The Strongest Player
1 Hour Before the Raid
A bulky silhouette of a man loomed in the doorway of a dark, unlit room. The dim hallway light spilled in, casting long shadows across the cluttered floor.
At first glance, the figure seemed heavyset, shoulders slouched and posture lazy.
Hoshino Yuu, a 25-year-old NEET, stepped out, squinting slightly as if the faint light was too bright after hours in darkness. As he scratched the back of his head, his figure was finally revealed.
Gone was the sluggish, overweight gamer.
In just one week of relentlessly completing the system's daily physical training quests, his body had transformed. His frame was now lean, strong, and athletic, built for both endurance and power.
"...Guess it's time to head to the raid," he muttered, stretching his stiff limbs.
He paused, glancing at his plain, unassuming outfit.
"Wait... I should equip my armor first."
Raising his hand casually, he murmured, "Menu."
With a soft mechanical chime, a floating holographic sidebar menu materialized on the left side of his vision. Yuu scrolled through it smoothly, completely accustomed to the interface.
---
[SYSTEM MENU]
▶ Player
▶ Equip
▶ Quests
▶ Skills
▶ Inventory
✖ Hide Menu
---
He tapped the Equip tab.
---
[PLAYER EQUIPMENT]
Equipped Items:
Weapon: — (Empty)
Helmet: — (Empty)
Chestplate: — (Empty)
Leggings: — (Empty)
Boots: — (Empty)
Gloves: — (Empty)
Accessories:
Earring: — (Empty)
Pendant: — (Empty)
Bracelet: — (Empty)
Ring: — (Empty)
---
[Cosmetics]
(Appearance only, no stat bonuses)
Head: — (Empty)
Body: — (Empty)
Back: — (Empty)
Weapon Skin: — (Empty)
---
[INVENTORY]
(Equippable Items Available)
Weapons:
Longsword (NEW)
Armor:
Iron Helmet (NEW)
Iron Chestplate (NEW)
Iron Leggings (NEW)
Steel Boots (NEW)
Iron gauntlets (NEW)
Accessories:
Simple Pendant (NEW)
Copper Ring (NEW)
---
Yuu blinked as he scanned the items listed in his inventory.
"Let's start with the sword," he muttered, selecting Longsword from the Weapons section with a casual tap.
---
[INVENTORY] → Longsword
Longsword
▶ Equip
▶ Detail
▶ Sell
▶ Drop
---
He tapped on Detail, and a new window popped up in the menu:
---
[Longsword]
Grade: Normal
Rarity: Common
Type: Weapon (One-Handed Sword)
Stats:
Attack: +15
Durability: 50/50
Effect: None
Description: A simple yet sturdy longsword. Ideal for beginners.
---
Yuu raised an eyebrow, skimming the description. "Basic, but it'll do." Without hesitation, he tapped Equip, and the longsword icon shifted to the Player Equipment section under Weapon.
He equipped all equippable items available.
---
[Iron Helmet]
Grade: Normal
Rarity: Common
Type: Armor (Head)
Stats:
Defense: +8
Durability: 40/40
Effect: None
Description: A standard iron helmet designed for protection.
---
[Iron Chestplate]
Grade: Normal
Rarity: Common
Type: Armor (Body)
Stats:
Defense: +20
Durability: 80/80
Effect: None
Description: Solid armor that offers decent protection.
---
[Iron Leggings]
Grade: Normal
Rarity: Common
Type: Armor (Legs)
Stats:
Defense: +10
Durability: 60/60
Effect: None
---
[Steel Boots]
Grade: Normal
Rarity: Common
Type: Armor (Feet)
Stats:
Defense: +12
Durability: 45/45
Effect: Increased movement speed by 2%.
---
[Iron Gauntlets]
Grade: Normal
Rarity: Common
Type: Armor (Hands)
Stats:
Defense: +7
Durability: 35/35
Effect: None
---
[Simple Pendant]
Grade: Normal
Rarity: Common
Type: Accessory (Neck)
Stats:
Luck: +3
Effect: Increases item drop rates by 5%.
---
[Copper Ring]
Grade: Normal
Rarity: Common
Type: Accessory (Finger)
Stats:
Vitality: +3
Effect: Increases HP recovery rates by 3%.
---
With each item checked and equipped, their icons appeared in the Player Equipment section, filling in the previously empty slots.
---
[PLAYER EQUIPMENT]
Weapon: Longsword
Helmet: Iron Helmet
Chestplate: Iron Chestplate
Leggings: Iron Leggings
Boots: Steel Boots
Gloves: Iron Gauntlets
Accessories:
Earring: — (Empty)
Pendant: Simple Pendant
Bracelet: — (Empty)
Ring: Copper Ring
---
Satisfied, Yuu closed the Equip tab and hid the menu with a tap.
A faint hum filled the air as particles of light began to swirl around him. One by one, the pieces of equipment materialized like bubbles popping into existence. The iron helmet settled over his head with a soft clang, the chestplate locked into place with metallic precision, and the gauntlets formed around his hands with a satisfying snap.
The longsword appeared last, its blade shimmering faintly before sliding into its sheath at his side.
In seconds, the shut-in gamer now stood fully armored, resembling a seasoned warrior ready for battle.
As he exited the house, he glanced at his reflection in a nearby window, noticing the armor fit perfectly.
"...Not bad," he muttered, smirking.
"Alright, let's end this quick. I've got games to play."
As he was about to head to the Goblin raid, Yuu suddenly realized he didn't know where to go.
He paused, furrowing his brow, and then re-opened the system menu.
A soft chime echoed as the sidebar menu appeared in front of him, hovering seamlessly in his vision.
---
[SYSTEM MENU]
▶ Player
▶ Equip
▶ Quests
▶ Skills
▶ Inventory
✖ Hide Menu
---
With a flick of his finger, he tapped the Quests tab.
---
[QUESTS]
MAIN QUEST
Objective: Defeat the Goblin General in the Shibuya Raid.
Raid Countdown: 7 days - 0 hours - 0 minutes
Remaining Time: 00:00:59
DAILY QUESTS
(COMPLETED)
20 Push-ups
20 Sit-ups
20 Squats
Run for 1 km
Daily Quests will reset at 00:00 midnight.
---
"Shibuya? It actually takes an hour to commute... I wish I could be there on time," Yuu muttered under his breath, feeling the pressure of the ticking clock.
Suddenly, a new notification flashed in the corner of his vision:
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Map Unlocked
[SYSTEM MENU]
▶ Player
▶ Equip
▶ Quests
▶ Skills
▶ Inventory
▶ Map (New)
✖ Hide Menu
A new map icon appeared in the SYSTEM MENU next to the other tabs, glowing with a "New" tag.
Curious, he tapped the Map icon.
---
[MAP]
Current Location: Yuu's House
Raid Location: Shibuya Crossing
Estimated Travel Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
---
The map appeared, looking exactly like a GPS interface, with roads, lines, and landmarks neatly displayed. A glowing icon marked the location of the raid in the center of Shibuya Crossing.
He tapped on the raid icon, and the system displayed an estimated travel time from his current location.
"An hour and fifteen minutes, huh? Not the worst," Yuu muttered to himself, determined.
Without wasting another second, he exited the menu and headed for the nearest bus stop, his pace quickening as he prepared for the raid.
At the bus stop, a bulky figure in full armor sat awkwardly on the bench, holding a slightly melting popsicle instead of a sword.
People whispered and chuckled nearby.
"What's he even doing?"
"Is that a popsicle sword?"
"Who wears armor to the bus stop?"
Meanwhile, Yuu was lost in his own internal dilemma. Should I take off my helmet to eat this? Or… maybe I can just slip it through the gap? He glanced at the popsicle, sweat forming under his helmet.
"Hey, mister! Are you a knight?"
Startled, Yuu turned his head sharply toward the voice. A boy, carried by his mom, was staring at him with wide, excited eyes.
Unsure how to respond, Yuu tilted his entire body toward the kid, the hand holding the popsicle sticking out slightly in the process. "Uh… y-yeah?"
The boy's eyes lit up. He reached out, grabbed the popsicle, and smiled brightly. "Thanks, mister knight!"
Yuu froze. "W-wait, that's not—"
But the boy was already enjoying the popsicle, his mom smiling warmly. "Thank you so much! You've made his day."
No, no, no, that was my favorite flavor! Yuu screamed internally, his soul practically leaving his body as he slumped in defeat.
When the bus finally arrived, the crowd started boarding. Yuu grabbed his sword, ready to join them—only to realize it was stuck between the slats of the bench.
"What the—?!" He tugged desperately, but the blade wouldn't budge.
As the bus doors closed, he reached out in panic, shouting, "W-wait! Noooo!"
The bus drove off, leaving him standing there in full armor, hand still outstretched.
He let out a deep sigh, glaring at the stuck sword. "This day couldn't get any worse…"
Yuu stood awkwardly at the bus stop, hugging his longsword tightly, nervously glancing around as he waved to flag down a taxi. Finally, one stopped, and the window rolled down.
The driver leaned out, smirking. "Whoa, nice costume! What are you, a walking trashcan? Haha, just kidding. Where to?"
Yuu forced a laugh, his thoughts racing. Trashcan? Really? I'm supposed to look like a cool knight! He ignored the comment and asked, "Can you take me to Shibuya?"
The driver nodded. "Sure, but just a heads-up—there's some weird structure there. I can drop you nearby."
"That's fine," Yuu replied, relieved to finally get a ride.
As the taxi started moving, Yuu quickly noticed something was off. The car was crawling at an unnaturally slow speed. He glanced out the window, bored. Are we even moving?
Finally, he couldn't hold back. "Uh, sir? Can we, um, go any faster?"
The driver sighed, rolling down the window. The sound of tires screeching against the pavement filled the air—it was clear the taxi was already at its limit. "This is full speed!"
Yuu's jaw dropped. "Wha—?"
The driver gestured to the smoking tires. "Your armor and sword are too heavy! Get out before you destroy my car!"
"But I'm in a hurry!" Yuu protested, only for the tires to burst with a loud pop!
The driver slammed the brakes, furious. "That's it! OUT!"
Embarrassed, Yuu stumbled out of the taxi, bowing repeatedly. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to cause trouble!"
As he stood on the curb, he groaned. This is officially the worst day ever.
Before he could catch his breath, a police car pulled up. Two officers stepped out, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Excuse me, sir. What's with the armor and that… sword?"
Yuu froze. Oh no, not this. He raised his hands nervously. "I'm a Player! I'm heading to Shibuya for a raid!"
The officers burst out laughing. "Sure, kid. If you're going to Comic-Con, just say so."
But their laughter stopped when one officer inspected his sword and realized it was real. Their expressions turned serious, and they drew their guns.
"Drop the weapon! Hands in the air!"
Yuu panicked, raising his hands higher. "I swear, I'm just trying to—"
Before he could finish.
"Wait! Look! It's... it's... Minami hamabe!"
He blurted out, pointing towards a woman who vaguely resembled the famous actress.
The officers, momentarily distracted by the possibility of a celebrity sighting, turned to look.
"Where? Where is she?" one officer muttered, squinting.
Sudden crackling static fills the air.
"Any patrol units nearby the city of Shibuya? I request a complete lockdown of Shibuya. Do not allow anyone to enter. I repeat, Shibuya will undergo a total lockdown."
Yuu seized the opportunity, taking a deep breath and sprinting away. He could hear the officers shouting behind him, but he didn't look back.
The two officers exchanged panicked glances, quickly turning to warn the kid.
"Hey, come back here! Shibuya is under a total lockdown!"
A few seconds later, Yuu found himself several blocks away, panting. He glanced back to ensure no one was following.
"Well… guess I'm running to Shibuya."
As he decided to run around Shibuya, he quickly realized he was lost. I'm really late for the raid. Where is it? Ah, right, I have a map. He opened the system menu with a thought, and it reappeared in his vision.
[SYSTEM MENU]
▶ Player
▶ Equip
▶ Quests
▶ Skills
▶ Inventory
▶ Map
✖ Hide Menu
He tapped the map, and it showed his current location and the raid site in Shibuya.
Okay, that way, he thought, deciding to jump to the top of a building.
As he approached the location, he noticed the area was engulfed in thick fog, dark smoke, and fire. The chaos unfolding there was evident.
The raid is already happening, he realized.
He jumped from building to building, pushing himself harder. Minutes later, he neared Shibuya, and the towering, pillar-like structure of the dungeon entrance became visible. The fire, smoke, gunfire, and explosions grew louder with each passing second.
As he made his final leap, he decided to land right in the middle of the battleground.
Then—CRACK!
A thunderous clap splits the air. The ground trembles, and the very air vibrates with the intensity of something... else.
With a force that shakes the earth beneath him, Yuu lands directly in front of the Goblin General. The impact is so great that it sends shockwaves through the battlefield, crushing every goblin and hobgoblin in the vicinity. Bodies are sent flying, rubble is pulverized, and the roar of the Goblin General is drowned by the sound of destruction.
The dust swirls in the air, and as it settles, he stands tall, unscathed, amidst the carnage. His armored figure gleams, almost defiant in the midst of the devastation. He raises his stance slowly, brushing off the dust that has settled on his armor, a calm and collected smirk crossing his face.
Tap! Tap!
The sound of metal gently clinking as Yuu dusts off his armor echoes across the battlefield.
COUGH!
A small fit of coughing interrupts his actions, the dust from the battlefield still hanging in the air.
Yuu, unfazed by the chaos around him, stood casually in front of the monstrous Goblin General.
"Man... I'm late," he mutters to himself, shaking his head. "Had to ride a taxi, but the tire burst. And, y'know, this armor? It's a bit heavy. People just thought I was some weirdo—didn't even offer to help me out. Almost got reported to the police, too, carrying a sword around. Seriously, what's up with that?"
He sighs, tapping his sword lightly against the ground as he looks up at the giant goblin. "Maybe next time, I'll just wear something less... flashy. Could've at least thrown on a t-shirt or something instead of this—"
The Goblin General growls loudly, its deep voice sending a tremor through the earth.
GRRRRAHHH!!!
The sound jolts him back to reality.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot! I need to get that new speaker for my gaming setup," he mumbles under his breath. "Gotta make sure the sound quality's top-notch for the next raid night.
With that, he refocuses, casting a final glance at the Goblin General, still calm and confident.
"Anyway... let's get this over with."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[APPRAISAL SKILL UNLOCKED]
You have earned a passive skill: "APPRAISAL".
[MONSTER JOURNAL UNLOCKED]
You can now view the monster dictionary in the system menu.
---
[RAID DIFFICULTY]
★☆☆☆☆
[RAID BOSS]
"GOBLIN GENERAL"
[LVL. 30] [RANK D]
[WAVE 5/5]
---
As the notification popped up, Yuu's expression shifted to one of surprise and excitement. He felt like he was truly inside a game.
"Wait, a monster journal? Are we monster hunters now? I hope there are collectible rewards if I complete a specific monster type. Like, maybe a bunny headband or gloves—that would be cute!"
Scanning the area, he noticed he was surrounded by a swarm of monsters.
[GREEN GOBLIN]
[LVL. 5] [RANK F]
[SPEARMAN GOBLIN]
[LVL. 10] [RANK F]
[HOBGOBLIN]
[LVL. 15] [RANK F]
All of them were glaring at him viciously, yet they seemed hesitant to make the first move.
The Goblin General growled again, reaching for a massive bone club strapped to its back. The weapon was nearly half the size of its towering form. With a swift strike, the Goblin General swung the club, creating a gust of wind with the impact.
Yuu, however, was too preoccupied. He noticed his longsword lying on the ground nearby.
"Oh, there you are!" he muttered, casually bending down to pick it up. "I thought I lost you somewhere."
As he bent over, the Goblin General's bone club roared through the air, missing Yuu's head by inches. The force of the swing created a shockwave that sent dust and goblins flying, but Yuu remained completely unfazed, still brushing off his sword.
The goblins around him froze, jaws dropping. Even the Goblin General hesitated, confused by how its attack had failed.
"Ah, much better," Yuu said, holding his sword with a satisfied smile. He straightened up, completely unaware of the chaos behind him. "Now, where were we?"
The goblins exchanged nervous glances as if asking, Is he some kind of god?
The Goblin General was furious at how unfazed and unserious Yuu seemed, as if it were being completely looked down upon.
In that moment, the Goblin General activated a skill. Its muscles pumped up, and a vivid red aura surged upward, visually signifying an attack boost.
With its enhanced strength, the Goblin General launched a strike—a swift, almost invisible attack. The force of the blow sent Yuu flying backward, smashing into a burned-out tank. The impact crumpled the tank like a soda can, leaving Yuu embedded in the wreckage.
Before Yuu could even stand, the Goblin General leapt toward him, its massive bone club raised for a crushing blow.
Yuu managed to block the attack just in time, but as he held the bone club back, he suddenly turned his gaze to the building on his right.
The Goblin General continued pounding on him relentlessly, each strike forcing Yuu lower until he was on one knee. Despite this, Yuu's focus remained fixed on the nearby building, his expression growing increasingly concerned.
Suddenly, the Goblin General shifted its attack pattern. This time, it swung the bone club from the left, aiming to swipe Yuu toward the building on his right. Knowing the power behind the attack, Yuu realized he'd likely be sent flying again.
Just before the strike could land, Yuu blocked it with his left hand. With a firm grip, he caught the bone club mid-swing. The sheer force of his grip caused the club to shatter into pieces, scattering debris everywhere.
Yuu stood up slowly, brushing off his clothes. "Enough. You're not sending me flying into the merch shop."
The Goblin General froze, its eyes wide in shock. Its strongest weapon had been destroyed, and its supposedly unstoppable attack had been effortlessly stopped by a mere human.
Yuu glanced back at the merch shop and suddenly spotted something that caught his eye.
"Wait... is that Kyumiki merch? No way!" he exclaimed, his excitement momentarily breaking the tension.
The Goblin General let out a guttural growl of frustration, its anger boiling over as it saw Yuu's complete lack of concern.
But Yuu, now clearly distracted, waved a dismissive hand. "Okay, okay, let's wrap this up. I've got something way more important to deal with now. Oh, and you'd better drop some rare loot," he added, pointing at the Goblin General.
Casually gripping his longsword, Yuu took a fighting stance. "I don't have any active sword skills, so…" He paused for dramatic effect. "Take this!"
With a single crescent swing of his sword from below to upward, Yuu unleashed a devastating strike. The sheer force of the swing created a powerful gust of wind, kicking up a massive cloud of dust that enveloped the battlefield and obscured everything from view.
For several minutes, the area remained shrouded in dust. Meanwhile, Yuu had already made his way into the merch shop. Without hesitation, he grabbed the Kyumiki merch—a fox-girl plushie with an adorably smug expression.
Holding the plushie tightly, he called out, "Hello? Uh, anybody here? I want to buy this. Come on, don't tell me everyone's on break!"
He rushed to check the sign outside, only to see the words OPEN displayed clearly. "No! This is an urgent matter—I need this rare plushie!"
Without any other option, Yuu scanned his phone at the self-checkout counter. As the payment processed, he clutched the plushie with both hands and raised it above his head like a trophy, gazing at it with childlike admiration.
"Kyumiki-chan~" he whispered with reverence, as if addressing a precious being.
When he finally lowered the plushie, he glanced back toward the battlefield. The Goblin General's body was still standing in the same spot… or at least, half of it was. Its lower body and right arm remained intact, but the rest of its torso was completely gone. The slash was tilted at an angle, leaving a clean diagonal cut through its body. The line of destruction extended behind the Goblin General, slicing clean through a towering pillar and continuing into a commercial building in the distance, which now stood precariously tilted in two halves.
Yuu blinked, tilting his head as he looked back at the battlefield. His eyes widened as he took in the extent of the destruction, especially the ruined commercial building that was now split in half. His mind raced as he realized what he'd just done.
"Oh no," he muttered to himself, his heart sinking. "Did I…i just... destroy that building?"
Yuu looked at the commercial building again, then back at the wreckage. Without thinking, he spun around and sprinted toward the exit of the battlefield, shouting, "Crap! Crap, crap, crap! I'm gonna get blamed for this! I… i d–didn't mean it at all!
Yuu disappear living no trace behind.