ShangriLa Frontier ~ Shitty Games Hunter Challenges Godly Game ~

「…… Fuh, kukuku…… Ouch, my sides, my sides hurt so much……!」

「Then maybe you shouldn’t have laughed so much……?」

「You’re existence is like one big practical joke for me…… No way, I didn’t think tha you’d make me laugh so hard even in real world…… Fufu, kuh, kukuku……」

The reason for why Amane Towa -- Arthur Pencilgton -- was currently laughing so hard was because I was wearing a gas mask on my face, which came as a bonus to the very first limited edition of sh*tty game that I have ever bought. Eventually she managed to calm herself down, but I couldn’t resist the feeling that she thought that my whole existence must have been a joke or something alongside those lines.

That being said, I have as much common sense as everyone else in the world. I know that games are games and things you can do inside of them you absolutely cannot do in the real world. Like throwing people off the roofs, or running people with cars, or plant bombs, or commit mass genocide on poor and innocent NPCs. Hence when I got that one particular game I left the gas mask in the package and totally forgot that it ever existed in the first place. That is, until today.

「Well, I guess that you’ll have to take that thing off eventually, if you become hungry and all that.」

「No, it’s not that I bought it just for this occasion. I just didn’t wanted to put it on since it was at the very bottom of my bag.」

「Nobody in their right mind would ever put the gas mask into his freaking travel bag.」

「Not even a Hollywood movie star?」

When it comes to Hollywood movies, every time there’s a hotel involved, you can expect bombing or at least some sort of massive shootout.

「Haha…… Alright, now that I had a good laugh, let’s change the subject to something else, shall we. For formality’s sake, I’m Pencil Warrior, pleased to meet you.」

「And I’m Sanraku…… Likewise, pleased to make your acquaintance.」

I guess it was true that true models and celebrities knew how to act and what to say in every possible scenario or situation. As we shook our hands a certain thought occurred to me: this scene could easily go straight to the front pages of various magazines.

Nevertheless, what’s in the game stays in the game. Right now we are normal teens meeting one another for the first time, so I respond to her handshake with enthusiasm.

「So? Where’s the host of this whole gathering?」

「Hmm, I think he went to call one of his other teammates.」

Come to think of that, I think I read something like that in one of Katsu’s additional emails. Certainly, GGC is going to host a four versus four match so it is only natural that besides Pencilgton, Katsu and I there would also be one more teammate on our end. Apparently that teammate was going to be someone from Katsu’s team as well.

「I’m actually surprised that a charismatic model like yourself managed to make some time in her busy schedule.」

「Hey now, I know it might seem that way, but I’m just posing and acting. It’s not all that hard.」

「With an attitude like that, overconfidence is going to be your end somewhere down the line.」

「Isn’t it more like someone that charismatic last boss would say?」

「So you ARE aware that you act like a Boss character……」

While we were busy talking like that, I realized that a man and a woman entered the room almost unnoticed. The girl looked to be the same age as me, but seeing a stunning beauty laughing at a guy in a gas mask, she looked really startled. Can’t blame her, really.

「It certainly is interesting to bring a gas mask into a luxurious hotel just like that. You really never cease to amaze.」

「Oh, shut up. This is a pretty rare item, I’ll let you know. Not much of them on the market. Watch and be amazed.」

「Are we still talking about sh*tty games here…… Anyways, thank you so much for coming, Sanraku.」

The young man said that to me with a fearless smile on his lips, just like Pencilgton reaching out his hand towards me for a handshake. His name was Uomi Kei, and he was a professional gamer.

「Now then, for now let me introduce you all to Megu. These two are my private gaming friends: Pencil Warrior and Sanraku. The first one’s name is Towa Amane, and that other guy doesn’t like his face to be seen, apparently.」

「Natsume Megumi, I see you name from time to time in magazines. Nice to meet you.」

「Sanraku, I thought you might be crazy as an element of role play in game, but I see you are as crazy in real life, huh?」

「I lose much of my personal charm when I take it off.」

「And as Towa-san said, this girl here is Natsume Megumi, the only member of our Nitro Squad who was able to make it here for this event.」

Katsu officially introduced us to the girl who wore her hair in a high ponytail. Natsume Megumi…… She’s probably famous, but not that I would know. I don’t usually read magazines focused on gaming and I don’t really know any professional gamers.

「Now, let me get straight to the point: we’ll be facing off against American professional gamers’ team: Star Rain. We’ll face against them the day after tomorrow. That’s why I called these guys to help and fill the gap.」