Chapter 709: I Saw My Own Face in the Swaying Water's Surface

What is fishing.

According to my father, fishing is the most noble act in the world, an act of conversing with fish and the world through the water's surface. It sounds highly suspicious right from the start.

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

Splash, the water's surface sways.

A quick tug on the rod, but the resistance is light...... Tch, trash mob?

I throw the bluegill that bit the hook back into the river, bait the hook again, and cast the rod into the water.

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

According to my father, the water's surface while fishing is a mirror that reflects your emotions. By that logic, since this is a river, it only reflects a face with completely blurred outlines, but...... wait, maybe he's surprisingly not wrong right now.

Splash, the water's surface sways.

A quick tug on the rod, but the resistance is light...... Argh, trash mob?

I throw the bluegill that bit the hook back into the river, bait the hook a third time, and cast the rod into the water.

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

Why am I fishing?

I've been playing this fishing game for three days and three nights now. That bluegill just now was the two-thousandth one; hasn't the environment of the river around here been completely destroyed by now?

No, no, I know the reason. It's because, for instance, my hands started shaking when I carelessly checked that account, and because the shaking won't stop, I can't log into ShanFro.

In other words, right now, I am terrified.

"Me?"

The bluegills continuously being caught from this river hint at my current state. Bluegills are an invasive species; their explosive proliferation destroys the original ecosystem...... These bluegills are, in other words, "Fame." The three thousand bluegills of fame that flowed into the river known as "me" are throwing me into chaos.

Then why am I fishing? In river fishing mode, there are fish that can be caught at an extremely low probability. They are the ones that originally lived in the river...... In other words, what I originally possessed. Just what is a salmon, what is a sweetfish, to me?

"The heart that gets excited by a game......!"

Yes, that right there is my origin. My original, primitive emotion. A tug on the fishing rod—it's heavy!

Splash, splash! The water's surface violently kicks up spray. The faintly visible shadow is huge—it's definitely not a bluegill!!

It was entirely worth replaying this monster of a stupid game where you can catch a whale with a single fishing rod, "Fishing Festival Five"...... which, terrifyingly enough, has had releases all the way up to five despite turning into a complete trash game from 3 onwards! Father, right here, right now, I will settle my mentality!!

"Come forth, my SalmonExcitement───!"

・Black Bass

"FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISH!! (Kicks the black bass back into the river)"

Then I jumped into the river and swam around following my emotions, only to accidentally get bitten by a venomous snake swimming nearby, resulting in a Game Over. Hah???

Deep within my heart, Raging winds and crashing waves, Never to be calmed. (Death Poem).

---

◇

The First Star finally rested.

The Second Star obtained solace from its boredom.

The Third Star entrusted the future of shattering the "Calamity" of the Sixth Star to the brilliance of the people.

The Fourth Star obtained a fragment of the answer the moment the Mermaid of the Apocrypha fell.

Yes, it was not the moment the Canon, where world clashed against world, was cleared.

At the point when Mirei cleared the Apocrypha, the World Scenario was already progressing. Perhaps it was visible in the form of the Kingdom Turmoil, but there were also things progressing in unseen ways.

The world's progression is linked to the brilliance of the Seven Stars. Since it awaits the determined moment for the "Sixth Star"...... the Supreme Species capable of becoming the "Fifth Star" have been narrowed down to two entities.

It is not yet time for the Night of the Wolf, sleeping in the extreme north where no one has yet reached, to awaken. If so, what moves due to the "Empty-Shelled Maidens" joining hands with humanity is the inexhaustible serpent.

And above all...... the two "Genesis Kin" stepping onto the stage of the Kingdom Turmoil scenario. The world of Shangri-La Frontier is already in motion. Perhaps exactly as someone planned? Or perhaps not?

Even though there is no longer anyone anywhere who can declare that for certain.

---

【Wolfgang】

Pencil Knight King: Hey, hey, hey, hey, heeeey! Come on out already, Mr. Famous Streamer!!!

Pencil Knight King: Mr. Streamer who revealed his entire hand of tricks and leaked eighty percent of the Orchestra spoilers in a single niiiiight!!!

OiKatzo: She's baiting him so hard.

Psyger-0: Where can I watch that video?

Rust: I saw it because a mirror was uploaded, it was amazing.

Pencil Knight King: No, it was truly magnificent. Even though I hadn't heard a siiingle thing about it!

Pencil Knight King: Big sis is sad......

Rust: I don't care too much about the android, but I felt it wasn't bad.

Rust: Do you know the acquisition conditions?

Psyger-0: Where can I watch that video?

OiKatzo: Where is that katana from? A Unique?

Kyogoku: Ah, is this the mirror video?

Psyger-0: Kyogoku-san, where can I watch that video?

Kyogoku: You're being awfully aggressive about this, Zero-san.

Psyger-0: Never mind that, just tell me.

Rust: I'm actually more interested in the Conquista Doll's weapons.

Pencil Knight King: Everyone's points of focus are so different that the topic is a complete mess!!

OiKatzo: So, where is the guy in question?

Psyger-0: He said he's going to go face himself, apparently.

Pencil Knight King: That guy ran away to an offline game......

---

Author's Afterword

This novel is indeed Shangri-La Frontier (as per tradition).