Chapter 4: The Price of Power
Múspellsheim's eternal fires painted the landscape in shades of crimson and gold, their harsh glow reflecting off the obsidian spires that jutted from the cracked earth like the teeth of some primordial beast. Megumin stood atop a precarious outcropping, her robes billowing dramatically in the sulfurous winds. To any observer, she would have appeared a lone figure of defiance against the hellscape that stretched as far as the eye could see.
Megumin saw only opportunity.
Her fingers danced through the air, manipulating an interface visible only to her. With each gesture, data streams cascaded before her eyes—quest logs, inventory lists, and skill trees that branched out in dizzying complexity. To Megumin, this was the very language of power itself.
"Tier 4 magic, [Burn Lance]..." she muttered, crimson eyes gleaming as she allocated her hard-earned skill points. A grin spread across her face, equal parts triumphant and maniacal. "Soon, you shall be mine, and all shall tremble before the might of my explosions!"
She punctuated her declaration with a laugh that echoed across the desolate plain, startling a flock of fire-winged drakes from their perch on a nearby spire. As they took to the skies with indignant screeches, Megumin's gaze fell upon her staff. No longer the simple wooden implement she'd started with, it now crackled with arcane energy, runes pulsing along its length in time with her own excited heartbeat.
Megumin ran her fingers lovingly along the staff's intricate engravings, each one a triumph to countless hours of grinding, to mobs vanquished and rare drops claimed. She'd poured her virtual blood, sweat, and tears into crafting this weapon, hunting down players skilled enough to stack it with fire-enhancing enchantments. After all, what use were other elements to one destined to master explosions?
A familiar chime rang out, momentarily drowning out the constant rumble of Múspellsheim's volatile terrain. Megumin's eyes narrowed as she read the system message before her:
[Entering Safe Zone: Plaza of Eternal Flame]
Below, carved from obsidian and trimmed with veins of molten gold, the plaza pulsed with life. It was a sanctuary amidst desolation, where players from across the realm gathered to trade, boast, and plan their next great adventures. Megumin's lips curled into a smirk. What better stage could there be for a Crimson Demon to showcase her growing legend?
With a theatrical flourish of her robes, she leapt from her perch. For a heart-stopping moment, Megumin plummeted towards the jagged rocks below. Then, a split second before impact, her fall slowed to a gentle descent. She touched down in the plaza with all the grace of a leaf carried on an autumn breeze, her dramatic entrance drawing curious glances from nearby players.
"Behold, fellow seekers of arcane might!" Megumin proclaimed, her voice ringing out across the plaza. "For I, this world's foremost Crimson Demon, have returned from conquests most perilous!"
A small crowd gathered, drawn by her enthusiasm and the promise of entertainment. Megumin basked in their attention, a part of her aching with nostalgia for the days when such proclamations would have been met with Kazuma's exasperated sighs or Darkness' eager anticipation.
"Gather 'round," she continued, warming to her theme, "and let me regale you with tales of my latest exploits! Picture, if you will, the Caverns of Great Ash, where even the mightiest warriors fear to tread..."
As Megumin launched into her tale, embellishing liberally with grandiose gestures and sound effects, she noticed a commotion near the plaza's central announcement board. A growing crowd of players huddled around it, their excited chatter carrying across the open space. Curiosity piqued, Megumin brought her story to a hurried conclusion.
"...and so, with a final, earth-shattering explosion, I emerged victorious!" She bowed deeply to scattered applause. "But lo, what news stirs such fervour among my fellow adventurers? Come, let us investigate!"
With a dramatic swirl of her robes, Megumin strode purposefully towards the announcement board. The crowd parted before her, whether out of respect for her growing reputation or simple amusement at her antics, she neither knew nor cared.
"Hail, comrades!" Megumin called out as she approached. "What momentous proclamation has drawn such fervent attention?"
A dwarf with a beard that stretched past his toes turned to her, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "Mage of red! You're just in time. They've announced the Forge of Creation event!"
Megumin's eyes lit up, a thrill of excitement coursing through her. "An event, you say? Do tell, my stout companion! What manner of challenge do the gods of Yggdrasil set before us now?"
As the dwarf explained, more players gathered, eager to hear and discuss the details. It seemed like a fairly standard timed event at first glance—a new area to explore, unique enemies to vanquish, and a farmable boss that promised rare loot. But there was something else, something that set this event apart from those that had come before.
"...and get this," the dwarf said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "there's an exclusive item for those who pay to upgrade: the Ember of the First Flame."
A chorus of mutters rose from the assembled players, their tones ranging from excitement to disapproval. But Megumin heard only opportunity. The Ember of the First Flame—even its name promised power beyond her wildest dreams.
"This Ember," Megumin said, barely able to contain her enthusiasm, "surely it must be a boon of unparalleled might! Tell me, what wonders does it promise?"
A nearby paladin, her armor shimmering with heat mirages, spoke up. "Well, we won't know the exact details until the hotfix goes live. But knowing the devs..." She trailed off, shaking her head.
"Knowing the devs," a hulking warrior finished for her, "it's going to be stupidly overpowered. As always."
Megumin's eyes sparkled with an almost manic glee. An item of such power, one that even fellow seasoned players spoke of with awe and trepidation—this could be her chance. With the Ember of the First Flame, she could create explosions beyond anything Yggdrasil had ever seen!
"Then we must claim this Ember at once!" Megumin said, striking a pose that sent her robes billowing dramatically. "Whatever trials we must overcome, whatever foes we must vanquish, I, Megumin, shall—"
"Hang on there, lass," the dwarf interrupted, holding up a hand. "It's not that simple. The upgraded event pass... well, it won't come cheap."
Megumin's confident smirk faltered for just a moment before she rallied. "Cheap? Ha! Such paltry concerns are beneath one such as I! Why, I have amassed a fortune that would make even the dragons of old weep with envy!"
Her declaration was met with a mixture of confused looks and stifled laughter. The hulking warrior exchanged glances with the paladin, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Uh, Miss Crimson Demon," he said, his voice tinged with amusement, "I don't think you quite understand—"
"Nonsense!" Megumin cut him off. She began to pace, gesticulating wildly with each boast. "You doubt the extent of my wealth? Shall I regale you with tales of the exotic drops I've claimed? The boss monsters I've vanquished single-handedly?"
She spun on her heel, robes flaring out around her. "Picture, if you will, the hoard of the great lava lizard Ignarius—now nothing more than my personal treasure vault! Or the legendary Phoenixfire Gems, of which I possess no less than a dozen!"
The gathered players watched in a mix of fascination and second-hand embarrassment as Megumin's rant continued. Some exchanged knowing glances, while others struggled to contain their laughter.
"Um, Crimson," the paladin tried to interject, "that's not exactly what we—"
But Megumin was too caught up in her own grandstanding to heed the warning. "Fear not, my fellow adventurers!" she proclaimed, her voice rising to a fever pitch. "For I, the greatest of all Crimson Demons, shall bear this burden if I must!"
She paused for dramatic effect, chest heaving, eyes gleaming with determination. "Now, point me to the nearest event merchant! I shall purchase this 'upgrade' posthaste and claim the Ember of the First Flame for my own!"
A moment of awkward silence fell over the group. Finally, the warrior cleared his throat. "Miss Crimson Demon," he said, as if explaining something to a child, "when we say it costs a 'pretty penny,' we don't mean in-game currency."
Megumin blinked, her triumphant pose faltering. "I... I don't understand," she said, her voice suddenly small. "What other currency could possibly matter in our quest for power?"
The paladin sighed, exchanging a pitying glance with the warrior. "Real money," she said bluntly. "It costs real-world money."
The words hit Megumin like a physical blow. She staggered back a step, her mind reeling. "Real... world?" she repeated, the words tasting like ash in her mouth. "You mean..."
"Yep," the dwarf nodded, stroking his beard. "Cold, hard Yen from outside the game. And not a small amount, either. Probably about a week's worth of wages for most players, judging by that greedy publisher's track record."
For a moment, Megumin stood frozen, her face a mask of shock and confusion. Then, with a herculean effort, she forced out a laugh that sounded hollow even to her own ears.
"'Real world'?" she chuckled, her voice taking on a slightly manic edge. "My comrades, surely you jest! You dare not suggest there exists a realm beyond our glorious Yggdrasil?"
The gathered players exchanged bewildered glances. Then, slowly, understanding dawned in the dwarf's eyes. "Ah, you're one of those role-players, aren't you?" he said, a note of sympathy in his voice. "My apologies, Crimson one. It was but a moment of madness that led me to speak of such impossible things."
Megumin latched onto the lifeline he'd thrown her, desperate to maintain the illusion. "Yes, of course!" she said, perhaps a touch too eagerly. "A true Crimson Demon would never acknowledge the existence of a world beyond our own! Such heresy is beneath us!"
But even as the words left her mouth, Megumin felt a cold dread settling in the pit of her stomach. The other players continued to discuss the event, their voices fading into a dull roar as anxiety mounted within her. Real-world money? How much? Would she have time to gather the necessary funds? And more terrifyingly—what did this mean for her place in Yggdrasil?
"Well," she said, her voice strained despite her efforts to maintain composure, "I must take my leave, fellow seekers of power! There are... preparations to be made. Strategies to formulate!"
With a flourish of her robes that was perhaps a touch too vigorous, Megumin strode towards the plaza's exit. She maintained her composure until she was out of sight, then sagged against a wall, her breathing ragged.
"Calm yourself, Megumin, you got this," she said, her fingers already moving to the log-out button. "A mere financial hurdle cannot stand in the path of greatness!"
She tore off the headset with trembling hands, gasping as if she'd run a marathon. The hellscape of Múspellsheim faded away, replaced by the grimy confines of Megumin's tiny apartment.
Then, with a strangled cry that was equal parts frustration and determination, Megumin lunged for her smartphone, nearly knocking over a precariously balanced tower of instant ramen cups in her haste.
"Research," she said, her fingers flying across the cracked screen. "If I am to overcome this obstacle, I must arm myself with knowledge!"
Hours passed in a blur of forum posts, economic analyses, and increasingly arcane terminologies. Megumin's eyes burned from the harsh glow of her screen, but she pressed on, driven by a desperate need to understand this new facet of her beloved realm.
"Microtransactions... battle passes... gacha?" The words felt foreign on her tongue, each syllable a step further from the simple joy of casting explosions in a fantastical world. Yet, as the night wore on, a grim understanding began to take root.
This 'Real world' and its currency was merely a means to an end. Just as she could further her own power in-game, this realm could offer the same, if not more, than the world of Yggdrasil.
She pulled up a spreadsheet. Once, she had used it to calculate spell damage and cooldown timers. Now, its neat rows and columns were twisted with a different kind of data—the cold, unflinching numbers of Yggdrasil's monetisation system.
As the spreadsheet grew more complex, a soft chuckle escaped Megumin's lips. "Is this not a form of magic in itself?" she mused, her voice barely above a whisper. "Transmuting currency into otherworldly power… Kazuma would be jealous. Or perhaps horrified."
The thought of her old companion sent a pang through Megumin's chest. What would Kazuma say if he could see her now, hunched over a glowing screen, contemplating the intricacies of microtransactions? Would he understand? She could hear his exasperated sigh, picture the mix of concern and annoyance in his eyes.
"But you're not here, are you, Kazuma?"
She wiped away a lone tear that had found its way onto her phone's screen.
Her gaze drifted to the window, where the perpetual smog of Neo Tokyo obscured any hint of stars. In Axel, the night sky had been a canvas of possibilities, each twinkling light a potential target for her explosions.
Megumin shook her head, banishing the memories. She couldn't afford such sentimentality, not when the Ember of the First Flame lay tantalisingly within reach. Her eyes returned to the spreadsheet, now a complex web of calculations and projections.
"If I allocate 70% of my monthly stipend, and perhaps pick up some additional work," Megumin said to herself. "Yes, it should be enough for the event upgrade and a few extra cash shop items."
But as the numbers added up, a creeping unease settled in Megumin's stomach. This wasn't like grinding for experience or farming rare drops. This was... different. Real money, real sacrifices, for virtual power.
"Is this truly the path of a Crimson Demon?" she wondered aloud, her voice small in the empty room.
Megumin closed her eyes, trying to picture herself wielding the Ember of the First Flame, whatever it may be. Overpowered. She imagined the awe and jealously in her fellow players' voices, the devastating magic she could unleash. For a moment, she felt that familiar rush of power, of being the centre of attention, the unrivalled master of destructive magic.
But then another image intruded—herself, hunched over a menial job, counting every Yen, sacrificing meals, sleep and any other creature comforts for the sake of Yggdrasil.
Megumin sank back into her chair, the weight of her situation pressing down upon her. Her eyes darted across her smartphone, the upcoming patch notes for Yggdrasil glowed on her screen, taunting her with promises of new powers and adventure.
There, nestled amongst the usual bug fixes and 'balance' tweaks, was the announcement that had set her heart racing:
"Pre-order now for a stunning 5% discount! Exclusive Artifact Class Item: [Ember of the First Flame] - Harness the primordial flames of creation itself! This unique item passively enhances the efficacy of fire-based magic and unlocks a unique skill when equipped by the user."
Her fingers hovered over the screen, frozen. She thought of the other players, of their casual mentions of purchases and upgrades. She had always assumed they were talking of in-game purchases. Not 'real life' ones. How many of them had already decided to embrace this system? How far behind would she fall behind if she refused? Had she already fallen behind?
"Perhaps… perhaps just this once. For the Ember. For the sake of my explosions."
She gazed at her reflection in the darkened phone screen. Tired eyes, lined with the strain of endless gaming sessions. Pale skin that hadn't felt real sunlight in far too long.
But Yggdrasil was real. She had power, respect, a purpose. The thought of losing that, of watching others surpass her while she clung stubbornly to some outdated notion of "earning" her strength… the thought was too much to bear.
"A true Crimson Demon adapts," Megumin said softly. "We must seek and claim power wherever it may be found. If this is what it takes…"
Her finger drew closer to the "pre-order" button, a simple tap away. Megumin took a deep breath, steadying herself.
"If this is the price to walk the path of explosions…"
Her finger descended towards the screen, the decision crystallising in her mind.
"So be it."