ShangriLa Frontier ~ Shitty Games Hunter Challenges Godly Game ~

(I never would have expected for the Heroic Weapons or someone who knows about them to make an appearance quite like this. It would be best for me to get to know those people some more, establish a whole lot closer relationship with that group.)

「…… Umm, can I have a moment of your time?」

「Yes, what is it? What can I do for you?」

At that moment, when Natsu-san was thinking about the members of her current party, she could feel someone placing their hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she could see that this person was in fact Saiga-0-san. And thinking about it now, seeing her from this close, she seemed to be way cuter than Natsu-san would have expected.

「Umm, you see…… I don’t think that we should leave him on his own like that……」

「Hmm, is that so? The way I see it, that person seems to be accustomed to that kind of thing, and even if we were to leave him behind, he can most probably catch up to us rather easily, don’t you ––––––」

「It’s not that. That’s not the problem that I am talking about here.」

The expression on Siaga-0’s face was calm and smooth like the surface of the frozen lake, no one would be able to get a read on what she was currently thinking like that. But putting that notion aside, she looked as though she wanted to say something to her really bad.

The facial expression of a female demon warrior who was also holding the title of Strongest Firepower. The Player who had an interesting track record when it comes to her guild affiliation. She used to be one of the top brass of the strongest Guild out there, but then again after some events she made a transfer to one of the newly established guilds. One could only guess what kind of thoughts were currently going on through that head of hers, hidden behind the mask fashioned after a face of a demon.

However, the hand that was touching her shoulder, while feeling horribly soft, also had some sort of terrible eeriness to it.

「I don’t think that it’s good to try and use others for the sake of one’s own selfish benefits. Don’t you agree……?」

「……… I don’t actually intend to use anyone here, but it guess that words alone might not be enough to convince you, am I right? But wait, are you sure that you don’t want to say the same thing to Imron-chan as well?」

「Oh, don’t need to bother yourself with honorifics and all that boring stuff. Also, don’t to worry about me at all. I don’t usually like to get involved with people all that much, so……」

「A-Ah? I-Is that so?」

That’s why they decided to wait until Sanraku would be able to finally make himself free of the Dwarves’ company, which ultimately took him about fifteen minutes more or less. And while they turned around towards the direction which he was supposed to be coming from, they have all saw Sanraku catching up fast, making a mad dash across the ceiling. With the party now being whole once again, they resumed their original goal of finding the Leader of all the Dwarves that were living in this place.

* * *

In the first place, there are two major reasons as to why we need to meet with the Leader of the Miner Dwarves.

One reason is to get the “golden magma” related to the creation of the Heroic Weapons, so I know that the king of the Miner Dwarves is bound to have some information on that subject. After all, Break is the one who told me that, and I am more than certain that her information are true and that she wouldn’t give me a false trail to follow.

And the other is because of Ladder-san. Apparently she had some urgent business with the Miner Dwarves as well. Ladder-san is supposed to create a Unique Scenario which is an excuse to fight the Red Dragon Red Howl, since it is called “Meeting the People of the Red Dragon”. That’s what her original purpose was supposed to be. It would seem that since they share the same area in which they live, the Miner Dwarves are regarded as the servants of the Red Dragon by other races, and it would seem that even after the Red Dragon’s death that assumption was here to stay.

And because they were persecuted by Red Dragon Red Howl for sole reason of being “ugly”, they wanted it out of the picture. But because they were living so close to it, no one would believe and help them. Well…… It would seem that this overgrown water strider was a true pain in the ass while it was still alive, so it’s actually a good thing that it was taken care of.

So now everything should be returning to normal since the Red Dragon is dead. And no one is going to be persecuted or will have to die to make that dream a reality. And even if it was about to be revived, the Players will be ready for it, with their weapons and skills and everything like that, so they will make a quick work of it before it even manages to realize what is actually happening.

「Is it here? Is this the place?」

「I would assume so. Because it’s in the center of the city, and it looks to be the biggest building out here. So it goes to reason that someone important lives in here.」

It really is one hell of a strange city. We were told that there are important facilities near the outer edge and the end of the city, not in the center of it, as you would normally assume. The map of this place is more like Japan in the Heian period used to be rather than any Western fantasy setting. Or it was maybe something more similar to a vertically scrolling RPG? Or rather rail shooter? It was honestly hard for us to tell.

Apparently the Leader we were going to meet was a pretty level-headed Miner Dwarf, one that did not allow his feeling to take over and join in on the frenzied crowd. The entrance to a strange building in the middle of the city, its gates were now wide open. Apparently it means that we could go in without much of a problem.

…… I have honesty thought that it was a bad thing because I had Aradval Rebuild on me earlier. But right about now, in fact? I think that it might have been the exact opposite of a bad thing.

「Since we have both Imron and Natsu-san with us like that, I guess that it is safe to assume that we get to pass without a problem?」

And because they all have golden weapons at their waists or resting at their backs…… I do believe that there is someone out there alright who can get us the information about it. And I get a feeling that this information is going to be precisely the thing that we are in need of here.

The place that we are currently at looks surprisingly similar to an ancient temple…… And right now, passing through the temple’s gate, our party moves on towards our goal.