ShangriLa Frontier ~ Shitty Games Hunter Challenges Godly Game ~

Chapter 201: Reaching for the Heavens Part 7 Part 2

I mean sure, I can brag about how I managed to clear a whole Unique Scenario EX in ShanFro with only three people, but I cannot say that the team composition of that time was anything ordinary and normal. Quite the opposite, it was nothing else but deranged.

There is only so much that our guild can do on our own, and it is only thanks to careful planning and strategizing. But that is only when quality is taken into consideration. If we were to participate in battles that involve sheer numbers of people, we would not be able to hold our ground not even for a moment.

So what is the right answer here? Should I really be okay to say that every player character in this party has already joined our guild, but Rei was the only exception?

No, but still, is there really a reason to keep that knowledge away from her? Umu…… Sh*t, no matter how many times I think about it, I always seem to arrive at the exact same conclusion. I wish Pencilgton was here, this sort of situation is something right up her alley!

「Well, since we are freshly formed guild, I guess that there are still some places that are open. I mean, it’s not like people are dying to join our ranks or anything like that……」

「Is, is that so……!」

「…… Umm, but why would want to know about something like that in the first place?」

Oh, it’s here! It’s finally here! Now I have gone and done it!

One of the greatest taboos of video gaming. Asking your enemy or rival for an answer to a mystery that you were supposed to figure out entirely on your own. In general it is something which can result in annoyance, reversing the bonds you’ve managed to forge with that person and in some cases even death resulting the other party feeling tremendously offended.

However, this is the interpersonal matter here! I can always lie my way out of this by just saying that I was curious why would she even ask about it in the first place! It is perfectly normal question! Nothing weird about it! Even someone like me can easily do it! And I don’t want to be rude here or anything, but Rei surely looks like someone who would be easily convinced by an explanation like that. Even more since her communication skills seems to be somewhat lacking.

「Eh, why, you ask? Umm…… Why…… Umm, you see, that’s because…… This is, I mean, actually……」

Actually?

Rei’s avatar is currently dressed in a full set of armor resembling that of an Oni. I cannot actually see her expression thanks to the mask in shape of the angry demon’s face, and I cannot understand the motives behind her silence right now.

This time around, the silence was as long as twenty three seconds. Twenty three seconds of an awkward silence. It was only after those twenty three seconds that Rei finally spoke up.

「…… No, thinking about it, it may be better to wait with that conversation until we manage to return to the surface.」

「I…… I see.」

NUUUUUUOOOOOOHHHHHH!! NOW YOU’VE GOT ME ALL WORRIED!!!

Why would you phrase that sentence like that, Rei!? Now I’m worried about that conversation even more! See, I’m worried! I’m worried quite a lot!

Sh*t, I should have expected something like that coming from the dreaded Saiga-0! I did not expect to be in need of this so early on, but…… This is the battlefield known as ShangriLa Frontier! I cannot allow myself to hold back any longer! Time for gulping down some energy drinks!

「I just remembered that I need to take care of some urgent business! I’ll be going really quick! Good night!」

「Ehh, hee!? T-Take care!?」

LOG OUT!!!

「Sh*t…… Is she some sort of pervert who takes pleasure in frustrating others!?」

Or maybe I’m reading too much into this. Maybe Rei simply wanted to talk about that matter once we are all over this quest, so that we could talk with nothing standing in our way as distraction. Energy drink, where is my energy drink…… Oh, there it is.

Even when the whole in-game world is falling apart and you act like a total scumbag, it is always possible to just shrug your shoulders at all of your problems and sum it all up as a simple “Why should I care?” It’s only because in-game events have no real impact on us that we can afford to roleplay like that.

However, when it comes to ShanFro…… No, when it comes to all games when you play as the sort of your own alter ego, what happens in game cannot be simply shrugged off or taken lightly. It is not someone else’s problem, but entirely your own. While thinking that I open the can and chug down on its contents…… Wait a second, what is this taste? It does not taste like anything like I have ever drunk before. What is this energy drink, even? I gulped it all down without really taking a look, but……

RIOT BLOOD REVOLVING LANTERN

「…… Ah.」

I could feel that right about now the expression on my face must have been as goofy as the one drawn on the pumpkin head on the energy drink’s can. I just stand there for a single moment, and a drop of bright liquid drips from the corner of my mouth in a single thread.

I drank it…… I wanted to make all the necessary preparations, see how far I can push myself without it help, but it was already too late. The caffeine was already starting to course through my body. …… Oh wow! This thing has way more kick to it than anything else that I have ever tried before! Amazing! But! Surely it is not something that can be considered good for your health! Ahahaha!

LOG IN!!!

「Ah, welcome back……」

「Alright, break time’s over, kids! Let’s go to the throne room, the throne room! It’s raid time, time for a raid! Even though I have no idea what’s that supposed to mean! Ahahahaha!」

「Eh, wait a moment, I thought that we had five more minutes!? What happened to you, Hizu…… I mean, Sanraku-san!?」

No matter how long it takes for the effects to finally kick in, you can be damn sure that once the do kick in, they will do so with full throttle! So let’s fucking go! Let’s do this thing! No need to worry about consequences!

The sky looks so pretty! And look! Up is down! Up above I can see the ground! Ahahaha!

You see, here’s a good example. Let’s say that human body has a switch on it. Right about now I feel like I was flipping that switch on and off over and over again, which finally resulted in short circuit. But if I were like that at that time, sure I would have won against Silvia Goldberg no problem!

But somehow I get the feeling that the way in which this thing works is a little bit different from all the others. Think of it like an industrial pipe that sends away waste. If normally it would be a constant, steady flow, than right about now what I was feeling was an accelerated pressurized stream.

No, could it all be because I happened to take Riot Blood Rotating Lantern right after sipping on Undead? Well, there were no warning signs that would prevent you from mixing two energy drinks in one day, and surely I would not die as a result, right? Right?

And since the effect is supposed to be really short on this one, we really need to solve this mystery quickly and go beat the crap out of Kutanid before the effects start to wear off.

Anyway, there’s a lesson in this for me! Even when it will be officially released, Revolving Lantern is not something that should be injested carelessly! You need to consider both time and place for this thing!