Chapter 48: Defining a Labyrinth in a Straight Hallway; People Call That Thinking

This feeling, I've felt something similar somewhere... Ah, that's right. It was in the super-chaotic battle MMO "Universe Storm." Despite the tagline "Survival of the Fittest with Aliens in the Great Cosmos," once you opened the lid, it was full of sudden infighting among allied NPCs. Or rather, the enemy aliens were also infighting. Cosmic monsters that chipped away at your Sanity Points just by looking at them would barge in, and a mysterious race born from the will of the Earth would attack humanity... It was a game that forced a hard-boiled playstyle where the only things you could trust were yourself and your weapon. This feeling is similar to when a cosmic monster in that game—which could only be described as a humanoid slime with a mass of tentacles growing out of its face—asked for my cooperation in a super cute loli voice...

Eventually, the players held a "Nuclear Suicide Bombing Festival," and the server reached a state of "And Then There Were None." That game was truly apocalyptic. Back then, I played the pilot of a spaceship transporting (Attention Please) players carrying nukes into enemy territory, alongside that loli-voiced non-human entity.

".........Hah!?"

Not good. My mind was about to be abducted by a face-tentacle loli voice. The game I'm playing right now isn't Unite Rounds, nor is it a "Everyone Except Me is an Enemy" game; it's Shangri-la Frontier. I pulled my mind, which had almost received some cosmic mystery, back to this God Game, and once again analyzed the move made by the Armored Knight... Psyger-0.

The Friend System. It's safe to say almost all games have this element. Sometimes it is proof of getting along in the game, and sometimes it is an element for stat boosting. And in this game, a Friend Request is a visualized relationship of amity. Apparently, players who are friends get priority when forming parties, and the incredibly tedious mail function becomes somewhat easier to use. It adds convenient, though not mandatory, functions... but what is the intention behind choosing to send a Friend Request in this situation? Is it a technique to create an opening in PvP? No, if that were the case, I'd be cut in half by now. Then, is it a peaceful move to build a friendly relationship and encourage me to voluntarily reveal the Unique Scenario? If so, is the Friend Request a sign of willingness to talk without drawing weapons?

"......I don't know."

To make me worry this much... Psyger-0 is terrifying. To think she could completely seal my movements with just a single move... However, as a gamer who has experienced numerous PvP battles, I can't just say, "I give up, I'll tell you the Unique." I accept the challenge! I authenticated the Friend Request. But this isn't a surrender saying, "Let's be friends, Psyger-0-san!" It is a declaration of opposition, acknowledging your move and intending to surpass it.

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

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

Both of us were silent. This silence held a tension similar to a duel between gunmen in a Western. The only difference is that there is no three-count in this standoff. Striking first doesn't necessarily mean victory. Disadvantaged in level, experience, and overall gamer capability, how do I deal with Psyger-0's action? Damn it, I'm bad at these kinds of psychological games. Do you know how many times I've been played for a fool by Pencilgon? Even though the only way to deal with her is eventually bringing it to a brute-force solution, if I choose that here, I'll be torn to shreds instantly. Or rather, filleted into three pieces?

"......Um."

"Tch!!"

Kuh, she took the initiative! No, moving second isn't a bad move. See through the action from the other side, and deal with it. Now, how will you come at me, Psyger-0...!?

"If it is alright with you, um... I will... help you... with the walkthrough... zo?"

A few moments of thought suspension. No, rather than suspension, it was "Now Loading." I should say I was trying to load her intentions. Could it be that I'm just overcomplicating things, and to a third party, the situation is extremely simple? That thought crossed my mind for a second, but I admonished myself that it was too early to conclude that.

"Ah—, well, I don't really like easy walkthroughs using level-power... so while I appreciate the offer, I will have to decline..."

"I-Is that so...? Um, pardon my intrusive behavior..."

"Ah, no..."

Silence. But it was different from the tension I felt earlier, where I might have been unilaterally overly cautious. What is this? This awkwardness... it feels like a first-time playthrough of a Galge (dating sim) where my affection points are too low and I failed to trigger the event flag.

"Ah, um, sorry for getting in the way of your walkthrough... um..."

"Ah, no... I'm the one who should apologize for using you as a stepping stone before..."

"No, no, not at all..."

Just then, I sensed a commotion behind me. The players searching for the White Hood (Me) have come this way. This is bad...

"......Ah, um, please... do your best with the walkthrough. Um, if there is another opportunity..."

"Eh? Ah... see you then."

Surprisingly easily, Psyger-0 stepped away from the gate. Part of me suspects this might actually be a trap, but the only place where doubting all good will is the default is the post-apocalyptic Round Table. Anyway, it seems she has no intention of stopping me. I still can't fully read her true intentions, but right now, leaving Thirdrema as quickly as possible is the priority. I gave a slight bow and dashed out of the gate, leaving Thirdrema behind.

...Come to think of it, I was overthinking so much I just remembered: judging by the voice, Psyger-0 is a woman. Nekama (guys playing girls) are common, but Nenabe (girls playing guys) are rare... Well, in this day and age, Nekama are an endangered species too. After all, voice chat gives you away. Conversely, you do see people brazenly playing little girls with baritone voices, but for a woman to play a male... and a rugged, massive male avatar that isn't a slender 8-or-9-head-tall model type? She must be quite the gamer.

A fighting game where people split apart or explode. A co-op MMO where you get spawn-killed just by logging in. A farming and dairy simulation game where you cower in fear of the threat of giant creatures that raze the crops and livestock you raised with care to the ground... She tried to play the games he happily purchased so she could use them as a foothold for interaction... and failed at every single one of them. "For now, you should acquire basic skills before challenging deadly poisons." Taking these words from the proprietress of the game shop to heart, she started Shangri-la Frontier. While she thought her serious but somewhat stiff older sister would disapprove, it turned out she was actually a heavy user of Shangri-la Frontier. Using her family connections to join "Wolf Schwarz," the current Psyger-0 was created as a result of pushing forward for her goal. However, she had been gnashing her teeth at the current situation, which only seemed to take her further and further away from her initial objective.

Then one day, she learned the joy of finding out that he was starting a major mainstream game—an extremely rare occurrence (according to the proprietress)—and that game was Shangri-la Frontier. The fact that the days of not meeting and constantly missing each other had finally borne fruit. The four characters of "Sunraku" displayed at the top of her Friend List.

"Nnnnnnnnn...... YATTA!!"

It is said that for a while afterward, the players of Thirdrema saw the figure of an Armored Knight who was in a very... yes, a very good mood.

Author's Notes & Lore:

[Good News] The Heroine is recognized as a woman.

Translator's Remarks:

• "Universe Storm": A parody game title. The description of "aliens," "sanity loss," and "chaotic infighting" suggests a mix of Starship Troopers and Cthulhu Mythos (Sanity Points) gone wrong in a buggy MMO environment.
• "Attention Please": References Sunraku's nickname "Bombing Attention Please" mentioned in his profile. He used to transport suicide bombers.
• "zo": Psyger-0 ends her sentence with zo ("...shimasu, zo?"). This is part of her "Roleplay" as a stern male knight, but it slips out awkwardly because she is nervous, making it sound like she's forcing the character.
• Nekama / Nenabe:
  • Nekama: Internet slang for a man playing a female avatar (Net + Okama).
  • Nenabe: Internet slang for a woman playing a male avatar (Net + Onabe).