Shatei Kyokufuri Yumi-Ojisan

ls, but we settled on this.
It’s a collaboration item, so it shouldn’t act too important-nyon.’

I see.
This was supposed to be a collaboration event.
I had forgotten, as it wasn’t too different from the usual NSO.

‘Also, I thought that during times like this, when there are limits to how many items that you can bring with you, it will be difficult to decide whether or not to bring the ME medal with you.
Well, it’s also difficult to decide how these collaboration items should be handled.
They are like limited items, so they can’t be too important, or people who start playing later will get angry-nyon.’

“You can always do another event.
A second collaboration.”

I said light-heartedly.
However, I knew full well that it wasn’t as easy to do as a normal event…
But Charin looked pleased by this.

‘Indeed-nyon! As long as there is a demand, we can do it many times over-nyon! I have no problem with that! It can be any time!’

Charin said as she waved her fist.

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She really was a well-made person.
An AI, but a person, right?
I’m sure that she was.

‘Ah, that’s right! The design and effect of the ME medals are different for each player-nyon! That’s one of the reasons that they are difficult to handle…’

“What!? So Necoco and Satomi’s medals are different from mine?”

I glanced towards them, but they swiftly hid their medals.
While I understood that I was wrong for taking a peek, we were comrades.
They were medals that we had acquired through working together.
Surely we could just show them to each other…?

“No, old man.
We’ll be enemies during solo events, so we shouldn’t show more than we have to.”

“But, maybe just this one time?”

“I understand how you feel, but no! I want to keep it as a secret trump card.
Besides, you should have seen how surprised you were when you saw my Nekomata… Right, Satomi?”

“His reaction to seeing my Auto Battle Mode was also pretty amusing.
I’ll never be able to see such an expression again if he knows everything… And so I cannot show it.
I’m only half-joking.”

Half…

“I think we are all better off not completely understanding each other.
People who want to enjoy online games alone don’t want to have to be considerate of others, but also don’t want others to have to be considerate of them.”

“Ah, I suppose.”

“And so it’s better to not know.
If you know everyone’s skills, charge attacks and weaknesses, you’ll start to worry about things other than yourself, and others will worry about you.
If we’re going to think and move as a group, that might make sense.
But it is not our style.”

Satomi was right.
If I knew about all of their skills, then I would always be thinking about when they were going to use them and how I could cover for their weaknesses.
It wasn’t as if I didn’t have enough trouble thinking about when to use my own trump card.
If I just continued to do what was best for myself, then it would ultimately benefit the rest of the party…
That was fine for us, wasn’t it?

But still, I couldn’t help but be curious about what kind of medal they had acquired…
I would just have to hope that I would find out one day, and wait…
No one likes an old prying man.

‘Cough! Now, I’ll be returning you all to the surface-nyon! The event isn’t over yet, and there are hidden labyrinths-nyon! Well, they are just bonuses, so there are no rules about them being close to each labyrinth-nyon! But you might find them when you’re out adventuring, so hope that you are lucky!’

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I had also found one of them after getting lost.
They seemed like the kind of thing that you would never find if you were actually looking for them…

‘Stars that shine! Lead the victors to the future!’

Our bodies were surrounded by light.
Were we going to be moved to the ground now?
…How many times today have I been enveloped by light and turned into a star?

“Well, we won’t see each other for awhile, Mr.
Kyuji.
But after this trial and battle, I know what I have to do now.
I want to be stronger, so I won’t have to rely on you as much the next time that we get together.”

“If anything, I relied on you and Gochu for most of it.
I only survived because you were in the front.
Otherwise, she would have got to me eventually, no matter how far away I was.
That was a painful lesson I learned when fighting against Charin.
I also need to get stronger, so you two don’t have to sacrifice yourselves during an attack.”

“I intend to get stronger too! While I may have finished the star trials, my aunt is farther than the stars.
I can’t even see her back yet… But one day, I will catch up…and surpass her! We’re going to battle, and I’ll win!”

I had seen the video of her aunt fighting.
She seemed so far away that I didn’t even feel like saying something encouraging, like ‘you will be able to catch up!’
However, I didn’t know enough about Necoco to jump to any conclusions.
She was young, and the possibilities were endless.

And maybe…it was the same for me?

“Well, just continue to play and have fun.
And things will work out!”

“What is that? Is that supposed to be encouraging?”

“No, that was for me!”

And then our bodies floated up.
It was time to return to ordinary adventuring.

“Thanks, you two.
Until next time!”

“Bye-bye! It was fun!”

“See on the next battlefield.”

And so the Ghosts spread out on the surface, searching for new power.
One fight had ended, and a new one had begun.