOM!
“C-Chief!”
The sturdy palisade shook as though it were about to break apart.
At the moment everyone collapsed from the impact, Myoran clenched her teeth and offered something as the trade item.
[The barter trade has been completed!]
At the same time, a strange object dropped in front of Myoran.
“W-what is this?”
It was as dark as coal, yet intricately made.
The long hole running all the way through it sent an inexplicable shiver down her spine.
[Head Mod☆: Shoulder it, then aim properly]
[Myoran: ]
There wasn't even time to answer.
“Am I supposed to hold it like this?”
She aimed straight ahead from an awkward stance.
The instant she pulled the trigger.
“Kieeeek!”
Flames began exploding from the black object.
*
Title: Announcement of the Rabbit Beastfolk Resuming Their Gallery Activities
Author: Myoran
Hello, everyone in the gallery.
We rabbit beastfolk have been exposed to far too much persecution and abuse for a very long time.
However, that problem has been resolved as of today.
In other words, we rabbit beastfolk announce that we will be resuming our gallery activities starting today. Squeak.
Upvotes999 Downvotes5
[Comments]
- Welcome ^^
- Beastfolk? Can't pass this up lol
- Rabbit beastfolk, yeee-hawww!!!!
ㄴ Suspiciously enthusiastic;
- ? What are you planning by saying you're resuming activity?
- True. There's no guarantee humans won't act like they did last time.
ㄴ Myoran) Ah, if that's what you mean, there's no problem.
ㄴ (What used to be a Sandworm)
ㄴ (The majestic appearance of a 12-Gauge Shotgun)
ㄴ That one will merely lie beside the Sandworm
ㄴ Yikes
ㄴ Wait, what?
“Good.”
A gallery full of lurkers wasn't good.
With a shotgun and three bullets, I'd managed to secure the beastfolk's safety and turn them into active gallery users.
“Of course, there are only two shots left now...”
It could be dangerous to resume their activities with that alone.
Bluntly speaking, two shots weren't enough to bring about a dramatic change.
But no one knew about the other races.
For all I knew, it might not even work without bullets.
- lol Rabbit beastfolk, hold still. I'm going raiding
ㄴ Myoran) (A GIF of a 12-Gauge Shotgun)
ㄴ Myoran) I will kill you
ㄴ Sorry.
Thanks to that, no one attempted a reckless raid.
“Now that the rabbit beastfolk have joined us, won't they be a great help?”
Actually, there was another reason I'd helped the rabbit beastfolk.
When it came to food, even the marketplace and MSG were nowhere near enough.
And since the rabbit beastfolk had an especially great talent for farming, I hoped they might help with the food shortage.
And the rabbit beastfolk immediately began helping the gallery in a major way.
- Hello ^^ I'm embarrassed, but...jpg
- Workout complete today //^^//...jpg
- I'm bored. Anyone want to chat with me...? //
- A story about a love triangle in the village...jpg
“Huh? This isn't what I expected.”
They were certainly making the gallery more active, but in a way that was far different from what I'd anticipated.