kscans

Chapter 181 - Betrayal

The night of the day we went to the Centaur dungeon.

In my room, I was glaring at the screen of my game console.

"You little... just stay still!"

"'Fuhahahaha! Too slow! You're too slow, Kyo-chan-kun!'"

Aira-san's triumphant laughter echoed from my earring as my robot—humanoid on top, tank on the bottom—battled her machine on screen.

Armored Oxcart—known as AG.

Hurled into a parallel future by Abe no Seimei, Matsuo finds himself thrown into a struggle between various organizations over a mysterious energy source known as G-Energy, all taking place on a single planet.

To find a way back to his own time, Matsuo becomes the pilot of a humanoid robot and begins working as a mercenary.

Using parts from defeated enemy robots, he can freely customize his own machine. On this steel planet that reeks of gunpowder, will he be able to return home safely...? And what is the true nature of the G-Energy, which feels so strangely familiar in Matsuo's hands...?

What? You think it sounds like Armored C●re? My body doesn't crave conflict, so it's probably something different.

Anyway. I was in an online battle with Aira-san in that game.

"Darn it, if I could just land a hit! Go down!"

"'Heh, if you can't hit me, it doesn't matter!'"

The lightweight humanoid robot she controlled zipped around acrobatically, continuously dodging my attacks.

I kept firing my machine gun and cannon, but she dodged left and right, while her dual machine guns and missiles chipped away at my machine's health.

"Just... fall apart!"

"'Too slow!'"

I tried to accelerate and close the distance, but her machine circled to my side and delivered a kick.

I lost my balance, left defenseless. Her lightweight machine then went full throttle and charged in, and before I could react, it sliced me apart with an energy blade.

My health hit zero, and my machine exploded.

"N-No, my beloved machine...! Impossible, I've cleared so many missions with this...!'"

"'Kukuku... It was a good machine, I'll admit. But on the battlefield, mobility is what counts.'"

"Damn it...! Damn it all...!"

"'Fufufufu... hahahahahaha! Speed! You lack speed!'"

"'Wow, Senpai! That's the complete opposite of you in real life!'"

"'Heh. Erina-kun, let's not talk about real fights. It hurts my pride. —I don't fight battles I can't win!'"

"'Okay.'"

I put the console on my desk and let out a small sigh.

"So, what's this about? Suddenly wanting to play AG."

"'My body craved conf—'"

"So, you were just in the mood for this game today."

"'Well, there's that. But it was also for practice.'"

"Practice?"

I thought maybe she was entering a tournament, but knowing her personality, that seemed unlikely.

"'It's a secret for now. But man! From your usual high-speed combat, I thought you'd be a tough opponent, Kyo-chan-kun, but I never expected you to be such a slowpoke! A total disappointment. Or maybe I was just too strong!?'"

"So annoying."

It's true that my skills have improved my dynamic vision and thought processing speed.

But when it comes to controlling something with a controller, there's always a slight delay.

Awakened Persons have perfect control over their strength, even on a subconscious level. It's rare for them to accidentally shatter an alarm clock in their sleep or crush someone in a hug. ...It's not 'zero,' but it's rare.

So even if I use the controller intuitively, I generally won't break it. Therefore, this delay is simply because I'm not good at this sort of thing.

I came up with a bunch of excuses, but in the end, it was just as she said: I suck.

That aside.

"Sorry for not living up to your expectations, Aira-san."

"'No, no, it can't be helped. It's my fault for challenging you without considering our difference in skill. I'm sorry, Kyo-chan-kuun! For bullying a little noob♡ like you♡.'"

"Well, you're a loner who's always cooped up, while I actually have friends at school. It's only natural there'd be a difference in our practice time!"

"'Gasp.'"

I heard a sharp intake of breath through the earring.

I won.

"'Th-That's not true...! I'm '†solitary†,' not a loner...! A-And just the other day, I had a nice chat with a girl from my research lab...!"

"Was that conversation about anything other than your research?"

"'...sniffle.'"

"I'm sorry, I went too far."

I broke out in a cold sweat as the disappointing university student started to genuinely cry.

She's so fragile...! Why did she try to act all high and mighty with that level of durability?

"'Aww, Kyo-chan made Senpai cry.'"

"No, I'm really sorry. That was out of line on my part, too."

"'I'm not a loner...! I have you guys...!"

"That's right. You have me, Erina-san, and Mia-san, too...!"

"'But Senpai and I are family, so doesn't that mean your only friend right now is Kyo-chan? Ā-chan and Shī-chan don't really talk to you much, Senpai.'"

"'Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!'"

"Erina-san! Not now! This is not the time to hit her with sad reality!"

"'Huh? Come to think of it, Kyo-chan, don't you have any guy friends?'"

"'Gasp.'"

Ah, I'm dead. My heart just died.

I got up from my chair, moved to my bed, and sat there hugging my knees. Reality is so cruel.

"'H-Huh? What's wrong, you two? Are you not feeling well?'"

"'sob, hic...! sniff, nghhh...!"

"I apologize for getting carried away... I'm sorry for being a piece of trash that speaks human words..."

"'What's really gotten into you!?'"

After that 100-ton hammer blow to my glass heart, I stared up at the ceiling.

My friends from middle school, whose phone numbers and emails no longer work, wherever you are... I desperately want to see you right now...!

"Okay, let's just drop this topic! Yeah, let's talk about something else!"

"'Y-Yeah, good idea! I'm really sorry! So please don't cry, Senpai!'"

"'sniffle... hic, sob... ungh..."

A university student, being comforted by a high schooler, somehow managed to reboot.

I considered pointing that out for a moment, but she looked like she'd cry all night, so I restrained myself.

"'You're popular, Senpai! You're beautiful and smart! And... you get good grades!'"

"You're very pretty, Aira-san! And I heard you get good grades in school, too!"

"'...Wait a minute. Are you two trying to say that all I have going for me is my face and my brain?'"

"...That's not what we meant."

"'...Yeah!!'"

"'That's it, I'm drinking! Come forth, Storong Zelo! Guide me! To hell with my day off from drinking!'"

"P-Please drink in moderation, okay?"

"'How can I not drink after that! Sana-kun, you must eat this Kyo-chan-kun brand cookie!'"

"...Huh?"

Apparently, Sana-san was there with her.

I've deciphered most of the characters by now, so the professor told me I can read the 'Atlantis' script without the spirit's translation.

Come to think of it, what's going to happen to Sana-san from now on?

"Sana-san is there with you? Were they watching you play the game, too?"

"'Yup. Lately, whenever I'm playing AG, they're always watching next to me. Can't really tell what they're thinking, though.'"

"I see. ...Could this be related to that 'practice' you mentioned earlier?"

"'Hey, hey. I said it was a secret. Prying into a woman's secrets is not very admirable, you know.'"

"...Sorry."

"'That's why you're not popular, Kyo-chan-kun! You socially awkward virgin!'"

"Are you ordering a real fight?"

"'I am sorry from the bottom of my heart.'"

"'Hm? Kyo-chan is popular, you know?'"

"Eh?!"

"'So loud!'"

My eyes widened to their absolute limit at Erina-san's words.

The disappointing university student was muttering something like, "M-My eardrums...! My precious eardrums, Kyo-chan-kun...!" but I ignored her. There were more important things at hand.

"What do you mean, Erina-san...?! If this is a lie or a joke, I'll cry and scream without any shame, just like that disappointing girl over there! I'll make a scene as pathetic as that pitiful creature...!"

"'What did you just say?'"

"'Um, well. Grandma and my parents are stopping any reporters from getting to you, Kyo-chan, but a certain announcer has been sending some really passionate love calls.'"

"I-I see, I see."

My mind conjured up the image of the female Dark Elf announcer I saw on TV the other day, the one who'd been caught up in the Tokyo Incident. I remembered her saying on the show that she was there when I was fighting at the Central Government Building.

She became famous for Awakening on camera during the 'Day of Awakening' and is now a flagship personality for her network.

Being a Dark Elf, she's quite beautiful and has an amazing figure. C-Could it be? A flag with that beautiful announcer...?!"

"S-So, what did this person say? Was it a request for an interview?"

"'Yup. They want a private, exclusive interview with you at a hotel.'"

"At a hotel?! A private?! Exclusive interview!!"

My mind painted a very pink picture of an interview with the beautiful announcer.

'Please, tell me everything about you...♡'

'Yes! Of course!'

'Thank you♡ In return, I'll show you everything about me, too...♡'

A bathrobe slips to the floor. And revealed under the lights is a buxom, dark-skinned—

Something like that! Something like thaaat!!

"'Calm down, Kyo-chan-kun!'"

"Oh, your hearing's back."

"'Luckily, my eardrums are intact. More importantly, Kyo-chan-kun, it's obviously a honey trap! It's a trap!'"

"I don't care if it's a trap! I don't care!!"

"'Get a grip! Remember that you're an unpopular, socially awkward, damn virgin!'"

"Isn't that going a bit too far?"

"'...Don't do anything rash, Kyo-chan-kun!'"

"Even so, I want to have that exclusive hotel interview! Even if hell awaits me on the other side!"

"'Eh, you want to meet them that much? That's kinda surprising.'"

"Yes! What's this announcer like?!"

I was almost certain it was that Dark Elf—no, Dark Erof—announcer, but I needed confirmation.

If so, then I could charge ahead with a clear conscience!

"'Umm, they said they often get called sexy by the opposite sex.'"

"Uh-huh, uh-huh."

"'And that they're such a passionate fan that they wouldn't mind being held by you, Kyo-chan.'"

"Uh-huh, uh-huh!"

"'Oh, and they're apparently very confident in their butt!'"

"Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh!"

"'That was the self-introduction from a m-a-n i-n h-i-s 4-0-s!'"

"Pardon?"

"'Wow, what a terrible pronunciation.'"

"'A man in his 40s?'"

"Really?"

"'Really!'"

"...I see."

I took one deep breath. My pre-battle routine for dungeons and stampedes.

Okay, I'm calm now.

"You tricked me...! You... you tricked me...!"

"'What are you talking about!?'"

I can't trust anyone anymore.

I pulled the covers over my head and soaked my pillow with tears.

"Toying with my heart... the pure heart of a high school boy...! You're a monster! A demon! A self-proclaimed ninja!"

"'Huh? Huh? Um, I'm sorry?'"

"'Don't worry about it, Erina-kun. There's only one thing we can do for him right now.'"

Aira-san's gentle voice came through the earring.

"'Let's laugh at him! Laugh at this delusional, socially awkward virgin! Fuhahahaha!'"

"Erina-san. Tell the professor that Aira-san broke her no-drinking day."

"'I don't really get it, but okay!'"

"'Wait! Please, wait! It was my fault! I apolo—gah! Grandmaaa!'"

Evil has been vanquished, but a deep wound remains in my own heart.

So this is the taste of victory. How bitter, and how salty.

"'So, what are you going to do? Are you going to meet him?'"

"Like hell I will!"

...Wait a minute. That self-introduction, is that announcer okay? Did he hit his head during the Tokyo Incident?

Come to think of it, I think I saved a man in his 40s when I incinerated Fafnir. Could it be him? ...No, probably not.

It was probably just a prank by Erina-san, or Aira-san who put her up to it.

There's no way a pervert on the level of a B-Rank Candidate could exist, after all!