With Rudy in critical condition, Shiroe makes a rather extreme plan to save him. So he joins Minori’s party, then casts a magic that will distribute MP equally among party members. This will give Rudy some MP. Next he uses an item to bring back something from dead temporarily for 3 minutes. Something like animate dead, not uncommon in gaming. Now the next part is the most interesting.
Rudy opens his eyes and about to say farewell to his friends. Then Shiroe offers Rudy a contract of joining Log Horizon guild, written in the best paper (in the game) with the best ink. Shiroe himself is a level 90 scriber. So that contract is the best possible contract in Elder Tale as a game. Only, this time Shiroe adds a unique clause in the contract. Log Horizon guild gives Rudy all necessary support to carry out his task, including the status of an “Adventurer”. So when Rudy signs the contract, he dies and revives in the Cathedral, just like any other Adventurers. Shiroe’s magic successfully turns a People of the Land character into Adventurer. Or, in gaming term, Shiroe turns an NPC into a player.
Now this development gives me lots of questions about where they are planning to bring the story. If one day all these “players” can log out and back to the “real world”, what will happen to Rudy? Will he stay in the game? But that would bring him back as NPC. Will he be able to log out as well? But he doesn’t have a “real” body.
Meanwhile, Princess Lenessia is as popular as always, and Crusty is as strong as always. The military operation to fight Goblin General successfully defeats the enemies. Though I think they still have Goblin King left.
One thing I like from Log Horizon is the fact that this story brings us not just one, but many couples. We have Shiroe and Akatsuki, Nyanta and Serara, Crusty and Lenessia, Rudy and Isuzu, and I think I just see Marie and Naotsugu as potential couple as well. Well done for making a story different from others where many girls are illogically cling to one guy for no reason.
That is the point: People of Land are not NPC, but humans. So, we are forced to think they are not inside a game, but at other world.
Episode 19 showed us with no doubt that the players were not using virtual reality devices for play the game. Whatever happened to the players, they are not inside a game or a virtual reality.
Interesting theory. But another world where they can do all the skills and magic exactly like the game? And they are transferred to that other world carrying their exact items and levels? Not to mention the game display and cooking from menu does give them food, albeit tasteless.