Episode 15: Fun Times
――Around twenty minutes remained on the quest’s time limit.
The battle had reached a stalemate, and the battlefield shifted to an area with cliffs.
“So, that means a chance has arrived.”
“Because I sat on the bed, you get an unobstructed view of my legs?”
“That’s… not it, okay? I’m not looking, it’s about the game, okay?”
“…It’s a little hot.”
Ayano slightly hiked up her skirt.
Yuto, despite making a play mistake and reducing his health, said,
“Enhancements were also included in this update. My ‘Buster Lancer’ has become stronger!”
“Hee?”
Turning his back to Ayano, who was giggling,
“The previously existing altitude limit has been lifted, and I can now climb all the objects in the area! In other words—like this!”
Yuto faced the cliff and shot out a wire with a shwack, then ascended with a fwoosh of the booster.
Shwack! Fwoosh! Shwack! Fwoosh! He repeated, clinging to the top of the cliff.
“How’s that!”
“Yuto, how wonderful! Like a cicada stuck to a screen door!”
“Tsuku-tsuku-boshi!”
That’s not it! He retorted to himself, operating the camera with the right stick to capture the rampaging Dragonewt on the screen.
“The skill 《Assault Crash Fang》 is a falling technique unleashed from above. The higher the altitude of activation, the greater the attack power! Which means!?”
“If you fall from the highest altitude, the power will skyrocket!”
“Yes!”
“Then, wait…! I’ll shoot 《Paralysis Arrow》. One shot, two shots, three shots—okay, paralyzed!”
“Yesss!! Here I go… here I go—hyaaaah!!”
He boosted while wall-jumping.
Activating the skill, his character held a large lance as if thrusting it downwards.
Using the booster in combination, he fell at breakneck speed.
“Oraaaaaaaah!! ――――――――――h”
The end of Yuto’s roar weakened.
Immediately after, splat!! His character stuck to the ground like in a gag manga.
The green health gauge instantly turned red, completely depleted.
On Ayano’s game screen, “Player 2 Died: 2 Remaining. Respawn in 30 seconds” was displayed.
“——Eh?”
To her dumbfounded face,
“My aim went off, and I just died from a normal fall, ZE.”
“What are you doing…?”
“I was aiming for a head critical hit, but the target was too small, ZE.”
“What are you doing!”
“——I did it, ZE.”
“You’ve done it now!!”
“Kyaa!” Ayano screamed as she ran away from the rampaging Dragonewt, whose paralysis had worn off.
“Tehepero♪”
“Never mind that, just come back quickly, would you!?”
Because there was only one player left, Ayano was receiving concentrated attacks. From Yuto’s game console, she heard a familiar, unique sound effect.
Shick, shick, shick—shing!
“Are you sharpening your weapon!?”
“Well, you know, pencils and lances are better with sharp tips, right?”
“Just break! Break like a lead that snaps the moment you take it out of the sharpener because you sharpened it too much!”
Jalatcha♪ jalatcha♪ jalatcha, cha♪—jaan♪… Ohhh (disappointment).
“You didn’t fail at grilling meat, did you!!”
“I wonder what the trick to grilling it well is?”
“Press the button one tempo later than the last ‘Jaan♪’ and it’ll be just right, so try it later!”
“Eh—really? I wonder if there’s any meat left…”
“A, f,ter!! Seriously, just come quickly! Come quickly, Yuto! Come quickly!”
“——I’ll always be by your side, you know?”
“Damn it! That made my heart skip a beat a little… ——That’s not it, hurry up and come!”
“I know, I know. I’m almost there——look, I’m here!”
He rushed through the field with the ‘Buster Lancer’s’ mobility and finally rejoined her.
“Sorry to keep you waiting――――naaaaaaah!?”
“Player 2 Died: 1 Remaining. Respawn in 30 seconds”
“Don’t just run into the breath attack yourself!!”
From Ayano’s game console, a ping♪ team chat notification sound.
‘Tehepero(・ω<)’
“Never mind that!!”
“Ahahaha!”
“Don’t laugh!”
Just as the preparation for Yuto’s character’s final respawn was complete,
“Player 1 Died: 2 Remaining. Respawn in 30 seconds”
“I died too!?”
Yuto writhed in agony, clutching his stomach at the notification.
“Ayano, Ayano!”
“What is it!?”
“I’m having the most fun right now playing this game!”
“Me too!!”