ShangriLa Frontier ~ Shitty Games Hunter Challenges Godly Game ~

The meat is continued to be roasted.

「No, really. The number of registered users is over half a million during the first night of the same day that you started streaming…… I envy you, I really do. That’s basically every streamer’s dream out there.」

「But we must hand it to the guy, the quality of the stream was top notch, without a shadow of a doubt. Indeed, there are times when playing VRMMOs can net you that sweet status of an online celebrity just like that.」

It was the middle of the day, and two men were currently sitting in a high-class yakiniku restaurant, grilling their meat with enthusiasm.

「It would not at all be that good of a harvest if it turned out that you can do stuff like that even with a full spec product like ShangriLa Frontier, it would certainly mean a tremendous image blow…… Oh, you should definitely try these, Reisei.」

「That the meat that I ordered for myself specifically…… Are you trying to start a war over a piece of meat?」

「That’s not entirely right, but that’s also not entirely wrong, you know?」

The man who chewed on a hot special rib while receiving a chilly gaze from the other man called Reisei pointed his chopsticks at him.

「So? What do you think about it? From a manager’s perspective, I mean?」

「Those are some seriously bad table manners, Tsumabuki Satoshi…… But let’s see……」

The man called Reisei thinks for a while while playing with his tongs before grabbing the roasted meat from the chopsticks that were still stuck in the air. Then he lightly sprinkled lemon juice on the roasted beef tongue, put it in his mouth, and swallowed it in a flash……

「There is a chance that we can take advantage of this……」

Hearing that, the other man nodded his head in affirmation.

「Oh, I can see that you are as reliable as always, huh?」

「……Even a complete amateur can understand that much if they play a game to some extent. Such an unreasonable movement is not that of “universal” means, and a sharp build is always going to have some drawback somewhere.」

「But I guess that in the case of the rumored UMA, it’s even easier to understand, huh?」

「Well, I guess that you can say that. But I wonder what stat is he cutting corners on? Maybe VIT? Yes, that’s right…… Which means that if you can hit him hard enough even once, you can most certainly win against him.」

「…… Even against someone like that?」

Saying that, both of them had a clear memory flash inside of their minds. It was still clear and vivid, even though it was already noon and that event took place some time ago. It was a video about a channel that made a big leap forward when it comes to streaming, making you want to say “Is something like that even possible?”

Although there was no archive left of it, there are already a lot of mirror videos on the Internet, and after they have both witnessed the videos, this particular stream was a visualization of a certain “extreme” in the game of Shangri-La Frontier.

「…… There might be a certain project that we are currently working on.」

「If there really was, then I don’t think that you would be talking about it so openly to me.」

「Yeah, and what about you? Don’t you have a warrior player on your end as well?」

「Hmm, it smells really fishy in here all of a sudden, you know? Like a corporate spy, wouldn’t you agree? …… Oh well, whatever happens happen, I guess? So there’s no use sweating over small details. I like to think that way. The rest depends on the result of the dating sim.」

「…… I don’t believe that this part has been explained up until now. That being said, Tsumabuki Satoshi, what about drinks?」

「Oolong Tea for me.」

「Can I ask for some shochu, then?」

「You said that you still have something to do after this, right? So, is it really okay for you to be drinking alcohol?」

「…… And you had to go and say it! Whatever, I’m always better having a drink or two than having none!」

「I wouldn’t know, since I have always had a weak head when it comes to alcohol.」

For a while none of the men spoke a word. And the lunch period for the two of them would be over in just a couple of minutes, just like that. The two men who left the store after paying with their cards had decided to continue the conversation in the elevator to the apartment they rented just for the sake of their “work”.

「The way things are developing here, it surely feels like the time of the decisive battle might actually come around Christmas, if not even sooner. So in retrospect we don’t have that much time now, do we?」

「So? “What happened to the project?」

「We are bound to receive more next year, but for the time being we have only one copy to spare. And since I have already recorded it, so I will edit it and have it shipped over to you as soon as possible, Reisei.」

「That would be a huge help, thanks.」

「You know, I should have ordered those jar ribs as well while I had a chance.」

「……………」

Tsumabuki Satoshi, who was glaring at the man who was asking for Wagyu beef with his eyes squinted as if it was the most natural thing in the world to order, was looking at Reisei, but he looked away as if he suddenly remembered something important.

「Oh, that’s right. It’s about time you give it a rest and start explaining some things. Why are you pushing the notion of the New King to stay at power so much? As a result of that, the composition was good, but when I first heard it, it was nothing more but a jumbled mess? If you tell me, I will buy you some jarred ribs next time we go out eating.」

「…… I can’t put it on stream that easily, because it’s a personal reason for me.」

「Huh? Seriously? Is that a grudge that I am sensing?」

The elevator finally arrived at the top floor and opened the door. Garunose Reizumi left the elevator without saying a single word to Tsumabuki Satoshi, his face bearing emotions that were quite difficult to describe.

「I found a piece of cheek meet that I don’t really like. Three minutes and more and it’s still not finished. If you don’t like it, then don’t eat it.」

「Oh no, I’m so scared. Just whatever someone had done in order to cause such a strong grudge to be placed upon them?」