Chapter 116: Holding the Lamp of Ambition, Part 2

While continuing the conquest, I continue speculating about this area.

After all, this time I'm running through, but eventually, I have to explore here seriously. I want to gather as much information as possible.

In that regard, Saiga... I mean Rei-shi is an extremely excellent teacher.

As expected of a no-lifer who has delved deep into this game, she returns perfect answers to most questions.

(That castle... Apparently monsters that even Level 99s struggle against are swarming inside, but nine times out of ten, it's there...)

Since I have to gather the three devices bearing the name "Delta (Δ)" for the fetch quest from Weissash, I unavoidably need to investigate that place blatantly reeking of Divine Age civilization.

Honestly, I want to investigate it with Rei-shi in tow right now, but I can't do that... Uumu, things don't go as planned.

"Even so, it's amazing..."

"Nn, what is?"

Thanks to Lycaon's Curse, trash mobs don't approach, meaning all monsters that do come are Level 99 class.

Immediately after finishing off a Hard-Lag Rhino, which runs like a rampaging armored vehicle, I turn around at the sudden words wondering what's amazing. Pulling her greatsword from the flesh after smashing the outer shell of the Hard-Lag Rhino, which is clearly sturdier than a poor wall, Rei-shi throws words filled with admiration at me.

"We've defeated quite a few monsters... but you haven't been hit even once."

"Well, as you can see, I die in one hit, so I have no choice but to specialize as an evasion tank..."

Actually, I feel like my stats are half-baked because I dabbled in too many things.

But in this game, player individuality includes skills, so avatar performance probably ends up being one-of-a-kind... almost random, likely making strategy wiki writers writhe in agony.

"There are people in Black Wolf similar to you, Sunraku-san, but even they take damage to some extent..."

"Well, I'm used to various games, after all."

Bugs train people, lag makes people tolerant; in short, Trash Games make people strong.

When I told this theory to OiKatzo, he laughed his head off and then deliberately suppressed his laughter to snort at me, but since that's actually my strength, it can't be helped.

I haven't experienced it in ShanFro, but I've fought enemies as big as the arm stuck in that castle before.

Dust accumulates to make a mountain, but accumulating games just makes a mountain of backlog games.

"Then conversely, a question from me: how long have you been playing this game, Rei-shi?"

"Heh? Ah, um, about a year, perhaps..."

"Pretty much a veteran, aren't you? As expected of... let's see, Attack Holder (Maximum Firepower)?"

"No way, that title is the result of everyone in the clan helping me; it's not something I achieved alone..."

Watching the humble Rei-shi, I think again that appearance in games really doesn't judge a player's humanity.

When we first met, I thought rude things like "probably threw away real life for the game," but talking to her, she's a normally polite person.

Personally, although her natural voice leaks out a bit, the fact that she adheres to roleplay by keeping her voice slightly low leaves a good impression.

"Ah, another Hard-Lag Rhino... I'll take the aggro...!"

Correction, still scary.

While changing my evaluation of Rei-shi—who intercepted the rampaging rhino clearly moving at 40 km/h head-on—to "Actually a nice person but definitely has a screw loose somewhere," I poke chiku-chiku at the joints with Empire Bee Twin Blades.

I don't play safe enough to talk about others, but calmly intercepting a car charging at you is nothing but the result of fighting until you get used to it.

Although humble, Maximum Firepower isn't just for show... Under the mask of kindness, she might still be trying to drag out information I'm hiding from my movements.

Should I take the initiative in conversation here to avoid slipping up?

"E-Even so, having only strong enemies come at us is exhausting."

"That is true... Do you, intend to lift that 'Curse', Sunraku-san?"

"Hmm... Honestly, I'm a bit torn."

This is a fact.

Although I'm used to it by now, having equipment is definitely better. It's true that I've been helped by the merits more than the demerits, but still... at least I want to lift the curse on my legs.

"I wish I could at least wear pants... And it seems I can't receive support from buffers either."

"Even to lift the curse, meeting Saint Eristella itself is difficult, so..."

"Saint Eristella?"

Surely not a player's name. In that case, the title "Saint" rings a bell.

"This game... or rather, the saint of the religion 'Tri-Divinity' in the worldview... If I recall, 'Saint of Love Eristella' was the formal NPC name..."

According to her, the Saint of Love Eristella... commonly known as "Saint-chan," is a special NPC with non-standard performance, being the only one in Shangri-La Frontier capable of "lifting all curses." Her power apparently even lifts curses from Unique Monsters.

But as expected, or naturally, she is surrounded by high-level players and Church NPCs, so she's not an existence one can meet easily.

"To meet her... you have to ask either a Church NPC or, um... the 'Saint-chan Imperial Guard', so..."

For the former, a considerable amount of Donation (Mani), and for the latter, a connection in the first place is required.

I see. So when Saiga-100 offered curse lifting as a condition back then, it meant they could arrange a meeting with Saint Ilystella.

"Hmm... well, I'm not that pressed right now, so later is fine."

Ah, but considering I'll fight Unique Monsters in the future, I do want to flesh out my armor. Or rather, thinking about it carefully, I can't wear the Powered Suit unless I lift the curse. Dammit, maybe I am pressed.

"The sun is setting soon... If possible, I want to cross this area before the day changes in real life..."

"To the Area Boss... it will take, a little more, time, yes."

As expected of the area leading to the New Continent, in other words, the goal of this continent, Fifticia; compared to other areas, it's wide. Even though I won't get lost with Rei-shi's guidance, taking time is unavoidable.

"Well, surely we won't wander until tomorrow morning, so let's go at a moderate pace."

"That, is true. Let's go moderately... moderately..."

Sunraku does not know.

That Psyger-0 knows his Reality.

That the path they are currently proceeding on with Psyger-0's guidance is not the shortest route.

(Just a little more... Just a little longer.)

She doesn't want to end this once-in-a-lifetime chance in the shortest time. Due to such a tiny selfishness, Sunraku and Psyger-0 were proceeding on a slightly detour route.

Psyger-0 does not know.

She wants to talk a little longer, play the game together a little longer. Like him who always wears a joyful smile, no, she wants to laugh with him.

A trivial betrayal sprouted from such love, a non-fulfillment of half the request from Sunraku.

That this was the Paradigm Shift for the two... no, for the entirety of Shangri-La Frontier, not just stopping at the two of them.

Right now, neither of the two here knows.

And one more thing. An event unknown to both Sunraku and Psyger-0 was quietly, and certainly, progressing.

"When in trouble, run! That solves most things!"

"Wait, sto-, pyaaaaaaaa!!"

"Give up, my sister (Imouto-yo). That is his Nature."

One panicking over a failed mission, one sighing, and one starting to run.

Gears that don't mesh will be meshed by time and situation. Though that is a story for a little later.

Author's Afterword
The reason there are unusually many commas in Heroine-chan's lines is that she is intentionally lowering her voice and forcibly suppressing her skyrocketing tension.

Tri-Divinity
The largest religion in Shangri-La Frontier, worshiping the three pillar gods who created this world.
"God of Fate" who created the destiny of all phenomena, past, present, and future.
"God of Genesis" who created heaven, earth, all things, and all life.
"God of Tuning" who created providence in a world forcing harshness on life.
These are treated as separate entities while being a trinity, and it is said that they still watch over the world and will descend to the mortal world with divine beasts when a crisis of destruction visits the world.