ALL NOVEL The Strongest Solo Gamer with Terrible Social Skills Reincarnates as a Hated NPC in a VRMMO Chapter 92
92: The All-Knowing Tenjōin
Time waits for no one, as they say… but really, the days just keep passing without stopping. It’s frustrating for me, but this day has finally arrived.
April 28th, Friday.
The day of the class competition.
I’ve been living peacefully in the dormitory, but I was desperately wishing that today wouldn’t come… However, reality is cruel. Our wishes can’t stop the sun from rising in the east and setting in the west.
The time is 4 am.
I woke up with a start, still feeling the remnants of my nightmare. I began preparing for my daily morning run.
Godasaki must be sleeping soundly in the next room. After changing into my jersey, I lightly stretched my shoulders and headed towards the entrance.
…Maybe I can escape now?
A wicked thought crossed my mind. The class competition sounds nice, but in reality, it’s Shōma’s public execution day. Who would willingly walk onto the execution grounds? The remaining students in Class D must think I’ve betrayed them. It’s cruel to have raised their expectations only to dash them.
So… maybe it’s better to do nothing?
“…”
…Well, I’ll go anyway.
I let out a deep sigh, adjusted my shoes, and headed out.
In the real world, I’m a loser.
A typical social outcast.
I’m bad at interacting with people.
I’m bad at talking to people.
I have no idea how people think.
I never wanted to understand, anyway.
That’s right, I’ve given up thinking. I don’t understand what the other person is saying, but I’m sure I’m making them uncomfortable. The words that are desperately repeated are unpleasant, like a ringing in my ears, and I’ve closed myself off in my own world, covering my ears.
I’m tired of both malice and kindness. Don’t touch me. Don’t talk to me. Don’t look at me. I hate other people’s concern. I don’t have the courage to take my own life, but if I could, I’d want to become a flavorless, odorless air. That’s what I was seriously thinking when…
I encountered Legacy Sense.
A immersive VRMMO.
I, who had abandoned reality, needed a new world to replace it. A new foothold to live. This world saved me. Legacy Sense was the only place where I didn’t want to lie.
Running away… it’s not an option.
“…As a gamer, I’ll do my best…”
Today’s preparations are perfect.
I’m not afraid of anything.
◆
When I realized it, I had overslept and was late for school. Completely late. I must have gotten lost in my running time.
What am I doing…?
As I mocked myself inwardly, I tried to sneak past the empty school gate, when…
“Hey, good morning.”
“—”
A pure white male student called out to me.
A light, airy voice that could blow away in the wind.
But, strangely, it lingered in my ears.
The one standing there was Student Council President, Tenshuin Hachijo. There was no one else around.
Was he waiting for me? It might seem like I’m being overly self-conscious, but his eccentric actions made me think so.
The reason was unclear, but…
I couldn’t ignore him.
“Tenshuin… senpai. What are you doing here?”
“— Encouragement, maybe. If it’s hard to call, just call me by my name. You’re older, right?”
“…Huh? What’s…?”
“You should know, don’t you? My eyes, the Emperor’s Eyes, can see through people’s essence. I can know the life they’ve lived in fragments.”
I know.
Of course, I know, but…
Could it be…?
“Legacy Sense, huh? It’s interesting. My heart has never trembled like this since I was born…”
“!”
“…I want you to believe me, I’m on your side. I don’t know what happened in the original story, but when I saw your eyes, I could observe the future you can see, and I was able to escape from the exhausting struggle… So, there’s no need to worry unnecessarily.”
Is he completely… completely reading me? A deviation from the original story. But if that means Tenshuin has changed, then it’s not so bad…
Tenshuin Hachijo was a man who stood in a position like the final boss in the Legacy scenario. Regardless of the player’s affiliated classroom, he would eventually take control of the Academy and attempt a coup against the country.
Tenshuin was tired.
Of this country. Of this world.
So, he wanted to destroy everything… and summoned terrorists into the Academy. A organization centered around demonic hybrids. Their goal, known as the Self-Preservation Faction, was to occupy ABYSS, the source of all evil that created demonic hybrids. They wanted to eliminate ABYSS. The extremist faction had driven many students and teachers to death, turning the Academy into hell. The ones who opposed them were the classroom leaders and their friends, and the player in the scenario.
Honestly, I thought it would be impossible to resolve the situation without any casualties if that event occurred. But if it could be prevented, then the situation where Tenshuin knew the future wasn’t so bad…
…No, am I being too optimistic?
It’s too early to come to a conclusion.
Now, I have to see how this guy turns out――
“……It’s also unreasonable to ask me to believe you right away. You know I’m a dangerous thinker, and I can somewhat understand how I might become like that in the future. If I hadn’t met you, I might have ended up that way. But that’s not what I originally wanted.”
“……”
“I’m grateful to you in my own way.”
“Grateful――?”
“So, I won’t get in your way. From now on, I’ll behave like a good senior.”
“……Good senior? ……From now on? ……What’s with that? You’re still weird.”
“Uh?”
“If you have eyes, you should know my true nature! You stand out when you’re with me! You stand out and nothing good comes of it!!”
“……Do I stand out when I’m with you?”
“Yeah, that’s right!”
“Then, shouldn’t we think of another way……?”
“O-other way……!? No, so――”
It’s better if I don’t do anything unnecessary and just let things be. My sincere wish didn’t reach Tengenji, and he started thinking, stroking his chin.
How serious is this guy, really!?
“……Do your best in the class competition, okay?”
“Huh? Yeah…”
“Cheering is――”
“Don’t bother! Seriously, don’t!!”
Is he a natural or a strategist?――Suddenly switching to the topic of the class competition was confusing, and I couldn’t understand what was going on anymore―ッ！？
There were still many things I wanted to talk about, but for now, I decided to hurry back to my classroom.
It’s really getting out of hand……ッ！！