Chapter 478: The Whale That Swallows Heaven and Earth

Author's Preface

There's a mountain of things I want to write and things I have to write, like what happened with the Tome of Truth, the BBS, and Broccoli—I mean, Brottori-kun—but it somehow became a huge hassle so I'll just start Chapter Seven! That's the judgment of my Super Intelligence brain.

Like, once it's finished, I'll add it to the "Interlude: Colorful World" sort of thing...

"............Fugah."

I had a nostalgic dream; the clash between the γ server and the μ server... Who won? The correct answer is: "Both were crushed by a giant armadillo that charged in from the side."

"Ugh, my head hurts..."

Pulling an all-nighter is an everyday occurrence, but the pattern this time around is exceptionally rare... Even an hour-long nap didn't ease the symptoms; this is definitely the kind of situation where I need to seriously crash for about seven hours straight, but unfortunately, yours truly is currently in his lush, green springtime of his youth.

Honestly, I want to skip school, I really want to skip school. But assuming I poorly fake an illness here. If my parents find out why I'm feeling sick......... worst-case scenario, the VR system vanishes from my room and hits the second-hand market.

Well, that's just the absolute worst-case scenario, but... I absolutely do not want to roll a random number where I die 10% of the time. Do you realize that's mathematically equal to an attack with a 90% hit rate missing? It's just my personal opinion, but I feel like RNG with an 85% to 90% success rate has a hidden -30% modifier applied to its actual value. Basically, it's trash.

"Morning, Mom."

"Good morning Rakuro, did you pull an all-nighter? I'm toasting breakfast in the toaster right now~."

A toaster? Did we even have one of those... Ah, did we buy one? But this is weird, it smells awfully fishy for baking Wheat (Bread)...

Ding! (A slice of bread and an Atka mackerel forcefully pop out)

"Your father bought it, it's a fish-compatible toaster. This thing can even grill saury, you know."

"???, ?????"

Wait just a second, please spare my brain cells from such a heavy load first thing in the morning today of all days.
Bread and Atka mackerel? Mackerel Bread? Eh, are you sandwiching an opened fish with bread? Chopsticks? The bread? With chopsticks?

"Ogogogogogo......"

"We ran completely out of rice. Well then, Mom has a lot to prepare for the winter, so..."

My mother, currently feverishly obsessed with Caucasus beetle larvae, is the person consuming the most electricity in our household... the second highest is probably me, though.

......

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

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

"Saiga-san, as expected, the recoil from yesterday..."

"Today... I'll probably... doze off............"

"Saiga-san? Saiga-saaan!?"

Incidentally, because we both came to school together sleep-deprived, we got caught again. I haven't done anything wrong!
Also, as one would expect, it was discovered on our way home that both of us had completely dozed off during class.

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

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

......

Let's see, input the phone number...

『───Hello?』

"Is it true that Katzo-kun has a third hole that shouldn't biologically exist?"

『Could you please stop with the dirty jokes that gouge out my soul?』

The Uomi-Bottom thread is a demon's den where even I, who had gained resistance thanks to that idiot Deep Slaughter, cannot escape unscathed; any thread past 2 AM gets 60% stickier... with pure desire.

『Well whatever, about that event, the schedule was officially finalized, right?』

"I politely received an email from your pro gaming team."

『It's a user-friendly design with a map included.』

I looked it up and it's a TV station, but what exactly are you planning to do with me? Hm? Sing and dance? Or do you just want me to play a game?

"More importantly, what exactly are we doing?"

『Eh? Ah... what was it again, I didn't hear the exact details either, but it's confirmed that we'll be playing a game. There won't be any 'unmasking the rumored masked man' kind of stuff.』

"...? Is that so."

Setting aside a guy like me, I tilted my head wondering if it was really possible for a confirmed performer to not know the contents of the show, but remembering what I heard before about it being a program hosted by that idol who did the commentary during the GGC, I convinced myself that it must be some kind of surprise.

"A surprise kind of thing?"

『Yeah, ah, right, more like a 'you won't know what you're playing until the day of' kind of surprise.』

"I see. So, where exactly am I supposed to go?"

『Like I said, the TV YouGotta... ah, sorry sorry! Actually, nevermind, regardless of which studio it is, you just have to show the code sent to your mobile terminal at the entrance of whichever studio it is, and a navigation prompt will pop up.』

"Hmm..."

Well, I've got about a week, so if I'm gonna do it I might as well study a little...

『Oh right, speaking of which, where the hell did you vanish to after summoning that massive ship? Don't tell me you're already inside the ship...』

"The number you have dialed is currently experiencing a unique event......... you jelly?"

『Drop dead.』

"Since I can't leave, clearing the dungeon has become mandatory, after all..."

◆ 

"Yo Araba, you caught up?"

"Mu......... oh, you have awakened, my friend. Because that Whale Maiden assured us of our safety, I too took the opportunity to sleep."

Is that so.

"Also, my name is no longer Araba."

"Huh?"

"According to the ancient customs of the Fish-folk (Merman), those who have laid eyes upon the Great Divine Beast that rules the oceans must append 'Le' to the beginning of their names. In other words..."

"Le Araba huh... kinda hard to say, L'Araba, Laraba, can I just call you Lalaba?"

"Do not twist our customs in literally two seconds!!"

Even if you say that, isn't that basically a title of respect, like "Lord So-and-So" or "Saint Whatever"? If that's the case, then I'm Le Sunraku too.

"Abbreviation, nickname, whatever it is I'm just gonna keep calling you Araba."

"Nuguu..."

"More importantly, haven't you heard from Isana? If we don't break through this labyrinth she painstakingly built over thousands of years—even if it's only the First Shell Layer—we can't even go home. Right, Isana?"

『Promptly arriving when called, it's "Isana"-chan! As long as we are within the Leviathan, I shall provide communication with less than a 0.5-second delay!!』

"Ohh, the Whale Maiden!"

"Mumumu."

Nereid's making a really sour face; even if it's the AI of a Divine Beast worshiped by the Mermen—meaning the one who controls the Divine Beast, essentially a god-like existence—you really ought to consider the affection rating of the characters right next to you. Actually, just explode, you bastard.

"I obviously won't ask for spoilers, but I have a question: what happens if a Number One dies here?"

『Wonderful, to think you already know that much... I shall answer: they die. The Regeneration (Respawn) system was strictly implemented only for Project Number Two. If it's from the First Shell Layer up to the Third Shell Layer, I can disclose information regarding the appearing enemies; what will you do?』

"Please do."

Heh, it even displays the recommended level; how user-friendly. Level 30 means... hmm, isn't the difficulty kind of low for a dungeon you challenge on the New Continent?

"No, I guess I should consider this a tutorial..."

"Sunraku, to think you haven't lost your usual composure even amidst this supernatural experience, how should I put it... amazing."

Yeah, I'm the guy who picked a fight with a ridiculously strong dragon just half a day ago. Ah, speaking of which, I think there were two rewards for breaking its horns. Something called the "Lingering Shadow of the Spirit Horn"... it's an accessory, so maybe I should try equipping it.

"........."

".........Eh, what do I look like right now?"

『I can confirm an immaterial visual anomaly; simply put... You have sprouted horns.』

Seriously? Even though I've got a salmon head right now, I grew horns?

"The specific effect is... heh, it grants a special buff to equipment..."

Normally it's supposedly one accessory per weapon, but... fufun, well you see, I completely snapped off two horns! I can totally buff up my dual-wielding style!!

"Alright Araba, let's clear this real quick and go home."

"Mu, like I said, it is Le Araba..."

『Eh, it is perfectly fine to relax a little longer, you know?』

Sorry Isana, no matter how well-equipped the facilities are, I'm the type of guy who just can't calm down unless I'm at my own house. In that regard, you could say that since I log in from my house I'm constantly in a relaxed state, but I've got Emul and Saina waiting outside too, so───

"Transfer Complete: Contractor (Master), you are looking lively as expected."

"Gyaaaah!!?"

You scared the shit out of me! Where the hell did you come from!?

"Supplementary Explanation (Let me explain!): Conquista Doll units are capable of intercontinental frame transfer if a high-output communication reinforcement facility is available. Furthermore, this unit (I) has registered the authentication code as the Contractor's property. Therefore, transfer to the Leviathan currently operating in Legacy Mode is possible. Truly an Intelligence backdoor trick...!!"

『Affirmative, I have already confirmed the Contract (Link) between the Elma-type Unit 317 and the Pioneer Sunraku. When it comes to Conquista Dolls, Behemoth is the primary hub, but... yes, to think you came to this Leviathan before visiting that stiff 'Ivory'! Please leave it to me!! I, 'Isana', will now operate the arsenal in a limited capacity and begin creating content exclusively for Conquista Dolls!』

If I'm not imagining things, I feel like this AI just said she's going to create brand new rewards right this second............ No, I really doubt it, but are the AI characters in the ShanFro world basically just full of idiots...

"No, surely that's..."

"Contractor (Master), symptoms of Intelligence deficiency are visible. Should you not undergo rehabilitation?"

Maybe it really is just full of idiots.

Author's Afterword
What's that? You're saying there's no point in inserting a mere few lines of the heroine-chan's description?

Many a mickle makes a muckle; endlessly flaunting that "aren't those two dating?" vibe to everyone around them serves as foreshadowing. History proves that suspicion and anxiety drive people mad, after all...