kscans

Chapter 164 - A Visit to the Front Lines

"Hey! Ui-chan, it's been so long!! How's big bro's training going—whoa…"

"…My condolences."

I was collapsed, face pressed against the ground, unable to move a muscle. In the darkness, my barely functioning hearing picked up the sound of the gate opening, the light patter of approaching footsteps, and two familiar voices.

One was loud and high-spirited, the other quiet and languid. I guessed who they were but chose to continue playing dead, forgoing any reaction.

"I came to check on you since I had some free time… and you're already wiped out on day one? Pathetic."

"Shuddup…"

And then another voice, a taunting remark that easily conjured up an image of a handsome, annoying face.

I reflexively retorted and managed to lift my head slightly. The view that met my eyes wasn't the jeering face of the Blonde Samurai—

Instead, kneeling beside me and peering down was a girl avatar with light beige hair.

"…………"

Even more surprisingly, the one doing this without a word was the blue one, Ri-na. Unlike the boisterous red one, Mi-na, she was staring at my face with her emotionless eyes.

"…What's up?"

"…It's nothing. Good work."

When I asked if something was wrong, the girl just shook her head slightly and offered words of encouragement. You know… I thought she was just a downer type, a bit lazy.

But she'd casually supported Gossan during the meeting and had been diligently doing the work her partner pushed on her… maybe she's surprisingly serious, or dutiful.

"Thanks," I replied to her unexpected kindness. Ri-na shook her head again, and then—

""—Huh? What are you doing?""

My surprised voice and the red one's overlapped unintentionally.

The cause was Ri-na—the girl, still kneeling beside me with a blank expression, was gently touching my hair with her fingertips.

She wasn't patting my head; her slender fingers were just combing through the ends of my hair, which was honestly ticklish.

"Rinne-chan…?"

She didn't even glance at the red one's suspicious look, and her hands kept moving with an air of "I'm just doing what's natural."

Seriously, what is she doing? I was just as confused, but then—

"You have to support people who are working hard."

…Apparently, I was being supported.

Eh?

Wait, is this girl incredibly nice?

A far cry from a certain red one—hey, you, what's with that look?

I really don't appreciate being looked at like a criminal in this situation, you know???

"Oh, for crying out loud, you're the same as always… Alright, alright, you shouldn't be so touchy-feely with guys, you know?"

The red one, looking like she was sighing "good grief," dragged away Ri-na, who seemed like she would have kept stroking my hair forever.

"Same as always," huh. It seems she's always been the type to do things like that. My impression of her has changed quite a bit, unexpectedly.

And Mi-na, you should reflect on your own actions. I haven't forgotten how you, just like a certain blue-haired girl, dragged your partner into a gut punch on our first meeting.

"So, how long are you gonna stay on the ground, pretty boy?"

"That's a hell of a taunt coming from you, pretty boy."

I'd been down for a while before the three of them arrived, but my body, which had been drowning in virtual sensory fatigue, was finally starting to move again.

I bantered back as I got up, and Irori, who had taken Ri-na's place beside me, offered a hand.

"Well, good work. Where's the teacher?"

"Yeah, thanks. Ui-san just logged out for a bit."

She said she was going to check on her family's dojo and would be back soon—

"Look, she's back."

I saw an effect similar to teleportation near the building and pointed it out. Irori nodded and went to greet her.

"—Sooo? How's the training going, big bro?"

I felt a poke in my back and turned to find the red-haired girl grinning at me, asking the obvious.

"What's with that face? Tag is super fun, you know?"

"Oh really? And what's your record?"

"I stopped counting after a hundred straight losses."

When I gave up and confessed honestly, I expected Mi-na to laugh mockingly again—but instead.

"Ugh, that's… well, I guess you've got guts, big bro, to go a hundred rounds with Ui-chan."

She said, and just like Ri-na a moment ago, she patted my arm comfortingly.

What is this…? Are you trying to pull off a surprise personality gap too…?

"Well, I've experienced this tag game before, so… just for fun, though, you know?"

When I gave her an indescribable look, Mi-na glanced around the cramped stage enclosed by the bamboo fence and gave a wry smile.

"This is rough, isn't it? You're not even jumping or flying, but it's surprisingly tiring, right?"

"Yeah, it is."

She was right. This 'training' was far more intense and exhausting than any high-speed maneuvering—and I had a vague idea why.

In the virtual world, there is no physical fatigue. However, a unique phenomenon called 'virtual sensory fatigue' exists, where mental exhaustion binds the avatar's physical body.

In other words, in the virtual world, mental fatigue can become physical fatigue.

As the saying goes, 'illness starts from the mind,' and this holds true to some extent in the real world as well… but in the virtual world, it's incomparably more pronounced and direct.

With that in mind, it makes sense why this game of tag is so tiring.

"It's like a condensation of tactical exchanges… so of course, it's draining."

Even in actual combat, it's rare for tactical exchanges to continue without any breaks. There are always moments to rest your mind, whether it's an interval you create or one your opponent creates.

But in the Sword Saint's version of tag, you do it continuously, without end or interruption—so of course, your mind gets worn down, your avatar stops moving, and you pass out.

"Yeah, exactly. So if you can hang in there that much from the start, you've got a bright future, right? As expected of the super rookie!"

This time, she patted my back with a hundred percent mockery.

When I raised my open right hand to face level, the red-head, probably remembering what happened two days ago, fled at top speed.

"Geez… Hey, shouldn't you go too?"

"Mm…"

I gestured towards Mi-na, who was running over to where Irori was chatting with Ui-san. Ri-na, who had been leaning against the fence in a daze, nodded.

"Keep up the good work."

As she passed by, she gently stroked my arm again before chasing after her partner.

…Yeah, she's a good kid. Though I'd appreciate it if she'd stop with the exquisitely soft fingertip touches, since they're super ticklish.

—And as for me, left all alone…

"…Five more minutes."

I wasn't about to collapse again, but the heavy virtual sensory fatigue was undeniable.

Leaning my back against the fence, I sat down and decided to just blankly watch the four of them, led by the red one, engage in their lively conversation for a little while longer.