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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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Multiple characters on the monitor charged simultaneously towards a giant monster.
Above the dungeon’s final boss’s head,
bold text appeared.
【Kataros of the Golden Meteor】
The name might have reminded someone of something, but when I asked the game content developer (Eve), she said it was a coincidence due to data mining.
I couldn’t argue further, so I just let it go.
Kataros’s health was already at its lowest. Kataros, rendered in graphics, thrashed and roared, swinging its fists.
Just a little more, just a little bit more.
After countless failures and attempts, we were on the verge of clearing the dungeon.
《I will never give up!》
Kataros’s line appeared as game text. A red circle spread out from where the boss was standing.
I hurriedly typed in the chat.
[ RealMageHere(Warrior): Breath!!! Dodge!! To the corner!!!! ]
It would have been nice if I could give orders through the microphone, but unfortunately, most people (including myself) who played this game preferred to hide their identities.
Because of this, all explanations and orders had to be given through chat.
As a result, I, the guild master and raid leader of the Masters of the Warrior Union, had to be constantly on the move.
Everyone moved to the corner after reading my chat.
Since I had explained the boss monster’s patterns beforehand, no characters died from the final attack pattern.
Except for me.
Flames spewing from Kataros’s mouth filled the dungeon.
[ ‘RealMageHere(Warrior)’ has died. ]
It was the result of tanking in the center until the very last moment and having to type orders in the chat.
Leaving my character’s ghost behind, I turned my head towards Eve, who was diligently controlling her character.
“…Can you do it?”
“Affirmative.”
Eve hammered away at the keyboard. The final fire spell cast by Eve’s character hit the boss monster and exploded.
The graphics were terrible, but the scene felt magnificent and spectacular after hours of attempts.
《Just you wait…, I will return!》
With that text, Kataros’s form slowly turned transparent.
That’s when everyone erupted in chat.
[ P2034871140(Warrior): We got him!!! ]
[ P77648(Warrior): KYAAAA!!! ]
[ SleepComesForTheGrap(Rogue): I almost died;; ]
Several party members typed short messages expressing their feelings.
Then Eve moved her character towards where mine had died and resurrected it.
Phew, it revived.
Watching my character rise, surrounded by a halo of light, I typed in the chat.
[ RealMageHere(Warrior): Everyone, great work on the raid! ]
I didn’t know how many hours had passed.
It felt like we had been playing from morning till night. Of course, we hadn’t eaten anything in between.
Warrior No. 2, whom I had first recommended the warrior class to, approached me and typed in the chat.
[ P2034871140(Warrior): As expected of the guild master, great job holding aggro until the end. ]
[ RealMageHere(Warrior): It was nothing, it’s all thanks to everyone participating in the strategy. ]
The other party members in the dungeon were also relishing the afterglow.
[ SleepComesForTheGrap(Rogue): I’m about to die from poison, heal please… ]
[ Eve(Mage): Patpat ]
[ SleepComesForTheGrap(Rogue): ? ]
First, I collected all the items dropped by the boss monster.
As agreed upon when we first formed the party, it was time to roll the ‘dice,’ which many were looking forward to as much as defeating the monster.
[ RealMageHere(Warrior): Everyone gather here! I will distribute the dropped items by class! ]
Even just glancing at their appearance, the quality of the dropped items was beyond imagination.
Since there weren’t many players in this game, I wondered if this was the first clear.
As such, many would be anticipating the loot.
The party members, who had been scattered around chatting, quickly gathered near me.
Meanwhile, I spoke to Eve, who was sitting at the computer next to me, looking at the monitor.
“Eve, you did a great job too.”
“Positive statement, saving to voice data. Also, please provide compensation later.”
“Hmm?”
I didn’t know what kind of compensation she wanted, but I wouldn’t refuse anything for Eve, who had played a crucial role in the raid.
“Well, let’s distribute the items first.”
I turned my attention back to the monitor.
And
[ RealMageHere(Warrior): First, I will distribute the warrior items by rolling the dice (typing….) ]
I was typing that message when
Knock, knock, knock!
Someone knocked on my door.
…….
Wait.
My intuition was screaming.
I turned back on the ‘message notifications,’ which I had turned off to avoid being disturbed during the game.
Dozens of notifications had arrived, and most of them were from one person.
After checking them, I walked very carefully towards the front door, trying not to make any sound.
A familiar female voice came from beyond the door.
[Why do I keep hearing a woman’s voice inside all day! Haa, whatever. I’ll count to three, and if you don’t come out, I’m going to force it open─.]
Hearing that, I instinctively tried to open the door immediately. It was a reflexive action developed over ten years with Catherine.
But at the end of a blaring sense of crisis, I grabbed my hand reaching for the doorknob and regained my senses.
I turned around. I looked at the scene inside my room.
Eve sitting in front of the computer, looking at me.
The large double bed.
Traces of two people living here.
“Ah.”
[I heard that! I’m opening the door!!]
This was bad.
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The ancient sages said, even if a tiger bites you, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.
In that sense, I calmly typed in the chat.
[ RealMageHere(Warrior): Everyone, I’m not lying, I really have an urgent matter to attend to, so I’ll distribute the items later. I’ll see you all then. ]
[ P77648(Warrior): ? ]
[ SleepComesForTheGrap(Rogue): Are you crazy? ]
[ P2034871140(Warrior): Guild master? ]
Ignoring their reactions, I logged out of the game.
Since I didn’t distribute the loot, there might be some talk about me in the game after I left, but that wasn’t something I could worry about right now.
It wasn’t related to my life.
I looked at the darkened monitor.
After a bit of mind control, I turned around with an awkward smile.
“…W-Would you like some tea?”
“No.”
The boss in the game, nicknamed Golden Meteor, could be dealt with through sheer damage, but there was no way to deal with my childhood friend who had come over after hearing noises next door.
“…….”
“…….”
I wished she would say something.
Catherine just sat in the middle of the room, staring intently at me.
At least she had taken off her shoes before coming in, so she seemed to be somewhat rational.
I didn’t know how to explain this situation. I quietly waited for Catherine to speak.
In all my time living in the cyberpunk world, Catherine had never gotten angry at me, and she didn’t seem to be angry now either,
(it sounds like a lie, but it’s true)
but
looking at Catherine’s piercing gaze, I felt an inexplicable sense of guilt.
Catherine opened her mouth.
I had no intention of making excuses. I just listened to her in silence.
“…I want to live here too.”
“Huh?”
I couldn’t believe my ears.
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This is a story from long ago.
It has been ages since Catherine and Lee Shiun met.
And back then, the young girl, Catherine, looked at the equally young Lee Shiun and thought,
‘…Is this kid crazy?’
It wasn’t a strange thought.
After all, due to corporate privatization, in a place where hundreds of corporate cleaning (killing) drones that decomposed organic matter were flying around, he was looking at her, Catherine, with a clueless expression.
‘…….’
For some reason, Catherine decided to take the boy in and care for him for a while.
It might have been because they were around the same age, or it might have been because a young friend Catherine had been close to had recently been impaled and taken away by a drone.
It was obvious what Lee Shiun’s future would have been like if Catherine hadn’t helped him.
And from then on, Catherine stayed with Lee Shiun.
She taught him how to survive there, introduced him to people who could help, solved various incidents, and navigated through many dangerous situations with him.
After more than 10 years had passed, it wasn’t strange that she developed feelings for the boy she had initially seen as a younger brother to care for, feelings that went beyond platonic affection. Of course, his face was also her type.
Therefore, Catherine couldn’t help but feel an unspoken sense of betrayal at the current situation.
Of course, rationally, she knew.
It shouldn’t be called betrayal.
She also knew that if she didn’t want to see this situation, she should have taken action herself.
But
‘…Even from now on.’
Even so, she had no intention of giving up.
No matter how the situation unfolded from now on, Catherine made a silent vow to never back down.
‘……I wonder if Neon City allows polygamy. I’ll have to look into it.’
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