Chapter 298: You Have That Going For You

Author's Preface
A Rider... wearing the mask of a Rogue...! (It is incredibly mentally painful) (Please buff the Sclash Driver users too) [*1]

I was planning to slack off and skip the update today, but my favorite character is suffering so I posted.
By the way, the title is exactly what the author was thinking while writing this.

"...And so, the seventh monster was a humanoid tree-like monster, and..."

"Ah, you don't mean the Obsessive Treant [Losers' Woods], do you?"

"Y-Yes! That's the one! Are you familiar with it?"

"Yeah, that was the final one when I cleared the 'Invitation' quest. If you snatch away its staff, it gets visibly weakened."

"I see... I'll give that a try."

Despite the various messes that occurred due to the bombshell dropped earlier, we were fundamentally comrades who shared the common ground of putting most of our effort into the exact same game right now.
And so, I found myself chatting about ShanFro while walking to school alongside Saiga-san, who was smoothly clearing the tasks assigned to her by Vysache.

"Ah, right. I was planning to post this in the Wolfgang group chat later, but I've finally got a lead on a base of operations."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Establishing a clan house has been an urgent issue for a while now so we can hand over the cooperation rewards to Rust and Mold..."

Rust told me to call him when he 'can finally use a robot,' so his login rate is blatantly low right now. Instead, he's guaranteed to be in Nephilim Hollow, meaning I've been getting beaten to a pulp by him on a fairly regular basis.
Perhaps because his equipment restrictions are gone, he seems to be energetically testing out new mechs lately. Next time, should I try to hit him with a noob-killer strat using a mech covered head-to-toe in weapons...?

"Um, regarding... Rust-san, where exactly did you meet him?"

"Eh? Ahー... In a different game. It's a game called Nephilim Hollow... well, it's a pretty obscure game, though."

"...I-I know it. It's the game where you pilot those mannequin-like robots, right?"

"Eh, you know it?"

I was legitimately surprised. When I stared at Saiga-san with wide eyes, she looked away somewhat bashfully but still opened her mouth.

"Um... I couldn't get used to the controls, so I ended up abandoning the story about halfway through, but..."

"Nah, that can't be helped. PvP rankers move around in that game like it's natural, but a system that demands you 'grasp the exact positions of all your boosters and move the mech as if it were your own body' inherently filters out a lot of people."

Apparently they're releasing a new game, but I wonder if they'll improve on that aspect? If they pander too much to the players and make it too easy, the charm of the world setting will decrease, so as a user, I kinda hope they keep it just appropriately difficult to control.

"Um, uh, well... If there's ever an opportunity, could you perhaps teach me the controls for Nephilim Hollow...?"

"Hm? I don't really mind, but... if that's the case, Rust or Mold might be better suited as teachers, you know?"

I only recently found out, but Mold is actually a perfectly capable player who adapted to Nephilim Hollow in his own right. It's just that his aptitude as an Operator exceeds that.
The way he casually brushed off newbies while saying things like, "It's been a while since I played as a Pilot," exuded a massive 'strong character' aura and was genuinely impressive. However, it seems the "Anti-Mold Suppression Method" I executed a while ago had spread even among the newbies. Apparently, Mold carelessly opened his voice comms and ended up self-destructing due to an opponent rapid-firing terrible puns at him.

He was making excuses to Rust, saying, "I never imagined anyone other than Sunraku would actually use that strategy," but does Rust actually understand?
Does he realize that almost every single ranker is currently attempting to execute that exact method as a highly effective means of sealing away the right arm that supports the once-invincible Rust?

"No, um... T-That's right! Because I can meet you like this, Hizutome-kun, we can... coordinate our schedules more easily..."

For some reason, Saiga-san explained that while averting her face. Well, it's probably just manners, like trying to hide a sneeze or a yawn. Although my sister just sneezes loudly as if to say, 'Who cares about that?'

"I see... I'll accompany you if you're okay with me, though."

"A-A...............................................................YES, INDEED... Someday, if you would accompany me, then at that time..."

There was an incredibly massive "pause" there, but Saiga-san often seems to have loading times during her conversations, and she was like that when she was Psyger-0 too, so it's probably just her nature.

............

.........

......

And then, I was restrained and dragged away.

"Drafting the track and field club right after their morning practice is playing dirty!"

"They're Volunteers, so it's completely fair! We're starting the interrogation right now, ora!"

Forced to sit at my own desk and completely surrounded, I glared bitterly at my interrogators. If push comes to shove, I'll retaliate by reciting Germ-Piercing's latest masterpiece, "La-Avenue Sunflower"...!

"Real talk, are you and Saiga-san actually dating or what?"

"No? Didn't I tell you guys before that we just have a common topic we talk about?"

"And what exactly is that common topic?"

"Like I said, I'm the guardian of privacy..."

"You sure as hell don't protect my privacy!"

Hah? Looks like the Germ-Piercing has something to say.

"Shut up, La-Avenue Sunflower."

"La-Avenue?"

"La-Avenue...?"

"B-Wh-... y-you, where did you...!"

"You left the page with your half-written poem wide open when you went to the bathroom. You're way too careless."

Given the position of my seat, I get a perfect view of it the moment you leave your desk, you idiot.

"───The sparkling sunlight, I am but a single flower in the sunflower field captivated by your eyes..."

"Everyone, I think ganging up on someone for an interrogation goes against humanity. Let's just call it here."

"No, you're wrong, Poet. This is just a simple player substitution... Restrain him!"

"W-Whaaat!?"

The pathetic sheep's face twitched as I smiled, having completely reversed the situation and seized the initiative. Now then, let's begin the fun, fun Exposition of Dark History (Poetry Reading Session)...!
That being said, using a scapegoat to deflect the conversation is probably going to reach its limit soon...

By the way, the general consensus ended up being that the poem itself was actually pretty well-written.

◇

"Good morning, Rei."

"Ah, good morning, Raika-san."

"I heard~? You came to school together with your rumored boyfriend~?"

"Kuh...!? N-No I didn't! It's not like that, um, auu, well... Yes! We're friends!"

"Huuuuh...? But you're actually hoping to get a lot closer than that, aren't you~?"

"That's, um.................. Yes."

"Seriously...? I'm sensing some major turbulence ahead."

"Turbulence... that's an exaggeration..."

"Just the fact that you're so devoted to him is going to make the rumored guy's attention skyrocket... Wait, Rei, don't start raising your Aura with a completely straight face! Kuh, even an amateur can feel this intimidation...!"

"............"

◆

While thinking about how I've been feeling a lot of observant gazes directed at me lately, I headed home from school. As I walked, mentally sending evil thoughts like 'Suffer more...!' toward the Track and Field Club (Capture Squad) who were running laps while wheezing, an obviously expensive car pulled up and stopped right next to me.
Wait, left-hand drive? An imported car? Eh, why?

"Um, Hizutome-kun..."

"Ah, Saiga-san."

As I stood there intimidated by a car that looked like the physical manifestation of the Saiga family's power (mainly in terms of money), the rear window rolled down, and Saiga-san's face appeared.

"Um, this weekend... would you like to play ShanFro together?"

"Eh? Ah, yeah, I don't mind, but..."

I mean, considering how often we bump into each other when logging in, it feels a bit late to ask now... Ah, I guess she means actually partying up for a hunt or something?

"Yeah, that's fine. Ah, but wait, doesn't the survey ship heading to the New Continent depart on Sunday...?"

"...? Are you boarding the New Continent Survey Ship?"

"Ah, yeah, I accepted a quest... Wait, Rei-shi—I mean, Saiga-san, you haven't been to the New Continent yet, right?"

"That's, right... Yes, it'll probably be fine. I can force my way onto the passenger list, so I'll be able to board too."

"Heeh, that's good."

...Hm? I felt like the flow of the conversation bugged out for a split second just now, was it just my imagination? Oh well.

"Alright, I'll send you an email beforehand on the weekend."

"Y-Yes!"

Still, an invitation from a hardcore addict... I get the feeling she's going to casually suggest a slaughter like she's asking to go for a walk. Should I buy some Riot Blood now just to be safe?

I haven't consumed (shot up) the other bottle of Revolver Lantern that was delivered to me through highly suspicious circumstances yet.
Well, it's not like I'm going to be fighting an opponent on the level of Ctarrnid anytime soon.

I've pretty much gotten used to the Crystal Scorpions by now.

Author's Afterword

• Ema Raika
  The so-called "Non-Capture Target Friend Character of the Capture Target." Basically someone like Tsukahara-paisen.
  She has a high popularity rooted in the sentiment of "Everyone is only paying attention to Saiga-san, but I've realized your charm...", and her latent popularity is actually higher than the heroine's. Or rather, it's not that the heroine's popularity is low, it's more like the 20th Secret Rare is way too expensive, so people compromise with the regular Secret Rare right next to it.
  Her ideal type is the "Arrogant Prince," and if he's rich, even better. She's been investigating the protagonist who is rumored to be involved with the heroine, but she hasn't realized the fact that the one with the truly deep darkness is the person standing right next to her.

Personally, I like the holofoil pattern on Ultimate Rares the most, but I wonder how much the Alternate Art 20th Secret Rares are going to cost... [*2]

 Translator's Note

•  [1] Kamen Rider Build
•  [2] Yu-Gi-Oh