Chapter 377: Side 1: Tiger-Hunting Pankration

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Right around the time a certain Bird-Head was taking his great first step as the President in another world.

"...Hey, listen to this, Psyger-0-san. I heard a rumor on the wind that Emul fought yet another terrifying enemy. Can you believe it? A monster from the Divine Age, you know? Not taking a single step back against an opponent like that—isn't my little sister just amazing? Emul, who used to panic just from getting surprised from behind not too long ago... If things keep going like this, I really feel like my dignity as an older sister is going to be completely ruined. I think I need to fight a powerful enemy here and build up my own experience too. What do you say?"

(L-Long...)

"R-Right...?"

Being the youngest child herself, Psyger-0 couldn't truly understand the feelings of an older sister, but she also couldn't bear to heartlessly reject an older sister's wish out of care for her younger sibling.
That was the sentiment behind accepting the Unique Scenario "Diale's Secret Special Training," but in a certain sense, an unexpected situation had occurred, making its completion quite difficult.

The issue lay in the fact that the clear condition for this scenario was: "Diale's total accumulated experience amount must exceed Emul's." Meaning...

The gap wasn't closing.

It wasn't exactly a matter of Achilles and the Tortoise, but if Emul was also earning experience at the same time Diale was, closing the gap would naturally take a significant amount of time.
Moreover, as his (Sunraku's) partner, Emul constantly followed him into battles against various powerful enemies, meaning the amount of experience she gained in a single burst was massive.

(That being said, on the way home today he did say 'I probably won't log into ShanFro for a while'... Yes, not through an email or SNS. I heard it when we met in person, walking side-by-side on our way home...)

"Ehehe..."

"Hm, what's wrong? You suddenly started smiling."

"I-It's nothing! Yes, nothing at all..."

However, if what she heard directly from Rakuro—Sunraku—was true, he wouldn't be logging into ShanFro for at least five days... or at most, two weeks. Or even if he did, he wouldn't be doing any serious progression.
If so, that meant Emul's growth would also temporarily halt, presenting the ultimate opportunity to fulfill the Unique Scenario's conditions.

"Umm, today..."

Psyger-0 pulled a map from her inventory and cross-referenced it with their current position, confirming their route once more.

It was a map created from the information brought back by Tottori the Shimane—the player currently in the spotlight in ShanFro, belonging to the clan "Naked Mapping Market"—mapping out roughly sixty percent of the Sea of Trees he had traversed.

That being said, it didn't display nicely paved roads; it merely marked locations that could serve as landmarks within the vast Sea of Trees.
However, one of those landmarks was enough to make the map sell out completely.

"Umm, Diale-san. Today is partly for training (leveling), but... I'd also like to head toward the Forest-folk village... Tearplaten, to raise my own level cap..."

"Yeah, got it. Leave the enemies along the way to me."

"I'm counting on you."

There was no falsehood in those words. Diale, a magic class who also kept frontline combat in mind, functioned as a highly stable tank. Perhaps due to her small size paired with the hulking frame of Psyger-0's avatar, her mobility might be lower than a certain Bird-Head's turret style, but her stability was far greater.

Furthermore, unlike Emul—who possessed some offensive means but heavily prioritized defense to cover Sunraku's weaknesses—Diale was heavily focused on offense.
With Psyger-0, who originally balanced both firepower and durability, gaining a mobile artillery unit, one could say their firepower efficiency had skyrocketed.

"Still, I feel bad for Exis, monopolizing you like this, Psyger-0-san... Good grief, if you ever end up training her, I'll lend you my power then."

"R-Right......... Diale-san."

"Yeah, I noticed... It's close."

The sound of footsteps striking the earth. Heavy, massive footsteps that made the footsteps of Psyger-0—whose avatar was larger than the average human—feel as tiny as grass swaying in the wind.
They were not human, which meant there was no logical reason to assume whatever was approaching was friendly.

"Grrrrrrrrrr..."

"A-A tiger...?"

"Diale-san, I'll step forward."

"O-Oh! Unshakable as always, aren't you!"

Unfortunately for it, Psyger-0 invariably ended up comparing all beast-type monsters to Lycaon. As a result, when it came to beasts, it was almost impossible for Psyger-0 to be intimidated anymore.

"Its attribute is... It doesn't seem to have one in particular."

If so, is it just a beast relying purely on physical strength...? No, that conclusion would be too hasty, Psyger-0 thought, shaking her head.
Possessing a simple attribute—like the Elements in the West or the Five Phases in the East—was not an absolute requirement in this game.

A power related to shadows, like Lycaon's, wasn't strictly defined by an attribute, but if someone asked if Lycaon relied entirely on brute strength, the answer would obviously be no.
What kind of attack methods a first-time monster possesses, and what properties those attacks have... fundamentally, observing those things is the absolute bare minimum requirement for top players referred to as "no-lifers" in this game.

And having fought numerous monsters alongside Psyger-100, a top-class no-lifer, Psyger-0 possessed that exact same observant eye.

As a brief aside, the certain Bird-Head currently swinging a tomahawk as a President possessed an even broader version of that observant eye.
Specifically, from a gaming perspective, he approached situations by referencing a massive stockpile of knowledge accumulated across various games: 'What will an enemy of this type use, and how will this attack pattern branch out?'
Furthermore, his ability to maneuver was exactly because he was so accustomed to sudden, drastic shifts in behavior caused by bugs.

"Kh! Diale-san, step away from the front of its mouth!!"

"A roar...!!"

Inhaling deeply, the tiger's chest expanded so much it seemed to push against its own ribs. A clear, distinct danger that couldn't possibly be dismissed as a simple roar. Had there been someone present with the Eye of True World Observation (Quantum Gaze), they would have been able to clearly see the tsunami-like effect radiating outward from the tiger's mouth.

"Grrrrrraaaaaaarrrrgh!!!"

A roar. The explosive 'sound' released vibrated the atmosphere, instantly heating everything in its direct path.
Simply put, a microwave emitted from its mouth. However, its actual effect was nothing short of brutal.

"Th-The trees burst!?"

"It's vibrating the water, just like a microwave...? If so, it would be extremely effective against the human body... No, that's wrong. That is exactly why I must step forward."

"Haa!?"

"It's fine, I have a chance of winning. Diale-san, please prepare your firepower while I draw its attention."

"Guh... N-Nunu, understood! But after making a bold claim like that, don't you dare explode in front of me, alright!?"

The gentle smile Psyger-0 flashed didn't reach Diale, as the Twin-Visage Armor was a full-body suit with absolutely zero exposed skin.
For that exact reason, against attacks that directly affected the human body, the armor's physical shape served as an effective countermeasure, entirely independent of its actual stats.

"...A microwave that heats the inside doesn't heat the outside."

In other words, it was entirely possible to defend against it using a physical barrier. Psyger-0 readied the pitch-black Greatsword of the God and Demons—which was as tall as she was—and stood directly in front of the tiger.

"It's a tiger hunt."

There is no foul play in the laws of the beast. The one who exposes their back or dies is the loser, and as long as they face each other head-on, the struggle will not end.
Because of that, the tiger... a wandering monster designated as Roa Tigant, adhered to the rules of nature and challenged the human before it to a contest of strength.

"Kh...!!"

The guard-type skill 'Protect Charge'—a shield-type skill, but once learned, it could be activated using the flat of a greatsword as a substitute shield. An advancing shield, a charge in every sense of the word, collided head-on with the massive frame of the Roa Tigant.

A deadlock. No, Psyger-0 was being pushed back slightly. Yet even so, she dug her heels in at the very edge, enduring the pressure.

"...!!"

To change the subject slightly, feline creatures possess incredibly flexible bodies, allowing them to execute agile movements. Because of that, their skin is naturally designed to stretch. What does that mean? It means that if it's the size of a compact car, you can physically grab its skin.

"...'Highest Strength'!!"

With a sharp yell of exertion, Psyger-0's physical strength spiked momentarily. The body of the Roa Tigant, which had been bearing down on her from above, was forcefully repelled, and seizing the opening without a moment's delay, her hand shot out and clamped around the tiger's throat.

"Saiga Style... Self-Defense!!"

Planting her hips firmly and establishing an unshakable foundation, she threw an opponent far larger than herself.
Unlike the bootleg 'Ooshike', which focused on instantly forming a throwing posture for a maximum-speed toss, this martial art prioritized a solid, guaranteed takedown.

As she watched the armored knight execute a perfect one-armed shoulder throw on a massive tiger, Diale, preparing her magic a short distance away, muttered softly to herself.

"Is she a monster...?"

She is a seventeen-year-old maiden whose beauty would put flowers to shame.

Author's Afterword
She'll probably start doing circular blocks and Sangan (Scattered Eyes) eventually.