Ims were originally good neighbors to humans and are very gentle animals that live in groups. You can easily understand how docile they are by looking at the characters for “Im” written side by side; you should be able to read a certain kanji from it.
However, there are individuals who leave their groups for some reason, and in those cases, the situation is completely different. An Im that has maintained stability within its group loses its mental stability the moment it becomes alone and increases its ferocity.
Such stray Ims can attack humans, and they are especially called “Noraiym” and treated as monsters. Among them, individuals ostracized from their groups due to outward characteristics tend to be quite aggressive, and these are called “Nyoraimbus.”
However, even though their aggression has increased, they are still Ims. They are quickly dealt with by adventurers. But among those Noraiym, some who patiently waited for their time and survived while watching their companions die would be called by another name.
Noraiym of Noraiym. Stray of strays. Loneliest of the lonely. In other words, a HAGURE NORAIYM.
Not only are they strays, but they are Ims who have gone further astray. In other words, HAGURE NORAIYM, who are truly loners, are strong. Having survived by stepping over the corpses of their companions, they possess a large amount of Magic Power, and their natural strength far exceeds that of a Noraiym. Moreover, their hearts, hardened by years of lonely life, have even enabled them to use magic that was impossible for Noraiym. They can be considered formidable opponents for adventurers.
And then, such HAGURE NORAIYM continued to survive, and as their hearts hardened like stone from excessively long lonely lives, METAL HAGURE NYORAIM were born.
METAL HAGURE NYORAIM trust no one and desire nothing. Their closed hearts also harden their bodies, making them like metal. Their speed in escaping, having survived without regard for others, is extremely fast, and even skilled adventurers would find it difficult to catch up. Unlike HAGURE NORAIYM, they immediately flee upon seeing adventurers, and with their high defense and agility, they are incredibly difficult to defeat. It was expected that defeating them would yield a lot of experience points, but ultimately, a loner who escaped everything and became reclusive would not possess rich life experience.
Perhaps that was their means of self-defense. Due to the difficulty of defeating them and the small amount of experience points and Elements they yield, adventurers no longer target them. Metal have truly become lonely hermits.
On the other hand, among the HAGURE NORAIYM, there were some who actively fought adventurers, honed themselves, and became fierce warriors who shone golden. These are the GOLDEN HAGURE NYORAIM. Their physical toughness and speed in escaping are the same as Metal’s, but the reason for their escape and the experience and Magic Power they have accumulated are on a different level. Although they possess immense power, they do not seek battle.
However, their experience accumulated until their bodies turned golden, and their vast amount of Elements are highly coveted by adventurers. Furthermore, as they do not seek conflict, they do not attack others. Therefore, adventurers eagerly seek them out, unlike Metal, who are unpopular despite being loners.
So, I am a GOLDEN HAGURE NYORAIM, and you are a METAL HAGURE NYORAIM! Checkmate!
The above is a lengthy post submitted to the bulletin board of “Nekoneko.” In essence, it was merely an attack on the other party using such a lengthy post after a verbal argument. Ultimately, the author was thoroughly trounced with comments like “Long posts are annoying!”, “Creepy,” and “Aren’t you a loner too?”, and left the bulletin board. However, the content was somewhat interesting, so this text was posted on the edge of the “Nekomeko Wiki.”
Of course, the explanation about Noraiym and so on is entirely made up, but you’ve probably got a general sense of it. METAL HAGURE NYORAIM are considered monsters that are not worth defeating because they yield almost no experience points or money, likely due to a staff error in settings, but GOLDEN HAGURE NYORAIM carry a large amount of experience points and money, and moreover, they never attack on their own. In theory, they are the perfect prey monster, defeatable from level 1.
Furthermore, if they were to spawn in large numbers, this would be an opportunity not to be missed. Their mass spawning is predicted to occur in two hours, between 2 PM and 4 PM today. If things go well here, it might be possible to easily earn enough for today’s lodging. No, it might even be possible to earn enough to not worry about money for a while.
As I shifted my gaze to the noisy commotion, I saw adventurers who had seen the notice rushing to the counter en masse. That’s right. When a mass spawning occurs, the Bounty Hunter Guild’s only quest, the “Subjugation Tournament,” is held. We can’t afford to miss this.
“Ringo, let’s go.”
Judging by appearances, there are only a few people in the Guild right now. We probably won’t be shut out, but who knows if time passes. I took Ringo’s hand and headed towards the counter.
I registered at the counter and entered the “GOLDEN HAGURE NYORAIM Subjugation Tournament” as a team with Ringo. From the rough-looking old man at reception, I received a special crystal for subjugation proof. Normally, the Magic Power of defeated Monsters is automatically transferred to the crystal, which serves as a wallet, and can be used as Elements (i.e., money). However, the Bounty Hunter Guild has utilized this to create proof crystals for subjugation. This special crystal absorbs only the Magic Power of the target monster and, when a specified number of monsters are defeated, it fills up and indicates the completion of the subjugation. Presenting this at the counter proves that the subjugation request has been fulfilled, but as I mentioned before, half of the reward is required to borrow this crystal.
However, during the Subjugation Tournament, there is an exception. Under the guise of preventing the city from being attacked by a mass spawning of monsters, the first 50 participants receive the special crystal for free. Obtaining one is the first requirement to participate in the Subjugation Tournament.
The Subjugation Tournament is a quest that mixes subjugation and delivery requests for mass-spawning monsters (in this case, GOLDEN HAGURE NYORAIM). During the tournament, it’s as if you are constantly receiving subjugation requests for the target monster and delivery requests. In other words, if you defeat 10 target monsters in the Subjugation Tournament, you will receive the same reward as if you had accepted 10 subjugation requests. If you deliver 5 drop items from the target monsters, you will receive the same reward as if you had accepted 5 delivery requests. This is extremely profitable.
Moreover, if your reward amount in the Subjugation Tournament is the highest among the participants, you will receive a grand prize of 10 times your reward amount. Incidentally, the second place receives 3 times, and third place receives 2 times. The primary strategy in the tournament is to aim for this prize increase based on ranking, as it is exceptionally high.
Teams are particularly important. By pre-registering, you can form teams of up to three people and combine your rewards. As I mentioned earlier, Ringo and I registered as a team. It would be more advantageous to have a third person, but I don’t want to argue about rewards later. We’ll do our best to aim for first place with just the two of us.
Mass spawning and Subjugation Tournaments are rare events, encountered perhaps two or three times before clearing the game. However, they are one of the greatest bonus events in “Nekoneko” and another reason why the Bounty Hunter Guild is called the conscience of “Nekoneko.” Even so, if the target monsters are too strong, participation becomes impossible, and if they are too far away, you might not be able to reach the location in time for the mass spawning. Furthermore, during mass spawning, monsters appear in truly large numbers, often forcing more intense battles than usual. While mass spawning and Subjugation Tournaments offer significant benefits, they are not easy events.
But this time is different. The location is the Deus Plain, which is close to the city, and the target monster is GOLDEN HAGURE NYORAIM, which offers high rewards and little danger. This is an unprecedented level of favorable conditions, never seen even in the game. Fighting Goldens carries no risk of death, and if you can secure first place, becoming a millionaire is not an impossible dream. Even if not, defeating a few should be enough to earn enough money to cover accommodation costs. Farewell, stables! We’re going further! I felt like I’d been through a lot since coming to this world, but it seems the gods were watching. My lucky day has finally arrived.
“Alright, let’s quickly come up with a plan!”
We have two hours until the mass spawning. We need to devise a strategy to defeat the GOLDEN HAGURE NYORAIM within that time. Just then, as I was about to excitedly leave the Guild, I heard a voice, slightly different in tone but equally excited as the adventurers celebrating their sudden fortune, ring out.
“Why, why of all things, Goldens! Ah, ah, if this continues, the Guild’s reserves accumulated over 300 years… the Guild is finished!!”
…Uh, right. My deepest condolences.
