Great, we're doomed now!

In reality, it can take years to get a AAA game, but in these works, you can create a "monster happy gun" in the time it takes to take a nap.

A certain arms dealer from the Land of Light even wholesales transformation devices!

If Ye Shou wants to match this incredible efficiency, he needs to heavily develop auxiliary AI, plus a "subjective time ratio acceleration"—

Simply put, it's about accelerating your thinking.

This technology, featured in games like SAO and Accel World, significantly increases the flow of time in the virtual world, sometimes by tens of times compared to reality, with virtually no side effects.

Once Kayaba Akihiko perfects this technology, he can build a cyberspace on the TPC intranet, and whenever something happens, he can send Agasa, Horii, Yao, Nezu, and other scholars in to study it for ten days to half a month... It seems like it has great potential!

—In this way, the speed of technological iteration in the real world will also increase significantly.

The last item is the "Friends' Book" plan:

After successfully recruiting two powerful demons as allies, Ye Shou believed that this success story was replicable. If he encountered a similar demon in the future, he could definitely try to defeat it.

First, there's Jinglong, an expert in exorcising demons, who can distinguish between good and bad monsters and their weaknesses. Second, Ye Shou possesses the ability to form contracts with spirits, guaranteeing huge profits if successful.

If Ye Shou could gather four or five Obik-level creatures, then even if Golza or the like suddenly woke up, he wouldn't be completely helpless.

(However, monsters generally have territorial attributes and are unlikely to live in the same area, so it's not so easy to bully the few with numbers.)

Xiao Hei is now the image ambassador of "Jintian Shrine". The name of "Cat Priest" has gradually become known to the public along with the popularity of the shrine and related literary and artistic works, and has unexpectedly become quite popular.

Every weekend, it would be taken by a special car to Su Na Mountain, where it would pretend to be a large-sized mascot costume, dressed up as a priest, and interact with fans who came to worship—and it actually managed to fool them.

The rest of the time is spent in the countryside with her mother-in-law, and also practicing her spiritual cultivation in the mountains.

The cat is well taken care of by the Jiushi Group in every aspect of its daily life, including its mother-in-law's family, and is clearly very satisfied with its current treatment.

Obik and the raccoon both got what they wanted. It will take some time for the village to return to its former glory, but they are already very content.

...And so, busy as ever, all sorts of tedious tasks flowed through Ye Shou's life like water. Even with his superhuman energy and special talent, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of weariness.

Once things were starting to get on track, Ye Shou received a call from the lab saying that his custom-made combat suit was finished. Only then did he realize that it was already the end of the month and ALO's offline event was about to begin.

-

"Kei-chan is so cute~"

At the meeting point in front of the event venue, the invited girls gathered together. Chika was the first to scream, her eyes practically shining as she looked at Shirogane Kei dressed as a battle shrine maiden!

Now, Gui is wearing a white top and a red ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her long silver hair is tied into a high ponytail with a red ribbon, and her sleeves are rolled up, revealing her fair forearms. She is also holding a Japanese longbow in her hand. With her already exquisite face and her cool expression, she looks exactly like a character from a manga.

Chika and Asuna are also very beautiful, but Kei alone has a dreamlike quality that others don't possess.

"I knew choosing this outfit for you was the right decision! It's my favorite shrine maiden character, and the accuracy of the costume is amazing!"

"Sister Qianhua, you're too close... my makeup is going to run!"

The cool atmosphere was broken by the pink-haired girl. While trying to push away Chika's embrace, Kei listened to her praise and couldn't help but show a happy expression on his face.

"I think your looks are much more fitting than mine."

"No, no, there is!"

"I wish I could be a little thinner."

"The size of the clothes is just right, but if I wear the power suit underneath, it will feel too stuffy and hot."

The girls chatted and laughed, occasionally turning around to show off their hard work.

Shirogane Kei is a shrine maiden, Asuna wears a white swordsman's outfit, and Miko is dressed in a priest's robe.

Chika was a little different; instead of choosing a fantasy-themed cosplay, she dressed up as a detective like Sherlock Holmes, even holding a pipe and pretending to be one.

Mengye was quite interesting. She somehow managed to hide her ample bust, dressed in a British-style men's suit, complete with a wig and beard, and played the role of Professor Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes's nemesis.

It was the tail end of summer, and many cosplayers at the event were dressed rather lightly, but these five were all dressed very neatly and modestly, with even less skin showing than in school uniforms.

This is naturally a matter of upbringing:

Allowing Chika to cosplay is already a sign of the family's great tolerance. If she dared to wear those light and airy clothes and someone took a picture of her, she would never be allowed to leave the house again for the rest of her life until she gets married!

Asuna is similar; although not as strict as the Fujiwara family, she is quite self-aware.

As a result, Chika and Asuna both opted for conservative attire, and Miko and Kei naturally didn't try to attract attention.

In fact, they are quite shy and don't like to wear revealing clothes in public. Many outfits in games are too stimulating for them.

Of course, cosplay ultimately comes down to looks!

Some people can attract more attention even if they don't show any skin than those who desperately try to show it off!

Five vibrant young girls attracted the attention of many passersby with their outstanding appearance. Before they even entered the event venue, some people wanted to take pictures with them, but before they could get close, they were taken aside by a sunglasses-wearing older brother who appeared out of nowhere.

"It is a bit stuffy... but the effect is really good. I tried it at home and I did several sets of aerobics in a row without getting tired. I can do everything quickly and well. It's like my mind is guiding my body."

"I'm about the same."

Baek Eun-kyu couldn't help but chuckle: "Last night I lifted the sofa all by myself, which startled my dad and brother!"

"Isn't it a waste to use this kind of thing as a lining for a cosplay outfit?"

"No, no, no, look over there."

Moe pointed to a few vans in the distance, and a group of idols named Saki got out and entered the venue through Gate 2 under the escort of staff.

"I heard from Brother Ye Shou that these idols have to fight against stunt performers who play monsters on stage, and there are even high-difficulty moves like backflips and knight kicks. They can't do it without power suits!"

Being an idol must be tough!

"Well... but the group that won the Ichiban Kuji (jackpot) today will be able to sign a long-term contract with ALO. They must have worked extra hard for that."

“I hope the Backstreet Girls can win. My dad told me that they have been practicing the hardest these days, and they have to practice until they cry almost every day before they can rest.”

Bai Yingui said with admiration and sympathy, "It would be an injustice if these three girls didn't become popular—I will definitely vote for them!"

Huh? What about ourselves?

—Chika turned her head away, wanting to ask, but barely managed to hold back.

She doesn't care about contracts; the bonus is simply a large sum of money for her, which is very practical!

Asuna and the others were just having fun with this event; they didn't care what place they got, participation was the most important thing!

But Chika really wants money!

Because of all the recent events, she has lost interest in her studies and has a premonition of how terrible the next exam will be... Her allowance will probably be drastically reduced by her family.

If I don't earn some extra money at a time like this, how will I get by next month!

But in this atmosphere, she couldn't say it directly, like that her wallet was more important than her idol's blood and tears...

Just then, a commotion broke out in the crowd. Something had entered the throng, and just like Moses parting the sea, everyone respectfully moved aside. The boys, in particular, were filled with a mixture of admiration and excitement, and some even bowed!

At the end of this dividing line was Qianhua and her group. They noticed the commotion and turned their gaze over—and were immediately captivated.

The jet-black armor, which has almost no reflection under the sun, is made of countless iron plates layered and inlaid, as fine and neat as dragon scales. However, it is flamboyant and protruding at the joints, as if the forging process incorporated concrete suffering, and every step is to open up a path through thorns!

It has a strong metallic feel; it's definitely not plastic or wood!

Just how heavy must it be...? You can even hear the sound of its footsteps on the ground, like a fully armed cavalryman rather than a warrior walking on two legs.

After he passed by, the people behind him gasped in shock.

Behind the black-armored warrior hung an enormous two-handed greatsword!

While not as outrageous as a door panel, it's something you only see in movies... Could it be the real thing?

Reason tells us that security personnel will not allow anyone to bring dangerous items into such an environment.

But that texture...

The girls held their breath, because the black-armored warrior stopped and remained motionless as he approached.

"Could it be..." Asuna was the first to think of a possibility, and opened her mouth in surprise before quickly covering it.

Meng Ye looked at the other person belatedly, then suddenly shuddered: "Brother Ye Shou... could it be Brother Ye Shou?"

The faceplate automatically separated into large and small parts, like the claws hidden by a cat, which then burrowed under the surrounding armor plates, revealing a young man's face with his right eye half-closed and his sideburns dyed white.

He, who usually exuded an elegant and handsome image, now, with the combined effect of armor and makeup, radiated a desolate and refined aura, like a stubborn rock that had been battered by wind and rain on the edge of a cliff for decades or even centuries...

"You, you, you—"

"Mercenary Kuze Ye Shou," Ye Shou said in a thick nasal voice, "Good day, everyone."

So handsome!

How can he be so perfectly suited to people's aesthetics? He's incredibly handsome!

No, I can hardly breathe! It's like a character from a dream!

Chika's eyes were wide open, far more excited than Kei or Asuna.

This girl is different from ordinary girls; she can appreciate a pretty hardcore art style.

In her daily life, she is an ordinary high school girl who enjoys watching shoujo manga and romance movies, and creates a pink atmosphere when chatting with her best friends.

On the other hand, when she plays board games, she always prefers to challenge herself with difficult trials. The background of the characters is often full of twists and turns. She admires the kind of character who can keep climbing from the valley to the peak and can muster up the courage to succeed no matter how many times they fail.

That posture, as if steel had been repeatedly hammered, yet still as straight as a greatsword, and that gaze, cold yet never numb after enduring hardship... all hit her right in the bullseye!

Of course, Prince Charming, domineering CEO, and playboy heartthrob are all her favorites; this guy's defensive range is frighteningly large!

But when this black-armored mercenary appeared before them, the overwhelming visual impact immediately overshadowed all the other figures.

'Even with makeup, it's easy to see what Mamoru really looks like... So he can make expressions like that too? Is it really just acting?'

What if he played a different role?

Prince Charming? I can't even imagine how glamorous he would be!

A thought suddenly popped into Chika's head, and it couldn't help but overflow:

If Ye Shou could play all the imagined lovers in her mind... she would die without regrets.

Ah! Could it be that...

Chika suddenly realized: Could it be that when she was fantasizing, she was also using Ye Shou as a "fitting model", which is why the other party was able to hit her so accurately after cosplaying?

This……

The girl's face flushed red instantly, but thankfully everyone's attention was on Ye Shou.

"Kuse-kun, I've never seen this character before... Which anime is this from?"