kscans

Chapter 464 - A Moment of Absence

"—In the end, you just can't hate them because you find yourself agreeing with them."

"I know, right?"

"The problem is that all the high-ranking guys are either nice young men or just cool dudes."

"I guess they're not chosen based on simple strength alone."

"Crown-kun is, well. On top of that, the fact that he's relatively normal-ish is what makes him great."

"I totally get that."

"His approachability, you know? It's a type we haven't really seen before, in a subtle way."

"He's also the type with the most extreme gap between his personality and his skills."

"In a way, it's cunning."

"I like how he's just genuinely having fun. He has an atmosphere that makes you have fun just by watching, which is a huge strength in terms of entertainment."

"His fighting style is super flashy, too."

"The way he sometimes disappears from sight along with the flashiness is just part of his charm."

"He explained a lot of things carefully, but did anyone here fully understand?"

"W-well, vaguely…"

"In terms of nuance…"

"I think I got the spirit of it…?"

"I understand what he's saying, but if you ask me if I can internalize it and put it into practice…"

"'Believing it's a game' is not as easy as it sounds, you know?"

"Especially the longer you've been immersed in this world."

"The courage to stomp down with all your might, knowing your body is about to launch forward at hundreds of kilometers per hour…"

"It's not a matter of resolve; normally, an instinctual safety lock kicks in."

"Your avatar just stops with a jolt, right?"

"This isn't just about him, but I think the top players have fundamentally different sensibilities. Not in a 'crazy' way, but…"

"Adaptability to the VR environment… yeah, it's gotta be talent."

"I hear that 'normal people' will also have their brains gradually adapt, and someday—they'll be able to grow to the level of manifesting a 'Talent (Gift),' but is that really true?"

"I want to laugh it off and say no way, but since it's the word of Yotsuya Development themselves…"

"'Someday' could mean 'in several decades'."

"Still wouldn't be a lie…"

"Well, but it's true that you can feel yourself growing day by day even with the same stats and skills. The fact that I can maintain my motivation because of that is great."

"I think the me from three years ago would definitely be shocked to see the me of today."

"At first, I couldn't even write characters using thought control."

"Seriously? And now you're a mage? That's impressive."

"I couldn't even dodge a Fool Boar's charge in the beginning, but now I can casually dodge the needle bullets from a [Sornet] without thought acceleration."

"Except when a whole swarm fires at once."

"We don't talk about that."

"[Patchwork Hill] is a great spot. I sometimes go there with my clanmates to collect honey."

"If only it were a bit closer to the city."

"Well, well, expeditions are part of the fun of Arcadia, too."

"After the event is over, how about we get together with this group and go somewhere? Since we've made this connection and all."

"Oh, sounds good. Let's all add each other as friends."

"…………Putting Nonomi-chan and Nia-chan aside since they're girls and the hurdle is way too high, I wonder if it's okay to send a friend request to the Acrobat-san."

"Hmm, I feel like he'd accept it without a second thought, but…"

"I'd hesitate, you know? I wonder if it's okay to clutter up his list with the names of random people."

"You can organize it however you want with group settings, so I don't think you need to worry that much about it. That's not to say I have the guts to send him a request myself."

"…For now, let's put it on hold until right before the end? If, by some mistake, he sends us a request himself, that would be the best-case scenario."

"Yeah, that's the safest bet…"

"""No objections."""

"And then, without anything happening, the connection just quietly fades away."

"Don't say that."

"The world is a cruel place."

"That's just how it is between normal people and celebrities."

"Sad, isn't it?"

"Well, even if the connection is cut, I'll still be supporting Haru-chan."

"Bwah…!"

"Stop it, you…!"

"Lol."

"If he hears you, you'll be sentenced to the sky-walking punishment."

"Well, can't be helped. That was just unfair."

"A life-sized young man turning into a girl is just… in a way, it has an invincible idol quality."

"I wonder what it is. A mysterious being you can look at without any ulterior motives, or something like…"

"Stop right there, your brain will break."

"I suspect it's already broken."

"Even as a man, you know it's a guy, but your visual information just bugs out…"

"Ah, if that ever got out into the world, it would be a disaster."

"Isn't there always some major incident, disaster, or uproar around that guy?"

"My brain seriously hasn't had a break these past few months."

"The name 'Acrobat' is no joke, I guess."

"No, really—in many ways, this group was the grand prize."

As they passed the time, idly tossing lighthearted words back and forth, the circle of camaraderie grew lively.

Watching them from the nearby kitchen, the chef, who was undoubtedly one of the reasons they called this group assignment the 'grand prize,' thought to himself—

"…………"

He had already jumped the gun and secured a new friend on his list. He wondered what kind of face that popular guy would make if he heard all of this.

As he continued his preparations for dinner, a faint smile appeared on the face he considered to be unexpressive.