ALL NOVEL The Strongest Solo Gamer with Terrible Social Skills Reincarnates as a Hated NPC in a VRMMO Chapter 96
96 Strategy Meeting ②
――SIDE: Kaoru Akane――
“What did you just say…?”
The surroundings fell silent, as if water had been poured on them, at Shinma’s words. Ubu, who had proposed a strategy earlier, timidly asked the question.
“You said we should forfeit, right?”
“What, why…?”
“Why bother? We have no chance of winning in this class competition. We’re guaranteed to lose. Why would we go out of our way to participate in a battle we’re sure to lose? We might get hurt, and that would affect our school life. It’s not worth the risk, right?”
Shinma declared calmly.
But we wouldn’t accept that.
We couldn’t accept it.
“Don’t joke around!! You know what you’re saying, right?!”
“What do I mean? …At the start of the class competition, all D-class students will use the emergency escape function on their magical crystal terminals. …I don’t think what I’m saying is that difficult to understand…”
――ッ
Shoma, with a playful attitude, says something like that, and even I, who’s usually calm, am left speechless.
――No, I’m not the only one. All the students who had been preparing for the class competition, seeing Shoma’s words, are filled with anger.
「……Stone. Unfortunately, that’s unacceptable. What you’re saying is a blatant defeat. It’s not that I can’t tolerate it, but…”
「Huh…? But I’m the class leader, aren’t I?」
「Even as the class leader, I have the right to deny what I think is wrong! Shoma, please reconsider!！」
Kubo and Mushakoji try to persuade Shoma, but he stubbornly refuses to budge――
「This class competition is too dangerous. We’re getting excessive hate from other groups, and the school’s safety measures are far from perfect. If we get caught up in a group lynching and can’t recover, what then?」
「You’re the one who provoked the vice president, aren’t you!? You’re useless, and we don’t need you!」
Some students jeer, saying “That’s right!” and “You’re the one who started this!” Although Shoma isn’t the mastermind behind the first-year student attack, it’s impossible to explain that to many students. Within D class, there are many students who hold negative feelings towards Shoma due to this incident.
「……So that’s how it is, huh…？」
「Hmm?」
「Stone, you’re just afraid of losing your position as class leader, aren’t you? That’s why you’re telling us to forfeit!？」
「……Huh?」
「You’re just trying to save your own skin, aren’t you? So you’re telling us to give up!？」
The surroundings are stirred up, and Isozaki yells out.
「Let’s just do it ourselves! Who cares about what you say, huh? You’re just a fake class leader, and we don’t need to listen to you!！」
Isozaki’s words are absurd. If Shoma, the class leader, were to forfeit, we in D class would be left with nothing and would lose.
It’s not rational.
But――
「……Fine. I’m not agreeing with your words, but let’s go along with it this time.」
「As a warrior, I can’t just give up without a fight!！」
「……Sorry, Shoma. I don’t understand what you’re saying, but giving up without a fight is not an option. I――we will choose to fight.」
Kubo, Mushakoji, and Soji agree to reject Shoma’s proposal.
Of course, I feel the same way. Even if we know it’s disadvantageous, we don’t want to give up without a fight. That’s not why we’ve been sweating and searching for ABYSS.
「Then… do as you like. I’ve warned you, at least.」
Shoma says this with a disappointed tone.
The reaction from everyone is cold.
「――Unnecessary, your concern…！」
「Explorers are getting cold feet, what’s the point?！」
「Yeah, yeah. Just like Serizawa said! Stone, you’re just a coward who can’t even handle a school event!！」
「You’re just a lowly student, and this is the end for you, huh?」
「Shut up, you idiot!！」
「It’s a shame, despite our differences…」
「Hahaha! You don’t have any allies left, do you? Get lost, you coward!！」
Shoma folds his arms and closes his eyes, as if he’s not listening to the insults from everyone.
……I don’t understand what Shouma wants to do now. But, seeing the reactions around me, the passionate emotions have disappeared somewhere, leaving only emptiness in my chest.
“It can’t be helped, Koume-chan.”
“Hayaki…”
“If you say something like that in front of everyone, it’s natural to get this kind of reaction…”
“What do you think, Hayaki?”
“Me? I… secretly agree with Ishiru. Originally, I wanted to be a reporter, so I don’t like fighting, anyway. …I think there are students who think the same way, like Sanematsu-san and others. They’re not saying anything, are they? That’s how it is.”
Hayaki whispered to me, teaching me. Indeed, students who lack confidence in their combat abilities might not think badly of Shouma’s proposal.
――But that doesn’t mean I’ll accept D-class’s withdrawal.
“…Ishiru might be removed, too.”
“What?”
“It’s the class representative position. Whether we win or lose, it’s an enemy role, right? They’ll find some fault and remove Ishiru from the position. I think so.”
“!”
“But the problem is what happens after that――who will take the ‘next seat’? I don’t think磯野 will forgive the three people who nominated Ishiru as class representative. They’ll try to shift the responsibility and make themselves the class representative. If that happens, D-class is finished…”