Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

Oh right, we also ended up making crossbows with the excess material. It didn't matter whether it was powerful or destructive enough, but I really just wanted to see my people decked out with things from head to toe.

After all, aesthetic was one of the reason why I put more effort on designing the stuff that I'm creating.

[Vorrathite Compact Crossbow (Masterpiece 100%) - 2.1 kg: The Vorrathite Compact Crossbow is a finely crafted weapon that merges wooden material with Vorrathite, creating a lightweight yet immensely powerful tool of precision. Designed for flexible combat, this crossbow is small and portable, folding neatly when not in use.

Its Vorrathite limbs provide exceptional draw strength, allowing bolts to be fired with remarkable speed and accuracy. The crossbow's mechanism enables rapid firing and minimal effort to cock, while each shot carries a faint elemental charge, enhancing its penetration against both physical and psionic defenses]

It's just that, maybe we went a little bit overboard with the quality. At this point, our craftsmanship began to intimidate the recruits more than impress them, it was as if they saw something that shouldn't exist and was impossible to comprehend.

Still, we tested the crossbow with a normal wooden bolt before attaching it with some vorrathite-tipped bolt. The firepower might be better than what a crossbow usually exerted, but it was still far behind when compared to the Fortcracker Mk II or even a single slash of Stormhook from my Wraithgrip-enhanced hand.

The Vorrathite Ward protective prowess was also far below that of Soulthread Aegis, probably since they were mostly composed of normal material where in comparison, the armor that Verina and I used were crafted much more meticulously with a lot of quality of life attached.

Regardless, we immediately distributed the armor after we were finished with the whole production line.

"I shall take this piece of divine art and enshrine it," Yora answered after she was bestowed with the garb.

"No, use it," I immediately corrected.

"Huh, this is surprisingly comfortable," Kara commented after she immediately wore the garb the moment she got her hands on it.

"T-thank you for giving me the opportunity to adorn myself with this piece of magnanimous protective gear, ma'am!" Erika sang out.

The rest appeared to have a similar reaction. All of them saw how the gear was produced, and the amount of skill and effort put into them in real time.

It was like watching the chef at a Michelin-approved restaurant cooking your food with love and professionalism after gaining an access to visit their kitchen, it would have a richer feeling of excitement and long-lasting impression.

After all of them were in their new protective gear, we then distributed the pikes and began a small training exercise to familiarize them with the new weapons.

Unlike many close-ranged generalist weapons, the strength of the pike lies in their number more than in their power and reach.

In a war, pikes are useless if you don't have at least several hundred, preferably a few thousand men in formation. They were generally vulnerable to being charged in the flanks/rear, or if the formation is disrupted by crossing difficult terrain, enemy harassment, or whatever. Big battalions make maneuvering hard.

The fact that they were cumbersome to wield and move around with was also a factor in their lack of likeability. For one, none of the bandits wielded a spear, especially a spear that was too long to be one-handed.

"This… this is quite the heavy weapon to wield, if I must say," Sera, our soon-to-be main forager said as she was heaving her breath from the fatigue.

"For a weaker-body like you, Miss Sera, I recommend raising both of your grips closer to the middle and more spreaded out," Amelia said, the one with the biggest military background than the rest of the recruits. "You can also pivot it to the ground, and not try to keep it from touching the ground at all times. You can also drag them instead of carrying them when moving."
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"But, won't it damage the pike?"

"A weapon can always be repaired or replaced. Yourself, however, are not."

As expected of Amelia, she seemed to easily grasp the strength and weakness of the weapon, even to the point of helping her own brethren amidst the exercise.

There were several reasons why I chose the pike as their main weapon, despite its apparent drawbacks.

First, its simplicity.

The pike requires less refined skill to wield compared to swords or axes, making it an ideal starting point for recruits with little formal combat training or combat-oriented former roles.

Second, it forces teamwork—no single individual can unleash the full potential of a pike alone, but in a formation, it becomes a devastating force. This would naturally encourage unity and coordination among the new recruits, forging a sense of dependence on each other.

Third, which was the most obvious, was its reach.

Even the weakest among them could hold their own against more seasoned, close-combat enemies, as a long pike would allow them to strike from a safer distance. This also makes them better equipped to handle beasts or threats that rely on speed or brute force, something close-ranged weapons struggle with.

In a base-defensive scenario, it was also easier to work-around a structural strategy to fit more of this long-ranged melee combat than something like a sword. And if they stumble upon something that won't come close, that would be where the crossbow came into play.

Finally, the psychological impact.

Seeing a line of soldiers armed with imposing, no matter how little the number was, sharp-edged pikes sends a clear message to enemies, humans and some of the Calamity Objects alike—it's harder to rush or charge such a formation, buying us precious time in defensive situations, helping them holding their ground much better than other weaponry.

The pike may not be glamorous, but it was a weapon that could build both tactical awareness and discipline, crucial for the survival of this group.

It could also develop their core strength with how heavy it could be at times, so I planned to pump their diet with protein so they could bulk up to the point of holding the pike like it was a mere knife.

I couldn't wait to see them brimming with muscles.

To ensure the recruits grasped the use of the pike, I led a series of formation drills. Each line stood shoulder to shoulder, pikes raised at different angles depending on their position. With the command, they advanced in unison, stepping carefully to keep their spears aligned and their formation tight.

I also ensured that they would understand the strength of each formation and enact it upon any opportune moment instead of waiting for a command to steer them.

Though, I did give more hints for Amelia to utilize in commanding them, since she should be assertive enough to do so without me assigning her as the leader.

After the first hour, I could see fatigue settling in. Sweat dripped down the recruits' faces, but they kept moving, slowly adapting to the rhythm.

"Alright, now let's add the crossbows to the mix," I announced, signaling the next phase of training.

We switched from pike drills to teaching them how to use the Vorrathite Compact Crossbows.

The crossbows' compact design made it easier for the recruits to handle, but balancing the use of both a pike and a crossbow required finesse. They practiced switching between stances—lowering the pike to fire the crossbow, then quickly resuming formation to hold off an imaginary charge.

I also train them for one-on-one situations, all of the different ways to utilize the crossbow and the pike when there was nobody close to help.

As the training progressed, I could hear the inevitable bickering between Verina and Kuzunoha echo from behind me. They always had something to say—whether it was about strategy, philosophy, or even the minutiae of crafting weapons and armor. Their disagreements had become a constant background noise that, strangely enough, I had grown accustomed to.

"I'll admit," Verina started, arms crossed, her sharp eyes scanning the recruits as they awkwardly handled their pikes. "For now, giving them the pike and crossbow is a smart move. It's basic, sure, but effective. They're enough to keep them alive until we develop something more advanced."

Kuzunoha, with her ever-presence ornamental umbrella, scoffed. "Basic, yes. Necessary? No. These bumbling recruits barely know how to hold a long stick, let alone form a proper defense. You're expecting too much from a bunch of amateurs.

Why even bother?"

Verina tried her best to arch an eyebrow, turning her head slightly to Kuzunoha. "Because survival takes more than just brute force. They need to work together, rely on each other. That's how we keep them alive. That's how a bastioneer keep themselves alive, and those close to them."

"Heh." Kuzunoha's tone dripped with sarcasm. "I doubted that teamwork mattered the most when a single Calamity Object with a weird gimmick came into fray whilst we were indulgent on three other different ones. You and I both know that when the real threats come, you, Narcissus, and I are the only ones capable of dealing with them."

Verina rolled her eyes, unfazed. "This isn't about them taking down Calamities. This is about ensuring they aren't completely useless. If they can hold a line or buy us time, they're valuable. Besides, this is how you build cohesion. Everyone has a role, and these recruits need to know what theirs is."

Kuzunoha annoyingly chuckled. "You're ignoring the obvious truth—knowledge and strength is what matters. Sheer, overwhelming knowledge and strength. These people don't have it, and they never will. Why waste our time?"

Verina's posture stiffened, and she turned fully toward Kuzunoha now. "They matter, yes, but so does unity. We are not talking about fighting as individuals, but surviving as bastion. There will be jobs that doesn't rely on violence, but those who take those jobs need to know one or two on how to fight at night.

"We can't just rely on the three of us to fight every battle. We eventually need more people to support us. This will matter more if we have more people in the future. To hold the line, to provide cover fire, and expand into more different roles in the future. They have to learn."

Kuzunoha gave a lazy, dismissive wave. "Sure~ sure~ I'll see if they worth the investment with given enough proof~"