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

Chapter 18

(It's already started... what do I do? Maybe I should just jump off and self-destruct...)

I look down at the road from the rooftop railing.

'Ooh! Nice drop location!'

"Wh-whaa!?"

Chacha-san's voice rings in my head.

"Chacha-san!?"

'Yoo-hoo! It's me, Chacha~'

"U-um, can you see what I'm seeing?"

'Yup, I can see it~. We're sharing visuals and radar info with the whole team. I'll focus on supporting you at the start, so leave it to me!'

Self-destructing is impossible now. If I did that, I'd look the worst.

'For now, we'll regroup using Shiki-san's coordinates as the axis. Chacha-san, give directions.'

Now it's Sheena-san's voice.

'Roger-roger~. I'll send everyone their drop coordinates~. Let's rendezvous at the building where Shiki-chon is. First, Shiki-chon, head inside.'

"Roger that."

I can talk more easily over comms.

As long as I'm not face-to-face, the tension's lower. Thank goodness.

"Eh?"

An enemy icon appears on radar.

Height 180 and moving!? That means it's flying straight at me...!

(I'm coming straight this way...!)

When I turn toward the icon, a Space Girl with red mechanical wings is flying from the opposite rooftop.

"First kill, coming right up!!"

A Space Girl with crimson long hair and claw-like scars on her cheeks. A greatsword on her back and this mobility... an Attacker!

'Gyaaah!? It's Gren of the "Crimson Wings," Kurenai!'

'Kurenai!? Wait, isn't she one of the top contenders to win?!'

T-top contender!?

"Shiki-san! We're on our way! Hold out somehow!"

Tell me that when you're closer!

'Shiki-chon, running's impossible!'

"I'll engage!"

I take the sniper rifle I borrowed from Sheena-san and fire one shot.

"Shield!"

The rifle round is blocked by a cluster of Shield Pieces. She closes to ten meters.

'Assuming her loadout's the same as last tournament, Kurenai's weapons are Wing, Wing, Shield Piece, Shield Piece, Great Saber, Saber, Foot Saber, Foot Saber!'

Foot Sabers—no way—

'Watch out, she extends sabers from the soles of her feet!'

"S-sabers from the soles...!"

That's my kind of style—no, not the time for that!

(Weapon switch—GW-7!)

Equip GW-7 in both hands.

(It's true. There's a dagger blade on top of the barrel.)

I aim the guns at the enemy and pull the triggers. While I hold them down, the bullets fire in full-auto.

(Full-auto rapid fire!)

Yellow bolts like lightning streak from the GW-7s, but the opponent deflects them with Shield Pieces. Still, Shield Pieces aren't invincible; their durability drops fast—one, then another breaks.

(But at this rate I'll be overrun!)

The enemy raises her greatsword overhead and swings down. Most of the blade is solid, only one side has an energy edge.

"Shield!"

I copy what I've seen and launch Shield Pieces from my hip, firing them at Kurenai's face.

'No good! That won't block "Inferno"!'

The Shield Pieces are easily incinerated by the greatsword's red energy blade.

(No problem. They were just a distraction anyway.)

The incinerated Shield Pieces emit a little smoke. That smoke clouds Kurenai's sight.

While spraying bullets from both handguns, I create distance.

"Like I'll let you escape!!"

The enemy's thrusters accelerate—ridiculously fast. I send more Shield Pieces at her face to blind her and keep firing while evading.

"Tch, like a fly! Annoying!"

'Using Shield Pieces as harassment—nice tactic♪'

Our Shield Piece consumption rate is about equal. I'm using them for blinding, the enemy to block my bullets. Once the Shield Pieces are gone, the real battle begins.

Another of my Shield Pieces is cut away.

(That makes zero Shield Pieces left.)

At the same time, my gunfire strips the last of the enemy's Shield Pieces.

"From here..."

"...is the showdown!"

Twin handguns versus greatsword in close quarters.

The enemy launches high-speed consecutive attacks leveraging her mobility.

I keep dodging with the smallest possible moves. Rather than trying to hit her with bullets, I "place" shots to restrict her choices, limiting her movements and creating openings to slash with the handguns' daggers, shaving off a bit of her HP.

Evade, evade, evade—attack—evade!

"Y-you're supposed to be a sniper! How's a sniper who got rushed surviving this long!?"

"S-s-sorry!"

"Don't apologize! I'm praising you!!"

She lifts her leg—Foot Saber!

"G-gah!"

I side-dodge the raised foot-saber with a thruster burst.

"Tch, my hand's already revealed, huh."

While keeping me focused on the greatsword, she looks for openings to stab with the foot saber. She's really good—especially at thruster management; she covers the gap after using the foot saber with precise thruster control.

'We're 300 m away! Hang on, rookie sniper!'

About ten more seconds—this is doable!

(She's not pressing too deep—because she has no Shield Pieces either. I can hold out until Sheena-san arrives.)

"......"

Even though we're at a stalemate, Kurenai doesn't look the least bit impatient. Suddenly she seems calm...

(...? Something's off—)

One possibility flashes through my mind.

"Just do it! Leave this one for later, he's dangerous!"

Kurenai's words aren't aimed at me. They're for whoever's on the other end of the comm.

A flash glints from a radio tower 700 m away.

(Sniper!!)

I twist my upper body to dodge the shot.

(A sniper! Long range means 700 m is still within support range—I'm the one getting reinforced first!!)

As I twist and lose balance, the greatsword closes in.

I'm cornered—

(I'm not dying here. Not now.)

――――――Afterword――――――

Space Girl has a communicator in her brain; that's how she talks. Even though it's inside her head, she has to speak properly or her voice won't get through.

'That was fun!'

'I want to see what happens next!'

If you even slightly thought so, please tap the ★ at the bottom of the page to show your support!

Your cheers are my motivation.

I'm a humble author, but thank you very much!