After being bombarded with various questions from Saya, I ended up spilling almost all my information. Not that it matters, since I was lacking information to begin with. But there's one thing I'm curious about.
"By the way, how did you know that I was moss or what my name was?"
"Your name can be seen simply by focusing on the cursor, but... don't you have the 'Identify' skill?"
"'Identify'? That useless skill? No, I don't have it."
"Yes, that one. In the offline version, it only showed what you could already see and was only useful for filling the encyclopedia."
In the offline version, "Identify" was essential for completionists in the early stages, but otherwise considered unnecessary. The existence of a completely superior skill called "Discernment" was also a major factor.
"It seems like the specifications have changed, and it's quite useful now? Without 'Identify,' I wouldn't have realized that the moss was a player."
"Huh, that's interesting. How do you acquire it?"
"I don't know. It was an initial skill for me, but I think it was a normal skill? I imagine it can be obtained through some means..."
In the offline version, it was a universal skill that any species could acquire at will, but it seems to have been adjusted during the online conversion. Is it more like a wild instinct type of skill now? If so, maybe it's an initial skill common to animal-type monsters...?
"There are more changes from the offline version than I thought! I'd like to gather more players and have an information exchange meeting!"
"Indeed. But in that case, I think Kev would be the one most questioned. You're an officially endorsed unusual species after all."
"...That's true. From any angle, I'm a bundle of changes."
"Haha, I'll look forward to seeing more new elements from you in the future."
"That's fine, but Saya, you should provide information too. Long-term information exchange should be mutual."
"That's also true. Hmm..."
Saya puts her hand on her chin, appearing to think. If she looked like a normal human, it might make for a nice picture, but she looks like a bear. What a surreal sight... Apparently, this surrealism is one of the reasons for the game's peculiar popularity.
Saya seems to have finished gathering her thoughts and claps her hands. When a realistic bear does it, it's indeed a surreal sight. Or maybe an eerie one?
"Alright, then let's form a party!"
"Huh, this game had a party function!?"
"...You really haven't read the help, have you? It's still an MMORPG, so of course it has that much."
"But there's no currency or towns, despite being an MMORPG."
"Ugh, I can't argue with that... This game is strange after all, isn't it?"
"Why state the obvious now? Well, if there's a party function, that sounds good. This moss movement is a hassle anyway."
"I briefly heard about it earlier, but I'm quite curious about how you move. Let's form a party, and I'll help with the verification."
"Oh, got myself some manpower! Or bear-power? No, that might have a different meaning..."
"Stop with the silly talk and here."
Saya sent me a party request message. Well, she's going to help, and I was planning to verify things anyway, so no problem. I'll accept.
[Saya's party has been formed]
Oh, so there really is a party function. Yeah, Saya's HP in the party member list is proper HP. My colony count really is strange, isn't it...?
"By the way, how can this colony count be reduced?"
"I explained it earlier, didn't I? With the Decolonization skill—"
"No, not that. I mean by other players or general organisms?"
"...Who knows?"
Now that she mentions it, that's right. How can I be defeated? Huh? Can I even earn the survival evolution points I chose as a bonus...? My only attack means so far is making things slip, so enhancement evolution points will be tough too!?
Do I have to rely on fusion evolution points...? But even those seem to only come from the first time I update my maximum value through colonization, so after reaching a colony count of 500, I haven't been receiving any points...
"Would crushing reduce it? Moss seems like it would be fine even if crushed, right? Burning it? It has a lot of moisture, so it would be hard to burn, and how would you even start a fire...? Oh, come to think of it, there was a magic section in the help..."
"Oh! There's magic? In the offline version, there was only pseudo-magic that was unique to each species. I definitely want to use it!"
"We still don't know how to acquire it, so I can't say for sure that you can use it."
"Damn, we don't have enough information."
"Well, shall we start with what we can do?"
"That's right. First, we need to find a general organism for experimentation."
"I saw one over there earlier."
"Oh, really?"
If she knows, then things can move quickly. Let's go right away!
"Kev, stop for a moment!"
"What is it? Don't dampen my enthusiasm..."
Just when I was about to set off in high spirits...
"Sorry? Could you show me that moss colonization and colony movement? I need to see it or I might lose track of you..."
"...That's true. This movement method is too unusual. Well then, see that moss on the rock over there? I'll move to that location."
"Okay, got it. I'll make sure to observe your movement carefully."
A bear staring intently at moss. It's really surreal. Well, that's fine. I need to demonstrate colony movement in practice. I'm also curious about how it looks objectively. Alright, my action value is full, and I have space in my colony count.
[Consuming 1 Action Value to activate "Colonization Lv1"] Action Value: 9/10
Successfully colonized the moss on the rock. Now for the movement!
[Consuming 1 Action Value to activate "Colony Movement Lv1"] Action Value: 8/10
Good, movement completed successfully. Huh? Why is Saya still staring fixedly at the previous location? She's tilting her head as if puzzled. What's going on?
"Hey, I've already moved!"
"Eh!? Oh, it's true!? The cursor position has changed to the moss on that rock!?"
"Hm? Did something strange happen?"
"Well, the cursor suddenly disappeared, and there was no other visible change. It felt like you teleported!"
"Teleportation, huh. That might be a good description. Though it's conditional, it subjectively feels that way too. So that's how it looks objectively."
Hmm, I've obtained good information. This would be perfect for surprise attacks! The problem is that currently, I can only make things slip. If I think more about how to use it, I feel like I could do something amazing.
"Hey, can you move to the moss on this small stone?"
"Hm? I probably can, but why?"
"I was thinking we could carry you around so we don't lose track of you?"
"That's a great idea. This movement method is subtly troublesome..."
"Well, you are moss after all..."
"Yeah... I guess that's what being an unusual species means."
I see, so the plan is for me to move to the moss on a small stone, and then have Saya carry me. Yes, that would make movement easier.
Other monsters don't have such unnecessarily complicated movement methods, but since I can't walk, it can't be helped! Ah, but plant-type monsters also had difficulty moving in the early stages. Even so, they eventually became able to walk...
Moss really can't walk! Should I also explore ways to walk? Hmm, I don't know.
"So, shall we try to unlock the map first?"
"I see, that way the carrier won't lose track, which is good. In the offline version, it was unlocked by moving a certain distance, right?"
"Only if the conditions are the same."
Having a map would eliminate getting lost (except for those with a poor sense of direction) and there's no downside to getting it. If there's a party function, there might also be party member displays on the map, and if so, we'd definitely avoid losing each other.
"Alright, let's aim to unlock the map while exploring to find general organisms!"
"Well, Kev, you'll just be carried around though."
"So, I'm counting on you!"
"You adapt quickly... Well, I was the one who suggested it."
I immediately use colonization and colony movement to move to the moss on a small stone. Then Saya picks up the small stone and starts walking on two legs. Running on all fours would be faster, apparently, but she can't hold the stone that way. This is convenient.
If we find a general organism on the way, I'll experiment with Slip this time. Understanding its performance is quite important!