The Lone Sniper: I Was Just Minding My Own Business Sniping Players, and I Ended Up Becoming a Raid Boss

Chapter 17

I eat the curry rice Azuha made for me.

Delicious... it soothes my tired heart.

"Azuha will make a great wife!"

"Big sis will make a hopeless wife."

This little sister has gotten thorny lately. Still cute though.

"So how's the game I gave you? Having fun?"

"Yeah! Super fun! I could play it forever~"

"Hmm. Made any friends?"

"Ah, um, well... one friend... sort of..."

I drop my spoon onto the table.

"What's wrong?"

"Ah, ah wa wa...!"

I-I forgot!

I'm supposed to meet Sheena at 10 real time!! Current time: 12:50!!

"Sorry! Wrap up the curry!"

"Ah, okay"

I hurry to the bathroom and log in again.

"Crap! Where was the place!?"

Three new messages. All from Sheena.

'You're online, right? You didn't show up at the time - is something wrong?'

'Where are you? Please reply ASAP'

'Fine then. Please come to Space Station ch.ex1 at 39 o'clock'

I can still make 39 o'clock!

"Um, um...!"

Switching Space Station channels is easy. Just open the system menu inside Space Station and change channels. After switching channels, the scenery changes and I can warp to Space Station ch.ex1 lobby.

Current time: 38:55. Cutting it close.

"This is..."

Different from the usual Space Station. A bar the size of Tokyo Dome, packed with people. Electromagnetic screens everywhere showing Space Girls in gunfights and playing some kind of sport. Maybe call it a spectator bar?

"Shiki-san!"

A Space Girl runs toward me.

Semi-long blue hair, a head shorter than me - this is...

"Guh!? Sh-Sheena...!"

Sheena, along with Niko and guide-girl who I saw before.

(Ugh... talking to people who already have groups... my worst situation...!)

"Sorry, no time to explain - I'll send details in a message box"

"Details?"

A new message arrives.

'2047 July 4th C Rank Match Rules: Team members: 3 battle members + 1 operator (max) Teams: 33 teams Qualification: Team rank C+ Level cap: 30 (level 31+ get temporary level down) Rarity limit: 7 (rarity 8+ weapons get automatic stat down) Field area: radius 28.5km Field: random Spawn: random Weapons 8, expansion parts allowed, other items forbidden Field shrinks every 15 minutes'

This is...

"A battle royale... right"

Games where about 100 people shoot each other on an island are common. Probably the same thing.

"Yes. And I'll be joining with Niko here and Shiki-san"

"Is that so... wait, whaaaat!?"

Team battles? Absolutely impossible!

"You said you'd do anything I asked, right? Participating in this match is my 'request'"

"Hawawawawa...!"

"Match starts in 5 minutes. Here"

Sheena forcibly puts a wristband on my right wrist. The wristband says 'Entry No.20 Marshmallow Smile'

"This is your team proof"

"Um... do I really have to do this...?"

"No"

This girl... polite but intense...

"Hah, we'd be better off as just two people with this kid"

"Level 11. A 19-level disadvantage isn't funny"

Niko! Yes, keep convincing her that way!

"Actually, at least she can be a shield or decoy"

"That's true"

Niko-saaan!?

'Hey, how about checking your weapons first?'

Guide-girl speaks.

"Um, this child is...?"

"Our mechanic and operator, Chacha. This is just remote controlled, the main body is waiting elsewhere'

'Once the match starts I'll support via communication, nice to meet you Shikiccho'

Sh-Shikiccho...?

"I'll send you Niko and Chacha's friend codes too, so register them. Can't communicate if you're not friends"

Communication... so once the match starts I'll have a chat line with these three. How restrictive...

"Right, weapons! Show us"

"Uu... okay"

I show them my weapon list.

"Geh... total beginner"

"I'll give you two sets of Shield Pieces and a sniper rifle"

"Ah, thank you..."

I receive weapons from Sheena and equip them.

Weapons

Slot 1: Army Knife (knife)

Slot 2: M1911 G-AGE (handgun)

Slot 3: Dust Mirage (special coat)

Slot 4: SCH-100+ (saber)

Slot 5: PT-8 (Shield Piece)

Slot 6: PT-8 (Shield Piece)

Slot 7: RS-11+FullCustom (sniper rifle)

Slot 8: RS-11+FullCustom (sniper rifle)

(Sniper rifles and Shield Pieces... reunited after so long...!)

"Strange though... Army Knife and M1911 aren't in the starting weapons. Don't you have any other weapons?"

"N-no. Sorry"

"No need to apologize. But then... you took down Centipede with just Army Knife and M1911? No way..."

"Whatever! Remove the M1911 and knife. Real guns and swords won't work!"

"Eh!? B-but..."

Th-the G-AGE will definitely be useful...

"What?"

The pink-haired girl tilts her head.

She's so intimidating... honestly, not my type...!

"Y-yes, removing them!"

I unequip the M1911 and Army Knife.

"Use this instead"

"What... is this?"

"Dagger with handgun"

GW-7x2

(Golden Week...?)

Buzz. A tingling sensation runs through my body.

"Eh?"

At the same moment, a bolt of blue lightning shoots from my feet to the crown of my head.

It doesn't hurt, but my bodily senses are fading away.

"The teleport has started! Honestly, Sheena, this is no time to space out!"

"That's right. Shiki-san, once you arrive, please head straight for the nearest building, all right?"

"R-roger that!"

I guess I can manage if it's only once.

Looks like teleportation isn't team-based after all; dropping in at random might be an option.

'Teleportation complete.'

I hear the system voice.

The scenery changes in an instant, and I find myself on the roof of a ruined building instead of the bar.

A run-down, near-futuristic cityscape spreads out before me.

'Stage name: Ruined City 12. Combat commencing.'

――――――Afterword――――――

"FullCustom" is, as the name implies, attached to weapons that use up every last bit of customization capacity.

Niko made Shiki unequip the G-AGE, but for anyone who doesn't know the G-AGE, that's only natural (a defense).

"Space Station ch.ex" is a huge dome where you can watch all kinds of events. The dome also houses the players' waiting rooms and more.