ShangriLa Frontier ~ Shitty Games Hunter Challenges Godly Game ~

ShangriLa Frontier Chapter 252: The Shock of the Cost of “Zero” Getting Revealed Part 2

Oh, alright, alright…… Up until now I was getting some strange vibes coming from Saiga-san, like that certain really annoying celebrity on the TV, but right about now it was all gone. The only thing that was left was the usual, pleasantly tense Saiga-san.

「We should hurry to school now, we don’t want to be late.」

「Y-Yes! Yes, you’re right…… Ah, umm!」

「Yes? What is it?」

「Umm, you see, it’s about… the thing is…… What I am trying to say is, you know……」

“Umm”, “ahh”, “you see”, “the thing is”…… it was really hard for me to get what Saiga-san was trying to say because of all that. Was that a loop of some kind? But one glance at Saiga-san was enough to see that she was opening her mouth and closing it, as if she made up her mind to say something but was unable to get the words out of her mouth.

「A-After school! Do you have time today after school!」

「Eh? Hmm, let’s see…… No, I don’t think I have anything in particular planned for today……」

「Umm, you see, there is something important I would like to talk to you about, so, umm…… Rock Roll! Let us go there!」

Something important she would like to talk to me about? I wonder what would that be……? Could it be that it is something games-related? Is that why she chose Rock Roll as the location?

「Okay. Then we will go there right after school is out.」

「Yesh! Thank you!」

I start to think more and more that Saiga-san can really be a funny person sometimes.

「…… So? Could you explain to me what exactly are we doing in the corner of the classroom? And why do I think that this is the interrogation and I am the suspect here?」

Hmm, what’s this? What is this great sense of déjà vu that I am getting here? Is this some sort of a new trend that I am not familiar with? Capturing people out of the blue? What is this? Prison Break or what?

「The defendant Hizutome Rakuro-san, do you have anything to say in your defense?」

「It would be nice to actually know on what charges was I even placed here?」

「Alright, death it is for you, mister!」

From detention straight up to execution!? What the actual fuck! Don’t skip the whole process like that! Even freaking Middle Ages had more fair and just trials than that!

「Why are you coming to school together with Saiga-san so often!?」

「Why, you ask…… We go to the same school, you morons. So isn’t it natural for two students from the same school to wander into one another on their way there?」

「Oh yeah? Then what about the fact that Saiga-san usually goes to school by car? Isn’t that story of yours a little bit too convenient?」

「Why do you ask me? Ask Saiga-san and see how that goes for you.」

「I don’t even want to think about it, but could it be that you and Saiga-san are dating or something like that……!?」

(The way they all look at me is like looking at a hamster that just so happened to proclaim itself to be a God……)

There is no reason for me to lie or try to avoid the question in here, so I might as well tell them the truth. Now then……

「Now then, was that all you had to say? Because if it really is everything…… Guys! Get the bastard!」

「EH!? Why am I the bad guy in this scenario!? I didn’t do anything! I’m innocent!」

「Ok, denying all the charges, I see!  Fine by me! This will only make your sentence even more painful!」

「Oi, execution on the spot is the clear violation of human rights! Ahh, what the fuck, stop it! My ears! Don’t pull on my ears like that! You’ll rip them off if this continues like that!?」

Even during that moment, when I was doing my best to avoid being baselessly executed for no apparent reason, I could not help the fact that my mind was basically thinking about games in eighty percent of its capacity.

Ah, better focus on my ears for now. It would really suck if they got ripped of for a stupid reason like that.

The time was now after school? Just what is it that Saiga-san wants to talk to me about? It seems that she would not discuss it right here right now, so for the time being we went towards the Rock Roll.

「Hi there!」

「Hello there, Hizutome-kun. Living the best youth possible?」

「Right about now I am trying to overcome so rather high walls and other obstacles, so if that could also be considered enjoying your youth, then I am currently enjoying the hell out of it.」

「That’s not exactly the kind of youth I was talking about, but oh well……」

Well, you know what they say, it’s the thought that counts. Besides, no matter what, I always try to give it my absolute best. But no matter what this was all about, I sit in one of the chairs in the shop and brace myself for the unknown that was to come.

「Are you here today to buy something?」

「Not me, at least not for now. I came here because Saiga-san invited me.」

「…… Say, Hizutome-kun? What do you think might be the reason you were invited here?」

The reason? What could be the reason for Saiga-san Rock Roll out of all available places? And the answer derived from all the conversations so far is……!

「…… The elimination of possible risk factors?」

「And why would she want to eliminate such factors in the first place?」

Unfortunately for me, since my brain was filled to the brim with games at this current point in time, the only sensible answer that I was able to come up with was: to get rid of all of those who might exceed the Ryuuguin style in advance.

And since Saiga-san was surprisingly strong, she would have little to no troubles with doing just that.

「You see, for introverted and shy people, opening up to others is like trying to change the Drag Cars to make them usable on public roads.」

「Drag Cars are those vehicles that are unable to turn, right?」

「That’s right. And it would be a whole lot easier if life was a road suitable for drag cars.」

Somehow, I do get the feeling that we are not on the same page here. Just what is Iwamaki-san talking about?

「By the way, Hizutome-kun?」

「Yes?」

「Do you happen to know the meaning of “Zero” in Japanese language?」

「It’s “Rei”. Everyone knows that.」

「Then if we translate “Rei” into English we get “Zero”, correct?」

「That’s right.」

「Then, why don’t you try to switch the meanings of “zeros” that you happened to meet recently?」

「……???」

Zeros, that I happened to meet recently?

Just how far back can you still consider to be “recently”? Ahh, yeah, that’s right. Rei has a “Zero” in her player name, right?

In other words, that would get me Saiga Rei to Saiga Zero, and Saiga-0 to Saiga-Rei…… Nuoah!?

Saiga-0…… Saiga-Rei…… Saiga. Rei. …… Saiga-0 is Saiga Rei?

No, wait a minute, no way…… No, no, no, seriously…… This is just WAY to convenient to be true…… This may just be a coincidence that someone decided to name their character in such a way, right? RIGHT? Hahaha….. ha……

「Ah, umm…… I here.」

「Rei?」

「ShianFroeah!?」

The true identity of the ShangriLa Frontier’s strongest player unveil right before me, turning out to be a small and delicate, and yet insanely strong flower.

Ehh, who would have guessed that Saiga Rei is not only the strongest in the game, but in the real life as well? I get a feeling that this person’s gacha rates at birth must have been rigged or something, since it is literally impossible to be so strong in so many regards…… That’s just downright scary.