-1709- [ STR ]

SBC Glocken, serving as the world capital in GGO, features a far more complex structure than typical in-game cities. Its expansive layout includes underground streets, narrow alleys, aerial walkways, skyscrapers, and even highways.

The crisscrossing roads allow NPC-driven vehicles to navigate the city, creating a vision of a futuristic metropolis. However, this intricate design makes the streets exceedingly complicated, especially for new players. Without guidance, newcomers can easily spend an entire day lost in Glocken.

Although maps are available, they are equally complex, and few players manage to memorize them effectively—testament to the city's grandeur.

This, however, posed no challenge for Rozen. With just a glance, he had memorized the entire map of Glocken and could easily navigate its maze-like streets. Along the way, the vibrant sounds of players' laughter and sporadic gunfire filled the air, evoking the ambiance of a lawless Wild West frontier.

In addition to these sounds, the cityscape was adorned with neon-like advertisements standing tall, adding to the unique charm of GGO. These advertisements weren't merely fabricated—they were the result of collaborations between real-world companies and the game's operators, bringing real-world products into the virtual world.

With the advent of advanced full-dive technology, many individuals in the real world spent significant amounts of time in VR games, living fully immersed experiences. This large audience naturally attracted external companies to advertise their products within these virtual environments.

In fantasy-themed worlds, such ads would likely draw player complaints for "ruining the atmosphere and setting." However, in GGO's futuristic environment, they enhanced the realism, becoming an integral part of the world. This collaboration with major corporations was one of the reasons GGO was regarded as the most popular game.

Understandably, the game's operators made substantial profits from advertising fees. And Rozen, too, reaped benefits from these earnings.

While merchandise based on the game itself didn't involve him, all business conducted within the game world—such as advertising—entailed Rozen taking 50% of the profits. This ironclad rule ensured Rozen had no complaints about the advertisements as he headed toward the weapon shop.

Upon entering GGO, a player's first task was to equip themselves with weapons. Without them, combat was impossible. In a game like GGO, being unarmed was equivalent to being a walking target.

Rozen needed to acquire weapons before venturing into this world. Based on information provided by Yui, the weapons in Gun Gale Online were broadly categorized into two types:

1. Bullet-based Guns

2. Optical Guns

Bullet-based guns, modeled after real-world firearms, operated identically to their real-life counterparts in terms of usage and performance.

Optical guns, on the other hand, were fictional sci-fi weapons like laser guns, beam cannons, and plasma rifles, crafted with unique names and designs.

Both categories had distinct advantages. Optical guns were lightweight, offered long-range accuracy, and utilized energy cartridges that were easy to handle. As such, they were the go-to choice for many beginners. However, their power was reduced when facing players equipped with items like protective shields, so they were generally used against monsters.

Bullet-based guns, in contrast, packed significant destructive power, capable of penetrating protective shields. Their drawbacks included heavier ammunition, susceptibility to environmental factors like wind and humidity, and lower accuracy. This made them challenging to master, often reserved for PvP combat.

The general strategy in GGO was to use optical guns against monsters and bullet-based guns against players. This convention led many players to carry both types, though weight limits made weapon selection critical.

For skilled players, bullet-based guns alone sufficed. However, equipping high-performance firearms depended on whether players met the necessary equipment requirements.

As GGO's maps continued to be explored, more powerful and rare bullet-based guns were being discovered. These weapons required significant STR (Strength) stats, which meant players needed to prioritize this attribute to wield them. Without investing in STR, players were limited to standard firearms.

This dynamic had shifted the player meta in GGO. Initially, AGI (Agility)-type players dominated the game with their superior evasion and rapid-fire abilities. However, as rare and powerful weapons demanding STR began to emerge, AGI-type players struggled to maintain their dominance. Coupled with improved hit rates for these guns, AGI players found it increasingly difficult to evade bullets.

By the eighth month of GGO's launch, AGI-focused players had largely faded from prominence. The turning point came during the previous BOB tournament when Yamikaze, a player specializing in extreme AGI, was defeated by a STR-VIT (Strength-Vitality) type player. Yamikaze's inability to deal significant damage to their opponent, who wielded a rare and highly accurate weapon, ultimately led to their loss.

Rozen, having transferred from ALO, didn't need to choose stat allocations; his stats were already distributed. This proved advantageous, as his focus on STR throughout his journeys in SAO and ALO made him a pure STR-type player.

Unlike Yamikaze, who maximized AGI, Rozen had always invested in Strength due to his Mind's Eye ability in SAO. In ALO, his speed was already sufficient, allowing him to continue focusing on Strength. Now in GGO, Rozen was a fully realized STR-type player, capable of wielding almost any firearm.

Unfortunately, as a newcomer, Rozen's initial funds amounted to only 1,000 credits, enough to buy either a small laser pistol or a second-hand revolver. However, GGO featured a unique currency conversion system, allowing players to exchange real-world money for in-game credits at a rate of 1:100.

Without hesitation, Rozen transferred tens of thousands of yen, amassing millions of credits. With such wealth, he could afford the strongest firearms. However, as weapon shops and player workshops only offered mid-tier gear, Rozen settled for two guns:

- A rifle as his primary weapon

- An automatic handgun as his secondary weapon.

Both were bullet-based firearms. He also stocked up on ammunition and grenades and equipped himself with a lightweight combat outfit before concluding his shopping.

Next…

"Let's test the guns outside the city," Rozen remarked, slinging the rifle over his shoulder. With a handgun on his waist and grenades secured, he smiled and headed toward the outskirts.

Unbeknownst to him, several figures trailed behind, following him out of Glocken.