ShangriLa Frontier ~ Shitty Games Hunter Challenges Godly Game ~

「Okay, well, I guess that you have the point here, but for the time being it would be kinda problematic for me to get rid of this thing…… So how about we change the subject for the time being?]

「Umm, then…… What is it that you’ve come here for?]

「Hmm, I guess I can tell you in a straightforward way. Simply put, let’s take some revenge!]

Sanraku said those words to Shuu while looking at him while wearing a strange bird-head mask with many eyes on it, a really strange, or rather unique piece of equipment. But revenge…… on whom, exactly? But he did not wanted to ask that question. So while he was at a loss for words, the silence in the room continued. But then he understood.

「…… While I’m glad that you want to invite me to take part in something like that…… I’m afraid that I’ll have to decline. I’m fine, really.]

「Haah…… So I guess I really need to use some psychology here, huh?]

「Huh?]

All of a sudden, the conversation turned somewhere pretty much unexpected. Sanraku continued his words to Shuu, who looked at him with suspicion because he couldn’t grasp the intention of the topic shift like that. But he couldn’t simply refuse just like that.

「Anyways, that’s probably about that, right? Sure, getting revenge on Goldunine won’t bring you more confidence or heal the legs of your “Lady”, and it will certainly won’t bring her snake companion back to life. And knowing all that painfully well is more than enough to cause some further psychological damage. So when the storm is coming, it’s better to curl up and wait for it to pass by, is that it? …… Or at least something like that.]

「…… This is,]

It was actually a one hundred percent correct answer. Yes, a bull’s eye. Because of that Shuu just continued to stare at Sanraku with a look that was a mixture of both confusion and astonishment. It was honestly kind of creepy and scary just how on point he seemed to be with his answer.

「It’s really amazing, this thing…… This psychology of yours could very well work as a therapy. Are you a professional of some sort?]

「No, nothing like that. It was only a hunch on my end.]

Right about now Shuu felt something completely different in his chest from the emptiness that was there before Sanraku came to visit. But then the half-naked bird-head continued talking, as if he was not yet finished, as if he possessed some sort of mind-reading powers.

「Listen here, Tarzan, and listen well. When it comes down to revenge, this is the best kind of mental therapy there is. The moral authorities of this world and the like might say that revenge doesn’t give you anything and doesn’t help with anything, but that’s not the case. There can’t be a world without the concept of revenge in it. It is the absolute truth.]

He then let out a short snicker, and the he just continued to speak, and the words that were seemingly coming out from the inside of his beak were penetrating Shuu’s heart deeply, illuminating the darkness inside of it like bright flames.

「Revenge is something that we humans do in order to make the minus inside of ourselves to become zero once more. And if you won’t do this, this debt inside of your heart is only going to grow more and more…… Now, let’s assume the following scenario, Shuu-san: let’s say that Goldunine the Inexhaustible is killed without you actually being a part of that process. It won’t get you any sense of accomplishment in your heart, all that remains is going to be the bitterness of being defeated…… and a legless Lady.]

Those were the taboo words.

The tiny flame inside of Shuu’s chest that was doing everything it could in order to regain its momentum was then swallowed up by another kind of bright flame and started to burn bright. He then wanted for that flame of passion to swallow him whole and he was just about to open up his mouth and let out a might scream……

「If you want her legs to be as they used to…… Then there is only one thing that you need to do here.]

In the first place, a man who is so good at riling other up to action…… That is, a man who is so good at shaking the emotions of other people, there was no way that he was not aware of the reaction this caused in Shuu.

「…… The hell, did you just say?]

The flames of anger in his heart disappeared rapidly. However, the burning emotions, albeit completely different from those of anger and rage, were still there, completely directing the words and actions of the young Player.

The tongue of a man who has had a conversation battles with people who have charisma that attracts people’s hearts, though of different types, also has the power to move the hearts of others. A powerful word that blasts others away, but not deceives or incites negative emotions.

「I must say, the Saint-chan really is great. Her prayers can basically make any kind of impossibility possible. And her gaze can even observe events that are yet to happen in the present time…… Oh yeah, that’s right. It seems that causing a miracle to make someone’s lost limb or two to grow back is a piece of cake for her. Or at least so I heard?]

「This is…… So, this means, that……]

「Whoa there, but I guess that the services of the Saint-chan are not so free of charge after all. But for the right price, I guess that she wouldn’t mind curing even someone who is technically a “Goldunine”……]

Hearing Sanraku’s words just now, Shuu rose his head and looked at him, his eyes shining bright and the colors getting back to his face.

At the same time the bird’s eyes were also shining out of the blue, as if they were trying to say: “It’s getting more and more interesting!” but Shu was no longer even able to realize that fact.

「It’s all going to come down on December 24th! Back in the real world this is going to be Christmas of course, but in ShangriLa Frontier this is going to be an event day! It’s the day when Goldunine the Inexhaustible is going to try and assault the frontline base once more! Those are the words of the Saint-chan, and I think that we can consider this prediction to be pretty accurate.]

「Huh!!??]

「Shhu, if you really want to regain the legs of that “Lady” of yours, I would sincerely give up on the idea of waiting for Santa Claus to come to you in the middle of the night! But that’s all I have to say! The condition of getting the little brat the treatment she needs is for you to play a remarkable role in the battle against Goldunine the Inexhaustible. What are you going to do now? Withdraw without even trying? Or maybe trying your luck and……]

He already said everything that he wanted to say. And Shuu’s answer has already been decided.

「…… I guess that right about now I have many things I would like to say. But for now…… Thank you…… Sanraku-san. It may be ridiculous to be so enthusiastic about NPCs, but…… Right now I am really grateful to you! You’re a lifesaver!]

Sanraku holds his fist towards him, and Shuu bumps his own fist into Sanraku’s. The shocking strength of his fist makes the half-naked bird-head leak a weird sound from the depths of his throat.

「Some of my acquaintances have smashed their relationships with NPCs by doing something like that and causing them unintended harm…… And since I know that you are not a show-off, that’s actually not too shabby. So come on now, Shuu-san. Let’s get ourselves some fun revenge!]

─── A fun revenge.

He stops his movements after hearing those words that are strangely clearly engraved in Shu’s brain for some reason, which made his eyes even livelier than ever before. Ten seconds have passed, then twenty seconds have passed……… At the moment when Sanraku, who turned to the side apparently confused by the sudden change of tone from the previous one, tried to talk, Shu who raised his face suddenly asked Sanraku this:

「Umm, so anyways, Sanraku-san?]

「Yeah, I’m Sanraku, ahh, yes? What is it?]

「This current conversation that you are having here…… Are you sure that it is not about a copyrighted material?]

「…… Huh. …… Huh? …… Hmm??? Umm? Ahh, ehhh, this is…… Huh. I-I’m sure it’s copyright free material…… Or at least it should be?]