Chapter 452: O Dragon, O Dragon! Part 29

Author's Preface

My pen is on fiiirrrreeeeee!!

"Man, I guess it really is because of the massive player population. Even though it's not the kind of thing you actively go around introducing yourself as, to think I'd run into another Saba-Gan player like this. That Vival guy was pretty much exactly the same as always, and you kept your name exactly the same too, didn't you? Fufu, I'm actually kinda happy."

Yashirobird... I mean, Atobird.
A nostalgic name; the very mastermind who turned the γ Server into an extremely nasty survival FPS.
The φ Server, where Survival—I mean, Vival—threw his weight around, was a gathering of idiots who tried to resolve absolutely everything through bare-handed brawls. But the server this guy was from was the exact opposite; a server that made the firearms issued to every player from the start the absolute main focus.
Because our server was populated entirely by assassins, players from other servers would actually come over as a test of courage; we gave them exactly what they wanted, though.

"Right now I'm affiliated with Team 10PM, but you belong to Wolfgang, don't you? We're allied. Regardless of what you're doing right now, how about we cooperate?"

Firearms in Survival Gunman, excluding the starting pistol, were items positioned as rare weapons.
The guys on the γ Server would frantically gather up whatever shotguns or whatever else rarely washed up and just start blasting... The ones who occasionally went on "expeditions" to other servers to procure gunpowder were almost always from the γ Server.

Even among them, Atobird stood head and shoulders above the rest; a guy who could snipe you through the gaps in the jungle foliage with a musket. Oh yeah, him and I definitely have history. I've had one of my eyes completely blown out by this guy, and I've also slit this guy's throat right open.

"I appreciate the support, but... are you sure you'll be okay? From the looks of it, you main the 'Bow', right?"

"Just so you know, using a bow as an emergency measure when you ran out of ammo was completely standard practice on the γ Server."

The fact that he's using the avatar of a slender young man hasn't changed from Sabagan to here, but I know full well that Atobird—I mean, Yashirobird's—actual battle style is an all-range type covering close, mid, and long distances.
In fact, even right now, having voluntarily abandoned the positional advantage of being on the ship, he's keeping the enemies at bay, accurately crushing the Small Dragons from a distance while dealing with the ones that get close with kicks.

"She is... well, obviously she's Saint-chan... ah, Saint-sama, right? Even just seeing someone like her walking around with only two people—and not even her Imperial Guards at that—is enough to tell me there's something going on. I'll help."

"I see. Well, meeting you here is some kind of fate, too. I'll send you an invite."

"I'll send over a friend request from my end while we're at it."

We send them to each other and accept the ones we receive. With this, the "Sword of the Saint" quest should be shared with Yashirobird now... probably?

"Saint-sama, though he is an outsider, this person is an old friend of mine. May we add him to our retinue?"

"Yes, I do not mind."

It's great that she's so open-minded. Retrieving Brunbas once again, the temporary Saint-chan Imperial Guard, now with one extra member, pushes forward toward the battlefield where black and gold are clashing.

"I'm pretty curious about that thing that lets you store a ridiculously massive ship, but personally, I'm extremely interested in 'that' which was mounted on the ship... Let me shoot it if we get the chance."

"That chance might come surprisingly soon."

"That's wonderful to hear. No, more importantly! Judging by that powered suit over there... Don't tell me, does she have it?"

"Fufufu... Saina, show him Sagittarius."

"Understood (Fine by me): Deploying."

"Oooooh...! Excellent, this is amazing...! I knew it existed, but seeing it really gets the blood pumping...!!"

I get it, Saina, to say it's creepy is an understatement. But this guy is a hardcore "gun nut" to the bone. Someone who absolutely loves both looking at them and shooting them... yeah.
The way he's staring so intensely at the long gun [Sagittarius] that it looks like he's about to start licking it or rubbing his cheeks against it is making even Saina take a step back, but from his perspective, the situation of "knowing guns exist but being unable to obtain one" must have been a considerable amount of stress.

"It really is tied to the Divine Age, isn't it? Even if I draw up elaborate blueprints and hand them to a blacksmith over here, they just stubbornly repeat 'I can't make something like this', so I figured there was a system lock on it. But I think there was a hidden job related to blacksmithing called 'Ancient Craftsman', right? I wonder if it's related to that. You know, sometimes Divine Age weapons get excavated looking like fossils, right? I've been infinitely hoarding ones whose shapes are clearly shotguns, but I wonder if it's the kind of thing where you can actually repair them."

"You talk way faster the second the topic switches to Sabagan and guns, huh."

"Hahaha, it's the game I dedicated my youth to and my life's work, after all."

Survival was pretty out there too, but this guy is also quite something... Well, it feels like catching up with an old friend, so it's not a bad feeling.

"By the way, how far are we taking her?"

"Over there."

"Seriously...? Ah, more importantly, can I point something out?"

"Go ahead."

"...There's a knight running up from behind us with absolutely incredible momentum."

.........If I get caught, am I going to be murdered?

"Sa-Saina! Scoop up Saint-chan! We're running for it!!"

Hiee! Didn't her speed just go up as she's heading this way?! Don't tell me, seeing Saint-chan getting carried like a princess... Dammit all! That trigger is way too much of a landmine, is she a boss monster or something?!

"Sai—... -nt-sama!? I'm asking pretty desperately for you to explain the situation over here, okay!!?"

"Ufufufufu, my heart is pounding for some reason."

"Wait, you didn't get permission?! Sunraku, that's amazing... Even I know that scribbling graffiti on a dragon's reverse scale wouldn't end up like this."

"The reverse scale ran away from home on her own accord, so it can't be helped!!"

Why is she so damn fast?! Wait, stop, can I please just use Critical Speed!!

……

…

…

……

"Then, I shall execute you."

"Defense Attorney (Saint-chan)!!"

Because I'm being stomped down face-first into the ground, I don't even know how I'm about to get killed! The head? Is she aiming for my head?!

"Wait, Josette. I wrote it in the letter I left behind, didn't I? Because this is my own evil scheme."

"Saint-sama, this is a separate matter from that."

"Oh my, then I suppose there is nothing I can do?"

"No, wait! I bet it's something stupid like 'There was a man within a two-meter radius of Saint-chan, therefore death penalty'!"

"It's a ten-meter radius."

"The dead zone is way too huge!!"

"Wait, does that mean I'm a target for execution too? This is bad, is there any chance for a pardon?"

Nooo! I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die!!

"...It was a joke. Obviously, I wouldn't shoulder an idiotic red name penalty right in front of Saint-sama."

"Does that mean if we weren't in front of Saint-cha—sama, it would've been a non-stop execution?"

"Depends on the situation."

"So it depends."

Since I've been released for now, I stand up... wait, a tower shield? You were planning to kill me with a blunt instrument?

"Josette, where are the others?"

"They are doing various things, such as searching other areas. It was likely pure coincidence that I found you."

I'd love to press her on the fact that I almost got murdered by pure coincidence, but being able to swallow that down is what makes someone top-tier.

"However, Saint-sama, if you had simply given the order, there would have been no need for you to personally come out here..."

"Fufufu, but if I did that, surely one of you would have tried to remain by my side, no?"

"Mu........."

"Besides......... The Golden One, the Dragon King who has reigned since the Divine Age... I wanted to try speaking with him a little."

Ah, that guy is surprisingly capable of holding a proper conversation. I never expected to be scolded with common sense about leaving my undergarments exposed, though.

"So? What are you gonna do?"

The answer came in the form of the party invite I had sent being returned to me. An Attacker, a Tank, and Long-Range Support... This temporary party is actually starting to take some pretty solid shape.

"I will do it. I shall prove that the title of Defense Holder is not just for show."

Psyger-100's real personality seems a bit... well... but this is pure roleplay, huh. Having just seen a roleplayer whose mask was way too fragile a little while ago, she really looks the part...

Author's Afterword
Atobird-san is now Yashirobird, and he actually gets asked for career transition advice from a few people in Team 10PM.