Chapter 147: And So the Wolf Departs on a Journey

「Why is this Galaxeus so adamant on only being a bystander…… You are interfering pretty much already, so who cares about being a bystander!?」

I murmur that to myself while sitting in a comfy seat with an American manga…… comic book that Katsu lend me, while also looking at my mobile device that was currently connected to the simplified version of my VR headgear. Taking the helmet off, outside of the window I can see the panorama of a city at sunset, with tall skyscrapers being dyed in orange and red.

Currently, I was on my way to the capital.

Shortly after I defeated that Dragon-thing…… Or whatever it was called, other players started to gather at my location, drawn towards the place where so much destruction and rampage could be observed. Of course, fish people were there as well. So after we eventually managed to lose them, we could have a talk, and as it turned out, some problems started to emerge to the surface, even though we were still at the bottom of the sea.

First of all, others were on the same page as me when it comes to the seven days time limit: there was no need for us to clear the whole Unique Quest EX in one sitting. If I knew beforehand that there would be a time limit to this, I would have adjusted my schedule to clear it all in one go, but since it was so sudden I had no choice but to play it by ear for now. Still, the difficulty of this quest is somewhat concerning, since you have whole seven days to clear it. Makes you wonder what will happen should we not make it and we run out of time.

Tomorrow, or even the day after tomorrow…… No, who knows what might happen on a later date, so for now I would like to wrap this Quest up as soon as possible. Preferably in three or four days. Akitsu Akane said that he won’t be able to participate on third and fifth day because of the club activities. And as for Rust and Mold, they didn’t get into details, but they wouldn’t be able to help out on second, fourth and sixth day. But everyone would be free on the seventh day, so that was the most likely date when we would take Kutanid down.

There was another problem. Whether Rei…… Saiga-0 was to join us. First came Rust and Sickle, then it was Akitsu Akane and Mold. But Rei didn’t show up, even after we waited for a long while. We would have waited longer, but the gathering fishmen and the urge to log out was so great for some of us that we decided to call it a day and retreat for now. I hope that Rei will manage on her own. Does she even realize where the safe zones are in this underwater city.

However, thanks to the VR system characteristics and safety features, prolonged playtime would trigger a forced log out, so I don’t have to worry all that much about her well-being. But more than Rei, I was worried about the NPCs and what would happen to them after Rei logs out. I don’t know where exactly I will spawn on my next log in, but I sure hope that they will be alright at that time.

Despite Rei not being present, we discussed our plans for the future conquest of this city and that was it. Each one of us went their separate way. As for me, I started to pack my traveling bag.

「But still, the least they could do would be to send me an e-mail and let me know what’s what…… That’s right, we usually use SNS……」

A teenage world-class model who was revered almost like a deity, and a professional gamer making quite the career already. Since both of them had work SNS accounts, any attempt to contact them through that means would cause unnecessary complications. It would shatter their public images, and even though Katsu was of no concern of mine, Pencilgton was a completely different matter. Beautiful things should remain beautiful, no matter what.

Therefore, using SNS was completely out of the question. And people are looking at ME in a weird way when I ask them for their e-mail addresses. It only makes contact easier.

「No matter what I’ll try to do, this will only turn ugly……」

I stop reading and open up an SNS app that’s really popular nowadays with middle and high schoolers. I’m a high schooler myself, but…… Yeah, right. Some youth that is, burned and wasted away in hellhole named “Sh*tty Games”.

「Umm, I press here, then click here, and enter that…… Alright.」

For the time being I create a new account for myself and enter the room and enter the room called “Lulias War Room”. It was a chatroom that Akitsu Akane created and where everyone except for Rei managed to enter successfully. There was even some text out there already. Wow, I didn’t know that fighting the fish people could yield you so much EXP. After the fight with the Crystal Scorpions I didn’t do that much grinding myself, mostly because I was good to go for now.

「…… All passengers are implored to not forget their luggage upon exiting ------」

「Hm, does that mean I arrived at my destination?」

Even if it would take God knows how long on foot, you can reach certain places in no time if you use public transportation. Civilization truly is a convenient thing to have around.

I get off the train, launch the map application on my mobile device and start walking. The capital city at this hour was an epitome of modern Japan, with bright neon and LED lights illuminating the darkness and buildings alike. With the surroundings being this bright, even Luukan’s alter ego wouldn’t be able to hide anywhere in here. Thinking like that, I eventually arrive at my destination.

「Hotel Grand Supreme…… Talk about a luxurious hotel.」

The price of staying for one night in a hotel like that would easily buy you the most expensive VR equipment currently on the market. Or maybe it’s simply that the app is broken and I was led to the wrong place? Professional gamer…… Can he really afford to invite people to such a luxurious place like that? High schoolers coming here must be a real rarity. And the atmosphere was far different from any Net cafes that I happened to visit in the past.

「Hmm…… He said that “If you introduce yourself as Sanraku and tell them that you’re with Uomi Kei, they will let you through”……」

Somehow, a task like that seemed impossible to me, equally on challenging Night Prowler Luukan to battle while being level one yourself. In a game you could have just stormed the hotel in an armored car, or plant a bomb and blast your way in, or create a distraction…… But in real life it was something much, much harder. But it was something I absolutely needed to do…… Alright, all units! CHAAAAARGE!!!

「HOSPITALITY is amazing…… What a top-notch thing…… Maybe I can use it for role play purpose……」

When I introduced myself at the reception desk I was brought to a room that no normal high school student would ever step his foot in. I didn’t know if it could be called a suite or not, but seeing that I was equally as restless in this room, the difference meant pretty much nothing to me.

「I feel like there will be someone aiming at me with a sniper rifle right now…… But that’s only my imagination, right?」

I contacted Katsu and he told me that he would be there shortly and that I should just sit in my room and wait. So I drop my baggage on the bed and take a look around the room. Two beds mean that this was a twin room, and it was spacious enough for me to walk around freely. But there was one thing that was uncharacteristic here…… A single chair in the middle of the room, packed with so much electronics that it seemed unreal.

「This is…… The “gaming chair”, a pinnacle of VR technology that is so expensive that people faint from hearing about the price alone.」

Alright, now I was getting genuinely scared. What the fuck was going through that head of yours, you pro gamer bastard? That was literally too much for a mere high school student. But it would also be a lie if I told you that I wasn’t the least bit interested in that full dive chair. So maybe I could just lie there for a second and see how this thing works……

While I was about to touch the delicate systems of the chair-capsule, because that’s how this thing looked to me, I heard a knock onto my door. The employees of the hotel would announce themselves through the intercom. So could this be Katsu?

「Hm? Could this be……?」

「Heya, Sanraku-kun! You expected some Professional Gamer? But what’s this!? It’s super charismatic model Amane-sama in the flesh! Now, let me see that face of yours……」

「I… Umm…… This is……」

Don’t you have a gas mask in here or something like that? Or at least a bag or something that I could use to cover my face with? That would make me much calmer than I was right now.

It looks like my first real challenge in here is going to be preventing Pencilgton -- or Her Highness Towa Amane from groping my face all night long.