Chapter 1213 - The Shape of Connection
Now then. Although our clan's roster has suddenly increased from five to eight people, that doesn't actually mean any major changes are going to happen.
This is in a different direction from the psychological change of having more close "family" among my ranked peers. In a gaming sense, Arcadia's clan system is not that big of a deal.
Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that the feature itself doesn't possess much power. In the end, it is exactly the same as communities built by humans in reality.
Whether it remains as a small group of friends, or reaches an existence akin to a mind-bogglingly huge corporation, what kind of power it possesses in each case is up to the players.
The right to use customizable extra-dimensional bases such as Clan Rooms or Clan Homes. Also, minor and slight perks that are nice to have, such as increased experience gain or increased drop rates. In the end, even those representative benefits are nothing more than bonuses.
A concept, a pretext, and a name.
Those "forms" provided by the system are precisely the original raison d'être of a clan.
For example, the southern faction's super-giant clan, [Alliance].
For example, the western faction's twin towers of artisan clans, [Mirage Workshop] and [Guild].
Those are unmistakable representative examples, and they are nothing less than the figures of champions who continue to prove through their achievements the possibilities that a clan in the virtual world can achieve.
They are monsters that have established and distributed countless powers (benefits) that cannot be explained one by one, and they already have the appearance of a proper company.
As for the unified clan [Alliance], which the vast majority of players in the southern faction belong to, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it is, without joke, on the level of a small nation.
The scale is so crazy it makes you laugh... well, that's how it is.
The clan system, which is nothing more than a "name" where guidelines such as how far to go and what to accomplish are completely left to the player side, is truly.
In itself, not that big of a deal. Therefore—
"Huh? What, you've got to be kidding, we don't even have an emblem? Hah? Are you mocking me???"
"Isn't that an issue I personally shouldn't be grilled over...?"
To repeat, welcoming newcomers basically changes nothing.
Since there are no changes to the system's benefits or anything, the only events that occur are the powerless figurehead sub-leader being teased by the newcomer (great senior)...
Or rather, being bullied.
...No, seriously, why am I the only one getting scolded? Cut it out, or I'll throw you out.
"Hey, Irori. Do something about this, quick."
Thus, a dozen or so minutes after three newcomers' names were engraved on the clan roster.
Mi-na has immediately started playing nagging-sister-in-law with me as if to kill time like this, which is unforgivable; Ri-na, who had thrown a 'cut it out' at this girl earlier, is over there occupying Sora-san's lap and acting like she owns the place, which is unforgivable; and Irori, before I knew it, has started chatting with the boy (Tetra) and the boy? (Kanata), ignoring my request in real-time, which is unforgivable—this is why juniors (great seniors) are hopeless. My place of peace is on its last breath.
If my partner (Sora), who was giving me a slightly sympathetic smile with a mildly troubled "Ahaha...", and my master (Ui-san), who was watching over everything with a smiling, fluffy, and happy look, hadn't been present, it would have been dangerous. Lacking healing, I might have sung a song on impulse.
Like, "I am the one who soars through the sky." —And,
"Hey, you, Big Brother, don't ignore me. Hey, hey, the emb-mghph!!?"
"How's that, amazing, right? I can already do this wrapping-around thing without even moving a finger (no motion)."
I patiently put up with her annoying pestering for about a minute, and I've already sent a pickup request to her lover (future tense), that blond guardian bastard. So, all good.
Since I followed proper procedure, this punishment of shadow-thread binding is not a violent act, but a legitimate execution of justice.
"—Humph..."
Over there, Ri-na is mocking the wrapped-up one (Mi-na) with a blank expression, looking like she's thinking "How foolish...", but I'll wrap her up later too. I can't help but feel she's been getting cocky lately; it seems necessary to teach her a lesson once.
In that case... toss.
"Ngeh!? Chowahp—gueh...!!!"
"Hey, don't throw her. Doing it suddenly is dangerous, you know."
The guidance of [Thread-Weaver]-senpai, whom I ask for help from time to time, has been effective, and my mastery of the [Ninefold Shadow-Woven Gauntlet (Nine Tail)] is progressing smoothly, already moving literally at my will even more than my real body.
By throwing the noisy wrapped filling to her owner with a single thought, I successfully reclaimed my personal space. Since it seems to be fine as long as it's not sudden, next time I'll give a warning like "I'm throwing her" before I do. Even so, that was a splendid scruff-of-the-neck catch...
"Tch, no, what the hell are you doing? Isn't that seriously crossing the line for how to treat a maiden! What do you think of this sequence of events! Ui-chan & Sora-chan!!!"
"Eh? Ah, um..."
"Fufu... you three were perfectly in sync."
"Yeah... ah, yes. Um, you looked like you were having fun...? Didn't you...?"
"That's what they say, though!?"
"Irori, translate."
"Sorry, but I only speak Japanese and English. Try someone else."
And... well, I'll just moderately tune out the extremely noisy red-colored tune.
"—An 'emblem', huh. Well, I have thought about it before."
As long as you stripped away the excessive decibels and energy, the topic Mi-na brought up wasn't bad for the occasion. There were no system-wise changes, but a change had certainly occurred, in the sense of today, this place, where our clan [Souten] had increased its members.
And, looking around, the members who knew of that past time when we indeed thought about it before—the other four besides me—probably thought of something similar regarding the topic.
Me, Sora, Tetra, Ui-san, and Kanata.
There were times we discussed it after we became five, but with zero self-proclaimed people skilled in symbol design or artistic sense, it had just been swept under the rug...
"Ri-na-senpai, you can do design, right?"
Even without exchanging words, it was easy to guess that our opinions aligned.
Whether this could be called a kind of laziness or not, Tetra, who likes to take the initiative and move things along quickly in times like this, turns his eyes to newcomer number one. In that case,
"Mm... only a little bit, though."
From what I hear, the top idol-sama... or rather, one half of the former top idol-sama, who apparently has even been involved in designing her own CD jackets, nods.
In other words,
"Well then, a skilled person has finally joined our family."
Which means the path is now clear.
"Then, though it's not exactly a welcoming celebration... shall we make one? A clan emblem."
"Isn't that fine? If Ri-na-senpai is okay with it, that is."
This time, when I spoke on behalf of the atmosphere, Tetra, as expected, chimed in smoothly, accelerating the flow even further—and finally.
"...It's fine, but... everyone, make sure to give your opinions, okay?"
Whether it was my imagination or not, she seemed slightly embarrassed.
But with her eagerness clearly visible, Ri-na nodded... and the content of our very first recreation after the member increase was successfully decided.
"...Eh? The one who brought it up is left out in the cold. I can do design too, you know?"
"That's the difference in reliability reflecting your daily behavior. You should reflect on it. ...Hey, don't pinch me."
"Then I'll bite."
"Tch, hey, idiot, stop...!"
Well, they look like they're having fun over there, so I'll leave them alone for a while.
A matching symbol is absolutely necessary, right? Are you mocking me?
Also, lately, Ri-na-chan's daily behavior has been melting away too, hasn't it?
Cute is innocent, so I guess it's fine.