ALL NOVEL The Strongest Solo Gamer with Terrible Social Skills Reincarnates as a Hated NPC in a VRMMO Chapter 79
79: First-Year Hunting
As I left the classroom, I hurried down the corridor to the shop to make up for lost time. Along the way, I received curious glances from other students, but I didn’t mind. It’s not like it’s a big deal. Yesterday’s incident must be the topic of discussion. The defeat of the 10th-floor boss. I’m aware that I made a big fuss.
…But, I’m not going to deny it.
Thanks to that, I was appointed as the class leader of Class D, and I’m probably shouldering some unknown burdens.
Right now, I need to prioritize dealing with my hunger. I’m starving. Luckily, there should still be some leftover bread at the shop around this time…
――Just then,
“――Hey!! This is bad!!”
“What’s going on in the first-year classroom?”
“What’s happening?”
“Vice President Ido Ryuko has launched an attack!”
“What the…? Is she bullying her juniors?”
“The first-year students in Classes B and C were attacked!”
“She’s currently in Class 1-A!”
“This is serious! Let’s go take a look!”
――I brushed past a noisy group of students rushing to Class 1-A.
“…Ido Ryuko has launched an attack…”
What is that woman doing?
And it’s Classes B and C…
“――Ah!!”
――Just then, an electric current ran through my head.
I recalled my conversation with Ido Ryuko at the family restaurant. Didn’t I say something like this to her, who was seeking a strong opponent?
“…It’s fine if it’s a first-year student, right?”
――That’s right. And I introduced her to…
Tengenkyo Sazaki from Class C.
Yurantei Jigoku from Class B.
Uguisumaruman from Class A.
“No way――no way, no way, no way!!”
I realized and took off running.
My destination was Class A.
I had to prevent further damage. I prayed while running, hoping that the flames wouldn’t spread to me…
◆
When I arrived at Class 1-A, the entrance was packed with onlookers. If only a few of them would stop her, Ido’s evil deeds would end. I couldn’t help but think that.
“Excuse me, excuse me. Move aside――ahh!”
I pushed through the crowd and entered the classroom, where I found Ido, who had just finished a battle, and a small boy lying on the ground.
The boy with purple hair, Uguisumaruman, was unconscious, his right hand bent in an unnatural direction, as if broken. His two short swords, his weapons, were scattered nearby, indicating that he had lost the battle.
Standing tall, glaring at Ido, were two siblings. The blond-haired, blue-eyed twins wore white uniforms, their appearances identical but their personalities vastly different. The arrogant and ruthless older brother, Shinshou Chuuji, and the clean and tidy younger sister, Shinshou Kudara. The two were guarding the girl in the back while keeping a wary eye on Ido, the attacker.
“Uguisumaruman! Uguisumaruman!!”
The one calling out to the fallen Orihata was a black-haired long-haired girl student wearing the same white uniform. The beautiful girl with an otherworldly beauty was worrying about the boy’s safety, her long, narrow eyes moistened. I’m sure the boys in this room thought the same. In that position, if they could replace him, they would want to.
“—Is that it? You’re done, right? I was looking forward to it, but it’s just a waste of time…”
“A waste of time…? You did something so cruel just for fun, didn’t you…?”
The girl student, Senya Mikogami, the class leader of 1-A, scolded him harshly. Myou, on the other hand, was smiling as if teasing Senya, without showing any signs of remorse.
“What’s wrong? Do you have a complaint, Your Highness?”
“Hmph.”
“Please calm down, Shrine Maiden. This kind of opponent is just a waste of time…”
“That’s right. I’m Myou Ryuuji. I don’t know why you did this, but I’m sure you’ve achieved your goal. You can leave my classroom now!”
“…Hmph. You think you’ve achieved your goal, but it’s incomplete. At least I was able to land a hit on your face. I’ll give you points for that, Orihata.”
“…”
It seems like it’s over…
Phew, that’s good.
I was worried that things would get out of hand. It’s bad for Orihata, but I’m relieved that Senya is safe. If things got any worse, it would be really troublesome. The worst-case scenario would be the destruction of the Mikogami family.
At least it’s over…
“…Huh? —Oh! What are you doing here, you…!”
“Gah!?”
Mi-mi-mi, I’ve been found out!
Myou was waving at me with a cheerful smile.
Is it hard to escape…?
With a desperate feeling, I stepped forward in front of the group.
“Y-yeah… What a coincidence, Senpai…”
“What’s with the formalities? We’re not strangers. Be more casual!”
“Ahaha… Yeah, that’s right…”
Bashin bashin.
Myou patted my back while laughing.
Ow, ow.
My body ached with each pat.
“Oh, by the way, did you see that? You broke through the 10th floor, didn’t you? I’ve got a bit more respect for you now. But, it’s just the 10th floor, so it’s not that big of a deal. Anyone who’s been noticed by Tenjuuin wouldn’t be satisfied with just that.”
“H-haha…”
I was feeling strange, unsure if I was being praised or scorned.
“Oh, and by the way? About those people you told me about… They were all useless.”
“!?!”
“A-ah, wait! Don’t talk about that!!”
I tried to stop Myou, but they wouldn’t stop talking, revealing more and more uncomfortable information.
“The ones at Tsutenkaku and Yuurantei. I think the last one was Orihata, right? The ones you told me about were all useless. I took them down easily. The guy at Tsutenkaku went down in one hit, and Yuurantei was finished in two hits with a spirit. Only Orihata was able to counterattack, but in the end, it was just like that.”
“—Wait! Don’t ignore me!!”
“Huh?”
Shinsei Nakajou raised his voice.
“Earlier, I heard that you did that brutal act because you were deceived by that trash’s sweet words…!?”
“Sweet talk? … Well, I guess I wasn’t wrong. In reality, I did hear from Shōma that he had a one-year plan. If we didn’t have any information, you guys would be enjoying a peaceful lunch break right now, wouldn’t you?”
“――ッ!!”
Nakajō-kun’s face turned bright red with anger as he glared at me, his expression resembling that of an Asura. I could only avert my gaze in desperation.
“Uh… so, what’s going on here――”
“Is everything Shōma’s doing a setup from the start!?”
“What the…?! What’s going on?!”
“That’s cruel… even for a thrill-seeker, it’s too much…”
A――ッ!! I’ve fueled the anti-fan board again! The gazes from around me are painful!
“Did he… anticipate the class competition and――”
“!?”
Needle-kun’s voice rose in surprise.
I had never thought of such a possibility, but due to my plummeting popularity, the speculation was recognized as fact by those around me.
The equation “Shōma = dangerous guy” seemed impossible to change. Feeling the unfairness of the world, I cried inwardly.
“He assigned the main force of Class 3 to me, just to ensure 1-D’s advantage in the class competition…!! You’re so cunning!!”
“That’s the lowest form of tactics! You can’t win head-on, so you used the second-year students!!”
“Shōma… I’ve heard rumors, but I never thought he’d do something so cruel…”
“Oracle-sama…”
The sorrowful Oracle-sama hung her head.
――Oh no! That’s not right!!
I didn’t want to see Ōkamigami, the top-ranked idol, with such a painful expression either!!
It’s all because of me!
I’m the root of all evil――!!
“I won’t forgive you, Shōma!!”
“Hy, hyeeee――ッ!!”
I was glared at by the entire Class A, and I fled the scene. The smug expression on my face as I escaped was infuriating.